ATWOOD — A Texas man was hospitalized after rolling a semi in Rawlins County at 2:37 p.m. Thursday.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Brenner Tank rig driven by Robert L. Harper, 60, Pasadena, Texas, was eastbound on Rawlins County Road AA following another truck, which stopped short of the intersection to allow a third vehicle to turn west from Rawlins County Road 10.
Harper was unable to stop his truck, which entered the ditch and rolled onto its passenger side.
He was transported to Rawlins County Health Center for treatment of possible injuries.
MANHATTAN — Conditions have been unusually cold throughout Kansas during most of the start of winter. During the first blast of cold weather, there was little or no snow cover. This means in places soil temperatures have been colder than normal, leaving some producers wondering if these conditions will leave wheat fields susceptible to winter die-off?
According to a recent update from K-State’s agronomy department, there are several factors to consider when evaluating the outlook for winter survival of wheat:
How well has the wheat cold hardened?
Wheat plants are able to develop good winterhardiness when temperatures through fall and early winter gradually get colder. That was the case this fall meaning the wheat should be adequately cold hardened in most cases. Had temperatures remained unusually warm late into the fall then suddenly dropped into the low teens, plants would be less likely to properly cold harden and will have been more susceptible to winterkill.
How well developed is the root system?
Where wheat plants have a good crown root system and two or more tillers, they will tolerate cold better. If plants are poorly developed going into winter, with very few secondary roots and no tillers, they will be more susceptible to winterkill or desiccation, especially when soils remain dry. Poor development of secondary roots may not be readily apparent unless the plants are pulled up and examined.
How cold is the soil at the crown level?
Winterkill is possible if soil temperatures at the crown level fall into the single digits. If there is at least an inch of snow on the ground, the wheat will be protected and soil temperatures will usually remain above the critical level. Also, if the soil has good moisture, it’s possible that soil temperatures at the crown level may not reach the critical level even in the absence of snow cover. But if the soil is dry and there is no snow cover, there may be the potential for winterkill, especially on exposed slopes or terrace tops, depending on the condition of the plants.
Is the crown well protected by soil?
If wheat is planted at the correct depth, about 1.5 to 2 inches deep, and in good contact with the soil, the crown should be well protected by the soil from the effects of cold temperatures. If the wheat seed was planted too shallow, then the crown will have developed too close to the soil surface and will be more susceptible to winterkill.
Is there any insect or disease damage to the plants?
Plants may die during the winter not from winterkill, but from the direct effects of a fall infestation of Hessian fly. Many people are familiar with the lodging that Hessian fly can cause to wheat in the spring, but fewer recognize the damage that can be caused by fall infestations of Hessian fly. Wheat infested in the fall often remains green until the winter when the infested tillers gradually die.
Damage from winter grain mites, brown wheat mites, aphids, and crown and root rot diseases can also weaken wheat plants and make them somewhat more susceptible to injury from cold weather stress or desiccation.
Symptoms of winter survival problems
If plants are killed outright by cold temperatures, they won’t green up next spring. But if they are only damaged, it might take them a while to die. There are enough nutrients in the crown to allow the plants to green up, but the winter injury causes vascular damage so nutrients that are left cannot move, or root rot diseases kill the plants. This slow death is probably the most common result of winter injury on wheat.
Direct cold injury is not the only source of winter injury. Under dry soil conditions, wheat plants may suffer from desiccation. This can kill or weaken plants, and is actually a more common problem than direct cold injury.
This week’s wheat scoop comes from a recent K-State Agronomy Department E-Update. To see the full version, including additional information on diagnosing winter-time problems in wheat, click here: https://webapp.agron.ksu.edu/agr_social/eu_article.throck?article_id=116
WAKEENEY (AP) — Authorities said a school board president for a western Kansas district has been arrested on drug-related charges.
Trego County Sheriff Richard Hanks tells television stations KAKE and KWCH that John Reeder was taken into custody Thursday at his WaKeeney home. He was arrested on allegations of possession of marijuana, criminal use of a firearm and two counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school.
Reeder is listed as president of the board of education for Trego County schools. He also is listed as a Trego County appraiser.
A Trego County jail staffer told the Associated Press that Reeder remains in custody, but no attorney is listed for him in jail records.
KWCH reported Superintendent George Griffith said there is no statement from the school district at this time.
OBERLIN — K-State Research and Extension in partnership with the Northwest Crop Residue Alliance will host the “Cover Your Acres Winter Conference” Jan. 21 and 22 in Oberlin for crop producers, consultants and others interested in northwest Kansas agriculture.
The meeting is a producer-driven program that focuses on the latest technology, methods, and conservation practices to improve crop production on the High Plains, said Lucas Haag and Jeanne Falk Jones, K-State Research and Extension crops and soils specialists. It annually brings in more than 500 attendees from the surrounding area.
“This year the conference will feature university specialists and industry representatives discussing current topics in crop production, weed control, emerging insect pests and more,” Haag said. “The same programs will be offered both days of the conference. Sessions will be held concurrently through the day.”
“This year, Barry Flinchbaugh will address agricultural policy and its impact on producers and production practices,” Falk said. “In addition, we have Dan O’Brien discussing the grain market outlook for the upcoming year.”
Registration begins both days at 7:45 a.m., with educational sessions ending at 5:00 p.m. followed by a ‘bull session’ on Tuesday evening where attendees can visit with industry and university specialists.
The conference will be held at The Gateway civic center at 1 Morgan Drive in Oberlin. An early registration fee of $35 for Jan. 21 or $30 for Jan. 22 is due by Jan. 15.
For those who plan to attend both days, the fee is $50 if paid by Jan. 15. After Jan. 15, the cost is $50 per day. The conference fee includes refreshments and meals.
Continuing education credits are available for certified crop advisors and commercial applicators.
More information and online registration is available at www.northwest.ksu.edu/CoverYourAcres or by mailing a check to the K-State Research and Extension Northwest Area Office, P.O. Box 786, Colby, Kan. 67701. Please make checks payable to Kansas State University.
For more information call (785) 462-6281.
Platinum sponsors of this year’s conference include Bayer CropScience, Brothers Equipment, DuPont Pioneer, Hoxie Implement, Lang Diesel, Monsanto Company, National Sunflower Association, Simpson Farm Enterprises and Surefire Ag Systems.
In the vast, ever-changing world of technology, the Hays Public Library is your beacon.
Brad Sarver offers classes on a wide variety of computer topics as well as other technology including smartphones, e-readers and tablets. Sarver holds classes at 2 p.m. each Sunday at 2:00 PM and at 6 p.m. each Thursday in the young adult computer lab on the second floor of the library.
Whether you are struggling using the Internet, Microsoft Office programs, or getting an email set up, Sarver can help. Some classes include how to use a digital camera and putting pictures on the computer. January classes include Skype, MS Word, organizing files and Gmail.
TOPEKA (AP) — Relatives of a man who died while serving a life sentence for killing a northeast Kansas woman are seeking $1 million in damages and threatening to file a lawsuit.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reported the family of Roger Hollister sent demand letters last month to the Kansas Department of Corrections, the Nemaha County Attorney’s Office, the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and a former prison health care contractor.
The letters allege that infirmary staff at the El Dorado Correctional Facility failed to adequately treat Hollister before the 61-year-old died March 20. He was convicted in 2011 of first-degree murder in the death of 58-year-old Patricia Kimmi, of rural Horton.
Kimmi disappeared in November 2009, and her remains weren’t found until May 2010.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — One of the country’s largest producers of gun magazines is leaving Colorado and moving operations to Wyoming and Texas because of new gun laws.
Erie, Colo.-based Magpul Industries announced Thursday that it was moving its production, distribution and shipping operations to Cheyenne and its headquarters to Texas, making good on a vow it made to leave Colorado during last year’s heated gun control debate.
The company says its corporate headquarters will likely be in north-central Texas but an exact location hasn’t been determined yet.
The Democratic-led Colorado Legislature and Gov. John Hickenlooper last year enacted a new law prohibiting the sale of gun magazines with more than 15 rounds. That and other new gun restrictions also led to the recall ouster of two Democratic state senators.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — University of Kansas School of Business Dean Neeli Bendapudi will be one of the featured speakers at the Kansas Small Business Forum, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at Sporting Park in Kansas City.
The forum will include remarks by Gov. Sam Brownback and other state leaders and a panel discussion of business leaders highlighting how the Kansas business environment can help small businesses succeed, Kansas’ tax policy for small businesses and an update on the Kansas economy.
The forum also will include:
• Stan Ahlerich, executive director of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors
• Gary Allerheiligen, former president of the Kansas Society of Certified Public Accountants
• Commerce Secretary Pat George and Revenue Secretary Nick Jordan
• Ed Condon, senior portfolio manager, Sterneck Capital Management
• Sen. Jim Denning, vice president of business development, Discover Vision Centers, Leawood
• Mike Valentine, CEO, Netsmart Technologies, Overland Park
• Fred Willich, owner, Hi-Tech Interiors Inc., Manhattan
• Albert Balloqui, owner, Labor Max Staffing, Roeland Park
TOPEKA (AP) — Kansas residents and officials used words like “cool” and “awesome” to describe the restored grandeur of the Statehouse as the doors to a new visitor center opened.
The festivities on Thursday marked the completion of the nearly $330 million restoration project that took 13 years. Gov. Sam Brownback, Topeka Mayor Larry Wolgast and members of the Kansas Historical Society cut a yellow ribbon opening the new center.
The space becomes the public entrance to the building that was constructed over 37 years starting in 1866. Visitors will enter the building from the north at the ground level and pass through limestone corridors that form the foundation. Photographs and other artifacts tell the history of the state, its people and landscape.
WICHITA — John A. See hopes his gift of $1 million to Wichita State University not only will recognize exceptional projects, but also will spur private investors and others to back them.
“I can help bring attention to the projects that deserve it,” See said, “but I hope this gift will attract additional investors and supporters to these projects once they are brought into awareness.”
John A. See, left, with James Rhatigan, WSU consultant, and Linda Constable, See’s attorney, has made a $1 million commitment to Wichita State to encourage and reward outstanding projects.
See has given $1 million to establish the John A. See Research Award, a prize for WSU faculty and students who are conducting outstanding research or producing other significant work, the WSU Foundation announced. Awards would be made as warranted and could vary widely in amount.
Though not an alumnus of Wichita State, See has been a generous supporter, saying he recognizes the importance of higher education and believes in WSU’s commitment to growth and pioneering work. In 2011, he created the John A. See Engineering Scholarship, providing nine scholarships a year to juniors and seniors. In 2007, he created the John A. See Endowed Health and Emergency Fund, which helps students with emergency medical expenses not covered by insurance.
James Rhatigan, WSU Foundation consultant who is a neighbor and friend of See’s, said See approached him at a neighborhood get-together last September to say he was interested in making a new gift to Wichita State.
“I asked Mr. See if he had an amount in mind,” Rhatigan said. “He said, ‘I think I could do $1 million.’ I said, ‘You have my attention.’”
See, who was director of flight test and prototype development at Boeing until his retirement in 1985, told Rhatigan he was interested in supporting research and other work
aimed at improving the quality of life for many. Rhatigan knew that a number of faculty members at WSU were engaged in that kind of work.
Initially, Rhatigan submitted three research projects to See to illustrate the kind of exciting work that could be supported with his investment. While impressed by those projects, See eventually chose to create a fund to inspire and reward a variety of projects, which would be selected by the university.
“Although it’s expected that most awards would go to faculty doing advanced scholarly work, Mr. See wants any idea to be eligible for consideration, including that done by students,” Rhatigan said.
WSU President John Bardo called See’s gift exciting and influential.
“This is the kind of award that helps create a campus culture that very strongly endorses research with significant impact,” Bardo said. “We are trying to encourage our faculty to step out and do something really big, something that creates value beyond the campus. This award really speaks to that.”
Although he was born in Nevada, See grew up in New York. He was married for 60 years to Jane See, and has a daughter and a grandson. His son, John See Jr., died in 2012.
Icy road conditions led to a one vehicle accident on Interstate 70 that sent three to the hospital.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the accident happened approximately 2 p.m. Wednesday. The driver, Rhyan Dawn Hand, 17, Pueblo, Colo., was westbound on I-70 approximately 1 mile west of Ellis when she lost control on the icy road. The car fish-tailed, struck a guardrail and entered the north ditch.
Hand was not injured in the accident. The other three occupants in the vehicle, Nizhoni A Rapar, 15; Etsitty A Rapar, 5; and Inikki Annalayne Begay, 20, all of Pueblo, were transported to Hays Medical Center with possible injuries. All four were wearing seat belts, the KHP reported.
My family loves to play games. For years, my children received board games as Christmas gifts and even now that they’re in their 20s they like to play games or cards when the family gets together for the holidays.
Did Santa leave a new game under the tree at your house this year? If so, now is a great time to play together as a family before the children head back to school.
Playing a board game can bring a family together, but the benefits don’t stop there.
Children who play board games can practice strategic thinking; the need to overcome adversity; decision-making skills; risk management, and how to win – and lose – gracefully.
“By the time a child reaches the age of four or five, he or she should be able to play a game for 20 minutes or so,” said Chuck Smith, Kansas State University Research and Extension professor emeritus.
Games vary in terms of the degree of luck and strategy they require. An emphasis on luck in games gives children a better chance of competing with adults. If a child knows that he or she has a chance of winning, the child usually is less likely to experience frustration and more likely to retain an interest in healthy competition.
Strategy is important too, though, because that’s what encourages decision making.
Should parents bend the rules?
The younger the child, the simpler the rules should be. Children should understand that rules are necessary for consistency and important because they allow players to think ahead and plan on an equal basis.
Later, when everyone is familiar with game rules, there may be a time when a family wants to add to – or customize – the rules. That’s okay, as long as the modifications are fair and consistent and players are in agreement before play begins. Following the rules at the game table can reinforce the need to follow rules in life.
Let a child win?
“Winning and losing are part of life. It’s a lesson we all have to learn, and games can be helpful in that learning process. Children can learn to be gracious winners, thoughtful of the feelings of losers, and losers can learn to tolerate a setback with dignity and honor,” said Smith, who advocated for Family Game Night during his years as an Extension child development specialist.
Having fun as a family also can help family members get to know and appreciate each other in new ways. As the comfort levels increase, communication skills are likely to improve.
For more information on a variety of board games, check out these websites: www.funagain.com and www.boardgamegeek.com. The sites offer American and European games with instructions in English; ratings and reviews of the games also are available.
Linda Beech is Ellis County Extension agent for family and consumer sciences.
