The orchestra is about to open the new season with a new name, new conductor and a new theme.
The Hays Symphony Orchestra is now the Hays Symphony, and the conductor will be Dr. Brian Buckstead.
Dr. Buckstead has a thriving career as a performing artist, conductor and educator; his knowledge of orchestral literature is impressive. He has performed as violin or viola soloist with ensembles throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia, and also has a number of recordings. He is well known as a conductor in the upper Midwest and Canada and comes to Fort Hays State University from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
This season’s theme, “Symphonic Visions,” promises to be as delightful and exciting as in years past.
Rossini’s “William Tell Overture,” with its thunderstorm and chase, will formally open the season in FHSU’s Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21.
The Children’s Halloween Concert, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, in Beach/Schmidt, will envision what it might be like to have Beethoven as one’s upstairs neighbor.
As ever, the Basilica of St. Fidelis Catholic Church in Victoria will supply its own imagery for the annual Cathedral Concert at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8. The magical combination of the Basilica plus the glorious Christmas music of several ensembles never fails to enchant its audience.
Spring 2020 will bring three more events guaranteed to cast concertgoers young and old into a state of bliss – the annual Valentine’s concert, the Cottonwood Festival, and the Masterworks Symphony and Choir shared concert.
The Valentine’s Concert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, in Beach/Schmidt, will feature both classical music and romantic themes from the movies.
The date is yet to be determined for the Cottonwood Festival, a three-day celebration of chamber music. Guest artists collaborate with Department of Music faculty and students in rehearsals, master classes and concerts.
The Masterworks symphony will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2, in Beach/Schmidt. The orchestral work will be “Symphonie Fantastique” by Berlioz. The choral work has not been announced.
All Hays Symphony performances are free. Tickets can be reserved online at www.hayssymphony.org. In addition, tickets may be picked up at the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Hays Development Corporation, 1200 Main, one week in advance of the concert or in the lobby 30 minutes before the concert starts.
Check the Hays Symphony Facebook page for additional concert details such as pre-concert talks and post-concert receptions.
Hays Symphony performances and post-concert receptions are made possible by generous support from Kay and Dick Werth (AutoWorld), Claire Matthews, Dr. Michael Meade, Sandra Gottschalk, the Downtown Hays Development Corporation, the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, Werth Wealth Management, Insurance Planning, Chartwells, and music lovers like you. Thank you.
It’s gotta be nice, to be appointed to a state commission to study Kansas criminal justice reform. Everyone wants lawbreakers in prison, that’s the simple part. It’s making sure that they don’t wind up there again after victimizing the rest of us again that is the less-than-sexy part of the issue.
The Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission, which organized last week, is packed with Kansans who have deep background on just how the correctional system works and how to make it work better.
But the real key to that organizational meeting in which Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett was elected to lead the troop is that the commission wants to identify the buy-in to their task from legislative leaders and the Gov. Laura Kelly administration.
It’s easy to hand a commission a nice name, pay the members mileage, have staff hovering around it and claim that the Legislature is “deeply involved” in deterring crime, approving reasonable sentences for criminals and giving them the support and training, mental health care, drug use counseling to succeed after release…and even having some of those who have been convicted of crimes helping others to learn job skills so they don’t break the law.
All of that noble work—which, by the way protects the rest of us and protects the future of those prisoners—is going to cost money that the state is going to have to come up with.
Nope, it’s not as politically attractive as a new off-ramp or bridge, or maybe a tax cut for corporations with foreign revenues or upper-wage income tax filers, but it’s part of the duty of state government. Just not much of a bullet point on those palm cards that lawmakers are going to be handing out next year as they seek re-election.
The goal of the commission, to tell the Legislature just how the state can more effectively deal with prisoners, is important to all of us. Nope, don’t see a bullet point saying, “if your car wasn’t stolen, you can thank me,” or “helped prevent your high school kid from buying marijuana.”
There are important issues that the commission is looking at. Like specialized drug courts where prosecutors and judges have experience with drug crimes and know what works to reduce the chance of a criminal going back into the drug business. There is diversion from jail sentences which requires more active supervision of offenders, which means more probation officers, more social services for them.
Or…the complicated process of assisting those who are being released from custody with just a few bucks and the clothes they wore when they went to prison. That re-entry into the general population is complicated, it requires counseling, it requires access to a job, social retraining and other skills. Not high-profile stuff, but important if we don’t want prisoners essentially “vacationing” among us until they commit another crime and are returned to prison.
Nothing cheap here, but then again there’s nothing cheap about just locking people up, building more prisons, or, at least this year, shipping prisoners off to a privately owned Arizona prison because we don’t have enough room for them and enough staffing to keep them safely in Kansas.
Last session’s bill that creates the Criminal Justice Reform Commission passed the Senate 39-0, the House 123-0, and was signed by the governor May 16.
Not surprisingly, that was the easy part, creating a panel to examine the correctional system in Kansas. The hard part? Diverting money from more politically popular programs to dealing with corrections.
Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com
Kansans are dying by suicide at increasing rates. 477 people died by suicide in 2015. 512 in 2016. 544 in 2017. Suicide is now the eighth leading cause of death in Kansas, up from 10th, and is the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 15-24 and those aged 25-44.
Luckily, suicide is preventable. The cause of suicide is complex, but there are warning signs that can help you know that help is needed. Warning signs sound like talking about feeling stuck, being a burden on others, or having no purpose. Warning signs look like increased alcohol and drug use, isolation, giving away cherished items, and visiting others to say goodbye.
If you notice warning signs, have an honest conversation with them. Talk to them in private and listen to their story. Share your concern for them and ask directly if they have thought about suicide. A common misunderstanding is that talking about suicide will encourage someone who was not considering it.
In fact, many people have been saved because someone took the time to ask directly. Encourage them to seek treatment from a mental health provider or to talk with their doctor. Avoid debating with them or minimizing their problems. If they say that they are considering suicide, take them seriously and stay with them. Remove items that may cause harm and call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). You can also get help by texting TALK to 741741 to reach a trained crisis counselor any time of day. The most important thing is letting them know that they are not alone.
If you are noticing the warning signs in yourself, reach out to a trusted person who can help you. Mental health needs are not a sign of weakness or an indication of your worth as a human being. Mental health needs are as important as other health needs, and sometimes we need others to support us when we may not be able to help ourselves.
We can prevent suicide by teaching about the resources available and by breaking the stigma that surrounds mental illness. The Hays Area Out of the Darkness Walk on Sept. 14 will do both. The Hays Area Walk will share information about warning signs and ways to support others, while also bringing the conversation into the light and letting people know that talking about suicide is the only way to reduce suicide.
Registration will start at 1 p.m. in Municipal Park and the walk will start at 2 p.m. If you are interested in walking, volunteering or donating, go to www.afsp.org/Hays.
I walk to shine a light on a topic that is often misunderstood.I walk to show others that mental health is health. I walk because of my own history of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. In adolescence, I battled depression accompanied by non-suicidal self-injury. As an adult, my battle has continued. Only when I was willing to seek help from a mental health professional was I able to regain control. I hope my efforts will help others get the help they need. Sign up today and join me to reduce the impact of suicide in our communities.
When children return to school over the next few weeks, should they find religion on the syllabus? It may surprise some, but a significant majority of Americans — including public school teachers — say yes.
Seventy-five percent of teachers believe public schools should offer a comparative religion elective, with 69 percent of parents saying the same. There is no meaningful political or ideological gap in support of such courses.
Fifty-four percent of teachers think public schools should offer a Bible studies elective; 61 percent of parents agree.
Those findings — from the 2019 PDK (Phi Delta Kappan) poll, a well-respected annual survey of public opinion about K-12 education — should encourage Americans concerned about religious illiteracy in this country.
Religious literacy advocates now have the law, educators and public opinion on their side. The U.S. Supreme Court went out of its way in 1963 to affirm that the study of religion is constitutional. Leading education organizations have affirmed the court’s sentiment that a “complete” education requires students to learn about religion and its relationship with social, political and cultural life. And now PDK shows that more than three-quarters of Americans want religious studies courses in schools.
So why aren’t more schools teaching about religion? The PDK poll provides a clue: fear of indoctrination. Thirty-eight percent of Americans are very or somewhat concerned that “Bible studies classes might improperly promote Judeo-Christian religious beliefs.” Notably, while 82 percent of evangelicals and 78 percent of Republicans favor such courses, only 51 percent of Democrats and 43 percent of liberals support Bible studies.
Fears are somewhat less pronounced for comparative religion classes. Twenty-seven percent of Americans are very or somewhat concerned such courses “might improperly encourage students to change their religious beliefs.” Concerns are highest among evangelicals, 37 percent of whom fear that a comparative religion course might lead a student to “question their family’s faith.”
Yet evidence shows teaching about religion, when done well, will not make students more or less religious; it will make students more likely to support the rights of others, including those with whom they strongly disagree.
We do not have to imagine what it means to teach about religion well. Over the past decade, education and religious studies groups have offered concrete guidance. The National Council for the Social Studies released national guidelines in 2017 for the study of religion. Earlier this year, the organization released a new book solely dedicated to the study of religion in the social studies classroom. Before that, the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature — the largest professional associations for scholars of religion and the Bible — published recommendations for teaching about religion and sacred texts without preaching. And the Religious Freedom Center offers written resources and online professional development modules for teachers and administrators focused on the practical application of religious studies and the First Amendment in the classroom.
We even have examples of strong, standalone religious studies courses in practice. For example, John Camardella, a teacher at Prospect High School in Illinois, has received national attention for his incredibly popular and well-respected religious studies courses for high school students. (In fact, the courses became so popular in the community that parents demanded that Camardella offer a parent-only version of the course once a month in the evening.)
Despite strong guidance and encouraging course models, Americans are wary of required religious studies courses. Again, fear of indoctrination may play a role. The PDK poll shows that only 12 percent of teachers and 7 percent of parents would favor a required comparative religion course. Even fewer teachers and parents — 4 percent and 7 percent, respectively — favor a required Bible studies course.
But religious literacy is necessary, not optional, for the health of our democracy. The American Academy of Religion has argued compellingly that religious illiteracy can reinforce bigotry and prejudice that fuel violence against marginalized communities.
Given today’s increasingly diverse religious landscape and rising religion-related hate crimes, we need to ensure that all children learn about religion in school. Schools without the capacity to offer a required standalone course about religion should integrate the study of religion into social studies and literature courses. Indeed, how can educators teach about history or literature well without some mention of religious individuals’ and communities’ roles in shaping the world around them?
Of course, mandatory religious literacy education would require better training for teachers. Right now, teachers receive very little, if any, training in religious studies. It’s a problem that can lead to unconstitutional or unsound lessons, which further stoke fears of indoctrination.
To ensure educators teach about religion without violating the First Amendment, education institutions should require all teachers-in-training to learn about religion before they set foot in a classroom. We would not let a physics teacher lead a physics class without some knowledge of math. Why would we let a history teacher offer a history course without some knowledge of religion?
Thanks to the PDK poll, we know that public opinion supports elective education about religion. Let’s take it one step further. Put religion on the syllabus — for students and teachers alike.
Benjamin P. Marcus is religious literacy specialist at the Religious Freedom Center of the Freedom Forum Institute. His email address is: [email protected].
When looking at hazardous occupations in the world, agriculture is consistently in the top ten. There are many factors that go into this: the large equipment, working long days and longer evenings, and the repetitive heavy labor that just wears down the body over time.
Additionally, there is an alarming statistic that is on the rise thus making agriculture even more dangerous.
According to the Center for Disease Control, professions that are ag related sadly have the highest rate of suicides in the US. In July of 2016, 84.5 out of 100,000 in Ag took their lives compared to a national average of 13.4 per 100,000. The disparity is disturbing and unfortunately the number is on the rise with the uncertainty in agriculture at this time.
Agricultural occupations are unique in the job market and many of the factors that make it unique also make them much more stressful.
The higher stressors include: engaging in dangerous activities much of the time, the lack of control on conditions such as input pricing, commodity pricing, and weather. These all play into whether a producer can pay his bills. Sustained higher levels of stress can cause depression, fatigue, anxiety, and other triggers that cause a greater propensity of attempting suicide. The negative stigma of mental health issues can also make it difficult for producers to feel that they can reach out for help.
There is help available specifically to the agriculture community, assistance from individuals who understand a producer’s lifestyle and are ready to help.
The Kansas Agriculture Mediations Services at (800) 321-3276 can help producers with several programs in place. They will gather information from you and can connect you with financial advisors, legal advice, lawyers, and can also connect people with mental health facilities close to your location. One phone call can get you in touch with many people that can help your unique situation.
Also, the National Suicide hotline is (800) 273-8255 and provides 24/7 free and confidential support.
Some people do not want to talk on the phone. You can also text 741741, or chat online at imalive.org.
Most of all, watch out for your family and friends. If you feel that something is wrong, ask.
It is also good to implement strategies that can help daily. Some practices you can implement are: Taking a walk, get a massage, try guided restful breathing practices, listen to relaxing music, or just take 10 minutes to write down your blessings. Positive thoughts and practices can go a long way to improving an outlook on life. And most of all, if you need help, seek it. Your friends and family need you.
Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at [email protected] or calling 620-793-1910
Ron Wilson is director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.
By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development
When a bank and a school both close, what is to be done with the two buildings? Today we’ll learn about a rural community which seized the opportunity to convert a former school into a library and a former bank building into a museum. These actions help preserve and promote the history of the community’s citizens.
Verl Coup is director of the Talmage Historical Museum. He grew up near Talmage and lived here his whole life, other than during his service in the Army. Verl was a long-time rural letter carrier. He started collecting artifacts of the Talmage community.
“When the older people would move to the nursing home, they knew I was interested in history so they would pass some of their things along to me,” Verl said. “Otherwise, when they pass, their money and artifacts go to the big city.”
One day in 2010, he got an important call. “A lady who used to live here said the bank was closing and they would give us the building and most of the furniture,” Verl said. Sure enough, the Talmage branch bank closed and the building was donated to the Talmage Historical Society to become a museum.
“My wife (Kathy) was happy to get all these things out of our house,” Verl said with a smile. Kathy now volunteers at the museum. A local farmer left an endowment to support the new use for the building. In December 2010, the new museum opened its doors.
“The museum highlights the stories of the people from here,” Verl said. The old bank building was organized into various displays. The teller area has places for various area families to display their family trees and photos. The bank offices have been organized into different types of rooms.
For example, there is the school room with various artifacts from school buildings and classes through the years. I had to laugh when I saw the hairstyles, eyeglasses, and short basketball shorts of yesteryear.
There is the picture room with lots of images from around the county, and a place for photos of farmers and their equipment. The vault has safety deposit boxes which are used for storage of pictures and memorabilia. There’s a veterans area, a memorial wall where people can honor someone with donations that help sustain the building, and much more.
Artifacts continue to be donated. One morning Verl found a box left anonymously on the front step. Among the contents was a homestead certificate signed by President Chester A. Arthur.
The grade school in Talmage had closed in 2000 and then served as a church for a time. It has now become the Talmage Library and Events Center. Shawni Sheets, a board member of the Talmage Historical Society, is director.
The Talmage Library and Events Center is located up the street from the museum. In addition to the library’s own collection, the Manhattan Public Library loans a rotation of books to the library every two months. As one might guess, the former school building has a kitchen and dining area. The big gym is available for recreation, and an additional game room has pool, foos ball, ping pong, and exercise equipment. The facility is for rent by donation. Shawni Sheets said that many volunteers have donated books and other resources.
In spring 2019, the Dickinson County Community Foundation conducted a Match Day where donations to various worthy projects in the area were matched and doubled. “By noon that day, we had matched our $10,000 goal,” Verl said. “The community support is there.”
It is impressive to see such remarkable, repurposed facilities in a rural community like Talmage, population 99 people. Now, that’s rural.
When a bank and a school close, what is to be done with the buildings? In Talmage, they are being re-used in creative ways. We commend Verl and Kathy Coup, Shawni Sheets, and all those involved with Talmage for making a difference by repurposing and maintaining these buildings in ways that benefit the community. They could school other communities – you can bank on it.
Dr. Sharon Hartin Iorio is Professor & Dean Emerita at Wichita State University College of Education.
Kansas Can, launched by the Kansas State Board of Education is a visionary project to create more effective PreK-12 learning. Begun in 2017 with seven schools, today Kansas Can has grown to include 66 of the 286 districts in Kansas.
Aimed at statewide, overall school redesign, the KSDE board laid out a concept for the project then engaged teachers to drive the course of action. All districts are expected to join the redesign process by 2026.
How much do we know about this ambitious undertaking to make the changes required for student success in today’s world?
Redesign emerged from conversations held in 2014 by then newly named KSDE Commissioner Randy Watson. Watson traveled the state conducting focus groups that totaled more than 2,000 people to learn their thoughts on the future of Kansas public education.
Kansans interviewed said that students needed to be better prepared upon graduation. Many said students should be learning “soft skills” including team work and responsibility.
Based on the feedback, the KSDE board established five redesign outcomes for measuring progress. Teachers in participating schools will measure steps taken for students to engage social-emotional development, kindergarten readiness and creating a plan of study focused on career interest. The outcomes also require collecting data on changing high school graduation rates and data on student participation in or completion of post-secondary learning.
At this point, the five KSDE board outcomes have been presented to school districts that volunteered to participate. No extra funding is allocated from KSDE or state education budgets. The work is school-site specific enacted by teachers in the 160 schools within the 66 currently participating districts.
For example, in Stockton, to promote social/emotional growth, the school provides for students and adult employees to meet regularly in a multi-age, small community to cultivate commitment to democratic values and participation in improving society on behalf of all people. In Wellington personalized learning through basic academic content is offered by a free online/computer-based program within a limited number of carefully selected classrooms.
Neither online learning nor school communities are required as part of current school redesign—redesign rests with how teachers in each school interpret the KSDE outcomes.
School redesign is well known by educators but not widely known by the public, except in districts where there has been criticism of the new activities, often centered around classrooms where online learning covers basic content instruction.
While many Kansans support the current, free KSDE online learning opportunities that serve individual students away from teacher-led instruction, the public opinion jury is still out on whether shifting substantial group time to online for academic study is more beneficial than regular school.
Voters in Wellington will help make that call. This fall’s local school board election will see three open board positions contested by candidates, whose platforms, in part, address online classroom learning.
Change is often needed, but change also can be stressful and occasionally not productive. The important point to remember is that online classrooms are just one way to implement one part of the much larger redesign project—not the defining element of the KSDE redesign’s critical and far-reaching mission for each Kansas student to succeed.
Kansans can make redesign, though challenging, a change for the better. After all, redesign is not nearly as challenging as sending a man to the moon.
Dr. Sharon Hartin Iorio is Professor & Dean Emerita at Wichita State University College of Education.
Stacy Campbell is Agriculture & Natural Resources Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.
In recent years, wheat producers are faced with an increasing number of varieties from which to choose. One of the reasons behind having so many available varieties is that many public and private institutions are breeding wheat varieties in the Great Plains: Colorado State University, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M University, University of Nebraska, AgriPro/Syngenta, Limagrain, and WestBred/Monsanto. Additionally, several companies license varieties from existing breeding programs, such as AGSECO, Dyna-Gro, AgriMaxx among others.
Producers can use different tools and publications to study each variety’s strengths and weaknesses, selecting varieties that best match their needs.
Making a better decision: Steps to select a wheat variety
The following information provides a step-by-step guideline, as well as relevant resources, to help producers make a better decision when selecting one or a few varieties to plant in their operation.
Select several varieties that are adapted to your region of the state.
Regardless whether you intend to plant one variety or several on your farm, it is important to start out with a list of several good candidate varieties. The final product of interest is grain yield and therefore, it is crucial to select varieties that have shown consistent performance and excellent yield record in the region. Varieties that worked well for you and your neighbors in the past should be considered, but also make sure and check yield results from nearby K-State (and other universities’) variety performance tests and demonstration plots. It is important to take into consideration the conditions experienced during the year in question. For instance, results from central Kansas during 2019 season were extremely variable due to excessive rainfall at several locations. Thus, when looking at these results it is very important that results from more than a single year, and possibly more than a single nearby location, are taken into consideration.
A few good resources to consult are:
K-State variety performance test: Start searching by year, narrow down your search by region and finally by site. Choose the site(s) nearest to you and look for varieties that are consistently toward the top. Repeat the procedure for different years to check the consistency of the variety performance. Go to our web site www.cottonwood.ksu.edu to access the K-State wheat variety performance test results.
Colorado Wheat Variety Database: This database encompasses replicated trial results from Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and several other public state trials, so producers throughout the Plains can benefit. It is an excellent, easy-to-use resource that allows you to dig into data from single location, multiple locations, multiple years, and also allows for head-to-head variety comparisons. We suggest that users start by looking at “Single Location Trial Data”, selecting the location nearest to you, and repeating this step for several years of data for that location. Check for varieties that tend to be consistently toward the top. Afterwards, look at “Multiple Location Trial Data,” which will allow you to look at yields spanning a wider geographical region instead of a single location for one, two, three, or four years combined. Depending on region and number of years selected, you might be looking at more than 15 replicated trials combined. Thus, if a given variety remains a top yielding variety across all these replicated trials, it is a pretty good argument that you should at least look at that variety’s characteristics and consider it in your farming operation. Finally, after selecting a few potential candidates based on their performance, we suggest that users click on “Head-to-head comparisons”, so they can test whether those candidates performed statistically different over a wide range of environments. That web address is www.ramwheatdb.com/
Additional Resources
A few great resources to help you walk through each variety’s characteristics as far as maturity, disease ratings, drought, straw strength, winterhardiness, and other agronomic characteristics are:
K-State Wheat Variety Disease and Insect Ratings 2019: This comprehensive guide to wheat varieties will allow you to compare different varieties in their agronomic and disease resistance characteristics in detail. Many varieties are individually described, others are shown in a table format which allows for easy and fast comparison. It is available on our web site www.cottonwood.ksu.edu
Wheat Varieties for Kansas and the Great Plains by Layton Ehmke: This private-sector book is also an excellent, comprehensive source of information regarding different varieties and their characteristics. It provides detailed ranking of varieties by traits of interest, making it easy to use. It also has a good summary of several variety performance tests in the Great Plains. While not available online, producers can purchase it at https://thewheatfarmer.com/
Information provided by Romulo Lollato, Extension Wheat and Forages Specialist and Erick DeWolf, Extension Plant Pathologist.
Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU presidentI am sure I will remember the storms of the summer of 2019 for a long time, not as a whipping from mother nature but as an opportunity to witness the resilience, the kindness and the blessings of living in this community.
The storms arrived with a fierceness – and frequency – that required us to stop our busyness, even if just for a moment. Perhaps, if you are like me, you actually stopped to count your blessings.
In those moments of blessing counting, other things began to occur. We stopped to check in with our loved ones and renewed our gratitude for our friendships. We shared a common experience that facilitated sharing stories and building relationships with a wider circle of people. That fierce storm created moments for us to help others or to be helped.
And no surprise to me, people in this community stepped up.
My “day” began the evening of fierce storm No. 1 with a phone call from our VP of Administration and Finance Mike Barnett letting me know he and his team (university police, energy plant personnel, and the facilities and ground employees) were all on campus making sure our students were safe, actively conducting assessments, and managing vulnerabilities.
Throughout the night I learned about the implosion of the wall at the Akers Energy Center, the efforts put in place to restore electricity and ensure our students had access to hot water, and reports of water damage and trees down. Our crews worked throughout the evening and early morning safeguarding our campus, removing debris and repairing damage.
By early morning the campus was fully operational. We were ready to help new students move in to their residence hall as well as welcome our faculty and staff to a new academic year.
As the day continued, I learned that the roof was torn off of Celebration Community Church, and I heard stories of blessings and miracles and how people rallied to help. We were reminded that a church is not a building – it is people. The same can be said for the university, businesses and families.
I was grateful, thankful and happy for the kindness and selfless service all around me. The storms continued to arrive in bursts and so did the resilience and kindness of our community. Frequency did not wear us down. People still showed up.
Here in Western Kansas, we believe in the value of strong families, hard work, innovation and compassion. These characteristics also define who we are at Fort Hays State University. When one of our neighbor’s faces challenges, we all pitch in to help.
Upon reflection, I think what I grew to understand most is that although moments of adversity tend to shine a spotlight on our compassion and resilience, when such moments pass and we return to our everyday lives, we still watch over one another. We just do it without the need for a spotlight.
I came to realize that people who seem to be extraordinary in moments of disruption – our employees, students, and neighbors – are actually extraordinary every day. We are not perfect, but we are humble, reliable and kind.
I am so grateful to be surrounded by extraordinary people and small acts of kindness every single day. Thank you to my Fort Hays family, my church family, and my Western Kansas family for your own unique way of being everyday heroes.
Are you turning 65 in the next six months to a year? Or do you assist your parents with their medical options? Perhaps you are confused about your options and what to expect once your insurance changes.
If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, then the Medicare Basics Program is for you. This free class will help you gain the knowledge you need to make informed decisions about your health care coverage.
The Medicare Basics program will be presented Friday, September 13th, at the basement of the Ellis County Administrative Center, 718 Main. The program will be presented twice to accommodate those working around their lunch hour. The first presentation will run from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. and the same information will be presented at 12:30 to 1:30.
Donna Krug, Cottonwood Extension District Agent and her husband, John, will be the presenters. They have been certified SHICK counselors the past five years. They received update earlier this summer and are happy to share those updates with the public.
The workshop is free and open to everyone, but pre-registration is helpful so that enough handout materials are available.
Interested participants may call (785) 628-9430 or email [email protected] with questions or to register.
By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher
There are very few constants in life but the one thing that remained constant for me growing up and into adulthood was the morning show on WIBW with ag programing brought to our house by Kelly Lenz. I grew up eating breakfast while learning about the latest in ag news and notes, not just occasionally but every morning. He was almost like one of the family.
That was why I paused for a moment last week when Kelly announced he was retiring after 41 years on the radio. That was four decades of farm crisis, weather, embargoes, tariffs and a few good times mixed in, all described by the warm, familiar voice coming across the radio on our counter. Mornings meant coffee, eggs and Kelly.
When I was an Extension agriculture agent, one of my best moments came the first time Kelly asked me to be on “Ag Issues.” I felt like I had arrived. The truth of the matter was Kelly was a huge supporter of Extension, and he was always willing to help promote meetings or get timely information out to our producers. I also had the privilege of hosting several meetings with Kelly, and I always felt like my time with him was like being at the feet of a guru.
When I left Extension to farm, I wondered if he would remember who I was. After all, he met so many people over the years and most were far more memorable or important than me. Much to my surprise the first time I saw him after my career change not only did he know me, but he cared about what I had been up to. That never changed over time.
The secret to Kelly’s success was that he was one of us – a farm boy from Iowa – and that was something he never forgot. He knew what it was like to get up way before dawn on a bitter cold morning to milk cows or to sit on a tractor seat in the blistering August heat. He understood pouring your heart and soul into the farm because that is what he did every morning in his studio. I have known few who were as knowledgeable about such a wide array of topics involving agriculture. Farmers and ranchers were his audience and he kept us informed.
It’s going to be hard for me to imagine the airwaves without Kelly. No one outside of a dairy farmer has more richly earned the right to sleep late. Although like most retired dairy farmers, I suspect Kelly will still wake up long before the sun each morning out of habit. My friend I hope you understand just how much you have contributed and improved agriculture in Kansas and, more importantly, how much we appreciated it. I hope you enjoy a long, happy retirement; it is well deserved.
“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.
U.S. crude prices dropped more than two percent on Friday, after China announced it would impose a five percent tariff on U.S. oil imports.
Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped a dollar on Friday to end the week at $44.50 per barrel, down fifty cents from a week ago but up a quarter from the first of the month.
Baker Hughes reported the largest weekly drop since April in its weekly rotary rig report. There were 916 active drilling rigs across the U.S. on Friday, down sixteen oil rigs and three seeking natural gas. The count in Texas was down four, Oklahoma was down three and New Mexico was down two. Colorado was down four rigs, and Pennsylvania reported a drop of six drilling rigs.
Independent Oil & Gas Service reported 26 newly completed wells across the state, eleven east of Wichita and 15 in Western Kansas, including one in Ellis County. So far this year, Kansas operators have completed 950 wells.
Regulators approved 17 permits for drilling at new locations in Kansas last week, all of them in the western half of the state. There are two new permits in Barton County and one in Stafford County. There are 625 new drilling permits across Kansas so far this year.
The Kansas Corporation Commission announced an investigation into a string of earthquakes near Hutchinson. Regulators are collecting data and analyzing recent injection well activity in Reno County in an effort to determine what caused a series of earthquakes earlier this month that knocked down ceiling tiles and broke some windows. The largest of the quakes August 16 was a magnitude 4.2, and was felt as far away as Ponca City, Oklahoma and Kansas City, Missouri.
U.S. producers have been shipping increasing amounts of crude oil by rail over the last decade, as pipeline capacity failed to keep up with booming production. New analysis on the Web site “Freight Waves” suggests some changes on the horizon. Analysts say as long as the cost of production plus the cost of rail shipping is less than the sale price, the trend could continue. But because of the decreasing difference between national and international price benchmarks, those profit margins are decreasing. Analysts say crude-by-rail from the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast will soon fade out of the picture, as a string of new pipelines come on line. Data from the government show most oil-by-rail travels to the east and west coasts.
Weekly oil-by-rail totals topped year-ago totals by more than ten percent last week. According to the latest tally from the Association of American Railroads, producers shipped petroleum and petroleum products on 12,004 rail tanker cars during the week ending August 17. The cumulative total so far this year is over 421,000 rail cars, an increase of more than 20% over the total a year ago at this time. Canada saw a 22% increase in the weekly total and a 24% increase in the year-to-date total. AAR says total rail traffic for the week was down 5.2 percent compared with the same week last year.
The government reported another near-record for domestic crude-oil production. For the week ending August 16, operators pumped 12.339 million barrels per day, an increase of six thousand barrels per day over the week before and the second-largest weekly tally ever. That total is 39,000 barrels per day below the all-time weekly record set back in May.
The dramatic increase in U.S. crude production has fueled our rise to become the top-producing nation in the world, and has reduced our reliance on imported oil by more than ten percent compared to a year ago. The government reported average imports of 7.2 million barrels per day for the week ending August 16, down about half a million barrels per day from the week before.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports a drop in U.S. crude oil inventories. The latest weekly numbers show stockpiles of 437.8 million barrels, down 2.7 million barrels from the last count. Inventories are still about two percent above the five-year seasonal average.
The lobby group that represents Canada’s oil sector has registered for the first time as a political third party, stepping up its advocacy efforts ahead of October’s federal election. According to the Edmonton Journal, changes to the Canada Elections Act mean the group must register if it’s to discuss issues that could be associated with a particular candidate. Election watchers are predicting a surge in lobbying efforts by energy companies as well.
Revenue collections in New Mexico are hundreds of millions of dollars higher than projections, thanks to booming oil production in the Permian Basin. Total state revenue collections were $273 million more than expected through April. The Legislature already approved a $663 million increase in spending in the current budget, including big bucks for education and highways. One lawmaker tells the Albuquerque Journal there could be another big spending increase in the upcoming budget year, while still keeping cash reserves of 20% or more.
The U.S. refining arm of Saudi Aramco is buying a chemical plant adjacent to it’s refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. Reuters reported the purchase as part of the Saudi push into petrochemicals. The Saudis are in the middle of an $18 billion expansion of its operations on the Gulf Coast.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
Friends,
The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced the exemption of 31 refineries from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) biofuel-blending requirements.
Eight of Kansas’ ten ethanol plants are in the Big First District, and combined produce more than 509 million gallons of renewable fuel using corn and sorghum. Exempting these 31 small refineries from their RFS obligations – especially if they do not reallocate the renewable fuel gallons to other obligated parties – will be devastating to Kansas communities, and rural areas in particular.
As Co-Chair of the House Biofuels Caucus, I joined several of my Congressional colleagues in sending a letter last week to the Government Accountability Office formally calling for an investigation and asking for transparency into the process of granting these exemptions. We must, at the very least, understand how these exemption determinations were reached and the economic impact they will have on communities and producers in Kansas and across the country.
Children’s Mercy
Throughout my career as an OB-GYN in rural Kansas, I would collaborate with specialists at Children’s Mercy Hospital several times a year. They served as an extension to my work, and I’m grateful to have had this partnership.
Children’s Mercy recently invited me to meet with their leadership team and tour the hospital, and the construction site for what will be a cutting edge research center. The Children’s Research Institute will pursue answers to pediatric medicine’s most challenging questions.
I’m honored to have played a role last Congress in advancing pediatric medical research through the passage of the Childhood Cancer STAR Act, and advocate for robust funding for NIH. Kansas has the talent and experts to play a key role in medical research and I look forward to seeing, not only the research they will produce, but how they will enhance the Kansas workforce and economy.
YMCA Tour
I received a tour of the fantastic YMCA in Salina and learned about the youth development and childcare programs the facility offers, as well as participate in an exercise class with a group of seniors. Kansas YMCAs serve more than 600,000 people in 30 communities and provide health, fitness, and nutritional programs for people of all ages. I applaud the staff for the excellent work they do for Salinans.
Closing the Digital Divide
Last Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission authorized nearly $191.2 million in support in Kansas over the next decade to smaller, rural carriers utilizing the Universal Service Fund. This assistance can be used to maintain, improve, and expand access to broadband in these providers service areas. It’s another step toward closing the digital divide in rural America, and I applaud Chairman Pai’s commitment to ensuring that all people, no matter where they live, have access to an affordable and reliable internet connection. For more information, Click Here.
USDA Details Trade Damage Estimate Calculations
USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist has published a detailed accounting of how estimated damage from trade disruptions was calculated for its support package for farmers. The Chief Economist’s office developed an estimate of gross trade damages for commodities with assessed retaliatory tariffs by China, India, the European Union, and Turkey to set commodity payment rates and purchase levels. This is the same approach used by the World Trade Organization is trade dispute cases.
Investing in Local Health Centers
The Department of Health and Human Services awarded nearly $107 million dollars to enhance efforts of the highest performing and most improved health centers across the county. Funding will go towards enhancing the quality and value of health care they provide to local communities.
Eighteen health centers across Kansas have been awarded a total of $1.25 million in recognition of their achievements as clinical quality improvers, health disparity reducers, and national quality leaders.
Congratulations to Atchison Community Health Clinic, Community Health Center in Cowley County, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, First Care Clinic-Hays, Flint Hills Community Center, GraceMed Health Clinic, Health Ministries Clinic, Health Partnership Clinic, HealthCore Clinic, Heart of Kansas Family Health Care, Heartland Medical Clinic, Kansas State Dept. of Health and Environment, Konza Prairie Community Health Center, PrairieStar Health Center, Salina Health Education Foundation, County of Sheridan, the Hunter Health Clinic, and the United Methodist Western Kansas.
FHL Bank
On Wednesday, I took part in a discussion at Topeka Federal Home Loan Bank, one of 11 Federal Home Loan Banks in the United States. I learned about how Topeka FHLBank’s programs help our community banks continue their investment in our communities. We spoke about the need for skilled labor in Kansas, the impact of international trade on our economy, and the FHLBank’s affordable housing program, which has awarded $12.2 million in grants to first-time homeowners in the Big First District since 2012.
UAS Tech Forum
I was honored to speak at the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Tech Forum in Salina on Thursday, an event featuring national speakers and top-notch panel discussions focused on precision agriculture, first responders, and UAS innovations.
Several Kansas colleges and the Kansas Department of Transportation have become industry leaders in unmanned flight systems. Kansas has always been a leader in aviation, and I will continue to support innovation to allow for more application of drone technology.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
