Today Sunny, with a high near 53. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north 11 to 16 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.

Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. North northeast wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Tuesday Partly sunny, with a high near 42. North northeast wind 3 to 6 mph.

Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Light southeast wind becoming east 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Wednesday Night A 50-percent chance of rain, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Thursday A 40-percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43.

Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.

Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.

Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 28.

Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 48.

Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.

Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today Sunny, with a high near 53. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north 11 to 16 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. North northeast wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.Tuesday Partly sunny, with a high near 42. North northeast wind 3 to 6 mph.Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. Light and variable wind.Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Light southeast wind becoming east 5 to 10 mph in the morning.Wednesday Night A 50-percent chance of rain, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.Thursday A 40-percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43.Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 28.Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 48.Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Monday's Weather

Great Bend City Council meeting Dec. 5&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 OPENING: Pledge of Allegiance A. Consent Agenda B. Old Business 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. D. New Business &nbsp; &nbsp;1. Councilmember Reports &nbsp; &nbsp;2. Administrator's Update &nbsp; &nbsp;3. Economic Development Report &nbsp; &nbsp;4. Abatements &nbsp; &nbsp;5. Fee Schedule Discussion &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Last year, the council approved the development of a Master Fee Schedule, which lists all fees charged by the city. This schedule is to be reviewed and updated annually. The schedule contains changes. The most significant changes are to the Permit fees and Events Center fees. Staff will present to provide the rationale for the changes. ADJOURNMENT Work Session &nbsp; &nbsp;Following the meeting, the city council will conduct a work session to discuss the Expo building.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585774044357.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend City Council meeting Dec. 5&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 OPENING: Pledge of Allegiance A. Consent Agenda B. Old Business 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. D. New Business &nbsp; &nbsp;1. Councilmember Reports &nbsp; &nbsp;2. Administrator's Update &nbsp; &nbsp;3. Economic Development Report &nbsp; &nbsp;4. Abatements &nbsp; &nbsp;5. Fee Schedule Discussion &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Last year, the council approved the development of a Master Fee Schedule, which lists all fees charged by the city. This schedule is to be reviewed and updated annually. The schedule contains changes. The most significant changes are to the Permit fees and Events Center fees. Staff will present to provide the rationale for the changes. ADJOURNMENT Work Session &nbsp; &nbsp;Following the meeting, the city council will conduct a work session to discuss the Expo building.

Great Bend City Council meeting agenda (12/5)

Pawnee County Highway Administrator Kurt Demel reported that crews have completed work on the box structure bridge on L road, between US Highway 183 and 220th. 

Steel braces were added to the wing walls to add needed support to the aging bridge. The repairs should extend the life of the structure up to 15 years.

Also, off system bridge OS75 on U Road, between 155 and 160th Avenue, continues in its progress. 

The State of Kansas will cover approximately $250,000 of the new bridge’s costs, leaving $100,000 to $150,000 to Pawnee County. 

It is estimated to take around 65 days to complete the project, putting an opening date around the first of the year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670010005732.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Pawnee County Highway Administrator Kurt Demel reported that crews have completed work on the box structure bridge on L road, between US Highway 183 and 220th. Steel braces were added to the wing walls to add needed support to the aging bridge. The repairs should extend the life of the structure up to 15 years.Also, off system bridge OS75 on U Road, between 155 and 160th Avenue, continues in its progress. The State of Kansas will cover approximately $250,000 of the new bridge’s costs, leaving $100,000 to $150,000 to Pawnee County. It is estimated to take around 65 days to complete the project, putting an opening date around the first of the year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Work completed on box structure bridge in Pawnee County

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The
drought monitor report as of Tuesday, November 29 indicates worsening
conditions.&nbsp; Our extreme drought will
soon become exceptional drought as it is almost to Barton County.&nbsp; Exception drought has enveloped almost all of
Southwest Kansas, parts of South Central and an increasing portion of Southeast
Kansas.&nbsp; The six to ten-day outlook (December
6 to 10) indicates a 33 to 40% chance of below normal temperatures and near
normal precipitation.&nbsp; The eight to fourteen-day
outlook (December 8 to 14) indicates normal temperatures and precipitation.&nbsp; As of now, there is nothing on the horizon to
ease drought conditions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Today’s topic may sound like a
broken record but one that needs our attention – a severe shortage of employees
in all aspects of agriculture.&nbsp; Last
Sunday’s Tribune featured an article concerning the recent survey of employers
in the industry and how critically short of employees they are.&nbsp; Naturally, many sectors of the economy are
experiencing this dilemma but especially the ag sector.&nbsp; Why does this matter so much?&nbsp; Number one, we all like to eat.&nbsp; Number two, in terms of how many people
directly and indirectly are employed through agriculture, it’s accounts for the
largest sector of employment at about 17-20%.&nbsp;
So, if the start of food production suffers a lack of help, many other
areas are affected.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This past week, the Barton Ag
Advisory Board met and on the major topics of discussion whether from the
cattle sector, the crop sector, trucking, banking or even machinery, was a lack
of a pool of applicants to hire from.&nbsp;
Not necessarily a lack of qualified candidates, just of individuals
period who the industries could train themselves in many instances.&nbsp; While they would prefer, and in some cases
require, certain licenses and training, they are looking for individuals that
are motivated, possess good essential skills and are willing to learn.&nbsp; This is quite a chance over the last twenty
or so years when having an ag background or familiarity with ag was often a
requisite to even obtain an interview.&nbsp;
There simply aren’t enough people, younger or older, coming from farms
and ranches for these positions. &nbsp;And ag
is competing with many other industries, including Fortune 500 companies, for
farm youth as they value the skills obtained on the farm.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The industry has tried to alleviate
this problem in several ways.&nbsp; First,
across most of the industry wages and benefit packages have improved.&nbsp; Second, they are trying to become more
visible through social and conventional media and events demonstrating careers
in agriculture.&nbsp; Not just in areas like
Barton County but in larger metropolitan areas and at colleges and
universities.&nbsp; They are trying to gain
the attention of high school and college students many of whom have never
thought about agriculture.&nbsp; 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Next week’s column will discuss how
to get into the industry and what it will require of you.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595683730716.jpeg" alt="Barton Community College Agriculture Instructor Dr. Vic Martin" />
 <figcaption>Barton Community College Agriculture Instructor Dr. Vic Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The
drought monitor report as of Tuesday, November 29 indicates worsening
conditions.&nbsp; Our extreme drought will
soon become exceptional drought as it is almost to Barton County.&nbsp; Exception drought has enveloped almost all of
Southwest Kansas, parts of South Central and an increasing portion of Southeast
Kansas.&nbsp; The six to ten-day outlook (December
6 to 10) indicates a 33 to 40% chance of below normal temperatures and near
normal precipitation.&nbsp; The eight to fourteen-day
outlook (December 8 to 14) indicates normal temperatures and precipitation.&nbsp; As of now, there is nothing on the horizon to
ease drought conditions.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Today’s topic may sound like a
broken record but one that needs our attention – a severe shortage of employees
in all aspects of agriculture.&nbsp; Last
Sunday’s Tribune featured an article concerning the recent survey of employers
in the industry and how critically short of employees they are.&nbsp; Naturally, many sectors of the economy are
experiencing this dilemma but especially the ag sector.&nbsp; Why does this matter so much?&nbsp; Number one, we all like to eat.&nbsp; Number two, in terms of how many people
directly and indirectly are employed through agriculture, it’s accounts for the
largest sector of employment at about 17-20%.&nbsp;
So, if the start of food production suffers a lack of help, many other
areas are affected.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This past week, the Barton Ag
Advisory Board met and on the major topics of discussion whether from the
cattle sector, the crop sector, trucking, banking or even machinery, was a lack
of a pool of applicants to hire from.&nbsp;
Not necessarily a lack of qualified candidates, just of individuals
period who the industries could train themselves in many instances.&nbsp; While they would prefer, and in some cases
require, certain licenses and training, they are looking for individuals that
are motivated, possess good essential skills and are willing to learn.&nbsp; This is quite a chance over the last twenty
or so years when having an ag background or familiarity with ag was often a
requisite to even obtain an interview.&nbsp;
There simply aren’t enough people, younger or older, coming from farms
and ranches for these positions. &nbsp;And ag
is competing with many other industries, including Fortune 500 companies, for
farm youth as they value the skills obtained on the farm.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The industry has tried to alleviate
this problem in several ways.&nbsp; First,
across most of the industry wages and benefit packages have improved.&nbsp; Second, they are trying to become more
visible through social and conventional media and events demonstrating careers
in agriculture.&nbsp; Not just in areas like
Barton County but in larger metropolitan areas and at colleges and
universities.&nbsp; They are trying to gain
the attention of high school and college students many of whom have never
thought about agriculture.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Next week’s column will discuss how
to get into the industry and what it will require of you.

Barton Ag Instructor Dr. Vic Martin - Agriculture Needs You – Part One

The Great Bend School Competition, sponsored by the Gifting Forward foundation, partnered with Wheatland Electric’s annual Cram the Van food drive to collect nearly six tons of food. Students from ten area schools participated in a friendly food drive competition, once again collecting more cash and can donations than in previous years, for a total of 15,280 pounds during October 2022.

This year, the Gifting Forward Foundation has generously sponsored $1,500 in cash prizes for the school competition by awarding the four top collecting schools, incentivizing more students to participate. All proceeds were delivered straight to the Community Food Bank of Barton County in Great Bend, just in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons.

The Great Bend community contributed an additional 1,969 pounds bringing the total collected for the local food bank to 17,249 pounds of food. This year’s collection brings the combined eight-year collection total in Great Bend to 59,932 pounds. That’s almost 30 tons of non-perishable food items and cash donated since the Cram the Van’s inception in 2014.

In addition to the school competition, Wheatland Electric collected cash and can donations at Great Bend Alive’s September Final Friday on Sept. 30, at their Great Bend office location, and accepted monetary donations online.

“We couldn’t have set another record-breaking year without the generous support of the Gifting Forward Foundation, Great Bend community and the hard work and commitment of our local schools,” said Mary Hoisington, member services and key accounts manager for Wheatland Electric. “This event not only gives area students the opportunity to help those less fortunate than themselves, but also helps them better understand how a small act of kindness on their part can make a huge difference in the lives of others.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669991434762.jpeg" alt="Central Kansas Christian Academy won second place in Wheatland’s Cram the Van School Competition. The school raised 16.67 pounds of food per student and won a $400 cash prize from the Gifting Forward Foundation. Pictured are Central Kansas Christian Academy students and staff along with Matt Hiss, Gifting Forward Foundation and Mary Hoisington member services and key accounts manager at Wheatland." />
 <figcaption>Central Kansas Christian Academy won second place in Wheatland’s Cram the Van School Competition. The school raised 16.67 pounds of food per student and won a $400 cash prize from the Gifting Forward Foundation. Pictured are Central Kansas Christian Academy students and staff along with Matt Hiss, Gifting Forward Foundation and Mary Hoisington member services and key accounts manager at Wheatland.</figcaption>
 </figure>BUSINESS NEWSThe Great Bend School Competition, sponsored by the Gifting Forward foundation, partnered with Wheatland Electric’s annual Cram the Van food drive to collect nearly six tons of food. Students from ten area schools participated in a friendly food drive competition, once again collecting more cash and can donations than in previous years, for a total of 15,280 pounds during October 2022.This year, the Gifting Forward Foundation has generously sponsored $1,500 in cash prizes for the school competition by awarding the four top collecting schools, incentivizing more students to participate. All proceeds were delivered straight to the Community Food Bank of Barton County in Great Bend, just in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons.The Great Bend community contributed an additional 1,969 pounds bringing the total collected for the local food bank to 17,249 pounds of food. This year’s collection brings the combined eight-year collection total in Great Bend to 59,932 pounds. That’s almost 30 tons of non-perishable food items and cash donated since the Cram the Van’s inception in 2014.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669991524121.jpeg" alt="Although falling just short of receiving a cash prize, Holy Family School enjoyed a sundae party reward for largest year over year increase, collecting 11.43 pounds per student which was a 361% increase over the school’s prior year donation!" />
 <figcaption>Although falling just short of receiving a cash prize, Holy Family School enjoyed a sundae party reward for largest year over year increase, collecting 11.43 pounds per student which was a 361% increase over the school’s prior year donation!</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to the school competition, Wheatland Electric collected cash and can donations at Great Bend Alive’s September Final Friday on Sept. 30, at their Great Bend office location, and accepted monetary donations online.“We couldn’t have set another record-breaking year without the generous support of the Gifting Forward Foundation, Great Bend community and the hard work and commitment of our local schools,” said Mary Hoisington, member services and key accounts manager for Wheatland Electric. “This event not only gives area students the opportunity to help those less fortunate than themselves, but also helps them better understand how a small act of kindness on their part can make a huge difference in the lives of others.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669991538706.jpeg" alt="Jefferson Elementary School won first place in Wheatland’s Cram the Van School Competition. The school raised 17.21 pounds of food per student and won a $600 cash prize from the Gifting Forward Foundation. Pictured here are Mary Hoisington (right), member services and key accounts manager at Wheatland, and Dena and Matt Hiss, Gifting Forward Foundation (far left) with Jefferson Elementary’s sixth grade students and staff." />
 <figcaption>Jefferson Elementary School won first place in Wheatland’s Cram the Van School Competition. The school raised 17.21 pounds of food per student and won a $600 cash prize from the Gifting Forward Foundation. Pictured here are Mary Hoisington (right), member services and key accounts manager at Wheatland, and Dena and Matt Hiss, Gifting Forward Foundation (far left) with Jefferson Elementary’s sixth grade students and staff.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Great Bend food drive continues record-breaking donation 

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 Dec. 1, 2022.

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 Dec. 1, 2022.<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/cyebev3x/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

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

The Center for Counseling and Consultation in Great Bend has helped
organize a teen-led suicide prevention program, called Zero Reasons Why of
Central Kansas. 
The program is designed to empower teenagers to gain insight into how to help a
family member or friend that is struggling. 
The Center’s teen liaison for Zero Reasons Why is Holly Bowyer and
she said depression and suicidal thoughts are happening everywhere, including
here in the Golden Belt. 
"It's across the board and across the world," said Bowyer. "COVID has done a toll on everybody's mental health. With the isolation, money's really tight with increased costs...it's not just our area. Everyone should know they're not alone. There are lots of people struggling right now. There is help available." 
The Center for Counseling recently held an exercise called “Crisis Orientation”
where approximately 70 teenagers from the area participated in scenarios that
offered guidelines about possible actions to take or not take with a struggling family member or friend. 
"Don't ignore it," said Bowyer. "Somebody may appear to be joking, but you need to follow up because that may be their cry for help. That may be their indicator. Ask the individual if they were serious. Don't leave the person. If you can't get a hold of them, get a hold of someone close to them." Those who want to seek help immediately have several 24/7 options. They may contact The Center by calling 620-792-2544 or its crisis hotline number, 1-800-875-2544. Other options are the new nationwide 988 number, and 1-800-273-8255, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as well as texting 741741.

The Center for Counseling and Consultation is a Community Mental Health Center serving Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670001324098.jpeg" alt="The Center for Counseling and Consultation in Great Bend." />
 <figcaption>The Center for Counseling and Consultation in Great Bend.</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostThe Center for Counseling and Consultation in Great Bend has helped
organize a teen-led suicide prevention program, called Zero Reasons Why of
Central Kansas. 
The program is designed to empower teenagers to gain insight into how to help a
family member or friend that is struggling. 
The Center’s teen liaison for Zero Reasons Why is Holly Bowyer and
she said depression and suicidal thoughts are happening everywhere, including
here in the Golden Belt. 
"It's across the board and across the world," said Bowyer. "COVID has done a toll on everybody's mental health. With the isolation, money's really tight with increased costs...it's not just our area. Everyone should know they're not alone. There are lots of people struggling right now. There is help available." 
The Center for Counseling recently held an exercise called “Crisis Orientation”
where approximately 70 teenagers from the area participated in scenarios that
offered guidelines about possible actions to take or not take with a struggling family member or friend. 
"Don't ignore it," said Bowyer. "Somebody may appear to be joking, but you need to follow up because that may be their cry for help. That may be their indicator. Ask the individual if they were serious. Don't leave the person. If you can't get a hold of them, get a hold of someone close to them." Those who want to seek help immediately have several 24/7 options. They may contact The Center by calling 620-792-2544 or its crisis hotline number, 1-800-875-2544. Other options are the new nationwide 988 number, and 1-800-273-8255, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as well as texting 741741.The Center for Counseling and Consultation is a Community Mental Health Center serving Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties.&nbsp;

Great Bend’s Center for Counseling taking teenage struggles seriously

The 10th Street Eyecare Center, an Great Bend optometry practice, recently invited their patients to participate in a special supply drive for the Family Crisis Center, an organization that serves victims of domestic and sexual violence throughout central and western Kansas. 

In exchange for a discount on eyewear, patients were asked to bring in donations of household supplies, toiletry and personal hygiene items, pillows, towels, etc. The supply drive concluded at Thanksgiving, and now the items collected will be utilized by the nonprofit organization and the victims they serve in the coming months.

“While it’s unfortunate that so many people are in need of shelter after experiencing domestic violence or other types of violence in our service area, it is wonderful that the community continues to support these people during a difficult time in their lives,” says Kylee Graves, Executive Director for the Family Crisis Center. “These generous donations will help these struggling individuals and families, and we’re so grateful to everyone who donated.”

The Family Crisis Center is always in need of nonperishable goods or gift cards. Anyone interested in donating funds or supplies can find more information about what is most needed at www.familycrisiskansas.com/volunteer.

“The work being done by the Family Crisis Center is so important, and it’s our privilege to partner with them on this project,” says Dr. Russell McCaulley. “Our patients really enjoy giving to a worthy organization, and our staff always enjoys hosting the supply drive each November.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670007795109.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The 10th Street Eyecare Center, an Great Bend optometry practice, recently invited their patients to participate in a special supply drive for the Family Crisis Center, an organization that serves victims of domestic and sexual violence throughout central and western Kansas. In exchange for a discount on eyewear, patients were asked to bring in donations of household supplies, toiletry and personal hygiene items, pillows, towels, etc. The supply drive concluded at Thanksgiving, and now the items collected will be utilized by the nonprofit organization and the victims they serve in the coming months.“While it’s unfortunate that so many people are in need of shelter after experiencing domestic violence or other types of violence in our service area, it is wonderful that the community continues to support these people during a difficult time in their lives,” says Kylee Graves, Executive Director for the Family Crisis Center. “These generous donations will help these struggling individuals and families, and we’re so grateful to everyone who donated.”The Family Crisis Center is always in need of nonperishable goods or gift cards. Anyone interested in donating funds or supplies can find more information about what is most needed at www.familycrisiskansas.com/volunteer.“The work being done by the Family Crisis Center is so important, and it’s our privilege to partner with them on this project,” says Dr. Russell McCaulley. “Our patients really enjoy giving to a worthy organization, and our staff always enjoys hosting the supply drive each November.”

Family Crisis Center in GB receives supplies for victims in shelters

Bringing the Great Bend zoo to you

Barton Community College has released the 13th edition of its literary annual “Prairie Ink” at&nbsp;<a href="https://prairieink.bartonccc.edu/" target="_blank">prairieink.bartonccc.edu</a>&nbsp;and will host a launch event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 in the Cavanaugh Room in the Barton Library, which will feature light refreshments, readings from contributing authors including special guest Rob Munden who will read selections from his new release “Peanut Butter Pickleball and Murder.”

The publication is intended as a venue for local authors to showcase their creative writing talents and is edited by Barton’s English faculty including Scott McDonald, Justin Brown and Sheyene Heller.

The collection includes fiction, poetry, drama and non-fiction and is open to submissions from Barton students, employees or community members who live in Barton’s seven-county service area and the Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth and Grandview Plaza outreach locations.

A digital copy of the publication can be found by visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://prairieink.bartonccc.edu/" target="_blank">prairieink.bartonccc.edu</a>. Those who would like a hard copy of “Prairie Ink” can email the editors at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:prairieink@bartonccc.edu" target="_blank">prairieink@bartonccc.edu</a>&nbsp;or call (620) 792-9200.&nbsp;

Submissions for the 14th issue will be accepted through April 1, 2023.&nbsp; Work can be submitted for publication by emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:prairieink@bartonccc.edu" target="_blank">prairieink@bartonccc.edu</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669906447906.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Story by Joe VinduskaBarton Community College has released the 13th edition of its literary annual “Prairie Ink” at&nbsp;<a href="https://prairieink.bartonccc.edu/" target="_blank">prairieink.bartonccc.edu</a>&nbsp;and will host a launch event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 in the Cavanaugh Room in the Barton Library, which will feature light refreshments, readings from contributing authors including special guest Rob Munden who will read selections from his new release “Peanut Butter Pickleball and Murder.”The publication is intended as a venue for local authors to showcase their creative writing talents and is edited by Barton’s English faculty including Scott McDonald, Justin Brown and Sheyene Heller.The collection includes fiction, poetry, drama and non-fiction and is open to submissions from Barton students, employees or community members who live in Barton’s seven-county service area and the Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth and Grandview Plaza outreach locations.A digital copy of the publication can be found by visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://prairieink.bartonccc.edu/" target="_blank">prairieink.bartonccc.edu</a>. Those who would like a hard copy of “Prairie Ink” can email the editors at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:prairieink@bartonccc.edu" target="_blank">prairieink@bartonccc.edu</a>&nbsp;or call (620) 792-9200.&nbsp;Submissions for the 14th issue will be accepted through April 1, 2023.&nbsp; Work can be submitted for publication by emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:prairieink@bartonccc.edu" target="_blank">prairieink@bartonccc.edu</a>.

Barton Community College publishes 'Prairie Ink' literary annual

For the last year, both Great Bend Police Department Lieutenant Jason Settle and Community Coordinator Christina Hayes have been attending professional development training. Settle attended the Law Enforcement Leadership Academy in Hutchinson, and Christina attended Certified Public Manager training in Topeka.&nbsp; Friday, Dec. 2, they officially graduated and were recognized in a ceremony at the Capital Building in Topeka.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670008683990.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>For the last year, both Great Bend Police Department Lieutenant Jason Settle and Community Coordinator Christina Hayes have been attending professional development training. Settle attended the Law Enforcement Leadership Academy in Hutchinson, and Christina attended Certified Public Manager training in Topeka.&nbsp; Friday, Dec. 2, they officially graduated and were recognized in a ceremony at the Capital Building in Topeka.&nbsp;

Great Bend employees graduate from professional development training

Over Labor Day Weekend many Nicodemus descendants gathered to reenact their ancestors’ story of leaving 1877 Kentucky to immigrate to Western Kansas to homestead and found a town. Descendant Angela Bates devoted decades to researching and recording her family’s Western Kansas story and has written a script to share it. The ripples, like those of a pebble tossed into a still pond, continue to affect participants’ lives.

Angela researched the Ellis/Nicodemus Trail, collaborated with Walz families who own land the trail crosses, wrote the script, encouraged cousins to participate, and discovered Nick Abt Films. Finally, she, with the help of others, and funding from the National Parks Foundation and Trust for Public Lands, tied up loose ends necessary to film the Ellis to Nicodemus Trail segment of the documentary in only three days. After a storm threatened filming on Friday evening, they shot the rest of the weekend’s footage with sunshine, gentle breezes, and moderate temperatures. Everyone involved thanked God that local snakes sunbathed elsewhere while participants traipsed the path their forebearers walked 145 years earlier.

I participated as the proverbial fly on the wall, taking photos and listening to conversations among computer techs, business people, realtors, vet techs, university professors, United States Park Service employees, chefs, and others who peeled away layers of shared family history. Several descendants traveled from urban areas as far away as Atlanta and Cincinnati because Nicodemus like most western Kansas small towns has outsourced many dreamers and visionaries.

These cousins proudly connect to this community that birthed their futures through their annual Emancipation Celebration and its huge gathering. Only a few live nearby so hiking through grasses so dense walkers couldn’t see snakes or ticks added realistic drama. Experiencing mosquito bites and a badger-hole-induced tumble, reenactors demonstrated the same hardy spirit their ancestors displayed following wagons 35 miles northwest from Ellis across unbroken prairie to undeveloped Nicodemus.

On Pioneer Day in October, ripples widened as documentary participants provided the Nicodemus Historical Society Program. Actors emotionally voiced either in person or through Zoom how the filming impacted them. Several told how children, grandchildren, and friends had never heard of relatives who left Kentucky and traveled to Kansas to homestead. They discussed what homesteading required. All took pride in descending from sturdy stock. Actors playing the very pregnant Emma Williams, her mom Zerina, and dad Tom Johnson experienced a deep spiritual connection to ancestors they portrayed. Those observing filming watched their characters develop and deepen.

Many participants noted original settlers’ physical stressors due to traveling with a very pregnant woman and several older family members. They commented that their ancestors relied entirely on themselves during that first trek to Nicodemus. Reenactors knew they could call help if necessary. Someone mentioned farmsteads with wells now exist that didn’t back then. Those newcomers either carried water or drank from creeks and the river along the way.

The circle widens as this story impacts more than the descendants recreating it. Their formerly enslaved ancestors’ desire for freedom and the right to homestead came to life for the film crew, land owners, support crews, and wagon and horse teams who had no relatives in Nicodemus. The filming touched everyone involved. That effect will grow as more audiences view it.

Completing all aspects of the documentary takes time. In the future, when it hits the screen, ripples will expand beyond Western Kansas and these participants’ lives. This story of strength and determination adds not only to the legacy of our state but also our nation.

Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669991690249.jpeg" alt="written by: Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>written by: Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>Over Labor Day Weekend many Nicodemus descendants gathered to reenact their ancestors’ story of leaving 1877 Kentucky to immigrate to Western Kansas to homestead and found a town. Descendant Angela Bates devoted decades to researching and recording her family’s Western Kansas story and has written a script to share it. The ripples, like those of a pebble tossed into a still pond, continue to affect participants’ lives.Angela researched the Ellis/Nicodemus Trail, collaborated with Walz families who own land the trail crosses, wrote the script, encouraged cousins to participate, and discovered Nick Abt Films. Finally, she, with the help of others, and funding from the National Parks Foundation and Trust for Public Lands, tied up loose ends necessary to film the Ellis to Nicodemus Trail segment of the documentary in only three days. After a storm threatened filming on Friday evening, they shot the rest of the weekend’s footage with sunshine, gentle breezes, and moderate temperatures. Everyone involved thanked God that local snakes sunbathed elsewhere while participants traipsed the path their forebearers walked 145 years earlier.I participated as the proverbial fly on the wall, taking photos and listening to conversations among computer techs, business people, realtors, vet techs, university professors, United States Park Service employees, chefs, and others who peeled away layers of shared family history. Several descendants traveled from urban areas as far away as Atlanta and Cincinnati because Nicodemus like most western Kansas small towns has outsourced many dreamers and visionaries.These cousins proudly connect to this community that birthed their futures through their annual Emancipation Celebration and its huge gathering. Only a few live nearby so hiking through grasses so dense walkers couldn’t see snakes or ticks added realistic drama. Experiencing mosquito bites and a badger-hole-induced tumble, reenactors demonstrated the same hardy spirit their ancestors displayed following wagons 35 miles northwest from Ellis across unbroken prairie to undeveloped Nicodemus.On Pioneer Day in October, ripples widened as documentary participants provided the Nicodemus Historical Society Program. Actors emotionally voiced either in person or through Zoom how the filming impacted them. Several told how children, grandchildren, and friends had never heard of relatives who left Kentucky and traveled to Kansas to homestead. They discussed what homesteading required. All took pride in descending from sturdy stock. Actors playing the very pregnant Emma Williams, her mom Zerina, and dad Tom Johnson experienced a deep spiritual connection to ancestors they portrayed. Those observing filming watched their characters develop and deepen.Many participants noted original settlers’ physical stressors due to traveling with a very pregnant woman and several older family members. They commented that their ancestors relied entirely on themselves during that first trek to Nicodemus. Reenactors knew they could call help if necessary. Someone mentioned farmsteads with wells now exist that didn’t back then. Those newcomers either carried water or drank from creeks and the river along the way.The circle widens as this story impacts more than the descendants recreating it. Their formerly enslaved ancestors’ desire for freedom and the right to homestead came to life for the film crew, land owners, support crews, and wagon and horse teams who had no relatives in Nicodemus. The filming touched everyone involved. That effect will grow as more audiences view it.Completing all aspects of the documentary takes time. In the future, when it hits the screen, ripples will expand beyond Western Kansas and these participants’ lives. This story of strength and determination adds not only to the legacy of our state but also our nation.Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

MADORIN: Ripples beyond nicodemus

A Jury Trial was conducted Tuesday, Nov. 29 and Wednesday, Nov. 30 in the Pawnee County District Court regarding a felony criminal complaint against Judi Lynn Allison, 50 of Delphos, Kansas.

The jury heard testimony that on Sept. 28, 2019, the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to a residence north of Garfield regarding a possible theft.  Upon arrival, the deputy was advised the owner of the property passed away in December of 2018 and his eldest daughter was named executrix of the estate. 

 The deceased had been a self-employed farm mechanic.  An estate auction was scheduled for Oct. 5, 2019, to sell his equipment and shop tools.  However, when the executrix and auctioneer arrived at the property to start putting items on trailers in preparation for the upcoming auction, they discovered all of the tools had been removed from her father’s service truck which had been locked in a tool shed. 

 There was no evidence of forced entry. The auctioneer testified that approximately a month before he’d gone through the property with the executrix’s husband making notes for a sale bill, and at that time the service trucks’ approximate eight toolboxes had been full of miscellaneous shop tools. 

At trial, the auctioneer valued the missing property at approximately $1,200 but acknowledged he had testified at the Preliminary Hearing he believed the items to be worth between $1,700 and $2,500.

Additional testimony was presented that over Labor Day weekend, the executrix had invited her father’s siblings to come to the property and take items that held sentimental value to them from the house and outbuildings.  Allison, who was the decease’s youngest sister, selected a few large items that would not fit in her vehicle. The family moved those selected items to the locked tool shed and granted Allison permission to come back to the property at a later date to retrieve them.

A neighbor came forward after the auction and advised law enforcement that one evening he’d noticed the tool shed door open and so he stopped by because he knew no one should be there.  He testified at trial that he discovered Allison and her husband in the shed.  He further testified that he saw approximately six large boxes of what he believed to be tools loaded in their enclosed trailer. 

 Trail cam video confirmed that the Allisons spent approximately two hours on the property the evening of September 5, 2019. When contacted by family and law enforcement, Allison denied any knowledge of the missing tools.  A search warrant was executed on the Allison’s Ottawa County rural residence on December 12, 2019.  The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for 21 missing shop tools that were clearly identified on the auction sale bill.  Law enforcement seized nine items from the Allison residence which they believed matched the property descriptions. 

 At the time the search warrant was executed, Allison claimed the items seized were her husband’s. At trial, Allison took the stand in her own defense and testified that four of the nine tools seized from her home had in fact come from her brother’s estate but argued her niece had given her permission to take the items. 

The jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before returning a guilty verdict Wednesday evening of Theft of Property worth less than $1,500.

After accepting the verdict, Pawnee County District Judge Bruce Gatterman ordered a presentence investigation report be completed to determine a restitution amount.  Sentencing will be scheduled once the report is completed. 

 The defendant remains free on her own recognizance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670003889418.jpeg" alt="Judi Lynn Allison" />
 <figcaption>Judi Lynn Allison</figcaption>
 </figure>A Jury Trial was conducted Tuesday, Nov. 29 and Wednesday, Nov. 30 in the Pawnee County District Court regarding a felony criminal complaint against Judi Lynn Allison, 50 of Delphos, Kansas.The jury heard testimony that on Sept. 28, 2019, the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to a residence north of Garfield regarding a possible theft. Upon arrival, the deputy was advised the owner of the property passed away in December of 2018 and his eldest daughter was named executrix of the estate. The deceased had been a self-employed farm mechanic. An estate auction was scheduled for Oct. 5, 2019, to sell his equipment and shop tools. However, when the executrix and auctioneer arrived at the property to start putting items on trailers in preparation for the upcoming auction, they discovered all of the tools had been removed from her father’s service truck which had been locked in a tool shed. There was no evidence of forced entry. The auctioneer testified that approximately a month before he’d gone through the property with the executrix’s husband making notes for a sale bill, and at that time the service trucks’ approximate eight toolboxes had been full of miscellaneous shop tools. At trial, the auctioneer valued the missing property at approximately $1,200 but acknowledged he had testified at the Preliminary Hearing he believed the items to be worth between $1,700 and $2,500.Additional testimony was presented that over Labor Day weekend, the executrix had invited her father’s siblings to come to the property and take items that held sentimental value to them from the house and outbuildings. Allison, who was the decease’s youngest sister, selected a few large items that would not fit in her vehicle. The family moved those selected items to the locked tool shed and granted Allison permission to come back to the property at a later date to retrieve them.A neighbor came forward after the auction and advised law enforcement that one evening he’d noticed the tool shed door open and so he stopped by because he knew no one should be there. He testified at trial that he discovered Allison and her husband in the shed. He further testified that he saw approximately six large boxes of what he believed to be tools loaded in their enclosed trailer. Trail cam video confirmed that the Allisons spent approximately two hours on the property the evening of September 5, 2019. When contacted by family and law enforcement, Allison denied any knowledge of the missing tools. A search warrant was executed on the Allison’s Ottawa County rural residence on December 12, 2019. The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for 21 missing shop tools that were clearly identified on the auction sale bill. Law enforcement seized nine items from the Allison residence which they believed matched the property descriptions. At the time the search warrant was executed, Allison claimed the items seized were her husband’s. At trial, Allison took the stand in her own defense and testified that four of the nine tools seized from her home had in fact come from her brother’s estate but argued her niece had given her permission to take the items. The jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before returning a guilty verdict Wednesday evening of Theft of Property worth less than $1,500.After accepting the verdict, Pawnee County District Judge Bruce Gatterman ordered a presentence investigation report be completed to determine a restitution amount. Sentencing will be scheduled once the report is completed. The defendant remains free on her own recognizance.

Woman found guilty of theft in Pawnee County

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

<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/849e3010-9d18-44ce-b6ee-47ea13458f9f">Great Bend City Administrator to be hired in Hutchinson</a>

<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/c8ca07e6-9ac2-45c1-b11b-30ac3f495d47">Property owner holds burglar at gunpoint east of Great Bend</a>

<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/55f351f3-ae46-4beb-a2a5-6f7d382fca5a">Juvenile injured after another accident at Ellinwood Fire Department</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662515841850.jpeg" alt="Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis (left) will become the Hutchinson City Administrator Jan. 1, 2023, pending the approval of his contract by the Hutchinson City Council." />
 <figcaption>Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis (left) will become the Hutchinson City Administrator Jan. 1, 2023, pending the approval of his contract by the Hutchinson City Council.</figcaption>
 </figure>It’s a two-minute recap of the headlines that broke this past week in the Golden Belt. For the full stories, click the links below.<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/3ocyefmi/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/849e3010-9d18-44ce-b6ee-47ea13458f9f">Great Bend City Administrator to be hired in Hutchinson</a><a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/c8ca07e6-9ac2-45c1-b11b-30ac3f495d47">Property owner holds burglar at gunpoint east of Great Bend</a><a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/55f351f3-ae46-4beb-a2a5-6f7d382fca5a">Juvenile injured after another accident at Ellinwood Fire Department</a>

Eagle Radio's News Week in Review

For many children and adults, there are few things that bring a smile to their
face easier than a dog. USD 428 in Great Bend has taken that notion and brought
therapy dogs to almost every school building. A staff member at each school has to
take on the responsibility of caring for the dog, but during the school hours
the dog typically stays with a counselor and is there for any student needing a
boost.

 A therapy dog is sometimes called a comfort dog and support a person's mental health by providing attention and comfort.

USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton’s wife Rachel Thexton, a school counselor, is in charge of the
therapy dog at Great Bend High School, and Khris has been impressed with the
positive effect the dog has on the children. "I would have never thought high school kids would have taken to a dog like that," said Khris Thexton. "The students can sit on the floor, and if they want the dog, the dog will pretty much lay on their lap." 
The dogs have to go through special training and tests to make sure they will
be able to handle large groups and the daily activity of a school.

Lincoln Elementary School just received their therapy dog, named Haven, and
Principal Misty Straub said the dog is expected to be fully trained by next
school year. "Dogs are dogs...they love food," said Straub. "Will she be able to manage herself smelling food service coming in and out? There will be kids with food on their hands, and there are snacks in the classroom. Being a puppy, we'll have to manage through that." 
The middle school, high school and all the grade schools have a therapy dog
except Jefferson Elementary.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669998346458.jpeg" alt="Park Elementary School in Great Bend welcomed their therapy dog to the building this fall." />
 <figcaption>Park Elementary School in Great Bend welcomed their therapy dog to the building this fall.</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostFor many children and adults, there are few things that bring a smile to their
face easier than a dog. USD 428 in Great Bend has taken that notion and brought
therapy dogs to almost every school building. A staff member at each school has to
take on the responsibility of caring for the dog, but during the school hours
the dog typically stays with a counselor and is there for any student needing a
boost. A therapy dog is sometimes called a comfort dog and support a person's mental health by providing attention and comfort.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669998883061.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton’s wife Rachel Thexton, a school counselor, is in charge of the
therapy dog at Great Bend High School, and Khris has been impressed with the
positive effect the dog has on the children. "I would have never thought high school kids would have taken to a dog like that," said Khris Thexton. "The students can sit on the floor, and if they want the dog, the dog will pretty much lay on their lap." 
The dogs have to go through special training and tests to make sure they will
be able to handle large groups and the daily activity of a school.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669998905597.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Lincoln Elementary School just received their therapy dog, named Haven, and
Principal Misty Straub said the dog is expected to be fully trained by next
school year. "Dogs are dogs...they love food," said Straub. "Will she be able to manage herself smelling food service coming in and out? There will be kids with food on their hands, and there are snacks in the classroom. Being a puppy, we'll have to manage through that." 
The middle school, high school and all the grade schools have a therapy dog
except Jefferson Elementary.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flincoln428%2Fvideos%2F654926002990561%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>

Great Bend school district making good use of therapy dogs

See part two of the series Monday on Hays Post.

By DAVID CONDOS, XCARET NUNEZ and ELIZABETH REMBERT <a href="https://www.hppr.org/2022-11-25/heres-how-this-years-drought-has-battered-the-midwest-and-what-it-might-mean-for-next-year">Kansas News Service</a>&nbsp;&amp; Harvest Public Media

LA CROSSE — On G.W. Johnston’s ranch in west-central Kansas, the grass never got green this summer.

So he's had to buy hay to keep his cattle alive — in the middle of a widespread drought that's pushed those <a href="https://www.kgou.org/business-and-economy/2022-11-23/hay-shortage-means-high-costs-for-oklahoma-ranchers-as-winter-arrives" target="_blank">hay prices</a> way up.

He
 could sell all his cattle, at the cost of leaving behind the work 
that's defined his life. Watching his calves arrive in the spring, he 
said, is what counts as his therapy during a stressful year like this.

So he came here to the La Crosse Livestock Market to auction off 52 of his calves.

“You
 always think it’s gonna get better,” Johnston said. “Out of 60 years 
since I’ve been in the business, I’ve never run into it this bad.”

Johnston’s
 story marks just one example of the countless ways this historically 
dry, hot, windy year is wreaking havoc from coast to coast.

Drought now covers more than half of the continental U.S., and its 
ripple effects touch everything from the food we eat to the air we 
breathe to the water we drink. In one of the hardest hit regions, the 
Great Plains, there’s not much relief in sight.

In <a href="https://www.kmbc.com/article/drought-cold-weather-could-cause-problems-for-home-foundations-kansas-city/41696222#" target="_blank">Missouri</a>, the drought is cracking home foundations. In <a href="https://twitter.com/droughtdenise/status/1592932265004523520?s=43&amp;t=7dYaOKoht_gxnYcVioVBcQ" target="_blank">Minnesota</a>, it’s killing Christmas trees. Low water levels have shut down a hydroelectric plant in <a href="https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/iowa-news/low-river-levels-shut-down-iowa-hydroelectric-dam/" target="_blank">Iowa</a> and stranded barges on the <a href="https://grist.org/extreme-weather/as-drought-chokes-mississippi-river-barges-carrying-grain-shipments-have-nowhere-to-go/" target="_blank">Mississippi River</a>.

Frank
 Seidel, who owns the La Crosse cattle auction, has seen his share of 
bad droughts in this semi-arid part of the world. But never like this.

“Not to this severity,” Seidel said. “You look at them pastures, and they’re just grubbed down to nothing.”

Kansas cattle would normally be grazing on a buffet of prairie grass over the past few months. But in one of the <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1565355495870894081" target="_blank">driest, hottest summers</a> on record in western Kansas, oppressive drought scorched pastures across the region.

That
 left ranchers with a tough choice this fall: bring in expensive feed to
 get your livestock through the winter or sell however many cattle you 
must to keep your livelihood afloat.

“It’s everybody. There’s no 
one excluded from it,” Seidel said. “The conversation is always, ‘I 
ain’t got enough feed. I don’t have enough feed. So, I can’t keep them 
all.’ ”

This livestock market has auctioned off 12,000 more cattle this year than it did by this point last year, Seidel said, an increase of nearly 20%.

So
 many ranchers were calling Seidel clamoring to thin their herds in the 
late summer that he had to double the number of auctions from every 
other week to every week.

In the hallways outside the La Crosse auction ring, the historic gravity of this year’s drought comes into focus.

Max Prose’s ranch in Lane County got less than half of its paltry 
average rainfall this year. In the 71 years he’s farmed, this is the 
first that his land has no moisture left in its soil. He had to sell off
 his calves in August.

“There’s places in my pasture that didn’t get any rain at all,” Prose said. “The cactus have died.”

Gene
 Tilton, who farms and raises cattle near Quinter in northwest Kansas, 
said the only thing that could turn this drought around is a blizzard 
like the one that helped claw the region out of a similar drought <a href="https://www.weather.gov/ddc/1957Blizzard" target="_blank">65 years ago</a>.

“It’s dry. … Dry as it’s been since 1955,” Tilton said. “I was here.”

With roughly <a href="https://twitter.com/DroughtDenise/status/1595475164061265921" target="_blank">three-quarters</a> of U.S. cattle currently in drought-stricken areas, ranchers from <a href="https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/business/agricultural/2022/11/13/low-cattle-supply-may-drive-record-high-prices-next-year/69637966007/" target="_blank">Texas</a> to <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/montana/montana-ranchers-have-culled-back-significantly-because-of-drought-high-hay-prices/article_ce0f202e-f662-11ec-b15a-0b364b7321f5.html" target="_blank">Montana</a> face these same hard choices. And the impacts of those choices touch plenty of folks who’ve never seen an auction ring.

Because
 so many ranchers have to sell their animals months or even years ahead 
of schedule, there’ll be a shortage of cattle going to market next year. That will mean <a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/beef-prices-to-rise-in-2023-poultry-costs-will-fall/632402/" target="_blank">higher beef prices</a> at the grocery store.

“That hamburger won’t be in the industry for the next two years,” Seidel said. “It’s gone.”

As climate 
change fuels more frequent, more intense droughts nationwide, it’s hard 
to count all the ways this parched year is transforming people’s lives.

Just
 ask the person whose job it is to keep track of the drought’s impacts: 
the National Drought Mitigation Center’s Denise Gutzmer.

“I’m just swamped,” Gutzmer said. “I can work nonstop and still not be done.”

Deadly wildfires. Choking dust storms. Decimated crop harvests.

The
 amount of the country covered in drought and abnormal dryness this 
fall, Gutzmer said, is the most in the history of the Drought Monitor. 
More than half of the continental U.S. is <a href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Maps/MapArchive.aspx" target="_blank">now covered</a> by some level of drought.

The impacts this year stretch even farther across the map, Gutzmer 
said, than the last major drought in 2012 — from fanning wildfires in <a href="https://www.khon2.com/top-stories/trade-winds-and-dry-air-has-fire-departments-busy/" target="_blank">Hawaii</a> to drying up <a href="https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/10/21/water-coalinga-california" target="_blank">water supplies</a> in California to rotting the wood pilings that support buildings in <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/09/03/science/we-need-rain-drought-threatens-very-foundation-some-boston-buildings/" target="_blank">Boston</a>.

“It just all snowballs so quickly,” Gutzmer said. “It’s just been horrifying.”

In
 the grasslands of Kansas, the extreme heat has threatened another 
creature that shares the state’s pastures with cattle: birds.

Iconic
 prairie songbirds like meadowlarks and grasshopper sparrows build their
 nests down in the grass. Robert Penner, bird conservation manager with 
The Nature Conservancy, said that as ground temperatures climb north of 
100 degrees, it can roast the eggs where they lie.

“The eggs were just basically cooked,” Penner said. “The adults just gave up on them because the temperatures were too high.”

A lack of rainfall has also dried up the <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">Kansas wetlands</a> that hundreds of thousands of birds use as vital stopover points during their long flights south for the winter.

In the 26 years Penner has worked in central Kansas, he said, it’s 
hard to think of another time when the area’s wetlands were this dry, 
especially this late in the year.

With no water in the Cheyenne 
Bottoms wetlands, for instance, he’s spotted migrating ducks and geese 
paddling around the sewage lagoons of a nearby town. He’s seen smaller 
birds gathering at livestock water tanks.

For shorebirds — some of
 which migrate thousands of miles and weigh only a few ounces — not 
being able to rest and refuel at wetlands that meet their specific food 
and habitat needs could push them beyond their limits.

“If they can’t stop and feed somewhere, they’re in trouble,” Penner said. “They’re not going to make it.”

Nearby, parts of southeastern Kansas and Oklahoma saw flash droughts 
rapidly develop over the summer as record-low precipitation totals 
paired with sweltering heat.

When a reservoir that provides 
drinking water for more than 1 million people in Oklahoma City dropped 
several feet below its normal level this summer, the city had to <a href="https://www.kosu.org/energy-environment/2022-10-19/oklahoma-city-requests-water-from-canton-lake-for-the-second-time-this-year" target="_blank">bring in billions of gallons</a> from another lake 100 miles away. It’s the first time that’s happened in a decade.

“We
 hoped that one water draw would be enough, and that we’d get a lot of 
rain after that,” utility department spokesperson Michelann Ooten said. 
“But that didn’t happen.”

So the city drew another <a href="https://www.okc.gov/Home/Components/News/News/4256/18?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank">4 billion gallons</a> from that reservoir, Canton Lake, this fall.

For the people who live in rural western Oklahoma near Canton Lake, 
watching that much water flow away in the middle of a drought was hard 
to swallow.

Curtis Hoskins, president of the Canton Lake 
Association, said it’s a critical blow to the area’s recreational 
tourism economy. The last time Oklahoma City drew away billions of 
gallons a decade ago, low lake levels forced businesses to close.

“Everybody
 was pretty upset, you know, because they’ve seen it happen before,” 
Hoskins said. “Everybody’s gun-shy that they don’t have control of the 
water.”

And cities aren’t the only ones scrambling for more water.

As the lack of rainfall pushes farmers to pump more water from underground aquifers to irrigate crops, parts of <a href="https://www.agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/managing-kansas-water-resources/local-enhanced-management-areas/gmd1-four-county-lema" target="_blank">Kansas</a> and <a href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/irrigation-systems-couldnt-keep-up-2022-drought-dealt-supply-problems-for-water-managers/" target="_blank">Nebraska</a> are considering new pumping limits.

Nate Jenkins, assistant manager of the Upper Republican Natural 
Resource District in southwest Nebraska, said the proposed limits in his
 area aren’t a direct response to this particularly dry year. But in a 
region where so much of the economy bends to the whims of the weather, 
the reality of life without water is easy to envision.

“It creates some worry,” Jenkins said. “Everybody knows farmers or is a farmer, so they know what they're struggling with.”

The depletion of the Ogallala aquifer in the High Plains isn’t a new problem — roughly a <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/110/37/E3477" target="_blank">third</a>
 of the water under Kansas has already disappeared since European 
settlement, largely thanks to the development of irrigated farming. And 
some of the districts in charge of managing that underground water have 
already put plans in place to <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">slow down</a> the aquifer’s decline.

But
 the reason the underground water is so vital is that there isn’t much 
surface water on the High Plains to begin with. So a drought like this —
 parts of Kansas and Nebraska are experiencing their driest year on 
record — highlights the need to conserve.

“When it gets this hot 
and dry and windy,” Jenkins said, “people kind of shake their head and 
say, ‘Geez, it’s getting kind of ridiculous, isn’t it? When’s it gonna 
stop?’ ”

On his family farm
 in Gray County, Kansas, Alex Millershaski crouches next to a line of 
wheat seedlings no taller than the grass on a ballfield.

He digs his hand down into the soil between rows of small, green plants and scoops up a fistful.

“We have about three or four inches of just basically loose, dry sand,” Millershaski said. “There's no moisture whatsoever.”

Across the Great Plains, months of drought made soil moisture <a href="https://twitter.com/droughtdenise/status/1587464853479772161?s=43&amp;t=WnvOqLdNizi5xRdK13G_JA" target="_blank">virtually nonexistent</a>. Millershaski’s county just experienced its <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/us-maps/1/202210?products[]=countypcpnrank" target="_blank">driest October</a> on record, dating back to the late 1800s.

The western Kansas plains are no stranger to howling gusts. But much of this year has brought winds that are <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/2022/05/03/why-kansas-so-windy-2022-meteorologist-explains-high-wind-warning-record/9611982002/" target="_blank">even stronger</a> than normal.

As Millershaski steps across his rows of wheat, he braces himself 
against the wall of roaring air. He can barely stand to hear it in his 
ears day after windblown day.

With no moisture to hold the soil in
 place, the wind easily sweeps it up and batters the seedlings with the 
fine grains of sand that collect into small dunes. For these young wheat
 plants, he said, it might as well be cutting them with glass.

“Just
 imagine yourself as a wheat plant planted in the ground getting hit in 
the face all day by that sand,” Millershaski said. “It’s just so dry.”

He said the last time this field got a good rain was May — of last year.

Even
 after years of adopting farming techniques that conserve soil and 
moisture, he said, his farm’s last wheat harvest was the worst in at 
least five decades. And the prospects for this new crop look 
discouraging.

Nationwide, winter wheat is in the <a href="https://twitter.com/kannbwx/status/1587179941682200579" target="_blank">poorest condition</a>
 it’s ever been on record. In Kansas, the country’s top wheat producer, 
less than a quarter of the crop is in good shape. Nebraska and 
Oklahoma’s wheat looks even worse.

This comes on the heels of a poor harvest <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">this past summer</a>
 when the early stages of the drought dried plants to a crisp across 
western Kansas. And worldwide, the war in Ukraine and extreme weather 
continue to fuel <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/how-drought-and-war-are-really-affecting-the-global-food-supply/" target="_blank">global food shortages</a>.

Unfortunately for the drought-parched Great Plains, the outlook for the coming months doesn’t offer much relief.

A<a href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf" target="_blank">rare triple dip</a> La Niña weather pattern is set to deliver the region a drier than average winter, which means<a href="https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/us-winter-outlook-warmer-drier-south-with-ongoing-la-nina" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/us-winter-outlook-warmer-drier-south-with-ongoing-la-nina" target="_blank">below-average precipitation</a> is likely to continue for at least a while longer.

Beyond that, drought conditions generally don’t improve much in the winter anyway. It takes an average of <a href="https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/winter/faq/" target="_blank">13 inches of snow</a> to equal the impact of one inch of rainfall.

So,
 the region’s hopes rest on the chance of a wet spring. But at this 
point, it would take a lot of moisture to get the region out of this 
hole. Gray County, for instance, is roughly <a href="https://mesonet.k-state.edu/precip/daily/#mtIndex=29&amp;tab=chart-tab" target="_blank">one foot of rain</a> below its historical average this year.

“An
 average year out here is extreme, but you can always find a way to 
manage around it,” Millershaski said. “(This year) we’re struggling to 
find answers.”

Next year, Millershaski said, his family is considering switching 
some of their acres to crops that might be even more drought-tolerant, 
such as cotton or sunflowers. But for these rows of wheat already in the
 ground, there’s not much else he can do.

He picks up one of the seedlings and shields it from the wind. A short scraggly root dangles below.

These baby plants are holding on for now. Barely.

But if his farm doesn’t get some relief from the dry, windy conditions, they’re not gonna make it.

“That's
 what makes it frustrating,” Millershaski said. “You can do everything 
right, and the weather is just so extreme right now. It's just tough.”

David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank"> @davidcondos</a>.&nbsp;Xcaret
 Nuñez and Elizabeth Rembert contributed this report, a collaboration 
between Harvest Public Media and the Kansas News Service.

Here's how drought has battered the Midwest — and what it might mean for next year

Triple-digit dryland wheat in northwest Kansas with only four inches of moisture this past summer seems impossible, but fifth-generation farmer Brett Oelke did just that — entering a plot of WestBred Grainfield near Hoxie that yielded 106.34 bushels per acre in the 2022 National Wheat Yield Contest. The entry earned him the top spot in Kansas for dryland winter wheat and fifth nationally in percent increase over the county average.&nbsp;

“I was blessed by God,” said Oelke, who works together with his father and brother-in-law on their respective operations in Sheridan County. “That’s about the easiest way I can explain how I did it.”&nbsp;

The winning plot was planted with certified, treated seed — like every bushel in Oelke’s operation — into the northwest corner of a field with five pivot corners, thanks to two circles that touch. The corners were summer fallow, having been planted to dryland corn in 2020. While there wasn’t enough moisture to help make a good seed bed, Oelke remembers chomping at the bit to start planting as soon as the rain came.&nbsp;

“We had everything ordered and ready to go and drills were prepped,” he said. “We just needed that one rain to where we could go seed our wheat.”

“We got lucky, God helped out and gave us two, half-inch rains back-to-back about three days apart around the first of October. We shut everything off and we just focused on getting our wheat crop in the ground.”

Then, the crew went back to cutting soybeans and drilling irrigated wheat. An amazing stand of wheat grew, despite being short on moisture.&nbsp;

“We had right at one inch of rain out of those two showers that gave us a great stand that looked good going into dormancy, but we just never got another rain,” Oelke said. “We got a skiff of snow forecasted so we went out and sprayed all our herbicide on, but if it had 10 points of moisture in it, I’d be surprised.”

Spring arrived, but still no more moisture. Oelke typically waits until jointing to fertilize with nitrogen, which was around April 1 for the plot. The field didn’t receive any moisture until three weeks later when another half-inch of rain fell.&nbsp;

At this point, it was time to decide whether or not to enter the National Wheat Yield Contest. Oelke was skeptical, but his seed dealer’s boss, the regional territory manager, convinced him it was worth a shot. Then in May, another one-inch rain fell right after Oelke started to see beards coming out of the boot. He immediately sprayed a fungicide and applied a foliar feed nitrogen to the flag leaf. Then, the weather turned hot, miserable and windy during the rest of heading, flowering and into early grain fill.&nbsp;

On the first Saturday in June, there was only a small chance of rain, but it was enough.&nbsp;

“By the luck of God again, we got 1.6 inches,” Oelke said. “Then that was it. Those four moisture events are what this wheat crop lived on for its entire life. It didn’t have more than four inches total precipitation, but it was more about the perfect timing that we were blessed with — and that’s how we raised such good wheat.”&nbsp;

At this point, Oelke knew he had good wheat despite the conditions. He used to work as a crop consultant, so he is always walking fields and pulling heads. But he was guessing the wheat would make 50 to 60 bushels per acre, maybe 70 bushels per acre in some spots.&nbsp;

The plot was in the last field of dryland wheat the crew harvested. The crew started cutting in the southwest, working to the southeast to the northeast and finally to the northwest. And the yield monitor in the combine started to skyrocket as they moved. Oelke remembers his father, who runs the combine, kept re-calibrating the yield monitor all throughout harvest, asking if something was wrong because there was no way they were cutting 90-bushel wheat.&nbsp;

Oelke laid out a couple of plots in those top corners, but he was running the combine in the northwest corner when the final plot topped triple-digit yields and scored his winning entry of more than 106 bushels per acre.&nbsp;

“Everyone thought we were crazy for spending money on wheat this year because it’s all going to burn up and die anyway,” he said. “Our philosophy is — I want to give the wheat the best opportunity I possibly can. Yes, Mother Nature always has the trump card. But if I’m holding it back, it’s not going to come to its fullest potential if it would ever rain.”

This year’s winning state entry completes Oelke’s hat trick of commodity yield contests, having won plaques previously for irrigated wheat, irrigated corn, irrigated soybeans and dryland sorghum. From religiously planting certified, treated seed to playing “mad scientist” on his kitchen table with his friend Eli Kuhlman of Five Star Ag to make their own fertilizer blend, Oelke encourages fellow producers to experiment — and when they find something that works, replicate it across their entire operation.&nbsp;

“We’ve just stuck to what we know has worked in the past and let the cards fall in Mother Nature’s hand,” he said.

That’s the same strategy Oelke is using this year — and so far, it’s paying off with great stands of wheat yet again. If the right parts of Sheridan County would just get a little more moisture this year, he may achieve his new goal of 150 bushels per acre for irrigated wheat and duplicate this year’s dryland success.&nbsp;

“God gave us that one rain we needed to drill wheat, so we shut everything off again and drilled every acre of dryland we had,” he said. “Honestly, it’s setting up about like 2021 all over again, so if we can just get a little more rain during the spring and during grain fill, I feel pretty good.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662500196293.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Triple-digit dryland wheat in northwest Kansas with only four inches of moisture this past summer seems impossible, but fifth-generation farmer Brett Oelke did just that — entering a plot of WestBred Grainfield near Hoxie that yielded 106.34 bushels per acre in the 2022 National Wheat Yield Contest. The entry earned him the top spot in Kansas for dryland winter wheat and fifth nationally in percent increase over the county average.&nbsp;“I was blessed by God,” said Oelke, who works together with his father and brother-in-law on their respective operations in Sheridan County. “That’s about the easiest way I can explain how I did it.”&nbsp;The winning plot was planted with certified, treated seed — like every bushel in Oelke’s operation — into the northwest corner of a field with five pivot corners, thanks to two circles that touch. The corners were summer fallow, having been planted to dryland corn in 2020. While there wasn’t enough moisture to help make a good seed bed, Oelke remembers chomping at the bit to start planting as soon as the rain came.&nbsp;“We had everything ordered and ready to go and drills were prepped,” he said. “We just needed that one rain to where we could go seed our wheat.”“We got lucky, God helped out and gave us two, half-inch rains back-to-back about three days apart around the first of October. We shut everything off and we just focused on getting our wheat crop in the ground.”Then, the crew went back to cutting soybeans and drilling irrigated wheat. An amazing stand of wheat grew, despite being short on moisture.&nbsp;“We had right at one inch of rain out of those two showers that gave us a great stand that looked good going into dormancy, but we just never got another rain,” Oelke said. “We got a skiff of snow forecasted so we went out and sprayed all our herbicide on, but if it had 10 points of moisture in it, I’d be surprised.”Spring arrived, but still no more moisture. Oelke typically waits until jointing to fertilize with nitrogen, which was around April 1 for the plot. The field didn’t receive any moisture until three weeks later when another half-inch of rain fell.&nbsp;At this point, it was time to decide whether or not to enter the National Wheat Yield Contest. Oelke was skeptical, but his seed dealer’s boss, the regional territory manager, convinced him it was worth a shot. Then in May, another one-inch rain fell right after Oelke started to see beards coming out of the boot. He immediately sprayed a fungicide and applied a foliar feed nitrogen to the flag leaf. Then, the weather turned hot, miserable and windy during the rest of heading, flowering and into early grain fill.&nbsp;On the first Saturday in June, there was only a small chance of rain, but it was enough.&nbsp;“By the luck of God again, we got 1.6 inches,” Oelke said. “Then that was it. Those four moisture events are what this wheat crop lived on for its entire life. It didn’t have more than four inches total precipitation, but it was more about the perfect timing that we were blessed with — and that’s how we raised such good wheat.”&nbsp;At this point, Oelke knew he had good wheat despite the conditions. He used to work as a crop consultant, so he is always walking fields and pulling heads. But he was guessing the wheat would make 50 to 60 bushels per acre, maybe 70 bushels per acre in some spots.&nbsp;The plot was in the last field of dryland wheat the crew harvested. The crew started cutting in the southwest, working to the southeast to the northeast and finally to the northwest. And the yield monitor in the combine started to skyrocket as they moved. Oelke remembers his father, who runs the combine, kept re-calibrating the yield monitor all throughout harvest, asking if something was wrong because there was no way they were cutting 90-bushel wheat.&nbsp;Oelke laid out a couple of plots in those top corners, but he was running the combine in the northwest corner when the final plot topped triple-digit yields and scored his winning entry of more than 106 bushels per acre.&nbsp;“Everyone thought we were crazy for spending money on wheat this year because it’s all going to burn up and die anyway,” he said. “Our philosophy is — I want to give the wheat the best opportunity I possibly can. Yes, Mother Nature always has the trump card. But if I’m holding it back, it’s not going to come to its fullest potential if it would ever rain.”This year’s winning state entry completes Oelke’s hat trick of commodity yield contests, having won plaques previously for irrigated wheat, irrigated corn, irrigated soybeans and dryland sorghum. From religiously planting certified, treated seed to playing “mad scientist” on his kitchen table with his friend Eli Kuhlman of Five Star Ag to make their own fertilizer blend, Oelke encourages fellow producers to experiment — and when they find something that works, replicate it across their entire operation.&nbsp;“We’ve just stuck to what we know has worked in the past and let the cards fall in Mother Nature’s hand,” he said.That’s the same strategy Oelke is using this year — and so far, it’s paying off with great stands of wheat yet again. If the right parts of Sheridan County would just get a little more moisture this year, he may achieve his new goal of 150 bushels per acre for irrigated wheat and duplicate this year’s dryland success.&nbsp;“God gave us that one rain we needed to drill wheat, so we shut everything off again and drilled every acre of dryland we had,” he said. “Honestly, it’s setting up about like 2021 all over again, so if we can just get a little more rain during the spring and during grain fill, I feel pretty good.”&nbsp;“We’re very fortunate. I know most of the state of Kansas isn’t this way. We just lucked out and got that one rain — just like last year — put all our wheat in and we have phenomenal stands currently.”&nbsp;Follow Kansas Wheat in the coming weeks to learn more about the other Kansas winners and their tips and tricks for success this year. Learn more about the National Wheat Yield Contest at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yscWOQVsXwHDD6O2C-_2dzogY-Bhc7VUKl23UfyPmHB_fObT7pz75xqVjjqYvQbyUZKvNnD_IWa2CAAGaZxOngstXEsd5DLr7sMl2JDgM95T3Hu8HtR3O1BOozJZj6AlZyxgj-RjqRW3a2yK56fshWyQ6RFc1zDJ5l0YLPL95dQ=&amp;c=Adba7pFx1MzeWM91PGcCdwjdoGsHDGqSSdaKC9LB3Rn2YXje7K26jg==&amp;ch=s3io6OLXiS8QmZtfKjBn3W3Gdiq_dNEPBTtxsjF43C4VTF324VNFMA==" target="_blank">http://yieldcontest.wheatfoundation.org/</a>.###Written by Julia Debes for Kansas Wheat

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