The 8th Annual Blaine Billinger Poker Run will take place on Saturday, October 10 with registration at 11:00 a.m. at the Horseshoe Grill &amp; Bar in Hays. 

 The route will go east to Waudby's in Russell, south to That 'New' Place in Olmitz, back west to Greg's Sports Pub &amp; Grub in Rush Center, then finish the day back at the Horseshoe in Hays. 

 It's always a fun event and we invite everyone to come out and join us.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599862137568.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The 8th Annual Blaine Billinger Poker Run will take place on Saturday, October 10 with registration at 11:00 a.m. at the Horseshoe Grill &amp; Bar in Hays. The route will go east to Waudby's in Russell, south to That 'New' Place in Olmitz, back west to Greg's Sports Pub &amp; Grub in Rush Center, then finish the day back at the Horseshoe in Hays. It's always a fun event and we invite everyone to come out and join us.

Annual Blaine Billinger Poker Run set for Oct. 10

LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A mostly Republican state council voted Friday to extend Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s emergency declaration providing services to combat the coronavirus in Kansas, but only after language was added clarifying that the governor doesn’t intend to use her authority to close businesses as she did in the spring.

The State Finance Council’s unanimous vote came after a lengthy, contentious meeting during which Kelly, a Democrat, and the GOP members accused each other of playing politics with the declaration.

The resolution, which had been scheduled to expire Tuesday, will now be in effect until at least Oct. 31, when Kelly could seek another extension.

Kelly and Adjutant General David Weishaar warned before the vote that letting the declaration expire would stop the state from providing many services, including the delivery of personal protective equipment and assistance with community-based testing.

Republican members insisted on stipulating that the extension had to clarify that Kelly would not close businesses as she did in April.

Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, a Republican from Overland Park, said conditions have changed since the early days of the pandemic and that residents need to know the governor’s and lawmakers’ intentions to “calm everything down.”

“We need to let the folks back home, the businesses, know that we have no intention of shutting down and if there’s a hot spot, the local folks will handle that hot spot. ... They’re not comfortable right now, they’ve lived through a nightmare. And we need to give the some common sense assurance,” he said.

Kelly said repeatedly during the meeting that she would not order businesses to close again because state and health officials have better data, information and procedures than they did in the spring and most businesses had cooperated with efforts to slow the virus.

When GOP members continued to push for new language in the resolution, Kelly accused them of using the issue for political gain in an election year, rather than ensuring the state can continue to provide services without interruption.

“There is so much at stake here,” she said. “Please do not let your ideology or your dislike for me as governor or the fact that I’m a Democrat (affect the vote). Please, let’s vote for the people, let’s not vote for politics.”

At a news conference after the meeting, House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. said the inserted language was important.

“We’ve got to a situation where we’re picking winners and losers, determined who was essential and who wasn’t, allowing a lot of our large stores remain open when our small ones couldn’t. We couldn’t have that repeated,” Ryckman said.

Some Republicans accused Kelly of breaking rules by vetoing a motion that sought to add different language to the declaration.

Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who attended the news conference, said he’s “sure there will be a large group of lawyers” looking into whether Kelly’s veto was legal.

As of Friday, Kansas health officials had reported 48,386 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 511 deaths from the disease since the start of the pandemic.

Topeka — The two hour State Finance Council meeting lasted much longer than expected. The republican members of the committee forced the governor to include language in the declaration that confirms she would not close businesses again.

&nbsp;The language written during a recess by the governor's attorney Clay Britton said, "Any restrictions regarding closure of businesses in the Kansas Emergency Management Act remain in place to the extent described in the Kansas Emergency Management Act and it is the governors intention not to use her authority to close businesses."

With that language, the council voted unanimously to extend the declaration until October 15.&nbsp; It was set to expire on Tuesday.

 When asked for her vote, Senator Susan Wagle criticized the governor on how she chaired the meeting and "broke rules."

Topeka —&nbsp;The State Finance Council meeting on whether to extend the current COVID-19 emergency declaration is in its third hour. The issue involves including language in the declaration that assures the republican members of the committee the governor won't shut down businesses again.

<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/">Click here to listen&nbsp;</a>to the meeting that resumed at 1p.m.

Republican Senator Jim Denning asked the governor's attorney if there is language they can agree on that says Kelly absolutely won't exercise power to close businesses. 

Despite refusing the suggestion earlier Friday, Kelly said she is comfortable including such language. The committee went into recess until just after 1p.m. to give the state's chief counsel time to draft language for consideration.

Topeka —The State Finance Council meeting on whether to extend the current COVID-19 emergency declaration lasted&nbsp; longer than the original scheduled two hours.

<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/">Click here to listen&nbsp;</a>to the meeting that resumes at noon.

The discussion centered around asking the governor to include language in the declaration that would prevent Kelly from shutting down business again. The governor said she does not intend to shut down businesses again and refused to include the language.&nbsp;

Senate president Susan Wagle wanted to delay the vote until the council could meet in person on Monday afternoon. Not all members of the council were able to fit that meeting into their schedules. Wagle then suggested the council return at 3p.m. Friday after getting legal assistance on the discussion.

After several attempts to vote on various motions, the governor asked the council to&nbsp; vote for the people and not play politics.&nbsp; She then asked for a 30 minute recess and return at noon.

Kelly warned Thursday that if the extension isn't granted, Kansans will not be able to access services they need to ensure their health and safety.

Topeka, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will face a dramatic reduction in coronavirus-related services that would put residents’ lives at risk if a state council does not approve extending a state disaster declaration, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Thursday.

The State Finance Council, which is dominated by Republicans, is scheduled to meet Friday to discuss extending the declaration before it expires on Tuesday.

<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/">Click here to listen </a>to the meeting that begins at 10a.m.

Failure to extend the declaration will prevent the state from leveraging critical resources, Kelly said at a news conference.

“In other words, these nine members of the State Finance Council will effectively decide if the nearly 3 million people living in our state will be able to access the tools they need to stay healthy, stay fed, stay in their homes as the virus continues to rage around us,” the Democratic governor said.

Kansas Adjutant General David Weishaar, who oversees the state’s emergency response, detailed how several emergency agencies have provided services throughout the pandemic, which he said would end if the declaration is not extended.

He said extending the declaration would ensure “uninterrupted deployment” of several services, such personal protective equipment, meals packed for food banks, and community-based testing. And the state emergency command center, which is currently staffed seven days a week, would be cut back to a staff duty officer answering calls if the declaration is not extended, he said

Kelly said Deborah Birx, a top coronavirus advisor for the White House, told her and several local health and elected officials Thursday that Kansas remains a red zone for coronavirus cases and is eighth in the nation in positivity in COVID-19 cases. Birx urged the officials to impose mitigation efforts, which she said is the only way to contain the virus until a vaccine is approved.

A spokeswoman for Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle, a Republican, said she would not respond to the governor’s comment until Friday’s meeting.

Kelly said forcing state and local governments to further reduce their budgets when revenue has already dropped will hamper the state’s coronavirus response and make Kansas more vulnerable in future crises.

“We will need significantly more support from our federal partners to protect our institutions from drastic and damaging cuts,” Kelly said.

Earlier Thursday, Kelly testified remotely before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee that the state faces “drastic and damaging” cuts if the federal government does not provide more funds in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kansas has already received $1.2 billion in aid, which generally must be used for pandemic-related needs, not to help overall budgets.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599772905858.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly as she finished her Thursday news conference." />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly as she finished her Thursday news conference.</figcaption>
 </figure>LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A mostly Republican state council voted Friday to extend Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s emergency declaration providing services to combat the coronavirus in Kansas, but only after language was added clarifying that the governor doesn’t intend to use her authority to close businesses as she did in the spring.The State Finance Council’s unanimous vote came after a lengthy, contentious meeting during which Kelly, a Democrat, and the GOP members accused each other of playing politics with the declaration.The resolution, which had been scheduled to expire Tuesday, will now be in effect until at least Oct. 31, when Kelly could seek another extension.Kelly and Adjutant General David Weishaar warned before the vote that letting the declaration expire would stop the state from providing many services, including the delivery of personal protective equipment and assistance with community-based testing.Republican members insisted on stipulating that the extension had to clarify that Kelly would not close businesses as she did in April.Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, a Republican from Overland Park, said conditions have changed since the early days of the pandemic and that residents need to know the governor’s and lawmakers’ intentions to “calm everything down.”“We need to let the folks back home, the businesses, know that we have no intention of shutting down and if there’s a hot spot, the local folks will handle that hot spot. ... They’re not comfortable right now, they’ve lived through a nightmare. And we need to give the some common sense assurance,” he said.Kelly said repeatedly during the meeting that she would not order businesses to close again because state and health officials have better data, information and procedures than they did in the spring and most businesses had cooperated with efforts to slow the virus.When GOP members continued to push for new language in the resolution, Kelly accused them of using the issue for political gain in an election year, rather than ensuring the state can continue to provide services without interruption.“There is so much at stake here,” she said. “Please do not let your ideology or your dislike for me as governor or the fact that I’m a Democrat (affect the vote). Please, let’s vote for the people, let’s not vote for politics.”At a news conference after the meeting, House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. said the inserted language was important.“We’ve got to a situation where we’re picking winners and losers, determined who was essential and who wasn’t, allowing a lot of our large stores remain open when our small ones couldn’t. We couldn’t have that repeated,” Ryckman said.Some Republicans accused Kelly of breaking rules by vetoing a motion that sought to add different language to the declaration.Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who attended the news conference, said he’s “sure there will be a large group of lawyers” looking into whether Kelly’s veto was legal.As of Friday, Kansas health officials had reported 48,386 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 511 deaths from the disease since the start of the pandemic.——-Topeka — The two hour State Finance Council meeting lasted much longer than expected. The republican members of the committee forced the governor to include language in the declaration that confirms she would not close businesses again.&nbsp;The language written during a recess by the governor's attorney Clay Britton said, "Any restrictions regarding closure of businesses in the Kansas Emergency Management Act remain in place to the extent described in the Kansas Emergency Management Act and it is the governors intention not to use her authority to close businesses."With that language, the council voted unanimously to extend the declaration until October 15.&nbsp; It was set to expire on Tuesday. When asked for her vote, Senator Susan Wagle criticized the governor on how she chaired the meeting and "broke rules."Kelly did not respond.--------------Topeka —&nbsp;The State Finance Council meeting on whether to extend the current COVID-19 emergency declaration is in its third hour. The issue involves including language in the declaration that assures the republican members of the committee the governor won't shut down businesses again.<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/">Click here to listen&nbsp;</a>to the meeting that resumed at 1p.m.Republican Senator Jim Denning asked the governor's attorney if there is language they can agree on that says Kelly absolutely won't exercise power to close businesses. Despite refusing the suggestion earlier Friday, Kelly said she is comfortable including such language. The committee went into recess until just after 1p.m. to give the state's chief counsel time to draft language for consideration.------Topeka —The State Finance Council meeting on whether to extend the current COVID-19 emergency declaration lasted&nbsp; longer than the original scheduled two hours.<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/">Click here to listen&nbsp;</a>to the meeting that resumes at noon.The discussion centered around asking the governor to include language in the declaration that would prevent Kelly from shutting down business again. The governor said she does not intend to shut down businesses again and refused to include the language.&nbsp;Senate president Susan Wagle wanted to delay the vote until the council could meet in person on Monday afternoon. Not all members of the council were able to fit that meeting into their schedules. Wagle then suggested the council return at 3p.m. Friday after getting legal assistance on the discussion.After several attempts to vote on various motions, the governor asked the council to&nbsp; vote for the people and not play politics.&nbsp; She then asked for a 30 minute recess and return at noon.Kelly warned Thursday that if the extension isn't granted, Kansans will not be able to access services they need to ensure their health and safety.--------Topeka, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will face a dramatic reduction in coronavirus-related services that would put residents’ lives at risk if a state council does not approve extending a state disaster declaration, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Thursday.The State Finance Council, which is dominated by Republicans, is scheduled to meet Friday to discuss extending the declaration before it expires on Tuesday.<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/">Click here to listen </a>to the meeting that begins at 10a.m.Failure to extend the declaration will prevent the state from leveraging critical resources, Kelly said at a news conference.“In other words, these nine members of the State Finance Council will effectively decide if the nearly 3 million people living in our state will be able to access the tools they need to stay healthy, stay fed, stay in their homes as the virus continues to rage around us,” the Democratic governor said.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F551726892300694%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Kansas Adjutant General David Weishaar, who oversees the state’s emergency response, detailed how several emergency agencies have provided services throughout the pandemic, which he said would end if the declaration is not extended.He said extending the declaration would ensure “uninterrupted deployment” of several services, such personal protective equipment, meals packed for food banks, and community-based testing. And the state emergency command center, which is currently staffed seven days a week, would be cut back to a staff duty officer answering calls if the declaration is not extended, he saidKelly said Deborah Birx, a top coronavirus advisor for the White House, told her and several local health and elected officials Thursday that Kansas remains a red zone for coronavirus cases and is eighth in the nation in positivity in COVID-19 cases. Birx urged the officials to impose mitigation efforts, which she said is the only way to contain the virus until a vaccine is approved.A spokeswoman for Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle, a Republican, said she would not respond to the governor’s comment until Friday’s meeting.Kelly said forcing state and local governments to further reduce their budgets when revenue has already dropped will hamper the state’s coronavirus response and make Kansas more vulnerable in future crises.“We will need significantly more support from our federal partners to protect our institutions from drastic and damaging cuts,” Kelly said.Earlier Thursday, Kelly testified remotely before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee that the state faces “drastic and damaging” cuts if the federal government does not provide more funds in response to the coronavirus pandemic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599755208571.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly during her virtual testimony Thursday" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly during her virtual testimony Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas has already received $1.2 billion in aid, which generally must be used for pandemic-related needs, not to help overall budgets.

Kan. emergency declaration will continue for another month

A project to resurface approximately 16 miles of U.S. 40 in Wallace County was expected to start this week, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Work will consist of a 1-inch mill and 2-inch overlay beginning at the east city limits in Sharon Springs and ending at the Logan County line. Traffic will be directed through the work zone by flaggers and a pilot car during daylight hours, and minor delays should be expected.

KDOT anticipates work to be completed by mid-October, weather permitting.

Venture Corporation of Great Bend is the primary contractor for the $2.1 million project.&nbsp;

KDOTA project to resurface approximately 16 miles of U.S. 40 in Wallace County was expected to start this week, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.Work will consist of a 1-inch mill and 2-inch overlay beginning at the east city limits in Sharon Springs and ending at the Logan County line. Traffic will be directed through the work zone by flaggers and a pilot car during daylight hours, and minor delays should be expected.KDOT anticipates work to be completed by mid-October, weather permitting.Venture Corporation of Great Bend is the primary contractor for the $2.1 million project.&nbsp;

Resurfacing project begins on U.S. 40 in Wallace County

John Louis Herter, 85, passed away September 7, 2020, at Ellinwood 
District Hospital after a long courageous battle with cancer. He was 
born June 20, 1935, in Ellinwood, the son of Louis and Mildred (Sinnott)
 Herter.

He was a 1953 graduate of Ellinwood High School. He served in the 
United States Army from 1957 – 1959. After returning home he attended 
Diesel Mechanic Tech School in St. Louis, Missouri. He worked as a 
mechanic a short while before opening his own business Herter Implement 
&amp; Auto in Claflin, Kansas.

John met his one true love, Carol Doll and they were united in 
marriage on November 28, 1963. John was a founding member of the Claflin
 Fire Department and was the Assistant Fire Chief and served as an EMT 
for many years. He was also a member of the SRCA, and he enjoyed drag 
racing for many years.

John was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and a 
member of the Knights of Columbus Council #1500, and the V.F.W., all of 
Claflin.

He was a devoted father, and made sure to attend all of his 
children’s activities and also enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s 
many events. John enjoyed farming for most of his adult life. He 
cherished sharing his knowledge of cultivating the land with his 
children and grandchildren.

Survivors include: his wife of the home Carol; one daughter, Penny 
(Taber) Stephenson of Olathe; two sons; Brad (Amy) of Dodge City, and 
Don (Stefanie) of Great Bend; six siblings, James (Pat) Herter of 
McPherson, Jerry (Susan) Herter of Pocatello, Idaho, Howard (Mary) 
Herter of Ellinwood, Barbara Herter, Richard (Vickie) Herter, all of 
Wichita, and Helen (Stuart) Nickelson of Seattle, Washington; six 
grandchildren: Tanner Stephenson of Sabetha, Derek (Brooke) Stephenson 
of Liberty, Missouri, Michaela (Curtis) Toews of Whitewater, Rachael 
(Wyatt) Haberman of Dodge City, Johnathan Herter of Dodge City, Alyssa 
Herter of Great Bend, and one great-grandchild Emma Lynn due October, 
2020.

Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday at the funeral home. 
Family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday at the church with 
Rosary, led by the Knights of Columbus to begin at 7 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, September 11, 
2020, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Claflin, celebrated by 
Father Terrance Klein. Burial will follow in Lakin-Commanche District 
Cemetery, Ellinwood, with military honors conducted by the United States
 Army Fort Riley Honor Guard.

Memorials are suggested to Ellinwood Hospital Foundation in care of 
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599657109674.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>John Louis Herter, 85, passed away September 7, 2020, at Ellinwood 
District Hospital after a long courageous battle with cancer. He was 
born June 20, 1935, in Ellinwood, the son of Louis and Mildred (Sinnott)
 Herter.He was a 1953 graduate of Ellinwood High School. He served in the 
United States Army from 1957 – 1959. After returning home he attended 
Diesel Mechanic Tech School in St. Louis, Missouri. He worked as a 
mechanic a short while before opening his own business Herter Implement 
&amp; Auto in Claflin, Kansas.John met his one true love, Carol Doll and they were united in 
marriage on November 28, 1963. John was a founding member of the Claflin
 Fire Department and was the Assistant Fire Chief and served as an EMT 
for many years. He was also a member of the SRCA, and he enjoyed drag 
racing for many years.John was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and a 
member of the Knights of Columbus Council #1500, and the V.F.W., all of 
Claflin.He was a devoted father, and made sure to attend all of his 
children’s activities and also enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s 
many events. John enjoyed farming for most of his adult life. He 
cherished sharing his knowledge of cultivating the land with his 
children and grandchildren.Survivors include: his wife of the home Carol; one daughter, Penny 
(Taber) Stephenson of Olathe; two sons; Brad (Amy) of Dodge City, and 
Don (Stefanie) of Great Bend; six siblings, James (Pat) Herter of 
McPherson, Jerry (Susan) Herter of Pocatello, Idaho, Howard (Mary) 
Herter of Ellinwood, Barbara Herter, Richard (Vickie) Herter, all of 
Wichita, and Helen (Stuart) Nickelson of Seattle, Washington; six 
grandchildren: Tanner Stephenson of Sabetha, Derek (Brooke) Stephenson 
of Liberty, Missouri, Michaela (Curtis) Toews of Whitewater, Rachael 
(Wyatt) Haberman of Dodge City, Johnathan Herter of Dodge City, Alyssa 
Herter of Great Bend, and one great-grandchild Emma Lynn due October, 
2020.Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday at the funeral home. 
Family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday at the church with 
Rosary, led by the Knights of Columbus to begin at 7 p.m.Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, September 11, 
2020, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Claflin, celebrated by 
Father Terrance Klein. Burial will follow in Lakin-Commanche District 
Cemetery, Ellinwood, with military honors conducted by the United States
 Army Fort Riley Honor Guard.Memorials are suggested to Ellinwood Hospital Foundation in care of 
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

John Louis Herter

WICHITA —Despite over 100 who attended and spoke out against masks during Tuesday's <a href="https://wichitaks.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&amp;clip_id=3989">9-hour council meeting</a>, the Wichita&nbsp;City Council&nbsp; voted to extend the existing mask order until October 21.

The ordinance is in line with Sedgwick County’s order that begins September 9.

The Council also voted to lift the mandate prior to October 21 if the rate of virus&nbsp;positive percentage falls below 5 percent in Wichita.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County local health officer Dr. Gerald Minns signed a new emergency public health order Thursday, according to a media release from the county. It will take effect Sept. 9 and remain in effect until midnight Oct. 21. 

Residents are sill required to wear masks or face coverings in public spaces. Children age 5 or younger are not required to wear masks. Masks with valves or vents are not allowed.

The order adopts Phase 2 of the Governor's Ad Astra Plan which allows groups of up to 15 people that must be located 6 feet away from other groups.

Businesses will be required to continue operating at 50 percent of the fire code occupancy and close to the public at 11p.m.

Minns will continue to review and monitor COVID-19 trends in the community and will consider lifting restrictions when trends move in a positive direction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599649734872.png" alt="Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple answers questions during the 9 hour council meeting -image courtesy city of Wichita." />
 <figcaption>Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple answers questions during the 9 hour council meeting -image courtesy city of Wichita.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —Despite over 100 who attended and spoke out against masks during Tuesday's <a href="https://wichitaks.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&amp;clip_id=3989">9-hour council meeting</a>, the Wichita&nbsp;City Council&nbsp; voted to extend the existing mask order until October 21. The ordinance is in line with Sedgwick County’s order that begins September 9.The Council also voted to lift the mandate prior to October 21 if the rate of virus&nbsp;positive percentage falls below 5 percent in Wichita.&nbsp;-----------SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County local health officer Dr. Gerald Minns signed a new emergency public health order Thursday, according to a media release from the county. It will take effect Sept. 9 and remain in effect until midnight Oct. 21. Residents are sill required to wear masks or face coverings in public spaces. Children age 5 or younger are not required to wear masks. Masks with valves or vents are not allowed.The order adopts Phase 2 of the Governor's Ad Astra Plan which allows groups of up to 15 people that must be located 6 feet away from other groups.Businesses will be required to continue operating at 50 percent of the fire code occupancy and close to the public at 11p.m.Minns will continue to review and monitor COVID-19 trends in the community and will consider lifting restrictions when trends move in a positive direction.

After 9-hour meeting, Wichita votes to extend mask mandate 

By midday Tuesday, U.S. crude prices were down more than eight percent on the day, dropping to $36.38 per barrel. London Brent was down six percent. Oil on the Nymex closed below $40 a barrel Friday for the first time in weeks. The summer driving season came to a close over the Labor Day holiday, and that signals a big drop-off in demand. Refineries typically schedule required maintenance at this time of year. Kansas crude prices followed the national trends, with CHS in McPherson dropping prices by a dollar and a half on Friday. Kansas Common starts the week at $30 a barrel, but that could drop even more in response to national and international trading Tuesday. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports four active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, down one for the week, and eight west of Wichita, an increase of three rigs. Baker Hughes reports 256 active drilling rigs across the U.S., an increase of one oil rig. The count in New Mexico was up one while Texas and North Dakota were each down one. Regulators approved 13 new drilling permits across Kansas last week, with two in the eastern half of the state and eleven in Western Kansas. That includes two new permits in Ellis County and one in Stafford County.&nbsp; There are 285 new permits on file so far this year, compared to nearly 650 by the end of August last year. Operators completed six new wells in Kansas last week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports two new completions in eastern Kansas and four west of Wichita. Year-to-date that's 618 newly-completed wells, compared to 964 at this time last year. Regulators report one new intent-to-drill notice in Ellis County this month and one in Russell County. Statewide, the Kansas Corporation Commission reports a slight uptick to 38 new intents filed in August. That's down from 94 in August of last year. So far this year, operators have filed 343 new intents statewide, compared to 735 by this time last year.&nbsp; U.S. crude inventories dropped more than nine million barrels. At over 498 million barrels, American stockpiles are about 14% above the five-year seasonal average. For the sixth week in a row, average crude-oil production in the U.S. dropped below ten million barrels per day last week. That's the first time that's happened since January. The Energy Information Administration says output for the week ending August 28 dropped to about 9.7 million barrels per day, down from 10.8 million a week earlier. U.S. production is down nearly three million barrels per day from a year ago. The government says domestic crude-oil imports dropped to 4.9 million barrels per day last week, down a million barrels per day from the week before. EIA says the four-week rolling average is down more than 20% from the same period last year. A new federal report shows U.S. and Kansas crude production increased in June, but remain well below pre-pandemic levels. The Energy Information Administration reports Kansas output increased more than 200,000 barrels over the month before, to over 2.2 million barrels. That's over 73,000 barrels per day.&nbsp; Total U.S. production in June increased 300,000 barrels over the May total to 313 million barrels (10.43 million barrels per day). The Kansas Geological Survey released county production totals through May. Barton County operators in the first five months of the year pumped over 545,000 barrels of crude oil, down from over 679,000 barrels a year earlier. Ellis County produced more than 833,000 barrels, compared to over one million barrels a year ago. Russell County pumped just over half a million barrels, down from 625,000. And, operators in Stafford County produced over 373,000 barrels of crude oil through May, down from nearly 429,000 through May of last year. Saudi Arabia cut pricing for oil sales to Asia and the U.S. for October shipments. Bloomberg called that a sign that the world’s biggest exporter may see fuel demand wavering amid flare-ups in the coronavirus.&nbsp; Venezuelan crude exports have dropped to an average 270,000 barrels per day in the last three months, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence. That's about half the levels seen in May, just before the U.S. sanctioned four Greek tankers. Greek-owned tankers are still shipping Venezuelan crude, but in much smaller amounts, and only to specific refineries as part of diesel-for-crude swaps.&nbsp; The state treasury in Oklahoma has seen better days. The Tulsa World reports the state's August oil and gas production taxes fell by nearly half. Collections have dropped year-over-year in each of the past 12 months, as oil and gas revenue dropped by $430 million during that period. The State Treasurer said total tax collections for August in the Sooner State are down nearly five percent from a year ago.&nbsp; A railroad trade group reports U.S. freight deliveries dropped again in August, down 13 percent from July and nearly six percent lower than in August of last year. Rail shipments of petroleum and petroleum products dropped 14% last month, compared to a year earlier. By way of contrast, grain and other farm products both saw increases. The Association of American Railroads says the weekly total for oil-by-rail was down 17 percent year on year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARBy midday Tuesday, U.S. crude prices were down more than eight percent on the day, dropping to $36.38 per barrel. London Brent was down six percent. Oil on the Nymex closed below $40 a barrel Friday for the first time in weeks. The summer driving season came to a close over the Labor Day holiday, and that signals a big drop-off in demand. Refineries typically schedule required maintenance at this time of year. Kansas crude prices followed the national trends, with CHS in McPherson dropping prices by a dollar and a half on Friday. Kansas Common starts the week at $30 a barrel, but that could drop even more in response to national and international trading Tuesday. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports four active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, down one for the week, and eight west of Wichita, an increase of three rigs. Baker Hughes reports 256 active drilling rigs across the U.S., an increase of one oil rig. The count in New Mexico was up one while Texas and North Dakota were each down one. Regulators approved 13 new drilling permits across Kansas last week, with two in the eastern half of the state and eleven in Western Kansas. That includes two new permits in Ellis County and one in Stafford County.&nbsp; There are 285 new permits on file so far this year, compared to nearly 650 by the end of August last year. Operators completed six new wells in Kansas last week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports two new completions in eastern Kansas and four west of Wichita. Year-to-date that's 618 newly-completed wells, compared to 964 at this time last year. Regulators report one new intent-to-drill notice in Ellis County this month and one in Russell County. Statewide, the Kansas Corporation Commission reports a slight uptick to 38 new intents filed in August. That's down from 94 in August of last year. So far this year, operators have filed 343 new intents statewide, compared to 735 by this time last year.&nbsp; U.S. crude inventories dropped more than nine million barrels. At over 498 million barrels, American stockpiles are about 14% above the five-year seasonal average. For the sixth week in a row, average crude-oil production in the U.S. dropped below ten million barrels per day last week. That's the first time that's happened since January. The Energy Information Administration says output for the week ending August 28 dropped to about 9.7 million barrels per day, down from 10.8 million a week earlier. U.S. production is down nearly three million barrels per day from a year ago. The government says domestic crude-oil imports dropped to 4.9 million barrels per day last week, down a million barrels per day from the week before. EIA says the four-week rolling average is down more than 20% from the same period last year. A new federal report shows U.S. and Kansas crude production increased in June, but remain well below pre-pandemic levels. The Energy Information Administration reports Kansas output increased more than 200,000 barrels over the month before, to over 2.2 million barrels. That's over 73,000 barrels per day.&nbsp; Total U.S. production in June increased 300,000 barrels over the May total to 313 million barrels (10.43 million barrels per day). The Kansas Geological Survey released county production totals through May. Barton County operators in the first five months of the year pumped over 545,000 barrels of crude oil, down from over 679,000 barrels a year earlier. Ellis County produced more than 833,000 barrels, compared to over one million barrels a year ago. Russell County pumped just over half a million barrels, down from 625,000. And, operators in Stafford County produced over 373,000 barrels of crude oil through May, down from nearly 429,000 through May of last year. Saudi Arabia cut pricing for oil sales to Asia and the U.S. for October shipments. Bloomberg called that a sign that the world’s biggest exporter may see fuel demand wavering amid flare-ups in the coronavirus.&nbsp; Venezuelan crude exports have dropped to an average 270,000 barrels per day in the last three months, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence. That's about half the levels seen in May, just before the U.S. sanctioned four Greek tankers. Greek-owned tankers are still shipping Venezuelan crude, but in much smaller amounts, and only to specific refineries as part of diesel-for-crude swaps.&nbsp; The state treasury in Oklahoma has seen better days. The Tulsa World reports the state's August oil and gas production taxes fell by nearly half. Collections have dropped year-over-year in each of the past 12 months, as oil and gas revenue dropped by $430 million during that period. The State Treasurer said total tax collections for August in the Sooner State are down nearly five percent from a year ago.&nbsp; A railroad trade group reports U.S. freight deliveries dropped again in August, down 13 percent from July and nearly six percent lower than in August of last year. Rail shipments of petroleum and petroleum products dropped 14% last month, compared to a year earlier. By way of contrast, grain and other farm products both saw increases. The Association of American Railroads says the weekly total for oil-by-rail was down 17 percent year on year.

News From the Oil Patch: Drop in demand takes toll on prices

Myra Sylvia Kirchhoff, 92, passed away Monday, September 7, 2020 at Smith County Memorial Hospital, Smith Center, KS.


  Myra was born March 1, 1928 in Moonta, South Australia, Australia, the
 third child of August Heinrich and Helena Thekla Jericho.&nbsp; She was 
baptized at Tiparra Lutheran Church on April 1, 1928.&nbsp; She was confirmed
 at Port Neill St. Andrews Congregation November 23, 1941 by Pastor 
Chris Stolz.&nbsp; Myra attended school at Kainton, York Peninsula, Cummins, 
Eyres Peninsula, Butler 1 year and Mt. Hill 2 years. 

  Myra 
worked the Butler Telephone Exchange and ran the post office from 
1944-1953.&nbsp; This was followed by doing domestic work until the end of 
1954, she then worked at Immanuel College doing domestic work until May 
1956.&nbsp;&nbsp; In October 1956 she felt called to serve in Papua New Guinea 
where she worked at Katherine Lehmann School as a lay Missionary in 
charge of cooking for children and guests and took care of guest 
houses.&nbsp;&nbsp; On December 4, 1959 she married Gilbert Kirchhoff who was also
 a lay Missionary.&nbsp; They remained at Wau until February 1965, when they 
went on leave for 1 year, spending 6 months in Australia and 6 months in
 U.S.A.&nbsp; On return to New Guinea they were stationed in Mount Hagen, 
then to Ogelbang and finally Banz before returning to the U.S.A. in 
December 1971 to live.&nbsp; In 1972 Myra and family lived at Gaylord for a 
little over a year before moving to Cedar.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She and her family 
attended St. John Athol Lutheran Church where she was active in teaching
 Sunday School, VBS and the Women of ELCA.&nbsp; Myra’s faith was especially 
important to her and sustained her throughout her life and through many 
challenges.&nbsp; One of the most difficult times was when she came to the 
United States with her husband and children, leaving her mother and 
large extended family behind, with no guarantee she would see them 
again. Myra loved listening to music, playing the piano, and singing.&nbsp; 
At the end of each day she would play the piano and the family would 
sing during evening devotions. In doing so she passed on this love of 
music to her children. During times spent in the hospital, her family 
played the Christian music she loved which calmed and comforted her. 
Myra loved watching birds from her living room window.&nbsp; Myra loved to 
sew and knit.&nbsp; The sewing was a necessity during the time when her 
family was young as a missionary’s life is not a wealthy life and Myra 
sewed many needed clothes.&nbsp; Myra knitted at home and carried her 
knitting with her when she went places and taught many others to knit. 
Myra also enjoyed working with quilts for Lutheran World Relief. &nbsp;Myra 
liked to cook and cooked many a meal for family and friends. &nbsp;Later in 
life, Myra and Gilbert were fortunate enough to visit Australia several 
times and Papua New Guinea once.&nbsp; Many members of her family and former 
missionaries both from Australia and the US also came to visit her and 
Gilbert in the US. Another activity Myra enjoyed was word and board 
games and puzzles. During the family’s time in New Guinea there was no 
television, so this was how the family entertained themselves.&nbsp; Myra and
 Gilbert played games and did puzzles up to the day Myra entered the 
hospital, with Myra beating Gilbert in Upwords that day.

  Myra loved her Lord, her husband, her family and their children and her Australian family.

  She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Erwin and Harold Jericho, Ruth Woolford and Fay Story.


  Myra is survived by her husband Gilbert Kirchhoff of Cedar; five 
children, Anthony (Jane) Kirchhoff of Stuttgart, Gary Kirchhoff of 
Gaylord, Joanne (Jay) Kugler of Billings, MT, Wendy (Phil) Handsaker of 
Dodge City, Lynette (Jerry) Voorhees of Phillipsburg; a brother Colin 
Jericho, two sisters, Rita Jahnke and Gwen Leske, sister-in-law Erna 
Jericho all of Australia, twelve grandchildren, Alyssa (Travis) Stites, 
Colin (Alissa) Kirchhoff, Derek Reed, Brennan and Saige&nbsp; Kirchhoff, 
Jeremey and Jessica Kugler, Lucas, Zachary and Remington Warren, 
Samantha Voorhees and Sabrina (fiancé` Rico Garcia) Voorhees &nbsp;and five 
great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be 
held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 12, 2020 at St. John Lutheran 
Church, Athol, with Pastor Bob Sinclair officiating.&nbsp; Visitation will be
 held on Friday, September 11, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. with 
family present to greet friends from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at All Faiths
 Funeral Chapel, 113 S. Madison St., Smith Center, KS and 9:00 a.m. 
until service time at the church on Saturday.&nbsp; Burial will take place in
 the church cemetery.&nbsp; Memorials may be given to St. John Lutheran 
Church, Athol and can be sent in care of the funeral chapel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599597822752.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Myra Sylvia Kirchhoff, 92, passed away Monday, September 7, 2020 at Smith County Memorial Hospital, Smith Center, KS.
 Myra was born March 1, 1928 in Moonta, South Australia, Australia, the
 third child of August Heinrich and Helena Thekla Jericho.&nbsp; She was 
baptized at Tiparra Lutheran Church on April 1, 1928.&nbsp; She was confirmed
 at Port Neill St. Andrews Congregation November 23, 1941 by Pastor 
Chris Stolz.&nbsp; Myra attended school at Kainton, York Peninsula, Cummins, 
Eyres Peninsula, Butler 1 year and Mt. Hill 2 years. Myra 
worked the Butler Telephone Exchange and ran the post office from 
1944-1953.&nbsp; This was followed by doing domestic work until the end of 
1954, she then worked at Immanuel College doing domestic work until May 
1956.&nbsp;&nbsp; In October 1956 she felt called to serve in Papua New Guinea 
where she worked at Katherine Lehmann School as a lay Missionary in 
charge of cooking for children and guests and took care of guest 
houses.&nbsp;&nbsp; On December 4, 1959 she married Gilbert Kirchhoff who was also
 a lay Missionary.&nbsp; They remained at Wau until February 1965, when they 
went on leave for 1 year, spending 6 months in Australia and 6 months in
 U.S.A.&nbsp; On return to New Guinea they were stationed in Mount Hagen, 
then to Ogelbang and finally Banz before returning to the U.S.A. in 
December 1971 to live.&nbsp; In 1972 Myra and family lived at Gaylord for a 
little over a year before moving to Cedar.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She and her family 
attended St. John Athol Lutheran Church where she was active in teaching
 Sunday School, VBS and the Women of ELCA.&nbsp; Myra’s faith was especially 
important to her and sustained her throughout her life and through many 
challenges.&nbsp; One of the most difficult times was when she came to the 
United States with her husband and children, leaving her mother and 
large extended family behind, with no guarantee she would see them 
again. Myra loved listening to music, playing the piano, and singing.&nbsp; 
At the end of each day she would play the piano and the family would 
sing during evening devotions. In doing so she passed on this love of 
music to her children. During times spent in the hospital, her family 
played the Christian music she loved which calmed and comforted her. 
Myra loved watching birds from her living room window.&nbsp; Myra loved to 
sew and knit.&nbsp; The sewing was a necessity during the time when her 
family was young as a missionary’s life is not a wealthy life and Myra 
sewed many needed clothes.&nbsp; Myra knitted at home and carried her 
knitting with her when she went places and taught many others to knit. 
Myra also enjoyed working with quilts for Lutheran World Relief. &nbsp;Myra 
liked to cook and cooked many a meal for family and friends. &nbsp;Later in 
life, Myra and Gilbert were fortunate enough to visit Australia several 
times and Papua New Guinea once.&nbsp; Many members of her family and former 
missionaries both from Australia and the US also came to visit her and 
Gilbert in the US. Another activity Myra enjoyed was word and board 
games and puzzles. During the family’s time in New Guinea there was no 
television, so this was how the family entertained themselves.&nbsp; Myra and
 Gilbert played games and did puzzles up to the day Myra entered the 
hospital, with Myra beating Gilbert in Upwords that day. Myra loved her Lord, her husband, her family and their children and her Australian family. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Erwin and Harold Jericho, Ruth Woolford and Fay Story.
 Myra is survived by her husband Gilbert Kirchhoff of Cedar; five 
children, Anthony (Jane) Kirchhoff of Stuttgart, Gary Kirchhoff of 
Gaylord, Joanne (Jay) Kugler of Billings, MT, Wendy (Phil) Handsaker of 
Dodge City, Lynette (Jerry) Voorhees of Phillipsburg; a brother Colin 
Jericho, two sisters, Rita Jahnke and Gwen Leske, sister-in-law Erna 
Jericho all of Australia, twelve grandchildren, Alyssa (Travis) Stites, 
Colin (Alissa) Kirchhoff, Derek Reed, Brennan and Saige&nbsp; Kirchhoff, 
Jeremey and Jessica Kugler, Lucas, Zachary and Remington Warren, 
Samantha Voorhees and Sabrina (fiancé` Rico Garcia) Voorhees &nbsp;and five 
great grandchildren.Funeral services will be 
held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 12, 2020 at St. John Lutheran 
Church, Athol, with Pastor Bob Sinclair officiating.&nbsp; Visitation will be
 held on Friday, September 11, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. with 
family present to greet friends from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at All Faiths
 Funeral Chapel, 113 S. Madison St., Smith Center, KS and 9:00 a.m. 
until service time at the church on Saturday.&nbsp; Burial will take place in
 the church cemetery.&nbsp; Memorials may be given to St. John Lutheran 
Church, Athol and can be sent in care of the funeral chapel.

Myra S. Kirchhoff

Vivian Amalee Slabaugh Barnes, age 91, died on Saturday, September 5, 2020 at the Wichita County Health Center in Leoti, Kansas.  She was born on October 26, 1928 in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, the daughter of Joseph Harlan Lyons and Mary Elizabeth Cook.  

She was a member of the First Christian Church of Dodge City, Kansas and the Order of the Eastern Star.  Vivian worked for Roche Bio Medical until her retirement.

On November 10, 1946 she married Roy Slabaugh in DeQueen, Arkansas,  He preceded her in death on November 9, 1976 in Dodge City, Kansas.  On May 18, 1979, she married Earl Harmon in Dodge City, Kansas.  He preceded her in death on September 1, 1984 in Dodge City, Kansas.  On February 8, 1985 she married Merle Barnes in Cimarron, Kansas.  He preceded her in death on March 11, 2005, in Dodge City, Kansas.

Survivors include - Children, Marilyn Legg (Earl) of Leoti, Kansas, Roger Slabaugh (Michelle) of Corvallis, Oregon, Ron Slabaugh (Lorraine) Hugo, Oklahoma, Don Slabaugh of Dodge City, Kansas; Step-Children, Roger Barnes of Topeka, Kansas, Lenis Dawson (Paul) Lawrence, Kansas; 10 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, 3 great great grandchildren

She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands, 12 siblings, and two grandsons.

Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Dodge City, Kansas. 

Memorials In Lieu of Flowers can be made to Wichita County Long term Care Center in care of Price and Sons Funeral Home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599570991094.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Vivian Amalee Slabaugh Barnes, age 91, died on Saturday, September 5, 2020 at the Wichita County Health Center in Leoti, Kansas. She was born on October 26, 1928 in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, the daughter of Joseph Harlan Lyons and Mary Elizabeth Cook. She was a member of the First Christian Church of Dodge City, Kansas and the Order of the Eastern Star. Vivian worked for Roche Bio Medical until her retirement.On November 10, 1946 she married Roy Slabaugh in DeQueen, Arkansas, He preceded her in death on November 9, 1976 in Dodge City, Kansas. On May 18, 1979, she married Earl Harmon in Dodge City, Kansas. He preceded her in death on September 1, 1984 in Dodge City, Kansas. On February 8, 1985 she married Merle Barnes in Cimarron, Kansas. He preceded her in death on March 11, 2005, in Dodge City, Kansas.Survivors include - Children, Marilyn Legg (Earl) of Leoti, Kansas, Roger Slabaugh (Michelle) of Corvallis, Oregon, Ron Slabaugh (Lorraine) Hugo, Oklahoma, Don Slabaugh of Dodge City, Kansas; Step-Children, Roger Barnes of Topeka, Kansas, Lenis Dawson (Paul) Lawrence, Kansas; 10 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, 3 great great grandchildrenShe was preceded in death by her parents, husbands, 12 siblings, and two grandsons.Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Dodge City, Kansas. There will be no calling times.Memorials In Lieu of Flowers can be made to Wichita County Long term Care Center in care of Price and Sons Funeral Home.

Vivian Amalee Slabaugh Barnes

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A local furniture showroom is expanding its footprint in Hays with more warehouse space and a discount retail offering.

Braden Miller, manager and owner of the Ashley HomeStore in Hays, said the store, 2702 Vine, has been so busy, it needs space to expand. Both the new Furniture Clearance Center and Ashley HomeStore in Hays, are affiliated with Miller's of Claflin.

The Ashley HomeStore has been in Hays 14 years.

Miller has entered into a 15-year lease at 3300 Vine St., the former Hasting's Building next to Hobby Lobby.

About 65 percent of the 25,000-square-foot building will be used for warehouse space.

Miller said people don't want to wait weeks for furniture any more. He called it the "Amazon effect."

He said the additional warehouse space will allow the local store to deliver furniture in days instead of weeks.

"Now were are going to be 70 to 80 percent in stock," Miller said. "If you order from my HomeStore, mostly it will be available for pick up that day or next day deliver on almost all of our products."

The showroom space will be used to showcase items at reasonable price points. These may be discontinued items, scratch and dent, as well as non-Ashley lines that can't be featured in the main showroom in Hays.

The HomeStore can only carry Ashley products, but the Clearance Center will be able to carry Flexsteel, La-Z-Boy, Best, Klaussner, Chrome Cast caster chairs and other brand names, Miller said.

"We have a Furniture Clearance Center in Salina, and it has done amazing," he said. "We are going to have all kinds of price points and incredible deals and buys that we can get and retail out of the front half of this store."

Miller said he thought the Clearance Center will be a good option for college students.

"I think we are going to have a really good product here — nothing used,  but really good price points where people can get $150 to $200 sofas that are still brand new, but may be discontinued."

The new space is being renovated. An overhead door was added for truck deliveries, and two walls were knocked out to open up warehouse space.

The store is also still receiving stock for its retail space.

Miller said he hopes to have a soft opening for the new showroom by early October. A grand opening will follow later in October.

"The community of Hays since we opened the store here has been incredibly unbelievable," Miller said. "Western Kansans have come. They have given us a shot over some of the bigger boys like the Nebraska Furniture Mart. 

"Having this and product in stock and valuable price points is our way of giving back to the community. We are committed to Hays, and we are definitely going to be here to stay."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599251383742.jpeg" alt="The Furniture Clearance Center, which is affiliated with&nbsp;Miller's of Claflin and the Ashley HomeStore in Hays, is set to open in early October at 3300 Vine St., Hays." />
 <figcaption>The Furniture Clearance Center, which is affiliated with&nbsp;Miller's of Claflin and the Ashley HomeStore in Hays, is set to open in early October at 3300 Vine St., Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA local furniture showroom is expanding its footprint in Hays with more warehouse space and a discount retail offering.Braden Miller, manager and owner of the Ashley HomeStore in Hays, said the store, 2702 Vine, has been so busy, it needs space to expand. Both the new Furniture Clearance Center and Ashley HomeStore in Hays, are affiliated with Miller's of Claflin.The Ashley HomeStore has been in Hays 14 years.Miller has entered into a 15-year lease at 3300 Vine St., the former Hasting's Building next to Hobby Lobby.About 65 percent of the 25,000-square-foot building will be used for warehouse space.Miller said people don't want to wait weeks for furniture any more. He called it the "Amazon effect."He said the additional warehouse space will allow the local store to deliver furniture in days instead of weeks."Now were are going to be 70 to 80 percent in stock," Miller said. "If you order from my HomeStore, mostly it will be available for pick up that day or next day deliver on almost all of our products."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599254586956.jpeg" alt="Furniture Clearance Center will have a showroom with items at reasonable price points, as well as provide warehouse space for the Ashley HomeStore in Hays." />
 <figcaption>Furniture Clearance Center will have a showroom with items at reasonable price points, as well as provide warehouse space for the Ashley HomeStore in Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>The showroom space will be used to showcase items at reasonable price points. These may be discontinued items, scratch and dent, as well as non-Ashley lines that can't be featured in the main showroom in Hays.The HomeStore can only carry Ashley products, but the Clearance Center will be able to carry Flexsteel, La-Z-Boy, Best, Klaussner, Chrome Cast caster chairs and other brand names, Miller said."We have a Furniture Clearance Center in Salina, and it has done amazing," he said. "We are going to have all kinds of price points and incredible deals and buys that we can get and retail out of the front half of this store."Miller said he thought the Clearance Center will be a good option for college students."I think we are going to have a really good product here — nothing used, but really good price points where people can get $150 to $200 sofas that are still brand new, but may be discontinued."The new space is being renovated. An overhead door was added for truck deliveries, and two walls were knocked out to open up warehouse space.The store is also still receiving stock for its retail space.Miller said he hopes to have a soft opening for the new showroom by early October. A grand opening will follow later in October."The community of Hays since we opened the store here has been incredibly unbelievable," Miller said. "Western Kansans have come. They have given us a shot over some of the bigger boys like the Nebraska Furniture Mart. "Having this and product in stock and valuable price points is our way of giving back to the community. We are committed to Hays, and we are definitely going to be here to stay."

Ashley expands warehouse space, to open Furniture Clearance Center

&nbsp;Is that runny nose and cough COVID or just your run-of-the-mill seasonal allergies?

Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System tried to give viewers tips on how to distinguish between the two during their daily news briefing Wednesday.

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, and Dr.&nbsp;Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, were joined by&nbsp;Dr. Selina Gierer, specialist in&nbsp;allergy, immunology and rheumatology medicine, and&nbsp;ear, nose and throat surgeon Dr. Keith Sale.

Gierer said Kansas has reached its peak allergy season. Children are also returning to school and can be exposed to viral infections.

&nbsp;"It is always a challenge when we go back to school when kids get any viral infection on top of season allergies trying to pick a part what's an illness and what is an allergy symptom," she said.

Itchy and water eyes as well as sneezing are common symptoms of allergies, but not of COVID-19.

Then there is an overlap zone for both allergies and COVID,&nbsp;Gierer said.

These include cough, fatigue, headache, sore throat, shortness of breath and runny nose.&nbsp;

"Ultimately, if you are having fever, if your symptoms are not typical for your allergy symptoms,"&nbsp;Gierer said, "perhaps this is not a typical allergy season for you.

"If you are having cough, if you are having congestion and you are having change in your sense of smell, it's time for you to be thinking about contacting your doctor to get tested for coronavirus."

She suggested keeping control of your allergy symptoms and avoiding people who are sick.&nbsp;

Monitor your triggers, such as dust, mold, pollen or animals. Monitor the local pollen count. Stay on your allergy medications.

&nbsp;"If you know you are going to be doing yard work, and the next day you feel itchy and drippy and sneezy, you can probably attribute that to your allergies and not an acute onset of coronavirus,"&nbsp;Gierer said.

Asthma is an underlying medical condition that increases the likelihood of complications from coronavirus. However, it is on the lower end of the range of complicating factors.

Asthma is much less common to cause complications than obesity and hypertension,&nbsp;Gierer said.

However, one of the biggest triggers of asthma is a viral infection. She said it is also important to keep your asthma under control by staying on medications, avoiding triggers and keeping a 30-day supply of medication on hand.

Dr. Sale saw a patient in his clinic who was having typical symptoms for allergies, such as a runny nose, but was not getting better on her normal medications.

She thought she had a sinus infection or something else. A friend from out of town had visited the week before. She was tested for COVID and was surprised with a positive COVID test, Sale said.

Sale said his office is taking COVID precautions, including using PPE, hand sanitizing between patients and patients wearing masks unless their nose or mouth is being examined.

Gierer said allergy medication or a rescue inhaler will probably not help with COVID-19 symptoms.&nbsp;

Sale said fatigue may be common to both allergies and COVID, but the persistence of the symptom may be a sign of the later.

Gierer said, "If the allergy medications are not working, that might trigger you to think there is something else going on."

Hawkinson said scientists are working to combine testing for flu and COVID-19. He said if a patient has a nasal swab for COVID-19, a lab could use that same sample to test for flu and RSV.

RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults, according the Centers for Disease Control.

The flu season is in full swing in South Africa and Australia and has been lighter this year there than in years past,&nbsp;Hawkinson said. He said that could be in part to mask use and increased hand washing.

KU Med is working on mass flu vaccination at this time.

Gierer urged members of the public to get flu vaccines. That is usually recommended starting in October.

The doctors also gave tips on staying in good general health.

You can naturally boost your immune system by getting adequate sleep, eating a healthy diet, as well as hand washing and staying away from people who are sick.

Those tips can help with COVID-19, flu or RSV.

Sale also said caring for your mental health can have an effect on maintaining physical health, which includes socializing in a safe way.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599169301607.png" alt="LEFT to RIGHT: Dr. Dana Hawkinson, University of Kansas Health Center medical director of infection prevention and control; Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer; and&nbsp;Dr. Selina Gierer, specialist in allergy, immunology and rheumatology medicine." />
 <figcaption>LEFT to RIGHT: Dr. Dana Hawkinson, University of Kansas Health Center medical director of infection prevention and control; Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer; and&nbsp;Dr. Selina Gierer, specialist in allergy, immunology and rheumatology medicine.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post&nbsp;Is that runny nose and cough COVID or just your run-of-the-mill seasonal allergies?Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System tried to give viewers tips on how to distinguish between the two during their daily news briefing Wednesday.Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, and Dr.&nbsp;Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, were joined by&nbsp;Dr. Selina Gierer, specialist in&nbsp;allergy, immunology and rheumatology medicine, and&nbsp;ear, nose and throat surgeon Dr. Keith Sale.Gierer said Kansas has reached its peak allergy season. Children are also returning to school and can be exposed to viral infections.&nbsp;"It is always a challenge when we go back to school when kids get any viral infection on top of season allergies trying to pick a part what's an illness and what is an allergy symptom," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599167247033.png" alt="COVID vs. allergies.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>COVID vs. allergies.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Itchy and water eyes as well as sneezing are common symptoms of allergies, but not of COVID-19.Then there is an overlap zone for both allergies and COVID,&nbsp;Gierer said.These include cough, fatigue, headache, sore throat, shortness of breath and runny nose.&nbsp;"Ultimately, if you are having fever, if your symptoms are not typical for your allergy symptoms,"&nbsp;Gierer said, "perhaps this is not a typical allergy season for you."If you are having cough, if you are having congestion and you are having change in your sense of smell, it's time for you to be thinking about contacting your doctor to get tested for coronavirus."She suggested keeping control of your allergy symptoms and avoiding people who are sick.&nbsp;Monitor your triggers, such as dust, mold, pollen or animals. Monitor the local pollen count. Stay on your allergy medications.&nbsp;"If you know you are going to be doing yard work, and the next day you feel itchy and drippy and sneezy, you can probably attribute that to your allergies and not an acute onset of coronavirus,"&nbsp;Gierer said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599168039531.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Asthma is an underlying medical condition that increases the likelihood of complications from coronavirus. However, it is on the lower end of the range of complicating factors.Asthma is much less common to cause complications than obesity and hypertension,&nbsp;Gierer said.However, one of the biggest triggers of asthma is a viral infection. She said it is also important to keep your asthma under control by staying on medications, avoiding triggers and keeping a 30-day supply of medication on hand.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599169497852.png" alt="Dr. Keith Sale" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Keith Sale</figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Sale saw a patient in his clinic who was having typical symptoms for allergies, such as a runny nose, but was not getting better on her normal medications.She thought she had a sinus infection or something else. A friend from out of town had visited the week before. She was tested for COVID and was surprised with a positive COVID test, Sale said.Sale said his office is taking COVID precautions, including using PPE, hand sanitizing between patients and patients wearing masks unless their nose or mouth is being examined.Gierer said allergy medication or a rescue inhaler will probably not help with COVID-19 symptoms.&nbsp;Sale said fatigue may be common to both allergies and COVID, but the persistence of the symptom may be a sign of the later.Gierer said, "If the allergy medications are not working, that might trigger you to think there is something else going on."Hawkinson said scientists are working to combine testing for flu and COVID-19. He said if a patient has a nasal swab for COVID-19, a lab could use that same sample to test for flu and RSV.RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults, according the Centers for Disease Control.The flu season is in full swing in South Africa and Australia and has been lighter this year there than in years past,&nbsp;Hawkinson said. He said that could be in part to mask use and increased hand washing.KU Med is working on mass flu vaccination at this time.Gierer urged members of the public to get flu vaccines. That is usually recommended starting in October.The doctors also gave tips on staying in good general health.You can naturally boost your immune system by getting adequate sleep, eating a healthy diet, as well as hand washing and staying away from people who are sick.Those tips can help with COVID-19, flu or RSV.Sale also said caring for your mental health can have an effect on maintaining physical health, which includes socializing in a safe way.

Allergies vs. COVID: KU doctors give tips on knowing the difference

Spending cuts to schools, childhood vaccinations and job-training programs. New taxes on millionaires, cigarettes and legalized marijuana. Borrowing, drawing from rainy day funds and reducing government workers’ pay.

These are some actions states are considering to shore up their finances amid a sharp drop in tax revenue caused by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Congress deadlocked for months on a new coronavirus relief package, many states haven’t had the luxury of waiting to see whether more money is on the way. Some that have delayed budget decisions are growing frustrated by the uncertainty.

As the U.S. Senate returns to session Tuesday, some governors and state lawmakers are again urging action on proposals that could provide hundreds of billions of additional dollars to states and local governments.

“There is a lot at stake in the next federal stimulus package and, if it’s done wrong, I think it could be catastrophic for California,” said Assemblyman Phil Ting, a Democrat from San Francisco and chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee.

The budget that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in June includes $11.1 billion in automatic spending cuts and deferrals that will kick in Oct. 15, unless Congress sends the state $14 billion in additional aid. California’s public schools, colleges, universities and state workers’ salaries all stand to be hit.

In Michigan, schools are grappling with uncertainty as they begin classes because the state lacks a budget for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.

Ryan McLeod, superintendent of the Eastpointe school district near Detroit, said it is trying to reopen with in-person instruction, “but the costs are tremendous” to provide a safe environment for students.

“The only answer, really, is to have federal assistance,” McLeod said.

Congress approved $150 billion for states and local governments in March. That money was targeted to cover coronavirus-related costs, not to offset declining revenue resulting from the recession.

Some state officials, such as Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb of Indiana, are pushing for greater flexibility in spending the money they already received. Others, such as Republican Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, say more federal aid is needed, especially to help small businesses and emergency responders working for municipalities with strained budgets.

In mid-May, the Democratic-led U.S. House voted to provide nearly $1 trillion of additional aid to states and local governments as part of a broad relief bill. But the legislation has stalled amid disagreements among President Donald Trump’s administration, Republican Senate leaders and Democrats over the size, scope and necessity of another relief package. In general, Republicans want a smaller, less costly version.

The prospects for a pre-election COVID-19 relief measure appear to be dimming, with aid to states and local governments one of the key areas of conflict.

The bipartisan National Governors Association and Moody’s Analytics have cited a need for about $500 billion in additional aid to states and local governments to avoid major damage to the economy. At least three-quarters of states have lowered their 2021 revenue projections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

While Congress has been at loggerheads, many states have pressed forward with budget cuts.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, recently announced $250 million of “agonizing” cuts that he described as “just the tip of the iceberg” in addressing a $1 billion budget shortfall caused by the coronavirus and declining revenue from coal and other natural resources. The cuts will reduce funding for childhood vaccinations and eliminate a program to help adults learn new job skills, among other things.

“It is not likely that these trends are going to turn around rapidly or as significantly as we would like,” Gordon said.

In August, Rhode Island Management and Budget Director Jonathan Womer sent a memo to state agencies instructing them to plan for a 15% cut in the fiscal year that starts next July.

In some states, however, the financial outlook is not as dire as some had feared earlier this year.

Previous federal legislation pumped money into the economy through business subsidies, larger unemployment benefits and $1,200 direct payments to individuals. The resulting consumer spending led to a rebound in sales tax revenue in some states. Many states also delayed their individual income tax deadlines from April to July, which led to a larger than usual influx of summer revenue from taxpayers’ 2019 earnings.

In Vermont, where lawmakers are expected to work on a budget next week, a deficit that some had feared could reach $400 million now is pegged around $55 million. A predicted $518 million shortfall in Arizona for the current fiscal year has been revised to just $62 million.

Local governments in New Mexico said revenue has been propped up by surprisingly strong sales taxes. But “that sugar high from the federal stimulus will fall off, and our communities will be affected,” said A.J. Forte, executive director of the New Mexico Municipal League.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, is urging the Legislature to legalize and tax recreational marijuana as a way to shore up state revenue. Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf also wants the Legislature to legalize marijuana, with the tax revenue going toward grants for small businesses and criminal justice reforms.

State tax revenue often lags economic trends because individuals’ income losses aren’t reflected on tax returns until months later. As a result, experts warn that states might experience the lagging effects of the recession well into their 2021 and 2022 budget years.

“The worst is still yet to come,” said Brian Sigritz, director of state fiscal studies at the National Association of State Budget Officers.

The 2021 fiscal year began July 1 in most states. But seven states have yet to enact a full-year budget, in some cases because they have been waiting for congressional action on another relief bill.

One such state is New Jersey, which shifted the start of its budget year from July to October because of the coronavirus pandemic. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy recently proposed a budget that would slash about $1 billion in spending, take on $4 billion in debt and raise taxes on millionaires, businesses, yachts, cigarettes and health insurance plans.

Murphy has said the initial federal aid didn’t provide enough “to deal with the variety of tsunamis that we’re facing.”

In New York, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration estimates the state will receive about $8 billion less in tax revenue than once expected this fiscal year. Cuomo, who recently became chairman of the National Governors Association, wants Congress to provide an additional $30 billion to New York to plug budget holes that he warns will compound in coming years.

“There is no combination of savings, efficiencies, tax increases that could ever come near covering the deficit,” Cuomo said, “and we need the federal government to assist in doing that. Period.”

By DAVID A. LIEB, Associated PressSpending cuts to schools, childhood vaccinations and job-training programs. New taxes on millionaires, cigarettes and legalized marijuana. Borrowing, drawing from rainy day funds and reducing government workers’ pay.These are some actions states are considering to shore up their finances amid a sharp drop in tax revenue caused by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.With Congress deadlocked for months on a new coronavirus relief package, many states haven’t had the luxury of waiting to see whether more money is on the way. Some that have delayed budget decisions are growing frustrated by the uncertainty.As the U.S. Senate returns to session Tuesday, some governors and state lawmakers are again urging action on proposals that could provide hundreds of billions of additional dollars to states and local governments.“There is a lot at stake in the next federal stimulus package and, if it’s done wrong, I think it could be catastrophic for California,” said Assemblyman Phil Ting, a Democrat from San Francisco and chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee.The budget that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in June includes $11.1 billion in automatic spending cuts and deferrals that will kick in Oct. 15, unless Congress sends the state $14 billion in additional aid. California’s public schools, colleges, universities and state workers’ salaries all stand to be hit.In Michigan, schools are grappling with uncertainty as they begin classes because the state lacks a budget for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.Ryan McLeod, superintendent of the Eastpointe school district near Detroit, said it is trying to reopen with in-person instruction, “but the costs are tremendous” to provide a safe environment for students.“The only answer, really, is to have federal assistance,” McLeod said.Congress approved $150 billion for states and local governments in March. That money was targeted to cover coronavirus-related costs, not to offset declining revenue resulting from the recession.Some state officials, such as Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb of Indiana, are pushing for greater flexibility in spending the money they already received. Others, such as Republican Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, say more federal aid is needed, especially to help small businesses and emergency responders working for municipalities with strained budgets.In mid-May, the Democratic-led U.S. House voted to provide nearly $1 trillion of additional aid to states and local governments as part of a broad relief bill. But the legislation has stalled amid disagreements among President Donald Trump’s administration, Republican Senate leaders and Democrats over the size, scope and necessity of another relief package. In general, Republicans want a smaller, less costly version.The prospects for a pre-election COVID-19 relief measure appear to be dimming, with aid to states and local governments one of the key areas of conflict.The bipartisan National Governors Association and Moody’s Analytics have cited a need for about $500 billion in additional aid to states and local governments to avoid major damage to the economy. At least three-quarters of states have lowered their 2021 revenue projections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.While Congress has been at loggerheads, many states have pressed forward with budget cuts.Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, recently announced $250 million of “agonizing” cuts that he described as “just the tip of the iceberg” in addressing a $1 billion budget shortfall caused by the coronavirus and declining revenue from coal and other natural resources. The cuts will reduce funding for childhood vaccinations and eliminate a program to help adults learn new job skills, among other things.“It is not likely that these trends are going to turn around rapidly or as significantly as we would like,” Gordon said.In August, Rhode Island Management and Budget Director Jonathan Womer sent a memo to state agencies instructing them to plan for a 15% cut in the fiscal year that starts next July.In some states, however, the financial outlook is not as dire as some had feared earlier this year.Previous federal legislation pumped money into the economy through business subsidies, larger unemployment benefits and $1,200 direct payments to individuals. The resulting consumer spending led to a rebound in sales tax revenue in some states. Many states also delayed their individual income tax deadlines from April to July, which led to a larger than usual influx of summer revenue from taxpayers’ 2019 earnings.In Vermont, where lawmakers are expected to work on a budget next week, a deficit that some had feared could reach $400 million now is pegged around $55 million. A predicted $518 million shortfall in Arizona for the current fiscal year has been revised to just $62 million.Local governments in New Mexico said revenue has been propped up by surprisingly strong sales taxes. But “that sugar high from the federal stimulus will fall off, and our communities will be affected,” said A.J. Forte, executive director of the New Mexico Municipal League.New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, is urging the Legislature to legalize and tax recreational marijuana as a way to shore up state revenue. Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf also wants the Legislature to legalize marijuana, with the tax revenue going toward grants for small businesses and criminal justice reforms.State tax revenue often lags economic trends because individuals’ income losses aren’t reflected on tax returns until months later. As a result, experts warn that states might experience the lagging effects of the recession well into their 2021 and 2022 budget years.“The worst is still yet to come,” said Brian Sigritz, director of state fiscal studies at the National Association of State Budget Officers.The 2021 fiscal year began July 1 in most states. But seven states have yet to enact a full-year budget, in some cases because they have been waiting for congressional action on another relief bill.One such state is New Jersey, which shifted the start of its budget year from July to October because of the coronavirus pandemic. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy recently proposed a budget that would slash about $1 billion in spending, take on $4 billion in debt and raise taxes on millionaires, businesses, yachts, cigarettes and health insurance plans.Murphy has said the initial federal aid didn’t provide enough “to deal with the variety of tsunamis that we’re facing.”In New York, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration estimates the state will receive about $8 billion less in tax revenue than once expected this fiscal year. Cuomo, who recently became chairman of the National Governors Association, wants Congress to provide an additional $30 billion to New York to plug budget holes that he warns will compound in coming years.“There is no combination of savings, efficiencies, tax increases that could ever come near covering the deficit,” Cuomo said, “and we need the federal government to assist in doing that. Period.”___

States plan for cuts as Congress deadlocks on more virus aid

Cliff LaMar Summers returned with honor to our loving Heavenly Father
 on the morning of September 5, 2020, after a long and courageous battle
 with Inclusion Body Myositis. Cliff was born September 17, 1948, in 
Idaho Falls, Idaho, to LaMar and Cleo (Johnson) Summers. Men wanted to 
be like him, women wanted him, but ultimately Janell Swagerty stole his 
heart. They were united in marriage on February 4, 1968, in Hugoton, 
Kansas. In October 1972, they were sealed for time and all eternity in 
the Idaho Falls Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day 
Saints. Janell was his sweetheart. They built a beautiful life together,
 worked through hard times, good times and grew closer to one another. 
They look forward to spending eternity together.

Cliff joined the United States Navy in November 1967, during the 
Vietnam conflict. He proudly served his country aboard the USS Brister, 
USS Samuel Gompers, and USS Ernest G. Small. He was stationed in San 
Diego, California and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Cliff was a member of 
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He served in various 
callings including Bishop, High Council, and Temple Worker just to name a
 few. He was always serving and trying to lighten the burdens of others.
 He loved the Savior and always tried to follow his example.

He was a very devoted father. Always making it to his children’s 
activities. He was the unofficial referee of GBHS football 87-89 and 
93-96. Sporting his own uniform and making the “correct calls” from the 
stands. He and Janell were involved in the Panther Booster Club and 
served as co-presidents at one time.

Working in the oil and gas industry for 48 years afforded him many 
friendships from all over. He was a past member of the Society of 
Petroleum Engineers, American Petroleum Institute, and Lions Club. To
 most, he was known as Cliffie, but his favorite title was that of Papa.
 A name he proudly honored. He adored his 17 grandchildren and they all 
knew that they were loved by him. Daxton, Cale, Ryan, Chance, Sydney, 
Shiloh, Caden, Reiss, Sloane, Bo, Kimber, Hunter, Koltin, Madison, Jack,
 Sammy, and Jensen.

Here’s to one amazing guy who was always fully present, freely 
sharing all that he had and forever focused on others. Tough to lose 
such a friend as this and thankfully, in Christ there are no final 
goodbyes. Survivors include, wife of the home; two sons; Shane 
Summers (Angie) of Salina, KS and Dustin Summers (Briannie) of 
Darlington, ID; three daughters, Stephanie Summers of Lehi, Utah, 
Liberty Miller (Scott) of American Fork, UT and Traci Fleming (Nate) of 
Great Bend, KS; seventeen wonderful grandchildren; mother and 
step-father Leo and Cleo Amy of Howe, ID; three brothers, Allan Summers 
(Debbie) of Blackfoot, ID, Dee Amy (Juliette) of Howe, ID and Kelly Amy 
(Cheryl) of Howe, ID; one sister, Sherry Smith (Dean) of Bancroft, ID. 
He is preceded in passing by his father, LaMar Summers, and son-in-law, 
Daniel Sanford.

He will be greatly missed for he was greatly loved.

Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday September 9, 2020, at 
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Great Bend, with 
military honors conducted by the U.S. Navy Honor Guard. Bishop Peter 
Solie will be presiding. Interment will be at a later date in Howe, ID. 
Visitation will be 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. Tuesday September 8, with the family
 receiving friends from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., all at Bryant Funeral Home. 
Memorials may be given to the Great Bend Fire Department Activity Fund, 
in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599445466529.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Cliff LaMar Summers returned with honor to our loving Heavenly Father
 on the morning of September 5, 2020, after a long and courageous battle
 with Inclusion Body Myositis. Cliff was born September 17, 1948, in 
Idaho Falls, Idaho, to LaMar and Cleo (Johnson) Summers. Men wanted to 
be like him, women wanted him, but ultimately Janell Swagerty stole his 
heart. They were united in marriage on February 4, 1968, in Hugoton, 
Kansas. In October 1972, they were sealed for time and all eternity in 
the Idaho Falls Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day 
Saints. Janell was his sweetheart. They built a beautiful life together,
 worked through hard times, good times and grew closer to one another. 
They look forward to spending eternity together.Cliff joined the United States Navy in November 1967, during the 
Vietnam conflict. He proudly served his country aboard the USS Brister, 
USS Samuel Gompers, and USS Ernest G. Small. He was stationed in San 
Diego, California and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Cliff was a member of 
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He served in various 
callings including Bishop, High Council, and Temple Worker just to name a
 few. He was always serving and trying to lighten the burdens of others.
 He loved the Savior and always tried to follow his example.He was a very devoted father. Always making it to his children’s 
activities. He was the unofficial referee of GBHS football 87-89 and 
93-96. Sporting his own uniform and making the “correct calls” from the 
stands. He and Janell were involved in the Panther Booster Club and 
served as co-presidents at one time.Working in the oil and gas industry for 48 years afforded him many 
friendships from all over. He was a past member of the Society of 
Petroleum Engineers, American Petroleum Institute, and Lions Club. To
 most, he was known as Cliffie, but his favorite title was that of Papa.
 A name he proudly honored. He adored his 17 grandchildren and they all 
knew that they were loved by him. Daxton, Cale, Ryan, Chance, Sydney, 
Shiloh, Caden, Reiss, Sloane, Bo, Kimber, Hunter, Koltin, Madison, Jack,
 Sammy, and Jensen. Here’s to one amazing guy who was always fully present, freely 
sharing all that he had and forever focused on others. Tough to lose 
such a friend as this and thankfully, in Christ there are no final 
goodbyes. Survivors include, wife of the home; two sons; Shane 
Summers (Angie) of Salina, KS and Dustin Summers (Briannie) of 
Darlington, ID; three daughters, Stephanie Summers of Lehi, Utah, 
Liberty Miller (Scott) of American Fork, UT and Traci Fleming (Nate) of 
Great Bend, KS; seventeen wonderful grandchildren; mother and 
step-father Leo and Cleo Amy of Howe, ID; three brothers, Allan Summers 
(Debbie) of Blackfoot, ID, Dee Amy (Juliette) of Howe, ID and Kelly Amy 
(Cheryl) of Howe, ID; one sister, Sherry Smith (Dean) of Bancroft, ID. 
He is preceded in passing by his father, LaMar Summers, and son-in-law, 
Daniel Sanford.He will be greatly missed for he was greatly loved.Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday September 9, 2020, at 
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Great Bend, with 
military honors conducted by the U.S. Navy Honor Guard. Bishop Peter 
Solie will be presiding. Interment will be at a later date in Howe, ID. 
Visitation will be 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. Tuesday September 8, with the family
 receiving friends from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., all at Bryant Funeral Home. 
Memorials may be given to the Great Bend Fire Department Activity Fund, 
in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Cliff LaMar Summers

Members of the Volga German Centennial Association and organizers of Oktoberfest Hays, announced their 2020 Oktoberfest Hays REVISION plan.&nbsp; Even though the traditional Oktoberfest Hays event in Frontier Park will not occur this year, the format for 2020 will still offer the community some German traditions without the crowds.

“I cannot say without a doubt that having a traditional Oktoberfest would be in the best interest of the city of Hays, the Volga German Centennial Association, and for our local community,” said Philip Kuhn, President of Oktoberfest Board.&nbsp; “I appreciate all the work the board and committees of Oktoberfest Hays have done.&nbsp; We are so fortunate to have great sponsors who have helped make our festival the greatest festival in Western Kansas.&nbsp; I hope with this decision it shows the unity and synergy between our sponsors, partners, and the Volga German Centennial Association. We will still have some fun activities planned to celebrate some German traditions locally throughout the month of October.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Oktoberfest board's biggest concerns were recognizing the large group gathering given the current mandates in place and its potential to cause illness, along with impact on local nonprofit organizations that rely on the annual income they gain from the festival. For many of these organizations, Oktoberfest booths represent their sole source of income for the year.&nbsp; For the 2019 festival, 41 diverse organizations representing school organizations, scholarship funds, civic groups and more, collectively grossed $63,000. Oktoberfest Organizers have implemented some alternatives that can generate some income for these nonprofits while still getting to enjoy some of the traditions of Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest Hays has added a donation button on their website to help with some of the nonprofit organization’s monetary loss.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Defiance Brewery Company has teamed up with the Oktoberfest board and brewed a German Hefewizen beer, called, “Hayzenbrau” that will be distributed to several local Hays restaurants starting in September.&nbsp; Defiance will kick off the Oktoberfest Hays REVISION event with a live tapping of the keg on Sept. 26 at 4 p.m. at their location.&nbsp; There will be food trucks, German music with Joe Dolzal, stein holding contest, beer puppeteer games, sales of official Oktoberfest Hays merchandise (mugs, T-shirts and hoodies) along with other activities. Defiance will abide by city ordinances that require masks and social distancing.

Other local restaurants will have “Hayzenbrau” available and will hold additional live celebrations at each of their locations.&nbsp; There will be several giveaway items including gift cards, shirts, hoodies, mugs and more.&nbsp; The participating restaurants will donate some of their proceeds to some of the nonprofit organizations that are not able to have booths this year.&nbsp; The list of these restaurants and details will be posted to oktoberfesthays.com and on their social media pages within the next week.&nbsp; Also, mugs and T-shirts with this year’s 2020 design are available on the Oktoberfest website at oktoberfesthays.com.&nbsp;

Oktoberfest organizers will also hold some virtual contest on their OktoberfestHays Facebook page which will announced at a later date. They did not forget to add some fun for the kiddos. There will have an online coloring contest for ages 3 to 12. Coloring sheets will be available at participating restaurants.&nbsp; For more details visit oktoberfesthays.com.

The Volga German Centennial Association Oktoberfest is an annual celebration of the Volga Germans of Ellis County. It is usually held at Municipal Park on the Friday and Saturday of FHSU’s Homecoming Weekend. The festival includes various activities and booths that provide food, crafts, beer and musical entertainment. Volga German Centennial Association, established in 1974, promotes the heritage of the German immigrants through the annual Oktoberfest. A portion of the proceeds from the event fund Fort Hays State University (FHSU) and NCK Technical College scholarships for descendants of Volga German heritage and fundraising for area churches in need. &nbsp;

For details and updates, check out their website at oktoberfesthays.com or like them on the Oktoberfest Hays Facebook page @oktoberfesthays.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599327362079.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Members of the Volga German Centennial Association and organizers of Oktoberfest Hays, announced their 2020 Oktoberfest Hays REVISION plan.&nbsp; Even though the traditional Oktoberfest Hays event in Frontier Park will not occur this year, the format for 2020 will still offer the community some German traditions without the crowds.“I cannot say without a doubt that having a traditional Oktoberfest would be in the best interest of the city of Hays, the Volga German Centennial Association, and for our local community,” said Philip Kuhn, President of Oktoberfest Board.&nbsp; “I appreciate all the work the board and committees of Oktoberfest Hays have done.&nbsp; We are so fortunate to have great sponsors who have helped make our festival the greatest festival in Western Kansas.&nbsp; I hope with this decision it shows the unity and synergy between our sponsors, partners, and the Volga German Centennial Association. We will still have some fun activities planned to celebrate some German traditions locally throughout the month of October.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The Oktoberfest board's biggest concerns were recognizing the large group gathering given the current mandates in place and its potential to cause illness, along with impact on local nonprofit organizations that rely on the annual income they gain from the festival. For many of these organizations, Oktoberfest booths represent their sole source of income for the year.&nbsp; For the 2019 festival, 41 diverse organizations representing school organizations, scholarship funds, civic groups and more, collectively grossed $63,000. Oktoberfest Organizers have implemented some alternatives that can generate some income for these nonprofits while still getting to enjoy some of the traditions of Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest Hays has added a donation button on their website to help with some of the nonprofit organization’s monetary loss.&nbsp;&nbsp;Defiance Brewery Company has teamed up with the Oktoberfest board and brewed a German Hefewizen beer, called, “Hayzenbrau” that will be distributed to several local Hays restaurants starting in September.&nbsp; Defiance will kick off the Oktoberfest Hays REVISION event with a live tapping of the keg on Sept. 26 at 4 p.m. at their location.&nbsp; There will be food trucks, German music with Joe Dolzal, stein holding contest, beer puppeteer games, sales of official Oktoberfest Hays merchandise (mugs, T-shirts and hoodies) along with other activities. Defiance will abide by city ordinances that require masks and social distancing.Other local restaurants will have “Hayzenbrau” available and will hold additional live celebrations at each of their locations.&nbsp; There will be several giveaway items including gift cards, shirts, hoodies, mugs and more.&nbsp; The participating restaurants will donate some of their proceeds to some of the nonprofit organizations that are not able to have booths this year.&nbsp; The list of these restaurants and details will be posted to oktoberfesthays.com and on their social media pages within the next week.&nbsp; Also, mugs and T-shirts with this year’s 2020 design are available on the Oktoberfest website at oktoberfesthays.com.&nbsp;Oktoberfest organizers will also hold some virtual contest on their OktoberfestHays Facebook page which will announced at a later date. They did not forget to add some fun for the kiddos. There will have an online coloring contest for ages 3 to 12. Coloring sheets will be available at participating restaurants.&nbsp; For more details visit oktoberfesthays.com.The Volga German Centennial Association Oktoberfest is an annual celebration of the Volga Germans of Ellis County. It is usually held at Municipal Park on the Friday and Saturday of FHSU’s Homecoming Weekend. The festival includes various activities and booths that provide food, crafts, beer and musical entertainment. Volga German Centennial Association, established in 1974, promotes the heritage of the German immigrants through the annual Oktoberfest. A portion of the proceeds from the event fund Fort Hays State University (FHSU) and NCK Technical College scholarships for descendants of Volga German heritage and fundraising for area churches in need. &nbsp;For details and updates, check out their website at oktoberfesthays.com or like them on the Oktoberfest Hays Facebook page @oktoberfesthays.&nbsp;&nbsp;