The Great Bend Recreation Commission announced their boys youth soccer champions for the 2024-2025 season.

K-1 grade    Lil Panthers Head Coach: Paige Nordman

2-3 grade    Minions Head Coach: Malinda Creech

4-5 grade    Cougars    Head Coach: Alondra Moreno

6-8 grade    Cobras Head Coach: Rodrigo Adame

The Great Bend Recreation Commission announced their boys youth soccer champions for the 2024-2025 season.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739548803031.jpeg" alt="Lil Panthers" />
 <figcaption>Lil Panthers</figcaption>
 </figure>K-1 grade    Lil Panthers Head Coach: Paige Nordman<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739548825957.jpeg" alt="Minions" />
 <figcaption>Minions</figcaption>
 </figure>2-3 grade    Minions Head Coach: Malinda Creech<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739548868525.jpeg" alt="Cougars" />
 <figcaption>Cougars</figcaption>
 </figure>4-5 grade    Cougars    Head Coach: Alondra Moreno<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739548897037.jpeg" alt="Cobras" />
 <figcaption>Cobras</figcaption>
 </figure>6-8 grade    Cobras Head Coach: Rodrigo Adame

📷Great Bend Rec announces boys youth soccer champions

The drought monitor report as of Tuesday, Feb. 11 continues fairly unchanged from the last several weeks. Stafford County and part of Pawnee are totally out of drought. Barton is primarily abnormally dry with the northern third in moderate drought. The six to ten-day outlook (February 18 to 22) indicates a 60 to 80% chance of likely below normal for temperatures and a 40 to 50% chance of leaning above normal for precipitation. The eight to fourteen-day outlook (February 20 to 26) indicates normal to slightly below normal for temperatures and a 33 to 40% chance of leaning below normal for precipitation.

As we slowly thaw out again, spring planting is just around the corner. Compared to many of the last several years, there is some soil moisture with some parts of the state totally out of dry conditions. Soil moisture is a valuable commodity and we must do everything we can to keep it and not waste it. Today, what if any tillage, should be performed?

· First, there is no single answer regarding tillage and the answer can vary from region to region, farm to farm, and even field to field.

· The advantages to reducing, or even eliminating tillage, include decreased soil water loss from evaporation; better soil structure; increasing soil organic matter; decreasing wind and water erosion; cooler summer soil temperatures; and increased savings in fuel, labor, and equipment costs. Disadvantages may include cooler, wetter soils at planting; denser soil structure, at least initially; increased disease, insect and weed pressure, especially under monocultures; and residue control.

· Most tillage is performed for two major reasons. Number one is weed control. As herbicides improved, producers were better able to control weeds. This allowed for tillage reduction and even elimination. However, as herbicide resistance problems arose with important herbicides such as glyphosate, some producers went back to tillage for control of problem weeds. Chemical options are available but they are expensive. Not only are many of the herbicides more expensive but they often require purchasing more expensive seed. The other major reason is residue management, especially under monocultures, for pest and residue management. Other reasons may include the incorporation fertilizers and herbicides.

· The moldboard plowing of fields here is almost nonexistent except for special situations such as building terraces. Little soil inversion occurs today. However, certain implements such as a chisel plow, one-way, and offset disk can eliminate residue and destroy soil structure. Most producers today use less aggressive implements such as sweeps, v-blades, and field cultivators. A practice that has grown in popularity over the last twenty years is strip tillage. This prepares a seedbed three to four inches wide the crop is planted into while leaving the majority of the soil undisturbed. The idea is to combine the benefits of tillage with benefits from no-tillage.

· What a producer decides should fit their operation, address problems, and optimize yield potential.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738261115962.jpeg" alt="written by: Dr. Victor L. Martin - Instructor/Coordinator Agriculture/Weights and Measures, Barton Community College" />
 <figcaption>written by: Dr. Victor L. Martin - Instructor/Coordinator Agriculture/Weights and Measures, Barton Community College</figcaption>
 </figure>The drought monitor report as of Tuesday, Feb. 11 continues fairly unchanged from the last several weeks. Stafford County and part of Pawnee are totally out of drought. Barton is primarily abnormally dry with the northern third in moderate drought. The six to ten-day outlook (February 18 to 22) indicates a 60 to 80% chance of likely below normal for temperatures and a 40 to 50% chance of leaning above normal for precipitation. The eight to fourteen-day outlook (February 20 to 26) indicates normal to slightly below normal for temperatures and a 33 to 40% chance of leaning below normal for precipitation.As we slowly thaw out again, spring planting is just around the corner. Compared to many of the last several years, there is some soil moisture with some parts of the state totally out of dry conditions. Soil moisture is a valuable commodity and we must do everything we can to keep it and not waste it. Today, what if any tillage, should be performed?· First, there is no single answer regarding tillage and the answer can vary from region to region, farm to farm, and even field to field.· The advantages to reducing, or even eliminating tillage, include decreased soil water loss from evaporation; better soil structure; increasing soil organic matter; decreasing wind and water erosion; cooler summer soil temperatures; and increased savings in fuel, labor, and equipment costs. Disadvantages may include cooler, wetter soils at planting; denser soil structure, at least initially; increased disease, insect and weed pressure, especially under monocultures; and residue control.· Most tillage is performed for two major reasons. Number one is weed control. As herbicides improved, producers were better able to control weeds. This allowed for tillage reduction and even elimination. However, as herbicide resistance problems arose with important herbicides such as glyphosate, some producers went back to tillage for control of problem weeds. Chemical options are available but they are expensive. Not only are many of the herbicides more expensive but they often require purchasing more expensive seed. The other major reason is residue management, especially under monocultures, for pest and residue management. Other reasons may include the incorporation fertilizers and herbicides.· The moldboard plowing of fields here is almost nonexistent except for special situations such as building terraces. Little soil inversion occurs today. However, certain implements such as a chisel plow, one-way, and offset disk can eliminate residue and destroy soil structure. Most producers today use less aggressive implements such as sweeps, v-blades, and field cultivators. A practice that has grown in popularity over the last twenty years is strip tillage. This prepares a seedbed three to four inches wide the crop is planted into while leaving the majority of the soil undisturbed. The idea is to combine the benefits of tillage with benefits from no-tillage.· What a producer decides should fit their operation, address problems, and optimize yield potential.

Barton Ag Instructor Dr. Vic Martin - To till or not to till

Fuller Industries Inc.’s new Vice President of Operations Chris Cowles sees his job as the perfect fit for the small-town Iowa native and a natural career progression.

“I’ve really liked it out here,” he said. The community has been welcoming and compared to his current home in Stockton, Mo., there is an array of things to do.

Cowles started at the longtime Great Bend manufacturer Monday, Feb. 3. but he has already jumped in with both feet, working with the management team to infuse his employee-first leadership style.

“During my visits here, I’ve seen employees who love what they do and that shows,” he said. He found a solid workforce willing to learn and grow and saw much potential.

“I am not a micromanager. We need to put the right people in the right seats on the bus and let them do their jobs, and foster their success,” he said. “I believe in practicing servant leadership,” focusing on listening to the ideas and needs of the employees and empowering them.

Cowles is an Army veteran but is not a “command-and-control kind of guy,” he said. “I want to work as a team. We will collaborate on a variety of inputs before big decisions that will affect us all.”

“We are excited to have Chris on board,” said Joe Mann, Fuller’s vice president and general manager. “This is an integral management position, and he is the ideal person for this role.”

He started working on a factory floor in manufacturing before branching out and working in a different career field. After 14 years, Cowles changed paths and dedicated himself back to manufacturing. He returned to a line position and and moved up to quality control.

Then, at the suggestion of his supervisor, he went back to school. He earned his bachelor's degree in operational management, doing the classwork during breaks as he sat on the production line.

“I did well,” he said. He graduated summa cum laude from American International University.

Before coming to Fuller, Cowles worked in a variety of durable goods-related businesses, from agriculture to furniture to plastics.

Born in Fort Madison, Iowa, he spent 25 years working in the Quad Cities area, a cluster of five cities on the Illinois–Iowa border, where he met and married his wife Karen 22 years ago. They have six children. Their two youngest, teenage boys are still at home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739546715395.jpeg" alt="New Fuller Industries Inc. Vice President of Production Chris Cowles addresses an all-building meeting last Wednesday morning in the company’s cafeteria. Cowles started in the position last Monday." />
 <figcaption>New Fuller Industries Inc. Vice President of Production Chris Cowles addresses an all-building meeting last Wednesday morning in the company’s cafeteria. Cowles started in the position last Monday.</figcaption>
 </figure>BUSINESS NEWSFuller Industries Inc.’s new Vice President of Operations Chris Cowles sees his job as the perfect fit for the small-town Iowa native and a natural career progression.“I’ve really liked it out here,” he said. The community has been welcoming and compared to his current home in Stockton, Mo., there is an array of things to do.Cowles started at the longtime Great Bend manufacturer Monday, Feb. 3. but he has already jumped in with both feet, working with the management team to infuse his employee-first leadership style.“During my visits here, I’ve seen employees who love what they do and that shows,” he said. He found a solid workforce willing to learn and grow and saw much potential.“I am not a micromanager. We need to put the right people in the right seats on the bus and let them do their jobs, and foster their success,” he said. “I believe in practicing servant leadership,” focusing on listening to the ideas and needs of the employees and empowering them.Cowles is an Army veteran but is not a “command-and-control kind of guy,” he said. “I want to work as a team. We will collaborate on a variety of inputs before big decisions that will affect us all.”“We are excited to have Chris on board,” said Joe Mann, Fuller’s vice president and general manager. “This is an integral management position, and he is the ideal person for this role.”BackgroundHe started working on a factory floor in manufacturing before branching out and working in a different career field. After 14 years, Cowles changed paths and dedicated himself back to manufacturing. He returned to a line position and and moved up to quality control.Then, at the suggestion of his supervisor, he went back to school. He earned his bachelor's degree in operational management, doing the classwork during breaks as he sat on the production line.“I did well,” he said. He graduated summa cum laude from American International University.Before coming to Fuller, Cowles worked in a variety of durable goods-related businesses, from agriculture to furniture to plastics.Born in Fort Madison, Iowa, he spent 25 years working in the Quad Cities area, a cluster of five cities on the Illinois–Iowa border, where he met and married his wife Karen 22 years ago. They have six children. Their two youngest, teenage boys are still at home.

New Fuller VP believes in servant leadership

The Clara Barton Hospital Foundation is currently seeking applicants for their 2025 healthcare career scholarships. Each year the foundation awards several scholarships to students pursuing a career in the healthcare field. Scholarship amounts vary depending on the merits of the application and funds available from the endowments. The four scholarships to be awarded this year are the Jonathan Witt Scholarship, the Sadie Stalcup Scholarship, the Verda Lane Nursing Scholarship, and the Dr. Robert Moore Scholarship. The application deadline for all scholarships is April 1, 2025.

Both the Jonathan Witt and Sadie Stalcup scholarships are limited to applicants accepted into, currently enrolled in, or planning to pursue a healthcare career. Applicants must be current residents or high school graduates in the Clara Barton service area.

The Verda Lane Nursing Scholarship was established at the request of her family to assist students in their academic pursuit to become an LPN, RN, or BSN. Applicants must be admitted to a nursing program and have a current GPA of 3.0 or higher. The scholarship cannot be awarded to pre-nursing students.

Established by his family in honor of his dedicated service to the patients of Clara Barton Medical Center, the Dr. Robert Moore Scholarship assists employees of Clara Barton in continuing their education. Only current employees are eligible and if interested, can call the foundation office to learn more about this scholarship. This specific scholarship application will be accepted year-round until funds are distributed.

Last year’s scholarship recipients were Jordyn Boxberger, Shellamae Farmer, Madison Hanzlick, Taylor Lashley, Maleigha Schmidt, Paige Lamatsch, Nicole Taylor, Livvy Brewer, Braden Mooney, Emilee Hall, Patricia Matteson, and Diana Quiroz-Sanchez. 

This year’s scholarship recipients will be awarded by the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee. Individuals interested in contributing to a scholarship fund or who wish to receive an application may call 620-292-0184, email foundation@cbhks.com, or write to Clara Barton Foundation, P.O. Box 25, Hoisington, KS 67544. All applications are also available under the foundation tab at clarabartonhospital.com.

The Clara Barton Hospital Foundation is currently seeking applicants for their 2025 healthcare career scholarships. Each year the foundation awards several scholarships to students pursuing a career in the healthcare field. Scholarship amounts vary depending on the merits of the application and funds available from the endowments. The four scholarships to be awarded this year are the Jonathan Witt Scholarship, the Sadie Stalcup Scholarship, the Verda Lane Nursing Scholarship, and the Dr. Robert Moore Scholarship. The application deadline for all scholarships is April 1, 2025.Both the Jonathan Witt and Sadie Stalcup scholarships are limited to applicants accepted into, currently enrolled in, or planning to pursue a healthcare career. Applicants must be current residents or high school graduates in the Clara Barton service area.The Verda Lane Nursing Scholarship was established at the request of her family to assist students in their academic pursuit to become an LPN, RN, or BSN. Applicants must be admitted to a nursing program and have a current GPA of 3.0 or higher. The scholarship cannot be awarded to pre-nursing students.Established by his family in honor of his dedicated service to the patients of Clara Barton Medical Center, the Dr. Robert Moore Scholarship assists employees of Clara Barton in continuing their education. Only current employees are eligible and if interested, can call the foundation office to learn more about this scholarship. This specific scholarship application will be accepted year-round until funds are distributed.Last year’s scholarship recipients were Jordyn Boxberger, Shellamae Farmer, Madison Hanzlick, Taylor Lashley, Maleigha Schmidt, Paige Lamatsch, Nicole Taylor, Livvy Brewer, Braden Mooney, Emilee Hall, Patricia Matteson, and Diana Quiroz-Sanchez. This year’s scholarship recipients will be awarded by the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee. Individuals interested in contributing to a scholarship fund or who wish to receive an application may call 620-292-0184, email foundation@cbhks.com, or write to Clara Barton Foundation, P.O. Box 25, Hoisington, KS 67544. All applications are also available under the foundation tab at clarabartonhospital.com.

Clara Barton Foundation seeking applicants for healthcare scholarships

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

At last week’s Barton Community College Board of Trustees study session,
the college’s administration recommended increases for tuition and fees
effective for the fall 2025 semester. For in-county students, rates would
increase $2 per credit hour, going from $115 to $117. Rates for in-state,
out-of-state and international students are suggested to bump up $5. 

Barton
Vice President of Administration Mark Dean said a lot of data goes into
determining the tuition and fees.


"We have cost of our instructors, benefits and cost of operations that we have to cover," said Dean. "We basically have three sources of revenue to get that. I can take total credit hours, total expenditures, divide them and here's what our cost is per credit hour."

For the 2025 academic year, Barton’s in-county tuition rate was the sixth most
affordable among the 19 community colleges in Kansas. Charging $155 per credit
hour for out-of-state students, Barton was ranked the seventh cheapest in the state.


"I would like to know what other colleges are doing, but of course they want to know what we're doing," said Dean. "They're going to read what you did and they're going to bump up too. They're looking at the same shortfalls that we are with the state budget. I try to balance the need that we have with staying competitive with those close competitors."

Recommendations would increase in-state rates to $131, out-of-state rates to
$160 and international rates to $223. Classes offered to high school students
through Barton would remain the same at $50.


Based on last year’s enrollment numbers, the suggested increases would generate
$456,729 in additional revenue for the 2026 academic year.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Trustees will vote on the recommendation at regular meeting on Feb. 25.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739565876527.jpeg" alt="Suggested tuition and fee increases for Barton Community College's 2026 academic year." />
 <figcaption>Suggested tuition and fee increases for Barton Community College's 2026 academic year.</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostAt last week’s Barton Community College Board of Trustees study session,
the college’s administration recommended increases for tuition and fees
effective for the fall 2025 semester. For in-county students, rates would
increase $2 per credit hour, going from $115 to $117. Rates for in-state,
out-of-state and international students are suggested to bump up $5. Barton
Vice President of Administration Mark Dean said a lot of data goes into
determining the tuition and fees.
"We have cost of our instructors, benefits and cost of operations that we have to cover," said Dean. "We basically have three sources of revenue to get that. I can take total credit hours, total expenditures, divide them and here's what our cost is per credit hour."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739565932861.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>For the 2025 academic year, Barton’s in-county tuition rate was the sixth most
affordable among the 19 community colleges in Kansas. Charging $155 per credit
hour for out-of-state students, Barton was ranked the seventh cheapest in the state.
"I would like to know what other colleges are doing, but of course they want to know what we're doing," said Dean. "They're going to read what you did and they're going to bump up too. They're looking at the same shortfalls that we are with the state budget. I try to balance the need that we have with staying competitive with those close competitors."Recommendations would increase in-state rates to $131, out-of-state rates to
$160 and international rates to $223. Classes offered to high school students
through Barton would remain the same at $50.
Based on last year’s enrollment numbers, the suggested increases would generate
$456,729 in additional revenue for the 2026 academic year.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739565966037.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The Trustees will vote on the recommendation at regular meeting on Feb. 25.&nbsp;

Barton CC admin. suggests increase to tuition & fees

From Great Bend Economic Development...

The latest session of the Entrepreneurial Mindset class, based on the book&nbsp;Who Owns the Ice House?, has successfully concluded, leaving participants with valuable insights and a renewed perspective on business and problem-solving.

Out of the 11 individuals who enrolled, eight received a 50% refund on their class fees for attending five or more of the six sessions. Participants ranged from current business owners and startups to professionals seeking to apply entrepreneurial thinking in their existing careers.

One of the key components of the class was weekly interviews with local entrepreneurs, where participants had the opportunity to learn firsthand from those who have navigated the challenges of starting and growing a business. These real-life insights helped students connect theory to practice, gaining valuable lessons from business owners who have successfully built their enterprises.

The final class of 2025 was joined by co-facilitator Jim Correll and Kimberly Becker, both of whom have guided participants through the program’s engaging curriculum. Their expertise has helped foster a mindset of innovation, resourcefulness, and resilience among attendees.

For many participants, the class provided not only knowledge but also the motivation to take the next step in their entrepreneurial journey. As Melinda Harter, one of the newest graduates of the ICE House program, put it: "If you want to get the ball rolling on making your dreams a reality… the Ice House class is a great place to start!"

For those eager to continue their entrepreneurial journey, Great Bend Economic Development (GBED) is offering the next step—CO.STARTERS Core, a 10-week program designed to help entrepreneurs refine and launch their business ideas. The next cohort begins March 5, 2025.

Entrepreneurship is an exciting journey, but the path isn’t always clear. CO.STARTERS Core provides a structured, proven process that helps participants get unstuck and move forward with confidence.

Trusted by over 24,000 entrepreneurs nationwide, this program is ideal for:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Individuals with a business idea but no clear starting point

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Creatives who want to turn a hobby into a business

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Side-hustlers looking to transition into full-time entrepreneurship

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Small business owners seeking to scale or diversify revenue streams

Throughout the course, a small cohort of 6-12 participants will work through the program in a collaborative setting, led by CO.STARTERS certified facilitators Regan Reif and Jeremy Elliott. Each session includes hands-on learning, valuable peer feedback, and expert guidance. Class fees cover all materials and dinner at each session. For more information or to register for CO.STARTERS Core, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.gbedinc.com/costarters">www.gbedinc.com/costarters</a>.

About GBED (Great Bend Economic Development):

Our goal is to sustain our community’s long-term economic health and vitality through the retention, expansion, and attraction of businesses and development that enhance property values, increase personal income, and positively contribute to the citizens' quality of life of Great Bend and beyond. For more information about GBED visit:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.gbedinc.com/">www.gbedinc.com</a>, call 620-796-2407, or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:marketing@gbedinc.com">marketing@gbedinc.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739480393294.jpeg" alt="

The latest graduates from the ICE House Program. Back row (left to right): Matthew Gerritzen, Toby Elliott, Brad Fanshier Front row: Melinda Harter, Carmen Martinez, Melody Clements, Janice Perez, Kimberly Becker (co-facilitator) Not pictured: Jim Correll, co-facilitator (joined via Zoom for the final class due to weather conditions)

" />
 <figcaption>

The latest graduates from the ICE House Program. Back row (left to right): Matthew Gerritzen, Toby Elliott, Brad Fanshier Front row: Melinda Harter, Carmen Martinez, Melody Clements, Janice Perez, Kimberly Becker (co-facilitator) Not pictured: Jim Correll, co-facilitator (joined via Zoom for the final class due to weather conditions)

</figcaption>
 </figure>From Great Bend Economic Development...The latest session of the Entrepreneurial Mindset class, based on the book&nbsp;Who Owns the Ice House?, has successfully concluded, leaving participants with valuable insights and a renewed perspective on business and problem-solving.Out of the 11 individuals who enrolled, eight received a 50% refund on their class fees for attending five or more of the six sessions. Participants ranged from current business owners and startups to professionals seeking to apply entrepreneurial thinking in their existing careers.One of the key components of the class was weekly interviews with local entrepreneurs, where participants had the opportunity to learn firsthand from those who have navigated the challenges of starting and growing a business. These real-life insights helped students connect theory to practice, gaining valuable lessons from business owners who have successfully built their enterprises.The final class of 2025 was joined by co-facilitator Jim Correll and Kimberly Becker, both of whom have guided participants through the program’s engaging curriculum. Their expertise has helped foster a mindset of innovation, resourcefulness, and resilience among attendees.For many participants, the class provided not only knowledge but also the motivation to take the next step in their entrepreneurial journey. As Melinda Harter, one of the newest graduates of the ICE House program, put it: "If you want to get the ball rolling on making your dreams a reality… the Ice House class is a great place to start!"For those eager to continue their entrepreneurial journey, Great Bend Economic Development (GBED) is offering the next step—CO.STARTERS Core, a 10-week program designed to help entrepreneurs refine and launch their business ideas. The next cohort begins March 5, 2025.What is CO.STARTERS Core?Entrepreneurship is an exciting journey, but the path isn’t always clear. CO.STARTERS Core provides a structured, proven process that helps participants get unstuck and move forward with confidence.Trusted by over 24,000 entrepreneurs nationwide, this program is ideal for:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Individuals with a business idea but no clear starting point·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Creatives who want to turn a hobby into a business·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Side-hustlers looking to transition into full-time entrepreneurship·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Small business owners seeking to scale or diversify revenue streamsThroughout the course, a small cohort of 6-12 participants will work through the program in a collaborative setting, led by CO.STARTERS certified facilitators Regan Reif and Jeremy Elliott. Each session includes hands-on learning, valuable peer feedback, and expert guidance. Class fees cover all materials and dinner at each session. For more information or to register for CO.STARTERS Core, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.gbedinc.com/costarters">www.gbedinc.com/costarters</a>.About GBED (Great Bend Economic Development):Our goal is to sustain our community’s long-term economic health and vitality through the retention, expansion, and attraction of businesses and development that enhance property values, increase personal income, and positively contribute to the citizens' quality of life of Great Bend and beyond. For more information about GBED visit:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.gbedinc.com/">www.gbedinc.com</a>, call 620-796-2407, or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:marketing@gbedinc.com">marketing@gbedinc.com</a>.

Entrepreneurial Mindset class wraps up in Great Bend

More than half of the base acres in Kansas are assigned as wheat base, meaning what’s going on with wheat has a major impact on the commodity programs established under the Farm Bill. K-State Research and Extension has new resources available and advises producers to carefully consider their selection choice this year between the two primary programs in Kansas&nbsp;—&nbsp;Price Loss Coverage (PLC) or Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC).&nbsp;

“With another extension of the 2018 Farm Bill, farmers are now able to make an election decision between commodity programs on their base acres for 2025,” Kansas State University farm economist Robin Reid stated in an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014631p6ECz1l-sX6IgfwvjMwvmz4EA-S0qXEvX3p--MAHpfKsDU0rlR7buCzagVUrm3CU1qpOOZum_8hiImEcDy9XXvCOIH0ECA_pes8edDEm4L3B3-lQIfD5az9SWJwIkuDimsR4bxLmMXgeOhozTFAYN3BbJZ27tINKNuHXwp9pVa2xAfgixZRATch7UhSUACGhHTZV-vvemKfStcWAoQ==&amp;c=ZRPWZUy5KgwiYIW3AOREa1WTLljlpy2s9_AfX-MHahKbRXad7cul3A==&amp;ch=jAAVIgndGCfJfFZn_r1YZZZAVDtiMMGkZSJdgskWTMreBaamWqDXYA==">extension publication</a>&nbsp;on January 24. “The decision between ARC or PLC needs to be made by April 15, 2025, and will be for the crop harvested in 2025, with payment (if any) being made in October of 2026.”&nbsp;

According to Reid in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014631p6ECz1l-sX6IgfwvjMwvmz4EA-S0qXEvX3p--MAHpfKsDU0rlR7buCzagVUrivzdKFV4jqrgEVpkanun7GfamLE8QbEC4Wf0S0ot9PBFrdLnBwX4qJwpqpScaCq6fhwmlnF_-fQAK9ll-AMBMKtqRRz1EZk4rqH5YbWrAmI-liQrNVHEgTtsaaQzgBhD9LLUqEcLK82WrcIlM4Hg-mJcuKhuEnpSMgd-D0s_9qi3NLucfW5c3NKYk6ZED4bNttWjt9XkdRIORwCULCyHzg==&amp;c=ZRPWZUy5KgwiYIW3AOREa1WTLljlpy2s9_AfX-MHahKbRXad7cul3A==&amp;ch=jAAVIgndGCfJfFZn_r1YZZZAVDtiMMGkZSJdgskWTMreBaamWqDXYA==">webinar</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, February 12, Kansas wheat producers are now evenly split across the two programs with 54 percent enrolling in PLC in 2024, compared to 46 percent in ARC. This trend is a big difference from the first years of the program&nbsp;—&nbsp;2019 and 2020&nbsp;—&nbsp;when 93 percent of producers elected for PLC coverage. This year’s selection may not be as quick and easy as prior years; however, primarily due to a higher reference price for PLC and higher benchmark prices for ARC. This week’s edition of Wheat Scoop breaks down the basics and decision factors with resources from K-State’s resources through AgManager.info.&nbsp;

Price Loss Coverage (PLC) is catastrophic price protection. For this program, producers should know two important numbers&nbsp;—&nbsp;the effective reference price and the national marketing year average price.&nbsp;

The effective reference price is laid out in the Farm Bill. For 2025, the new effective reference price for 2025 is $5.56 for wheat.&nbsp;

A payment is triggered when the national marketing year average price falls below this reference price. The national marketing year average price is set by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Each month’s price is weighted at the end of the marketing year based on the amount of grain sold in that month to determine a single national price for the entire marketing year. Two considerations are specific to wheat. First, the marketing year runs June 1 through May 31 with the most heavily weighted months in June through September when the most wheat is sold. Second, there is a single price set for all wheat in the United States, regardless of the class of wheat a producer may plant in their fields.&nbsp;

That means the national marketing year average price will not be finalized until after the 2025 marketing year concludes on May 31, 2026. However, because NASS publishes data monthly, producers can&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014631p6ECz1l-sX6IgfwvjMwvmz4EA-S0qXEvX3p--MAHpfKsDU0rlR7buCzagVUrd0B-ztaSOE4A37fpS9pLCdZvBjxMJUX7ZQEVv4xSTq_tqOa-uEkgOYlF1QtwcWKinRofAnfDJ_Db1IVModXaEjOg0HV2DyJovD9Y92LU4JEwZ2p5pkoa5nz-byrRtiBs5CZy6671B1IJPJdfUYA7LNwXZlj9H3dEToIRU0Ua-z4jj8N2SiBxLmcdyt5Le7q3AFeA5fHajAOv90w5NXHBWLgaE1zLuWbR&amp;c=ZRPWZUy5KgwiYIW3AOREa1WTLljlpy2s9_AfX-MHahKbRXad7cul3A==&amp;ch=jAAVIgndGCfJfFZn_r1YZZZAVDtiMMGkZSJdgskWTMreBaamWqDXYA==">track</a>&nbsp;actual and projected prices as the marketing year progresses.&nbsp;

The difference between these two numbers is the payment rate. If a payment is triggered, the payment rate is multiplied by the farm’s established yield (PLC yield), which producers see on their USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) paperwork and then multiplied by 85 percent of the base acres for that commodity. The payment under this program is not capped until the national marketing year average price falls below the national loan rate, which is $3.38 for wheat.&nbsp;

The takeaway here is that if the national marketing year average price for wheat falls below $5.56, a payment would be triggered, and producers would receive a payment in October 2026.&nbsp;

The Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) is a shallow revenue loss program. Nationally, there are two different options for ARC&nbsp;—&nbsp;based on either county or individual benchmarks&nbsp;—&nbsp;but only ARC-CO (county-based) is commonly selected by Kansas producers.&nbsp;

ARC-CO payments under this program are based on county yields, not those of individual producers. This means the county could have a revenue loss, a farmer not, and the farmer would still receive a payment. The inverse is also true&nbsp;—&nbsp;a farmer could have a loss, but the county does not, and no payment is triggered.&nbsp;

County benchmark revenue is based on a five-year Olympic average of the national marketing year average price multiplied by the five-year Olympic average county yield.

For reference, a five-year Olympic average takes five years, removes the high and the low and then averages the remaining three years. Using an Olympic average means that the county’s benchmark revenue will change on an annual basis as new years are added to the data set and the oldest are removed. There is also a lag year, meaning that the five-year calculation for the 2025 marketing year is based on 2019 to 2023 county-level data.

An ARC-CO payment is triggered when the county revenue falls below 86 percent of the county’s benchmark revenue. It’s important to remember that these payments differ from crop to crop and from county to county, which producers can track at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014631p6ECz1l-sX6IgfwvjMwvmz4EA-S0qXEvX3p--MAHpfKsDU0rlR7buCzagVUrjV7ExUhwoCDwFqcXUwLTUa1fab-WTYjwVnCWO0aZ8ezSOUXw2iNF2uphg1U4MSmZLy9No3gkjM23mYwzaPtO5imM4L2CzfQ71qwNcCSEM4nBVHclsbZBnDERlwiromjt0m-MmgbjbfA=&amp;c=ZRPWZUy5KgwiYIW3AOREa1WTLljlpy2s9_AfX-MHahKbRXad7cul3A==&amp;ch=jAAVIgndGCfJfFZn_r1YZZZAVDtiMMGkZSJdgskWTMreBaamWqDXYA==">AgManager.Info</a>.&nbsp;

“If the current year revenue (national marketing year average price multiplied by actual county yield) falls below the guarantee, payment is made in the amount of the difference,” Reid wrote, cautioning producers that these payments are capped at 10 percent of the county’s benchmark revenue. “The payment being capped at 10% of the benchmark revenue is really the downfall of this program and in years of low prices can make PLC the better choice.”

Here’s how ARC-CO works in practice. The 2025 ARC-CO benchmark price for wheat is set at $6.72. This benchmark price does not change from county to county.&nbsp;

Reid used an example from Rooks County to run the scenario, which has a five-year Olympic average county yield of 46.75 bushels. As a result, average yields (rounded up to 47 bushels per acre) in Rooks County would trigger a payment if the price falls under $5.78, which is 86 percent of the benchmark price.&nbsp;

However, producers also need to run scenarios where county yields exceed or fall below average. A 10 percent yield loss would trigger a payment at a higher price&nbsp;—&nbsp;$6.42. In contrast, however, a 10 percent yield gain would result in a much lower price threshold needed to trigger a payment&nbsp;—&nbsp;$5.25.&nbsp;

Reid noted that under current conditions, ARC-CO may trigger payments at a slightly higher price and could have higher payments, but producers must keep track of that maximum county payment rate and their own payment limitations.&nbsp;

Don’t Forget About Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO)

A final consideration for producers is whether or not to use the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) on crop insurance. This option provides coverage from the individuals’ crop insurance level up to 86 percent of the projected revenue. The premiums are subsidized at 65 percent, meaning producers pay 35 percent of the premium. According to Reid, these policies are likely to pay out over time, but there the higher premiums from the additional coverage could have sticker shock for producers considering it for the first time.&nbsp;

Also, SCO payouts are triggered on a county loss compared to an individual farm loss. As such, if the farm has a crop loss, but the county does not, no payment would trigger. Producers cannot enroll in SCO if they have enrolled base acres in ARC-CO for that commodity.&nbsp;

“While it is county-based coverage and not individual, the subsidy level would lead a person to believe it should pay off in the long-run (assuming the product is properly rated),” Reid wrote. “However, the premiums may still be cost-prohibitive for many farmers.”

Ultimately, commodity programs are complex, and the final marketing year average prices and yields are only forecasts at this point. But, wheat base acres&nbsp;—&nbsp;at least those planted to winter wheat&nbsp;—&nbsp;have a leg up on spring-planted crops&nbsp;—&nbsp;the 2025 crop has been planted and producers know how much moisture they have or have not received to date.&nbsp;

“The one advantage we have with winter wheat is that the crop is already in the ground,” Reid said. “Although it’s a long time until harvest, we do have some knowledge of the crop’s condition. Is it going to be a complete failure? Is everything looking great? So that is something we can gauge a little bit on wheat versus other crops.”&nbsp;

It’s also important to note that the marketing year for wheat does not start until June 1, 2025. So while producers have to choose one of the two commodity programs by April 15, 2025, there is still a lot of time for prices to fluctuate before being included in the official calculations.&nbsp;

“Current projections are near or even slightly below these ‘trigger’ prices for both PLC and 86 percent of the ARC benchmark,” Reid wrote. “ARC-CO will pay at higher prices in the event of yield losses at the county level, and vice versa, where higher county yields will require lower prices to trigger an ARC-CO payment. But, the overall price risk is really high right now with the current uncertainty in the market.”&nbsp;

K-State does have a free, online trade-off tool to aid producers in making their decisions for this year. The tool allows producers to look up their county averages, apply their own program yields, determine when ARC payments will max out and, most importantly, determine at what price level PLC payments will exceed the maximum ARC-CO payments. Find the trade-off tool and the latest information and recommendations as they prepare to make their decisions at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014631p6ECz1l-sX6IgfwvjMwvmz4EA-S0qXEvX3p--MAHpfKsDU0rlR7buCzagVUrsmn2IYhOUqgm4YrZi_vy7Gg7kKM3bn19yo3AX_13S4jWuzGR-NudBqwH4LaKSUx4rUMcvRek2SkBvmEJZx6rVCnQLIXx_ZBN9eie14Tj8CP3v2xcbpJwZ5W1LYfiaXKd&amp;c=ZRPWZUy5KgwiYIW3AOREa1WTLljlpy2s9_AfX-MHahKbRXad7cul3A==&amp;ch=jAAVIgndGCfJfFZn_r1YZZZAVDtiMMGkZSJdgskWTMreBaamWqDXYA==">https://www.agmanager.info/ag-policy/2018-farm-bill</a>.&nbsp;

Written by Julia Debes for Kansas Wheat

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739543391655.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>More than half of the base acres in Kansas are assigned as wheat base, meaning what’s going on with wheat has a major impact on the commodity programs established under the Farm Bill. K-State Research and Extension has new resources available and advises producers to carefully consider their selection choice this year between the two primary programs in Kansas&nbsp;—&nbsp;Price Loss Coverage (PLC) or Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC).&nbsp;“With another extension of the 2018 Farm Bill, farmers are now able to make an election decision between commodity programs on their base acres for 2025,” Kansas State University farm economist Robin Reid stated in an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014631p6ECz1l-sX6IgfwvjMwvmz4EA-S0qXEvX3p--MAHpfKsDU0rlR7buCzagVUrm3CU1qpOOZum_8hiImEcDy9XXvCOIH0ECA_pes8edDEm4L3B3-lQIfD5az9SWJwIkuDimsR4bxLmMXgeOhozTFAYN3BbJZ27tINKNuHXwp9pVa2xAfgixZRATch7UhSUACGhHTZV-vvemKfStcWAoQ==&amp;c=ZRPWZUy5KgwiYIW3AOREa1WTLljlpy2s9_AfX-MHahKbRXad7cul3A==&amp;ch=jAAVIgndGCfJfFZn_r1YZZZAVDtiMMGkZSJdgskWTMreBaamWqDXYA==">extension publication</a>&nbsp;on January 24. “The decision between ARC or PLC needs to be made by April 15, 2025, and will be for the crop harvested in 2025, with payment (if any) being made in October of 2026.”&nbsp;According to Reid in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014631p6ECz1l-sX6IgfwvjMwvmz4EA-S0qXEvX3p--MAHpfKsDU0rlR7buCzagVUrivzdKFV4jqrgEVpkanun7GfamLE8QbEC4Wf0S0ot9PBFrdLnBwX4qJwpqpScaCq6fhwmlnF_-fQAK9ll-AMBMKtqRRz1EZk4rqH5YbWrAmI-liQrNVHEgTtsaaQzgBhD9LLUqEcLK82WrcIlM4Hg-mJcuKhuEnpSMgd-D0s_9qi3NLucfW5c3NKYk6ZED4bNttWjt9XkdRIORwCULCyHzg==&amp;c=ZRPWZUy5KgwiYIW3AOREa1WTLljlpy2s9_AfX-MHahKbRXad7cul3A==&amp;ch=jAAVIgndGCfJfFZn_r1YZZZAVDtiMMGkZSJdgskWTMreBaamWqDXYA==">webinar</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, February 12, Kansas wheat producers are now evenly split across the two programs with 54 percent enrolling in PLC in 2024, compared to 46 percent in ARC. This trend is a big difference from the first years of the program&nbsp;—&nbsp;2019 and 2020&nbsp;—&nbsp;when 93 percent of producers elected for PLC coverage. This year’s selection may not be as quick and easy as prior years; however, primarily due to a higher reference price for PLC and higher benchmark prices for ARC. This week’s edition of Wheat Scoop breaks down the basics and decision factors with resources from K-State’s resources through AgManager.info.&nbsp;Price Loss Coverage (PLC)Price Loss Coverage (PLC) is catastrophic price protection. For this program, producers should know two important numbers&nbsp;—&nbsp;the effective reference price and the national marketing year average price.&nbsp;The effective reference price is laid out in the Farm Bill. For 2025, the new effective reference price for 2025 is $5.56 for wheat.&nbsp;A payment is triggered when the national marketing year average price falls below this reference price. The national marketing year average price is set by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Each month’s price is weighted at the end of the marketing year based on the amount of grain sold in that month to determine a single national price for the entire marketing year. Two considerations are specific to wheat. First, the marketing year runs June 1 through May 31 with the most heavily weighted months in June through September when the most wheat is sold. Second, there is a single price set for all wheat in the United States, regardless of the class of wheat a producer may plant in their fields.&nbsp;That means the national marketing year average price will not be finalized until after the 2025 marketing year concludes on May 31, 2026. However, because NASS publishes data monthly, producers can&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014631p6ECz1l-sX6IgfwvjMwvmz4EA-S0qXEvX3p--MAHpfKsDU0rlR7buCzagVUrd0B-ztaSOE4A37fpS9pLCdZvBjxMJUX7ZQEVv4xSTq_tqOa-uEkgOYlF1QtwcWKinRofAnfDJ_Db1IVModXaEjOg0HV2DyJovD9Y92LU4JEwZ2p5pkoa5nz-byrRtiBs5CZy6671B1IJPJdfUYA7LNwXZlj9H3dEToIRU0Ua-z4jj8N2SiBxLmcdyt5Le7q3AFeA5fHajAOv90w5NXHBWLgaE1zLuWbR&amp;c=ZRPWZUy5KgwiYIW3AOREa1WTLljlpy2s9_AfX-MHahKbRXad7cul3A==&amp;ch=jAAVIgndGCfJfFZn_r1YZZZAVDtiMMGkZSJdgskWTMreBaamWqDXYA==">track</a>&nbsp;actual and projected prices as the marketing year progresses.&nbsp;The difference between these two numbers is the payment rate. If a payment is triggered, the payment rate is multiplied by the farm’s established yield (PLC yield), which producers see on their USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) paperwork and then multiplied by 85 percent of the base acres for that commodity. The payment under this program is not capped until the national marketing year average price falls below the national loan rate, which is $3.38 for wheat.&nbsp;The takeaway here is that if the national marketing year average price for wheat falls below $5.56, a payment would be triggered, and producers would receive a payment in October 2026.&nbsp;Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC)The Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) is a shallow revenue loss program. Nationally, there are two different options for ARC&nbsp;—&nbsp;based on either county or individual benchmarks&nbsp;—&nbsp;but only ARC-CO (county-based) is commonly selected by Kansas producers.&nbsp;ARC-CO payments under this program are based on county yields, not those of individual producers. This means the county could have a revenue loss, a farmer not, and the farmer would still receive a payment. The inverse is also true&nbsp;—&nbsp;a farmer could have a loss, but the county does not, and no payment is triggered.&nbsp;County benchmark revenue is based on a five-year Olympic average of the national marketing year average price multiplied by the five-year Olympic average county yield.For reference, a five-year Olympic average takes five years, removes the high and the low and then averages the remaining three years. Using an Olympic average means that the county’s benchmark revenue will change on an annual basis as new years are added to the data set and the oldest are removed. There is also a lag year, meaning that the five-year calculation for the 2025 marketing year is based on 2019 to 2023 county-level data.An ARC-CO payment is triggered when the county revenue falls below 86 percent of the county’s benchmark revenue. It’s important to remember that these payments differ from crop to crop and from county to county, which producers can track at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014631p6ECz1l-sX6IgfwvjMwvmz4EA-S0qXEvX3p--MAHpfKsDU0rlR7buCzagVUrjV7ExUhwoCDwFqcXUwLTUa1fab-WTYjwVnCWO0aZ8ezSOUXw2iNF2uphg1U4MSmZLy9No3gkjM23mYwzaPtO5imM4L2CzfQ71qwNcCSEM4nBVHclsbZBnDERlwiromjt0m-MmgbjbfA=&amp;c=ZRPWZUy5KgwiYIW3AOREa1WTLljlpy2s9_AfX-MHahKbRXad7cul3A==&amp;ch=jAAVIgndGCfJfFZn_r1YZZZAVDtiMMGkZSJdgskWTMreBaamWqDXYA==">AgManager.Info</a>.&nbsp;“If the current year revenue (national marketing year average price multiplied by actual county yield) falls below the guarantee, payment is made in the amount of the difference,” Reid wrote, cautioning producers that these payments are capped at 10 percent of the county’s benchmark revenue. “The payment being capped at 10% of the benchmark revenue is really the downfall of this program and in years of low prices can make PLC the better choice.”Here’s how ARC-CO works in practice. The 2025 ARC-CO benchmark price for wheat is set at $6.72. This benchmark price does not change from county to county.&nbsp;Reid used an example from Rooks County to run the scenario, which has a five-year Olympic average county yield of 46.75 bushels. As a result, average yields (rounded up to 47 bushels per acre) in Rooks County would trigger a payment if the price falls under $5.78, which is 86 percent of the benchmark price.&nbsp;However, producers also need to run scenarios where county yields exceed or fall below average. A 10 percent yield loss would trigger a payment at a higher price&nbsp;—&nbsp;$6.42. In contrast, however, a 10 percent yield gain would result in a much lower price threshold needed to trigger a payment&nbsp;—&nbsp;$5.25.&nbsp;Reid noted that under current conditions, ARC-CO may trigger payments at a slightly higher price and could have higher payments, but producers must keep track of that maximum county payment rate and their own payment limitations.&nbsp;Don’t Forget About Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO)A final consideration for producers is whether or not to use the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) on crop insurance. This option provides coverage from the individuals’ crop insurance level up to 86 percent of the projected revenue. The premiums are subsidized at 65 percent, meaning producers pay 35 percent of the premium. According to Reid, these policies are likely to pay out over time, but there the higher premiums from the additional coverage could have sticker shock for producers considering it for the first time.&nbsp;Also, SCO payouts are triggered on a county loss compared to an individual farm loss. As such, if the farm has a crop loss, but the county does not, no payment would trigger. Producers cannot enroll in SCO if they have enrolled base acres in ARC-CO for that commodity.&nbsp;“While it is county-based coverage and not individual, the subsidy level would lead a person to believe it should pay off in the long-run (assuming the product is properly rated),” Reid wrote. “However, the premiums may still be cost-prohibitive for many farmers.”Deciding Between PLC and ARC-COUltimately, commodity programs are complex, and the final marketing year average prices and yields are only forecasts at this point. But, wheat base acres&nbsp;—&nbsp;at least those planted to winter wheat&nbsp;—&nbsp;have a leg up on spring-planted crops&nbsp;—&nbsp;the 2025 crop has been planted and producers know how much moisture they have or have not received to date.&nbsp;“The one advantage we have with winter wheat is that the crop is already in the ground,” Reid said. “Although it’s a long time until harvest, we do have some knowledge of the crop’s condition. Is it going to be a complete failure? Is everything looking great? So that is something we can gauge a little bit on wheat versus other crops.”&nbsp;It’s also important to note that the marketing year for wheat does not start until June 1, 2025. So while producers have to choose one of the two commodity programs by April 15, 2025, there is still a lot of time for prices to fluctuate before being included in the official calculations.&nbsp;“Current projections are near or even slightly below these ‘trigger’ prices for both PLC and 86 percent of the ARC benchmark,” Reid wrote. “ARC-CO will pay at higher prices in the event of yield losses at the county level, and vice versa, where higher county yields will require lower prices to trigger an ARC-CO payment. But, the overall price risk is really high right now with the current uncertainty in the market.”&nbsp;K-State does have a free, online trade-off tool to aid producers in making their decisions for this year. The tool allows producers to look up their county averages, apply their own program yields, determine when ARC payments will max out and, most importantly, determine at what price level PLC payments will exceed the maximum ARC-CO payments. Find the trade-off tool and the latest information and recommendations as they prepare to make their decisions at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014631p6ECz1l-sX6IgfwvjMwvmz4EA-S0qXEvX3p--MAHpfKsDU0rlR7buCzagVUrsmn2IYhOUqgm4YrZi_vy7Gg7kKM3bn19yo3AX_13S4jWuzGR-NudBqwH4LaKSUx4rUMcvRek2SkBvmEJZx6rVCnQLIXx_ZBN9eie14Tj8CP3v2xcbpJwZ5W1LYfiaXKd&amp;c=ZRPWZUy5KgwiYIW3AOREa1WTLljlpy2s9_AfX-MHahKbRXad7cul3A==&amp;ch=jAAVIgndGCfJfFZn_r1YZZZAVDtiMMGkZSJdgskWTMreBaamWqDXYA==">https://www.agmanager.info/ag-policy/2018-farm-bill</a>.&nbsp;Written by Julia Debes for Kansas Wheat

Wheat Scoop: Producers should run numbers now before choosing commodity program

Hear this week's County Edition show with Eagle Media's Mike Courson and Barton County Register of Deeds Susan Williams that aired Feb. 13, 2025.

The County Edition program airs every Thursday at 11:05 a.m. on 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722361372574.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hear this week's County Edition show with Eagle Media's Mike Courson and Barton County Register of Deeds Susan Williams that aired Feb. 13, 2025.<div><iframe title="County Edition: Barton Co. Register of Deeds Susan Williams" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=5mq9f-17fc15f-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=f6f6f6&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=60a0c8" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>The County Edition program airs every Thursday at 11:05 a.m. on 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM.&nbsp;

🎙Post Podcast: Barton Co. Register of Deeds Susan Williams



On February 14, Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland kicked off the 2025 Girl Scout Cookie season, the annual event in which Girl Scouts unbox their futures as young female entrepreneurs through the world’s largest entrepreneurial program for girls.

To find a cookie booth, customers can enter their zip code into the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://click.email.girlscouts.org/?qs=3729f73c0e606c766466224d4c9617f9d76bf9584f5b19557c9fa313ac4c24d7c4834885a72e52df033ff0bdb9dc55cc27ffec654d8faf30">Girl Scout Cookie Finder</a>&nbsp;. This allows customers to find a time and location for a cookie booth near them. This year, the iconic lineup features Thin Mints®, Caramel deLites®, Peanut Butter Patties®, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Trefoils (previously known as Shortbreads), Lemonades®, &nbsp;AdventurefulsTM, a limited supply of gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip, and retiring this year-the Toast-yay!™. Cookies are $6 per package and all of the proceeds after paying the baker stay in Kansas to support our local Girl Scouts.

During this highly-anticipated time of the year, girls flex their entrepreneurial muscles and acquire important life skills like goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

This year’s theme, Unbox the Future, aims to remove social barriers that often keep girls boxed in. When bold, goal-getting Girl Scouts sell a package of cookies, they’re doing much more than what’s seen at face value. Girl Scouts are entrepreneurial powerhouses creating a more equitable future for themselves and the world. Every box of cookies sold provides invaluable experiences for Girl Scouts such as service projects, troop travel and summer camp.&nbsp;

Online Ordering Available Nationwide GSUSA is making it possible for all consumers nationwide who don’t already know a Girl Scout to purchase Girl Scout Cookies online for shipment to their door. Beginning February 17, customers can enter their zip code into the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://click.email.girlscouts.org/?qs=3729f73c0e606c766466224d4c9617f9d76bf9584f5b19557c9fa313ac4c24d7c4834885a72e52df033ff0bdb9dc55cc27ffec654d8faf30">Girl Scout Cookie Finder</a>&nbsp;to find a local troop to purchase from through the Digital Cookie platform for direct shipment or donation to local organizations.&nbsp;

Share Something Sweet with Kansans Since the Care &amp; Share program began in 2010, customers have donated more than 200,000 packages of cookies to members of the military and local charities. In 2024 alone, more than 8,000 packages were distributed to members of the Kansas community. Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland gives cookie customers the option of sharing the sweet treats with those in the healthcare industry, service men and women, their families and local charities like the Kansas Food Bank. Customers can simply purchase a package of cookies to donate and Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland handles the rest.&nbsp;

Girl Scouts in grades K–12 can start their journey to fun, friendship and new experiences by joining the world's largest entrepreneurial organization for girls at any point in the year. Girls can join and adults can become a volunteer at www.kansasgirlscouts.org/join. 

About Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland serves more than 10,000 members in 80 Kansas counties through its operational headquarters in Wichita, Kan., and regional offices in Salina, Hays, and Garden City. Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts is the leading authority on girls’ healthy development and is the pre-eminent leadership development organization for girls. Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

On February 14, Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland kicked off the 2025 Girl Scout Cookie season, the annual event in which Girl Scouts unbox their futures as young female entrepreneurs through the world’s largest entrepreneurial program for girls.To find a cookie booth, customers can enter their zip code into the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://click.email.girlscouts.org/?qs=3729f73c0e606c766466224d4c9617f9d76bf9584f5b19557c9fa313ac4c24d7c4834885a72e52df033ff0bdb9dc55cc27ffec654d8faf30">Girl Scout Cookie Finder</a>&nbsp;. This allows customers to find a time and location for a cookie booth near them. This year, the iconic lineup features Thin Mints®, Caramel deLites®, Peanut Butter Patties®, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Trefoils (previously known as Shortbreads), Lemonades®, &nbsp;AdventurefulsTM, a limited supply of gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip, and retiring this year-the Toast-yay!™. Cookies are $6 per package and all of the proceeds after paying the baker stay in Kansas to support our local Girl Scouts.During this highly-anticipated time of the year, girls flex their entrepreneurial muscles and acquire important life skills like goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.This year’s theme, Unbox the Future, aims to remove social barriers that often keep girls boxed in. When bold, goal-getting Girl Scouts sell a package of cookies, they’re doing much more than what’s seen at face value. Girl Scouts are entrepreneurial powerhouses creating a more equitable future for themselves and the world. Every box of cookies sold provides invaluable experiences for Girl Scouts such as service projects, troop travel and summer camp.&nbsp;Online Ordering Available Nationwide GSUSA is making it possible for all consumers nationwide who don’t already know a Girl Scout to purchase Girl Scout Cookies online for shipment to their door. Beginning February 17, customers can enter their zip code into the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://click.email.girlscouts.org/?qs=3729f73c0e606c766466224d4c9617f9d76bf9584f5b19557c9fa313ac4c24d7c4834885a72e52df033ff0bdb9dc55cc27ffec654d8faf30">Girl Scout Cookie Finder</a>&nbsp;to find a local troop to purchase from through the Digital Cookie platform for direct shipment or donation to local organizations.&nbsp;Share Something Sweet with Kansans Since the Care &amp; Share program began in 2010, customers have donated more than 200,000 packages of cookies to members of the military and local charities. In 2024 alone, more than 8,000 packages were distributed to members of the Kansas community. Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland gives cookie customers the option of sharing the sweet treats with those in the healthcare industry, service men and women, their families and local charities like the Kansas Food Bank. Customers can simply purchase a package of cookies to donate and Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland handles the rest.&nbsp;Girl Scouts in grades K–12 can start their journey to fun, friendship and new experiences by joining the world's largest entrepreneurial organization for girls at any point in the year. Girls can join and adults can become a volunteer at www.kansasgirlscouts.org/join. About Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland serves more than 10,000 members in 80 Kansas counties through its operational headquarters in Wichita, Kan., and regional offices in Salina, Hays, and Garden City. Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts is the leading authority on girls’ healthy development and is the pre-eminent leadership development organization for girls. Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland kicks off Girl Scout cookie season 

Barton Community College has named 293 students to the President’s List for the fall 2024 semester. To qualify for this honor students must have been enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours and maintained a grade point average of 4.0 on a 4.0 or "A" letter scale.

Albert Kolton Maneth&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Alden Taylor Sheehy&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Andover Wyatt Huslig&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Cooper Tabor&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Auburn Braden Hauschel&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Augusta Morgan Stiller&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Basehor Maya Pequeno&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Belpre Brenda Visoso&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Burdett Sydney Stoll&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Cimarron Seth McGinnes&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Brian McGrew&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Nicholas Pfeifer&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Claflin Peyton Ryan&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mollie Steiner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Clay Center Audrey Reh&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Clearwater Ellie Weeks&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Clifton Nicole Doherty&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Colby Kamrynn Elling&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Columbus Madelyn Garcia&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Derby Chloe Enslinger&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ava Fink&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Dodge City Remmington Miller&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Dorrance Brady Mermis&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

El Dorado Jillian George&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Ellinwood Makayla Burton&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Olivia Herrman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Brooklin Morgan&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Haley Rugan&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Ellis Kaiden Colby&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jarret Mader&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Ellsworth Mitchell Ebihara&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Enterprise Skyler Fair&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kristi Franks&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Eureka Blake Rucker&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Fort Leavenworth Helen Adams&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jessica Apsley&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Anasia Bravo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Eunhye Chang&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Eva Clements&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jessica Gattermeyer&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Emily Kieser&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Yoonhee Kim&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lillian King&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Narangua Orgil&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kellen Ray&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mahala Thompson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Fort Riley&nbsp; Ciara Adamo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Nicole Baez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Clara Barbosa Hernandez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Christopher Boothe&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ruth Bravo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mariana Del Angel Mendoza&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Aaron Eierdam&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Damian Ellis&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kaitlin Gainer&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ludwine Gandonou&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Chol Gol&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Samuel Gonzalez-Lebron&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alexa Gutierrez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Carolin Jansen&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lindsey Krieger&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Xue Li&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Carlos Martinez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Amalia McGillen&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sabrina Miller&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Zohra Murtaza&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Agatha Nukui Reynolds&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sara Phelan&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Amanda Thomas&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Logan Turner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Gardner Corey Kelley-Manion&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Great Bend Selena Armstrong&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Clarissa Bashor&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Anna Campbell&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Xavier Carey&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kaden Deines&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Emilee Hall&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Avah Holden&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kadynce Jean&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Vada Kaiser&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Emily Kuykendall&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Breonna Landers&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Skyler McMullen&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Esten Moore&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Macy Nachtigal&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Rowan Orth-johnson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alexa Overman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Laura Patzner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Valeria Piedra&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kimberly Reyes Pilo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Maleigha Ribordy&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Charley Sander&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Cody Wells&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Karter Wolf&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Halstead Sandralyn Valliere&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Harveyville Halle Johnson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Hoisington Taelur Barnes&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Elliott Copp&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kiana Grandclair&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kevin Patterson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Hutchinson Kara Furrow&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Angel Morrow&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mya Thompson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Junction City Jadin Antillon&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Carl Baskerville&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sydney Cole&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lydia Corn&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; DaSia Cyphers&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jayden Erazo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Amanda Fielder&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Daniel Hernandez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ella Johnson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tessa Leon&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Grace Lichtensteiger&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Erik Mitchell&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Whitney Mortimer&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Derick Pellicotte&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kylee Pepin&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Marissa Perret&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jaylon Richard&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Faith Sattazahn&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Benjamine Sawaya&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lyndsey Stiltner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tristan Story&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Madyson Sutherlin&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Joseph Vaughn&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Zulady Velez Cruz&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alexis Wareman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; James Watiti&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Kanopolis Kylee Maddox&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Kansas City Scarlett Gonzales&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tisha Voigts&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lia Xiong&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

La Crosse Mariah Werth&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Lansing Kaelan Book&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Elizabeth Cook&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Larned Cagney Lemuz&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Deacon Martin&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Corbyn Nance&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Danial VanBebber&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alexandra Zook-Cochran&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Lawrence Samuel Bond&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Leavenworth Alieha Capleton&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Margaret Cargile&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Nathanael Hathaway&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sydney Hawkins&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Payton Hoisington&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Vojtech Jimenez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dalton Jorgensen&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Marcus Klingman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Breanna Patzwald&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jade Reilly&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mia Sanabria&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alika Schwartz&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Trinity Staton&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Little River Alaina Eck&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Manhattan Christopher Bradford&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Morgan Burks&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Destiny Conklin&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Emily Kipp&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jacob Lundberg&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Heather Manfredi&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Amanda Raymann&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jeremy Selonke&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Anna Teaney&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Madi Wood&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Mankato Lauren Whelchel&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

McPherson Jory Glendening&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Mission Hills Blakely Peavey&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Montezuma Tiffany Peters&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Norton David Porter&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Matthew Rushton&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Olathe Rose Clement&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Barrett Donaldson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Braxton Foster&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Hunter Houfek&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tyler Janssen&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Onaga Landon Koelling&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Ottawa Paige Hiracheta&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Russell Kelvie Reeves&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Madison Sohm&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

St. George Lia Wainwright&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

St. John Logan Sanders&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Angel Ibarra

Salina Meleia Ingram&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tierstyn Kershner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; David Mares&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Stafford Perla Lopez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Stockton Cecelia Barnard&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tierra Yohon&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Topeka Jose Guajardo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kiernan Meredith&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lilian Rinehart&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; David Walker&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kaleb Wellshear&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Valley Center Derek Truman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Victoria Brooklyn Nowak&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Wakefield Jacob Sharp&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Wamego Hayden Oviatt&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

White City Spencer Lewis&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Wichita Zoe Baker&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jessica Everitt&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Megan Khalidi&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Aubrey Pate&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Wilson Matthew Adams&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Calli Sheridan&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Military Stationed Overseas Jennifer Abell

Castroville, Calif.&nbsp; Mallory Fleming

Earlimart, Calif.&nbsp; Kevin Ramiscal

Oceanside, Calif.&nbsp; Erika Flaherty

Yorba Linda, Calif.&nbsp; Katrina Wynn

Clewiston, Fla. Alexis Franklin Denijah Rochester

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727893750528.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Barton Community College has named 293 students to the President’s List for the fall 2024 semester. To qualify for this honor students must have been enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours and maintained a grade point average of 4.0 on a 4.0 or "A" letter scale.Albert Kolton Maneth&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Alden Taylor Sheehy&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Andover Wyatt Huslig&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Cooper Tabor&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Auburn Braden Hauschel&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Augusta Morgan Stiller&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Basehor Maya Pequeno&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Belpre Brenda Visoso&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Burdett Sydney Stoll&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Bushton Zoe Wimmer&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Cimarron Seth McGinnes&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Brian McGrew&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Nicholas Pfeifer&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Claflin Peyton Ryan&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mollie Steiner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Clay Center Audrey Reh&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Clearwater Ellie Weeks&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Clifton Nicole Doherty&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Colby Kamrynn Elling&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Columbus Madelyn Garcia&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Derby Chloe Enslinger&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ava Fink&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Dodge City Remmington Miller&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Dorrance Brady Mermis&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;El Dorado Jillian George&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Ellinwood Makayla Burton&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Olivia Herrman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Brooklin Morgan&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Haley Rugan&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Ellis Kaiden Colby&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jarret Mader&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Ellsworth Mitchell Ebihara&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Enterprise Skyler Fair&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kristi Franks&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Eureka Blake Rucker&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Fort Leavenworth Helen Adams&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jessica Apsley&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Anasia Bravo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Eunhye Chang&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Eva Clements&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jessica Gattermeyer&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Emily Kieser&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Yoonhee Kim&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lillian King&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Narangua Orgil&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kellen Ray&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mahala Thompson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Fort Riley&nbsp; Ciara Adamo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Nicole Baez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Clara Barbosa Hernandez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Christopher Boothe&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ruth Bravo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mariana Del Angel Mendoza&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Aaron Eierdam&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Damian Ellis&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kaitlin Gainer&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ludwine Gandonou&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Chol Gol&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Samuel Gonzalez-Lebron&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alexa Gutierrez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Carolin Jansen&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lindsey Krieger&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Xue Li&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Carlos Martinez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Amalia McGillen&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sabrina Miller&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Zohra Murtaza&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Agatha Nukui Reynolds&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sara Phelan&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Amanda Thomas&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Logan Turner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Gardner Corey Kelley-Manion&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Great Bend Selena Armstrong&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Clarissa Bashor&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Anna Campbell&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Xavier Carey&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kaden Deines&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Emilee Hall&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Avah Holden&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kadynce Jean&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Vada Kaiser&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Emily Kuykendall&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Breonna Landers&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Skyler McMullen&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Esten Moore&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Macy Nachtigal&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Rowan Orth-johnson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alexa Overman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Laura Patzner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Valeria Piedra&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kimberly Reyes Pilo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Maleigha Ribordy&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Charley Sander&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Cody Wells&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Karter Wolf&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Halstead Sandralyn Valliere&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Harveyville Halle Johnson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Hays Justin Esner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Hoisington Taelur Barnes&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Elliott Copp&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kiana Grandclair&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kevin Patterson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Hutchinson Kara Furrow&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Angel Morrow&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mya Thompson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Junction City Jadin Antillon&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Carl Baskerville&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sydney Cole&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lydia Corn&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; DaSia Cyphers&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jayden Erazo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Amanda Fielder&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Daniel Hernandez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ella Johnson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tessa Leon&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Grace Lichtensteiger&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Erik Mitchell&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Whitney Mortimer&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Derick Pellicotte&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kylee Pepin&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Marissa Perret&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jaylon Richard&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Faith Sattazahn&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Benjamine Sawaya&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lyndsey Stiltner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tristan Story&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Madyson Sutherlin&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Joseph Vaughn&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Zulady Velez Cruz&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alexis Wareman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; James Watiti&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Kanopolis Kylee Maddox&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Kansas City Scarlett Gonzales&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tisha Voigts&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lia Xiong&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;La Crosse Mariah Werth&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Lansing Kaelan Book&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Elizabeth Cook&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Larned Cagney Lemuz&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Deacon Martin&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Corbyn Nance&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Danial VanBebber&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alexandra Zook-Cochran&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Lawrence Samuel Bond&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Leavenworth Alieha Capleton&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Margaret Cargile&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Nathanael Hathaway&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sydney Hawkins&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Payton Hoisington&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Vojtech Jimenez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dalton Jorgensen&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Marcus Klingman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Breanna Patzwald&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jade Reilly&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mia Sanabria&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alika Schwartz&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Trinity Staton&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Little River Alaina Eck&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Manhattan Christopher Bradford&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Morgan Burks&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Destiny Conklin&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Emily Kipp&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jacob Lundberg&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Heather Manfredi&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Amanda Raymann&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jeremy Selonke&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Anna Teaney&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Madi Wood&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Mankato Lauren Whelchel&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;McPherson Jory Glendening&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Mission Hills Blakely Peavey&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Montezuma Tiffany Peters&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Norton David Porter&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Matthew Rushton&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Olathe Rose Clement&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Barrett Donaldson&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Braxton Foster&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Hunter Houfek&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tyler Janssen&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Olsburg Trace Sump&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Onaga Landon Koelling&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Otis Chloe Schenk&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Ottawa Paige Hiracheta&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Parker Joanna Rolf&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Russell Kelvie Reeves&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Madison Sohm&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;St. George Lia Wainwright&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;St. John Logan Sanders&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Angel IbarraSalina Meleia Ingram&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tierstyn Kershner&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; David Mares&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Stafford Perla Lopez&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Stockton Cecelia Barnard&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tierra Yohon&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Topeka Jose Guajardo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kiernan Meredith&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lilian Rinehart&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; David Walker&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kaleb Wellshear&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Valley Center Derek Truman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Victoria Brooklyn Nowak&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Wakefield Jacob Sharp&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Wamego Hayden Oviatt&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;White City Spencer Lewis&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Wichita Zoe Baker&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jessica Everitt&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Megan Khalidi&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Aubrey Pate&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Wilson Matthew Adams&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Calli Sheridan&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Military Stationed Overseas Jennifer AbellJuneau, Alaska Heidi CopeMobile, Ala. Taylor SargentCastroville, Calif.&nbsp; Mallory FlemingEarlimart, Calif.&nbsp; Kevin RamiscalFairfield, Calif.&nbsp; Jason PinoMartinez, Calif.&nbsp; Lauren WittOceanside, Calif.&nbsp; Erika FlahertyStockton, Calif.&nbsp; Brian KellyTemecula, Calif.&nbsp; Michelle MalikYorba Linda, Calif.&nbsp; Katrina WynnAkron, Colo. Connor JesseBoulder, Colo.&nbsp; Samantha CentenoDenver, Colo. Kayla ChaffeyKiowa, Colo. Zadie MackeyLittleton, Colo. Cade KunzWashington, DC Elizabeth JohnsonClewiston, Fla. Alexis Franklin Denijah RochesterLongwood, Fla. Krishna PatelPalatka, Fla. Elizabeth HeironimusAtlanta, Ga. Kayla WargaDuluth, Ga. Madiha AhmedSandy Springs, Ga. Emerson LeeWahiawa, Hawaii Brooke HumphreysBoston, Mass.&nbsp; Charles BondhusHingham, Mass.&nbsp; Annelise HollandWinchester, Mass. Jamily DunfeeColumbia, Md. Bryan MaloneyHanover, Md. Brandon PembertonCaledonia, Mich. Juston LitsonLudington, Mich. Mrunali PatelNashville, Mich. Kristen BalkoFort Leonard Wood, Mo. Alan AmesWarrensburg, Mo. Abbigail KingWalnut Grove, Miss. April BelkWhite Sands Missile, N.M. Maria Garcia NavarroBronx, N.Y. Blessing Onoja-MitchellLong Beach, N.Y.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alyssa CrowleySalem, Ohio Megan RosseroNorman, Okla. Becky StoreyOwasso, Okla. Damita KennardVinita, Okla.&nbsp; Kenneth FerrisAudubon, Pa.&nbsp; Hima Bindu KanakamBreinigsville, Pa.&nbsp; Nisha NananiyaCedar Hill, Texas Mayah LevyGarland, Texas Joshua RodriguezNorth Richland Hills, Texas Kayla KennedySan Antonio, Texas Nicole WhiteTemple, Texas Andrea WilliamsWaco, Texas Clayton AyersSaint George, Utah Mahnoor KhaliqueFairfax, Va. Brandi HerringAustralia Hatice Nur Kahraman&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Brazil Gabriel Augusto Henrique&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lucas Dos Santos&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Hugo Pacheco&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Marcela Contes Tribst&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Joao Gabriel Dias Da Silva Ribeiro&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Eric Monnier&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Pedro Henrique Lyra Vieira&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Diego Trombelli Sano&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Bulgaria Emilia Andreeva Borissova&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Canada Ayden Hadley&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tracy Lombardo&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jack Thomas Jewell&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Cameron John Bergstrom&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ethan Minaker&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Dominican Republic Phoebe Reyes&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;France Melina Giraudeau&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Maxence Voinier&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Candice Emille Burnier&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Germany Nils Knecht&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Jamaica Asharria Shonta Ulett&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Japan Mio Tanaka&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Hayate Furumoto&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Mexico Layda Elena Lara Sandoval&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Montenegro Andjela Mrvaljevic&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Netherlands Kyra De Boer&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Swaziland Hayden Loffler&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Switzerland Jasmin Siegenthaler&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;United Kingdom Katie Leah Potter&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Barton CC students named to President’s List for fall 2024

The Barton Community College basketball teams play at home against Dodge City on Saturday, Feb. 15.

You can listen to the broadcast on 104.3 FM or online by clicking <a href="https://b1043.net/">HERE</a>.

The women's game in Great Bend begins at 5:30 p.m. with the men's game to follow at 7:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604702295823.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The Barton Community College basketball teams play at home against Dodge City on Saturday, Feb. 15.You can listen to the broadcast on 104.3 FM or online by clicking <a href="https://b1043.net/">HERE</a>.The women's game in Great Bend begins at 5:30 p.m. with the men's game to follow at 7:30 p.m.

🎧Listen LIVE: Barton 🏀 vs. Dodge City

As I write, the Kansas House Committee on Judiciary is about to hear&nbsp;HB 2348, which would eliminate tenure at higher education institutions governed by the State of Kansas.&nbsp; The bill emerged from a legal dispute between certain faculty members and administrators at Emporia State, yet its consequences would reverberate far beyond that.

Ending academic tenure would lead to a brain drain, with high-achieving professors leaving for other states or private universities that still recognize tenure, potentially costing Kansas hundreds of millions of dollars in grants, gifts, and other external funding.&nbsp; No institution would be immune, but the University of Kansas (including KU Medical Center) and K-State would be particularly hard hit.&nbsp; This is exactly why attempts to abolish tenure have been&nbsp;rejected by conservative Republicans in Texas.&nbsp;

Many believe that tenured professors cannot be fired, but this is false.&nbsp; University policies make clear the expectations held toward faculty, who can be dismissed for breaking the law, violating university policy, or chronic low performance&nbsp;regardless&nbsp;of tenure.&nbsp; Tenured faculty cannot be dismissed without cause, but procedures can and do exist to remove them&nbsp;for&nbsp;cause, and these are indeed used when necessary.

Another common misconception is that tenured faculty cannot be laid off in the event of a university downsizing.&nbsp; This is also false.&nbsp; University policy manuals make clear the procedures for suspending or terminating programs.&nbsp; If necessary, faculty whose employment is connected to eliminated programs can be dismissed, even if they have tenure.&nbsp; Granted, these procedures typically call for tenured faculty to be reassigned to other courses or programs rather than being dismissed, if possible.&nbsp; But, if no option for reassignment is feasible, tenured faculty can and have been dismissed despite good work performance, when their programs are ended.&nbsp;&nbsp;

An excellent case in point&nbsp;happened a few years ago at Missouri Western State University.&nbsp; In 2020, Missouri Western’s administrators were forced to make painful, even devastating budget cuts in response to declines in both enrollments and state support.&nbsp; Throughout the process, administrators communicated with faculty, students, and the community about the criteria being used to make these tough decisions.&nbsp; They partnered with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in order to insure that the core values of academic freedom and shared governance were upheld throughout the process.

If tenure does not grant absolute job security, then why do we have it?&nbsp;&nbsp;The answer&nbsp;is this:&nbsp;&nbsp;under no circumstances are tenured professors to be removed from their jobs due to the arbitrary decisions of administrators, or pressure from politicians.&nbsp; As an example, consider&nbsp;University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax, who supports President Trump and has outspoken, conservative views on race and gender.&nbsp; Penn administrators have tried to fire Wax, but they have been blocked by tenure.&nbsp; Even the efforts they have made to sanction Wax without firing her have been opposed by nonpartisan free speech groups such as Freedom and Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), who have fought for Wax and her tenure just as they would for any professor being targeted due to their controversial, outspoken viewpoints, be they left, right, or center.

Tenure protects academic freedom.&nbsp; It does not confer a lifetime job.&nbsp; In today’s divided political climate, it is just as vital as ever to uphold tenure and the principles of academic freedom, shared governance, and free inquiry that it protects.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698326876404.png" alt="written by: Michael A. Smith, professor of political science at Emporia State University" />
 <figcaption>written by: Michael A. Smith, professor of political science at Emporia State University</figcaption>
 </figure>As I write, the Kansas House Committee on Judiciary is about to hear&nbsp;HB 2348, which would eliminate tenure at higher education institutions governed by the State of Kansas.&nbsp; The bill emerged from a legal dispute between certain faculty members and administrators at Emporia State, yet its consequences would reverberate far beyond that.Ending academic tenure would lead to a brain drain, with high-achieving professors leaving for other states or private universities that still recognize tenure, potentially costing Kansas hundreds of millions of dollars in grants, gifts, and other external funding.&nbsp; No institution would be immune, but the University of Kansas (including KU Medical Center) and K-State would be particularly hard hit.&nbsp; This is exactly why attempts to abolish tenure have been&nbsp;rejected by conservative Republicans in Texas.&nbsp;Many believe that tenured professors cannot be fired, but this is false.&nbsp; University policies make clear the expectations held toward faculty, who can be dismissed for breaking the law, violating university policy, or chronic low performance&nbsp;regardless&nbsp;of tenure.&nbsp; Tenured faculty cannot be dismissed without cause, but procedures can and do exist to remove them&nbsp;for&nbsp;cause, and these are indeed used when necessary.Another common misconception is that tenured faculty cannot be laid off in the event of a university downsizing.&nbsp; This is also false.&nbsp; University policy manuals make clear the procedures for suspending or terminating programs.&nbsp; If necessary, faculty whose employment is connected to eliminated programs can be dismissed, even if they have tenure.&nbsp; Granted, these procedures typically call for tenured faculty to be reassigned to other courses or programs rather than being dismissed, if possible.&nbsp; But, if no option for reassignment is feasible, tenured faculty can and have been dismissed despite good work performance, when their programs are ended.&nbsp;&nbsp;An excellent case in point&nbsp;happened a few years ago at Missouri Western State University.&nbsp; In 2020, Missouri Western’s administrators were forced to make painful, even devastating budget cuts in response to declines in both enrollments and state support.&nbsp; Throughout the process, administrators communicated with faculty, students, and the community about the criteria being used to make these tough decisions.&nbsp; They partnered with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in order to insure that the core values of academic freedom and shared governance were upheld throughout the process.If tenure does not grant absolute job security, then why do we have it?&nbsp;&nbsp;The answer&nbsp;is this:&nbsp;&nbsp;under no circumstances are tenured professors to be removed from their jobs due to the arbitrary decisions of administrators, or pressure from politicians.&nbsp; As an example, consider&nbsp;University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax, who supports President Trump and has outspoken, conservative views on race and gender.&nbsp; Penn administrators have tried to fire Wax, but they have been blocked by tenure.&nbsp; Even the efforts they have made to sanction Wax without firing her have been opposed by nonpartisan free speech groups such as Freedom and Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), who have fought for Wax and her tenure just as they would for any professor being targeted due to their controversial, outspoken viewpoints, be they left, right, or center.Tenure protects academic freedom.&nbsp; It does not confer a lifetime job.&nbsp; In today’s divided political climate, it is just as vital as ever to uphold tenure and the principles of academic freedom, shared governance, and free inquiry that it protects.

Insight Kansas: Tenure protects academic freedom

It’s a two-minute recap of the headlines that broke this past week in the Golden Belt. For the full stories, click the links below.

<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/dc755ec1-e466-418d-b022-c6e2db35bbeb">City of Great Bend declines county request to use briner on icy NE 30 Road</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739569576416.png" alt="Barton County officials were denied a request to the City of Great Bend to brine Northeast 30 Road, or JUCO Road, during inclement weather." />
 <figcaption>Barton County officials were denied a request to the City of Great Bend to brine Northeast 30 Road, or JUCO Road, during inclement weather.</figcaption>
 </figure>It’s a two-minute recap of the headlines that broke this past week in the Golden Belt. For the full stories, click the links below.<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/t5no1dma/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/dc755ec1-e466-418d-b022-c6e2db35bbeb">City of Great Bend declines county request to use briner on icy NE 30 Road</a><a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/c7e4dda9-dbe0-4762-9d3b-8f3f155e599d">Conversation for USD 355 includes changes to school week in Ellinwood</a><a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/43ae7951-11ca-423f-89ad-2ea79daa0075">Barton Co. Commission confirms changes to economic development funding</a>

Local