TOPEKA, Kan - The KSHSAA will utilize three sites for state
cross country meets to be held on Saturday, October 31, includ­ing two new
championship venues.&nbsp; Consistent with
risk mitigation efforts, a third site was added to reduce the number of runners
at each venue and allow for more time between races. 

The Class 6A and 5A state meet will be held at 4 Mile Creek
Resort in Augusta.&nbsp; Andover High School
will be the host with Wichita State University supporting the effort with
course preparation.&nbsp; WSU is very familiar
with this course, as the 4 Mile Creek Resort (formerly known as RAFT) is the
home course for the Shockers. 

Once again, Wamego will welcome championship racing.&nbsp; The Class 4A and 3A state meet will be held
at Wamego Country Club and be hosted by Wamego High School.

&nbsp;The Class 2A and 1A
state meet will be held at Sand Plum Nature Trail in Victoria.&nbsp; Victoria High School will serve as the member
school host and will be supported by the athletic department of Fort Hays State
Uni­versity for this championship event.

For the first time since 1992, Rim Rock Farm is not
available as one of our championship sites as the University of Kansas has
notified the KSHSAA that the venue is not open for high school events this
fall.&nbsp; 

Regionals will be held on Saturday, October 24 at sites that
will soon be finalized.&nbsp; Class 4A, 5A, 6A
will have four regional sites of eight or nine assigned schools.&nbsp; Class 2A and 3A will have 6 regional sites of
10 or 11 schools assigned.&nbsp; Class 1A will
have three regional sites.

“The health and safety of our students continues to be the
most important factor in the changes we have im­plemented with postseason
competitions and we are pleased to expand to another venue for these
champion­ship meets” said Bill Faflick, KSHSAA Executive Director.&nbsp; “Certainly, we are fortunate to have quality
courses and dedicated hosts to provide the best experience possible for our
student-athletes.”

KSHSAATOPEKA, Kan - The KSHSAA will utilize three sites for state
cross country meets to be held on Saturday, October 31, includ­ing two new
championship venues.&nbsp; Consistent with
risk mitigation efforts, a third site was added to reduce the number of runners
at each venue and allow for more time between races. The Class 6A and 5A state meet will be held at 4 Mile Creek
Resort in Augusta.&nbsp; Andover High School
will be the host with Wichita State University supporting the effort with
course preparation.&nbsp; WSU is very familiar
with this course, as the 4 Mile Creek Resort (formerly known as RAFT) is the
home course for the Shockers. Once again, Wamego will welcome championship racing.&nbsp; The Class 4A and 3A state meet will be held
at Wamego Country Club and be hosted by Wamego High School.&nbsp;The Class 2A and 1A
state meet will be held at Sand Plum Nature Trail in Victoria.&nbsp; Victoria High School will serve as the member
school host and will be supported by the athletic department of Fort Hays State
Uni­versity for this championship event.For the first time since 1992, Rim Rock Farm is not
available as one of our championship sites as the University of Kansas has
notified the KSHSAA that the venue is not open for high school events this
fall.&nbsp; Regionals will be held on Saturday, October 24 at sites that
will soon be finalized.&nbsp; Class 4A, 5A, 6A
will have four regional sites of eight or nine assigned schools.&nbsp; Class 2A and 3A will have 6 regional sites of
10 or 11 schools assigned.&nbsp; Class 1A will
have three regional sites.“The health and safety of our students continues to be the
most important factor in the changes we have im­plemented with postseason
competitions and we are pleased to expand to another venue for these
champion­ship meets” said Bill Faflick, KSHSAA Executive Director.&nbsp; “Certainly, we are fortunate to have quality
courses and dedicated hosts to provide the best experience possible for our
student-athletes.”

🏃Sand Plum Nature Trail to host state cross country meet

By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau

September is the bridge between summer and fall. The sun’s angle is still high enough to provide plenty of warmth, but its light fades faster in the evening. Cottonwoods are already dropping golden leaves. Football seasons are underway even if tailgating is on hiatus for the year. And across Kansas, September is when fall harvest starts in earnest.

For those of us not working in the fields, the most visible sign of harvest will be combines, tractors, grain carts and other slow-moving implements on the road. Remember to be on the lookout for these vehicles. Take your time and pass only when it’s safe. Like you, farmers are anxious to be off the road and at their destination.

But for the next few weeks, the roads will be busy because unlike the mad dash to bring in wheat in early summer, fall harvest is a marathon.

Harvest started for Haskell County farmer Paige Clawson in August when corn silage was chopped. Clawson says they wrapped up their dryland corn harvest about a week before cold, wet weather brought everything to a halt.

“We’re hoping to get back in the field (this) week,” she says of the wait for irrigated corn to ripen. “The past few years we’ve had pretty phenomenal dryland corn, and I think this dryland corn would be an average to below average western Kansas dryland corn crop. Nothing to write home about.”

Clawson says she hasn’t seen the numbers on the final yields. “It was lower than I’d like to see but isn’t that always the answer.”

In south central Kansas, Stafford County farmer Justin Vosburgh took advantage of the rain to prep his machinery to be in the fields in a week or so.

“I’m actually excited for this fall harvest,” Vosburgh says. “I think it’s one of the best dryland crops we will cut in Stafford, Edwards, Pawnee and Pratt counties in a long time. Irrigated looks good, too.”

Weather permitting, Vosburgh says he hopes to start harvest by mid-September and will spend the next six to eight weeks hauling in corn, milo and soybeans and planting next year’s wheat crop.

“Mother Nature plays a huge role,” he says. “Basically, from the 15th of September to the 31st of October, we’ll either be in the harvest field or we’ll be drilling wheat. It’s probably the busiest time of the year for us. A lot will happen.”

While the recent rains didn’t come in time to boost Clawson’s dryland corn, it did perk up the milo.

“You can tell where you rotated milo and had summer fallow and where you didn’t,” she says. “I think a couple recent rains have saved the crop that was going backward faster than we’d like to see.”

Both Vosburgh and Clawson say they haven’t really felt the effects of the pandemic on their farms.

“Probably my biggest fear right now is will COVID-19 cause us a problem,” Vosburgh says. “Will it cause us a problem at an elevator? Will they have employees get sick? Will we get shorthanded? Those are issues you think about.”

Clawson says the only difference she’s noticed is curbside pickup for parts and a few items on backorder.

“We’re just trying to stay on the farm and not go to town as often as we normally would,” she says.

The pandemic is just another in a long line of uncertainties in farming. Yet farmers and ranchers somehow always find a silver lining. With harvest delayed by rain, Clawson was already looking toward the future.

“It will be nice to put wheat into moisture after not putting it into moisture last year,” she says.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574694551876.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm BureauSeptember is the bridge between summer and fall. The sun’s angle is still high enough to provide plenty of warmth, but its light fades faster in the evening. Cottonwoods are already dropping golden leaves. Football seasons are underway even if tailgating is on hiatus for the year. And across Kansas, September is when fall harvest starts in earnest.For those of us not working in the fields, the most visible sign of harvest will be combines, tractors, grain carts and other slow-moving implements on the road. Remember to be on the lookout for these vehicles. Take your time and pass only when it’s safe. Like you, farmers are anxious to be off the road and at their destination.But for the next few weeks, the roads will be busy because unlike the mad dash to bring in wheat in early summer, fall harvest is a marathon.Harvest started for Haskell County farmer Paige Clawson in August when corn silage was chopped. Clawson says they wrapped up their dryland corn harvest about a week before cold, wet weather brought everything to a halt.“We’re hoping to get back in the field (this) week,” she says of the wait for irrigated corn to ripen. “The past few years we’ve had pretty phenomenal dryland corn, and I think this dryland corn would be an average to below average western Kansas dryland corn crop. Nothing to write home about.”Clawson says she hasn’t seen the numbers on the final yields. “It was lower than I’d like to see but isn’t that always the answer.”In south central Kansas, Stafford County farmer Justin Vosburgh took advantage of the rain to prep his machinery to be in the fields in a week or so.“I’m actually excited for this fall harvest,” Vosburgh says. “I think it’s one of the best dryland crops we will cut in Stafford, Edwards, Pawnee and Pratt counties in a long time. Irrigated looks good, too.”Weather permitting, Vosburgh says he hopes to start harvest by mid-September and will spend the next six to eight weeks hauling in corn, milo and soybeans and planting next year’s wheat crop.“Mother Nature plays a huge role,” he says. “Basically, from the 15th of September to the 31st of October, we’ll either be in the harvest field or we’ll be drilling wheat. It’s probably the busiest time of the year for us. A lot will happen.”While the recent rains didn’t come in time to boost Clawson’s dryland corn, it did perk up the milo.“You can tell where you rotated milo and had summer fallow and where you didn’t,” she says. “I think a couple recent rains have saved the crop that was going backward faster than we’d like to see.”Both Vosburgh and Clawson say they haven’t really felt the effects of the pandemic on their farms.“Probably my biggest fear right now is will COVID-19 cause us a problem,” Vosburgh says. “Will it cause us a problem at an elevator? Will they have employees get sick? Will we get shorthanded? Those are issues you think about.”Clawson says the only difference she’s noticed is curbside pickup for parts and a few items on backorder.“We’re just trying to stay on the farm and not go to town as often as we normally would,” she says.The pandemic is just another in a long line of uncertainties in farming. Yet farmers and ranchers somehow always find a silver lining. With harvest delayed by rain, Clawson was already looking toward the future.“It will be nice to put wheat into moisture after not putting it into moisture last year,” she says."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: The start of fall harvest

Gary R. Grandy, 77, passed away September 14, 2020 at his home in Rozel.

He was born October 2, 1942 in Kansas City, Missouri to Robert Preston and Grace Olive Pfenninger Grandy.

A lifetime area resident, he was a member of the Rozel United 
Methodist Church, where he served on many boards and as a youth leader. 
He was a member of the Rozel Lions Club and the Garfield American 
Legion. He served in the United States Navy, two terms on the 
conservation board, and the Pawnee County Fair Board. Gary was a farmer 
and had many hobbies: he liked making and collecting walking sticks, 
traveling, going to the lake, fishing trips, golfing, and spending time 
with his family and friends.&nbsp;

On November 6, 1966 he married Faye Hagewood at Trousdale, Kansas; she survives.

Survivors include: wife, Faye, Rozel; daughter, Tina (Todd) Hyburg, 
Lebanon, Connecticut; son, Crieg Grandy, Larned; six grandchildren, 
Kacey Grandy, Rachelle Hyburg, Jacob Hyburg, Kendra Grandy, Cody Hyburg,
 Jerimiah Hyburg; and two great grandchildren, Grayson Grandy, and 
Karcyn Grandy.

He was preceded in death by his son, Mark Grandy; his parents, and a brother, Darrell Grandy.

Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 26, 2020 at 
Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned, with Pastor Berniece Ludlum and Pastor
 Linda Doyle presiding. Service will be viewable via Facebook Live at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/beckwithmortuary">www.facebook.com/beckwithmortuary</a>.
 Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, 2020 with 
family present from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the mortuary. Cremation will 
follow the service and a private family inurnment will be at a later 
date in the Garfield Cemetery. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Memorials may be given to Rozel United Methodist Church, Golden Belt 
Home Health and Hospice or Dreiling/Schmidt Cancer Center, in care of 
Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, KS 67550.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600205842958.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Gary R. Grandy, 77, passed away September 14, 2020 at his home in Rozel.He was born October 2, 1942 in Kansas City, Missouri to Robert Preston and Grace Olive Pfenninger Grandy.A lifetime area resident, he was a member of the Rozel United 
Methodist Church, where he served on many boards and as a youth leader. 
He was a member of the Rozel Lions Club and the Garfield American 
Legion. He served in the United States Navy, two terms on the 
conservation board, and the Pawnee County Fair Board. Gary was a farmer 
and had many hobbies: he liked making and collecting walking sticks, 
traveling, going to the lake, fishing trips, golfing, and spending time 
with his family and friends.&nbsp;On November 6, 1966 he married Faye Hagewood at Trousdale, Kansas; she survives.Survivors include: wife, Faye, Rozel; daughter, Tina (Todd) Hyburg, 
Lebanon, Connecticut; son, Crieg Grandy, Larned; six grandchildren, 
Kacey Grandy, Rachelle Hyburg, Jacob Hyburg, Kendra Grandy, Cody Hyburg,
 Jerimiah Hyburg; and two great grandchildren, Grayson Grandy, and 
Karcyn Grandy.He was preceded in death by his son, Mark Grandy; his parents, and a brother, Darrell Grandy.Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 26, 2020 at 
Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned, with Pastor Berniece Ludlum and Pastor
 Linda Doyle presiding. Service will be viewable via Facebook Live at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/beckwithmortuary">www.facebook.com/beckwithmortuary</a>.
 Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, 2020 with 
family present from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the mortuary. Cremation will 
follow the service and a private family inurnment will be at a later 
date in the Garfield Cemetery. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Memorials may be given to Rozel United Methodist Church, Golden Belt 
Home Health and Hospice or Dreiling/Schmidt Cancer Center, in care of 
Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, KS 67550.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Gary R. Grandy

Geraldine Marie “Gerri” (Brungardt) Enslinger, 83, passed away on September 11, 2020, in Lenexa, Kansas.

Gerri was born on November 7, 1936, in Victoria, Kansas, to Joseph and Elizabeth (Wellbrock) Brungardt.&nbsp; She was a 1954 graduate of Hays High School.&nbsp; On September 13, 1958, she was united in marriage to Cornelius “Corny” Enslinger in Hays, Kansas, and they were married for 62 years.

Survivors include her husband Cornelius Enslinger of Lenexa, Kansas; a daughter, Gloria Rohr and husband Neil of Morgan Hill, California;&nbsp; three sons, Darrell Enslinger of Olathe, Kansas; Dennis Enslinger and husband Tom Lore of Washington, D.C.; and Dean Enslinger and wife Chelsea of Overland Park, Kansas.&nbsp;

She has 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is also survived by five sisters: Doreen Wildeman of Grainfield, Kansas; Mae Suppes of Great Bend, Kansas; Helen Van Quaethem of Kansas City, Missouri; Mary Brungardt and Rose Brungardt, both of Overland Park, Kansas; and her brother Dale Brungardt and wife Thuong of Hays, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

She was preceded in death by her grandparents Balthasar and Rosa (Frank) Brungardt, and John and Anna (Broekelman) Wellbrock; her parents Joseph and Elizabeth Brungardt; and brother-in-laws John Van Quaethem, Edward Suppes, and Francis Wildeman.

Gerri was a shipping clerk for A.P.S. Warehouse in Great Bend, Kansas. She was a member of Daughters of Isabella for 61 years, St. Patrick Altar Society, and the Central Kansas Thread Benders Quilt Club.

Funeral services arranged by Porter Funeral Home of Lenexa (<a href="http://porterfuneralhome.com/">porterfuneralhome.com</a>). A funeral mass will be held at the Holy Spirit Catholic Parish of Overland Park, at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, October 2. Inurnment to follow at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery of Lenexa.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts be sent to Porter Funeral Home. Memorial gifts will be sent to Interim Hospice Care and Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.&nbsp;

The family would like to thank the nurses and caretakers of Interim Hospice Care for their loving care of Gerri.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Condolences may be expressed at:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.porterfuneralhome.com/">www.porterfuneralhome.com</a>&nbsp; Arr:&nbsp; Porter Funeral Homes (913) 438-6444)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600202147632.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Geraldine Marie “Gerri” (Brungardt) Enslinger, 83, passed away on September 11, 2020, in Lenexa, Kansas.Gerri was born on November 7, 1936, in Victoria, Kansas, to Joseph and Elizabeth (Wellbrock) Brungardt.&nbsp; She was a 1954 graduate of Hays High School.&nbsp; On September 13, 1958, she was united in marriage to Cornelius “Corny” Enslinger in Hays, Kansas, and they were married for 62 years.Survivors include her husband Cornelius Enslinger of Lenexa, Kansas; a daughter, Gloria Rohr and husband Neil of Morgan Hill, California;&nbsp; three sons, Darrell Enslinger of Olathe, Kansas; Dennis Enslinger and husband Tom Lore of Washington, D.C.; and Dean Enslinger and wife Chelsea of Overland Park, Kansas.&nbsp;She has 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.She is also survived by five sisters: Doreen Wildeman of Grainfield, Kansas; Mae Suppes of Great Bend, Kansas; Helen Van Quaethem of Kansas City, Missouri; Mary Brungardt and Rose Brungardt, both of Overland Park, Kansas; and her brother Dale Brungardt and wife Thuong of Hays, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was preceded in death by her grandparents Balthasar and Rosa (Frank) Brungardt, and John and Anna (Broekelman) Wellbrock; her parents Joseph and Elizabeth Brungardt; and brother-in-laws John Van Quaethem, Edward Suppes, and Francis Wildeman.Gerri was a shipping clerk for A.P.S. Warehouse in Great Bend, Kansas. She was a member of Daughters of Isabella for 61 years, St. Patrick Altar Society, and the Central Kansas Thread Benders Quilt Club.Funeral services arranged by Porter Funeral Home of Lenexa (<a href="http://porterfuneralhome.com/">porterfuneralhome.com</a>). A funeral mass will be held at the Holy Spirit Catholic Parish of Overland Park, at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, October 2. Inurnment to follow at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery of Lenexa.&nbsp;&nbsp;In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts be sent to Porter Funeral Home. Memorial gifts will be sent to Interim Hospice Care and Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.&nbsp;The family would like to thank the nurses and caretakers of Interim Hospice Care for their loving care of Gerri.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Condolences may be expressed at:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.porterfuneralhome.com/">www.porterfuneralhome.com</a>&nbsp; Arr:&nbsp; Porter Funeral Homes (913) 438-6444)

Geraldine Marie 'Gerri' (Brungardt) Enslinger

NOTE: The KIOGA Webinar featuring U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been rescheduled. The new date is 2 p.m. Sept. 24. For more information and to register, contact Kelly at 316-263-7297 or by E-mail:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kelly@kioga.org">kelly@kioga.org</a>.&nbsp;

Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson started the week at $27.50 per barrel, down $2.50/bbl from a week ago, and nearly six dollars less than the price at the first of the month.

Triple-A says as summer fades away, cheaper gas is here to stay. The national average pump price on Thursday was just under $2.21 per gallon, down two cents from last week. The statewide average in Kansas is once again below $2. We spotted $1.99 in Great Bend, and $1.94 in Hays.

Independent Oil and Gas Service reports four active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas Friday, which is unchanged from last week, and seven west of Wichita, which is down one. Baker Hughes reported 254 active drilling rigs nationwide. The counts in Texas and New Mexico were each down one, while Oklahoma was up one.

Regulators approved 13 permits for drilling at new locations across Kansas last week, eight of them in the eastern half of the state, and five west of Wichita, including two in Ellis County. So far this year, there are 298 new drilling permits in Kansas.

Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports operators completed 15 new wells last week in Kansas, 11 of them east of Wichita and four in Western Kansas. Operators have completed 633 wells so far this year.

The government said Thursday U.S. crude-oil production rose nearly 300,000 barrels per day last week, up three percent over the week before. But output remains below 10 million barrels per day for the second week in a row.

The Energy Information Administration reported a big increase in domestic crude oil inventories. Stockpiles increased two million barrels, and remain about 14% over the five year average for this time of year. U.S. crude imports increased by half a million barrels per day last week, but the four-week average remains nearly 18% below the same four-week period a year ago.

U.S. oil-by-rail totals are down slightly from last week. The Association of American Railroads reports 10,056 tanker cars hauling petroleum and petroleum products for the week ending September 5. That's nearly 14% lower than the same week a year ago. The running total so far this year is down more than 12 percent from last year at this time.

Regulators in Colorado voiced support for increasing the buffers between oil and gas drilling and homes in the state. The newly-reconstituted Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission held five days of hearings on the subject. According to the Denver Post, all but one member voiced support for setbacks of 2,000 feet. That's significantly larger than the setbacks proposed by commission staff, but smaller than the setbacks rejected by voters two years ago. The commission won’t vote on the regulation until it has completed hearings on all the proposed rules, expected in late October.

The Energy Information Administration says total U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions will drop by ten percent this year. The agency's Short Term Energy Outlook for September says we're consuming 18% less coal and nearly 12% less petroleum. The government predicts an increase in monthly Brent crude prices, to an average $44 per barrel during the fourth quarter of this year, and possibly up to $49 per barrel next year.&nbsp;

An activist investment group plans to push for Noble Energy to abandon its plans to sell itself to Chevron, arguing the deal undervalues the oil and gas producer because of low oil prices. A New York-based hedge fund asserts the takeover was done at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. Elliott Management believes the company is better positioned than most firms to benefit from a recovery in oil prices. Elliott believes members of Noble’s management stand to make about $88 million in various forms of compensation from the deal, including $60 million for senior managers.

Husky Energy announced last week it will review and possibly cancel a major offshore drilling project in the Canadian Atlantic. The province of Newfoundland was relying on the "West White Rose" project for jobs and economic stimulus. Husky officials said the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a minimum one-year delay for the project to produce its first barrel of oil. CEO Rob Peabody said the company will undertake a full review of this project and any future operations in the Canadian Atlantic.&nbsp;

The Energy Information Administration's Drilling Productivity Report suggests that total shale production will drop to 7.6 million barrels per day next month, down 68,000 barrels per day from September. Only the Permian Basin of New Mexico and West Texas is expected to show an increase in production next month.

In a closely-watched report, the International Energy Agency trimmed its outlook for worldwide oil demand to 91.7 million barrels per day. That marks a contraction of 8.4 million barrels per day year-over-year. The OPEC cartel predicts a slightly bigger decline in global demand. The cartel's Monthly Monthly Oil Market Report says global oil demand will drop to just over 90-million barrels per day. The report confirms production spikes in June in the U.S., Canada and Latin America, despite tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico. The report suggests production declines are on the way through the end of the year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARNOTE: The KIOGA Webinar featuring U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been rescheduled. The new date is 2 p.m. Sept. 24. For more information and to register, contact Kelly at 316-263-7297 or by E-mail:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kelly@kioga.org">kelly@kioga.org</a>.&nbsp;Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson started the week at $27.50 per barrel, down $2.50/bbl from a week ago, and nearly six dollars less than the price at the first of the month.Triple-A says as summer fades away, cheaper gas is here to stay. The national average pump price on Thursday was just under $2.21 per gallon, down two cents from last week. The statewide average in Kansas is once again below $2. We spotted $1.99 in Great Bend, and $1.94 in Hays.Independent Oil and Gas Service reports four active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas Friday, which is unchanged from last week, and seven west of Wichita, which is down one. Baker Hughes reported 254 active drilling rigs nationwide. The counts in Texas and New Mexico were each down one, while Oklahoma was up one.Regulators approved 13 permits for drilling at new locations across Kansas last week, eight of them in the eastern half of the state, and five west of Wichita, including two in Ellis County. So far this year, there are 298 new drilling permits in Kansas.Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports operators completed 15 new wells last week in Kansas, 11 of them east of Wichita and four in Western Kansas. Operators have completed 633 wells so far this year.The government said Thursday U.S. crude-oil production rose nearly 300,000 barrels per day last week, up three percent over the week before. But output remains below 10 million barrels per day for the second week in a row.The Energy Information Administration reported a big increase in domestic crude oil inventories. Stockpiles increased two million barrels, and remain about 14% over the five year average for this time of year. U.S. crude imports increased by half a million barrels per day last week, but the four-week average remains nearly 18% below the same four-week period a year ago.U.S. oil-by-rail totals are down slightly from last week. The Association of American Railroads reports 10,056 tanker cars hauling petroleum and petroleum products for the week ending September 5. That's nearly 14% lower than the same week a year ago. The running total so far this year is down more than 12 percent from last year at this time.Regulators in Colorado voiced support for increasing the buffers between oil and gas drilling and homes in the state. The newly-reconstituted Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission held five days of hearings on the subject. According to the Denver Post, all but one member voiced support for setbacks of 2,000 feet. That's significantly larger than the setbacks proposed by commission staff, but smaller than the setbacks rejected by voters two years ago. The commission won’t vote on the regulation until it has completed hearings on all the proposed rules, expected in late October.The Energy Information Administration says total U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions will drop by ten percent this year. The agency's Short Term Energy Outlook for September says we're consuming 18% less coal and nearly 12% less petroleum. The government predicts an increase in monthly Brent crude prices, to an average $44 per barrel during the fourth quarter of this year, and possibly up to $49 per barrel next year.&nbsp;An activist investment group plans to push for Noble Energy to abandon its plans to sell itself to Chevron, arguing the deal undervalues the oil and gas producer because of low oil prices. A New York-based hedge fund asserts the takeover was done at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. Elliott Management believes the company is better positioned than most firms to benefit from a recovery in oil prices. Elliott believes members of Noble’s management stand to make about $88 million in various forms of compensation from the deal, including $60 million for senior managers.Husky Energy announced last week it will review and possibly cancel a major offshore drilling project in the Canadian Atlantic. The province of Newfoundland was relying on the "West White Rose" project for jobs and economic stimulus. Husky officials said the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a minimum one-year delay for the project to produce its first barrel of oil. CEO Rob Peabody said the company will undertake a full review of this project and any future operations in the Canadian Atlantic.&nbsp;The Energy Information Administration's Drilling Productivity Report suggests that total shale production will drop to 7.6 million barrels per day next month, down 68,000 barrels per day from September. Only the Permian Basin of New Mexico and West Texas is expected to show an increase in production next month.In a closely-watched report, the International Energy Agency trimmed its outlook for worldwide oil demand to 91.7 million barrels per day. That marks a contraction of 8.4 million barrels per day year-over-year. The OPEC cartel predicts a slightly bigger decline in global demand. The cartel's Monthly Monthly Oil Market Report says global oil demand will drop to just over 90-million barrels per day. The report confirms production spikes in June in the U.S., Canada and Latin America, despite tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico. The report suggests production declines are on the way through the end of the year.

News From the Oil Patch: Fewer than 300 new drilling permits in 2020

SEDGWICK COUNTY– Local Health Officer Dr. Garold Minns signed new emergency public health order which will take effect Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. This order will remain in place until at least midnight, Wednesday, October 21, 2020, according to a media release from the county.

Section III of this order was revised to remove language stating that the order was voluntary. Any persons or organizations within Sedgwick County must comply with the order.

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

The community toolbox consists of mask wearing, social distancing, and good hand hygiene, as the best ways for the community to continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect one another.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Numerous Wichita bars are ignoring a local health directive ordering them to shut down at 11 p.m. because of the coronavirus pandemic on Friday night. City and county officials say the bars that are ignoring the curfew order from Sedgwick County health officials may be vulnerable to lawsuits if their patrons or employees get sick or they could lose their city liquor licenses. 

The owner of the Blu Night Club in western Wichita, Darren Greiving, said staying open late is important to his business’ economic survival.  So far city and county officials have not issued any citations related to the curfew.

SEDGWICK COUNTY– Local Health Officer Dr. Garold Minns signed new emergency public health order which will take effect Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. This order will remain in place until at least midnight, Wednesday, October 21, 2020, according to a media release from the county.Section III of this order was revised to remove language stating that the order was voluntary. Any persons or organizations within Sedgwick County must comply with the order.Minns will continue to review and monitor COVID-19 trends in the community and will consider lifting restrictions as trends move in a positive direction.&nbsp;The community toolbox consists of mask wearing, social distancing, and good hand hygiene, as the best ways for the community to continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect one another.---------WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Numerous Wichita bars are ignoring a local health directive ordering them to shut down at 11 p.m. because of the coronavirus pandemic on Friday night. City and county officials say the bars that are ignoring the curfew order from Sedgwick County health officials may be vulnerable to lawsuits if their patrons or employees get sick or they could lose their city liquor licenses. The owner of the Blu Night Club in western Wichita, Darren Greiving, said staying open late is important to his business’ economic survival. So far city and county officials have not issued any citations related to the curfew.

Sedgwick Co. health order no longer voluntary 

The Hays Herb Study will meet at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14 at Professor's Classic Sandwich Shop.

The program titled "Yes, Some Herbs Are Houseplants Too" will be from noon to 2 p.m.

The Herb Study is meeting regularly on third Monday of the month at Professor's. The public is invited, and the meetings are free to attend.

The October meeting will be Monday, Oct. 19. The program will be "Horehound: Invasive Weed or Medicinal Plant." The group will be making cough drops containing horehound.

The Hays Herb Study will meet at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14 at Professor's Classic Sandwich Shop.The program titled "Yes, Some Herbs Are Houseplants Too" will be from noon to 2 p.m.The Herb Study is meeting regularly on third Monday of the month at Professor's. The public is invited, and the meetings are free to attend.The October meeting will be Monday, Oct. 19. The program will be "Horehound: Invasive Weed or Medicinal Plant." The group will be making cough drops containing horehound.

Hays Herb Study to meet at Professor's Monday

James P. “Jim” Dinkel, 71, Hays, died Sunday, September 13, 2020 at HaysMed.

He was born October 26, 1948 in Hays, 
the son of Joe S. and Pauline (Karlin) Dinkel.&nbsp; In 1966 Jim graduated 
from Victoria High School.&nbsp; From 1968 until 1970 he was a Military 
Policeman in the United States Army, stationed in Korea.&nbsp; On November 
25, 1968 he was united in marriage to Peggy A. Leiker at Immaculate 
Heart of Mary Catholic Church, and they celebrated 51 years of 
marriage.&nbsp; For many years he delivered milk for LK Dairy, and then was 
the maintenance director at The Mall.&nbsp; He was a member of Immaculate 
Heart of Mary Catholic Church, he sang Taps with the VFW Post #9076 
Honor Guard for many years, and was a lifetime member of VFW Post 
#9076.&nbsp; He enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and was an avid Kansas City 
Chiefs fan.&nbsp; Most of all, he loved his family and attending his 
children’s and grandchildren’s events.&nbsp;

Survivors include his wife Peggy, of 
the home in Hays, a son; Danny Dinkel and wife Jill of Hays, three 
daughters; Lori Post and husband Shad of Hays, Amy Ames and husband Eric
 of Lee’s Summit, MO, and Sarah Koelling and husband Jeffrey of Overland
 Park, Kansas, three brothers; Melvin Dinkel and wife Clarita of Hays, 
Delmar Dinkel of Hays, and Kenny Dinkel and wife Marjorie of Plainville,
 three sisters; Dorothy Jacobs of Hays, Lucy Brown of Victoria, and 
Donna Deckman and husband Joe of Hays, 11 grandchildren; Josh Post and 
wife Sarah, Alyssa Moeder and husband Trey, Ryan Post and fiancé Shay, 
Sophie and Connor Ames, Emma, Caden, Colin, and Haven Dinkel, and 
Scarlett and Hudson Koelling, and four great grandchildren; Mayci, 
Brooke, Lydia, and Gage, and one expected soon.

He was preceded in death by his 
parents, a brother; Frank Dinkel, and two brothers-in-law; Clarence 
“Bud” Jacobs and Robert Brown.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 
10:00 am on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at Immaculate Heart of Mary 
Catholic Church.&nbsp; Burial with military honors by the Hays VFW Post #9076
 Honor Guard will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.&nbsp; Visitation will be 
from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Tuesday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on 
Wednesday, all at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.&nbsp; A vigil service 
and rosary will be at 6:30 pm on Tuesday at the funeral home.&nbsp; Memorials
 are suggested to TMP-Marian High School or to the VFW Post #9076 Honor 
Guard.&nbsp; Condolences and memories of Jim may be shared with the family at
 www.haysmemorial.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600107461314.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>James P. “Jim” Dinkel, 71, Hays, died Sunday, September 13, 2020 at HaysMed.He was born October 26, 1948 in Hays, 
the son of Joe S. and Pauline (Karlin) Dinkel.&nbsp; In 1966 Jim graduated 
from Victoria High School.&nbsp; From 1968 until 1970 he was a Military 
Policeman in the United States Army, stationed in Korea.&nbsp; On November 
25, 1968 he was united in marriage to Peggy A. Leiker at Immaculate 
Heart of Mary Catholic Church, and they celebrated 51 years of 
marriage.&nbsp; For many years he delivered milk for LK Dairy, and then was 
the maintenance director at The Mall.&nbsp; He was a member of Immaculate 
Heart of Mary Catholic Church, he sang Taps with the VFW Post #9076 
Honor Guard for many years, and was a lifetime member of VFW Post 
#9076.&nbsp; He enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and was an avid Kansas City 
Chiefs fan.&nbsp; Most of all, he loved his family and attending his 
children’s and grandchildren’s events.&nbsp;Survivors include his wife Peggy, of 
the home in Hays, a son; Danny Dinkel and wife Jill of Hays, three 
daughters; Lori Post and husband Shad of Hays, Amy Ames and husband Eric
 of Lee’s Summit, MO, and Sarah Koelling and husband Jeffrey of Overland
 Park, Kansas, three brothers; Melvin Dinkel and wife Clarita of Hays, 
Delmar Dinkel of Hays, and Kenny Dinkel and wife Marjorie of Plainville,
 three sisters; Dorothy Jacobs of Hays, Lucy Brown of Victoria, and 
Donna Deckman and husband Joe of Hays, 11 grandchildren; Josh Post and 
wife Sarah, Alyssa Moeder and husband Trey, Ryan Post and fiancé Shay, 
Sophie and Connor Ames, Emma, Caden, Colin, and Haven Dinkel, and 
Scarlett and Hudson Koelling, and four great grandchildren; Mayci, 
Brooke, Lydia, and Gage, and one expected soon.He was preceded in death by his 
parents, a brother; Frank Dinkel, and two brothers-in-law; Clarence 
“Bud” Jacobs and Robert Brown.Mass of Christian Burial will be at 
10:00 am on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at Immaculate Heart of Mary 
Catholic Church.&nbsp; Burial with military honors by the Hays VFW Post #9076
 Honor Guard will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.&nbsp; Visitation will be 
from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Tuesday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on 
Wednesday, all at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.&nbsp; A vigil service 
and rosary will be at 6:30 pm on Tuesday at the funeral home.&nbsp; Memorials
 are suggested to TMP-Marian High School or to the VFW Post #9076 Honor 
Guard.&nbsp; Condolences and memories of Jim may be shared with the family at
 www.haysmemorial.com

James P. 'Jim' Dinkel

By DANIEL C. VOCK, <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/10/immigration-agency-cuts-of-800-kansas-city-jobs-expected-to-trigger-backlogs-delays-nationwide/'">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON
 — Members of Congress from the Kansas City region scored a victory last
 month when a federal immigration agency backed off plans that would 
have led to thousands of layoffs of government employees in the metro 
area.

But
 their relief was short lived, as the agency now intends to furlough 800
 of its local private contractors instead — a move expected to set off 
immigration backlogs and processing delays throughout the nation.

The
 Kansas City furloughs are the latest result of budget shortfalls at 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which earlier this summer <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/08/11/covid-19-stimulus-deal-us-immigration-services-plans-furloughs/3344178001/">threatened to furlough two-thirds of all its workers</a> across the country, raising the specter of a severely damaged immigration system and outraging lawmakers.

The
 news that Kansas City still could sustain an 800-job hit has produced 
fresh objections from bipartisan members of Congress from both Missouri 
and Kansas, who wrote the agency saying “the economic impact of such a 
reduction will be felt for years to come.”

But
 the job cuts also more broadly could further delay the ability of USCIS
 to process green cards, work authorizations and other 
immigration-related documents nationwide.&nbsp;

Those
 backlogs, immigration advocates say, could slow any economic recovery, 
if companies in fields like technology and health care cannot hire the 
workers they need quickly.

The
 800 people who are being furloughed work for a contractor at the 
National Benefit Center in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. USCIS uses the 
processing center to collect information, conduct background checks and 
prepare a variety of applications for local field offices.&nbsp;

But
 the agency says demand for immigration paperwork has dropped 
dramatically this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented many 
people from traveling and the Trump administration has raised more 
procedural obstacles to legal immigration.&nbsp;

That
 has caused a financial crisis for USCIS, because 96% of its revenue 
comes from application fees — not general tax revenues.&nbsp;

“USCIS
 has seen a 50% drop in receipts and incoming fees starting in March and
 estimates that application and petition receipts will stay well below 
plan through the end of (September). This dramatic drop in revenue has 
made it impossible for our agency to operate at full capacity,” a USCIS 
spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

The
 immigration agency has been threatening to issue mass layoffs since 
late spring and, until recently, said it would have to send 13,000 of 
its 20,000 employees home at the end of August.&nbsp;

A week before the cutbacks were set to take place, though, USCIS deputy director for policy Joseph Edlow <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-averts-furlough-of-nearly-70-of-workforce">announced</a> the agency would avoid such widespread furloughs.

Members
 of Congress from the Kansas City area, particularly Sen. Roy Blunt, a 
Missouri Republican, and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat, 
worked across party lines to avoid the threatened furloughs, which would
 have hit the bi-state area hard. USCIS employs 3,100 people in the 
region.&nbsp;

The U.S. House unanimously passed <a href="https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-s-bipartisan-bill-to-prevent-uscis-furloughs-passes-house-of">legislation authored by Cleaver</a>
 in late August that would have helped the agency halt the furloughs by 
immediately increasing the agency’s revenue from so-called premium 
processing, or special faster services. The agency announced its own 
plan to fend off furloughs before the Senate could take up the measure.

To
 cancel the furloughs, though, Edlow said the agency had to make other 
cuts in the short term. To get things back on track for the long term, 
USCIS wants Congress to provide $1.2 billion in emergency funding.&nbsp;

“Averting
 this furlough comes at a severe operational cost that will increase 
backlogs and wait times across the board, with no guarantee we can avoid
 future furloughs. A return to normal operating procedures requires 
congressional intervention to sustain the agency through fiscal year 
2021,” which ends in September 2021, Edlow said.

One
 of the ways USCIS is saving money is by reducing the number of contract
 employees it uses in the Kansas City area. Before the pandemic, the 
agency used 1,300 workers from contracting business Pacific Architects 
and Engineers to help process applications. Now it will use just 500. 
The move is expected to save $9 million through the end of November.&nbsp;

The
 agency expects the cutbacks will increase backlogs and processing 
delays throughout the country. They also come at a time when the 
agency’s 86 field offices have scaled back their operations. The field 
offices were closed from March until July because of the pandemic.&nbsp;

Now
 that they’re open again, they are still conducting half as many 
interviews as they were before the March closures for health reasons.&nbsp;

The
 slowdown at the field offices, though, means that fewer cases need to 
be prepared for them. Cutting the size of the contract at the National 
Benefit Center will better meet the current workload, a USCIS 
spokesperson said.

Those moves have not gone over well with the Kansas City area’s congressional delegation.

“The
 jobs at the National Benefit Center support the livelihoods of many 
Kansas families and allow legal immigration applications to be processed
 without interruption,” said Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat. “I 
am very disappointed that the USCIS would end these jobs without working
 with Congress on possible solutions.”

Davids was one of several area lawmakers to criticize USCIS for the furlough of contract employees in <a href="https://www.blunt.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/USCIS%20Contract%20Letter%20Final.pdf">a letter last week.</a>&nbsp;

Davids,
 Blunt and Cleaver were joined by Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of 
Missouri and Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts of Kansas and Republican Rep. 
Sam Graves of Missouri in signing the letter.

They asked for a briefing from the agency, which USCIS held on Friday.

Diane
 Rish, the associate director of government relations for the American 
Immigration Lawyers Association, said the delays USCIS is predicting as a
 result of furloughing the private contractors will only make things 
worse for a system that has been experiencing longer and longer delays 
in processing key immigration documents.

The Trump administration has repeatedly slowed down those processes, she said.

One
 of the most significant changes came in the fall of 2017, just a few 
months after the president took office. That’s when USCIS started 
requiring in-person interviews for applicants seeking work permits, 
along with several other categories of potential immigrants.&nbsp;

Trump
 administration officials acknowledged at the time that the new steps 
would increase processing times, but said they were necessary to prevent
 fraud.

Now
 that USCIS says its capacity to handle in-person interviews is reduced,
 Rish said, the agency could simply rescind the interview requirement.

“The
 administration is saying they’re enforcing a legal immigration system,”
 she said, “(but) people in line who are trying to comply with the law 
are being thrown into a system that is now taking longer and longer, 
making it almost impossible to comply with the law.”

Rish also questioned USCIS’ claim that its budget troubles are related to the slowdown in cases brought on by the coronavirus.&nbsp;

The
 agency proposed raising several fees — some by as much as 80% — last 
November, citing budget concerns. Recently, USCIS finalized those fee 
hikes, which are now set to take effect in October.

Immigration
 lawyers did see a dip in cases when the coronavirus pandemic first 
struck the United States in March and April, but the number of cases has
 returned to “similar levels” to pre-pandemic levels since then, Rish 
said. USCIS caseloads usually climb right before fee hikes, so there 
will likely be even more applications filed in the coming weeks, she 
added.

USCIS officials said the higher fees would not be enough to cover the drop in revenue it faced this year.&nbsp;

In
 fact, USCIS has to periodically revise its fees to keep up with its 
expenses. The fee hikes scheduled to take effect next month will amount 
to a weighted average increase of 20%, compared to 21% increases the 
last time the agency changed its fees in December 2016.

“USCIS
 is required to examine incoming and outgoing expenditures and make 
adjustments based on that analysis. These overdue adjustments in fees 
are necessary to efficiently and fairly administer our nation’s lawful 
immigration system, secure the homeland and protect Americans,” Edlow, 
the agency’s deputy director, said in a statement.

With
 the rising number of applications and fewer people to process them, 
Rish predicted that the effects of the furloughs in the Kansas City area
 would be far-reaching.&nbsp;

“These
 are applications that are filed from all over the country,” she said, 
“so all states and all cities are going to feel the impacts of these 
furloughs.”

Daniel C. Vock is a correspondent for the States Newsroom Washington, D.C., bureau.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599756953779.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DANIEL C. VOCK, <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/10/immigration-agency-cuts-of-800-kansas-city-jobs-expected-to-trigger-backlogs-delays-nationwide/'">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON
 — Members of Congress from the Kansas City region scored a victory last
 month when a federal immigration agency backed off plans that would 
have led to thousands of layoffs of government employees in the metro 
area.But
 their relief was short lived, as the agency now intends to furlough 800
 of its local private contractors instead — a move expected to set off 
immigration backlogs and processing delays throughout the nation.The
 Kansas City furloughs are the latest result of budget shortfalls at 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which earlier this summer <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/08/11/covid-19-stimulus-deal-us-immigration-services-plans-furloughs/3344178001/">threatened to furlough two-thirds of all its workers</a> across the country, raising the specter of a severely damaged immigration system and outraging lawmakers.The
 news that Kansas City still could sustain an 800-job hit has produced 
fresh objections from bipartisan members of Congress from both Missouri 
and Kansas, who wrote the agency saying “the economic impact of such a 
reduction will be felt for years to come.”But
 the job cuts also more broadly could further delay the ability of USCIS
 to process green cards, work authorizations and other 
immigration-related documents nationwide.&nbsp;Those
 backlogs, immigration advocates say, could slow any economic recovery, 
if companies in fields like technology and health care cannot hire the 
workers they need quickly.The
 800 people who are being furloughed work for a contractor at the 
National Benefit Center in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. USCIS uses the 
processing center to collect information, conduct background checks and 
prepare a variety of applications for local field offices.&nbsp;But
 the agency says demand for immigration paperwork has dropped 
dramatically this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented many 
people from traveling and the Trump administration has raised more 
procedural obstacles to legal immigration.&nbsp;That
 has caused a financial crisis for USCIS, because 96% of its revenue 
comes from application fees — not general tax revenues.&nbsp;“USCIS
 has seen a 50% drop in receipts and incoming fees starting in March and
 estimates that application and petition receipts will stay well below 
plan through the end of (September). This dramatic drop in revenue has 
made it impossible for our agency to operate at full capacity,” a USCIS 
spokesperson said in an emailed statement.<h2>Threats of mass layoffs</h2>The
 immigration agency has been threatening to issue mass layoffs since 
late spring and, until recently, said it would have to send 13,000 of 
its 20,000 employees home at the end of August.&nbsp;A week before the cutbacks were set to take place, though, USCIS deputy director for policy Joseph Edlow <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-averts-furlough-of-nearly-70-of-workforce">announced</a> the agency would avoid such widespread furloughs.Members
 of Congress from the Kansas City area, particularly Sen. Roy Blunt, a 
Missouri Republican, and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat, 
worked across party lines to avoid the threatened furloughs, which would
 have hit the bi-state area hard. USCIS employs 3,100 people in the 
region.&nbsp;The U.S. House unanimously passed <a href="https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-s-bipartisan-bill-to-prevent-uscis-furloughs-passes-house-of">legislation authored by Cleaver</a>
 in late August that would have helped the agency halt the furloughs by 
immediately increasing the agency’s revenue from so-called premium 
processing, or special faster services. The agency announced its own 
plan to fend off furloughs before the Senate could take up the measure.To
 cancel the furloughs, though, Edlow said the agency had to make other 
cuts in the short term. To get things back on track for the long term, 
USCIS wants Congress to provide $1.2 billion in emergency funding.&nbsp;“Averting
 this furlough comes at a severe operational cost that will increase 
backlogs and wait times across the board, with no guarantee we can avoid
 future furloughs. A return to normal operating procedures requires 
congressional intervention to sustain the agency through fiscal year 
2021,” which ends in September 2021, Edlow said.One
 of the ways USCIS is saving money is by reducing the number of contract
 employees it uses in the Kansas City area. Before the pandemic, the 
agency used 1,300 workers from contracting business Pacific Architects 
and Engineers to help process applications. Now it will use just 500. 
The move is expected to save $9 million through the end of November.&nbsp;The
 agency expects the cutbacks will increase backlogs and processing 
delays throughout the country. They also come at a time when the 
agency’s 86 field offices have scaled back their operations. The field 
offices were closed from March until July because of the pandemic.&nbsp;Now
 that they’re open again, they are still conducting half as many 
interviews as they were before the March closures for health reasons.&nbsp;The
 slowdown at the field offices, though, means that fewer cases need to 
be prepared for them. Cutting the size of the contract at the National 
Benefit Center will better meet the current workload, a USCIS 
spokesperson said.<h2>Kansas City delegation</h2>Those moves have not gone over well with the Kansas City area’s congressional delegation.“The
 jobs at the National Benefit Center support the livelihoods of many 
Kansas families and allow legal immigration applications to be processed
 without interruption,” said Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat. “I 
am very disappointed that the USCIS would end these jobs without working
 with Congress on possible solutions.”Davids was one of several area lawmakers to criticize USCIS for the furlough of contract employees in <a href="https://www.blunt.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/USCIS%20Contract%20Letter%20Final.pdf">a letter last week.</a>&nbsp;Davids,
 Blunt and Cleaver were joined by Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of 
Missouri and Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts of Kansas and Republican Rep. 
Sam Graves of Missouri in signing the letter.They asked for a briefing from the agency, which USCIS held on Friday.Diane
 Rish, the associate director of government relations for the American 
Immigration Lawyers Association, said the delays USCIS is predicting as a
 result of furloughing the private contractors will only make things 
worse for a system that has been experiencing longer and longer delays 
in processing key immigration documents.The Trump administration has repeatedly slowed down those processes, she said.One
 of the most significant changes came in the fall of 2017, just a few 
months after the president took office. That’s when USCIS started 
requiring in-person interviews for applicants seeking work permits, 
along with several other categories of potential immigrants.&nbsp;Trump
 administration officials acknowledged at the time that the new steps 
would increase processing times, but said they were necessary to prevent
 fraud.Now
 that USCIS says its capacity to handle in-person interviews is reduced,
 Rish said, the agency could simply rescind the interview requirement.“The
 administration is saying they’re enforcing a legal immigration system,”
 she said, “(but) people in line who are trying to comply with the law 
are being thrown into a system that is now taking longer and longer, 
making it almost impossible to comply with the law.”<h2>Blaming the pandemic</h2>Rish also questioned USCIS’ claim that its budget troubles are related to the slowdown in cases brought on by the coronavirus.&nbsp;The
 agency proposed raising several fees — some by as much as 80% — last 
November, citing budget concerns. Recently, USCIS finalized those fee 
hikes, which are now set to take effect in October.Immigration
 lawyers did see a dip in cases when the coronavirus pandemic first 
struck the United States in March and April, but the number of cases has
 returned to “similar levels” to pre-pandemic levels since then, Rish 
said. USCIS caseloads usually climb right before fee hikes, so there 
will likely be even more applications filed in the coming weeks, she 
added.USCIS officials said the higher fees would not be enough to cover the drop in revenue it faced this year.&nbsp;In
 fact, USCIS has to periodically revise its fees to keep up with its 
expenses. The fee hikes scheduled to take effect next month will amount 
to a weighted average increase of 20%, compared to 21% increases the 
last time the agency changed its fees in December 2016.“USCIS
 is required to examine incoming and outgoing expenditures and make 
adjustments based on that analysis. These overdue adjustments in fees 
are necessary to efficiently and fairly administer our nation’s lawful 
immigration system, secure the homeland and protect Americans,” Edlow, 
the agency’s deputy director, said in a statement.With
 the rising number of applications and fewer people to process them, 
Rish predicted that the effects of the furloughs in the Kansas City area
 would be far-reaching.&nbsp;“These
 are applications that are filed from all over the country,” she said, 
“so all states and all cities are going to feel the impacts of these 
furloughs.”Daniel C. Vock is a correspondent for the States Newsroom Washington, D.C., bureau.

Immigration agency's job cuts expected to trigger nat'l backlogs

MANHATTAN — A global need for quality breeding stock and genetics is creating market opportunities for Kansas livestock producers. To meet the growing demand, the Kansas Department of Agriculture will host a virtual livestock export webinar featuring industry experts in exporting livestock and genetics. The webinar will be held online on Thursday, October 1.

Participants should expect to learn about export strategies as well as gain an understanding of export financing and regulatory requirements. “The agenda will include a variety of topics, including technical information needed to enter the export market. Producers will learn about tools they need to take advantage of global market opportunities,” explained KDA international trade director Suzanne Ryan-Numrich.

Exports are an important part of the Kansas economy. In 2019, over $3.8 billion dollars of agricultural goods were shipped around the globe to 96 different countries.

“This export webinar is a great way to expand opportunities for communities and small businesses as they focus on growth and we build upon rural prosperity across the state of Kansas,” said Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam. “Agricultural growth plays a big role in rural revitalization and the health of the Kansas economy, as agriculture directly contributes $46 billion to the Kansas economy.” Beam added that information and education help Kansas’ small and rural agribusinesses serve as economic engines for their communities.

Registration is now open and there is no cost to participate. Find out more and register at:&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fagriculture.ks.gov%2Finternational&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbf7380bb2a3b46bafbee08d85416b53c%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637351804279868532&amp;sdata=93VQ2eYSqnB6WWn3bWAAmC4H%2Bw6IVze5GdggT%2Bj9qmk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">agriculture.ks.gov/international</a>.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture is dedicated to providing an environment that enhances and encourages economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy including the further development and expansion of marketing opportunities for agricultural goods and services around the globe.

Individuals who have questions regarding the webinar should contact Ryan-Numrich at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:suzanne.numrich@ks.gov" target="_blank">suzanne.numrich@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or 785-564-6704.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599862495426.jpeg" alt="USLGE Trade Mission to Uruguay in 2018" />
 <figcaption>USLGE Trade Mission to Uruguay in 2018</figcaption>
 </figure>KDAMANHATTAN — A global need for quality breeding stock and genetics is creating market opportunities for Kansas livestock producers. To meet the growing demand, the Kansas Department of Agriculture will host a virtual livestock export webinar featuring industry experts in exporting livestock and genetics. The webinar will be held online on Thursday, October 1.Participants should expect to learn about export strategies as well as gain an understanding of export financing and regulatory requirements. “The agenda will include a variety of topics, including technical information needed to enter the export market. Producers will learn about tools they need to take advantage of global market opportunities,” explained KDA international trade director Suzanne Ryan-Numrich.Exports are an important part of the Kansas economy. In 2019, over $3.8 billion dollars of agricultural goods were shipped around the globe to 96 different countries.“This export webinar is a great way to expand opportunities for communities and small businesses as they focus on growth and we build upon rural prosperity across the state of Kansas,” said Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam. “Agricultural growth plays a big role in rural revitalization and the health of the Kansas economy, as agriculture directly contributes $46 billion to the Kansas economy.” Beam added that information and education help Kansas’ small and rural agribusinesses serve as economic engines for their communities.Registration is now open and there is no cost to participate. Find out more and register at:&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fagriculture.ks.gov%2Finternational&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbf7380bb2a3b46bafbee08d85416b53c%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637351804279868532&amp;sdata=93VQ2eYSqnB6WWn3bWAAmC4H%2Bw6IVze5GdggT%2Bj9qmk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">agriculture.ks.gov/international</a>.The Kansas Department of Agriculture is dedicated to providing an environment that enhances and encourages economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy including the further development and expansion of marketing opportunities for agricultural goods and services around the globe.Individuals who have questions regarding the webinar should contact Ryan-Numrich at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:suzanne.numrich@ks.gov" target="_blank">suzanne.numrich@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or 785-564-6704.&nbsp;

KDA to host livestock export webinar

LOGAN — The Dane G. Hansen Foundation is pleased to announce a new, five-year pilot initiative for licensed childcare centers in northwest Kansas.

NW Kansas Cares for Kids includes three new grant opportunities for childcare centers that meet the following criteria:

Home-based day care businesses, licensed group homes and preschools are not eligible.&nbsp;

Grants from the Hansen Foundation are available only to nonprofit centers. For-profit centers that meet the above criteria can apply for similar assistance through the Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Inc. (<a href="http://www.nwkeici.org/" target="_blank">www.nwkeici.org</a>).

The initiative includes three new grants designed to assist childcare centers in attracting and retaining quality staff, as well as to provide the tools needed to educate young children so they start school ready to continue learning.

The Early Childhood Education Staff Support Grant is designed to provide financial recognition for early childhood staff, reduce costs associated with staff turnover, and stabilize the workforce. Fewer staff changes are also a quality factor for children attending the centers. The grant provides bonuses every 6 months for full-time (30 hours/week) staff who remain at the same center. Bonus amounts range from $250 to $800. In addition, center directors are provided funds for additional discretionary bonuses.

A second grant covers the cost of the comprehensive Montessori education curriculum, which includes training videos and instructions for teachers as well as time-tested, high-quality learning tools and manipulatives designed to last for many years. Each center may apply one time for up to $5,000 in materials.

The third grant in the initiative offers childcare centers up to $1,000 each year for up to 5 years to purchase high-quality children’s books to create or enhance the center’s library.&nbsp;

Grants will be awarded two times a year, in November and May.&nbsp; Applications will be accepted at any time but are due by&nbsp;October 30, 2020&nbsp;and&nbsp;April 25, 2021. Late applications will not be considered until the next deadline. Grants will be awarded annually in November and May for up to five years.&nbsp; The application is restricted to qualifying centers and requires an access code.

For more information, worksheets and applications, visit our website: <a href="https://danehansenfoundation.org/">danehansenfoundation.org</a>. Click on the <a href="https://danehansenfoundation.org/?page_id=7536">NW Kansas Cares for Kids</a> logo on the home page.

Two zoom conferences have been scheduled for eligible centers to learn more about these grant opportunities:

September 15, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.&nbsp; &nbsp; Or&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;September 17, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

RSVP to:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:RSVP@danehansenfoundation.org" target="_blank">RSVP@danehansenfoundation.org</a>&nbsp; Include:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599860429246.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedLOGAN — The Dane G. Hansen Foundation is pleased to announce a new, five-year pilot initiative for licensed childcare centers in northwest Kansas.NW Kansas Cares for Kids includes three new grant opportunities for childcare centers that meet the following criteria:<ol>
 <li>licensed by the State of Kansas for at least 13 children</li><li>accepting children ages 2-weeks to 6-years of age</li><li>open at least 3, and less than 24 hours a day</li><li>located within the Hansen Foundation’s 26-county service area</li>
 </ol>Home-based day care businesses, licensed group homes and preschools are not eligible.&nbsp;Grants from the Hansen Foundation are available only to nonprofit centers. For-profit centers that meet the above criteria can apply for similar assistance through the Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Inc. (<a href="http://www.nwkeici.org/" target="_blank">www.nwkeici.org</a>).The initiative includes three new grants designed to assist childcare centers in attracting and retaining quality staff, as well as to provide the tools needed to educate young children so they start school ready to continue learning.The Early Childhood Education Staff Support Grant is designed to provide financial recognition for early childhood staff, reduce costs associated with staff turnover, and stabilize the workforce. Fewer staff changes are also a quality factor for children attending the centers. The grant provides bonuses every 6 months for full-time (30 hours/week) staff who remain at the same center. Bonus amounts range from $250 to $800. In addition, center directors are provided funds for additional discretionary bonuses.A second grant covers the cost of the comprehensive Montessori education curriculum, which includes training videos and instructions for teachers as well as time-tested, high-quality learning tools and manipulatives designed to last for many years. Each center may apply one time for up to $5,000 in materials.The third grant in the initiative offers childcare centers up to $1,000 each year for up to 5 years to purchase high-quality children’s books to create or enhance the center’s library.&nbsp;Grants will be awarded two times a year, in November and May.&nbsp; Applications will be accepted at any time but are due by&nbsp;October 30, 2020&nbsp;and&nbsp;April 25, 2021. Late applications will not be considered until the next deadline. Grants will be awarded annually in November and May for up to five years.&nbsp; The application is restricted to qualifying centers and requires an access code.For more information, worksheets and applications, visit our website: <a href="https://danehansenfoundation.org/">danehansenfoundation.org</a>. Click on the <a href="https://danehansenfoundation.org/?page_id=7536">NW Kansas Cares for Kids</a> logo on the home page.Two zoom conferences have been scheduled for eligible centers to learn more about these grant opportunities:September 15, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.&nbsp; &nbsp; Or&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;September 17, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.RSVP to:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:RSVP@danehansenfoundation.org" target="_blank">RSVP@danehansenfoundation.org</a>&nbsp; Include:<ol>
 <li>your name</li><li>the center you represent</li><li>city/county where your center is located</li><li>which session you wish to attend</li><li>the email address where we can send the invitation with the Zoom link</li>
 </ol>News release

New Hansen Foundation funding initiative for NW Kan. childcare centers 

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.

<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.