By RON WILSON
Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

The football players run onto the field for summer practice at Jefferson West High School. But something is different: This field is covered by artificial turf which was last used by the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. How did NFL turf come to be on a high school football field? It’s due to a hometown Kansas company which specializes in turf installation across the country.

Jake Farrant is founder and president of this remarkable company named Kansas Turf. Jake grew up at Meriden. As a kid, he mowed lawns and helped with his uncle’s golf course and sod farm business in Topeka. He also loved football, starting at quarterback at Jefferson West High School and then at Ottawa University.

After graduation, he returned to Meriden and continued to help his uncle. He also became an assistant football coach at his alma mater, Jeff West. When the family was approached about building a multi-sport complex, which didn’t fit the work of his uncle’s company, Jake saw the opportunity to go into business for himself. In 2008, Kansas Turf was born.

Meanwhile, Jake had met and married his wife Kysa, a K-State graduate. “I sat down with her and drew out a sketch of what my dream business facility would look like,” Jake said. “As I look at our facilities now, it looks eerily like that today.”

Today, Kansas Turf has become a leading sports construction company, with capabilities to design and build sports complexes, do site work, implement golf course and cemetery renovations, and install natural grass and synthetic turf.

The company began doing high school baseball parks and projects for the Veterans Administration, but Jake’s ultimate dream was to do more with sports. When Jake’s former head coach at Ottawa, Patrick Ross, joined the company, the dream started to become reality.

“He was part of that elite coaching fraternity and it opened doors for us,” Jake said. Within 30 days of Coach Ross joining the company, Kansas Turf had its first college football job. It went so well that business grew from there.

Today, Kansas Turf – which started with three employees – employs some 100 people. The company has done projects in more than 30 states, from New York to San Francisco. “Right now we have projects going in Anchorage, Alaska, San Antonio, and Biloxi, Mississippi,” Jake said. That’s an impressive record for a company based in the rural community of Meriden, Kansas, population 813 people. Now, that’s rural.

They’ve even replaced turf for NFL teams such as the New York Jets, New York Giants, and New Orleans Saints. Jake’s company installed the New Orleans Saints turf on the field back home at his old high school, Jefferson West.

In 2018, Kansas Turf was the contractor for turf replacement at K-State’s Bill Snyder Family Stadium where a brand new, state-of-the-art product was installed. “Kansas Turf is proud to partner with AstroTurf on this project,” Jake said. “K-State is the first FBS school in the nation to install this innovative turf, called RootZone Trionic 3D.”

He foresees that more high schools will be installing artificial turf, as parents and administrators learn that such turf is seven times safer and creates less chance of concussions or ligament damage. “It’s all about the kids,” Jake said.

“We’re a family business, most of us from Meriden,” Jake said. Brother Bryce is the company’s chief information officer. Their dad even works on the installation crews sometimes. Under the leadership of Jake’s wife Kysa, the family opened a large day care and preschool facility which serves lots of families. “We believe in faith, family, and the future,” Jake said.

For more information, see www.kansasturf.com.

It’s time to leave this rural Kansas football field now covered by turf from the NFL. We thank Jake Farrant and the people of Kansas Turf who are making a difference with entrepreneurship in sports construction. I’m glad this company is based on our state’s home turf.

And there’s more. Turf is not the only benefit which this company has brought to the community. We’ll learn about that next week.

Ron Wilson is director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

The Soil is Alive! (Part II)
 Sometimes we think that bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and other soil microbes are pests to be illuminated, like the fungus infecting your tomatoes for example. But these microorganisms are not all bad, and they all have their own role in the soil food web. In fact, beneficial bacteria and fungi help to decompose many nutrients that would otherwise be unavailable for plants to use.

Some bacteria and fungi even have specialized interactions with certain plant roots, where they exchange nutrients to help one another grow. For example, mycorrhizae (pronounced My-cor-rye-zay) refers to a group of fungi which form a symbiotic relationship with many plants. These fungi grow either inside of a plant’s roots or attach to the surface of a root. The fungi benefits from the plant’s food and nutrients and in turn grow out into the surrounding soil to absorb nutrients and water. So, mycorrhizae actually enhance a plant’s ability to take up nutrients and water.

Soil is mostly made up of non- plant parasites, although some fungi, bacteria, and nematodes infect plant roots. These plant parasitic organisms can cause damage to plants, but the soil ecosystem is highly diverse and complex where plant parasites are not the only parasites living in the soil. Nematodes are an example of this. They are a non-segmented worm typically 1/500 of an inch (50 µm) in diameter and 1/20 of an inch (1 mm) in length. Though a few nematode species are responsible for plant diseases, the majority of them are fungal and bacterial feeders.

Microorganisms decompose organic matter in the soil and nutrients are also released as ions. This decomposed organic matter is where much of the nutrients plants need come from. We need microorganisms in our soil and without them plant life would not be able to exist.

Rip Winkel is the Horticulture agent in the Cottonwood District (Barton and Ellis Counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at [email protected] or calling either 785-682-9430, or 620-793-1910.

The current drought monitor has almost all of Kansas in some level of drought with much of the state in severe or extreme drought. It is hard to know how this will change in the coming months but preparation and planning can help us adapt and minimize the impact if dry conditions continue.

Keith Harmoney, range scientist at Hays, has studied a 36-year data set to look at the impacts of precipitation on season long forage production of shortgrass rangeland (http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/historicpublications/pubs/SRP1086.pdf).  The strongest relationship between precipitation and year-end forage yield was the rainfall from October the prior year through September.

However, the October prior year through April precipitation had little to no relationship to the end of year forage yield.  Notably in that data set, precipitation from May to June had nearly as good of a relationship with forage yield as the October prior year to September time period.
Therefore, as that May to June period of precipitation plays out, it can be used to help adjust this year’s grazing plans.

A good drought management plan will include critical dates for de-stocking based on rainfall received and what is observed in range production and utilization.  A written plan with dates and numbers developed ahead of time can greatly reduce the stress many experience during drought.

History tells us that Western Kansas experiences a drought 1 out of every 5 years.  Establishing a practice of moderate stocking rates helps maintain greater plant vigor and soil cover regardless of the amount of precipitation.  It is also optimizes returns per acre.  Without adequate soil cover, precipitation that does come is largely runoff and not captured in the soil.

Our schools have fire drills to prepare for possible problems.  Preparing a drought management plan is like a fire drill so we are prepared if it should happen.  If you don’t already have a drought management plan, now is the time to get started.  Producers can find many helpful resources for managing drought risk on the ranch at http://drought.unl.edu/ranchplan/Overview.aspx including example drought management plans.

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

As an avowed atheist living in the bible belt, I generally keep my head down. However, the events of the past week have demonstrated loud and clear the immorality of religious thought. Just the other day, I watched talking head after talking head advocate for putting children in concentration camps and using their religious texts to do so.

You can call it hyperbole, but these detention facilities BY DEFINITION are concentration camps. Some will point to the recent media tours of these concentration camps and say “it doesn’t look so bad” but remember that at one time the Red Cross was invited to Terezin to show how well the Jews were treated in their concentration camps.

I keep hearing people say that the law dictates these children be torn from their mothers’ breasts. That’s a lie being told by the propaganda arm of this regime. America used to be the good guys. Because we were the good guys, we didn’t have any laws on the books dictating that we kidnap children and put them in concentration camps because that’s wrong. This is a policy of this regime. It is not a law on the books. This does not have to happen.

I don’t care what your views are on immigration. They are immaterial to this conversation. If you can in any way justify taking innocent children from their parents as a “deterrent” then you are supporting the worst kind of immorality. If you use religious doctrine to support this, you are showing just how damaging religion is to society. You are further adding evidence to the argument that religious belief has no place in a civilized society. The most peaceful and humane countries in the world today are some of the least religious. The more religious a country becomes, the more violent and less humane its people and policies. These are observable facts unchanged by personal belief. I cannot in good conscience teach my children to follow a path that would in any way justify the sorts of policies our government is implementing on the border. Therefore I keep them out of church in order to save their humanity.

The apologists will say that they were taking scripture out of context or that one should look at the other passages that contradict those. I will call your attention to Matthew 7:20 “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Children torn from their parents and crying in detention centers are the fruits this religious dedication has produced. That’s enough for me.

If you are disturbed by evil, I encourage you to call your lawmakers and tell them to support the Keep Families Together Act. It is the only moral thing to do.

Sen. Pat Roberts: ‭(202) 224-4774‬
Sen. Jerry Moran: ‭(202) 224-6521‬
Rep. Roger Marshall: ‭(202) 225-2715‬

Mary Elizabeth Chance, mother, Hays

Nearly 45,000 Americans die by suicide each year—an increase of nearly 25% since 1999. No wonder the Center for Disease Control and Prevention calls it a public health crisis. The problem is even worse in Kansas: up 45% in the same time frame. The issue is in today’s headlines due to recent celebrity deaths, including fashion designer Kate Spade, who was from Kansas City.

A recent op-ed by Wichita attorney Blake Shuart exemplifies the traditional approach: suggesting outreach to those at risk, along with increased attention to depression screening and treatment. Others remind readers of the 24-hour suicide prevention hotline: 1-800-273-8255. These are all good, but defining suicide in terms of public health offers still more. Social science shows us that many suicides are preventable, and the means are within reach.

Recent research reminds us just how susceptible we humans are to our environments. We readily, unconsciously adapt our behavior to even the smallest change. This is why nutritionists now eschew dieting, instead recommending environmental changes like shrinking the size of dinner plates, putting food in smaller packages, and not keeping junk food on the counter. Urban planners build narrower roads through neighborhoods, incorporating traffic circles and on-street parking. Drivers respond with slower speeds, perhaps without even realizing it. We political scientists embrace same-day voter registration and voting by mail to boost turnout.

It is time we use these insights to prevent suicides. Small environmental changes can bring big results.

Consider Great Britain’s 1998 law requiring that the pain reliever acetaminophen be packaged in individual blister packs, also limiting the number of tablets per box. Only one box per store can be purchased at a time, but there is no limit on how many can be purchased by going from store to store. Researchers estimate that this small change has saved more than 700 Britons from suicide. Accidental poisoning deaths from acetaminophen have also fallen there.

Critics assert that suicide victims are so depressed, so determined, they will find another way. Here is good news: this is usually not true. A 2010 study by three suicide-prevention experts studied participants who were deterred from completing suicide attempts. Of those receiving no follow-up treatment, 78% did not re-attempt suicide during the study. For those receiving treatment, the numbers were even better—83% did not re-attempt during this time. Prevention expert Jill Harkavy-Friedman told the Washington Post, “In a suicidal crisis, it’s all about time.” She added, “If they get to the bridge and there is a barrier, they’re not going to shift gears.”

What about Kansas? Here, suicides are most commonly committed with guns: four gun-related suicides for each gun-related homicide in the state. Four-fifths of Kansas suicide victims are male. Veterans and blue-collar workers are particularly high risk.
This is not the time to argue about guns. Gun-control advocates need to accept guns as a fact of life in Kansas, while gun-rights supporters must acknowledge the need for proper storage and securing of firearms and ammunition. Measures need not be onerous. Simply slowing down a suicide attempt–putting barriers in the way– can stop a tragedy. It is time to apply this knowledge, and save lives.

Michael A. Smith is a Professor of Political Science at Emporia State University.

The city of Hays recently voted to hire a design engineer for a series of Vine Street roundabouts.

Following that action, talk turned to the current four-way stop at 27th Street and Indian Trail for the next possible site of a roundabout.

What do you think?

[polldaddy poll=10031072]

I grew up in Texas until my parents were divorced when I was in the fourth grade. A couple of years later, I moved to Kansas with my sister, mom and step-father. From that point forward, with the exception of four years of college, my life has been in Kansas.

My father continued to live on the coast of Texas. Because of the move and the distance, as well as all of the things that kids get into as they grow older (such as work, school activities, and the like), our time together was, many times, a week or two at Christmas, and a week or two in the summer.

One summer, my dad decided to spend most of his summer in Silverton, Colorado, commuting every couple of weeks back to Texas. That summer, I got a job in Silverton and lived with my dad.

My dad was really laid back that summer. He had some funky leather pants that he would wear while in Silverton.

His favorite activity was to get in his Jeep and go four-wheeling over some mountain passes. That summer, dad had many visitors from his hometown of Edna, Texas. Both friends and relatives would come to visit and stay for a period of time.

My dad would volunteer to take the visiting family and friends on a guided Jeep tour. My recollection is that the tour was over a pass called Engineer Pass, and you would come back on Cinnamon Pass.

This was not an easy jaunt. It was a “most of the day” trip. We would travel over one pass to Lake City, generally have lunch there, and then come back over the other pass back to Silverton.

I do not know how many times my dad did that trip that summer – many, many times. Most of the time, I would go with him, if I was not working.

What really amazed me later on in life was thinking about the enthusiasm that he showed each and every time that he made that trip. Though he had done it many times, he always showed enthusiasm to the family or friends that he was guiding over the mountain passes. His enthusiasm never diminished. He knew that for many of them this was the first time that they had been in the mountains and had this type of experience.

The climb over the passes was not easy. Not only was it rocky, it, many times, was on mountain edges. But my dad was always safe; he always calmed everyone down. Though there were a lot of gasps, he never exacerbated the situation. In all the times that I have done those passes with my dad, never was there a problem.

I know that when a family comes to me and they are facing long-term planning, or even dealing with a chronic illness, they are going on a journey that they have never been on before. The journey may be long, and certainly complex, and many times scary, if not heartbreaking.

It is important for me to let families know that they have a guide on their journey. It is important to me that families know that issues are going to come up, but we are here to take care of them.

Dealing with elder law, and helping people with long-term plan or chronic-illness issues, is very specialized. It ends up being more than a transaction. At least in my office, it becomes a life-long relationship. Elder law should deal with more than just estate planning; it should also address financial, health care and self-determination issues.

Sometimes I think that when people are looking at long-term planning, or if they are trying to deal with how to manage a chronic illness in their planning process, they get really overwhelmed. They just freeze rather than face what is going on.

I often tell families in my office that I know we are going to go on a long journey. Sometimes the journey may seem like a maze, but if they let me get them to the next corner, I will tell them where to turn.

I kind of felt like that with my dad. He was willing to bring his enthusiasm and knowledge in being a guide for people’s journey over the mountain passes. With him they felt safe.

My dad died two years ago. At his funeral, I had an interesting thought. I know that my dad was at peace with his passing, but I had this vision that in the afterlife, he would be meeting his friends and family. He would be wearing those funky leather pants, standing by his Jeep, probably with a little bit of beard growth, and ready to give them a tour of their new world.

Please do not be afraid addressing long-term care issues. With the proper guide, you will find great relief, and perhaps even peace of mind.

Randy Clinkscales of Clinkscales Elder Law Practice, PA, Hays, Kansas, is an elder care attorney, practicing in western Kansas. To contact him, please send an email to [email protected]. Disclaimer: The information in the column is for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is different and outcomes depend on the fact of each case and the then applicable law. For specific questions, you should contact a qualified attorney.

I hope that your family takes time to celebrate with dad on his special day. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of my own father. Even though he’s been gone more than 10 years, I appreciate the role model he was to our family. A hard working farmer, he was totally outnumbered with a wife and three daughters. He taught us a lot of things and provided the opportunity for us to attend college. He even took the time to be a 4-H community club leader for many years. He was a wonderful caregiver to my mother for the 30 years that she lived with the challenges of Parkinson’s disease.

It is so refreshing to see fathers who have become more involved with their families beyond the role of breadwinner. I saw it in my husband, John, and now in our son and son-in-law, Adam and Art. Taking the time to develop and nurture relationships with children pays off big in the end. Children with active fathers develop skills they can carry into adulthood. Self-esteem soars when dads are active participants in their children’s lives. Children come with their own unique personalities, temperaments and developmental timetables and dads are an essential link to a child’s well-being.

As we celebrate Dads for all that they do or have done, it is important to be mindful of the influence they have on positive youth development. Summer often provides additional opportunities for families to spend time together. Family vacations and backyard barbeques are perfect events for family bonding and creating happy memories. However, Dads who do not live in the home do have to be more intentional about creating and taking advantage of opportunities to spend time together. With blended families, scheduling and personality conflicts between adults can create barriers.

A gradual cultural shift of permissiveness toward single parenting can sometimes give an impression that fathers don’t really matter. Nothing could be further from the truth. Fathers play an important role in the development of their children and families. Studies show that children with involved fathers are more successful in school, more ambitious, more self-confident with their identity, self-protective and self-reliant, less likely to drop out of school and less susceptible to peer pressure.

So take time to celebrate Dad this Father’s Day!

Donna Krug is the Family and Consumer Science Agent and District Director with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or [email protected]

“34 million hours of cross-partisan Thanksgiving dinner discourse were lost in 2016 owing to partisan effects,” according to research published in the June issue of the journal Science.

Emotional political partisanship that has escalated this last year-and-a-half caused politically split families to cut short their Thanksgiving dinners by 30 to 50 minutes, according to researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles and Washington State University.

This heightened acrimony and polarization of the Western political system, and the current levels of personal anger expressed in public media is very apparent to the Chinese who follow world events. It is a climate that most of my colleagues in China simply cannot understand. How can we live with a system that keeps everyone’s emotions on edge and results in daily strife in workplace and home?

This cultural difference goes back over 2000 years. Western cultures evolved from ancient Greek traditions. When there were opposing ideas, both advocates came to a public forum and both argued their case. The audience would vote and one would win. The loser would go away defeated.

Asian culture goes back to a Confucian tradition. Society operated under a set of rules establishing relationships; children obeyed parents and wives obeyed husbands, similar to Western customs. But when there were larger opposing ideas for public discussion, both parties could politely argue their case. Then a decision would be made that found a “middle way.” The result would be some accommodation of both side’s viewpoints. And no one went away having “lost face.”

To a Western teacher in China, it can be frustrating getting Chinese students to discuss an issue and come to one conclusion. They will often bring up: “Well, on one side such-and-such, but then on the other side there are other advantages and disadvantages too.”

The Asian languages are loaded with terms conveying respect, as in “lau” found both in elderly person “lau ren” and teacher “lau shi.”

Westerners are predisposed to assert “I have my rights!” But “rights” is rather hard to translate to an equivalent in Chinese. They would state: “I have my responsibilities.” And when navigating a population with four to five times more people, going-with-the-flow works. Demanding your right-of-way causes gridlock.

Similar to Americans on Thanksgiving, Asian families come together at the New Year’s Spring Festival. They may differ on social and political policies. But rarely will a political argument ensue. Asian cultures take a long view, and family comes first. Each person weighs their obligations as a descendant of ancestors long dead, but who worked hard to maintain the family lineage. And each person is responsible for doing their best today for their future family yet unborn.

In Asia, continuity and reliability is highly valued. If the government is doing its job—repairing the roads, providing electricity, maintaining schools, etc.—then an average person can get on with life with little concern for political debate.

I was teaching in China last fall when the People’s National Congress was in session in October. While all of the media followed it in the news, I was surprised by how little the general public watched it on television. In the United States, such an event—such as our Republican or Democratic Conventions—would have garnered large audiences.
But a few weeks later, everyone came into the university offices with smiles on their faces.

“Why is everyone happy?” I asked.

“All university professors are getting a 20,000 yuan raise next year (about US$3000),” they replied.

I asked why. They described how professors were being lured away from university positions by the growing commercial industries, and this was a government strategy to keep universities strong. There were also nationwide raises for high school teachers and medical and health workers for the same reason.

In these last five months after returning to America, I have seen how our only recourse for teachers to get higher pay and better classroom support was to go on strike. We have a political system that operates by confrontation, as if it is the only way a system can operate. We now live in daily strife.

But if a government does its job and meets its responsibilities, a population can thrive in peace.

John Richard Schrock is a professor at Emporia State University.

[What’s better than a job that is indoor work for the upcoming two winters, safe and warm and with inside reserved parking and hundreds of lobbyists wanting the chance to buy you lunch or dinner? And, where even if you’re not invited to dinner, if a lobbyist sees you alone at a watering hole, a sharp lobbyist will probably offer to pay for your drinks from across the room.

Does it get much better than that? We didn’t think so.

Well, of the 125 House seats to be filled in the upcoming election cycle, 27 Republicans and 21 Democrats can start planning for that job…without a major-party opponent for re-election.

That’s no need for wearying door-to-door campaigning, probably not a lot of money being spent on signs and letters to voters. It’s just one short of a free ride into office.

Who gets those free rides?

Here’s the list:

Republicans
Michael Houser, Columbus, Richard Proehl, Parsons, Kent L. Thompson, Iola, Mark Schreiber, Emporia, Francis Awerkamp, St. Marys, John Eplee, Atchison, Lonnie Clark, Junction City, Dave Baker, Council Grove, Diana Dierks, Salina, Les Mason, McPherson, Eric L. Smith, Burlington, Kristey Williams, Augusta, Steve Huebert, Valley Center, Emil Bergquist, Park City (has a Libertarian opponent for general election), Joe Seiwert, Pretty Prairie, Brenda Landwehr, Wichita, Bill Pannbacker, Washington, Steven Johnson, Assaria, Troy Waymaster, Bunker Hill, Tory Marie Arnberger, Great Bend, Boyd Orr, Fowler, Kyle Hoffman, Coldwater, Leonard Mastroni, La Crosse, Don Hineman, Dighton, Bradley Ralph, Dodge City, Russ Jennings, Lakin, and Shannon Francis, Liberal.

Democrats
Eileen Horn, Lawrence, Jerry Stogsdill, Prairie Village, Jarrod Ousley, Merriam, Louis Ruiz, Kansas City, Pam Curtis, Kansas City, Tom Burroughs, Kansas City (has a Libertarian opponent for general election), Valdenia Winn, Kansas City, Broderick Henderson, Kansas City, Stan Frownfelter, Kansas City, Barbara Ballard, Lawrence, Jim Gartner, Topeka, John Alcala, Topeka, Vic “T-Bone” Miller, Topeka, Sydney Carlin, Manhattan (has a Libertarian opponent for general election), Gail Finney, Wichita, Elizabeth Bishop, Wichita, John Carmichael, Wichita, Tom Sawyer, Wichita, Brandon Whipple, Wichita, Jason Probst, Hutchinson, and Ponka-We Victors, Wichita.

Yes, there are a few races with Libertarian legislative candidates, which were selected at the party’s convention this spring. The Libertarians approved a total of six candidates, who will appear just on the November general election ballot, but those Libertarians, for all the hands-off government that they campaign about (oh, and generally legalization of marijuana), they usually wind up with less than 10 percent of the vote, which still leaves the Free Ride 48 in pretty comfortable shape.

Now, while those Free Ride candidates don’t have much in the way of opposition, the smart ones campaign as though they had an opponent, so their voters feel that their votes are valuable and cherished by the unopposed.

Yes, there will be some door-to-dooring, and it probably doesn’t hurt to have a sign or two up in prominent locations, so their constituents feel that their votes are important.

And in recent House campaigns some candidates have spent tens of thousands of dollars on campaigns, just so their constituents feel valued. They attend the parades, and without an opponent breathing down their neck, tend to toss a little better-than-expected candy to voters’ children and grandchildren.

Never hurts to be a little extra-nice…might mean that two years from now, they’ll be unopposed again. There are some House members who haven’t had a political opponent in several election cycles.

But that means they must fairly represent their district and do their duties well enough that nobody else is going to pony up the $120 in fees to get on the ballot to challenge them.

The Free Ride 48? Most of them earned the title by good work for their constituents…

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

Sunflower State still has the 10th cheapest gas in the nation

TOPEKA – Although average gas prices nationally have fallen for the past two weeks, Kansas has bucked the trend as one of only eight states experiencing an increase at the gas pumps. The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline rose two cents this week in the Sunflower State to $2.73/gallon.

“After some moderation in prices right around Memorial Day, we’ve experienced a slight jump in gas prices over the last couple of weeks in Kansas,” said Jennifer Haugh, AAA Kansas spokeswoman. “Steady demand and a relatively low gasoline inventory level in our region are the likely reasons we’ve seen some increase in retail prices. We are still pretty fortunate here in the Sunflower State to have the nation’s 10th cheapest average gas prices, 19 cents less than the national average.”

Fortunately, not everyone in Kansas saw gas prices rise this week. Of the 10 Kansas cities regularly highlighted by AAA Kansas (see chart below), only three cities (Kansas City, Kan. and Lawrence +9 cents and Wichita +8) saw gas price increases. Emporia (-4) joined Topeka (-2) and Hays (-1) with lower prices, while pump prices in four cities stayed the same.

According to AAA Kansas, this week’s Kansas gas price extremes are:
HIGH: Kensington (Smith County) – $3.01
LOW: Galena (Cherokee County) – $2.55

National Perspective
At $2.92, the national gas price average has dropped four cents since the beginning of June. Today’s average is three cents less than a week ago, six cents more than a month ago and 58 cents more expensive than a year ago. On the week, only eight states saw prices increase while all others dropped by as much as 13 cents or remained stable.

“Gas prices continue to dip across the country, but remain nearly 50-cents more expensive than last summer in every state,” said AAA Kansas’ Haugh. “The higher prices seem to be influencing driving habits. While consumer gasoline demand remains strong, it is slowing and not growing.”

Dropping by 713,000 b/d, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that demand registers – for the first time since mid-January – just under 9 million b/d. This is surprising, as levels have consistently measured above the 9 million mark every week in June since 2015.

Today’s national gas price extremes:
High: California – $3.72
Low: South Carolina – $2.58

Great Lakes and Central States Report
The majority of states in the Great Lakes and Central region are seeing cheaper gas prices on the week. Indiana (-13 cents) saw the only double-digit drop in the country, which brings the state’s gas price average ($2.87) well under the $3 mark it was at last Monday. Other notable week-over-week pump price decreases in the region: Illinois (-7 cents), Wisconsin (-4 cents) and Iowa (-4 cents). However, not every state is seeing this trend. Four states saw prices jump including Kansas (+2 cents), Ohio (+2 cents), Michigan (+2 cents) and South Dakota (+1 cent). With the weekly increase, Michigan’s gas price average is at the $3 mark, making the state’s average the second most expensive in the region behind Illinois ($3.02).

Inventory levels continue to hold slightly above the 52 million bbl mark. According to the latest data released by the EIA, this is the lowest inventory levels of the year for the region and about 2.6 million bbl below levels at this time last year.

In communities across Kansas, farmers’ markets continue to offer homegrown and homemade products. Everything from freshly picked fruits and vegetables to mouthwatering baked goods, fresh eggs, beef, lamb, pork, colorful flower arrangements and assorted bedding plants.

Today, 94 farmers’ markets are registered in the “From the Land of Kansas” program. Another 20-30 probably exist scattered throughout the state.

This access to fresh food and the joy of connecting with a farmer or rancher is something that is resonating with more and more people. Key here is the opportunity for consumers to talk to the people producing the food.

When people have the chance to talk to someone one-on-one, they believe that because the food is grown closer to home, it’s probably better, safer and tastier. There’s also a sense of responsibility from the vendors who stand there and talk to the people buying their goods.

Vendors like markets because they can sell their home-produced products directly to consumers with no middleman. Farmers’ markets are unique because the producer is also the marketer.

In most phases of production agriculture, the producer rarely has a chance to participate in this level of marketing. If a farmer grows wheat for example, he can sell it but has no control over price. In a farmer’s market he can set the price and negotiate with people.

Farmers’ markets are popular with a wide range of people. In university towns like Manhattan and Lawrence international students, accustomed to shopping in markets rather than grocery stores, frequent these establishments. Senior citizens are also regular customers.

Markets are also popular with people who have been transplanted from rural to urban areas. Folks who were raised in rural areas like that connection with the farm.

Without a doubt, farmers’ markets are a community event and a place to socialize. Many shoppers rise early in the morning, so they can talk to people and sometimes more importantly secure the best produce. You remember, the early bird gets the worm.

Shopping in an outdoor venue is also just more fun. There’s nothing like an open-air venue to buy fresh, healthy food.

And after a recent trip I took a couple weeks ago, I listened as a younger shopper told me it’s a serious, part of a socially responsible life.

“I’m buying from people in my own community,” she informed me. “I’m supporting people who I live with.”

Farmers’ markets are also family affairs. Kids are as much a part of the scene as the vendors and customers. In case you hadn’t noticed, kids like to eat too, and they know what they like.

And for the children who help their parents sell products, it’s a primary learning experience. Heck, I’ve seen many a second or third grader making change as Mom hands over the produce.

The friendly relationship between buyers and sellers, the festive atmosphere and the quality produce all make the farmer’s market a popular community event.

While I go to the market mainly for juicy, mouth-watering tomatoes and fresh, brown farm eggs, I sometimes find a real treat, something I haven’t bargained for or something my wife or I can’t replicate at home.

One of my favorite purchases at the downtown Manhattan farmer’s market are homemade tamales and salsa. English shelling peas are another treat. Talk about wonderful.

You know, I’d visit our farmer’s market even if I didn’t buy something, but that’ll never happen because I love to eat too much.

I just like being there. It’s the best show in town.

John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.

By JOHN P. TRETBAR

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission met Monday to discuss what, if any, additional regulatory action they might take after a magnitude 4.4 earthquake northwest of Oklahoma City that was felt as far north as Manhattan Saturday morning. No injuries or damage were reported. Previous quakes in the area in April, and earlier, have already prompted some dramatic limits on oilfield wastewater disposal in the area.

Scientists may have found previously unmapped faults in Oklahoma that could be contributing to a sharp increase in induced earthquakes in our region. Oklahoma Geological Survey Director Jeremy Boak says the magnetic imaging study suggests the “new” faults extend from the end of mapped faults directly to areas of northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas where many quakes occurred.

Baker Hughes on Friday reported 1,062 active rotary drilling rigs across the US, up one oil rig and one gas rig. Texas added three active rigs for the week. Canada notched 112 active rigs, up 13. Independent Oil & Gas Service reported no change in the Kansas rig counts, with 11 active rigs in eastern Kansas and 23 west of Wichita.

Drilling is underway on one Ellis County lease and operators report drilling ahead at one site in Stafford County. They’re moving in completion tools at four sites in Barton County and six in Ellis County.

Operators filed 42 permits for drilling at new locations across the state last week, 26 east of Wichita and 16 in western Kansas. There’s one new permit for Barton County and one for Ellis County. So far this year, operators have filed 697 new drilling permits, which is nearly 100 permits ahead of last year at this time.

Independent Oil & Gas Service reports 21 newly-completed wells for the week, 644 so far this year. There were three new completions in eastern Kansas and 21 west of Wichita, including one each in Barton and Ellis counties.
The Kansas Independent Oil & Gas Association (KIOGA) announces details of its 81st annual convention, August 12th through 14th at the Wichita Hyatt Regency. You can find details along with early-bird registration, sponsorship forms and trade show contracts at their Web site, at www.kioga.org.

Canada’s biggest crude-export pipeline operator told shippers it won’t proceed with recently announced rules setting an allowance for the amount of crude companies could nominate for transport. Enbridge was hoping to stop shippers from claiming more space than they can use on a key pipeline linking Alberta’s oil sands with U.S. refineries. Bloomberg reports that after discussions with shippers, Enbridge called off the changes, and Canadian crude prices surged by the most ever, jumping upwards of $12 a barrel.

Two Chevron employees are reported “in good health” and have been reunited with their families, after their release by Venezuelan officials Wednesday. The pair were arrested in April amid a national anti-corruption investigation. Neither the oil company nor the government have said whether they were charged with any crimes.
Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA has notified eight international customers, including China, it will not be able to meet its full crude supply commitments in June. S&P Global Platts reports the drop in supply from Venezuela is forcing China’s independent refiners to shop elsewhere, including Columbia, Mexico and Canada.

Royal Dutch Shell surpassed Exxon Mobil as the biggest oil and gas company on earth, according to the annual Forbes Global 2000. The magazine rates companies based on revenue, profits, assets and market value. Exxon Mobil is the second largest oil and gas company, followed by Chevron, France’s Total, and China’s Sinopec.

A Florida man will serve just over three years in prison for filing fraudulent oil-spill claims in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Joseph Bassler also faces a money judgment of $77,224 for his guilty plea last June. Bassler assisted companies filing business loss claims after the 2010 oil spill. He inflated claims by more than $600,000 on behalf of 62 clients and then accepted a portion of the proceeds.

A self-described “music visionary” in Texas is being sued by federal regulators for a ponzi scheme involving the oil industry. Paul Gilman allegedly funded some lavish spending habits with more than three million dollars raised from about 40 investors. He claimed his “revolutionary” sound-wave technology could, among other things, improve oil pipeline flows.