By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The biggest party of the summer will soon be in full swing. The 50th Annual Ellinwood After Harvest Festival kicked off Thursday. The three-day event will feature live music each night. After Harvest Festival Committee Member Danielle French helped bring in The Other Guys for Saturday's street dance.

"They had played at the Kansas State Fair last year and won second place for the Battle of the Bands," French said. "They're all based out of Kingman. They've been together for about two and a half years. They're all the original members. They play classic rock, a little bit of country, 90s alternative radio. They've got about 100 songs in their repertoire."

Rice County Line plays Thursday night at American Legion Post 320 in Ellinwood. Admission is free for that show that begins at 9 p.m. The entertainment moves to 1st and Main Street in downtown Ellinwood for the Abilene-based Lazy Wayne Band playing red-dirt country music at 8 p.m. Friday. That event is sponsored by Kansas Sidewinders MC so there is no admission. The Other Guys take the stage at 9 p.m. Saturday night at 1st and Main. Admission is $5 cash only, and no coolers or outside alcoholic beverages will be allowed. A beer tent will be located on the brick streets of downtown Ellinwood.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689181409902.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe biggest party of the summer will soon be in full swing. The 50th Annual Ellinwood After Harvest Festival kicked off Thursday. The three-day event will feature live music each night. After Harvest Festival Committee Member Danielle French helped bring in The Other Guys for Saturday's street dance."They had played at the Kansas State Fair last year and won second place for the Battle of the Bands," French said. "They're all based out of Kingman. They've been together for about two and a half years. They're all the original members. They play classic rock, a little bit of country, 90s alternative radio. They've got about 100 songs in their repertoire."Rice County Line plays Thursday night at American Legion Post 320 in Ellinwood. Admission is free for that show that begins at 9 p.m. The entertainment moves to 1st and Main Street in downtown Ellinwood for the Abilene-based Lazy Wayne Band playing red-dirt country music at 8 p.m. Friday. That event is sponsored by Kansas Sidewinders MC so there is no admission. The Other Guys take the stage at 9 p.m. Saturday night at 1st and Main. Admission is $5 cash only, and no coolers or outside alcoholic beverages will be allowed. A beer tent will be located on the brick streets of downtown Ellinwood.

Kansas State Fair Battle of the Bands runner-up to play in Ellinwood

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. East wind 7 to 14 mph.

Tonight A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. East wind 7 to 13 mph.

Friday A 40-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Northeast wind 6 to 14 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Friday Night A 40-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Northeast wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. North wind 7 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.

Sunday Sunny, with a high near 90.

Sunday Night A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8 p.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 67.

Monday A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8 a.m. Sunny, with a high near 90.

Monday Night A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 96.

Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.

Wednesday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 98.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. East wind 7 to 14 mph.Tonight A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. East wind 7 to 13 mph.Friday A 40-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Northeast wind 6 to 14 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.Friday Night A 40-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Northeast wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. North wind 7 to 10 mph.Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.Sunday Sunny, with a high near 90.Sunday Night A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8 p.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 67.Monday A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8 a.m. Sunny, with a high near 90.Monday Night A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Chance of precipitation is 20%.Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 96.Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.Wednesday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 98.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Thursday's weather

KIOWA COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Kiowa County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Mercedes C300 driven by&nbsp;&nbsp;Angela D. Carroll, 54, Chandler, Oklahoma, was northbound on 11th Avenue at U.S. 54.&nbsp;

The car crossed the railroad tracks and a train struck the vehicle.

EMS transported Carroll and a passenger identified as Christian T. Norris, 28, Edmond, Oklahoma, to the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg where Norris was pronounced deceased. Both were properly restrained, according to the KHP. One juvenile was present in the car; juvenile record is protected data.

KIOWA COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Kiowa County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Mercedes C300 driven by&nbsp;&nbsp;Angela D. Carroll, 54, Chandler, Oklahoma, was northbound on 11th Avenue at U.S. 54.&nbsp;The car crossed the railroad tracks and a train struck the vehicle.EMS transported Carroll and a passenger identified as Christian T. Norris, 28, Edmond, Oklahoma, to the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg where Norris was pronounced deceased. Both were properly restrained, according to the KHP. One juvenile was present in the car; juvenile record is protected data.

Man dies, woman injured after car, train crash in Kiowa Co.

The owners of RePerks, 1216 Main in Great Bend, are taking the opportunity to “fill the void” left by the closing of the local KFC restaurant.

RePerks now offers buckets of chicken for small and large groups, along with 2-piece, 8-piece and 15-piece meals with a variety of side dishes.

“Since the Colonel left town, we are trying to step into his shoes,” said Rick Riggs. “We see this as an opportunity to enhance our services.

“We serve chicken here at RePerks and at our Tellers 1872 restaurant buffet every day,” he added. “And the one thing we have learned is people around here really like their chicken.”

Side dishes include mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, fiesta corn, green beans, French fries, coleslaw, green salad, baked beans, potato salad and macaroni salad.

Riggs noted that RePerks hours have been expanded too. It is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The number is 620-786-2334.

“We really appreciate this great community’s support,” Riggs commented. “We recently reached a RePerks milestone on Facebook and now have 4,000 followers. With our expanded chicken service, we hope that number goes even higher.”

Riggs and Dennis Crouse also co-own Tellers 1872, which is next to RePerks in the Zarah Building at Lakin and Main; its address is 1919 Lakin. Tellers 1872 is in the process of securing a liquor license but for now, customers may bring their own spirits to dinner.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689197006728.jpeg" alt="Braylin Bretz, staff member, helps promote additions to the menu at RePerks. The coffee house/restaurant now offers chicken by the bucket and as meals with side dishes." />
 <figcaption>Braylin Bretz, staff member, helps promote additions to the menu at RePerks. The coffee house/restaurant now offers chicken by the bucket and as meals with side dishes.</figcaption>
 </figure>BUSINESS NEWSThe owners of RePerks, 1216 Main in Great Bend, are taking the opportunity to “fill the void” left by the closing of the local KFC restaurant.RePerks now offers buckets of chicken for small and large groups, along with 2-piece, 8-piece and 15-piece meals with a variety of side dishes.“Since the Colonel left town, we are trying to step into his shoes,” said Rick Riggs. “We see this as an opportunity to enhance our services.“We serve chicken here at RePerks and at our Tellers 1872 restaurant buffet every day,” he added. “And the one thing we have learned is people around here really like their chicken.”Side dishes include mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, fiesta corn, green beans, French fries, coleslaw, green salad, baked beans, potato salad and macaroni salad.Riggs noted that RePerks hours have been expanded too. It is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The number is 620-786-2334.“We really appreciate this great community’s support,” Riggs commented. “We recently reached a RePerks milestone on Facebook and now have 4,000 followers. With our expanded chicken service, we hope that number goes even higher.”Riggs and Dennis Crouse also co-own Tellers 1872, which is next to RePerks in the Zarah Building at Lakin and Main; its address is 1919 Lakin. Tellers 1872 is in the process of securing a liquor license but for now, customers may bring their own spirits to dinner.

RePerks now offers chicken by the bucket with KFC's closing

If your doctor gave you a prescription for exercise, would you follow it? Exercise is like medicine for many reasons. Obviously, physical activity strengthens muscles, and it also prevents blood vessels from getting damaged and clogged. In turn, this helps prevent heart attacks, strokes, and even some types of dementia. In fact, regular exercise can be as good as medication at preventing diabetes and heart disease in at-risk people. And, it is even more effective than drugs for stroke recovery. You can realize both immediate and long-term benefits from physical activity. Some immediate benefits include:

So, where do you begin? The first step in this change process: Be aware that you don’t have to make lots of changes in physical activity all at once. That can lead to feeling overwhelmed. Instead, start by improving just one or two of your lifestyle choices. You might begin to walk during part of your lunch hour, park a little farther away at the store, or try a standing desk. Nudge yourself with one small habit at a time, and you can reap the rewards of a healthier lifestyle over time.

Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu. K-State Research &amp; Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687379815245.png" alt="written by: Karissa Winkel - Cottonwood Extension District" />
 <figcaption>written by: Karissa Winkel - Cottonwood Extension District</figcaption>
 </figure>If your doctor gave you a prescription for exercise, would you follow it? Exercise is like medicine for many reasons. Obviously, physical activity strengthens muscles, and it also prevents blood vessels from getting damaged and clogged. In turn, this helps prevent heart attacks, strokes, and even some types of dementia. In fact, regular exercise can be as good as medication at preventing diabetes and heart disease in at-risk people. And, it is even more effective than drugs for stroke recovery. You can realize both immediate and long-term benefits from physical activity. Some immediate benefits include:· better mood· improved memory· reduced fatigue· reduced anxiety and depressionSo, where do you begin? The first step in this change process: Be aware that you don’t have to make lots of changes in physical activity all at once. That can lead to feeling overwhelmed. Instead, start by improving just one or two of your lifestyle choices. You might begin to walk during part of your lunch hour, park a little farther away at the store, or try a standing desk. Nudge yourself with one small habit at a time, and you can reap the rewards of a healthier lifestyle over time.Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu. K-State Research &amp; Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

WINKEL: Small changes = big rewards

(SPONSORED) Great Bend Summer Street Stroll

When a 17-year-old Barton County girl was pulled over by police for a routine traffic stop, the officer found a small amount of marijuana. The next thing she knew she was a client at Juvenile Services (JS).

“When I look back, I am glad I got caught,” the teenager said. “I would have kept going down the same path.”

Her path is different today, in part, because of the JS program called Life Skills Academy, which offers a course called Survival English: Writing for the Workplace. Overall, the Academy focuses on general life skills, financial know-how and employment advice.

“I found out about Survival English through Juvenile Services,” the high school graduate recalled. “It was a really good class, it really was. For example, it helped me with essays in school and job applications.” She emphasized that a lot of the credit for her success goes to Jack Bowman, JS program advocate, and Justin Brown, the class instructor.

“Jack is a sweet dude,” she said. “I was having a hard day one time and he sat down and listened to me. And Justin was great in class. We could ask anything; he told us no question is stupid.

“I would recommend this class to any teenager that is struggling like I was struggling,” she added.

The next step in her education is to become a certified medication aide.

Brown, who taught English in Guatemala City for nine years, is an English instructor at Barton Community College. He volunteered his time to Life Skills Academy to teach Survival English and will do it again.

“I learned about the program early this year and thought about it,” Brown recalled. “I had some problems when I was young and want to help kids with juvenile issues and perform a community service at the same time.

“A lot of kids just need to know that you care. They need encouragement to understand that ‘yes, I can do this.’ We built a rapport and could joke around a little bit.”

Brown acknowledged that he “didn’t know what to expect at first but quickly learned that my students were good kids capable of doing the work in class. I didn’t have to go back and teach basic grammar.”

The class that ended in June was held on four consecutive Thursdays; each lasted two hours. Brown said the next sessions will be one hour each during one week – Monday through Friday.

“We learned that two hours at a time might be too much,” Brown explained. “One hour is better for our attention spans.”

The topics are job applications, resumes and cover letters. The next session also will include scholarship applications.

“This is a great life-skills program,” Brown commented. “I encourage others to volunteer to teach a course in their profession. It might be intimidating at first but these are good kids, nice kids.

“And the more people who volunteer, the more choices the program can offer.”

For more information, contact Jack Bowman by calling 620-793-1930.

20th Judicial District Juvenile Services empowers youth in Barton, Rice, Ellsworth, Stafford and Russell counties to achieve positive outcomes by offering Juvenile Intake &amp; Assessment, Immediate Intervention, Intensive Supervised Probation, Case Management, Journey to Change, Life Skills, All Stars and Youth Crew. Parents and guardians also are offered The Parent Project. Visit 1800 12th in Great Bend or call 620-793-1930.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689101669366.jpeg" alt="Justin Brown, Barton Community College English instructor, volunteered his time to teach a course at Juvenile Services’ Life Skills Academy. More volunteers are needed." />
 <figcaption>Justin Brown, Barton Community College English instructor, volunteered his time to teach a course at Juvenile Services’ Life Skills Academy. More volunteers are needed.</figcaption>
 </figure>When a 17-year-old Barton County girl was pulled over by police for a routine traffic stop, the officer found a small amount of marijuana. The next thing she knew she was a client at Juvenile Services (JS).“When I look back, I am glad I got caught,” the teenager said. “I would have kept going down the same path.”Her path is different today, in part, because of the JS program called Life Skills Academy, which offers a course called Survival English: Writing for the Workplace. Overall, the Academy focuses on general life skills, financial know-how and employment advice.“I found out about Survival English through Juvenile Services,” the high school graduate recalled. “It was a really good class, it really was. For example, it helped me with essays in school and job applications.” She emphasized that a lot of the credit for her success goes to Jack Bowman, JS program advocate, and Justin Brown, the class instructor.“Jack is a sweet dude,” she said. “I was having a hard day one time and he sat down and listened to me. And Justin was great in class. We could ask anything; he told us no question is stupid.“I would recommend this class to any teenager that is struggling like I was struggling,” she added.The next step in her education is to become a certified medication aide.Brown, who taught English in Guatemala City for nine years, is an English instructor at Barton Community College. He volunteered his time to Life Skills Academy to teach Survival English and will do it again.“I learned about the program early this year and thought about it,” Brown recalled. “I had some problems when I was young and want to help kids with juvenile issues and perform a community service at the same time.“A lot of kids just need to know that you care. They need encouragement to understand that ‘yes, I can do this.’ We built a rapport and could joke around a little bit.”Brown acknowledged that he “didn’t know what to expect at first but quickly learned that my students were good kids capable of doing the work in class. I didn’t have to go back and teach basic grammar.”The class that ended in June was held on four consecutive Thursdays; each lasted two hours. Brown said the next sessions will be one hour each during one week – Monday through Friday.“We learned that two hours at a time might be too much,” Brown explained. “One hour is better for our attention spans.”The topics are job applications, resumes and cover letters. The next session also will include scholarship applications.“This is a great life-skills program,” Brown commented. “I encourage others to volunteer to teach a course in their profession. It might be intimidating at first but these are good kids, nice kids.“And the more people who volunteer, the more choices the program can offer.”For more information, contact Jack Bowman by calling 620-793-1930.20th Judicial District Juvenile Services empowers youth in Barton, Rice, Ellsworth, Stafford and Russell counties to achieve positive outcomes by offering Juvenile Intake &amp; Assessment, Immediate Intervention, Intensive Supervised Probation, Case Management, Journey to Change, Life Skills, All Stars and Youth Crew. Parents and guardians also are offered The Parent Project. Visit 1800 12th in Great Bend or call 620-793-1930.

Barton Co. teenager shares info about Juvenile Services’ academy

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

Those were two words of how Barton Community College
Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs described the meaning behind the college’s
athletic department finishing in the top three of the NATYCAA Daktronics Cup
standings. NATYCAA stands for National Alliance of Two Year College Athletics
Administrators and they judge all the junior colleges across the country based
on how their teams finish at national competitions. 

Finishing third in the
country, Rolfs commended his staff for creating a department with overall success. "Some colleges hang their hat on a football program," said Rolfs. "They have a few other sports, but as long as their football team wins, or maybe it's basketball. Certainly, track and field has led the way for us when it comes to scoring and national championships, but I think we had 11 of our 22 programs who were ranked in the top 10 this last year nationally. That's incredible." 
Each college is allowed to score points from their top-five programs, per
gender, at their national championships. The champion in each sport is given 20
points, second place awarded 19 points, and so forth.

David Schenek just
completed his 16th year as Barton’s head track and field coach. The multi-national-champion winner spoke to the pride of the Cougars’ athletic department. "It just shows what everyone here is trying to do," said Schenek. "It's not easy. I love being part of an incredible athletic program altogether. It only helps in recruiting but it also creates an atmosphere where everyone is competing to do the same thing you're doing. I think there are a lot of young coaches that are working hard to do those same things and give opportunities to young people." 
2023 marked the sixth straight year that Barton has finished among the top
three of the annual NATYCAA Cup standings.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Daktronics Cup Standings (NJCAA Scholarship Division Top-10) 1. Iowa Western CC, 175 points 2. Iowa Central CC, 165 3. Barton CC, 161.50 4. New Mexico JC, 139.50 5. Cowley College, 136.50 6. Indian Hills CC, 110 7. Salt Lake CC, 107.50 8. Mesa CC, 104.50 9. Heartland CC, 98 10. Jones County CC, 93.50&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689182779794.jpeg" alt="Barton Community College Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs holding the NATYCAA Cup trophy after the Cougars finished with the nation's 3rd best overall athletic department success in the 2022-2023 school year." />
 <figcaption>Barton Community College Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs holding the NATYCAA Cup trophy after the Cougars finished with the nation's 3rd best overall athletic department success in the 2022-2023 school year.</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostCulture. Tradition. Those were two words of how Barton Community College
Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs described the meaning behind the college’s
athletic department finishing in the top three of the NATYCAA Daktronics Cup
standings. NATYCAA stands for National Alliance of Two Year College Athletics
Administrators and they judge all the junior colleges across the country based
on how their teams finish at national competitions. Finishing third in the
country, Rolfs commended his staff for creating a department with overall success. "Some colleges hang their hat on a football program," said Rolfs. "They have a few other sports, but as long as their football team wins, or maybe it's basketball. Certainly, track and field has led the way for us when it comes to scoring and national championships, but I think we had 11 of our 22 programs who were ranked in the top 10 this last year nationally. That's incredible." 
Each college is allowed to score points from their top-five programs, per
gender, at their national championships. The champion in each sport is given 20
points, second place awarded 19 points, and so forth. David Schenek just
completed his 16th year as Barton’s head track and field coach. The multi-national-champion winner spoke to the pride of the Cougars’ athletic department. "It just shows what everyone here is trying to do," said Schenek. "It's not easy. I love being part of an incredible athletic program altogether. It only helps in recruiting but it also creates an atmosphere where everyone is competing to do the same thing you're doing. I think there are a lot of young coaches that are working hard to do those same things and give opportunities to young people." 
2023 marked the sixth straight year that Barton has finished among the top
three of the annual NATYCAA Cup standings.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Daktronics Cup Standings (NJCAA Scholarship Division Top-10) 1. Iowa Western CC, 175 points 2. Iowa Central CC, 165 3. Barton CC, 161.50 4. New Mexico JC, 139.50 5. Cowley College, 136.50 6. Indian Hills CC, 110 7. Salt Lake CC, 107.50 8. Mesa CC, 104.50 9. Heartland CC, 98 10. Jones County CC, 93.50&nbsp;&nbsp;

Barton with the nation's 3rd best overall Athletic Dept.

A somewhat unexpected expense was presented to the Great Bend City
Council Monday night during their budget session. An $8.8 million project to
build a new police station and municipal court is nearing completion. Once the
construction is finished, who is going to keep the building clean? 

To account
for cleaning the Justice Center being built at the intersection of 12th
Street and Baker Avenue, the City of Great Bend has added money for a custodian
to clean the approximately 20,000 square-foot facility. City Administrator
Brandon Anderson said the city is budgeting $55,000 for salary and benefits for
a fulltime custodian. "I think we're budgeting for a worst case scenario," said Anderson. "We're jumping into an ocean that we don't know exactly what we're dealing with right now. The plan within this budget is to plan for the fulltime position. If we don't end up needing it, that's a plus." 
The Justice Center will be used 24 hours a day and will hold court on Monday
and Thursday. The custodian will be under the direction of Police Chief Steve
Haulmark and will be trained by Claudia, the current custodian. Claudia cleans
City Hall, the Front Door and the current police station. 
The city council will take a tour of the new Justice Center July 17 to get a better feel for the needs and size of the facility.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687276320849.jpeg" alt="The new Justice Center in Great Bend is expected to be finished in September." />
 <figcaption>The new Justice Center in Great Bend is expected to be finished in September.</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostA somewhat unexpected expense was presented to the Great Bend City
Council Monday night during their budget session. An $8.8 million project to
build a new police station and municipal court is nearing completion. Once the
construction is finished, who is going to keep the building clean? To account
for cleaning the Justice Center being built at the intersection of 12th
Street and Baker Avenue, the City of Great Bend has added money for a custodian
to clean the approximately 20,000 square-foot facility. City Administrator
Brandon Anderson said the city is budgeting $55,000 for salary and benefits for
a fulltime custodian. "I think we're budgeting for a worst case scenario," said Anderson. "We're jumping into an ocean that we don't know exactly what we're dealing with right now. The plan within this budget is to plan for the fulltime position. If we don't end up needing it, that's a plus." 
The Justice Center will be used 24 hours a day and will hold court on Monday
and Thursday. The custodian will be under the direction of Police Chief Steve
Haulmark and will be trained by Claudia, the current custodian. Claudia cleans
City Hall, the Front Door and the current police station. 
The city council will take a tour of the new Justice Center July 17 to get a better feel for the needs and size of the facility.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Additional job to keep $8.8 million Great Bend police station clean

A $10 million project on a section of highway previously designated as K-14 in Reno and Rice counties is expected to begin Thursday, July 20. This 17-mile section, of what had been K-14, was replaced last month by a new K-14 alignment. The Kansas Department of Transportation project includes about a 12-mile section of highway in Reno County, from about 4.5 miles southeast of Nickerson to the Reno/Rice county line. The work will include a mill and hot-mix-asphalt overlay and bridge repair. This part of the contract amounts to about $4.6 million. The project also includes about a 5-mile section of highway in Rice County, from the Reno/Rice county line to 1,370 feet north of Avenue U. The work will include grading and bridge repair and surfacing. This part of the contract amounts to about $5.4 million. During the initial bridge work in both counties, traffic will be reduced to one lane at the Arkansas River bridge south of Sterling and at the Arkansas River bridge west of Nickerson. Traffic in these areas will be controlled by temporary signals, so motorists should be prepared to stop. Motorists also will be directed to drive at a reduced speed – 45 mph -- through the work zone. Motorists will face mostly minimal delays. The work in both counties will be done in stages, with bridge repair first, followed by pavement work in 2024. The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024. The map below shows the approximate location of the project. APAC Kansas Inc., Shears Division, of Hutchinson, is the primary contractor. For updated information on other KDOT highway projects and road conditions across the state, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kandrive.org/" target="_blank">www.kandrive.org</a>.

A $10 million project on a section of highway previously designated as K-14 in Reno and Rice counties is expected to begin Thursday, July 20. This 17-mile section, of what had been K-14, was replaced last month by a new K-14 alignment. The Kansas Department of Transportation project includes about a 12-mile section of highway in Reno County, from about 4.5 miles southeast of Nickerson to the Reno/Rice county line. The work will include a mill and hot-mix-asphalt overlay and bridge repair. This part of the contract amounts to about $4.6 million. The project also includes about a 5-mile section of highway in Rice County, from the Reno/Rice county line to 1,370 feet north of Avenue U. The work will include grading and bridge repair and surfacing. This part of the contract amounts to about $5.4 million. During the initial bridge work in both counties, traffic will be reduced to one lane at the Arkansas River bridge south of Sterling and at the Arkansas River bridge west of Nickerson. Traffic in these areas will be controlled by temporary signals, so motorists should be prepared to stop. Motorists also will be directed to drive at a reduced speed – 45 mph -- through the work zone. Motorists will face mostly minimal delays. The work in both counties will be done in stages, with bridge repair first, followed by pavement work in 2024. The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024. The map below shows the approximate location of the project. APAC Kansas Inc., Shears Division, of Hutchinson, is the primary contractor. For updated information on other KDOT highway projects and road conditions across the state, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kandrive.org/" target="_blank">www.kandrive.org</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689081892694.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

New K-14 alignment in Rice & Reno counties

The Kansas State Legislature has tried to increase tax transparency in recent years with revenue-neutral rate laws. Any taxing entity that will collect more tax dollars than in the previous year must announce that intent to the public. The USD 428 Great Bend Board of Education Monday night agreed it will proceed on its budget plan with the intent of exceeding revenue neutral. Superintendent Khris Thexton said most districts in Kansas will do the same.

"I get what they're saying," he said. "Your assessed valuation goes up. You did fine with the money you had this year. You can continue that on. But that's one of those, goods and services don't get cheaper. You've got to grow your salaries and you've got to take care of your facilities."

Property valuations soared across Kansas last year. In Barton County, valuation increased from $172 million in 2022 to an expected $193 million for 2023. To remain revenue neutral, USD 428 would have to decrease its mil levy from 41.595 to 36.72. That would include dropping the general fund levy from 20 mils to 17.65 mils though state statute sets the levy at 20 mils. Thexton said giving the county clerk notice to exceed revenue neutral will give the district more time to finalize a budget.

"If nothing else, we set it high," he said. "That way we give ourselves a cushion and it also allows us to turn our budget in in September versus August."

USD 428 will approve a notice to approve the 2024 budget at its Aug. 11 meeting, then approve the budget at the Sept. 11 meeting. The final budget must be turned into the county clerk's office by Sept. 20.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594825194804.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe Kansas State Legislature has tried to increase tax transparency in recent years with revenue-neutral rate laws. Any taxing entity that will collect more tax dollars than in the previous year must announce that intent to the public. The USD 428 Great Bend Board of Education Monday night agreed it will proceed on its budget plan with the intent of exceeding revenue neutral. Superintendent Khris Thexton said most districts in Kansas will do the same."I get what they're saying," he said. "Your assessed valuation goes up. You did fine with the money you had this year. You can continue that on. But that's one of those, goods and services don't get cheaper. You've got to grow your salaries and you've got to take care of your facilities."Property valuations soared across Kansas last year. In Barton County, valuation increased from $172 million in 2022 to an expected $193 million for 2023. To remain revenue neutral, USD 428 would have to decrease its mil levy from 41.595 to 36.72. That would include dropping the general fund levy from 20 mils to 17.65 mils though state statute sets the levy at 20 mils. Thexton said giving the county clerk notice to exceed revenue neutral will give the district more time to finalize a budget."If nothing else, we set it high," he said. "That way we give ourselves a cushion and it also allows us to turn our budget in in September versus August."USD 428 will approve a notice to approve the 2024 budget at its Aug. 11 meeting, then approve the budget at the Sept. 11 meeting. The final budget must be turned into the county clerk's office by Sept. 20.

Great Bend, other school districts likely to exceed revenue neutral

Barton County Sheriff’s
Office incident log (7/11) 
 
Non-Injury Accident 
 
At 9 a.m. an accident was reported at NE 160 Road &amp; NE 150 Avenue. 
 
Driving / Driver Complaint 
 
At 2:52 p.m. a driving complaint was reported in the 1300 block of NW K-96
Highway in Albert. 
 
At 6:28 p.m. a driving complaint was reported at 612 Windmill Ln. 
 
Non-Injury Accident 
 
At 10:04 p.m. an accident was reported at W. US 56 Highway &amp; SW 56 Avenue. 
 
Great Bend Police Department incident
log (7/11) 
 
Heart Problems 
 
At 6:48 a.m. ambulance assistance was needed at 6017 Hemlock Dr. 
 
Parking Complaint 
 
At 9:12 a.m. a parking complaint was reported at 5504 Broadway. 
 
Threats / Criminal Threats 
 
At 12:33 p.m. threats were reported at 2545 16th Street. 
 
Theft 
 
At 1:25 p.m. a possible theft was reported at 1107 10th Street. No
theft. 
 
Burglary / Not in Progress 
 
At 1:30 p.m. a burglary and theft was reported at 705 Williams. 
 
Back Pain 
 
At 3:55 p.m. ambulance assistance was needed at 1116 9th Street. 
 
Structure Fire 
 
At 4:08 p.m. an alarm was reported at 625 10th Street. 
 
Burglary / Not in Progress 
 
At 4:40 p.m. a theft was reported at 1401 Cherry Ln. Items were located. 
 
Traumatic Injuries 
 
At 4:52 p.m. ambulance assistance was needed at 1212 Macarthur Rd. 
 
Animal Complaint 
 
At 5:09 p.m. a dog at large was reported in the 1200 block of Heizer Street. 
 
Criminal Damage 
 
At 7:18 p.m. criminal damage was reported at 2313 16th Street. 
 
Non-Injury Accident 
 
At 8:38 p.m. an accident was reported at 210 McKinley Street.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688655627753.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Barton County Sheriff’s
Office incident log (7/11) 
 
Non-Injury Accident 
 
At 9 a.m. an accident was reported at NE 160 Road &amp; NE 150 Avenue. 
 
Driving / Driver Complaint 
 
At 2:52 p.m. a driving complaint was reported in the 1300 block of NW K-96
Highway in Albert. 
 
At 6:28 p.m. a driving complaint was reported at 612 Windmill Ln. 
 
Non-Injury Accident 
 
At 10:04 p.m. an accident was reported at W. US 56 Highway &amp; SW 56 Avenue. 
 
Great Bend Police Department incident
log (7/11) 
 
Heart Problems 
 
At 6:48 a.m. ambulance assistance was needed at 6017 Hemlock Dr. 
 
Parking Complaint 
 
At 9:12 a.m. a parking complaint was reported at 5504 Broadway. 
 
Threats / Criminal Threats 
 
At 12:33 p.m. threats were reported at 2545 16th Street. 
 
Theft 
 
At 1:25 p.m. a possible theft was reported at 1107 10th Street. No
theft. 
 
Burglary / Not in Progress 
 
At 1:30 p.m. a burglary and theft was reported at 705 Williams. 
 
Back Pain 
 
At 3:55 p.m. ambulance assistance was needed at 1116 9th Street. 
 
Structure Fire 
 
At 4:08 p.m. an alarm was reported at 625 10th Street. 
 
Burglary / Not in Progress 
 
At 4:40 p.m. a theft was reported at 1401 Cherry Ln. Items were located. 
 
Traumatic Injuries 
 
At 4:52 p.m. ambulance assistance was needed at 1212 Macarthur Rd. 
 
Animal Complaint 
 
At 5:09 p.m. a dog at large was reported in the 1200 block of Heizer Street. 
 
Criminal Damage 
 
At 7:18 p.m. criminal damage was reported at 2313 16th Street. 
 
Non-Injury Accident 
 
At 8:38 p.m. an accident was reported at 210 McKinley Street.

Cop Shop (7/11)

7/11 BOOKED: Tallan Ashworth on Vernon Parish District Court warrant for Probation Violation, no bond set. Held for Vernon Parish, La.

BOOKED: James Skinner, Jr. on Sedgwick County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, bond set at $105,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Juvenile on Barton County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, no bond set.

BOOKED: Clinton Martin on two Hoisington Municipal Court warrants for Failure to Appear, total bond set at $580 cash only.

RELEASED: Juvenile on Barton County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, to Finney County Juvenile Detention Center.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623272376285.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>7/11 BOOKED: Tallan Ashworth on Vernon Parish District Court warrant for Probation Violation, no bond set. Held for Vernon Parish, La.BOOKED: James Skinner, Jr. on Sedgwick County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, bond set at $105,000 C/S.BOOKED: Juvenile on Barton County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, no bond set.BOOKED: Clinton Martin on two Hoisington Municipal Court warrants for Failure to Appear, total bond set at $580 cash only.RELEASED: Juvenile on Barton County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, to Finney County Juvenile Detention Center.

Barton County Sheriff's booking activity (7/11)

Seven lanes of track were part of the deal. The eighth will be a bonus. Last November, the USD 428 Board of Education approved up to $2 million for track and turf replacement at Great Bend High School's Memorial Stadium. During the process, Hellas Corporation, the contractor doing the work, informed the district an eighth lane could be added to the track at a cost comparable to laying turf in that area. Panther Track and Field Coach Lyles Lashley said it's a big win for the community.

"You can host a region even with seven lanes but it's kind of frowned upon," he said. "At our home meets, especially the JV and middle school meets when you have a ton of entries, when you throw an extra person out there each race, you eliminate four or five heats. It just speeds up the meet itself. The nice thing for the community is we can host the region meet and bring in 9-10 teams again that will eat here in Great Bend and spend money here."

Additional shot put and discus rings will also help attract a regional meet. Installation of the new turf is expected to be complete before the first home football game though the track may take longer.  The track will be red with black exchange zones, and a new "D zone" on the north end of the stadium will better accommodate high jumpers better than the pit previously used on the south end. 

"It was such a small thing, and we had a sewage thing right in the middle of it, so it was hard to justify hosting a region meet with that high jump mat," Lashley said. "You get those big high jumpers out there, they need a nice, big approach. For our junior high meets, we can set up two pits on that end and run that junior high meet faster."

The new lane should add approximately four feet of width to the inside of the track. Once the track is installed, a company will come out to hand-paint all the lines and markings. "He can lane that track in like an hour," said Lashley. "When you do the other stuff, like the markings for the hurdles, that takes a long, long time."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689100156482.jpeg" alt="Several tons of rock were added to the Great Bend High School football field for grading purposes. Renovations include adding an eighth lane to the track.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Several tons of rock were added to the Great Bend High School football field for grading purposes. Renovations include adding an eighth lane to the track.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostSeven lanes of track were part of the deal. The eighth will be a bonus. Last November, the USD 428 Board of Education approved up to $2 million for track and turf replacement at Great Bend High School's Memorial Stadium. During the process, Hellas Corporation, the contractor doing the work, informed the district an eighth lane could be added to the track at a cost comparable to laying turf in that area. Panther Track and Field Coach Lyles Lashley said it's a big win for the community."You can host a region even with seven lanes but it's kind of frowned upon," he said. "At our home meets, especially the JV and middle school meets when you have a ton of entries, when you throw an extra person out there each race, you eliminate four or five heats. It just speeds up the meet itself. The nice thing for the community is we can host the region meet and bring in 9-10 teams again that will eat here in Great Bend and spend money here."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668480347966.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Additional shot put and discus rings will also help attract a regional meet. Installation of the new turf is expected to be complete before the first home football game though the track may take longer. The track will be red with black exchange zones, and a new "D zone" on the north end of the stadium will better accommodate high jumpers better than the pit previously used on the south end. "It was such a small thing, and we had a sewage thing right in the middle of it, so it was hard to justify hosting a region meet with that high jump mat," Lashley said. "You get those big high jumpers out there, they need a nice, big approach. For our junior high meets, we can set up two pits on that end and run that junior high meet faster."The new lane should add approximately four feet of width to the inside of the track. Once the track is installed, a company will come out to hand-paint all the lines and markings. "He can lane that track in like an hour," said Lashley. "When you do the other stuff, like the markings for the hurdles, that takes a long, long time."

Track at Great Bend High School to gain important eighth lane

Today Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 106. South-southwest wind 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Tonight A 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 p.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming clear, with a low around 70. East-northeast wind 8 to 10 mph.

Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. East wind 9 to 13 mph.

Thursday Night A 40-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Southeast wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Friday A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. East wind 6 to 13 mph becoming west-northwest in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Friday Night A 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 a.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 65.

Saturday Sunny, with a high near 89.

Saturday Night A 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.

Sunday Night A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.

Monday Sunny, with a high near 92.

Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.

Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 96.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 106. South-southwest wind 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.Tonight A 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 p.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming clear, with a low around 70. East-northeast wind 8 to 10 mph.Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. East wind 9 to 13 mph.Thursday Night A 40-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Southeast wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.Friday A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. East wind 6 to 13 mph becoming west-northwest in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.Friday Night A 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 a.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 65.Saturday Sunny, with a high near 89.Saturday Night A 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.Sunday Sunny, with a high near 90.Sunday Night A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.Monday Sunny, with a high near 92.Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 96.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wednesday's weather

With a paint project ongoing to give the City Auditorium a fresh look,
the Great Bend Recreation Commission board approved new lighting to be
installed this summer. The auditorium currently has nine, 1,500-watt fixtures
above the gym surface. Great Bend Rec Director Chris Umphres said the lights
take a little longer to turn on and burn through a lot of wattage compared to
new LED lights. 
"This gets us candle lights throughout the whole gym at a better rate," said Umphres. "This will eliminate shadows. Not that it's a huge deal, but you will see people play on one specific side over the other because of the way the lights come down. There is a shadow on one side." 
Using 24 LED lights, the improvement will use 4,500 watts instead of the
current 13,500 watts. "The balcony area already has LED lights," said Umphres. "Those are already taken care of. We would just replace over the gymnasium playing surface." 
Capital outlay funds will finance the $18,900 LED lights purchase from Musco
Lighting and the $7,000 to $11,000 installation by Hammeke Electric. Umphres
said the plan is to have the new lighting installed this August.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/045424c1-f573-4422-9afb-38a775e33d37">RELATED STORY: Fresh look for Great Bend's City Auditorium is ongoing</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678812924574.jpeg" alt="Great Bend Recreation Commission approved new lighting to be installed above the gym." />
 <figcaption>Great Bend Recreation Commission approved new lighting to be installed above the gym.</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostWith a paint project ongoing to give the City Auditorium a fresh look,
the Great Bend Recreation Commission board approved new lighting to be
installed this summer. The auditorium currently has nine, 1,500-watt fixtures
above the gym surface. Great Bend Rec Director Chris Umphres said the lights
take a little longer to turn on and burn through a lot of wattage compared to
new LED lights. 
"This gets us candle lights throughout the whole gym at a better rate," said Umphres. "This will eliminate shadows. Not that it's a huge deal, but you will see people play on one specific side over the other because of the way the lights come down. There is a shadow on one side." 
Using 24 LED lights, the improvement will use 4,500 watts instead of the
current 13,500 watts. "The balcony area already has LED lights," said Umphres. "Those are already taken care of. We would just replace over the gymnasium playing surface." 
Capital outlay funds will finance the $18,900 LED lights purchase from Musco
Lighting and the $7,000 to $11,000 installation by Hammeke Electric. Umphres
said the plan is to have the new lighting installed this August.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/045424c1-f573-4422-9afb-38a775e33d37">RELATED STORY: Fresh look for Great Bend's City Auditorium is ongoing</a>

New paint, now new lighting coming to Great Bend’s City Auditorium

Most minnows live unspectacular lives. But a few of the small fish can seek true glory at the 50th Annual After Harvest Festival in Ellinwood on July 15. Kansas Wetlands Education Center Director Curtis Wolf said dry weather made the turtle races too difficult last year, and the minnow races have been a fun and suitable replacement.

"It's guttering off a house, basically," he said. "You set it up with the water in there. You take a minnow and put it in one end. The kids can coax the minnow down - we have little sticks they can use to try to get them to go and get them to the other end."

This year's After Harvest Festival activities have been moved downtown to Wolf Park near the bandshell on Main Street. Wolf encouraged families to make a pit stop and try out a minnow race.

"In the past, we've had it a little more structured, come and register, then we run it like a tournament," he said. "This year, we're going to have it as more of a come-and-go activity where people can come up, we let you race a time or two, then move on from there."

Minnow races will take place around 11:30 a.m. following the After Harvest Festival Parade. The Family Fun Fair at Wolf Park will also include a magic show, balloon characters, inflatables, animal shows, and more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659970803250.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostMost minnows live unspectacular lives. But a few of the small fish can seek true glory at the 50th Annual After Harvest Festival in Ellinwood on July 15. Kansas Wetlands Education Center Director Curtis Wolf said dry weather made the turtle races too difficult last year, and the minnow races have been a fun and suitable replacement."It's guttering off a house, basically," he said. "You set it up with the water in there. You take a minnow and put it in one end. The kids can coax the minnow down - we have little sticks they can use to try to get them to go and get them to the other end."This year's After Harvest Festival activities have been moved downtown to Wolf Park near the bandshell on Main Street. Wolf encouraged families to make a pit stop and try out a minnow race."In the past, we've had it a little more structured, come and register, then we run it like a tournament," he said. "This year, we're going to have it as more of a come-and-go activity where people can come up, we let you race a time or two, then move on from there."Minnow races will take place around 11:30 a.m. following the After Harvest Festival Parade. The Family Fun Fair at Wolf Park will also include a magic show, balloon characters, inflatables, animal shows, and more.

KWEC bringing minnow races back to After Harvest Festival

When the aggressive nature of Palmer amaranth (pigweed) is combined with the limited post-emergence herbicide options in grain sorghum, problems often arise – even when an adequate preemergence herbicide program is used. This article covers post-emergence herbicide options for Palmer amaranth control in grain sorghum. Combinations of the herbicides listed here will generally improve control, and all of the options are most effective when applied to small (under 4 inches tall) weeds. Atrazine can control sensitive populations of Palmer amaranth and can be combined with other herbicides to enhance effectiveness. Recommended rates range from 0.25 to 2.0 pounds of atrazine (0.5 to 4 pints). Atrazine should be applied with crop oil or surfactant to control emerged weeds. Atrazine can be applied to grain sorghum between 3-leaf and 12 inches or between 6 and 12 inches in western Kansas. Be sure to observe rate limits for your area.

Aim (carfentrazone) is a Group 14 herbicide that can be applied to grain sorghum between 4 inches and boot stage. It is less effective than some of the other herbicides in this article and requires good coverage for maximum effectiveness. Aim can be tank-mixed with atrazine, 2,4-D, dicamba, bromoxynil, and Huskie. Aim is likely to burn grain sorghum leaves, especially if applied in hot, humid weather or with crop oil. Leaf burn will also be greater if Aim is applied with bromoxynil.

2,4-D is an effective herbicide option to control Palmer amaranth. However, crop response should be expected, especially if applied in hot, humid conditions. Crop responses can include rolled leaves, lodging, and brittle stems. Grain sorghum is most tolerant of 2,4-D applications when it is 5 to 10 inches tall. Drop nozzles should be used when applying 2,4-D to grain sorghum greater than 8 inches. To reduce crop response, apply lower rates (2/3 pint) with atrazine, Aim, bromoxynil, or Huskie. Using crop oil in tank mixes with 2,4-D, will increase crop injury.

Dicamba, at the rates used in grain sorghum (0.5 pint), may be less effective on Palmer amaranth than 2,4-D. It can be applied to grain sorghum between 2 and 15 inches. Drop nozzles should be used if grain sorghum is 8 inches or taller to avoid damaging seed heads. Crop response, including rolled leaves and lodging, should be expected, especially if applied in hot, humid conditions. Dicamba can be tank-mixed with Aim, atrazine, and bromoxynil.

Bromoxynil can be applied from the 3-leaf stage through boot stage. Crop response will be less with bromoxynil than other herbicides, but bromoxynil alone will not control Palmer amaranth larger than 4-leaf. Adequate spray coverage is needed for maximum effectiveness.

Huskie (pyrasulfutole+bromoxynil) is most effective when mixed with atrazine (up to 1 pound). When used alone, it can be applied between 3-leaf and 30 inches and should be applied with HSOC (high surfactant oil concentrate) or AMS + NIS. Huskie will cause leaf burn, which can be greater in fields where mesotrione was applied pre-emergence. As needed, Huskie plus atrazine may be tank-mixed with phenoxy broadleaf herbicides such as 2,4-D or dicamba. Additional information can be found in the 2023 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland, K-State publication SRP-1176 - https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/SRP1176.pdf

The use of trade names is for clarity to readers and does not imply endorsement of a particular product, nor does exclusion imply non-approval. Always consult the herbicide label for the most current use requirements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681266655144.jpeg" alt="written by: Stacy Campbell - Cottonwood Extension District" />
 <figcaption>written by: Stacy Campbell - Cottonwood Extension District</figcaption>
 </figure>When the aggressive nature of Palmer amaranth (pigweed) is combined with the limited post-emergence herbicide options in grain sorghum, problems often arise – even when an adequate preemergence herbicide program is used. This article covers post-emergence herbicide options for Palmer amaranth control in grain sorghum. Combinations of the herbicides listed here will generally improve control, and all of the options are most effective when applied to small (under 4 inches tall) weeds. Atrazine can control sensitive populations of Palmer amaranth and can be combined with other herbicides to enhance effectiveness. Recommended rates range from 0.25 to 2.0 pounds of atrazine (0.5 to 4 pints). Atrazine should be applied with crop oil or surfactant to control emerged weeds. Atrazine can be applied to grain sorghum between 3-leaf and 12 inches or between 6 and 12 inches in western Kansas. Be sure to observe rate limits for your area.Aim (carfentrazone) is a Group 14 herbicide that can be applied to grain sorghum between 4 inches and boot stage. It is less effective than some of the other herbicides in this article and requires good coverage for maximum effectiveness. Aim can be tank-mixed with atrazine, 2,4-D, dicamba, bromoxynil, and Huskie. Aim is likely to burn grain sorghum leaves, especially if applied in hot, humid weather or with crop oil. Leaf burn will also be greater if Aim is applied with bromoxynil.2,4-D is an effective herbicide option to control Palmer amaranth. However, crop response should be expected, especially if applied in hot, humid conditions. Crop responses can include rolled leaves, lodging, and brittle stems. Grain sorghum is most tolerant of 2,4-D applications when it is 5 to 10 inches tall. Drop nozzles should be used when applying 2,4-D to grain sorghum greater than 8 inches. To reduce crop response, apply lower rates (2/3 pint) with atrazine, Aim, bromoxynil, or Huskie. Using crop oil in tank mixes with 2,4-D, will increase crop injury.Dicamba, at the rates used in grain sorghum (0.5 pint), may be less effective on Palmer amaranth than 2,4-D. It can be applied to grain sorghum between 2 and 15 inches. Drop nozzles should be used if grain sorghum is 8 inches or taller to avoid damaging seed heads. Crop response, including rolled leaves and lodging, should be expected, especially if applied in hot, humid conditions. Dicamba can be tank-mixed with Aim, atrazine, and bromoxynil.Bromoxynil can be applied from the 3-leaf stage through boot stage. Crop response will be less with bromoxynil than other herbicides, but bromoxynil alone will not control Palmer amaranth larger than 4-leaf. Adequate spray coverage is needed for maximum effectiveness.Huskie (pyrasulfutole+bromoxynil) is most effective when mixed with atrazine (up to 1 pound). When used alone, it can be applied between 3-leaf and 30 inches and should be applied with HSOC (high surfactant oil concentrate) or AMS + NIS. Huskie will cause leaf burn, which can be greater in fields where mesotrione was applied pre-emergence. As needed, Huskie plus atrazine may be tank-mixed with phenoxy broadleaf herbicides such as 2,4-D or dicamba. Additional information can be found in the 2023 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland, K-State publication SRP-1176 - https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/SRP1176.pdfThe use of trade names is for clarity to readers and does not imply endorsement of a particular product, nor does exclusion imply non-approval. Always consult the herbicide label for the most current use requirements.

CAMPBELL: Palmer amaranth control in grain sorghum

The very first cellular phone hit the market in 1973. High school students were unlikely to use the device that could be used only for talking for up to 30 minutes and required 10 hours of charging. The new cell phone, with Wi-Fi, cameras, games, and music, is a different story. Monday night, the USD 428 Board of Education revealed a new policy for phones in all district schools, but in particular, Great Bend High School. Superintendent Khris Thexton put it succinctly.

"Plain and simple: the phone is not supposed to be out during class," he said. "I've talked to a number of high schools. Passing periods, fine. Lunch, fine. But not during class."

A first offense at the high school means the device will be confiscated and returned to the student after class. The device will be returned to parents or guardians on the second and subsequent offenses, and after-school detention may be required on fourth and subsequent offenses.

"The first two weeks will be rough," Thexton said. "When you're changing a behavior like that, it's going to be hard. I think when the kids get going through that, it's going to make a big difference on their ability to focus."

Policy remains largely unchanged for elementary schools. Devices are to remain off and kept out of sight. A first offense may include confiscation, and a second offense will require a parent or guardian to retrieve the device. The same follows for Great Bend Middle School, where the device is confiscated after one offense and a parent or guardian must pick up the device. Office detentions and in-school suspension are also included on a graded list.

Board Member Deanna Essmiller asked about the application of the new rules to teachers and staff, and Board President Jacquie Disque asked about any conflicts between the employee and student handbooks. Thexton said it will be up to principals to enforce the rules fairly.

"Yes, they're the adult in the classroom but they're going to need to model the behavior," he said. "That's going to be a discussion we have with the principals to start off, that we understand. You have a child that's sick and they're trying to get ahold of you, that kind of thing. But if you're up there scrolling on your phone while they're working on an assignment, there's a difference between an emergency and not."

Chromebooks and other technology provided to students will be sufficient to complete any classroom tasks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679496400146.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe very first cellular phone hit the market in 1973. High school students were unlikely to use the device that could be used only for talking for up to 30 minutes and required 10 hours of charging. The new cell phone, with Wi-Fi, cameras, games, and music, is a different story. Monday night, the USD 428 Board of Education revealed a new policy for phones in all district schools, but in particular, Great Bend High School. Superintendent Khris Thexton put it succinctly."Plain and simple: the phone is not supposed to be out during class," he said. "I've talked to a number of high schools. Passing periods, fine. Lunch, fine. But not during class."A first offense at the high school means the device will be confiscated and returned to the student after class. The device will be returned to parents or guardians on the second and subsequent offenses, and after-school detention may be required on fourth and subsequent offenses."The first two weeks will be rough," Thexton said. "When you're changing a behavior like that, it's going to be hard. I think when the kids get going through that, it's going to make a big difference on their ability to focus."Policy remains largely unchanged for elementary schools. Devices are to remain off and kept out of sight. A first offense may include confiscation, and a second offense will require a parent or guardian to retrieve the device. The same follows for Great Bend Middle School, where the device is confiscated after one offense and a parent or guardian must pick up the device. Office detentions and in-school suspension are also included on a graded list.Board Member Deanna Essmiller asked about the application of the new rules to teachers and staff, and Board President Jacquie Disque asked about any conflicts between the employee and student handbooks. Thexton said it will be up to principals to enforce the rules fairly."Yes, they're the adult in the classroom but they're going to need to model the behavior," he said. "That's going to be a discussion we have with the principals to start off, that we understand. You have a child that's sick and they're trying to get ahold of you, that kind of thing. But if you're up there scrolling on your phone while they're working on an assignment, there's a difference between an emergency and not."Chromebooks and other technology provided to students will be sufficient to complete any classroom tasks.

No more cell phones in Great Bend High School classrooms

When Naery Kim graduated from Barton Online in 2017, she lived in California, and the idea of visiting Barton Community College in person was nothing more than a dream. That is until she relocated to Missouri last year. To fulfill a dream eight years in the making, Kim and her daughter Naomi made the trip to visit the Barton County campus earlier this summer.

Kim attended Barton Online with a focus on getting her general education courses before transferring to Kansas State University (KSU) and receiving her bachelor's degree in food science. She said the Barton experience helped her focus on her goals by setting a clear path to the finish line.&nbsp;

“I needed a school that could help me complete all of my requirements to transfer to KSU,” she said. “I remember spending so much time trying to find out what I needed to do, but as soon as Barton showed up in the picture, everything was smooth sailing.”

Kim took advantage of a unique partnership that Barton and KSU share, where a representative from KSU has a permanent office at the Barton County campus to assist students interested in transfer opportunities between the two colleges.&nbsp;

KSU Global Campus Admissions and Enrollment Coach Jennifer Pfortmiller helps students across the institution, including online, with the transfer process. She is available to help students with KSU admission requirements, program requirements, and course transferability.

“I’ve spent 20 years working with online students,” she said. “Naery is the first to make a special trip years after graduation to come to campus to meet me in person and say, ‘thank you.’”

Kim said the experience of traveling to campus and meeting Pfortmiller face-to-face was the highlight of her trip. &nbsp;

“Jennifer’s encouragement helped me so much while I was going through such a hard time,” she said. “Her warm comments carried me through some difficult times.”

She is also thankful for the importance Barton has placed on technology over the years. The College’s emphasis on staying at the forefront of technology allows students like Kim to take classes from anywhere in the world.

“Every school should have such a robust online system,” she said. “Even though Barton was located in a different state, I was able to complete my goals. I couldn’t have finished college without Barton.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689006767215.jpeg" alt="Former Barton Online student Naery Kim and her daughter Naomi stand by the K-State at Barton sign on the Barton County campus during their recent trip to visit campus." />
 <figcaption>Former Barton Online student Naery Kim and her daughter Naomi stand by the K-State at Barton sign on the Barton County campus during their recent trip to visit campus.</figcaption>
 </figure>Story by Maggie Harris&nbsp; When Naery Kim graduated from Barton Online in 2017, she lived in California, and the idea of visiting Barton Community College in person was nothing more than a dream. That is until she relocated to Missouri last year. To fulfill a dream eight years in the making, Kim and her daughter Naomi made the trip to visit the Barton County campus earlier this summer.Kim attended Barton Online with a focus on getting her general education courses before transferring to Kansas State University (KSU) and receiving her bachelor's degree in food science. She said the Barton experience helped her focus on her goals by setting a clear path to the finish line.&nbsp;“I needed a school that could help me complete all of my requirements to transfer to KSU,” she said. “I remember spending so much time trying to find out what I needed to do, but as soon as Barton showed up in the picture, everything was smooth sailing.”Kim took advantage of a unique partnership that Barton and KSU share, where a representative from KSU has a permanent office at the Barton County campus to assist students interested in transfer opportunities between the two colleges.&nbsp;KSU Global Campus Admissions and Enrollment Coach Jennifer Pfortmiller helps students across the institution, including online, with the transfer process. She is available to help students with KSU admission requirements, program requirements, and course transferability.“I’ve spent 20 years working with online students,” she said. “Naery is the first to make a special trip years after graduation to come to campus to meet me in person and say, ‘thank you.’”Kim said the experience of traveling to campus and meeting Pfortmiller face-to-face was the highlight of her trip. &nbsp;“Jennifer’s encouragement helped me so much while I was going through such a hard time,” she said. “Her warm comments carried me through some difficult times.”She is also thankful for the importance Barton has placed on technology over the years. The College’s emphasis on staying at the forefront of technology allows students like Kim to take classes from anywhere in the world.“Every school should have such a robust online system,” she said. “Even though Barton was located in a different state, I was able to complete my goals. I couldn’t have finished college without Barton.”

Barton Online student from California makes pilgrimage to Great Bend

The City of Great Bend received written requests from seven outside
agencies. These agencies either have a tie to city operations or provide a
service that benefits the city. RSVP Medical Transportation, Barton County
Fair, Barton County Historical Society, Golden Belt Humane Society, Great Bend Commission
on Aging, Great Bend Economic Development and Great Bend Public Library all
made requests for the upcoming 2024 fiscal year. 

The Commission on
Aging, which operates the Senior Center among other services, requested a
$63,723 increase from this year’s budget. Mayor Cody Schmidt and the rest of
the council were against the $279,082 requested amount. "I though the initial asking price of $280,000 was too high," said Schmidt. "In their notes, they didn't sell me on a reason why they were asking for that much. I think they were asking for the Taj Mahal to see what they ended up with." 
The council was in favor of increasing the Commission on Aging $10,217 for a
10% match for a new minibus. 
The largest request each year comes from the library, an entity that the board
agreed to keep their disbursement unchanged at $650,000. City Clerk Shawna
Schafer said the library will still receive $11,500 more in taxes which allows
them to qualify for a state library grant. "There's two tests for the library to qualify for the state grant," said Schafer. "They're silly tests if you ask me. You either have to levy the same amount or more in taxes. The other is to keep the mill levy rate the same. We disqualified with the mill levy rate because valuations increased which decreased their rate. They are receiving more in taxes, so they do qualify." 
RSVP Medical Transportation&nbsp; Request: $3,000 Council's recommendation: $1,950

Barton County Fair Request: $10,000 Council's recommendation: $5,000

Barton County Historical Society Request: $20,000 Council's recommendation: $10,000

Golden Belt Humane Society&nbsp; Request: $110,250 Council's recommendation: $107,500

Commission on Aging Request: $279,082 Council's recommendation: $225,795

Great Bend Economic Development Request: $250,000 Council's recommendation: $250,000

Great Bend Public Library Request: $651,000 Council's recommendation: $650,000

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657069429840.jpeg" alt="The Great Bend City Council agreed to fund the library $650,000 for the 2024 fiscal year, unchanged from 2023." />
 <figcaption>The Great Bend City Council agreed to fund the library $650,000 for the 2024 fiscal year, unchanged from 2023.</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostThe City of Great Bend received written requests from seven outside
agencies. These agencies either have a tie to city operations or provide a
service that benefits the city. RSVP Medical Transportation, Barton County
Fair, Barton County Historical Society, Golden Belt Humane Society, Great Bend Commission
on Aging, Great Bend Economic Development and Great Bend Public Library all
made requests for the upcoming 2024 fiscal year. The Commission on
Aging, which operates the Senior Center among other services, requested a
$63,723 increase from this year’s budget. Mayor Cody Schmidt and the rest of
the council were against the $279,082 requested amount. "I though the initial asking price of $280,000 was too high," said Schmidt. "In their notes, they didn't sell me on a reason why they were asking for that much. I think they were asking for the Taj Mahal to see what they ended up with." 
The council was in favor of increasing the Commission on Aging $10,217 for a
10% match for a new minibus. 
The largest request each year comes from the library, an entity that the board
agreed to keep their disbursement unchanged at $650,000. City Clerk Shawna
Schafer said the library will still receive $11,500 more in taxes which allows
them to qualify for a state library grant. "There's two tests for the library to qualify for the state grant," said Schafer. "They're silly tests if you ask me. You either have to levy the same amount or more in taxes. The other is to keep the mill levy rate the same. We disqualified with the mill levy rate because valuations increased which decreased their rate. They are receiving more in taxes, so they do qualify." 
RSVP Medical Transportation&nbsp; Request: $3,000 Council's recommendation: $1,950Barton County Fair Request: $10,000 Council's recommendation: $5,000Barton County Historical Society Request: $20,000 Council's recommendation: $10,000Golden Belt Humane Society&nbsp; Request: $110,250 Council's recommendation: $107,500Commission on Aging Request: $279,082 Council's recommendation: $225,795Great Bend Economic Development Request: $250,000 Council's recommendation: $250,000Great Bend Public Library Request: $651,000 Council's recommendation: $650,000

Great Bend council determines outside agency funding

This is day 9 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.

Harvest continues to plod along into the second week of July, and farmers who still have wheat left to cut are facing rain delays and hail, leading to a long, drawn-out wheat harvest.&nbsp;

From July 3 to July 9, there were only 4.1 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop progress report for the week ending July 9, 2023. Harvest is now 59% complete, well behind 93% last year and 84% for the average.&nbsp;

Farmers are balancing a mix of emotions from frustration caused by having to wait for conditions to dry, stress of potential hail and other weather events, with joy from these recent rains.&nbsp;

Northwest of Hays, Eric Werth, General Manager at Golden Belt Coop acknowledges some of the struggles he has seen in Ellis county.&nbsp;

“We are really just waiting for it to dry out around here,” Werth says.

Werth speculates they are about 90% wrapped up with harvest for this year. Another stressor that Werth describes is the amount of weeds that the rain has brought with it.

After a late start on June 21, Werth reports that he is expecting probably 55% of the quantity they have gotten in years past. Yields are averaging around 30 bushels per acre, with some brighter spots getting up to 40 bushels per acre.&nbsp;

“That is definitely not the majority, though,” Werth says. “The [Westbred] Grainfield variety is one that seems to be doing well this year.”

Looking at test weights is encouraging for this area, though, seeing those come in around 62 pounds per bushel. However, proteins have been relatively low this year. He guesses they have taken in about 450,000 bushels so far. He said most of the wheat his elevator receives ends up at flour mills.&nbsp;

Seventeen miles west of the geographical center of the continental United States, Bruce Williams at Trinity Ag in Smith Center says his area has been subject to the rain delays as well.&nbsp;

“The thing that hurt us the most is we’ve basically cut very little since July 4th,” Williams noted. “There has been so much humidity.”&nbsp;

Williams said harvest began on June 24 this year, only four days off from when they usually start cutting, but after these recent rains, harvest has been slow to get back up and running. Having had big days on July 3 and 4, they have not had a single, full week of continuous cutting this harvest.&nbsp;

Initial drought stress caused some decent test weights in earlier loads to the elevator. Test weights were about 60-63 pounds per bushel, but these later storms have caused those numbers to dip into the 58 pound per bushel range. Proteins in the area have been as high as 12 to 14 percent. Yields have been all over the board, but even with farmers starting with their best fields, yields were only 35-40 bushels per acre. Many farmers have been abandoning their fields, as the weed pressure has been so intense. The kochia and pigweeds have been so dense that in some of the more extreme cases, you cannot even see the wheat as you drive past fields.&nbsp;

Along with the rain, northwest Kansas has been hit with hail storms. Fortunately, not much of the crop has been destroyed. Smith and Phillips counties are expecting to see more rain and storm chances in the upcoming week.&nbsp;

Elevators and farmers aren’t the only ones waiting for conditions to dry. Custom harvest crews like MJB Harvesting out of Grainfield, Kansas, are anxiously waiting to get out and begin harvesting. So far, MJB Harvesting has only been able to cut one field while in Kansas.

Mark Bosse, owner of MJB, shared that nearly all of their customers in Kansas have been affected by either hail or drought, or both. Fields that were going to be decent are now looking to only be 15-35 bushels per acre. The one field the MJB crew has been able to cut so far yielded about 35-40 bushels per acre. Several producers along the Gove and Lane county line will not even harvest their crop.&nbsp;

Composed of local people, high schoolers and J-1 visa employees, the MJB harvesting crew has been on the road since May 22. They started in Texas and will go all the way up into Montana. Although conditions were good in Texas, the wheat got bleak as they progressed north. Fortunately for them, crop conditions are looking up for areas north of Kansas, rounding out a very interesting wheat crop year.&nbsp;

Check back on July 12 as the Kansas Wheat crew continues to share results from the field with the next harvest report.&nbsp;

The 2023 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001L4S4V4088er1olXZMhUdn3ZOj74xvSIBMXdxJYEwllHQ-lh3UBj3PmhrMq-CirB-u0DVZoST6_FnCxGZ58QfBYh-dQ1R0M_fgnAWT_-pon4CC7z6zOyEvu92enzW-ojLtsNxVrmo1AM6N_a3VpIBnfYudKuMwBia&amp;c=Z1jk5BsLogj5kIIA1vXbFzgpxX31zWRWy81TtB_3KkReda5YWIsnhw==&amp;ch=xlQWDykoLs6Qn6j7K6JeaWb17Phfy-VcPlTDcjzwXsboMNn-6Y_pXw==" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001L4S4V4088er1olXZMhUdn3ZOj74xvSIBMXdxJYEwllHQ-lh3UBj3Pho0cnbH4WOJmaaWZ-PhwWwsCps9xJIx-2cRJqxIr5x-LTvHW4BIWm90mo643mcxdHFrqz_zTSk68xj75fC0h9imWarI6HNsxfY-FRbaU44o&amp;c=Z1jk5BsLogj5kIIA1vXbFzgpxX31zWRWy81TtB_3KkReda5YWIsnhw==&amp;ch=xlQWDykoLs6Qn6j7K6JeaWb17Phfy-VcPlTDcjzwXsboMNn-6Y_pXw==" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001L4S4V4088er1olXZMhUdn3ZOj74xvSIBMXdxJYEwllHQ-lh3UBj3PuU1NKQDCspeVP5QEasL0lE1tzRl7hw5H-gmzXgAQvOeIvbLByq18W-oqLFlKY_cMqNeww_BalKixuc7s751Ldx40i59QIsJ4YYFako8uYaj&amp;c=Z1jk5BsLogj5kIIA1vXbFzgpxX31zWRWy81TtB_3KkReda5YWIsnhw==&amp;ch=xlQWDykoLs6Qn6j7K6JeaWb17Phfy-VcPlTDcjzwXsboMNn-6Y_pXw==" target="_blank">Twitter</a>&nbsp;to share your harvest story and photos.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689043934233.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>This is day 9 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.Harvest continues to plod along into the second week of July, and farmers who still have wheat left to cut are facing rain delays and hail, leading to a long, drawn-out wheat harvest.&nbsp;From July 3 to July 9, there were only 4.1 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop progress report for the week ending July 9, 2023. Harvest is now 59% complete, well behind 93% last year and 84% for the average.&nbsp;Farmers are balancing a mix of emotions from frustration caused by having to wait for conditions to dry, stress of potential hail and other weather events, with joy from these recent rains.&nbsp;Northwest of Hays, Eric Werth, General Manager at Golden Belt Coop acknowledges some of the struggles he has seen in Ellis county.&nbsp;“We are really just waiting for it to dry out around here,” Werth says.Werth speculates they are about 90% wrapped up with harvest for this year. Another stressor that Werth describes is the amount of weeds that the rain has brought with it.After a late start on June 21, Werth reports that he is expecting probably 55% of the quantity they have gotten in years past. Yields are averaging around 30 bushels per acre, with some brighter spots getting up to 40 bushels per acre.&nbsp;“That is definitely not the majority, though,” Werth says. “The [Westbred] Grainfield variety is one that seems to be doing well this year.”Looking at test weights is encouraging for this area, though, seeing those come in around 62 pounds per bushel. However, proteins have been relatively low this year. He guesses they have taken in about 450,000 bushels so far. He said most of the wheat his elevator receives ends up at flour mills.&nbsp;Seventeen miles west of the geographical center of the continental United States, Bruce Williams at Trinity Ag in Smith Center says his area has been subject to the rain delays as well.&nbsp;“The thing that hurt us the most is we’ve basically cut very little since July 4th,” Williams noted. “There has been so much humidity.”&nbsp;Williams said harvest began on June 24 this year, only four days off from when they usually start cutting, but after these recent rains, harvest has been slow to get back up and running. Having had big days on July 3 and 4, they have not had a single, full week of continuous cutting this harvest.&nbsp;Initial drought stress caused some decent test weights in earlier loads to the elevator. Test weights were about 60-63 pounds per bushel, but these later storms have caused those numbers to dip into the 58 pound per bushel range. Proteins in the area have been as high as 12 to 14 percent. Yields have been all over the board, but even with farmers starting with their best fields, yields were only 35-40 bushels per acre. Many farmers have been abandoning their fields, as the weed pressure has been so intense. The kochia and pigweeds have been so dense that in some of the more extreme cases, you cannot even see the wheat as you drive past fields.&nbsp;Along with the rain, northwest Kansas has been hit with hail storms. Fortunately, not much of the crop has been destroyed. Smith and Phillips counties are expecting to see more rain and storm chances in the upcoming week.&nbsp;Elevators and farmers aren’t the only ones waiting for conditions to dry. Custom harvest crews like MJB Harvesting out of Grainfield, Kansas, are anxiously waiting to get out and begin harvesting. So far, MJB Harvesting has only been able to cut one field while in Kansas.Mark Bosse, owner of MJB, shared that nearly all of their customers in Kansas have been affected by either hail or drought, or both. Fields that were going to be decent are now looking to only be 15-35 bushels per acre. The one field the MJB crew has been able to cut so far yielded about 35-40 bushels per acre. Several producers along the Gove and Lane county line will not even harvest their crop.&nbsp;Composed of local people, high schoolers and J-1 visa employees, the MJB harvesting crew has been on the road since May 22. They started in Texas and will go all the way up into Montana. Although conditions were good in Texas, the wheat got bleak as they progressed north. Fortunately for them, crop conditions are looking up for areas north of Kansas, rounding out a very interesting wheat crop year.&nbsp;Check back on July 12 as the Kansas Wheat crew continues to share results from the field with the next harvest report.&nbsp;The 2023 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001L4S4V4088er1olXZMhUdn3ZOj74xvSIBMXdxJYEwllHQ-lh3UBj3PmhrMq-CirB-u0DVZoST6_FnCxGZ58QfBYh-dQ1R0M_fgnAWT_-pon4CC7z6zOyEvu92enzW-ojLtsNxVrmo1AM6N_a3VpIBnfYudKuMwBia&amp;c=Z1jk5BsLogj5kIIA1vXbFzgpxX31zWRWy81TtB_3KkReda5YWIsnhw==&amp;ch=xlQWDykoLs6Qn6j7K6JeaWb17Phfy-VcPlTDcjzwXsboMNn-6Y_pXw==" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001L4S4V4088er1olXZMhUdn3ZOj74xvSIBMXdxJYEwllHQ-lh3UBj3Pho0cnbH4WOJmaaWZ-PhwWwsCps9xJIx-2cRJqxIr5x-LTvHW4BIWm90mo643mcxdHFrqz_zTSk68xj75fC0h9imWarI6HNsxfY-FRbaU44o&amp;c=Z1jk5BsLogj5kIIA1vXbFzgpxX31zWRWy81TtB_3KkReda5YWIsnhw==&amp;ch=xlQWDykoLs6Qn6j7K6JeaWb17Phfy-VcPlTDcjzwXsboMNn-6Y_pXw==" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001L4S4V4088er1olXZMhUdn3ZOj74xvSIBMXdxJYEwllHQ-lh3UBj3PuU1NKQDCspeVP5QEasL0lE1tzRl7hw5H-gmzXgAQvOeIvbLByq18W-oqLFlKY_cMqNeww_BalKixuc7s751Ldx40i59QIsJ4YYFako8uYaj&amp;c=Z1jk5BsLogj5kIIA1vXbFzgpxX31zWRWy81TtB_3KkReda5YWIsnhw==&amp;ch=xlQWDykoLs6Qn6j7K6JeaWb17Phfy-VcPlTDcjzwXsboMNn-6Y_pXw==" target="_blank">Twitter</a>&nbsp;to share your harvest story and photos.

Day 9, Kansas Wheat Harvest Report

Anyone moving equipment out of the Barton County Courthouse caught a break over the weekend as temperatures dipped into the 80s. But it is still July in Kansas. Tuesday morning, Commission Chair Shawn Hutchinson expressed frustration over a lack of air conditioning throughout the entire county operation at 1500 Kansas Ave, saying a temporary solution was in the works for Tuesday with a permanent fix hopefully coming by the end of the week. He also thanked all county employees.

"A big shout out to all Barton County employees," he said. "I've never seen a more dedicated group in all my years of doing things. You walk around and look out there, a lot of these employees moved their desks, moved their own boxes. Everyone stepped up. What a great team to be a part of."

The $4.2 million HVAC renovation project at the courthouse dates back to December 2021 when the commission approved funds to hire an architectural and engineering firm to conduct a feasibility study. By April 2022, the price tag was estimated at $2.3 million. In September of last year, county administration announced the courthouse would need vacated for the project. In January of this year, the cost of the project went from an expected $2.5 million to $4.2 million, and the commission had to make a tough decision. Commissioners greenlighted the project on the 100-plus-year-old building that had not had its HVAC updated since 1979. The county secured three nearby locations to keep operations functioning during the renovation, and the move out of the courthouse was completed earlier this week. Matt Patzner was promoted to county administrator during the process and can now breathe a partial sigh of relief.

"We wouldn't be in the position we're in right now without our employees stepping up and going above and beyond," he told commissioners. "Just a huge thanks to everyone, the hard work they've put in. This was amazing to watch. Some of the employees just went above and beyond what anyone would expect them to do. I'm proud to work with this group."

Commissioner Duane Reif thanked past commissioners for their vision to get the project started. He thanked Patzner for the many extra hours of work and stress related to the project. He also thanked all the department heads for rallying their troops, the Road and Bridge Department for all the heavy lifting to complete the move, Sheriff Brian Bellendir for loaning out trustees to help, and maintenance and housekeeping, who have had to work in more than one facility.

"I know this is a huge inconvenience for most of you," Reif said, "but when this HVAC project is completed, it will not only serve you as present employees but also the next generation."

The county has approved 12-month leases on three properties while the renovation is being completed. Nearly $3 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds will be used to pay for the project.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689089105488.jpeg" alt="Barton Commissioners Shawn Hutchinson and Tricia Schlessiger, and the rest of the body, held their first meeting inside the old JC Penney building Tuesday." />
 <figcaption>Barton Commissioners Shawn Hutchinson and Tricia Schlessiger, and the rest of the body, held their first meeting inside the old JC Penney building Tuesday.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostAnyone moving equipment out of the Barton County Courthouse caught a break over the weekend as temperatures dipped into the 80s. But it is still July in Kansas. Tuesday morning, Commission Chair Shawn Hutchinson expressed frustration over a lack of air conditioning throughout the entire county operation at 1500 Kansas Ave, saying a temporary solution was in the works for Tuesday with a permanent fix hopefully coming by the end of the week. He also thanked all county employees."A big shout out to all Barton County employees," he said. "I've never seen a more dedicated group in all my years of doing things. You walk around and look out there, a lot of these employees moved their desks, moved their own boxes. Everyone stepped up. What a great team to be a part of."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657305887377.jpeg" alt="Commissioners look at building plans early on in the process." />
 <figcaption>Commissioners look at building plans early on in the process.</figcaption>
 </figure>The $4.2 million HVAC renovation project at the courthouse dates back to December 2021 when the commission approved funds to hire an architectural and engineering firm to conduct a feasibility study. By April 2022, the price tag was estimated at $2.3 million. In September of last year, county administration announced the courthouse would need vacated for the project. In January of this year, the cost of the project went from an expected $2.5 million to $4.2 million, and the commission had to make a tough decision. Commissioners greenlighted the project on the 100-plus-year-old building that had not had its HVAC updated since 1979. The county secured three nearby locations to keep operations functioning during the renovation, and the move out of the courthouse was completed earlier this week. Matt Patzner was promoted to county administrator during the process and can now breathe a partial sigh of relief."We wouldn't be in the position we're in right now without our employees stepping up and going above and beyond," he told commissioners. "Just a huge thanks to everyone, the hard work they've put in. This was amazing to watch. Some of the employees just went above and beyond what anyone would expect them to do. I'm proud to work with this group."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674746188383.jpeg" alt="County Administrator Matt Patzner examines pipes after the price of the renovation came in at nearly double the original expected cost." />
 <figcaption>County Administrator Matt Patzner examines pipes after the price of the renovation came in at nearly double the original expected cost.</figcaption>
 </figure>Commissioner Duane Reif thanked past commissioners for their vision to get the project started. He thanked Patzner for the many extra hours of work and stress related to the project. He also thanked all the department heads for rallying their troops, the Road and Bridge Department for all the heavy lifting to complete the move, Sheriff Brian Bellendir for loaning out trustees to help, and maintenance and housekeeping, who have had to work in more than one facility."I know this is a huge inconvenience for most of you," Reif said, "but when this HVAC project is completed, it will not only serve you as present employees but also the next generation."The county has approved 12-month leases on three properties while the renovation is being completed. Nearly $3 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds will be used to pay for the project.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689089358133.png" alt="County staff toured the old JC Penney building for the first time in November 2022." />
 <figcaption>County staff toured the old JC Penney building for the first time in November 2022.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Barton Commission thanks staff for assisting with move

If Brandon Anderson can run a city like he shows a pig, the city of Great Bend is in good hands. A handful of local celebrities tried their hand at the 4-H activity Sunday afternoon in Expo III. Ellinwood's Anna Ricker won Senior Showmanship for Swine and instructed the celebrities before the show.

"You have to practice with your pig," she said. "You have to walk them a lot. You have to feed them right so they get the good build. You have to make sure they keep their head up, and you have to be able to drive them into the judge to show them what your pig looks like."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688996046918.jpeg" alt="New Great Bend City Administrator Brandon Anderson beat out five other contestants, including Great Bend Rec Sports Director Joe Henry (right) during Sunday's Celebrity Showmen event at the Barton County Fair." />
 <figcaption>New Great Bend City Administrator Brandon Anderson beat out five other contestants, including Great Bend Rec Sports Director Joe Henry (right) during Sunday's Celebrity Showmen event at the Barton County Fair.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostIf Brandon Anderson can run a city like he shows a pig, the city of Great Bend is in good hands. A handful of local celebrities tried their hand at the 4-H activity Sunday afternoon in Expo III. Ellinwood's Anna Ricker won Senior Showmanship for Swine and instructed the celebrities before the show."You have to practice with your pig," she said. "You have to walk them a lot. You have to feed them right so they get the good build. You have to make sure they keep their head up, and you have to be able to drive them into the judge to show them what your pig looks like."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688996155403.jpeg" alt="Anna Ricker, Senior Showmanship of Swine winner, gets a laugh as Claflin Mayor Mike Urban tries to control his pig." />
 <figcaption>Anna Ricker, Senior Showmanship of Swine winner, gets a laugh as Claflin Mayor Mike Urban tries to control his pig.</figcaption>
 </figure>Anderson began serving as Great Bend city administrator on July 1. Sunday he showed a pig against the likes of Hoisington's Lincoln Elementary Principal Karisa Cowan, Dr. Roxanne Stiles, Claflin Mayor Mike Urban, and staff members from the Great Bend Rec Commission. Anderson used previous showmanship experience to win the title, pleasing the emcee and Barton County Fair Board Executive Troy Miller."He kept the hog between me and him," Miller told the crowd. "He knew the tough questions. He knew tough answers. He just kept that hog on the move. One other thing you'll learn in the show ring: if your hog takes off running, you just walk after it. You don't run after it. You just walk calmly after it, let him do his thing, and catch up."Rain shortened Saturday's rock concert at the fair, but all things were shining for Sunday's final day that included the 4-H barbecue, showcase awards, and sale of champions.

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