Many left jobless by the crisis are already behind on payments. And the arrival of August brings new anxieties. A supplemental $600 in weekly federal unemployment benefits that helped many pay their bills is set to expire as July ends, with Congress bogged down in disagreement over a new round of aid.

Also set to end, unless lawmakers intervene, is a federal moratorium on evictions that has shielded millions of renters — though some Americans remain protected by similar state and local actions.

The Associated Press reconnected with renters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6665117bf47b47667635b9e6a65b1dd5">first interviewed</a>&nbsp;ahead of their April payments. Four months later, some have returned to work. One saw her church step in to cover her rent. Some found landlords willing to negotiate, while others are still looking for relief.

Sakai Harrison moved to New York to try to make it as a personal trainer and designer - but his gym shuttered early in the pandemic, and after weeks of struggling to both pay the rent and put food in his fridge, he knew what he had to do.

He moved back to Georgia for greater stability.

In May, he left his Brooklyn apartment and its $1,595 monthly rent for Atlanta. When the first of the month rolls around, his new place costs about $400 less - and it’s larger.

“This is the biggest silver lining I’ve ever seen,” he said.

He’s training with a few one-on-one clients, and he’s launched a boot camp with a dozen more.

This week, he met four of them at a park, where they did lunging squats, pull-ups, and a military-like crawl. Harrison then led them into a gym for dumbbell exercises. They didn’t wear masks for virus protection - Harrison says they take precautions, but pointed out that the state doesn’t mandate face coverings.

Harrison modeled the proper form and pace, corrected the men when needed, and gently teased when they tired or slowed down. Some shot barbs back, and Harrison smiled.

He’s charging clients slightly less than he got at Blink Fitness in New York, but that amount’s helping him develop an apparel brand. He’s taking orders for a line of shoes, T-shirts and hats.

Barring another shutdown, Harrison said, “I’ll be fine.”

--- Aaron Morrison, New York, and Ron Harris, Atlanta

Eli Oderberg of Denver remains out of work.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/736cb9bad85ca35b0589466d331d7a51">He lost his job</a>&nbsp;at a Colorado energy company in a wave of mid-April layoffs sparked by the pandemic’s economic fallout.

Oderberg, 36, once worked on apps to track spills and leaks. Now he receives unemployment benefits as he sends out resumes and interviews for new jobs. He said he’s been a runner-up for several positions but hasn’t been hired.

Oderberg and his wife, Katie, have been making their mortgage payments. She’s on unemployment after losing her retail job. She’s also pregnant, and the couple fears running out of money after the baby arrives. They also have a 5-year-old daughter.

“I’m trying to get a good balance so I can enjoy my family,” he said. “And I keep reminding myself there are a lot of people in a much worse situation.”

Financial challenges keep piling up for Roushaunda Williams months after she lost her job of nearly 20 years tending bar at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago.

Potential reopening dates for the hotel have been pushed back, Williams said, and hospitality jobs remain scarce. She anticipates being unable to pay her $1,900 rent by September — especially if Congress doesn’t reauthorize the weekly $600 in additional unemployment aid as part of a new relief package.

Williams, 52, said she asked the management company that owns her apartment for a rent reduction or other help. So far, she’s been told her rent will just accrue if she can’t pay.

The Illinois governor recently extended a moratorium on evictions into August. Still, Williams worries about debt piling up while she’s unemployed.

“I’ve exhausted my savings,” she said. “So I don’t have a safety net at all now.”

Jas Wheeler once hoped to ride out the pandemic and return to work at a Vermont bakery. Not anymore.

Wheeler, 30, is immunocompromised and fears going back to the bakery would increase risk of infection. The former social worker started working at a small grocery store that pays less but allows more room for social distancing.

Wheeler took the gig in anticipation of losing the $600 weekly unemployment aid. That money ensured Wheeler and their wife, Lucy, could afford their $850 monthly mortgage payment.

The couple closed on their house in Vergennes the same day Wheeler was laid off in March. Wheeler’s wife kept her jobs, but money remains tight. They’ve sold a car and are growing some food.

“The unemployment without the enhanced benefit is not enough to live on at all,” Wheeler said. “We’re broke.”

Though the pandemic took away Itza Sanchez’s two incomes, it has strengthened her faith. The mother of two says the generosity of her Richmond, Virginia, church has saved them from hunger and eviction.

Sanchez fell behind on rent when she stopped selling homemade tamales and collecting scrap metal over fears of contracting the virus. By mid-July, she owed about $950 in unpaid rent. That’s when Sanchez got a notice to vacate the mobile home where her family lives.

She was spared when her church sent $800 directly to the landlord.

Now she’s trying to scrape together $460 for August’s rent. She gets food donations from church. The school system delivers lunches for her children, 11 and 7.

An immigrant from Honduras, Sanchez isn’t eligible for unemployment benefits.

“In this crisis we have moments of anguish, and one feels desperate, Sanchez said.

For Andrea Larson, life took an unexpectedly good turn.

She lost her sommelier job in mid-March, when restaurants closed in Nashville, Tennessee. She was just getting by on unemployment, but worried about choosing between losing benefits or going back to an unsafe restaurant job.

Then a former boss offered her a spot at a new restaurant - the White Limozeen, named in tribute to a Dolly Parton song and decorated in over-the-top kitsch.

While Larson still fears the virus, she appreciates that her employer “spent a lot of money to make sure people are extremely safe.”

At her duplex, a plumbing disaster forced her to live in a construction zone for a couple of months. But she counts that as luck: She didn’t have to pay rent.

Jade Brooks and her family have counted on an eviction moratorium in Massachusetts to get them through the pandemic. Still, 22-year-old Brooks worries: How long will it last?

Brooks’ mother hasn’t found find full-time work since losing her insurance-company job. And Brooks doesn’t get paid enough as a hospital switchboard operator to cover rent — recently raised to $2,075 monthly — for their two-bedroom Boston apartment.

Her family had an August eviction hearing scheduled in court after they refused to pay the $265 increase. Then the governor extended the eviction ban until mid-October, giving temporary relief.

“It kind of gave me extra hope to figure things out, instead of jumping into the fire,” said Brooks, who lives with her mother and an 8-year-old cousin.

Brooks hopes the extra time gives her mom a chance to find work, and perhaps they’ll negotiate a new lease rather than go to court.

After two months of missing payments as part of a “rent strike,” Neal Miller and his housemates heard from their landlord.

To their surprise, he agreed to reduce the monthly $1,500 rent for their home on Chicago’s West Side. Miller’s share is now $150, down from $400.

Miller, 38, said his landlord gave the impression that he’d prefer some income from the house over nothing at all.

Miller’s last stable job was as an adjunct professor at Loyola University. During the pandemic, he’s patched together odd jobs — dissertation editing, bookkeeping for a psychiatrist’s office.

He said lower rent cuts the pressure: “We are definitely in a unique situation by the response we got.”

Tnia Morgan’s family has grown by one since the pandemic upended their lives. The birth of a grandson, her youngest daughter’s first child, June 25 was a rare blessing during a spring and summer otherwise filled with stress.

“I love his smell. I love his smile. I love everything about him,” said Morgan, who shares a townhouse in Baltimore County, Maryland, with her newborn grandson, her daughter and a nephew.

She needed something to celebrate. Her income plummeted after she lost her hotel banquet-hall job in March. Bills pile up monthly.

Four rent checks have come due since then. Morgan’s landlord lets her pay what she can. She estimates that’s been nearly half what she’s owed since April.

Food stamps help feed her family. She says she’s tried in vain to sign up for unemployment benefits. Her only income comes from working for a food delivery service.

“It’s not much,” she said, “but it’s better than not having anything.”

- Michael Kunzelman, Silver Spring, Maryland

Ruqayyah Bailey has lost much of her independence and wants to get her life back on track.

Bailey, 31, has autism. Until March, she lived in her own apartment, worked part time as a cashier at a St. Louis cafe, and attended college.

The coronavirus tossed all that structure out the window. Bailey could no longer get the one-on-one tutoring that helped her thrive in college. The cafe closed. With no money coming in, she moved back in with her mother.

The cafe reopened in June, but Bailey now works just four hours a week. She’s signed up for seven hours of college classes but isn’t sure she’ll get tutoring. She uses savings to pay bills and worries about losing her weekly $600 in extra aid.

“I am completely stressed,” Bailey said. “I don’t know how to pay my bills. I’m not sure how I’m going to able to get back into my apartment.”

Jason W. Still spent nearly three months without work before he went back to cooking at a high-end restaurant in Spokane, Washington.

Still, 30, returned to the kitchen at Clover when it reopened in early June. Before then, his wife’s job in Washington’s legal marijuana industry and Still’s unemployment checks helped assure they never missed a rent payment.

Still is back to working 40 hours a week. But he wonders whether that’ll last, as COVID-19 infections surge in the U.S.

“It’s terrifying to me to be in a service industry that can just shut down again at any time,” he said.

Tinisha Dixon scraped money together to cover her $1,115 monthly rent for April and May. Since then, she’s been unable to pay.

Dixon, 26, shares a downtown Atlanta apartment with her partner and their five children. Before that, Dixon was homeless. Now she worries daily about her family ending up on the street.

Dixon’s partner works as a security guard, but reduced hours have shrunk his earnings to about $800 a month. Dixon said she worked briefly at a coronavirus testing site outside the city, but relying on her partner for rides interfered with his job.

Before the pandemic, Dixon says, her landlord had begun taking legal steps to evict them.

“I’m pretty overwhelmed trying to get everything situated, not knowing how long I can hold out here,” she said.

By RUSS BYNUM, Associated PressMany left jobless by the crisis are already behind on payments. And the arrival of August brings new anxieties. A supplemental $600 in weekly federal unemployment benefits that helped many pay their bills is set to expire as July ends, with Congress bogged down in disagreement over a new round of aid.Also set to end, unless lawmakers intervene, is a federal moratorium on evictions that has shielded millions of renters — though some Americans remain protected by similar state and local actions.The Associated Press reconnected with renters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6665117bf47b47667635b9e6a65b1dd5">first interviewed</a>&nbsp;ahead of their April payments. Four months later, some have returned to work. One saw her church step in to cover her rent. Some found landlords willing to negotiate, while others are still looking for relief.Sakai Harrison moved to New York to try to make it as a personal trainer and designer - but his gym shuttered early in the pandemic, and after weeks of struggling to both pay the rent and put food in his fridge, he knew what he had to do.He moved back to Georgia for greater stability.In May, he left his Brooklyn apartment and its $1,595 monthly rent for Atlanta. When the first of the month rolls around, his new place costs about $400 less - and it’s larger.“This is the biggest silver lining I’ve ever seen,” he said.He’s training with a few one-on-one clients, and he’s launched a boot camp with a dozen more.This week, he met four of them at a park, where they did lunging squats, pull-ups, and a military-like crawl. Harrison then led them into a gym for dumbbell exercises. They didn’t wear masks for virus protection - Harrison says they take precautions, but pointed out that the state doesn’t mandate face coverings.Harrison modeled the proper form and pace, corrected the men when needed, and gently teased when they tired or slowed down. Some shot barbs back, and Harrison smiled.He’s charging clients slightly less than he got at Blink Fitness in New York, but that amount’s helping him develop an apparel brand. He’s taking orders for a line of shoes, T-shirts and hats.Barring another shutdown, Harrison said, “I’ll be fine.”--- Aaron Morrison, New York, and Ron Harris, AtlantaEli Oderberg of Denver remains out of work.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/736cb9bad85ca35b0589466d331d7a51">He lost his job</a>&nbsp;at a Colorado energy company in a wave of mid-April layoffs sparked by the pandemic’s economic fallout.Oderberg, 36, once worked on apps to track spills and leaks. Now he receives unemployment benefits as he sends out resumes and interviews for new jobs. He said he’s been a runner-up for several positions but hasn’t been hired.Oderberg and his wife, Katie, have been making their mortgage payments. She’s on unemployment after losing her retail job. She’s also pregnant, and the couple fears running out of money after the baby arrives. They also have a 5-year-old daughter.“I’m trying to get a good balance so I can enjoy my family,” he said. “And I keep reminding myself there are a lot of people in a much worse situation.”- Anita Snow, Phoenix___Financial challenges keep piling up for Roushaunda Williams months after she lost her job of nearly 20 years tending bar at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago.Potential reopening dates for the hotel have been pushed back, Williams said, and hospitality jobs remain scarce. She anticipates being unable to pay her $1,900 rent by September — especially if Congress doesn’t reauthorize the weekly $600 in additional unemployment aid as part of a new relief package.Williams, 52, said she asked the management company that owns her apartment for a rent reduction or other help. So far, she’s been told her rent will just accrue if she can’t pay.The Illinois governor recently extended a moratorium on evictions into August. Still, Williams worries about debt piling up while she’s unemployed.“I’ve exhausted my savings,” she said. “So I don’t have a safety net at all now.”- Kathleen Foody, Chicago___Jas Wheeler once hoped to ride out the pandemic and return to work at a Vermont bakery. Not anymore.Wheeler, 30, is immunocompromised and fears going back to the bakery would increase risk of infection. The former social worker started working at a small grocery store that pays less but allows more room for social distancing.Wheeler took the gig in anticipation of losing the $600 weekly unemployment aid. That money ensured Wheeler and their wife, Lucy, could afford their $850 monthly mortgage payment.The couple closed on their house in Vergennes the same day Wheeler was laid off in March. Wheeler’s wife kept her jobs, but money remains tight. They’ve sold a car and are growing some food.“The unemployment without the enhanced benefit is not enough to live on at all,” Wheeler said. “We’re broke.”- Michael Casey, Boston___Though the pandemic took away Itza Sanchez’s two incomes, it has strengthened her faith. The mother of two says the generosity of her Richmond, Virginia, church has saved them from hunger and eviction.Sanchez fell behind on rent when she stopped selling homemade tamales and collecting scrap metal over fears of contracting the virus. By mid-July, she owed about $950 in unpaid rent. That’s when Sanchez got a notice to vacate the mobile home where her family lives.She was spared when her church sent $800 directly to the landlord.Now she’s trying to scrape together $460 for August’s rent. She gets food donations from church. The school system delivers lunches for her children, 11 and 7.An immigrant from Honduras, Sanchez isn’t eligible for unemployment benefits.“In this crisis we have moments of anguish, and one feels desperate, Sanchez said.“But I have been blessed so far.”- Regina Garcia Cano, Washington___For Andrea Larson, life took an unexpectedly good turn.She lost her sommelier job in mid-March, when restaurants closed in Nashville, Tennessee. She was just getting by on unemployment, but worried about choosing between losing benefits or going back to an unsafe restaurant job.Then a former boss offered her a spot at a new restaurant - the White Limozeen, named in tribute to a Dolly Parton song and decorated in over-the-top kitsch.While Larson still fears the virus, she appreciates that her employer “spent a lot of money to make sure people are extremely safe.”At her duplex, a plumbing disaster forced her to live in a construction zone for a couple of months. But she counts that as luck: She didn’t have to pay rent.- Travis Loller, Nashville, Tennessee___Jade Brooks and her family have counted on an eviction moratorium in Massachusetts to get them through the pandemic. Still, 22-year-old Brooks worries: How long will it last?Brooks’ mother hasn’t found find full-time work since losing her insurance-company job. And Brooks doesn’t get paid enough as a hospital switchboard operator to cover rent — recently raised to $2,075 monthly — for their two-bedroom Boston apartment.Her family had an August eviction hearing scheduled in court after they refused to pay the $265 increase. Then the governor extended the eviction ban until mid-October, giving temporary relief.“It kind of gave me extra hope to figure things out, instead of jumping into the fire,” said Brooks, who lives with her mother and an 8-year-old cousin.Brooks hopes the extra time gives her mom a chance to find work, and perhaps they’ll negotiate a new lease rather than go to court.- Michael Casey, Boston___After two months of missing payments as part of a “rent strike,” Neal Miller and his housemates heard from their landlord.To their surprise, he agreed to reduce the monthly $1,500 rent for their home on Chicago’s West Side. Miller’s share is now $150, down from $400.Miller, 38, said his landlord gave the impression that he’d prefer some income from the house over nothing at all.Miller’s last stable job was as an adjunct professor at Loyola University. During the pandemic, he’s patched together odd jobs — dissertation editing, bookkeeping for a psychiatrist’s office.He said lower rent cuts the pressure: “We are definitely in a unique situation by the response we got.”- Kathleen Foody, Chicago___Tnia Morgan’s family has grown by one since the pandemic upended their lives. The birth of a grandson, her youngest daughter’s first child, June 25 was a rare blessing during a spring and summer otherwise filled with stress.“I love his smell. I love his smile. I love everything about him,” said Morgan, who shares a townhouse in Baltimore County, Maryland, with her newborn grandson, her daughter and a nephew.She needed something to celebrate. Her income plummeted after she lost her hotel banquet-hall job in March. Bills pile up monthly.Four rent checks have come due since then. Morgan’s landlord lets her pay what she can. She estimates that’s been nearly half what she’s owed since April.Food stamps help feed her family. She says she’s tried in vain to sign up for unemployment benefits. Her only income comes from working for a food delivery service.“It’s not much,” she said, “but it’s better than not having anything.”- Michael Kunzelman, Silver Spring, Maryland___Ruqayyah Bailey has lost much of her independence and wants to get her life back on track.Bailey, 31, has autism. Until March, she lived in her own apartment, worked part time as a cashier at a St. Louis cafe, and attended college.The coronavirus tossed all that structure out the window. Bailey could no longer get the one-on-one tutoring that helped her thrive in college. The cafe closed. With no money coming in, she moved back in with her mother.The cafe reopened in June, but Bailey now works just four hours a week. She’s signed up for seven hours of college classes but isn’t sure she’ll get tutoring. She uses savings to pay bills and worries about losing her weekly $600 in extra aid.“I am completely stressed,” Bailey said. “I don’t know how to pay my bills. I’m not sure how I’m going to able to get back into my apartment.”- Jim Salter, St. Louis___Jason W. Still spent nearly three months without work before he went back to cooking at a high-end restaurant in Spokane, Washington.Still, 30, returned to the kitchen at Clover when it reopened in early June. Before then, his wife’s job in Washington’s legal marijuana industry and Still’s unemployment checks helped assure they never missed a rent payment.Still is back to working 40 hours a week. But he wonders whether that’ll last, as COVID-19 infections surge in the U.S.“It’s terrifying to me to be in a service industry that can just shut down again at any time,” he said.- Anita Snow, Phoenix___Tinisha Dixon scraped money together to cover her $1,115 monthly rent for April and May. Since then, she’s been unable to pay.Dixon, 26, shares a downtown Atlanta apartment with her partner and their five children. Before that, Dixon was homeless. Now she worries daily about her family ending up on the street.Dixon’s partner works as a security guard, but reduced hours have shrunk his earnings to about $800 a month. Dixon said she worked briefly at a coronavirus testing site outside the city, but relying on her partner for rides interfered with his job.Before the pandemic, Dixon says, her landlord had begun taking legal steps to evict them.“I’m pretty overwhelmed trying to get everything situated, not knowing how long I can hold out here,” she said.- Sudhin Thanawala, Atlanta___

Rent's due, again: Monthly anxieties deepen as aid falls off

Mary Elizabeth Clark (Boulware), 85, died on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at
 Scott County Hospital in Scott City. She was born on February 17, 1935
 in Healy the daughter of Robert Paul &amp; Cordelia (Farr) Allen. She 
married Darlow Boulware on May 17, 1952 at St John. He died on October 
27, 1981. She later married Donald E. Clark on November 21, 1987 at 
Reno, Nevada. He died on January 17, 1998. 
Mary graduated from Scott Community High School in 1952. She and her 
husband farmed in the Modoc area. After her second marriage she moved 
to Lane County and later returned to Scott City. She was a member of 
the First Christian Church of Scott City and the VFW Auxiliary. She 
loved to follow her grandchildren with their activities and her bridge 
groups. 
She is survived by Son- Bradley Allen &amp; Susan Boulware of Scott 
City, 4 Daughters- Jerri &amp; Randy Thornton of Kremmling, Colorado, 
Vicki &amp; Dale Dirks of Scott City, Cheri &amp; David Sharp of 
Greeley, Colorado and Denise &amp; Kelly Strecker of Silver Lake, 
Step-Son- Kendall &amp; Maraline Clark of Dighton, Step-Daughter- Janice
 &amp; Ken Rosebush of Castle Rock, Colorado, Brother- Russell Allen of 
Kansas City, Kansas, Sister- Judy Erskin of Dighton, 12 Grandchildren- 
Paula Vulgamore, Devin Holloway, David Dirks, Trey Strecker, Brooke 
Boulware, Kadra Boulware, Lisa Knurek, Scott Rosebush, Kyle Rosebush, 
Steven Clark, Cassie Rupp and Jason Thornton and 12 Great-Grandchildren.
 
She was preceded in death by her Parents, both Husbands and 2 Brothers- Merlin Allen and Keith Ray Allen. 
Funeral Service will be at 1:30 PM Monday at First Christian Church in 
Scott City with Rev Warren Stecklein officiating. Burial will be in 
Dighton Memorial Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Scott Hospital 
Foundation- Caring Hearts or Lane County Healthcare Foundation in care 
of Boomhower Funeral Home. Friends may call from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM 
Saturday and Noon to 8:00 PM Sunday at Boomhower Funeral Home in 
Dighton. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596233601952.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Mary Elizabeth Clark (Boulware), 85, died on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at
 Scott County Hospital in Scott City. She was born on February 17, 1935
 in Healy the daughter of Robert Paul &amp; Cordelia (Farr) Allen. She 
married Darlow Boulware on May 17, 1952 at St John. He died on October 
27, 1981. She later married Donald E. Clark on November 21, 1987 at 
Reno, Nevada. He died on January 17, 1998. 
Mary graduated from Scott Community High School in 1952. She and her 
husband farmed in the Modoc area. After her second marriage she moved 
to Lane County and later returned to Scott City. She was a member of 
the First Christian Church of Scott City and the VFW Auxiliary. She 
loved to follow her grandchildren with their activities and her bridge 
groups. 
She is survived by Son- Bradley Allen &amp; Susan Boulware of Scott 
City, 4 Daughters- Jerri &amp; Randy Thornton of Kremmling, Colorado, 
Vicki &amp; Dale Dirks of Scott City, Cheri &amp; David Sharp of 
Greeley, Colorado and Denise &amp; Kelly Strecker of Silver Lake, 
Step-Son- Kendall &amp; Maraline Clark of Dighton, Step-Daughter- Janice
 &amp; Ken Rosebush of Castle Rock, Colorado, Brother- Russell Allen of 
Kansas City, Kansas, Sister- Judy Erskin of Dighton, 12 Grandchildren- 
Paula Vulgamore, Devin Holloway, David Dirks, Trey Strecker, Brooke 
Boulware, Kadra Boulware, Lisa Knurek, Scott Rosebush, Kyle Rosebush, 
Steven Clark, Cassie Rupp and Jason Thornton and 12 Great-Grandchildren.
 
She was preceded in death by her Parents, both Husbands and 2 Brothers- Merlin Allen and Keith Ray Allen. 
Funeral Service will be at 1:30 PM Monday at First Christian Church in 
Scott City with Rev Warren Stecklein officiating. Burial will be in 
Dighton Memorial Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Scott Hospital 
Foundation- Caring Hearts or Lane County Healthcare Foundation in care 
of Boomhower Funeral Home. Friends may call from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM 
Saturday and Noon to 8:00 PM Sunday at Boomhower Funeral Home in 
Dighton. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com

Mary Elizabeth Clark (Boulware)

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

Ellis County Treasurer Lisa Schlegel said the continued
successes she has brought to the office are proof she’s the right candidate in
her bid for re-election.

Schlegel, who was elected in 2016, began serving his first
term in October 2017. 

Prior to that, Schlegel worked in banking at Fort Hays
State University and at the University of Kansas.

Schlegel said since she took office the treasurer’s
department has delivered “unprecedent success.”

“I have performed all the statutory duties of treasurer with
unprecedented excellence,” Schlegel said. “We have unprecedented tax collection
percentages, new tax collection methods, such as stop codes on motor vehicle (and)
oil garnishments.”

Schlegel also touted her ability to negotiate better
interest rates with the banks.

“I have unprecedented interest income, contractual
negotiations with banking industries that are the best they’ve ever been, and
I’m always updating my interest income agreements and looking for the best deal
we can get,” Schlegel said.

She also added that she has renegotiated the interest
on the county’s idle funds account for a higher return on investment.

If re-elected, Schlegel said she will continue to implement many of the policies she
said has made the department run more efficiently.

“I am the first office in the county to voluntarily cut
operating hours and the first county office eliminate a full-time deputy,”
Schlegel said, noting the move saved the county more than $60,000.

“My expenditures in operating the treasury are still lower
than the expenditures were in 2016,” Schlegel said, “so we’re doing more while
spending less.”

Schlegel said that she is “excited to just kind of maintain”
the changes she has implemented in the department if re-elected.

“Everyone is finally cross trained. It’s the first
department that’s cross trained in the county,” Schlegel said. “There’s no
duties that the county’s required statutorily to do that only one person knows
how to do.”

Schlegel also has implemented an extension outreach effort
through the department’s newsletter.

“I am the first county treasurer to make myself transparent
and available to the taxpayers by informing them of what’s going on in
financially,” Schlegel said. 

She said continuing to produce the newsletter and make it
and more information about the county government available through the
treasurer’s website will be a priority if she is re-elected.

“I want to see if we can do a little more with citizen
engagement and communication,” Schlegel said. “I really want to keep people
more engaged and informed of what’s going on at the county as a hole but then
also the treasury.”

Schlegel also plans to be more hands-on if re-elected. 

“Now that I’ve spent my first term learning about all the
things that we could do better and implementing programs that have always existed
but the treasury hasn’t always implemented, I’d like to play maybe a more
hands-on part in doing some of the actual work,” Schlegel said.

“Maybe sitting up front and doing renewals occasionally,”
she said. “I miss public contact in that way.”

Schlegel has had several very public run-ins with members of
the county commission during her time in office. Most recently, she was removed
from a budget hearing after getting into an argument with commission chair
Butch Schlyer.

She acknowledged the incidents have made it more difficult to do the job of treasurer but said, “these clashes have
everything to do with the commissioners and nothing to do with me.”

“The challenges that have come about have arisen because the
county officials around here don’t understand or don’t adhere to the hierarchy
of power,” Schlegel said. “A county treasurer and a county commissioner are
equal on the hierarchy.”

Schlegel said she believes the current group of county
commissioners are working to get her out of office.

“Because I’m not a good ol’ boy. Because I’m don’t keep
quiet,” Schlegel said. “Because if I have questions about why the public was
lied to about when the landfill burnt down, about the time that it occurred and
my questions aren’t answered. I don’t quit asking them.

“I’m sure what they’ll fight for, if I don’t win, is to try
to get me to resign a year early, and that’s never going to happen,” Schlegel
said. “They’ll have to drag my dead body out this door.”

On social media, Schlegel has attacked one of her opponents in the treasurer
race, Solid Waste Supervisor Vernon Ruder Jr., claiming he and Public Works
Director Bill Ring covered up a September fire that destroyed a landfill
building and a backhoe.

In her posting on her campaign's re-election Facebook page, Schlegel claimed someone was allowed to enter the landfill
after hours and place rags in a bin, which later caught fire.

An investigation of the fire proved no wrongdoing after
officials found that rags covered in wood stain were improperly disposed of
late in the afternoon on Sept. 26. The rags spontaneously combusted several
hours later, causing the building on fire, according to the investigation.

Schlegel’s claim that someone accessed the landfill after
hours also runs contrary to evidence.

In security footage obtained by Hays Post, a man is seen
dropping off the rags at 4:02 p.m. Sept.
26. Footage shows the fire erupting several hours later, at approximately 4 a.m.

With the loss of a backhoe in the fire, Ring said the county rented a backhoe while waiting on a new one. The rental and two separate inspections
of the backhoe by the equipment dealer resulted in a bill of just less than $5,000.

Ring said that the insurance company covered all of the
expenses associated with the backhoe and paid to replace the one lost in the
fire.

On social media, Schlegel incorrectly alleged that taxpayer funds paid to
replace the building and backhoe.

Ring said the landfills insurance paid to replace both the
building and the backhoe. He also pointed out that the landfill is an
enterprise fund and no taxpayer funds go to the landfill. 

Schlegel said the reason she wanted to be the treasurer was
because the position has the power to “see everything.”

“We’re in a budget crunch, so I am looking at things extra
closely? Yeah,” Schlegel said. “Not only in my own budget, in the county’s
expenditures as a whole when they all come across my desk.”

Ellis County Administrator J.D. Cox said, after consulting with counselor
Bill Jeter, said it is not the treasurer’s duty, as Schlegel claims, to weigh in on
expenditures that have been approved by the commission and the administrator.

Schlegel has also raised concerns about the connection her
opponents have to local government in Ellis County.

Ruder’s son, Mason, is the county’s environment planning supervisor.
Sherry Dryden’s husband had worked for the sheriff’s department until retiring
in June.

“When they (the county commission) give you pushback and
your son works for a department, where they are literally his boss, you will
comply,” Schlegel said. “That makes a county official beholden to special
interests other than those of the citizens.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584719419709.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostEllis County Treasurer Lisa Schlegel said the continued
successes she has brought to the office are proof she’s the right candidate in
her bid for re-election.Schlegel, who was elected in 2016, began serving his first
term in October 2017. Prior to that, Schlegel worked in banking at Fort Hays
State University and at the University of Kansas.Schlegel said since she took office the treasurer’s
department has delivered “unprecedent success.”“I have performed all the statutory duties of treasurer with
unprecedented excellence,” Schlegel said. “We have unprecedented tax collection
percentages, new tax collection methods, such as stop codes on motor vehicle (and)
oil garnishments.”Schlegel also touted her ability to negotiate better
interest rates with the banks.“I have unprecedented interest income, contractual
negotiations with banking industries that are the best they’ve ever been, and
I’m always updating my interest income agreements and looking for the best deal
we can get,” Schlegel said.She also added that she has renegotiated the interest
on the county’s idle funds account for a higher return on investment.If re-elected, Schlegel said she will continue to implement many of the policies she
said has made the department run more efficiently.“I am the first office in the county to voluntarily cut
operating hours and the first county office eliminate a full-time deputy,”
Schlegel said, noting the move saved the county more than $60,000.“My expenditures in operating the treasury are still lower
than the expenditures were in 2016,” Schlegel said, “so we’re doing more while
spending less.”Schlegel said that she is “excited to just kind of maintain”
the changes she has implemented in the department if re-elected.“Everyone is finally cross trained. It’s the first
department that’s cross trained in the county,” Schlegel said. “There’s no
duties that the county’s required statutorily to do that only one person knows
how to do.”Schlegel also has implemented an extension outreach effort
through the department’s newsletter.“I am the first county treasurer to make myself transparent
and available to the taxpayers by informing them of what’s going on in
financially,” Schlegel said. She said continuing to produce the newsletter and make it
and more information about the county government available through the
treasurer’s website will be a priority if she is re-elected.“I want to see if we can do a little more with citizen
engagement and communication,” Schlegel said. “I really want to keep people
more engaged and informed of what’s going on at the county as a hole but then
also the treasury.”Schlegel also plans to be more hands-on if re-elected. “Now that I’ve spent my first term learning about all the
things that we could do better and implementing programs that have always existed
but the treasury hasn’t always implemented, I’d like to play maybe a more
hands-on part in doing some of the actual work,” Schlegel said.“Maybe sitting up front and doing renewals occasionally,”
she said. “I miss public contact in that way.”Schlegel has had several very public run-ins with members of
the county commission during her time in office. Most recently, she was removed
from a budget hearing after getting into an argument with commission chair
Butch Schlyer.She acknowledged the incidents have made it more difficult to do the job of treasurer but said, “these clashes have
everything to do with the commissioners and nothing to do with me.”“The challenges that have come about have arisen because the
county officials around here don’t understand or don’t adhere to the hierarchy
of power,” Schlegel said. “A county treasurer and a county commissioner are
equal on the hierarchy.”Schlegel said she believes the current group of county
commissioners are working to get her out of office.“Because I’m not a good ol’ boy. Because I’m don’t keep
quiet,” Schlegel said. “Because if I have questions about why the public was
lied to about when the landfill burnt down, about the time that it occurred and
my questions aren’t answered. I don’t quit asking them.“I’m sure what they’ll fight for, if I don’t win, is to try
to get me to resign a year early, and that’s never going to happen,” Schlegel
said. “They’ll have to drag my dead body out this door.”On social media, Schlegel has attacked one of her opponents in the treasurer
race, Solid Waste Supervisor Vernon Ruder Jr., claiming he and Public Works
Director Bill Ring covered up a September fire that destroyed a landfill
building and a backhoe.In her posting on her campaign's re-election Facebook page, Schlegel claimed someone was allowed to enter the landfill
after hours and place rags in a bin, which later caught fire.An investigation of the fire proved no wrongdoing after
officials found that rags covered in wood stain were improperly disposed of
late in the afternoon on Sept. 26. The rags spontaneously combusted several
hours later, causing the building on fire, according to the investigation.Schlegel’s claim that someone accessed the landfill after
hours also runs contrary to evidence.In security footage obtained by Hays Post, a man is seen
dropping off the rags at 4:02 p.m. Sept.
26. Footage shows the fire erupting several hours later, at approximately 4 a.m.With the loss of a backhoe in the fire, Ring said the county rented a backhoe while waiting on a new one. The rental and two separate inspections
of the backhoe by the equipment dealer resulted in a bill of just less than $5,000.Ring said that the insurance company covered all of the
expenses associated with the backhoe and paid to replace the one lost in the
fire.On social media, Schlegel incorrectly alleged that taxpayer funds paid to
replace the building and backhoe.Ring said the landfills insurance paid to replace both the
building and the backhoe. He also pointed out that the landfill is an
enterprise fund and no taxpayer funds go to the landfill. Schlegel said the reason she wanted to be the treasurer was
because the position has the power to “see everything.”“We’re in a budget crunch, so I am looking at things extra
closely? Yeah,” Schlegel said. “Not only in my own budget, in the county’s
expenditures as a whole when they all come across my desk.”Ellis County Administrator J.D. Cox said, after consulting with counselor
Bill Jeter, said it is not the treasurer’s duty, as Schlegel claims, to weigh in on
expenditures that have been approved by the commission and the administrator.Schlegel has also raised concerns about the connection her
opponents have to local government in Ellis County.Ruder’s son, Mason, is the county’s environment planning supervisor.
Sherry Dryden’s husband had worked for the sheriff’s department until retiring
in June.“When they (the county commission) give you pushback and
your son works for a department, where they are literally his boss, you will
comply,” Schlegel said. “That makes a county official beholden to special
interests other than those of the citizens.”

CANDIDATE PROFILE Ellis County Treasurer: Lisa Schlegel

Kathleen Anne (Kowalke) Foster, 52, of Russell, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at her home in Russell.

Kathleen was born October 6, 1967, in Colby, Kansas.  She was the daughter of Herman Sr. and Margaret Anne (McGee) Kowalke.  She grew up in Densmore and Logan, Kansas, and graduated from Hill City High School.  She then attended Colby Community College and obtained an Associate’s Degree in Nursing.

Kathleen was united in marriage to Kent Alan Foster on April 21, 2006, in Laughlin, Nevada.  They made their home in Russell.

Kathleen was a Sales Clerk of Liquor Station in Russell.  She was an Assistant Manager for Dollar General for many years.  Before that, she worked on the assembly line at King Of The Road.  She enjoyed drawing, coloring, spoiling her cats, feeding the neighborhood squirrels, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Kathleen’s surviving family include her husband of fourteen years Kent of the home; son, Anthony Corbin (Terri) of Hill City, Kansas; daughters, Jessica Harenberg (Josh) of Goodland, Kansas and Allison Corbin (Robert Schnug) of Goodland, Kansas; step-sons, Brent “B.S.” Foster (Keri) of Mesa Arizona and Tyler Drake of Clinton, Missouri; brothers, Herman Kowalke, Jr. of Hill City, Kansas, Virgil Wilcox, Jr. of Hays, Kansas and Darold Kowalke of Laughlin, Oklahoma; sisters, Kandy Worcester of Hill City, Kansas and Peggy Myers of Norton, Kansas; and eight grandchildren.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents and brother Harold Kowalke.

The family will be holding a memorial service at a later date.  Cremation has taken place.  Condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, who is in charge of these arrangements.

Kathleen Anne (Kowalke) Foster, 52, of Russell, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at her home in Russell.Kathleen was born October 6, 1967, in Colby, Kansas. She was the daughter of Herman Sr. and Margaret Anne (McGee) Kowalke. She grew up in Densmore and Logan, Kansas, and graduated from Hill City High School. She then attended Colby Community College and obtained an Associate’s Degree in Nursing.Kathleen was united in marriage to Kent Alan Foster on April 21, 2006, in Laughlin, Nevada. They made their home in Russell.Kathleen was a Sales Clerk of Liquor Station in Russell. She was an Assistant Manager for Dollar General for many years. Before that, she worked on the assembly line at King Of The Road. She enjoyed drawing, coloring, spoiling her cats, feeding the neighborhood squirrels, and spending time with her grandchildren.Kathleen’s surviving family include her husband of fourteen years Kent of the home; son, Anthony Corbin (Terri) of Hill City, Kansas; daughters, Jessica Harenberg (Josh) of Goodland, Kansas and Allison Corbin (Robert Schnug) of Goodland, Kansas; step-sons, Brent “B.S.” Foster (Keri) of Mesa Arizona and Tyler Drake of Clinton, Missouri; brothers, Herman Kowalke, Jr. of Hill City, Kansas, Virgil Wilcox, Jr. of Hays, Kansas and Darold Kowalke of Laughlin, Oklahoma; sisters, Kandy Worcester of Hill City, Kansas and Peggy Myers of Norton, Kansas; and eight grandchildren.Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents and brother Harold Kowalke.The family will be holding a memorial service at a later date. Cremation has taken place. Condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, who is in charge of these arrangements.

Kathleen Anne (Kowalke) Foster

ATLANTA (AP) — Herman Cain, former Republican presidential candidate and former CEO of a major pizza chain who went on to become an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, has died of complications from the coronavirus. He was 74.

A post on Cain’s Twitter account on Thursday announced the death. Cain had been ill with the virus for several weeks. It’s not clear when or where he was infected, but he was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June. Cain had been co-chair of Black Voices for Trump.

“We knew when he was first hospitalized with COVID-19 that this was going to be a rough fight,” read an article posted on the Twitter account. “He had trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. We all prayed that the initial meds they gave him would get his breathing back to normal, but it became clear pretty quickly that he was in for a battle.”

Cain, who had hoped to become the first Black to win the GOP nomination, was initially considered a long-shot candidate. His bid was propelled forward in September 2011 when he won a straw poll vote in Florida, instantly becoming an alternative candidate for Republican voters concerned that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was not conservative enough.

But Cain struggled to respond to accusations that he had sexually harassed several women and — in a video that went viral on the Internet — rambled uncomfortably when asked whether he supported or opposed President Barack Obama’s policies in Libya. There were also gaffes on abortion and torture that led Cain’s critics to question whether he was ready for the White House.

Just as Cain started surging in the polls, Politico reported that the National Restaurant Association paid settlements to two former employees who claimed Cain sexually harassed them while he was CEO and president of the lobbying group from 1996 to 1999. Another woman, Sharon Bialek, said that Cain, an acquaintance, groped her in a car in July 1997 after they’d had dinner in Washington. Bialek, who was then unemployed, said she had contacted Cain seeking job advice.

Cain said he could not remember Bialek and denied sexually harassing anyone.

“I don’t even know who this woman is,” Cain said during a news conference in Arizona that he called to quell the controversy. “I tried to remember if I recognized her and I didn’t.”

Polls in the weeks afterward showed Cain’s popularity had slipped considerably.

Cain honed his speaking skills in the corporate world, then hosted a radio talk show in Atlanta that introduced his political views and up-by-the-bootstraps life story to many Tea Party supporters and other conservatives.

But he repeatedly fumbled under the scrutiny that follows a front-runner for the presidency. He gave a rambling response when asked by the editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel whether he supported or opposed Obama’s policies in Libya. The videotaped interview went viral on the internet.

He first ventured into national politics in 1994 when he publicly challenged President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, on his proposal to force employers to buy health insurance for their employees. “For many, many businesses like mine, the cost of your plan is simply a cost that will cause us to eliminate jobs,” Cain told Clinton. “What will I tell those people whose jobs I will have to eliminate?”

Afterward, the restaurant industry used Cain as a spokesman as it campaigned against Clinton’s plan, which ultimately failed.

Cain served as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City from 1992 to 1996. His colleagues said they believed he left the nonpartisan board so he could be more active politically.

“We were already among ourselves as directors having discussions and kidding him about running for president,” said Jo Marie Dancik, who served on the board with Cain. “We were serious. He laughed it off at that point. I think it was probably the first time he had every really considered.”

Cain moved back to his native Georgia and in 2004 ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican. He lost to Rep. Johnny Isakson in the primary.

Less than two years later, Cain was diagnosed with late-stage cancer in his colon that had spread to his liver. He recovered and later said he believed his survival showed that God had other plans for him. He credited God with persuading him to run for president after Obama, a Democrat, took office in early 2009.

“That’s when I prayed and prayed and prayed. I’m a man of faith — I’ve had to do a lot of praying for this one,” Cain told an audience of young Republicans in Atlanta. “More praying than I’ve ever done before in my life. And when I finally realized that it was God saying that this is what I needed to do, I was like Moses. ‘You’ve got the wrong man, Lord. Are you sure?’”

Cain projected a self-confident image that at times bordered on arrogance. He referred to himself in the third person. His motivations speaking company was named T.H.E. New Voice Inc. The acronym stood for The Hermanator Experience.

His run for the presidency was unlikely, considering his origins. Born in the segregated South, Cain joked that his family was so poor it was “po.” His father worked three jobs as a janitor, barber and chauffeur, while his mother was a servant. He graduated from Morehouse College, a historically black college for men in Atlanta, received a master’s degree from Purdue University and worked as a civilian mathematician in the U.S. Navy.

While it was a good job, Cain said his ambitions were in the corporate world. He wanted to be president of “something ... somewhere,” he later wrote.

He worked first for Coca-Cola, became a vice president with Pillsbury, then was appointed to run its struggling Burger King unit in the Philadelphia area. His success prompted Pillsbury officials to ask Cain to take over its floundering Godfather’s Pizza chain. Cain said he returned the franchise to profitability. One of his strategies was shuttering under-performing stores.

Cain is survived by his wife, Gloria Etchison, their children and grandchildren.

The centerpiece of Cain’s campaign was his 9-9-9 plan, which would have replaced the current tax code with a 9% tax on personal and corporate income and a 9% national sales tax. Cain said the plan’s simplicity would stimulate the economy by giving investors certainty. A Baptist preacher who made money giving motivational speeches, Cain had a talent for selling his ideas to conservative audiences with a straightforward style.

“If 10% is good enough for God, 9% ought to be good enough for the federal government,” he told crowds.

Acknowledging Cain's death in a tweet Thursday, Romney wrote, “Saddened that Herman Cain—a formidable champion of business, politics and policy—has lost his battle with Covid. St. Peter will soon hear ‘999!’ Keep up the fight, my friend.”

<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Cover photo by Gage Skidmore</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123749903.png" alt="Herman Cain speaking at a fundraiser in Richmond, Virginia on October 17, 2011. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Photo by Gage Skidmore</a>" />
 <figcaption>Herman Cain speaking at a fundraiser in Richmond, Virginia on October 17, 2011. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Photo by Gage Skidmore</a></figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Herman Cain, former Republican presidential candidate and former CEO of a major pizza chain who went on to become an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, has died of complications from the coronavirus. He was 74.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">You&#39;re never ready for the kind of news we are grappling with this morning. But we have no choice but to seek and find God&#39;s strength and comfort to deal... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HermanCain?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HermanCain</a> <a href="https://t.co/BtOgoLVqKz">https://t.co/BtOgoLVqKz</a>&mdash; Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) <a href="https://twitter.com/THEHermanCain/status/1288843301722890240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A post on Cain’s Twitter account on Thursday announced the death. Cain had been ill with the virus for several weeks. It’s not clear when or where he was infected, but he was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June. Cain had been co-chair of Black Voices for Trump.“We knew when he was first hospitalized with COVID-19 that this was going to be a rough fight,” read an article posted on the Twitter account. “He had trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. We all prayed that the initial meds they gave him would get his breathing back to normal, but it became clear pretty quickly that he was in for a battle.”Cain, who had hoped to become the first Black to win the GOP nomination, was initially considered a long-shot candidate. His bid was propelled forward in September 2011 when he won a straw poll vote in Florida, instantly becoming an alternative candidate for Republican voters concerned that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was not conservative enough.But Cain struggled to respond to accusations that he had sexually harassed several women and — in a video that went viral on the Internet — rambled uncomfortably when asked whether he supported or opposed President Barack Obama’s policies in Libya. There were also gaffes on abortion and torture that led Cain’s critics to question whether he was ready for the White House.Just as Cain started surging in the polls, Politico reported that the National Restaurant Association paid settlements to two former employees who claimed Cain sexually harassed them while he was CEO and president of the lobbying group from 1996 to 1999. Another woman, Sharon Bialek, said that Cain, an acquaintance, groped her in a car in July 1997 after they’d had dinner in Washington. Bialek, who was then unemployed, said she had contacted Cain seeking job advice.Cain said he could not remember Bialek and denied sexually harassing anyone.“I don’t even know who this woman is,” Cain said during a news conference in Arizona that he called to quell the controversy. “I tried to remember if I recognized her and I didn’t.”Polls in the weeks afterward showed Cain’s popularity had slipped considerably.Cain honed his speaking skills in the corporate world, then hosted a radio talk show in Atlanta that introduced his political views and up-by-the-bootstraps life story to many Tea Party supporters and other conservatives.But he repeatedly fumbled under the scrutiny that follows a front-runner for the presidency. He gave a rambling response when asked by the editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel whether he supported or opposed Obama’s policies in Libya. The videotaped interview went viral on the internet.He first ventured into national politics in 1994 when he publicly challenged President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, on his proposal to force employers to buy health insurance for their employees. “For many, many businesses like mine, the cost of your plan is simply a cost that will cause us to eliminate jobs,” Cain told Clinton. “What will I tell those people whose jobs I will have to eliminate?”Afterward, the restaurant industry used Cain as a spokesman as it campaigned against Clinton’s plan, which ultimately failed.Cain served as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City from 1992 to 1996. His colleagues said they believed he left the nonpartisan board so he could be more active politically.“We were already among ourselves as directors having discussions and kidding him about running for president,” said Jo Marie Dancik, who served on the board with Cain. “We were serious. He laughed it off at that point. I think it was probably the first time he had every really considered.”Cain moved back to his native Georgia and in 2004 ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican. He lost to Rep. Johnny Isakson in the primary.Less than two years later, Cain was diagnosed with late-stage cancer in his colon that had spread to his liver. He recovered and later said he believed his survival showed that God had other plans for him. He credited God with persuading him to run for president after Obama, a Democrat, took office in early 2009.“That’s when I prayed and prayed and prayed. I’m a man of faith — I’ve had to do a lot of praying for this one,” Cain told an audience of young Republicans in Atlanta. “More praying than I’ve ever done before in my life. And when I finally realized that it was God saying that this is what I needed to do, I was like Moses. ‘You’ve got the wrong man, Lord. Are you sure?’”Cain projected a self-confident image that at times bordered on arrogance. He referred to himself in the third person. His motivations speaking company was named T.H.E. New Voice Inc. The acronym stood for The Hermanator Experience.His run for the presidency was unlikely, considering his origins. Born in the segregated South, Cain joked that his family was so poor it was “po.” His father worked three jobs as a janitor, barber and chauffeur, while his mother was a servant. He graduated from Morehouse College, a historically black college for men in Atlanta, received a master’s degree from Purdue University and worked as a civilian mathematician in the U.S. Navy.While it was a good job, Cain said his ambitions were in the corporate world. He wanted to be president of “something ... somewhere,” he later wrote.He worked first for Coca-Cola, became a vice president with Pillsbury, then was appointed to run its struggling Burger King unit in the Philadelphia area. His success prompted Pillsbury officials to ask Cain to take over its floundering Godfather’s Pizza chain. Cain said he returned the franchise to profitability. One of his strategies was shuttering under-performing stores.Cain is survived by his wife, Gloria Etchison, their children and grandchildren.The centerpiece of Cain’s campaign was his 9-9-9 plan, which would have replaced the current tax code with a 9% tax on personal and corporate income and a 9% national sales tax. Cain said the plan’s simplicity would stimulate the economy by giving investors certainty. A Baptist preacher who made money giving motivational speeches, Cain had a talent for selling his ideas to conservative audiences with a straightforward style.“If 10% is good enough for God, 9% ought to be good enough for the federal government,” he told crowds.Acknowledging Cain's death in a tweet Thursday, Romney wrote, “Saddened that Herman Cain—a formidable champion of business, politics and policy—has lost his battle with Covid. St. Peter will soon hear ‘999!’ Keep up the fight, my friend.”<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Cover photo by Gage Skidmore</a>

Herman Cain dies at 74 after battling COVID-19

Bernard Adolph Demel, 84, passed away July 24, 2020, in Norman, Oklahoma.

He was born February 9, 1939, on a farm near Odin, Kansas, the fourth
 of nine children born to Alois and Christina (Schneweis) Demel.

He met Joyce Kathleen (Kathy) Lane in in 1957 and they were married October 17, 1959.

While a boy during WWII, Bernie would watch pilots practice bombing 
runs over Cheyenne Bottoms. He had a life-long interest in planes and 
aviation and in 1964 he earned his Private Pilot License. For a time, 
had a part ownership in a small plane.

He was always inquisitive about how things worked and could 
disassemble (and successfully reassemble) nearly anything. As a youth he
 built a motorized wagon from parts in a scrap pile. To his high school 
friends he was known as "Mac" for his mechanical abilities.

He applied those talents in the U.S. Army, serving his country for 
three years at Fort Ord, CA and Fort Lewis, WA as a tank mechanic.

Following his honorable discharge from the service, he studied 
electronics at DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago. He returned home to
 work in a radio and television repair shop in Great Bend.

In 1964 he began working for Western Power &amp; Gas Company at the 
Mullergren power plant west of Great Bend. His role as a 
journeyman-repairman was principally instrument repair and maintenance, 
but his favorite times were when engineers would visit for major 
overhauls because he “always learned so much” during those projects. He 
was involved in nearly all aspects of the plant and spent 2 years as the
 Plant Superintendent. He retired from the company in 1995 and, in 
typical fashion, spent his retirement years continuing to learn by 
watching educational videos.

Bernie was also a farmer. He was descended from farmers and spent 
much of his youth living away from home working for his uncle on his 
farm. He and two brothers formed a hog raising partnership for a time 
and he worked many years for his brother Lawrence as his second job. In 
1974 he moved his family from Great Bend onto his own farm near 
Hoisington where he raised mostly cattle, wheat, and alfalfa.

He also built the family home. What began as a repair and update to 
the turn-of-the-century home on the property ended up as a tear-down 
when extensive structural damage was discovered. A replacement house was
 built from the foundation up by the family, with Bernie installing all 
of the electrical and plumbing, mixing and pouring the concrete for the 
front porch, and even laying the brick for chimney. There were few 
things he could not do well.

While not necessarily an “environmentalist”, he saw the wisdom of 
taking care of the land because when he worked with nature instead of 
trying to control it he had better results. He enjoyed observing nature 
and when returning from working the fields he would often relay stories 
of the wildlife he’d observed.

He retired from farming in 2001 and after relocating to Norman, OK, 
he and Kathy traveled. They visited Italy, Alaska, and Hawaii, and 
crossed through the Panama Canal twice. They visited New England, the 
upper-Midwest, and Washington DC, and ventured into the canyons of the 
western US &amp; Mexico. In 2016 he traveled to Maine, having now 
visited all 50 states. He claimed one of his favorite places was Costa 
Rico.

He joined the Knights of Columbus on January 1, 1955 and was the 
second longest serving Knight in Council 12108, having been a faithful 
Knight for 65 years.

Bernie died of complications from dementia. Over a number of years 
the disease took away the man he was and eventually led to a broken hip 
that sapped his life from him.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Kathy Demel of the home; 
three sons, Kent Demel and his wife Colleen of Fort Worth, TX, Kevin 
Demel of Fort Worth, TX, and Kelly Demel and his wife Kim of Overland 
Park, KS; one daughter, Karen Sneed and her husband Steve of Norman, OK;
 and seven grandchildren: Eli, Emily, Erin, CJ, Cayton, Kelsey, and 
Kolin. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Lawrence Demel and Tony
 Demel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, August 6, 
2020, at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, Norman. The service 
will be live-streamed at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3RBxYgF2PJKaS7zqz6gnkw">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3RBxYgF2PJKaS7zqz6gnkw</a> and people are encouraged to attend virtually.

There will be no viewing as cremation has taken place. Due to 
Coronavirus risk, a small private graveside service will be held with 
interment in St. John Church Cemetery, Hoisington, KS.

Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer’s Association or Verda Lane 
Nursing Scholarship, in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 
146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596059963863.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bernard Adolph Demel, 84, passed away July 24, 2020, in Norman, Oklahoma.He was born February 9, 1939, on a farm near Odin, Kansas, the fourth
 of nine children born to Alois and Christina (Schneweis) Demel.He met Joyce Kathleen (Kathy) Lane in in 1957 and they were married October 17, 1959.While a boy during WWII, Bernie would watch pilots practice bombing 
runs over Cheyenne Bottoms. He had a life-long interest in planes and 
aviation and in 1964 he earned his Private Pilot License. For a time, 
had a part ownership in a small plane.He was always inquisitive about how things worked and could 
disassemble (and successfully reassemble) nearly anything. As a youth he
 built a motorized wagon from parts in a scrap pile. To his high school 
friends he was known as "Mac" for his mechanical abilities.He applied those talents in the U.S. Army, serving his country for 
three years at Fort Ord, CA and Fort Lewis, WA as a tank mechanic.Following his honorable discharge from the service, he studied 
electronics at DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago. He returned home to
 work in a radio and television repair shop in Great Bend.In 1964 he began working for Western Power &amp; Gas Company at the 
Mullergren power plant west of Great Bend. His role as a 
journeyman-repairman was principally instrument repair and maintenance, 
but his favorite times were when engineers would visit for major 
overhauls because he “always learned so much” during those projects. He 
was involved in nearly all aspects of the plant and spent 2 years as the
 Plant Superintendent. He retired from the company in 1995 and, in 
typical fashion, spent his retirement years continuing to learn by 
watching educational videos.Bernie was also a farmer. He was descended from farmers and spent 
much of his youth living away from home working for his uncle on his 
farm. He and two brothers formed a hog raising partnership for a time 
and he worked many years for his brother Lawrence as his second job. In 
1974 he moved his family from Great Bend onto his own farm near 
Hoisington where he raised mostly cattle, wheat, and alfalfa.He also built the family home. What began as a repair and update to 
the turn-of-the-century home on the property ended up as a tear-down 
when extensive structural damage was discovered. A replacement house was
 built from the foundation up by the family, with Bernie installing all 
of the electrical and plumbing, mixing and pouring the concrete for the 
front porch, and even laying the brick for chimney. There were few 
things he could not do well.While not necessarily an “environmentalist”, he saw the wisdom of 
taking care of the land because when he worked with nature instead of 
trying to control it he had better results. He enjoyed observing nature 
and when returning from working the fields he would often relay stories 
of the wildlife he’d observed.He retired from farming in 2001 and after relocating to Norman, OK, 
he and Kathy traveled. They visited Italy, Alaska, and Hawaii, and 
crossed through the Panama Canal twice. They visited New England, the 
upper-Midwest, and Washington DC, and ventured into the canyons of the 
western US &amp; Mexico. In 2016 he traveled to Maine, having now 
visited all 50 states. He claimed one of his favorite places was Costa 
Rico.He joined the Knights of Columbus on January 1, 1955 and was the 
second longest serving Knight in Council 12108, having been a faithful 
Knight for 65 years.Bernie died of complications from dementia. Over a number of years 
the disease took away the man he was and eventually led to a broken hip 
that sapped his life from him.He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Kathy Demel of the home; 
three sons, Kent Demel and his wife Colleen of Fort Worth, TX, Kevin 
Demel of Fort Worth, TX, and Kelly Demel and his wife Kim of Overland 
Park, KS; one daughter, Karen Sneed and her husband Steve of Norman, OK;
 and seven grandchildren: Eli, Emily, Erin, CJ, Cayton, Kelsey, and 
Kolin. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Lawrence Demel and Tony
 Demel.A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, August 6, 
2020, at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, Norman. The service 
will be live-streamed at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3RBxYgF2PJKaS7zqz6gnkw">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3RBxYgF2PJKaS7zqz6gnkw</a> and people are encouraged to attend virtually.There will be no viewing as cremation has taken place. Due to 
Coronavirus risk, a small private graveside service will be held with 
interment in St. John Church Cemetery, Hoisington, KS.Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer’s Association or Verda Lane 
Nursing Scholarship, in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 
146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

Bernard Adolph Demel

Justin Timothy Franklin Lynn, 28, of New York City, New York, died on Monday, July 06, 2020 at his home in New York City.

Justin was born on October 04, 1991, in Girard, Kansas, the son of David L. Lynn, Sr. and Linda (Smith) McCulloch.&nbsp; He grew up in Russell, Kansas, and attended local schools.&nbsp; He achieved his G.E.D. and obtained an Associate’s Degree from Borough of Manhattan Community College (The City University of New York - CUNY). &nbsp;

He is survived by his mother Linda McCulloch and husband Mike McCulloch of Russell, Kansas, Kansas; brothers David Lynn Jr. of&nbsp; Russell, Kansas and Aaron McCulloch of Russell, Kansas; sisters Amanda Lynn of Salina, Kansas and Samantha McCulloch of Russell, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by his father David L. Lynn, Sr. on April 15, 1991.

He was enrolled to attend Baruch College in the fall of 2020 for a degree in accounting. He always strived to be the best he could be, living life to the fullest. He never failed to let family and loved ones know he was thinking about them and that he loved them. He was always trying to bring trying to bring people together.&nbsp;

A celebration of Justin’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, July 31, 2020, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas, with Pastor Roger Dennis officiating.&nbsp; Cremation has been selected by the family.&nbsp; A private family graveside inurnment will take place at a later date at the Mount Carmel Cemetery in Frontenac, Kansas.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595955738395.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Justin Timothy Franklin Lynn, 28, of New York City, New York, died on Monday, July 06, 2020 at his home in New York City.Justin was born on October 04, 1991, in Girard, Kansas, the son of David L. Lynn, Sr. and Linda (Smith) McCulloch.&nbsp; He grew up in Russell, Kansas, and attended local schools.&nbsp; He achieved his G.E.D. and obtained an Associate’s Degree from Borough of Manhattan Community College (The City University of New York - CUNY). &nbsp;He is survived by his mother Linda McCulloch and husband Mike McCulloch of Russell, Kansas, Kansas; brothers David Lynn Jr. of&nbsp; Russell, Kansas and Aaron McCulloch of Russell, Kansas; sisters Amanda Lynn of Salina, Kansas and Samantha McCulloch of Russell, Kansas.He was preceded in death by his father David L. Lynn, Sr. on April 15, 1991.He was enrolled to attend Baruch College in the fall of 2020 for a degree in accounting. He always strived to be the best he could be, living life to the fullest. He never failed to let family and loved ones know he was thinking about them and that he loved them. He was always trying to bring trying to bring people together.&nbsp;A celebration of Justin’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, July 31, 2020, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas, with Pastor Roger Dennis officiating.&nbsp; Cremation has been selected by the family.&nbsp; A private family graveside inurnment will take place at a later date at the Mount Carmel Cemetery in Frontenac, Kansas.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Justin Timothy Franklin Lynn

Funeral services will be 
10:30 AM Saturday, August 1, 2020 at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and
 Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, Kansas 67601.&nbsp;&nbsp;Memorial visitation will be Saturday 9 AM until service time.

Inurnment with Military Honors will follow in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Ellis. 
&nbsp;

Phyllis Jean Schuster, age 95, of Hays,
 KS passed away May 10, 2020 at Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell.&nbsp; 
She was born October 30, 1924 in Garrison, KS to Jesse and Helen 
(McCann) Turley. She married William Schuster on September 13, 1947 in 
Ellis, Kansas. He preceded her in death in 1995.

Phyllis was a United States Navy 
veteran.&nbsp; She was a member of the Hays Women’s Bowling Association for 
many years, as well as the Great Bend VFW Ladies Auxiliary.

She is survived by her sister, Donna 
Kay Dick of Russell, KS, sister in law Margaret Turley, Independence, 
MO, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and two brothers, Wayne Turley and Francis Turley.

Funeral services will be held at a 
later date and announced by Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and 
Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, Kansas 67601.

Contributions made payable to Ride for 
Hope 2021 Cancer Run are suggested in lieu of flowers and may be sent in
 care of the funeral home.

Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or by email at keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595953650624.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Funeral services will be 
10:30 AM Saturday, August 1, 2020 at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and
 Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, Kansas 67601.&nbsp;&nbsp;Memorial visitation will be Saturday 9 AM until service time.Inurnment with Military Honors will follow in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Ellis. 
&nbsp;Phyllis Jean Schuster, age 95, of Hays,
 KS passed away May 10, 2020 at Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell.&nbsp; 
She was born October 30, 1924 in Garrison, KS to Jesse and Helen 
(McCann) Turley. She married William Schuster on September 13, 1947 in 
Ellis, Kansas. He preceded her in death in 1995.Phyllis was a United States Navy 
veteran.&nbsp; She was a member of the Hays Women’s Bowling Association for 
many years, as well as the Great Bend VFW Ladies Auxiliary.She is survived by her sister, Donna 
Kay Dick of Russell, KS, sister in law Margaret Turley, Independence, 
MO, and numerous nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and two brothers, Wayne Turley and Francis Turley.Funeral services will be held at a 
later date and announced by Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and 
Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, Kansas 67601.Contributions made payable to Ride for 
Hope 2021 Cancer Run are suggested in lieu of flowers and may be sent in
 care of the funeral home.Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or by email at keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com

Phyllis Jean Schuster

The Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association (KIOGA) has canceled its annual convention in response to uncertainty about the response to the coronavirus pandemic. The group is reviewing other plans including a series of internet seminars to replace the events originally scheduled for the August gathering. An online conversation with the Kansas Congressional delegation is planned next month. The popular golf and sporting clays tourneys could be rescheduled as early as October.

Friday's prices at CHS in McPherson were up a quarter. Kansas Common crude starts the week at $31.50 a barrel. That's 75 cents higher than a week ago, a dollar-fifty higher than at the first of the month but nearly $15 cheaper than last year at this time.

Kansas gasoline prices held steady. The Sunflower State remained one of just 12 states with average gas prices below two dollars a gallon. The average Thursday across Kansas last week was $1.979. That's a nickel more than last month at this time, and about 55 cents less than a year ago. AAA said the average across the U.S. was about $2.19 a gallon. 

Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports the Kansas rig count rose last week, but so did the number of inactive drilling rigs.  There are two active oil and gas drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, up one from last week, and five west of Wichita, which is up two. There are 26 idle rigs statewide, compared to just 20 last week. There's not a lot of drilling activity in our area. Operators reached total depth at leases in Russell and Stafford counties.

Baker Hughes reports the national rig count was 251 on Friday, an increase of one oil rig but a drop of three rigs looking for natural gas. The count in Texas was down one, while New Mexico was up one. 

Kansas regulators approved five permits for drilling at new locations for the week ending July 23, all of them in Western Kansas. That's 245 new permits so far this year compared to 550 by this point last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARThe Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association (KIOGA) has canceled its annual convention in response to uncertainty about the response to the coronavirus pandemic. The group is reviewing other plans including a series of internet seminars to replace the events originally scheduled for the August gathering. An online conversation with the Kansas Congressional delegation is planned next month. The popular golf and sporting clays tourneys could be rescheduled as early as October.Friday's prices at CHS in McPherson were up a quarter. Kansas Common crude starts the week at $31.50 a barrel. That's 75 cents higher than a week ago, a dollar-fifty higher than at the first of the month but nearly $15 cheaper than last year at this time.Kansas gasoline prices held steady. The Sunflower State remained one of just 12 states with average gas prices below two dollars a gallon. The average Thursday across Kansas last week was $1.979. That's a nickel more than last month at this time, and about 55 cents less than a year ago. AAA said the average across the U.S. was about $2.19 a gallon. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports the Kansas rig count rose last week, but so did the number of inactive drilling rigs. There are two active oil and gas drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, up one from last week, and five west of Wichita, which is up two. There are 26 idle rigs statewide, compared to just 20 last week. There's not a lot of drilling activity in our area. Operators reached total depth at leases in Russell and Stafford counties.Baker Hughes reports the national rig count was 251 on Friday, an increase of one oil rig but a drop of three rigs looking for natural gas. The count in Texas was down one, while New Mexico was up one. Kansas regulators approved five permits for drilling at new locations for the week ending July 23, all of them in Western Kansas. That's 245 new permits so far this year compared to 550 by this point last year.There were just eight wells completed last week across the state, four of them were east of Wichita and four in western Kansas, including one completion in Russell County. Operators across the state report 564 completed wells so far this year, well behind the 823 wells completed by late July of 2019.The government reports a slight uptick in U.S. crude-oil production last week, to 11.06 million barrels per day. The Energy Information Administration says U.S. crude-oil stockpiles increased by nearly five million barrels last week. Inventories are about 19% higher than the five-year average for this time of year. U.S. crude oil imports averaged 5.9 million barrels per day, an increase of 373,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged 13.5% less than the same four-week period last year. The Governor of Colorado says he has negotiated a truce in that state's oil and gas "ballot wars." Governor Jared Polis is hoping to let Colorado's new oil and gas law work its way through the regulatory process. In an opinion article published Monday, Governor Polis said an industry-backed group called Protect Colorado will end its efforts to put two pro-industry measures on the ballot this year. Three other measures, relating to new setback rules, local moratoriums and state oversight, won't make this year's ballot either, but supporters say that's more about the difficulty gathering signatures than any deal with the Governor. And some prominent environmental groups in the state still plan to consider a new batch of ballot measures in 2022.Texas regulators say the Saudi-Russia oil price war spilled over into the U.S. economy in the form of what they call excessive dumping of crude oil into U.S. markets. The Railroad Commission of Texas, the state's top oil regulator, says after the pandemic hit Saudi shipments to the U.S. reached roughly four times February's volume, the highest total since 2014. The Commission and other groups are urging a federal investigation.U.S. Oil-by-rail is up for the week but down nearly 15% compared to a year ago. The year-to-date total is down about 12% compared to the same figure a year ago. The Association of American Railroads says total rail traffic is also improving week-to-week, up about seven percent, but still lags behind last year by eight-and-a-half percent.China’s crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia rose 15% in June compared to a year ago. Chinese refiners ordered record volumes in March and April when oil prices tumbled. China's crude imports from all its main suppliers set new records in June, boosting the country's total crude imports to a new record high, nearly 13 million barrels per day.