Bringing the Great Bend zoo to you

Listen to this month's Chamber Connect show with Eagle Radio's Steve Webster and Great Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO Megan Barfield that aired Feb. 2, 2023.

The Chamber Connect show airs the first Thursday of every month at 11:30 a.m. on 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596658271505.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Listen to this month's Chamber Connect show with Eagle Radio's Steve Webster and Great Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO Megan Barfield that aired Feb. 2, 2023.<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/bjw5eyez/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>The Chamber Connect show airs the first Thursday of every month at 11:30 a.m. on 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM.

🎧Chamber Connect show: CEO Megan Barfield

4-H offers 40 different project areas for youth to explore and learn! I’d like to highlight a few of them over the next few weeks.

The Foods and Nutrition project is about much more than the cookies, cakes, and pies that you see on display during the fair. The Foods and Nutrition project provides opportunities for youth to learn the basics of measuring, following a recipe, and kitchen safety. As youth advance through the project, they learn about terminology, food safety, food labels/nutrition, and budgeting. We encourage youth to be active participants in planning and preparing meals at home as necessary life skills; it just isn’t feasible to bring a casserole to the fair!

For youth interested in the outdoors, the Wildlife project provides opportunities to learn about wildlife behavior, habitat requirements, how wildlife species fit into nature’s scheme, how they are managed, and how they relate to humans. Youth progress through learning about reptiles and amphibians, about habitat, and about birds through more advanced topics of the importance of insects and flowers, identifying seed shapes, characteristics of mammals, the significance of wetlands, and the effect of humans on wildlife habitat. We have an excellent resource in the Kansas Wetlands Education Center to reinforce these learning opportunities as well as Kansas 4-H events such as the annual Insect Spectacular!

Photography is a project that has changed a bit over the years as the quality of cell phone cameras has dramatically improved. Photography was one of my own favorite projects and I bought my first good camera when I graduated from high school. It was a sad day when Dale Riggs had to tell me that he could no longer repair my trusty Minolta which had captured thousands of photos and was utilized during my journalism course of study! Photography is about much more than hitting the button on your phone to take quality pictures that share a story. The photography project walks youth through the basics of how a camera works, basic composition, and organizing a photo story to learning shutter speeds, the Rule of Thirds, and the differences between normal, wide angle, telephoto, and zoom. Additional 4-H events include annual Shutterbugs workshops for youth to learn, practice, and explore!

I hope this sparks an interest in a youth in your world and gives you more information as you look at 4-H projects showcased during the county fair.

If you are interested in learning more about 4-H projects, check out kansas4-h.org in the Projects section! All projects include communications skills, record keeping, career connections, and opportunities for leadership and community service!

Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910. Kansas State University is committed to making its services, activities and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision, or hearing disability.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668179445671.jpeg" alt="written by: Michelle Beran - Cottonwood Extension District" />
 <figcaption>written by: Michelle Beran - Cottonwood Extension District</figcaption>
 </figure>4-H offers 40 different project areas for youth to explore and learn! I’d like to highlight a few of them over the next few weeks.The Foods and Nutrition project is about much more than the cookies, cakes, and pies that you see on display during the fair. The Foods and Nutrition project provides opportunities for youth to learn the basics of measuring, following a recipe, and kitchen safety. As youth advance through the project, they learn about terminology, food safety, food labels/nutrition, and budgeting. We encourage youth to be active participants in planning and preparing meals at home as necessary life skills; it just isn’t feasible to bring a casserole to the fair!For youth interested in the outdoors, the Wildlife project provides opportunities to learn about wildlife behavior, habitat requirements, how wildlife species fit into nature’s scheme, how they are managed, and how they relate to humans. Youth progress through learning about reptiles and amphibians, about habitat, and about birds through more advanced topics of the importance of insects and flowers, identifying seed shapes, characteristics of mammals, the significance of wetlands, and the effect of humans on wildlife habitat. We have an excellent resource in the Kansas Wetlands Education Center to reinforce these learning opportunities as well as Kansas 4-H events such as the annual Insect Spectacular!Photography is a project that has changed a bit over the years as the quality of cell phone cameras has dramatically improved. Photography was one of my own favorite projects and I bought my first good camera when I graduated from high school. It was a sad day when Dale Riggs had to tell me that he could no longer repair my trusty Minolta which had captured thousands of photos and was utilized during my journalism course of study! Photography is about much more than hitting the button on your phone to take quality pictures that share a story. The photography project walks youth through the basics of how a camera works, basic composition, and organizing a photo story to learning shutter speeds, the Rule of Thirds, and the differences between normal, wide angle, telephoto, and zoom. Additional 4-H events include annual Shutterbugs workshops for youth to learn, practice, and explore!I hope this sparks an interest in a youth in your world and gives you more information as you look at 4-H projects showcased during the county fair.If you are interested in learning more about 4-H projects, check out kansas4-h.org in the Projects section! All projects include communications skills, record keeping, career connections, and opportunities for leadership and community service!Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910. Kansas State University is committed to making its services, activities and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision, or hearing disability.

BERAN: 4-H offers 40+ projects

Halo Elite 8 Zone Outdoor Griddle: AVAILABLE NOW AT ELDRIDGE FENCING

- Dual Zone burner system - 48,000 btus of wall-to-wall cooking - Built in wind guards - Sturdy and durable lid - Durable x-cart with fully usable side tables - Larger capacity grease management system&nbsp; - Smooth roll skate casters

Get cooking now with Eldridge Fencing and the HALO ELITE 8 ZONE OUTDOOR GRIDDLE

<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/RIfurPUE-KcBmu4K3.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Eldridge Fencing - Halo - Elite 8 Zone Outdoor Griddle" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>Halo Elite 8 Zone Outdoor Griddle: AVAILABLE NOW AT ELDRIDGE FENCINGFeaturing...- Dual Zone burner system - 48,000 btus of wall-to-wall cooking - Built in wind guards - Sturdy and durable lid - Durable x-cart with fully usable side tables - Larger capacity grease management system&nbsp; - Smooth roll skate castersGet cooking now with Eldridge Fencing and the HALO ELITE 8 ZONE OUTDOOR GRIDDLE<figure>
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By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2023-02-01/30-years-ago-these-kansas-farmers-were-told-to-use-less-water-heres-how-they-did-it">Kansas News Service</a>

Trying to cut back on irrigation in western Kansas isn’t a new idea.

More than three decades ago, the state came to farmers in the Walnut Creek basin south of Hays with a mandate. Farmers had to drastically change how much water they used on their crops. Some had to cut irrigation by nearly half.

Roger Mohr, who has grown grain in that area since 1970, remembers the irrigation limits didn’t go over well — at least at first.

“None of us liked that when it happened,” Mohr said. “But we all realized that we had to make changes.”

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366988632_Adapting_to_water_restrictinons_Intensive_versus_extensive_adaptation_over_time_differentiated_by_water_right_seniority" target="_blank">new study</a>&nbsp;from Kansas State University shows how farmers in this part of west-central Kansas have made those changes to meet the state’s strict irrigation restrictions since they began in 1992.

The research focuses on the Walnut Creek Intensive Groundwater Use Control Area, or IGUCA, which spans part of the creek’s basin in Ness, Rush and Barton counties.

Prior to the IGUCA’s restrictions, Mohr said, nearly all of the irrigation in his area came from inundating fields with long trenches of water that ran between the crop rows — a method that’s notorious for losing water to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog3/node/1096" target="_blank">evaporation and runoff</a>. Now, pretty much every piece of land that can field a more-efficient center pivot irrigation system has one.

The water limits spurred farmers to make other changes, too. They’ve switched up what they grow, Mohr said, from mostly irrigated corn — which requires a lot of water — to a rotation that includes other crops, such as soybeans and sorghum. Some of his neighbors have gone beyond center pivots and installed subsurface drip irrigation systems that conserve even more water.

Those changes have meant some big upfront expenses for farmers. But in Mohr’s view, it’s been worth it.

“We have to be very careful,” Mohr said, “because without water, none of us are going to be here.”

The state established the Walnut Creek IGUCA to leave more water for nearby streams that flow into Cheyenne Bottoms, a critical wetland bird habitat that the recent drought temporarily&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-11-04/up-to-1-million-birds-count-on-kansas-wetlands-during-migration-drought-has-left-them-high-and-dry" target="_blank">dried up</a>. If aquifer levels decline enough, the water that historically flowed in a stream above it can get&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic9/pic9_2.html" target="_blank">sucked underground</a>&nbsp;and leave a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic9/pic9_2.html" target="_blank">dry bed on the surface</a>.

As opposed to local enhanced management areas, or LEMAs, that allow local landowners to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2023-01-10/this-is-do-or-die-western-kansas-farmers-push-to-save-the-ogallala-aquifer-before-its-too-late" target="_blank">come up with their own plan</a>&nbsp;for cutting irrigation,&nbsp;<a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/managing-kansas-water-resources/intensive-groundwater-use-control-areas" target="_blank">IGUCAs</a>&nbsp;are initiated by the state. And farmers don’t have a say about how big the cuts are or whether they have to abide by the rules the state sets.

Here’s what that meant for farmers in the Walnut Creek area. Those who got their water rights after October of 1965 had to cut their irrigation the most — roughly twice as much as those with older water rights that were established between 1945 and 1965. Some farmers, like Mohr, had land that fell into both categories.

The junior water rights holders, which make up roughly half of the total allocations in the area, had to reduce their water use by 42%. Those with more senior rights only had to cut irrigation by around 20%.

Nathan Hendricks, a Kansas State University agricultural economics professor who worked on the study, said that 20% cut purposefully left senior rights farmers with as much water as the state determined was the bare minimum for growing irrigated corn in that area.

“The juniors just got whatever was left after that amount,” Hendricks said. “So it became much more restrictive.”

The remaining one-fifth of farmers had water rights that were established prior to the Kansas Water Appropriation Act of 1945 and didn’t have to reduce their irrigation at all — basically serving as a control group for the study.

And it turns out that if the farmers weren’t forced to cut their water use, they didn’t choose to do it on their own. The farmers whose irrigation got grandfathered in, Hendricks said, have hardly changed how much they water their crops over the past few decades.

Up to a certain point — around a 25% reduction in irrigation, Hendricks said — farmers can shrink their water use by just sprinkling fewer inches on a field. But once irrigation cuts exceed 25%, they pretty much have to stop watering some fields altogether, leaving the crops planted there to rely on the weather or choosing to not plant crops on those fields at all.

The K-State study reports that the reduction in irrigated acres around Walnut Creek significantly reduced the area's land values. That’s because there’s a big difference between rental rates for irrigated and nonirrigated farmland.

In Barton County, for instance, an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agmanager.info/farm-management/land-rental-rates/2023-kansas-county-level-cash-rental-rates-irrigated-cropland" target="_blank">irrigated acre of land</a>&nbsp;is worth more than twice as much as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agmanager.info/farm-management/land-rental-rates/2023-kansas-county-level-cash-rental-rates-non-irrigated-cropland" target="_blank">one without irrigation</a>.

The study calculated all of the potential money forfeited due to those cheaper rents within this IGUCA and showed it adds up to a loss of $283,000 per year for the region.

For the farmers who had to stop irrigating some of their fields entirely, Hendricks said, it’s likely they also took a personal financial hit to their harvests and profits.

“If you’re backing off irrigated acres,” Hendricks said, “it’s hard to imagine there’s not a loss.”

Other research from part of northwest Kansas has shown that some farmers who cut irrigation end up seeing their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-05-05/farmers-trying-to-save-the-ogallala-aquifer-face-tension-from-peers-but-their-profits-are-improving" target="_blank">profits go up</a>&nbsp;as they spend less money pumping water from underground and buying seed and fertilizer. But the conditions farmers face — the local climate, the depth and quality of their section of aquifer — can vary greatly from one part of the state to another.

And with the ongoing extreme drought, there’s only so much farmers can do to make up for a lack of rain even if they have irrigation.

Parts of Ness County near the western edge of the Walnut Creek IGUCA experienced their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2023-01-23/how-bad-was-the-2022-drought-for-these-seven-kansas-communities-it-was-the-driest-on-record" target="_blank">driest year on record</a>&nbsp;in 2022. And many farmers in west-central Kansas already saw drought&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-06-08/western-kansas-wheat-crops-are-failing-just-when-the-world-needs-them-most" target="_blank">burn up their wheat</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-09-20/how-the-drought-killing-kansas-corn-crops-could-make-you-pay-more-for-gas-and-beef" target="_blank">corn crops</a>&nbsp;last year, drastically reducing harvests.

Without some precipitation in the next 60 days, Mohr said, farmers in his area will have to start making tough choices about the coming season.

“Mother Nature’s water,” Mohr said, “is much better than irrigating water.”

David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675279076013.png" alt="Irrigation restrictions pushed farmers in the Walnut Creek basin to switch from flood irrigation to center pivot sprayers, like the one seen here, in order to use their water more efficiently. David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Irrigation restrictions pushed farmers in the Walnut Creek basin to switch from flood irrigation to center pivot sprayers, like the one seen here, in order to use their water more efficiently. David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2023-02-01/30-years-ago-these-kansas-farmers-were-told-to-use-less-water-heres-how-they-did-it">Kansas News Service</a>Trying to cut back on irrigation in western Kansas isn’t a new idea.More than three decades ago, the state came to farmers in the Walnut Creek basin south of Hays with a mandate. Farmers had to drastically change how much water they used on their crops. Some had to cut irrigation by nearly half.Roger Mohr, who has grown grain in that area since 1970, remembers the irrigation limits didn’t go over well — at least at first.“None of us liked that when it happened,” Mohr said. “But we all realized that we had to make changes.”A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366988632_Adapting_to_water_restrictinons_Intensive_versus_extensive_adaptation_over_time_differentiated_by_water_right_seniority" target="_blank">new study</a>&nbsp;from Kansas State University shows how farmers in this part of west-central Kansas have made those changes to meet the state’s strict irrigation restrictions since they began in 1992.The research focuses on the Walnut Creek Intensive Groundwater Use Control Area, or IGUCA, which spans part of the creek’s basin in Ness, Rush and Barton counties.Prior to the IGUCA’s restrictions, Mohr said, nearly all of the irrigation in his area came from inundating fields with long trenches of water that ran between the crop rows — a method that’s notorious for losing water to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog3/node/1096" target="_blank">evaporation and runoff</a>. Now, pretty much every piece of land that can field a more-efficient center pivot irrigation system has one.The water limits spurred farmers to make other changes, too. They’ve switched up what they grow, Mohr said, from mostly irrigated corn — which requires a lot of water — to a rotation that includes other crops, such as soybeans and sorghum. Some of his neighbors have gone beyond center pivots and installed subsurface drip irrigation systems that conserve even more water.Those changes have meant some big upfront expenses for farmers. But in Mohr’s view, it’s been worth it.“We have to be very careful,” Mohr said, “because without water, none of us are going to be here.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667578335644.png" alt="A basin at Cheyenne Bottoms wetlands in central Kansas that's normally filled with water sits empty during the extreme drought of 2022. Catherine Evans / Colby Moorberg / Kansas Geological Survey / Kansas State University" />
 <figcaption>A basin at Cheyenne Bottoms wetlands in central Kansas that's normally filled with water sits empty during the extreme drought of 2022. Catherine Evans / Colby Moorberg / Kansas Geological Survey / Kansas State University</figcaption>
 </figure>The state established the Walnut Creek IGUCA to leave more water for nearby streams that flow into Cheyenne Bottoms, a critical wetland bird habitat that the recent drought temporarily&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-11-04/up-to-1-million-birds-count-on-kansas-wetlands-during-migration-drought-has-left-them-high-and-dry" target="_blank">dried up</a>. If aquifer levels decline enough, the water that historically flowed in a stream above it can get&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic9/pic9_2.html" target="_blank">sucked underground</a>&nbsp;and leave a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic9/pic9_2.html" target="_blank">dry bed on the surface</a>.As opposed to local enhanced management areas, or LEMAs, that allow local landowners to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2023-01-10/this-is-do-or-die-western-kansas-farmers-push-to-save-the-ogallala-aquifer-before-its-too-late" target="_blank">come up with their own plan</a>&nbsp;for cutting irrigation,&nbsp;<a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/managing-kansas-water-resources/intensive-groundwater-use-control-areas" target="_blank">IGUCAs</a>&nbsp;are initiated by the state. And farmers don’t have a say about how big the cuts are or whether they have to abide by the rules the state sets.Here’s what that meant for farmers in the Walnut Creek area. Those who got their water rights after October of 1965 had to cut their irrigation the most — roughly twice as much as those with older water rights that were established between 1945 and 1965. Some farmers, like Mohr, had land that fell into both categories.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675279221952.png" alt="This map shows the boundaries of the Walnut Creek IGUCA (the section shaded black) within the Walnut Creek watershed (the section shaded blue) in west-central Kansas south of Hays. Kansas Department of Agriculture" />
 <figcaption>This map shows the boundaries of the Walnut Creek IGUCA (the section shaded black) within the Walnut Creek watershed (the section shaded blue) in west-central Kansas south of Hays. Kansas Department of Agriculture</figcaption>
 </figure>The junior water rights holders, which make up roughly half of the total allocations in the area, had to reduce their water use by 42%. Those with more senior rights only had to cut irrigation by around 20%.Nathan Hendricks, a Kansas State University agricultural economics professor who worked on the study, said that 20% cut purposefully left senior rights farmers with as much water as the state determined was the bare minimum for growing irrigated corn in that area.“The juniors just got whatever was left after that amount,” Hendricks said. “So it became much more restrictive.”The remaining one-fifth of farmers had water rights that were established prior to the Kansas Water Appropriation Act of 1945 and didn’t have to reduce their irrigation at all — basically serving as a control group for the study.And it turns out that if the farmers weren’t forced to cut their water use, they didn’t choose to do it on their own. The farmers whose irrigation got grandfathered in, Hendricks said, have hardly changed how much they water their crops over the past few decades.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675279264020.png" alt="This photo from 2021 shows a field of nonirrigated grain sorghum, or milo, in part of the Walnut Creek basin in Rush County. Some farmers in this area have switched from growing corn to growing milo, which requires less water, since the IGUCA's irrigation restrictions went into effect. David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>This photo from 2021 shows a field of nonirrigated grain sorghum, or milo, in part of the Walnut Creek basin in Rush County. Some farmers in this area have switched from growing corn to growing milo, which requires less water, since the IGUCA's irrigation restrictions went into effect. David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Up to a certain point — around a 25% reduction in irrigation, Hendricks said — farmers can shrink their water use by just sprinkling fewer inches on a field. But once irrigation cuts exceed 25%, they pretty much have to stop watering some fields altogether, leaving the crops planted there to rely on the weather or choosing to not plant crops on those fields at all.The K-State study reports that the reduction in irrigated acres around Walnut Creek significantly reduced the area's land values. That’s because there’s a big difference between rental rates for irrigated and nonirrigated farmland.In Barton County, for instance, an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agmanager.info/farm-management/land-rental-rates/2023-kansas-county-level-cash-rental-rates-irrigated-cropland" target="_blank">irrigated acre of land</a>&nbsp;is worth more than twice as much as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agmanager.info/farm-management/land-rental-rates/2023-kansas-county-level-cash-rental-rates-non-irrigated-cropland" target="_blank">one without irrigation</a>.The study calculated all of the potential money forfeited due to those cheaper rents within this IGUCA and showed it adds up to a loss of $283,000 per year for the region.For the farmers who had to stop irrigating some of their fields entirely, Hendricks said, it’s likely they also took a personal financial hit to their harvests and profits.“If you’re backing off irrigated acres,” Hendricks said, “it’s hard to imagine there’s not a loss.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675279312650.png" alt="A combination of drought on the surface and depleted aquifer levels underground can leave river beds dry. Here, the Smoky Hill River south of Hays sits parched in the fall of 2022. David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A combination of drought on the surface and depleted aquifer levels underground can leave river beds dry. Here, the Smoky Hill River south of Hays sits parched in the fall of 2022. David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Other research from part of northwest Kansas has shown that some farmers who cut irrigation end up seeing their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-05-05/farmers-trying-to-save-the-ogallala-aquifer-face-tension-from-peers-but-their-profits-are-improving" target="_blank">profits go up</a>&nbsp;as they spend less money pumping water from underground and buying seed and fertilizer. But the conditions farmers face — the local climate, the depth and quality of their section of aquifer — can vary greatly from one part of the state to another.And with the ongoing extreme drought, there’s only so much farmers can do to make up for a lack of rain even if they have irrigation.Parts of Ness County near the western edge of the Walnut Creek IGUCA experienced their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2023-01-23/how-bad-was-the-2022-drought-for-these-seven-kansas-communities-it-was-the-driest-on-record" target="_blank">driest year on record</a>&nbsp;in 2022. And many farmers in west-central Kansas already saw drought&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-06-08/western-kansas-wheat-crops-are-failing-just-when-the-world-needs-them-most" target="_blank">burn up their wheat</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-09-20/how-the-drought-killing-kansas-corn-crops-could-make-you-pay-more-for-gas-and-beef" target="_blank">corn crops</a>&nbsp;last year, drastically reducing harvests.Without some precipitation in the next 60 days, Mohr said, farmers in his area will have to start making tough choices about the coming season.“Mother Nature’s water,” Mohr said, “is much better than irrigating water.”David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.

30 years ago, these Kansas farmers were told to use less water. Here's how they did it

On Sunday, Feb. 5 at approximately 7:09 p.m., an officer from the Great Bend Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle at the intersection of Forest Avenue and Morphy Street in reference to a traffic infraction. 

The Officer exited his vehicle and was going to make contact with the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Layton Luke, age 29, when the vehicle drove away from the traffic stop. Luke fled from the traffic stop traveling down multiple streets in Great Bend. 

Barton County Sheriff's Office deputies joined the pursuit and the vehicle was eventually stopped in the 10 block of South US 281 Highway. Luke was taken into custody, and there were two firearms located in his vehicle at the time it was stopped. 

Luke was arrested and transported to the Barton County Jail where he was booked in lieu of bond on charges of felony flee and elude, possession of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving under the influence and other charges related to the pursuit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675697816586.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On Sunday, Feb. 5 at approximately 7:09 p.m., an officer from the Great Bend Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle at the intersection of Forest Avenue and Morphy Street in reference to a traffic infraction. The Officer exited his vehicle and was going to make contact with the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Layton Luke, age 29, when the vehicle drove away from the traffic stop. Luke fled from the traffic stop traveling down multiple streets in Great Bend. Barton County Sheriff's Office deputies joined the pursuit and the vehicle was eventually stopped in the 10 block of South US 281 Highway. Luke was taken into custody, and there were two firearms located in his vehicle at the time it was stopped. Luke was arrested and transported to the Barton County Jail where he was booked in lieu of bond on charges of felony flee and elude, possession of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving under the influence and other charges related to the pursuit.

Man flees from Great Bend police, later stopped for DUI

Kim Baldwin, McPherson County farmer and rancher

Six more weeks of winter for 2023. At least that’s the prediction based on a rodent in Pennsylvania.&nbsp; My 7-year-old daughter has recently taken to studying calendars. She can tell you when all of the important and slightly less important days are. She’s also memorized birthdays and does an impressively good job at reminding the rest of us about what a particular day holds. So when she woke up and announced it was Groundhog Day, there was a sense of excitement in the air.&nbsp; While eating breakfast we feverishly switched television channels trying to catch the festivities of the morning live to learn of our future.&nbsp; By the time the kids had to bundle up and head out to their bus stop, my daughter tried to talk me into letting her skip the bus to school so she could watch the revelation unfold in real time. She just had to know what the future would hold. I denied her request to skip the morning bus and told her we’d watch the exciting announcement together on YouTube when she got home that afternoon.&nbsp; By the time I searched for the prognostication that had taken place earlier in the day, I already knew what had been seen and what had been declared but kept that knowledge to myself. As we gathered around my iPad to watch the replay of that morning’s events unfold, you could sense my daughter anxiously awaiting the announcement of her future.&nbsp; We watched as the stage of gathered gentlemen wearing top hats revealed a royal red carpet and scrolls. We cheered with the crowd as they chanted for a groundhog named Phil while a man formally knocked on a tiny, padlocked door at the base of tree stump located on the stage.&nbsp; We waited in anticipation as the groundhog was awakened from his wintery slumber and brought forth from his den to hint at the scroll containing his discovery. The prognostication was revealed when we heard the statement, “I see a shadow upon my stage. No matter how you measure, it’s six more weeks of winter weather.” My daughter refused to accept the prophesy. She argued that she didn’t see his shadow and suggested that the rodent was misguided. In her distraught state, she demanded to watch other videos from that morning that would surely show different angles of the events. She needed better proof. I assured her that taking weather advice from a rodent is not the only way one should plan for the future and challenged her to look around the farm for her own observed signs of spring. And in her brief time of discovery and reflection before dinner she saw three newborn lambs cuddled together in a bed of straw with their mother. She saw how much more space she had to roller skate in the machine shop as we’ve begun to make room for future seed deliveries. And after moving a pile of leaves, she uncovered the tiny tip of a crocus beginning to peek through the soil. Whether we’ll experience more winter weather or not this year, there are definitely hints of another season beginning to appear.&nbsp; And as my daughter learned, we just have to rely less on a soothsaying rodent and keep our own eyes open for other signs of spring.&nbsp; "Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kim Baldwin, McPherson County farmer and rancherSix more weeks of winter for 2023. At least that’s the prediction based on a rodent in Pennsylvania.&nbsp; My 7-year-old daughter has recently taken to studying calendars. She can tell you when all of the important and slightly less important days are. She’s also memorized birthdays and does an impressively good job at reminding the rest of us about what a particular day holds. So when she woke up and announced it was Groundhog Day, there was a sense of excitement in the air.&nbsp; While eating breakfast we feverishly switched television channels trying to catch the festivities of the morning live to learn of our future.&nbsp; By the time the kids had to bundle up and head out to their bus stop, my daughter tried to talk me into letting her skip the bus to school so she could watch the revelation unfold in real time. She just had to know what the future would hold. I denied her request to skip the morning bus and told her we’d watch the exciting announcement together on YouTube when she got home that afternoon.&nbsp; By the time I searched for the prognostication that had taken place earlier in the day, I already knew what had been seen and what had been declared but kept that knowledge to myself. As we gathered around my iPad to watch the replay of that morning’s events unfold, you could sense my daughter anxiously awaiting the announcement of her future.&nbsp; We watched as the stage of gathered gentlemen wearing top hats revealed a royal red carpet and scrolls. We cheered with the crowd as they chanted for a groundhog named Phil while a man formally knocked on a tiny, padlocked door at the base of tree stump located on the stage.&nbsp; We waited in anticipation as the groundhog was awakened from his wintery slumber and brought forth from his den to hint at the scroll containing his discovery. The prognostication was revealed when we heard the statement, “I see a shadow upon my stage. No matter how you measure, it’s six more weeks of winter weather.” My daughter refused to accept the prophesy. She argued that she didn’t see his shadow and suggested that the rodent was misguided. In her distraught state, she demanded to watch other videos from that morning that would surely show different angles of the events. She needed better proof. I assured her that taking weather advice from a rodent is not the only way one should plan for the future and challenged her to look around the farm for her own observed signs of spring. And in her brief time of discovery and reflection before dinner she saw three newborn lambs cuddled together in a bed of straw with their mother. She saw how much more space she had to roller skate in the machine shop as we’ve begun to make room for future seed deliveries. And after moving a pile of leaves, she uncovered the tiny tip of a crocus beginning to peek through the soil. Whether we’ll experience more winter weather or not this year, there are definitely hints of another season beginning to appear.&nbsp; And as my daughter learned, we just have to rely less on a soothsaying rodent and keep our own eyes open for other signs of spring.&nbsp; "Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;Copyright © 2023 Kansas Farm Bureau, All rights reserved.

Insight: Signs of Spring

2/3 BOOKED: Michael Brown on Barton County District Court warrant, to serve sentence.

BOOKED: Dontae Adams on Reno County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, bond set at $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Juan Prieto on Great Bend Municipal Court case for No Driver's License, Illegal Tags, and Window Tint, bond set at $500 C/S or 48-hour OR.

BOOKED: Eric Torres on Barton County District Court warrant, to serve sentence.

BOOKED: Joshua Smith on Barton County District Court warrant, to serve sentence.

BOOKED: Jonathan Jones on Barton County District Court case for Possession of a Controlled Substance x2, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and No Drug Tax Stamp, bond set at $10,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Jericho Riddle four Barton County District Court cases for Probation Violation, on $25,000 OR bond.

RELEASED: Taylor Turner on Barton County District Court case, by order of the court; and Great Bend Municipal Court case, on 48-hour OR bond.

RELEASED: Dontae Adams on Reno County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, after posting $1,000 surety bond.

RELEASED: Juan Prieto on Great Bend Municipal Court case for No Driver's License, Illegal Tags, and Window Tint, after posting $500 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonds.

RELEASED: Jordan Daniels on Barton County District Court warrant for Failure to Appear, after posting $1,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonds.

2/4 BOOKED: Tyler Lynd on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for Contempt of Court, bond set at $817.50 cash only; and on Barton County District Court case for Driving a Vehicle Without an Ignition Interlock Device, Driving Under the Influence, and No Proof of Insurance, bond set at $2,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Juvenile on Barton County District Court case for Battery, no bond set.

RELEASED: Jonathan Jones on Barton County District Court case for Possession of a Controlled Substance x2, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and No Drug Tax Stamp, after posting $10,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonds.

2/5 BOOKED: Michael Wheeler on two Barton County District Court cases, to serve sentence.

BOOKED: Christopher Delauder on Barton County District Court case for Criminal Trespass, bond set at $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Michael Akins on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for Failure to Appear, bond set at $500 cash only.

BOOKED: Layton Luke on Barton County District Court case for Flee and Elude, Possession of Firearm Under the Influence, Driving Under the Influence, Reckless Driving, Disregard Stop Sign, Improper Driving on Laned Roads, Improper Lane Change, and Basic Speed, bond set at $5,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Juvenile on Barton County District Court case for Battery, to Juvenile Justice Authority.

RELEASED: Joshua Smith on Barton County District Court warrant, after time served.

RELEASED: Hunter Ward on five Barton County District Court warrants for Probation Violation, and a case for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, after time served.

BOOKED: Layton Luke on Barton County District Court case for Flee and Elude, Possession of Firearm Under the Influence, Driving Under the Influence, Reckless Driving, Disregard Stop Sign, Improper Driving on Laned Roads, Improper Lane Change, and Basic Speed, after posting $5,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639765862512.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>2/3 BOOKED: Michael Brown on Barton County District Court warrant, to serve sentence.BOOKED: Dontae Adams on Reno County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, bond set at $1,000 C/S.BOOKED: Juan Prieto on Great Bend Municipal Court case for No Driver's License, Illegal Tags, and Window Tint, bond set at $500 C/S or 48-hour OR.BOOKED: Eric Torres on Barton County District Court warrant, to serve sentence.BOOKED: Joshua Smith on Barton County District Court warrant, to serve sentence.BOOKED: Jonathan Jones on Barton County District Court case for Possession of a Controlled Substance x2, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and No Drug Tax Stamp, bond set at $10,000 C/S.RELEASED: Jericho Riddle four Barton County District Court cases for Probation Violation, on $25,000 OR bond.RELEASED: Taylor Turner on Barton County District Court case, by order of the court; and Great Bend Municipal Court case, on 48-hour OR bond.RELEASED: Dontae Adams on Reno County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, after posting $1,000 surety bond.RELEASED: Juan Prieto on Great Bend Municipal Court case for No Driver's License, Illegal Tags, and Window Tint, after posting $500 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonds.RELEASED: Jordan Daniels on Barton County District Court warrant for Failure to Appear, after posting $1,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonds.2/4 BOOKED: Tyler Lynd on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for Contempt of Court, bond set at $817.50 cash only; and on Barton County District Court case for Driving a Vehicle Without an Ignition Interlock Device, Driving Under the Influence, and No Proof of Insurance, bond set at $2,500 C/S.BOOKED: Juvenile on Barton County District Court case for Battery, no bond set.RELEASED: Jonathan Jones on Barton County District Court case for Possession of a Controlled Substance x2, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and No Drug Tax Stamp, after posting $10,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonds.2/5 BOOKED: Michael Wheeler on two Barton County District Court cases, to serve sentence.BOOKED: Christopher Delauder on Barton County District Court case for Criminal Trespass, bond set at $1,000 C/S.BOOKED: Michael Akins on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for Failure to Appear, bond set at $500 cash only.BOOKED: Layton Luke on Barton County District Court case for Flee and Elude, Possession of Firearm Under the Influence, Driving Under the Influence, Reckless Driving, Disregard Stop Sign, Improper Driving on Laned Roads, Improper Lane Change, and Basic Speed, bond set at $5,000 C/S.RELEASED: Juvenile on Barton County District Court case for Battery, to Juvenile Justice Authority.RELEASED: Joshua Smith on Barton County District Court warrant, after time served.RELEASED: Hunter Ward on five Barton County District Court warrants for Probation Violation, and a case for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, after time served.BOOKED: Layton Luke on Barton County District Court case for Flee and Elude, Possession of Firearm Under the Influence, Driving Under the Influence, Reckless Driving, Disregard Stop Sign, Improper Driving on Laned Roads, Improper Lane Change, and Basic Speed, after posting $5,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonds.

Barton County Sheriff's Booking Activity (2/3 - 2/5)

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The Netflix series "13 Reasons Why" helped push the topic of suicide to the national forefront. But not in the way many health officials may have liked. That, in part, is how the #Zero Reasons Why campaign was started. For a second year, Hoisington High School yellowed-out its gymnasium for Friday's basketball games against Pratt. Business Instructor Jennifer Steinert said the campaign is meant to eliminate the stigma of talking about mental health issues.

"Talking about it is okay," she said. "Back in my day we didn't talk about it, and it's still something we don't really talk about. That's why we're doing the work we're doing."

The Center for Counseling brought the campaign to the area. Zero Reasons Why is now utilized by 10 area schools, as well as many others around the state and nation. Steinert has already seen growth at Hoisington in just the program's second year.

"We have around 50 students involved right now, which is great," she said. "We've seen a lot of growth from last year to this year, with it being new last year. We've had a lot of freshmen sign on. We had gone and talked to the middle school last year, and they said that made a big impact with them."

Beyond the yellow-out at Friday's basketball game, the event provided information about the campaign and mental health. Attendees filled out cards with positive messages that were shared around the Activity Center, and Hoisington athletes, band members, and the cheer and dance squads all wore yellow. It's all to show that no one suffers from mental health issues alone.

"It's kind of surprising to see how many people actually do struggle with mental health," said HHS senior Sydney Strong. "Learning about suicide awareness, I think it's good it's getting out there now."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641396577070.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe Netflix series "13 Reasons Why" helped push the topic of suicide to the national forefront. But not in the way many health officials may have liked. That, in part, is how the #Zero Reasons Why campaign was started. For a second year, Hoisington High School yellowed-out its gymnasium for Friday's basketball games against Pratt. Business Instructor Jennifer Steinert said the campaign is meant to eliminate the stigma of talking about mental health issues."Talking about it is okay," she said. "Back in my day we didn't talk about it, and it's still something we don't really talk about. That's why we're doing the work we're doing."The Center for Counseling brought the campaign to the area. Zero Reasons Why is now utilized by 10 area schools, as well as many others around the state and nation. Steinert has already seen growth at Hoisington in just the program's second year."We have around 50 students involved right now, which is great," she said. "We've seen a lot of growth from last year to this year, with it being new last year. We've had a lot of freshmen sign on. We had gone and talked to the middle school last year, and they said that made a big impact with them."Beyond the yellow-out at Friday's basketball game, the event provided information about the campaign and mental health. Attendees filled out cards with positive messages that were shared around the Activity Center, and Hoisington athletes, band members, and the cheer and dance squads all wore yellow. It's all to show that no one suffers from mental health issues alone."It's kind of surprising to see how many people actually do struggle with mental health," said HHS senior Sydney Strong. "Learning about suicide awareness, I think it's good it's getting out there now."

#Zero Reasons Why campaign continues to grow at Hoisington High

Today Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 57. South-southeast wind 11 to 17 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. North-northwest wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. North-northwest wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Tuesday Night A 20-percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. North wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable.

Wednesday A slight chance of snow before 9 a.m., then a slight chance of rain and snow between 9 a.m. and noon, then a slight chance of rain after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. West wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. Blustery.

Thursday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. Breezy.

Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 23. Blustery.

Friday Sunny, with a high near 44.

Friday Night Clear, with a low around 21.

Saturday Sunny, with a high near 56. Breezy.

Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Breezy.

Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 58.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 57. South-southeast wind 11 to 17 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. North-northwest wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. North-northwest wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.Tuesday Night A 20-percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. North wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable.Wednesday A slight chance of snow before 9 a.m., then a slight chance of rain and snow between 9 a.m. and noon, then a slight chance of rain after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. West wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. Blustery.Thursday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. Breezy.Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 23. Blustery.Friday Sunny, with a high near 44.Friday Night Clear, with a low around 21.Saturday Sunny, with a high near 56. Breezy.Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Breezy.Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 58.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Monday's Weather

&nbsp;Paul Zamarripa was located safe in McPherson, according to the KBI.&nbsp; The silver alert is canceled.&nbsp;

BARTON COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities on Sunday issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing 80-year-old man, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigaton.

The whereabouts of Paul Zamarripa, 80, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him. 

He was last seen Sunday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. on Interstate 35, headed south in a 2009 G2500 Chevy Van, according to Great Bend Police.

The van is white with a green ladder on top and bears Kansas tag 087NRD. 

Zamarripa is described 5-foot-9, weighs 140 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He has Alzheimer’s and has a history of skipping his medication. 

If you have seen him or his vehicle, please contact the Great Bend Police Department dispatch at 620-793-1920.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675652522792.png" alt="Zamarripa-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Zamarripa-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Paul Zamarripa was located safe in McPherson, according to the KBI.&nbsp; The silver alert is canceled.&nbsp;--------BARTON COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities on Sunday issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing 80-year-old man, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigaton.The whereabouts of Paul Zamarripa, 80, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him. He was last seen Sunday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. on Interstate 35, headed south in a 2009 G2500 Chevy Van, according to Great Bend Police.The van is white with a green ladder on top and bears Kansas tag 087NRD. Zamarripa is described 5-foot-9, weighs 140 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He has Alzheimer’s and has a history of skipping his medication. If you have seen him or his vehicle, please contact the Great Bend Police Department dispatch at 620-793-1920.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled; missing Great Bend man found safe

Great Bend City Council meeting Feb. 6&nbsp; -&nbsp; 6:30 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers

The council meeting will be livestreamed for the public to view on the city council Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/gbcitycouncil/. Agenda

C. Recognition of Visitors and Announcements &nbsp; &nbsp;The public is free to comment on items not listed on the agenda. Comments should be limited to three minutes.

&nbsp; &nbsp;1. Fire Chief Resignation &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Luke McCormick has resigned as Fire Chief. A motion will be made to approve the resignation of McCormick as Fire Chief as submitted.

&nbsp; &nbsp;2. Councilmember Reports

&nbsp; &nbsp;3. Interim Administrator's Update

&nbsp; &nbsp;4. Economic Development Report

&nbsp; &nbsp;5. Moderate Income Housing Grant &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Great Bend Economic Development is proposing that the city apply for the Moderate Income Housing grant on behalf of GBED. GBED is proposing that the city apply for these funds and allow them to be used towards the building of affordable housing in the Zarah Mall building downtown.

&nbsp; &nbsp;7. 2023 Street Resurfacing Project &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The city put out bids for construction of street resurfacing for 2023. Project limits are approximately 13 blocks. Venture Corporation is the only bid the city received for $925,900.

&nbsp; &nbsp;8. SRCA Operating Agreement &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Staff and the SRCA Drag Strip has negotiated a tentative one-year operating agreement.

&nbsp; &nbsp;9. Executive Session &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; An executive session will be conducted to seek legal advice concerning contract matters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585774044357.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend City Council meeting Feb. 6&nbsp; -&nbsp; 6:30 p.m. City Hall Council ChambersThe council meeting will be livestreamed for the public to view on the city council Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/gbcitycouncil/. AgendaOPENING: Pledge of AllegianceA. Consent AgendaB. Old BusinessC. Recognition of Visitors and Announcements &nbsp; &nbsp;The public is free to comment on items not listed on the agenda. Comments should be limited to three minutes.D. New Business&nbsp; &nbsp;1. Fire Chief Resignation &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Luke McCormick has resigned as Fire Chief. A motion will be made to approve the resignation of McCormick as Fire Chief as submitted.&nbsp; &nbsp;2. Councilmember Reports&nbsp; &nbsp;3. Interim Administrator's Update&nbsp; &nbsp;4. Economic Development Report&nbsp; &nbsp;5. Moderate Income Housing Grant &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Great Bend Economic Development is proposing that the city apply for the Moderate Income Housing grant on behalf of GBED. GBED is proposing that the city apply for these funds and allow them to be used towards the building of affordable housing in the Zarah Mall building downtown.&nbsp; &nbsp;6. Abatements&nbsp; &nbsp;7. 2023 Street Resurfacing Project &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The city put out bids for construction of street resurfacing for 2023. Project limits are approximately 13 blocks. Venture Corporation is the only bid the city received for $925,900.&nbsp; &nbsp;8. SRCA Operating Agreement &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Staff and the SRCA Drag Strip has negotiated a tentative one-year operating agreement.&nbsp; &nbsp;9. Executive Session &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; An executive session will be conducted to seek legal advice concerning contract matters.ADJOURNMENT

Great Bend City Council meeting agenda (2/6)

The good news - Kansas Department of Transportation preliminary crash notifications for 2022 show Kansas experienced a 3% decrease in fatalities compared to 2021. The bad news - vehicle crashes continue to be one of the state’s main causes of preventable deaths.

“We hardly can celebrate 413 lives lost in 2022 compared to a total of 424 lives in 2021, because even one death is one too many,” said Vanessa Spartan, KDOT Transportation Safety Bureau Chief. “That said, while many states in the nation are experiencing an increase in fatal crashes, Kansas experienced a decrease. Behind those numbers are the families and friends we must remember. But it is positive that 11 more families were able to continue with their daily lives and enjoy last year in comparison to 2021.”

No life lost is the goal, and 413 lives lost in vehicle crashes is 413 too many. Loss of life and serious injury not only leaves families and friends grieving emotionally, but results in economic stress for families, employers and communities.

“We are in this together,” Spartan said. “Everyone sets the tone by example by building a community intolerance toward dangerous driving behaviors that can lead to a vehicle crash. Far too often, loss of life and serious injury could be avoided by wearing a seat belt, slowing down and following traffic laws.”

The public will soon see more information about&nbsp;Drive to Zero Kansas,&nbsp;a new educational traffic safety campaign KDOT is promoting in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The goal is to reduce crashes, death and serious injury through education, enforcement, emergency response and engineering.

Las buenas noticias - las notificaciones preliminares de choques del Departamento de Transporte de Kansas para 2022 muestran que Kansas experimentó una disminución del 3% en las muertes en comparación con 2021. Las malas noticias - los accidentes de vehículos continúan siendo una de las principales causas de muertes evitables en el estado.

“Difícilmente podemos celebrar las 413 vidas perdidas en 2022 en comparación con un total de 424 vidas en 2021, porque incluso una muerte es demasiada,” dijo Vanessa Spartan, jefa de la Oficina de Seguridad en el Transporte de KDOT. “Dicho esto, mientras que muchos estados de la nación están experimentando un aumento en los choques fatales, Kansas experimentó una disminución. Detrás de esos números están las familias y amigos que debemos recordar. Pero es positivo que 11 familias más hayan podido continuar con su vida diaria y disfrutar el año pasado en comparación con 2021.”

El objetivo es que no se pierda ninguna vida, y 413 vidas perdidas en choques automovilísticos son 413 demasiados. La pérdida de la vida y las lesiones graves no solo dejan a las familias y los amigos en duelo emocional, sino que generan estrés económico para las familias, los empleadores y las comunidades.

“Estamos juntos en esto,” dijo Spartan. “Todos marcan la pauta con el ejemplo al generar intolerancia en la comunidad hacia los comportamientos de conducción peligrosos que pueden conducir a un choque automovilístico. Con demasiada frecuencia, la pérdida de vidas y lesiones graves podrían evitarse usando el cinturón de seguridad, disminuyendo la velocidad y siguiendo las leyes de tránsito.”

El público pronto verá más información sobre&nbsp;Drive to Zero Kansas, una nueva campaña educativa de seguridad vial que KDOT está promoviendo junto con la Administración Nacional de Seguridad Vial en las Carreteras. El objetivo es reducir los choques las muertes y las lesiones graves a través de la educación, la aplicación de la ley, la respuesta a emergencias y la ingeniería.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618612276319.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The good news - Kansas Department of Transportation preliminary crash notifications for 2022 show Kansas experienced a 3% decrease in fatalities compared to 2021. The bad news - vehicle crashes continue to be one of the state’s main causes of preventable deaths.“We hardly can celebrate 413 lives lost in 2022 compared to a total of 424 lives in 2021, because even one death is one too many,” said Vanessa Spartan, KDOT Transportation Safety Bureau Chief. “That said, while many states in the nation are experiencing an increase in fatal crashes, Kansas experienced a decrease. Behind those numbers are the families and friends we must remember. But it is positive that 11 more families were able to continue with their daily lives and enjoy last year in comparison to 2021.”No life lost is the goal, and 413 lives lost in vehicle crashes is 413 too many. Loss of life and serious injury not only leaves families and friends grieving emotionally, but results in economic stress for families, employers and communities.“We are in this together,” Spartan said. “Everyone sets the tone by example by building a community intolerance toward dangerous driving behaviors that can lead to a vehicle crash. Far too often, loss of life and serious injury could be avoided by wearing a seat belt, slowing down and following traffic laws.”The public will soon see more information about&nbsp;Drive to Zero Kansas,&nbsp;a new educational traffic safety campaign KDOT is promoting in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The goal is to reduce crashes, death and serious injury through education, enforcement, emergency response and engineering.---Las buenas noticias - las notificaciones preliminares de choques del Departamento de Transporte de Kansas para 2022 muestran que Kansas experimentó una disminución del 3% en las muertes en comparación con 2021. Las malas noticias - los accidentes de vehículos continúan siendo una de las principales causas de muertes evitables en el estado.“Difícilmente podemos celebrar las 413 vidas perdidas en 2022 en comparación con un total de 424 vidas en 2021, porque incluso una muerte es demasiada,” dijo Vanessa Spartan, jefa de la Oficina de Seguridad en el Transporte de KDOT. “Dicho esto, mientras que muchos estados de la nación están experimentando un aumento en los choques fatales, Kansas experimentó una disminución. Detrás de esos números están las familias y amigos que debemos recordar. Pero es positivo que 11 familias más hayan podido continuar con su vida diaria y disfrutar el año pasado en comparación con 2021.”El objetivo es que no se pierda ninguna vida, y 413 vidas perdidas en choques automovilísticos son 413 demasiados. La pérdida de la vida y las lesiones graves no solo dejan a las familias y los amigos en duelo emocional, sino que generan estrés económico para las familias, los empleadores y las comunidades.“Estamos juntos en esto,” dijo Spartan. “Todos marcan la pauta con el ejemplo al generar intolerancia en la comunidad hacia los comportamientos de conducción peligrosos que pueden conducir a un choque automovilístico. Con demasiada frecuencia, la pérdida de vidas y lesiones graves podrían evitarse usando el cinturón de seguridad, disminuyendo la velocidad y siguiendo las leyes de tránsito.”El público pronto verá más información sobre&nbsp;Drive to Zero Kansas, una nueva campaña educativa de seguridad vial que KDOT está promoviendo junto con la Administración Nacional de Seguridad Vial en las Carreteras. El objetivo es reducir los choques las muertes y las lesiones graves a través de la educación, la aplicación de la ley, la respuesta a emergencias y la ingeniería.

More can be done to prevent fatality crashes

The
drought monitor report as of Tuesday, January 31 indicates no change even with
the precipitation received.&nbsp; Approximately
75% of the state is in moderate to extreme drought with the worst conditions in
the western half of the state into South Central and much of extreme Southeast
Kansas.&nbsp; Again, there is little hope for
any change in our area’s conditions in the short or even long term.&nbsp; The six to ten-day outlook (February 7 to 11)
indicates a 40 to 50% chance of above normal temperatures and 33 to 40% chance
of above normal precipitation.&nbsp; The eight
to fourteen-day outlook (February 9 to 15) indicates a continued 40 to 50%
chance of above normal temperatures and a continued 33 to 50% chance of above normal
precipitation.&nbsp; We are slowly seeing the
precipitation chances increasing, even if slightly.&nbsp; And with the projected temperatures, wheat
should soon start to break dormancy.&nbsp; In
case you are wondering how accurate the outlooks by the Climate Prediction
Center.&nbsp; The have been pretty spot on the
last year.

Whether a producer is dealing with drought
or saturated soils conditions, a major key is the health of the soil the crops
are growing in.&nbsp; This may seem a bit
strange when considering we view soil as a nonliving organism.&nbsp; So, what factors are considered regarding
soil health, and what makes for good soil health?&nbsp; Today, let’s briefly consider factors
determining soil health and what makes for good soil health?&nbsp; This will somewhat change depending on the
plants involved.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
bulk density of the soil, how much it weighs per unit volume.&nbsp; This tells you how much of the volume of the
soil is taken up by solids (minerals and organic matter) and how much is
space.&nbsp; Ideally, the topsoil and
immediate subsoil should be 50% solids and 50% space.&nbsp; The solids should consist of 45% mineral
fraction and 5% organic matter.&nbsp; The 50%
space should be 25% air and 25% water.&nbsp; A
bulk density that is too high or too low results in a poor soil
environment.&nbsp; In case you’re wondering. A
bulk density of 1.2 – 1.5 grams/ cubic centimeter is the “ideal” range for most
crops.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Having
a good mixture of interconnected micro- and macro- pores.&nbsp; The micropores hold water and the macropores
are responsible for gaseous exchange and water movement.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
crumbly soil structure is ideal and it indicates good porosity and ease of root
penetration and good root growth.&nbsp; It
also indicates decent to excellent organic matter content.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To
hold water and nutrients as well as to promote good soil structure, an organic
matter content of 5% or a little higher is ideal.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For
most crop plants, a soil pH reading in the range of 6.2 to 7.2 is ideal.&nbsp; This allows for good nutrient availability,
minimizes the chance for toxic levels of certain elements, and promotes the
presence of beneficial micro flora and fauna, especially bacteria.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Finally,
for today, a healthy, active microbial community that promotes recycling of
nutrients and breaks down organic matter producing humus.

As is typically said,
there is more, but this provides a basic idea of what to consider.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596200583759.jpeg" alt="Barton Community College Agriculture Instructor Dr. Vic Martin" />
 <figcaption>Barton Community College Agriculture Instructor Dr. Vic Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>The
drought monitor report as of Tuesday, January 31 indicates no change even with
the precipitation received.&nbsp; Approximately
75% of the state is in moderate to extreme drought with the worst conditions in
the western half of the state into South Central and much of extreme Southeast
Kansas.&nbsp; Again, there is little hope for
any change in our area’s conditions in the short or even long term.&nbsp; The six to ten-day outlook (February 7 to 11)
indicates a 40 to 50% chance of above normal temperatures and 33 to 40% chance
of above normal precipitation.&nbsp; The eight
to fourteen-day outlook (February 9 to 15) indicates a continued 40 to 50%
chance of above normal temperatures and a continued 33 to 50% chance of above normal
precipitation.&nbsp; We are slowly seeing the
precipitation chances increasing, even if slightly.&nbsp; And with the projected temperatures, wheat
should soon start to break dormancy.&nbsp; In
case you are wondering how accurate the outlooks by the Climate Prediction
Center.&nbsp; The have been pretty spot on the
last year.Whether a producer is dealing with drought
or saturated soils conditions, a major key is the health of the soil the crops
are growing in.&nbsp; This may seem a bit
strange when considering we view soil as a nonliving organism.&nbsp; So, what factors are considered regarding
soil health, and what makes for good soil health?&nbsp; Today, let’s briefly consider factors
determining soil health and what makes for good soil health?&nbsp; This will somewhat change depending on the
plants involved.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
bulk density of the soil, how much it weighs per unit volume.&nbsp; This tells you how much of the volume of the
soil is taken up by solids (minerals and organic matter) and how much is
space.&nbsp; Ideally, the topsoil and
immediate subsoil should be 50% solids and 50% space.&nbsp; The solids should consist of 45% mineral
fraction and 5% organic matter.&nbsp; The 50%
space should be 25% air and 25% water.&nbsp; A
bulk density that is too high or too low results in a poor soil
environment.&nbsp; In case you’re wondering. A
bulk density of 1.2 – 1.5 grams/ cubic centimeter is the “ideal” range for most
crops.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Having
a good mixture of interconnected micro- and macro- pores.&nbsp; The micropores hold water and the macropores
are responsible for gaseous exchange and water movement.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
crumbly soil structure is ideal and it indicates good porosity and ease of root
penetration and good root growth.&nbsp; It
also indicates decent to excellent organic matter content.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To
hold water and nutrients as well as to promote good soil structure, an organic
matter content of 5% or a little higher is ideal.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For
most crop plants, a soil pH reading in the range of 6.2 to 7.2 is ideal.&nbsp; This allows for good nutrient availability,
minimizes the chance for toxic levels of certain elements, and promotes the
presence of beneficial micro flora and fauna, especially bacteria.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Finally,
for today, a healthy, active microbial community that promotes recycling of
nutrients and breaks down organic matter producing humus.As is typically said,
there is more, but this provides a basic idea of what to consider.

Barton Ag Instructor Dr. Vic Martin - Evaluating Soil Health

The Kansas Wetlands Education Center’s Turtle Tots, a nature-based
program developed for preschool-age children, continues with a “Cozy Animals”
program Friday, Feb. 10. The program will allow children to
read a book about how animals stay warm during the winter, explore furs, meet a
furry animal and make a craft. 

Pam Martin, Education Specialist at the Wetlands
Center, said the program is tailored for those children between the ages of
three and five. 
"We have something planned for them every 10 to 15 minutes, because their attention spans are short," said Martin. "We always have an experiment, story, craft, activity and we try to take them outside. The whole idea is to get them interested in nature at that nice, young age when they're excited about everything." 
The one-hour program will start at 10:15 a.m. at the Wetlands Center, just
northeast of Great Bend, and is offered at no charge.&nbsp;The programs introduce young children to the natural world around them with sensory experiences, while reinforcing colors, shapes, math and fine motor skills.&nbsp;

Registration for the
February program ends Monday, Feb. 6. To register call 620-566-1456 or 1-877-243-9268.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675456681049.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend PostThe Kansas Wetlands Education Center’s Turtle Tots, a nature-based
program developed for preschool-age children, continues with a “Cozy Animals”
program Friday, Feb. 10. The program will allow children to
read a book about how animals stay warm during the winter, explore furs, meet a
furry animal and make a craft. Pam Martin, Education Specialist at the Wetlands
Center, said the program is tailored for those children between the ages of
three and five. 
"We have something planned for them every 10 to 15 minutes, because their attention spans are short," said Martin. "We always have an experiment, story, craft, activity and we try to take them outside. The whole idea is to get them interested in nature at that nice, young age when they're excited about everything." 
The one-hour program will start at 10:15 a.m. at the Wetlands Center, just
northeast of Great Bend, and is offered at no charge.&nbsp;The programs introduce young children to the natural world around them with sensory experiences, while reinforcing colors, shapes, math and fine motor skills.&nbsp;Registration for the
February program ends Monday, Feb. 6. To register call 620-566-1456 or 1-877-243-9268.

KS Wetlands Ed Center aiming program at preschool-age children

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

For the first time since 2019, the Barton County Fair will
have a carnival this summer. The Fair Association announced they have signed a
contract with WEEE Entertainment to provide a carnival. The fair will run July
5-9, with the carnival performing three nights, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 
 
With a limited number of carnivals out there following the COVID-19 pandemic,
Barton County Fair Board President Charles Atkinson said a lot of work went
into securing a carnival vendor. 
 
"It always takes a lot of people and working with other communities," said Atkinson. "It took a lot of phone calls and getting on the calendar. There's a lot that has to take place because many of these carnivals are scheduling two years out. With the limited number available, it's the luck of the draw, and everything fell in place." 
 
WEEE Entertainment had previously contracted with the Hoisington Chamber of
Commerce in providing a carnival for Hoisington’s Annual Labor Day Celebration.
Scheduling conflicts will keep WEEE Entertainment from coming to Hoisington this
September, but Barton County residents will still be able to enjoy the carnival
excitement at the fair.

"I know they're bringing in 17 or 18 rides, which is the max that they have and a little bit more than we have seen over the years," said Atkinson. "We're mixing things up and will have a completely different look this year at the fair. As soon as we get contracts signed, we'll be able to announce our concert lineup as well."

While attending the Kansas Fairs &amp; Festivals Convention
in Topeka last weekend, Barton County Fair Association board members were able
to meet with Chris Williams, owner of WEEE Entertainment, and work out the
final details. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675458840199.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostFor the first time since 2019, the Barton County Fair will
have a carnival this summer. The Fair Association announced they have signed a
contract with WEEE Entertainment to provide a carnival. The fair will run July
5-9, with the carnival performing three nights, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 
 
With a limited number of carnivals out there following the COVID-19 pandemic,
Barton County Fair Board President Charles Atkinson said a lot of work went
into securing a carnival vendor. 
 
"It always takes a lot of people and working with other communities," said Atkinson. "It took a lot of phone calls and getting on the calendar. There's a lot that has to take place because many of these carnivals are scheduling two years out. With the limited number available, it's the luck of the draw, and everything fell in place." 
 
WEEE Entertainment had previously contracted with the Hoisington Chamber of
Commerce in providing a carnival for Hoisington’s Annual Labor Day Celebration.
Scheduling conflicts will keep WEEE Entertainment from coming to Hoisington this
September, but Barton County residents will still be able to enjoy the carnival
excitement at the fair."I know they're bringing in 17 or 18 rides, which is the max that they have and a little bit more than we have seen over the years," said Atkinson. "We're mixing things up and will have a completely different look this year at the fair. As soon as we get contracts signed, we'll be able to announce our concert lineup as well."While attending the Kansas Fairs &amp; Festivals Convention
in Topeka last weekend, Barton County Fair Association board members were able
to meet with Chris Williams, owner of WEEE Entertainment, and work out the
final details.

Carnival returning to the Barton County Fair this summer

Hear this week's County Edition show with Eagle Radio's Steve Webster and Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir that aired Feb. 2, 2023.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596658271505.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hear this week's County Edition show with Eagle Radio's Steve Webster and Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir that aired Feb. 2, 2023.<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/0igtx4aj/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>The County Edition program airs every Thursday at 11:05 a.m. on 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM.&nbsp;

🎙County Edition: Sheriff Brian Bellendir

Now is the time for wheat farmers to make their priorities known as negotiations for the next Farm Bill kick into high gear. That was a clear message from lawmakers and association staff alike during the 2023 Kansas Commodity Classic. As the calendar turns to a new month, Kansas Wheat is carrying forward that call to action as staff and board members join counterparts from across the country for the joint meetings of U.S. Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers.

“If you are participating in KAWG, your voice is being heard,” said Shayna DeGroot, KAWG director of membership and governmental affairs. “We’re the ones relaying messages to our Congressional offices and our national association. So if you are a part of KAWG, you can have that discussion with us to ensure you have all the tools you need in your operation, especially to stay afloat in times of need.”

The 2023 Kansas Commodity Classic — the annual convention of the Kansas corn, wheat, soybean and grain sorghum associations — on January 27 in Salina, farmers from across the state heard a market update from Dan Maltby with Maltby Risk Management, a U.S. Agriculture in 2023 projection presentation from AgriPulse Communications Publisher Sara Wyant, U.S. Senate updates from Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall, a virtual House Update panel featuring all four members of the Kansas Congressional delegation, and a Farm Bill and Farm Programs Update from national association staff.

The agenda was packed with valuable information, but DeGroot highlighted the need for educating staff or Congressional members that are unfamiliar with agricultural issues and the potential difficulties of the current political situation in passing the next Farm Bill.

“There are fewer and fewer agriculture leaders working on the Farm Bill, so we have a lot of education to do,” DeGroot said. “There may be a struggle to agree on some issues and get everything pushed through, so we need to be sure our voices are heard and we’re relaying information for our farmers.”

As an important part of that gather-and-convey policy process, KAWG members met one day ahead of the state-wide event to discuss and debate policies impacting wheat growers, including approving two new resolutions passed by the KAWG Board of Directors:

· RC.9 The KAWG supports efforts to improve crop insurance performance for farmers through the separation of enterprise units by fallow and continuous, while still offering combined units to those who it would benefit.

· E.9 The KAWG recognizes the soil and environmental benefits of wheat in a crop rotation and therefore wheat that is intentionally seeded and harvestable should have the option of being classified as a cover crop for purposes of NRCS and other climate-smart programs.

Both resolutions are intended to help provide additional flexibility and benefits to Kansas wheat farmers, especially during drought or other adverse conditions. Read the full set of KAWG resolutions at https://kswheat.com/kawg-resolutions.

“KAWG is proud to help address wheat farmers’ needs in the upcoming growing season and Farm Bill negotiations,” DeGroot said.

DeGroot and Kansas wheat farmers carried these resolutions and concerns with them to Washington, DC, this week - where they and Kansas Wheat Commissioners are participating in the joint winter meeting for USW and NAWG. As part of those meetings, the Kansas group will meet with the entirety of the Kansas Congressional delegation to provide additional insights on priorities for Kansas wheat growers for the next Farm Bill, including the new resolutions passed last week.

“We’re excited to get on the Hill,” DeGroot said. “It’s really important that you are involved in your state organization - like KAWG - so we can lobby for issues like protecting crop insurance and work on issues affecting farmers in different areas of the state. We urge you to become a part of KAWG so we can ensure your voice is heard by the folks writing the policies that will directly impact your operation.”

Renew or sign up for a KAWG membership today to stay informed as Farm Bill negotiations progress. Membership benefits include a weekly update with state and national news in addition to a weekly market analysis, the monthly Wheat Farmer/Row Crop Farm newsletter and the annual guide to wheat varieties for Kansas and the Great Plains. Learn more or pay for your membership at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ierACnfh5IdxQvevCXOILFuI_INwQN28Dd-4LCYoBMWNoElMKtgeT-PPCIj_gvTek4mUaLoOsHGoIq1GCi2S0i4SdHyhlQzXAD2gEe-ffO3lTFAzYV6iSsXjKv-c1dn2Dyia_ZwfE-266S-riSAycHvxMjhrV95Oh9ce582Z1HVi3mjwlFkK3w==&amp;c=TanCo7A03BDwyG9LHbuY9G08JT8-EljKJaCm6CTvHmVut_Wb8z-Lwg==&amp;ch=4IheUoTHjIr_pat756OEuW8i0XOpZ28TugtokFdm6uNXnBW8whMxvQ==" target="_blank">kswheat.com/kawg</a>.

Written by Julia Debes for Kansas Wheat

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628192871161.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Now is the time for wheat farmers to make their priorities known as negotiations for the next Farm Bill kick into high gear. That was a clear message from lawmakers and association staff alike during the 2023 Kansas Commodity Classic. As the calendar turns to a new month, Kansas Wheat is carrying forward that call to action as staff and board members join counterparts from across the country for the joint meetings of U.S. Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers.“If you are participating in KAWG, your voice is being heard,” said Shayna DeGroot, KAWG director of membership and governmental affairs. “We’re the ones relaying messages to our Congressional offices and our national association. So if you are a part of KAWG, you can have that discussion with us to ensure you have all the tools you need in your operation, especially to stay afloat in times of need.”The 2023 Kansas Commodity Classic — the annual convention of the Kansas corn, wheat, soybean and grain sorghum associations — on January 27 in Salina, farmers from across the state heard a market update from Dan Maltby with Maltby Risk Management, a U.S. Agriculture in 2023 projection presentation from AgriPulse Communications Publisher Sara Wyant, U.S. Senate updates from Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall, a virtual House Update panel featuring all four members of the Kansas Congressional delegation, and a Farm Bill and Farm Programs Update from national association staff.The agenda was packed with valuable information, but DeGroot highlighted the need for educating staff or Congressional members that are unfamiliar with agricultural issues and the potential difficulties of the current political situation in passing the next Farm Bill.“There are fewer and fewer agriculture leaders working on the Farm Bill, so we have a lot of education to do,” DeGroot said. “There may be a struggle to agree on some issues and get everything pushed through, so we need to be sure our voices are heard and we’re relaying information for our farmers.”As an important part of that gather-and-convey policy process, KAWG members met one day ahead of the state-wide event to discuss and debate policies impacting wheat growers, including approving two new resolutions passed by the KAWG Board of Directors:· RC.9 The KAWG supports efforts to improve crop insurance performance for farmers through the separation of enterprise units by fallow and continuous, while still offering combined units to those who it would benefit.· E.9 The KAWG recognizes the soil and environmental benefits of wheat in a crop rotation and therefore wheat that is intentionally seeded and harvestable should have the option of being classified as a cover crop for purposes of NRCS and other climate-smart programs.Both resolutions are intended to help provide additional flexibility and benefits to Kansas wheat farmers, especially during drought or other adverse conditions. Read the full set of KAWG resolutions at https://kswheat.com/kawg-resolutions.“KAWG is proud to help address wheat farmers’ needs in the upcoming growing season and Farm Bill negotiations,” DeGroot said.DeGroot and Kansas wheat farmers carried these resolutions and concerns with them to Washington, DC, this week - where they and Kansas Wheat Commissioners are participating in the joint winter meeting for USW and NAWG. As part of those meetings, the Kansas group will meet with the entirety of the Kansas Congressional delegation to provide additional insights on priorities for Kansas wheat growers for the next Farm Bill, including the new resolutions passed last week.“We’re excited to get on the Hill,” DeGroot said. “It’s really important that you are involved in your state organization - like KAWG - so we can lobby for issues like protecting crop insurance and work on issues affecting farmers in different areas of the state. We urge you to become a part of KAWG so we can ensure your voice is heard by the folks writing the policies that will directly impact your operation.”Renew or sign up for a KAWG membership today to stay informed as Farm Bill negotiations progress. Membership benefits include a weekly update with state and national news in addition to a weekly market analysis, the monthly Wheat Farmer/Row Crop Farm newsletter and the annual guide to wheat varieties for Kansas and the Great Plains. Learn more or pay for your membership at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ierACnfh5IdxQvevCXOILFuI_INwQN28Dd-4LCYoBMWNoElMKtgeT-PPCIj_gvTek4mUaLoOsHGoIq1GCi2S0i4SdHyhlQzXAD2gEe-ffO3lTFAzYV6iSsXjKv-c1dn2Dyia_ZwfE-266S-riSAycHvxMjhrV95Oh9ce582Z1HVi3mjwlFkK3w==&amp;c=TanCo7A03BDwyG9LHbuY9G08JT8-EljKJaCm6CTvHmVut_Wb8z-Lwg==&amp;ch=4IheUoTHjIr_pat756OEuW8i0XOpZ28TugtokFdm6uNXnBW8whMxvQ==" target="_blank">kswheat.com/kawg</a>.Written by Julia Debes for Kansas Wheat

Wheat Scoop: KAWG takes to the Hill to convey Farm Bill needs

Doctors on Call, a local production of Smoky Hills PBS, will feature&nbsp;Troy Moore, DPT,&nbsp;with Ellinwood Hospital &amp; Clinic.&nbsp; This episode will air&nbsp;Tuesday, February 7th at 7 PM&nbsp;and will focus on PHYSICAL THERAPY.

Doctors on Call&nbsp;is a program that provides medical information on a variety of different topics. Medical professionals from throughout the state travel to Bunker Hill to provide information and answer questions from the viewing audience. The doctors presenting each week have expertise in the topic chosen for that program.&nbsp; Questions can be called in during the show or emailed prior to the broadcast.&nbsp;

The program airs LIVE on Smoky Hills PBS at 7 PM on Tuesdays.&nbsp; You can also stream each episode LIVE on the Smoky Hills PBS YouTube channel:&nbsp;<a href="http://bit.ly/StreamSmokyHillsPBS" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/StreamSmokyHillsPBS</a>

A schedule of programs and past episodes are available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.smokyhillspbs.org/" target="_blank">www.SmokyHillsPBS.org</a>.&nbsp;

To submit questions electronically on a specific topic, viewers can send an email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:doctors@shptv.org" target="_blank">doctors@shptv.org</a>. Questions submitted through email must be received by noon on the day of the show. During the program, viewers can call I-800-337-4788.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647437349209.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Doctors on Call, a local production of Smoky Hills PBS, will feature&nbsp;Troy Moore, DPT,&nbsp;with Ellinwood Hospital &amp; Clinic.&nbsp; This episode will air&nbsp;Tuesday, February 7th at 7 PM&nbsp;and will focus on PHYSICAL THERAPY.Doctors on Call&nbsp;is a program that provides medical information on a variety of different topics. Medical professionals from throughout the state travel to Bunker Hill to provide information and answer questions from the viewing audience. The doctors presenting each week have expertise in the topic chosen for that program.&nbsp; Questions can be called in during the show or emailed prior to the broadcast.&nbsp;The program airs LIVE on Smoky Hills PBS at 7 PM on Tuesdays.&nbsp; You can also stream each episode LIVE on the Smoky Hills PBS YouTube channel:&nbsp;<a href="http://bit.ly/StreamSmokyHillsPBS" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/StreamSmokyHillsPBS</a>A schedule of programs and past episodes are available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.smokyhillspbs.org/" target="_blank">www.SmokyHillsPBS.org</a>.&nbsp;To submit questions electronically on a specific topic, viewers can send an email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:doctors@shptv.org" target="_blank">doctors@shptv.org</a>. Questions submitted through email must be received by noon on the day of the show. During the program, viewers can call I-800-337-4788.

Next Doctors on Call features Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic

In Native American tradition, January moons can have many names, including the cold moon, the moon of strong cold, the moon when limbs are broken by snow, and the frozen ground moon. Because of activities outside my country home bedroom window decades ago, I think of it as the moon when great horned owls whisper of love.

Twenty years ago, I first heard a nightly serenade provided by a pair of amorous great horned owls. As I tried to fall asleep in our dark bedroom, I heard the male’s deeper hoots followed by the female’s slightly higher pitched responses as they courted in cottonwoods lining nearby Big Creek.

Listening as their romance developed night after night, I snuggled safely in the darkness of my room, hearing two owls whispering sweet nothings. I imagined them bowing and preening between their shushed sweet talk. I struggled to imagine birds better known for roles in horror movies and as harbingers of death as tender love birds, but based on this pair’s nocturnal conversations, these shared an affectionate nature. Their vocalizations continued well into February. Then evenings returned to normal quiet hours.

After several uneventful weeks, the courting dialogue assumed a distinctly family-oriented tone. Obviously, they nested nearby. I heard the female soothing fuzzy owlets with gentle noises similar to a lullaby. Her utterings put me as well as her offspring to sleep. If I managed to stay awake listening to her and the babes, their muffled but raucous noises finally shushed to late-winter silence sometime after midnight.

On occasion, Mama Owl’s youngsters fussed as much as mine had, and I heard them squabbling (the nest gets crowded as they grow). In short time, mama’s gentle gurglings calmed them.

Sometimes, I awakened in alarm when the lady of the house captured dinner right outside the window. After listening to more than one last will and testament of a rabbit the owl parents caught to feed their young, my stomach turned at the thought of meat so rare. The high-pitched screeches shot me straight out of deep sleep, alert to every outside sound. After the final death cry, I’d soon hear the excited uproar of young birds jostling to gobble dinner momma delivered fresh off the prairie.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="written by: Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>written by: Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>In Native American tradition, January moons can have many names, including the cold moon, the moon of strong cold, the moon when limbs are broken by snow, and the frozen ground moon. Because of activities outside my country home bedroom window decades ago, I think of it as the moon when great horned owls whisper of love.Twenty years ago, I first heard a nightly serenade provided by a pair of amorous great horned owls. As I tried to fall asleep in our dark bedroom, I heard the male’s deeper hoots followed by the female’s slightly higher pitched responses as they courted in cottonwoods lining nearby Big Creek.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675355842044.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Listening as their romance developed night after night, I snuggled safely in the darkness of my room, hearing two owls whispering sweet nothings. I imagined them bowing and preening between their shushed sweet talk. I struggled to imagine birds better known for roles in horror movies and as harbingers of death as tender love birds, but based on this pair’s nocturnal conversations, these shared an affectionate nature. Their vocalizations continued well into February. Then evenings returned to normal quiet hours.After several uneventful weeks, the courting dialogue assumed a distinctly family-oriented tone. Obviously, they nested nearby. I heard the female soothing fuzzy owlets with gentle noises similar to a lullaby. Her utterings put me as well as her offspring to sleep. If I managed to stay awake listening to her and the babes, their muffled but raucous noises finally shushed to late-winter silence sometime after midnight.On occasion, Mama Owl’s youngsters fussed as much as mine had, and I heard them squabbling (the nest gets crowded as they grow). In short time, mama’s gentle gurglings calmed them.Sometimes, I awakened in alarm when the lady of the house captured dinner right outside the window. After listening to more than one last will and testament of a rabbit the owl parents caught to feed their young, my stomach turned at the thought of meat so rare. The high-pitched screeches shot me straight out of deep sleep, alert to every outside sound. After the final death cry, I’d soon hear the excited uproar of young birds jostling to gobble dinner momma delivered fresh off the prairie.After decades, I value those moments because they didn’t occur year-round or even every year. That short-lived courtship required close attention on my part to hear those sweet nothings before they turned to memory. Ditto for listening to the rearing of the young. In less than a dozen short weeks, that new generation of hunters fledged, and their mutterings and rustlings vanished.Because I eavesdropped long ago on a great horned owl courtship and nesting, I listen to late night noises each January and February, hoping that once again, wooing owls might make me privy to their love songs. I pray the 20x great-grands of the owl pair I once heard start their family still raise young on the banks of Big Creek.Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

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