Today is Thursday, July 8, the 189th day of 2021. There are 176 days left in the year. 

On July 8, 1947, a New Mexico newspaper, the Roswell Daily Record, quoted officials at Roswell Army Air Field as saying they had recovered a "flying saucer" that crashed onto a ranch; officials then said it was actually a weather balloon. (To this day, there are those who believe what fell to Earth was an alien spaceship carrying extra-terrestrial beings.) 

In 1776, Col. John Nixon gave the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence, outside the State House (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. 

In 1853, an expedition led by Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Yedo Bay, Japan, on a mission to seek diplomatic and trade relations with the Japanese.

In 1889, The Wall Street Journal was first published. 

In 1911, cowgirl "Two-Gun Nan" Aspinwall became the first woman to make a solo trip by horse across the United States, arriving in New York 10 months after departing San Francisco.

In 1950, President Harry S. Truman named Gen. Douglas MacArthur commander-in-chief of United Nations forces in Korea. (Truman ended up sacking MacArthur for insubordination nine months later.) 

In 1972, the Nixon administration announced a deal to sell $750 million in grain to the Soviet Union. (However, the Soviets were also engaged in secretly buying subsidized American grain, resulting in what critics dubbed "The Great Grain Robbery.") 

In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford announced he would seek a second term of office. 

In 1989, Carlos Saul Menem was inaugurated as president of Argentina in the country's first transfer of power from one democratically elected civilian leader to another in six decades. 

In 1994, Kim Il Sung, North Korea's communist leader since 1948, died at age 82. 

In 2000, Venus Williams beat Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 7-6 (3) for her first Grand Slam title, becoming the first Black female champion at Wimbledon since Althea Gibson in 1957-58. 

In 2010, violent protests erupted in Oakland, California, after a Los Angeles jury convicted a white former transit officer, Johannes Mehserle, of involuntary manslaughter (instead of murder) in the videotaped fatal shooting of a Black man, Oscar Grant.

In 2019, billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein was charged with sexually abusing dozens of underage girls; the newly unsealed federal indictment came more than a decade after he secretly cut a deal with federal prosecutors to dispose of nearly identical allegations. (Epstein was found unresponsive in his jail cell a month later; the medical examiner ruled his death a suicide.) 

Ten years ago: Former first lady Betty Ford died in Rancho Mirage, California, at age 93. Atlantis thundered into orbit on a cargo run that would close out the three-decade U.S. space shuttle program. Ohio State vacated its wins from the 2010 football season, including its share of the Big Ten championship and a victory over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl, as it responded to the NCAA's investigation of a memorabilia-for-cash scandal.

Five years ago: On the first day of a two-day summit in Warsaw, NATO leaders geared up for a long-term standoff with Russia, ordering multinational troops to Poland and the three Baltic states as Moscow moved forward with its own plans to station two new divisions along its western borders. Ten states (Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming) sued the federal government over rules requiring public schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms conforming to their gender identity, joining a dozen other states in the latest fight over LGBT rights. (Nebraska, which led the effort, later asked to drop the lawsuit after the Trump administration ended the protection.)

One year ago: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an executive order requiring masks to be worn in Georgia's largest city, setting up a confrontation with Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. President Donald Trump threatened to hold back federal money if school districts did not bring their students back in the fall. The head of the Tulsa City-County Health Department in Oklahoma said a Trump campaign rally in June had "likely contributed" to a dramatic surge in new coronavirus cases there. Brooks Brothers filed for bankruptcy protection; the 200-year-old company became the latest major clothing retailer to be toppled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Today's Birthdays: Singer Steve Lawrence is 86. Actor Jeffrey Tambor is 77. Rock musician Jaimoe Johanson is 76. Ballerina Cynthia Gregory is 74. Actor Kim Darby is 74. Actor Jonelle Allen is 73. Children's performer Raffi is 73. Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck is 72. Actor Anjelica Huston is 70. Writer Anna Quindlen is 69. Actor Kevin Bacon is 63. Actor Robert Knepper is 62. Rock musician Andy Fletcher (Depeche Mode) is 60. Country singer Toby Keith is 60. Rock singer Joan Osborne is 59. Writer-producer Rob Burnett is 59. Actor Rocky Carroll is 58. Actor Corey Parker is 56. Actor Lee Tergesen is 56. Actor Michael B. Silver is 54. Actor Billy Crudup is 53. Actor Michael Weatherly is 53. Singer Beck is 51. Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco is 48. Actor Kathleen Robertson is 48. Christian rock musician Stephen Mason (Jars of Clay) is 46. Actor Milo Ventimiglia is 44. Singer Ben Jelen is 42. Actor Lance Gross is 40. Actor Sophia Bush is 39. Rock musician Jamie Cook (Arctic Monkeys) is 36. Actor Jake McDorman is 35. Actor Maya Hawke is 23. Actor Jaden Smith is 23.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Thursday, July 8, the 189th day of 2021. There are 176 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On July 8, 1947, a New Mexico newspaper, the Roswell Daily Record, quoted officials at Roswell Army Air Field as saying they had recovered a "flying saucer" that crashed onto a ranch; officials then said it was actually a weather balloon. (To this day, there are those who believe what fell to Earth was an alien spaceship carrying extra-terrestrial beings.) On this date: In 1776, Col. John Nixon gave the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence, outside the State House (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. In 1853, an expedition led by Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Yedo Bay, Japan, on a mission to seek diplomatic and trade relations with the Japanese.In 1889, The Wall Street Journal was first published. In 1911, cowgirl "Two-Gun Nan" Aspinwall became the first woman to make a solo trip by horse across the United States, arriving in New York 10 months after departing San Francisco.In 1950, President Harry S. Truman named Gen. Douglas MacArthur commander-in-chief of United Nations forces in Korea. (Truman ended up sacking MacArthur for insubordination nine months later.) In 1972, the Nixon administration announced a deal to sell $750 million in grain to the Soviet Union. (However, the Soviets were also engaged in secretly buying subsidized American grain, resulting in what critics dubbed "The Great Grain Robbery.") In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford announced he would seek a second term of office. In 1989, Carlos Saul Menem was inaugurated as president of Argentina in the country's first transfer of power from one democratically elected civilian leader to another in six decades. In 1994, Kim Il Sung, North Korea's communist leader since 1948, died at age 82. In 2000, Venus Williams beat Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 7-6 (3) for her first Grand Slam title, becoming the first Black female champion at Wimbledon since Althea Gibson in 1957-58. In 2010, violent protests erupted in Oakland, California, after a Los Angeles jury convicted a white former transit officer, Johannes Mehserle, of involuntary manslaughter (instead of murder) in the videotaped fatal shooting of a Black man, Oscar Grant.In 2019, billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein was charged with sexually abusing dozens of underage girls; the newly unsealed federal indictment came more than a decade after he secretly cut a deal with federal prosecutors to dispose of nearly identical allegations. (Epstein was found unresponsive in his jail cell a month later; the medical examiner ruled his death a suicide.) Ten years ago: Former first lady Betty Ford died in Rancho Mirage, California, at age 93. Atlantis thundered into orbit on a cargo run that would close out the three-decade U.S. space shuttle program. Ohio State vacated its wins from the 2010 football season, including its share of the Big Ten championship and a victory over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl, as it responded to the NCAA's investigation of a memorabilia-for-cash scandal.Five years ago: On the first day of a two-day summit in Warsaw, NATO leaders geared up for a long-term standoff with Russia, ordering multinational troops to Poland and the three Baltic states as Moscow moved forward with its own plans to station two new divisions along its western borders. Ten states (Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming) sued the federal government over rules requiring public schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms conforming to their gender identity, joining a dozen other states in the latest fight over LGBT rights. (Nebraska, which led the effort, later asked to drop the lawsuit after the Trump administration ended the protection.)One year ago: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an executive order requiring masks to be worn in Georgia's largest city, setting up a confrontation with Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. President Donald Trump threatened to hold back federal money if school districts did not bring their students back in the fall. The head of the Tulsa City-County Health Department in Oklahoma said a Trump campaign rally in June had "likely contributed" to a dramatic surge in new coronavirus cases there. Brooks Brothers filed for bankruptcy protection; the 200-year-old company became the latest major clothing retailer to be toppled by the coronavirus pandemic.Today's Birthdays: Singer Steve Lawrence is 86. Actor Jeffrey Tambor is 77. Rock musician Jaimoe Johanson is 76. Ballerina Cynthia Gregory is 74. Actor Kim Darby is 74. Actor Jonelle Allen is 73. Children's performer Raffi is 73. Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck is 72. Actor Anjelica Huston is 70. Writer Anna Quindlen is 69. Actor Kevin Bacon is 63. Actor Robert Knepper is 62. Rock musician Andy Fletcher (Depeche Mode) is 60. Country singer Toby Keith is 60. Rock singer Joan Osborne is 59. Writer-producer Rob Burnett is 59. Actor Rocky Carroll is 58. Actor Corey Parker is 56. Actor Lee Tergesen is 56. Actor Michael B. Silver is 54. Actor Billy Crudup is 53. Actor Michael Weatherly is 53. Singer Beck is 51. Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco is 48. Actor Kathleen Robertson is 48. Christian rock musician Stephen Mason (Jars of Clay) is 46. Actor Milo Ventimiglia is 44. Singer Ben Jelen is 42. Actor Lance Gross is 40. Actor Sophia Bush is 39. Rock musician Jamie Cook (Arctic Monkeys) is 36. Actor Jake McDorman is 35. Actor Maya Hawke is 23. Actor Jaden Smith is 23.

Today in History - July 8

Two recent graduates of Salina Area Technical College’s Diesel Technology program placed in the top 10 at the national SkillsUSA competition.

Nathan Bashore of McPherson placed fifth in the college division of the Diesel Equipment Technology event, and Mason Ruble of Minneapolis placed eighth in the high school division.

Both earned their Associate of Applied Science degree in Diesel Technology from Salina Tech this past May.

Both qualified for the national competition by placing first in the Kansas competition held in May.

SkillsUSA is a nationwide organization serving more than 280,000 high school and college students and professionals who are enrolled in training programs in technical, skilled, and service occupations, including health care.

Two recent graduates of Salina Area Technical College’s Diesel Technology program placed in the top 10 at the national SkillsUSA competition.Nathan Bashore of McPherson placed fifth in the college division of the Diesel Equipment Technology event, and Mason Ruble of Minneapolis placed eighth in the high school division.Both earned their Associate of Applied Science degree in Diesel Technology from Salina Tech this past May.Both qualified for the national competition by placing first in the Kansas competition held in May.SkillsUSA is a nationwide organization serving more than 280,000 high school and college students and professionals who are enrolled in training programs in technical, skilled, and service occupations, including health care.

Salina Tech students place at SkillsUSA nationals

ELLSWORTH COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Wednesday in Ellsworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Toyota Highlander driven by Amanda Lee&nbsp;Strouse, 40, Mountain Home, Arkansas, was westbound on Interstate 70 at the Kansas 14-Ellsworth exit.

The driver lost control of the SUV. It crossed the median and rolled into the north ditch.

EMS transported&nbsp;Strouse and a passenger Ryder Ply, 2, Mountain Home, Arkansas, to the hospital in Ellsworth. Both were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Wednesday in Ellsworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Toyota Highlander driven by Amanda Lee&nbsp;Strouse, 40, Mountain Home, Arkansas, was westbound on Interstate 70 at the Kansas 14-Ellsworth exit.The driver lost control of the SUV. It crossed the median and rolled into the north ditch.EMS transported&nbsp;Strouse and a passenger Ryder Ply, 2, Mountain Home, Arkansas, to the hospital in Ellsworth. Both were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Woman, 2-year-old hospitalized after SUV rolls

If you didn't or don't get your new waste cart this week on your collection day, you will get it next week, according to the following information from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salina.ks.gov/">City of Salina</a> Facebook page:

If you didn't or don't get your new waste cart this week on your collection day, you will get it next week, according to the following information from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salina.ks.gov/">City of Salina</a> Facebook page:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsalina.ks.gov%2Fposts%2F10158828046651339&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="385" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

City clarifies new waste cart delivery information

BOSTON -&nbsp;Emerson College awarded more than 950 undergraduate degrees and more than 470 graduate degrees for the Class of 2021 on May&nbsp;2 at Fenway Park in Boston during its 141st commencement exercises, and virtually on May 9.&nbsp;The College also honored the Class of 2020 graduates in an additional ceremony at Fenway Park on May 2.

Cedar Van Tassel of Gypsum&nbsp; graduated in December 2020 and received a&nbsp;BA in Self-Designed.

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, opposite the historic Boston Common and in the heart of the city's Theatre District, Emerson College educates individuals who will solve problems and change the world through engaged leadership in communication and the arts, a mission informed by liberal learning. The College has 3,700 undergraduates and 1,400 graduate students from across the United States and 50 countries. Supported by state-of-the-art facilities and a renowned faculty, students participate in more than 90 student organizations and performance groups.

BOSTON -&nbsp;Emerson College awarded more than 950 undergraduate degrees and more than 470 graduate degrees for the Class of 2021 on May&nbsp;2 at Fenway Park in Boston during its 141st commencement exercises, and virtually on May 9.&nbsp;The College also honored the Class of 2020 graduates in an additional ceremony at Fenway Park on May 2.Cedar Van Tassel of Gypsum&nbsp; graduated in December 2020 and received a&nbsp;BA in Self-Designed.About Emerson CollegeBased in Boston, Massachusetts, opposite the historic Boston Common and in the heart of the city's Theatre District, Emerson College educates individuals who will solve problems and change the world through engaged leadership in communication and the arts, a mission informed by liberal learning. The College has 3,700 undergraduates and 1,400 graduate students from across the United States and 50 countries. Supported by state-of-the-art facilities and a renowned faculty, students participate in more than 90 student organizations and performance groups.

Gypsum's Van Tassel earns degree from Emerson College

In 1908, the temperature in Salina fell to 46 degrees to set a record low temperature for the city in the month of July. In 1987, a heat burst occurred in Greensburg. The 7 a.m. temperature was 75 degrees then only a few minutes later soared to 95. The 8 a.m. temperature was 86 degrees. In 1905, Parker, Ariz., was torched by a temperature of 127 degrees, tying an Arizona state record that had been set in Fort Mojave on June 15, 1896. In 1981, a severe blizzard that hit Glacier National Park, Mont., produced about 10 inches of snow and whip lashed the region with gusts that reached 90 mph. In 1991, a complex of severe thunderstorms produced gusts around 85 mph across Lower Michigan. Damage was approximately $30 million and approximately 850,000 people lost power, some of whom were without power for a week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICEIn 1908, the temperature in Salina fell to 46 degrees to set a record low temperature for the city in the month of July. In 1987, a heat burst occurred in Greensburg. The 7 a.m. temperature was 75 degrees then only a few minutes later soared to 95. The 8 a.m. temperature was 86 degrees. In 1905, Parker, Ariz., was torched by a temperature of 127 degrees, tying an Arizona state record that had been set in Fort Mojave on June 15, 1896. In 1981, a severe blizzard that hit Glacier National Park, Mont., produced about 10 inches of snow and whip lashed the region with gusts that reached 90 mph. In 1991, a complex of severe thunderstorms produced gusts around 85 mph across Lower Michigan. Damage was approximately $30 million and approximately 850,000 people lost power, some of whom were without power for a week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This Day in Weather History: Salina was chilly

Hill's Pet Nutrition is seeking Operations Assistants at their Emporia location. Relocation assistance is offered within the region with a starting rate of $18 per hour.

Apply at&nbsp;<a href="https://jobs.colgate.com/">https://jobs.colgate.com</a>

This position will have primary responsibility for assisting Operations Technicians with the preparation and execution of startup, changeovers, and line shut down, executing the master sanitation functions, coordination of production materials, safety compliance, data collection, maintaining 5S Visual Workplace and overall production support. The Operations Assistant will also be responsible to work within a structure that requires considerable interaction with others in the same production unit as well as other production units and support functions.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

●Understands and is responsible for full compliance and following of all Quality, GMP's, AIB and Micro (C&amp;S Guidelines), EOHS, and safety standards and guidelines.

●Assist with startup, changeovers, and line shut down of automated and manual equipment throughout the production facility.

●Performs Housekeeping activities as per master sanitation schedule, and conducts/participates in area housekeeping assessments as required to meet all GMP's, FDA and AIB requirements.

●Responsible to support line operations during lunches, breaks and coverage for open positions.

●Responsible for finished goods preparation and inspection, including top cap placement, inspection check list, legible date codes, and quality of bag seals.

●Production line waste removal and disposal according to Standard Operating Procedures.

●Responsible for cleaning and sanitation of equipment throughout the production areas during operation. Trained in LOTO, chemical handling, PPE, etc.

●Understand and comply with Hill's policies, safety standards, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Food Safety. Identify and report Food safety issues to management.

●Responsible for managing Dum back/Regrind/Reblend product movement.

●Supports packaging lines with staging of resources needed based on the production schedule including hand stacking of all bag sizes.

●Attends the Shift Transition Meeting to understand current shift production schedule.

●Contribution of additional work hours when needed to meet business demands.

●High school diploma or equivalent.. Must be able to work any shift schedule, including nights and weekends.

●Ability to bend, climb, and work in confined spaces, and work in hazardous condition spaces for up to twelve hours per day.

●Ability to push totes containing product up to 750 lbs.

●Ability to work in extreme weather conditions with temperature ranges from cold to hot and humid.

●Ability to lift up to 50 lbs, repeatedly.

●Use a stand-up or sit-down forklift, intermittently for up to twelve hours per day.

●Technical college/vocational school certificate or Associates degree in Manufacturing-related area preferred.

●Food safety experience including cleaning and sanitation of equipment.

Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Application_Accommodation@colpal.com">Application_Accommodation@colpal.com</a>&nbsp;with the subject "Accommodation Request" should you require accommodation.

Are you interested in working for Hill's Pet Nutrition? You can apply online and attach all relevant documents such as a cover letter and resume or CV. Applications received by e-mail are not considered in the selection process. Become part of our team. We look forward to your application. To learn more about Hill's and Colgate, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hillspet.com/">http://www.hillspet.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.colgatepalmolive.com/">http://www.colgatepalmolive.com</a>, or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623893271128.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hill's Pet Nutrition is seeking Operations Assistants at their Emporia location. Relocation assistance is offered within the region with a starting rate of $18 per hour.Apply at&nbsp;<a href="https://jobs.colgate.com/">https://jobs.colgate.com</a>This position will have primary responsibility for assisting Operations Technicians with the preparation and execution of startup, changeovers, and line shut down, executing the master sanitation functions, coordination of production materials, safety compliance, data collection, maintaining 5S Visual Workplace and overall production support. The Operations Assistant will also be responsible to work within a structure that requires considerable interaction with others in the same production unit as well as other production units and support functions.Principal Duties and Responsibilities:●Understands and is responsible for full compliance and following of all Quality, GMP's, AIB and Micro (C&amp;S Guidelines), EOHS, and safety standards and guidelines.●Assist with startup, changeovers, and line shut down of automated and manual equipment throughout the production facility.●Performs Housekeeping activities as per master sanitation schedule, and conducts/participates in area housekeeping assessments as required to meet all GMP's, FDA and AIB requirements.●Responsible to support line operations during lunches, breaks and coverage for open positions.●Responsible for finished goods preparation and inspection, including top cap placement, inspection check list, legible date codes, and quality of bag seals.●Production line waste removal and disposal according to Standard Operating Procedures.●Responsible for cleaning and sanitation of equipment throughout the production areas during operation. Trained in LOTO, chemical handling, PPE, etc.●Understand and comply with Hill's policies, safety standards, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Food Safety. Identify and report Food safety issues to management.●Responsible for managing Dum back/Regrind/Reblend product movement.●Supports packaging lines with staging of resources needed based on the production schedule including hand stacking of all bag sizes.●Attends the Shift Transition Meeting to understand current shift production schedule.●Contribution of additional work hours when needed to meet business demands.Basic qualifications include:●High school diploma or equivalent.. Must be able to work any shift schedule, including nights and weekends.●Ability to bend, climb, and work in confined spaces, and work in hazardous condition spaces for up to twelve hours per day.●Ability to push totes containing product up to 750 lbs.●Ability to work in extreme weather conditions with temperature ranges from cold to hot and humid.●Ability to lift up to 50 lbs, repeatedly.●Use a stand-up or sit-down forklift, intermittently for up to twelve hours per day.●Walk unlimited distances each day.Preferred qualifications include:●Technical college/vocational school certificate or Associates degree in Manufacturing-related area preferred.●Ability to use hazardous materials.●Food safety experience including cleaning and sanitation of equipment.Equal Opportunity EmployerColgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Application_Accommodation@colpal.com">Application_Accommodation@colpal.com</a>&nbsp;with the subject "Accommodation Request" should you require accommodation.Are you interested in working for Hill's Pet Nutrition? You can apply online and attach all relevant documents such as a cover letter and resume or CV. Applications received by e-mail are not considered in the selection process. Become part of our team. We look forward to your application. To learn more about Hill's and Colgate, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hillspet.com/">http://www.hillspet.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.colgatepalmolive.com/">http://www.colgatepalmolive.com</a>, or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Saline County COVID-19 update

Here are the 24-hour rainfall totals as of 7 a.m. Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625690853818.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Here are the 24-hour rainfall totals as of 7 a.m. Wednesday.

NWS: Not a lot of rain in our area overnight

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is Part 1 of a multi-part series.

The Kansas&nbsp;State Board of Education&nbsp;has appointed a&nbsp;Task Force to study what&nbsp;should&nbsp;be&nbsp;required&nbsp;for students to graduate from high school. The question is whether the state should continue to use a system that&nbsp;mostly looks at how much time a student spends in subject area classes,&nbsp;what&nbsp;subjects should be required,&nbsp;and&nbsp;whether to consider different ways&nbsp;to&nbsp;measure whether students have&nbsp;met&nbsp;state expectations.&nbsp;

At its first meeting, the Task Force&nbsp;reviewed&nbsp;how the modern high school was created&nbsp;more than 100 years ago&nbsp;by two major developments in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.&nbsp;

First, the National Education Association’s “Committee of 10” recommended that high school be standardized at four years, following eight years of elementary school, with college degrees requiring four more years. It also proposed that “every subject which is taught at all in a secondary school should be taught in the same way and to the same extent to every pupil so long as he pursues it, no matter what the probable destination of the pupil may be, or at what point his education is to cease."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Second, educators at both the high school and college level agreed to standardize&nbsp;high school units of study based on time. Credit was given for the study of a subject for one hour per day, five days per week, 24 weeks per year,&nbsp;which&nbsp;evolved into&nbsp;the&nbsp;current&nbsp;system&nbsp;where students take six or more classes&nbsp;five days&nbsp;a week for the school year, or an equivalent period of time. (This system is called “Carnegie units” after the industrialist whose endowment helped create the modern college pension system - to participate,&nbsp;colleges&nbsp;had to use Carnegie units.)&nbsp;

Reviewing information from the Digest of Education statistics, two things stand out about&nbsp;the time when high school structure was created:&nbsp;far fewer young people attended high school, but a higher percentage&nbsp;of that smaller number&nbsp;went&nbsp;on&nbsp;to college.&nbsp;

In 1900, high school graduates&nbsp;equaled only 6.4 percent&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;17-year-old population&nbsp;nationally, and&nbsp;bachelor’s degrees conferred equaled&nbsp;less than 2 percent.&nbsp;However,&nbsp;bachelor’s degrees&nbsp;conferred in 1900 were over 60 percent&nbsp;of the&nbsp;high school diplomas awarded 10 years earlier, meaning approximately 60 percent&nbsp;of&nbsp;high school graduates completed a four-year college degree within 10 years.&nbsp;The current high school model&nbsp;was&nbsp;designed&nbsp;at time when completing&nbsp;high&nbsp;school&nbsp;was an elite accomplishment and was largely designed to prepare students for academic courses in college.&nbsp;

That&nbsp;began to change rapidly during first half of the 20th&nbsp;century&nbsp;as social and economic expectations changed. High school graduates&nbsp;reached&nbsp;50 percent of the 17-year-old population in 1940 and continued to climb to almost 80 percent in&nbsp;1970.&nbsp;That rate then stagnated for 30 years. In 2000, the percent of high school diplomas compared to 18-year-olds was just under 70 percent – the same rate as in 1960.&nbsp;

College attainment also rose rapidly in the 20th&nbsp;century,&nbsp;but not as fast as high school&nbsp;completion.&nbsp;Bachelor’s degrees conferred in 1900&nbsp;equaled over 60 percent of&nbsp;high school graduates ten years before (1890), but dropped&nbsp;to 30 percent in&nbsp;1930 and&nbsp;remained between 30 and 40 percent until&nbsp;1990.&nbsp;

The 1980’s and 1990’s were a time of deep concern about U.S. educational quality, perhaps best expressed by 1983’s “Nation at Risk” report from a panel chaired by Dr. Robert Haderlein,&nbsp;a school board member from Girard,&nbsp;Kansas,&nbsp;President of the National School Boards&nbsp;Association and past President of KASB.&nbsp;

Among other recommendations, the report called for high school students to&nbsp;take&nbsp;more rigorous classes, sparking a trend nationally and in Kansas.&nbsp;Since 1980, Kansas has increased the minimum units for graduation from 17 to 21, adding units in math,&nbsp;science,&nbsp;and fine arts. Local school districts can require more than the state minimum, and most do.&nbsp;

Kansas was reflecting national trends.&nbsp;According to the U.S. Digest of Education Statistics, the average number of total Carnegie units earned by high school graduates increased from 21.58 in 1982 to 27.15 in 2009, the latest year reported – basically the equivalent of another year of study. On average, students earned more&nbsp;than&nbsp;a full additional credit each in math,&nbsp;science,&nbsp;and foreign language.&nbsp;

In addition, the percentage of students taking dual college credit, Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses in high school nationally increased from 27.6 in 2000 to 46.4 percent in 2009. In Kansas, the number&nbsp;of&nbsp;students&nbsp;taking dual or concurrent enrollment courses has continued to rise, from 22,720 in 2013 to 34,908 in 2020.&nbsp;

Despite, or because of, higher requirements, both high school and college completion rates have increased&nbsp;since the 1980’s and 1990’s.&nbsp;Compared to the 17-year-old population,&nbsp;in 2019&nbsp;high school graduates reached 87 percent and bachelor’s degrees confirmed reached 47.7 percent – both all-time highs. The percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded compared to high school graduates 10 years prior&nbsp;was&nbsp;nearly 60 percent in 2010 and 2019 –&nbsp;almost as&nbsp;high&nbsp;as in&nbsp;1900.&nbsp;

As a share of the adult population over 24 years, college attainment has also risen, from 4.6 percent both nationally and in Kansas in 1940 to 32.6 percent nationally and 33.4 percent in Kansas in 2018, also all-time highs. As college attainment has increased, the economic value of a college degree, measured by average earnings, employment and poverty rates have also increased.&nbsp;

With educational attainment increasing, why has the State Board called for a study of graduation requirement? Those reasons will be explored in the next post.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Career-Standards-and-Assessment-Services/CSAS-Home/Graduation-and-Schools-of-Choice/Graduation-and-Dropouts" target="_blank">Here</a>&nbsp;is a link to more information on the Graduation Requirements Task Force.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mark Tallman is the associate executive director for advocacy for the Kansas Association of School Boards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582221969260.jpeg" alt="Mark Tallman. Photo courtesy Kansas Association of School Boards" />
 <figcaption>Mark Tallman. Photo courtesy Kansas Association of School Boards</figcaption>
 </figure>EDITOR'S NOTE: This is Part 1 of a multi-part series.By MARK TALLMANThe Kansas&nbsp;State Board of Education&nbsp;has appointed a&nbsp;Task Force to study what&nbsp;should&nbsp;be&nbsp;required&nbsp;for students to graduate from high school. The question is whether the state should continue to use a system that&nbsp;mostly looks at how much time a student spends in subject area classes,&nbsp;what&nbsp;subjects should be required,&nbsp;and&nbsp;whether to consider different ways&nbsp;to&nbsp;measure whether students have&nbsp;met&nbsp;state expectations.&nbsp;At its first meeting, the Task Force&nbsp;reviewed&nbsp;how the modern high school was created&nbsp;more than 100 years ago&nbsp;by two major developments in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.&nbsp;First, the National Education Association’s “Committee of 10” recommended that high school be standardized at four years, following eight years of elementary school, with college degrees requiring four more years. It also proposed that “every subject which is taught at all in a secondary school should be taught in the same way and to the same extent to every pupil so long as he pursues it, no matter what the probable destination of the pupil may be, or at what point his education is to cease."&nbsp;&nbsp;Second, educators at both the high school and college level agreed to standardize&nbsp;high school units of study based on time. Credit was given for the study of a subject for one hour per day, five days per week, 24 weeks per year,&nbsp;which&nbsp;evolved into&nbsp;the&nbsp;current&nbsp;system&nbsp;where students take six or more classes&nbsp;five days&nbsp;a week for the school year, or an equivalent period of time. (This system is called “Carnegie units” after the industrialist whose endowment helped create the modern college pension system - to participate,&nbsp;colleges&nbsp;had to use Carnegie units.)&nbsp;Reviewing information from the Digest of Education statistics, two things stand out about&nbsp;the time when high school structure was created:&nbsp;far fewer young people attended high school, but a higher percentage&nbsp;of that smaller number&nbsp;went&nbsp;on&nbsp;to college.&nbsp;In 1900, high school graduates&nbsp;equaled only 6.4 percent&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;17-year-old population&nbsp;nationally, and&nbsp;bachelor’s degrees conferred equaled&nbsp;less than 2 percent.&nbsp;However,&nbsp;bachelor’s degrees&nbsp;conferred in 1900 were over 60 percent&nbsp;of the&nbsp;high school diplomas awarded 10 years earlier, meaning approximately 60 percent&nbsp;of&nbsp;high school graduates completed a four-year college degree within 10 years.&nbsp;The current high school model&nbsp;was&nbsp;designed&nbsp;at time when completing&nbsp;high&nbsp;school&nbsp;was an elite accomplishment and was largely designed to prepare students for academic courses in college.&nbsp;That&nbsp;began to change rapidly during first half of the 20th&nbsp;century&nbsp;as social and economic expectations changed. High school graduates&nbsp;reached&nbsp;50 percent of the 17-year-old population in 1940 and continued to climb to almost 80 percent in&nbsp;1970.&nbsp;That rate then stagnated for 30 years. In 2000, the percent of high school diplomas compared to 18-year-olds was just under 70 percent – the same rate as in 1960.&nbsp;College attainment also rose rapidly in the 20th&nbsp;century,&nbsp;but not as fast as high school&nbsp;completion.&nbsp;Bachelor’s degrees conferred in 1900&nbsp;equaled over 60 percent of&nbsp;high school graduates ten years before (1890), but dropped&nbsp;to 30 percent in&nbsp;1930 and&nbsp;remained between 30 and 40 percent until&nbsp;1990.&nbsp;The 1980’s and 1990’s were a time of deep concern about U.S. educational quality, perhaps best expressed by 1983’s “Nation at Risk” report from a panel chaired by Dr. Robert Haderlein,&nbsp;a school board member from Girard,&nbsp;Kansas,&nbsp;President of the National School Boards&nbsp;Association and past President of KASB.&nbsp;Among other recommendations, the report called for high school students to&nbsp;take&nbsp;more rigorous classes, sparking a trend nationally and in Kansas.&nbsp;Since 1980, Kansas has increased the minimum units for graduation from 17 to 21, adding units in math,&nbsp;science,&nbsp;and fine arts. Local school districts can require more than the state minimum, and most do.&nbsp;Kansas was reflecting national trends.&nbsp;According to the U.S. Digest of Education Statistics, the average number of total Carnegie units earned by high school graduates increased from 21.58 in 1982 to 27.15 in 2009, the latest year reported – basically the equivalent of another year of study. On average, students earned more&nbsp;than&nbsp;a full additional credit each in math,&nbsp;science,&nbsp;and foreign language.&nbsp;In addition, the percentage of students taking dual college credit, Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses in high school nationally increased from 27.6 in 2000 to 46.4 percent in 2009. In Kansas, the number&nbsp;of&nbsp;students&nbsp;taking dual or concurrent enrollment courses has continued to rise, from 22,720 in 2013 to 34,908 in 2020.&nbsp;Despite, or because of, higher requirements, both high school and college completion rates have increased&nbsp;since the 1980’s and 1990’s.&nbsp;Compared to the 17-year-old population,&nbsp;in 2019&nbsp;high school graduates reached 87 percent and bachelor’s degrees confirmed reached 47.7 percent – both all-time highs. The percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded compared to high school graduates 10 years prior&nbsp;was&nbsp;nearly 60 percent in 2010 and 2019 –&nbsp;almost as&nbsp;high&nbsp;as in&nbsp;1900.&nbsp;As a share of the adult population over 24 years, college attainment has also risen, from 4.6 percent both nationally and in Kansas in 1940 to 32.6 percent nationally and 33.4 percent in Kansas in 2018, also all-time highs. As college attainment has increased, the economic value of a college degree, measured by average earnings, employment and poverty rates have also increased.&nbsp;With educational attainment increasing, why has the State Board called for a study of graduation requirement? Those reasons will be explored in the next post.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Career-Standards-and-Assessment-Services/CSAS-Home/Graduation-and-Schools-of-Choice/Graduation-and-Dropouts" target="_blank">Here</a>&nbsp;is a link to more information on the Graduation Requirements Task Force.&nbsp;&nbsp;See charts below:&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625680427387.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625680501958.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Mark Tallman is the associate executive director for advocacy for the Kansas Association of School Boards.

TALLMAN: How high school graduation requirements developed

That would be a bit unnerving! From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KHPTroopC">Kansas Highway Patrol Troop C</a> Facebook page:

That would be a bit unnerving! From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KHPTroopC">Kansas Highway Patrol Troop C</a> Facebook page:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKHPTroopC%2Fposts%2F2992935131021677&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="708" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

A memorable drive across Kansas for QB Lock

Online enrollment opens Tuesday for returning USD 305 students. 

Log into Skyward Tuesday through July 29 for convenient school registration at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usd305.com/" target="_blank">usd305.com</a>.

Parents and guardians are asked to watch for their enrollment letter which will arrive via the United States Postal Service.

If students are not enrolled online, parents/guardians will need to attend the walk-in enrollment on July 27 to enroll their student(s).

Walk-In enrollment for all schools will be held at a single location:&nbsp; Central High School, 650 E. Crawford from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on July 27.

Enrollment for students new to Salina USD 305 will be held at Central High School, 650 E. Crawford, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on July 27. Enrollment through the walk-in process is required.

Please contact your neighborhood school for additional information regarding enrollment or visit <a href="http://www.usd305.com">usd305.com</a>.

Online enrollment opens Tuesday for returning USD 305 students. Log into Skyward Tuesday through July 29 for convenient school registration at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usd305.com/" target="_blank">usd305.com</a>.Parents and guardians are asked to watch for their enrollment letter which will arrive via the United States Postal Service.If students are not enrolled online, parents/guardians will need to attend the walk-in enrollment on July 27 to enroll their student(s).Walk-in enrollmentWalk-In enrollment for all schools will be held at a single location:&nbsp; Central High School, 650 E. Crawford from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on July 27.Students new to districtEnrollment for students new to Salina USD 305 will be held at Central High School, 650 E. Crawford, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on July 27. Enrollment through the walk-in process is required.Please contact your neighborhood school for additional information regarding enrollment or visit <a href="http://www.usd305.com">usd305.com</a>.

USD 305 announces enrollment options 

Scattered showers and a few storms will remain possible today and especially this afternoon and this evening, according to the National Weather Service. 

The strongest storm may produce small hail and winds gusts to 50 mph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625676737701.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Scattered showers and a few storms will remain possible today and especially this afternoon and this evening, according to the National Weather Service. The strongest storm may produce small hail and winds gusts to 50 mph.

NWS: Chance for showers, storms over part of area today

Are you a person interested in gathering customer information to analyze, provide teaching for staff, and strategically lead an organization forward with quality services?

Are you looking for a career to assist an organization to provide the highest quality services possible?

We are looking for a high-energy candidate who has the ability to understand multiple systems and regulations, and can translate that into easily understood standards to communicate.

The Quality Services Coordinator will work to develop, interpret, comply with, and evolve OCCK’s quality assurance standards. This position will also demonstrate continuous effort to track and improve the quality of services being provided to ensure services are meeting the expectations of people in our communities.

The Quality Assurance Coordinator would have the opportunity to work with multiple departments and various staff to assure the best services possible are being provided to people.

OCCK is a growing, diverse business celebrating 50 years of services in North Central Kansas.

We have a strong benefits package and competitive wages. Traveling is involved with this position.

A degree in related field is required. Come join our team.

Please send your resume to OCCK, Inc. Attention Janae Cramer, PO Box 1160, Salina, KS, 67402-1160.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592535783410.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Are you a person interested in gathering customer information to analyze, provide teaching for staff, and strategically lead an organization forward with quality services?Are you looking for a career to assist an organization to provide the highest quality services possible?We are looking for a high-energy candidate who has the ability to understand multiple systems and regulations, and can translate that into easily understood standards to communicate.The Quality Services Coordinator will work to develop, interpret, comply with, and evolve OCCK’s quality assurance standards. This position will also demonstrate continuous effort to track and improve the quality of services being provided to ensure services are meeting the expectations of people in our communities.The Quality Assurance Coordinator would have the opportunity to work with multiple departments and various staff to assure the best services possible are being provided to people.OCCK is a growing, diverse business celebrating 50 years of services in North Central Kansas.We have a strong benefits package and competitive wages. Traveling is involved with this position.A degree in related field is required. Come join our team.Please send your resume to OCCK, Inc. Attention Janae Cramer, PO Box 1160, Salina, KS, 67402-1160.

Registration open for library's Monday Night Book Discussion

By TIM CARPENTER Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — Riverkeeper Dawn Buehler can close her eyes and give voice to the sensation of gliding down the Kansas River near Manhattan.

“From your boat in the middle of the river, you can look up and see the green rolling landscape of the Flint Hills,” she said. “It’s absolutely breathtaking to make that journey. And you can really feel all of Kansas and its beauty as you’re making your way.”

Buehler, who grew up on a 2,000-acre vegetable farm along the river near DeSoto, is executive director of Friends of the Kaw. She also serves as chairwoman of the Kansas Water Authority.

Her quest is to convince Kansans to value the Kansas River as a rich recreational, educational, economic and environmental resource. The river zig-zags from Junction City, where the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers merge, to Kansas City, Kansas, where the waterway meets the mighty Missouri River.

She told the Kansas Reflector podcast that along the route the public has an opportunity to experience one of the last wild places in the state. It’s an attractive locale for fishing and paddle sports, she said.

From the seat of a canoe or kayak, a person can gain rare perspectives of bald eagles, blue heron and other wildlife tucked into remote sections of the river.

“Dig a hole in the sand, build a bonfire — there’s plenty of driftwood on the Kansas River,” Buehler said. “But you don’t need a reservation. You don’t need a permit. The only license that you need is to go fishing. You think about the fact that we’re 49th out of 50 states for public lands, and you’ve got a 173-mile-long public land right in your backyard. And a lot of people don’t even know about it. They drive over the bridge and don’t think twice about it.”

She said braided sandbars were a hallmark of the Kansas River, which has become increasingly accessible during the past 30 years as the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism has worked with non-government organizations to install 19 boat ramps about 10 miles apart. It might take an average of four hours to six hours to paddle one of those sections between ramps, she said.

Above the high water mark where the vegetation changes on the banks is considered private property of landowners. The zone between the muddy banks, including the water and sandbars, is public property.

“You can camp on a sandbar overnight. Pitch a tent. It is absolutely phenomenal to see a Kansas River sunset,” Buehler said.

With volunteers at the nonprofit Friends of the Kaw, Buehler works to help educate landowners, communities and individuals about the Kansas River. The methods include a variety of school programs, expansion of ramp access, promotion of recreational initiatives, monitoring for pollution, organization of trash collection events as well as advocacy on the political front.

Friends of the Kaw is part of the Waterkeeper Alliance, an international water protection organization of more than 300 organizations in 34 countries. Membership in the alliance requires hiring of a riverkeeper — Buehler — to be eyes and ears of the Kansas River.

Anyone unconvinced about importance of the Kansas River ought to consider this: 800,000 people get their drinking water from the river.

Buehler said Friends of the Kaw monitored the Kansas River throughout the year for sources of pollution that ranged from obvious trash dumped over the banks to difficult-to-detect runoff from industry.

“I just do not understand that in 2021, why people are still dumping trash into the river, but it happens. And it’ll be on private property. I pity the person that dumps on the Kansas River because we’re going to find it,” she said.

She also there was a persistent effort to remove remnants of unsuccessful attempts to control erosion. The placement of thousands of tires on the banks over the years cannot hold back nature, she said. Flooding has set the tires free for deposit elsewhere in the river.

“The only thing that really is going to hold the bank is deep-rooted trees and grasses. We know that now, but we didn’t know that then,” Buehler said.

Volunteers partnering with the City of Eudora, Big O Tires in Lawrence and Evergy’s green team to remove more than 450 tires from the Kansas River last fall. They were dug out of sandbars one by one and hauled to shore. There is a follow-up tire collection project in Shawnee scheduled for October.

“One of my goals is that by the time I retire, we’re going to have all these legacy, what I call legacy old dump sites, cleaned up,” Buehler said.

Volunteers also have been working the past four years to remove fragments of thick battery cases dumped into the river decades ago between Manhattan and St. George, she said.

“One of the biggest things that we’ve managed to do in the last five years is really increase our partnerships up and down the river,” Buehler said.

The outdoor company REI agreed to help Friends of the Kaw with recreation and education events. The City of DeSoto provided funding to redo a rain garden. In Topeka, there’s an active program to redevelop the riverfront area. There’s a riverbank restoration project with the City of Eudora, she said.

Buehler said flooding in 2019 pushed Kansas reservoirs to the limit and generated interest in potential of reconnecting the Kansas River floodplain through development of wetlands. These wetland areas could be used to store water during times of surplus for use during drought, she said.

The lower end of the Kansas River from Edwardsville down to Kansas City has few sandbars because it has been heavily dredged for the past century.

“That’s one of the things that we advocate against,” she said. “We want to see dredging moved out of the river and into appropriately sited pit mines. It’s very devastating to the Kansas River itself. It can accelerate erosion. If I was a landowner on the river, and there was a dredge near my my land, I would not be happy about that, because you’re gonna have increased erosion and you may end up losing acres over it.”

The above story is republished with permission from <a href="https://kansasreflector.com">Kansas Reflector</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625674296078.jpeg" alt="Dawn Buehler, executive director of Friends of the Kaw, strives to expand appreciation for the Kansas River's educational and recreational opportunities. Protecting water quality is a priority because the river is a source of drinking water for 800,000 people. (Greg Zolnerowich)" />
 <figcaption>Dawn Buehler, executive director of Friends of the Kaw, strives to expand appreciation for the Kansas River's educational and recreational opportunities. Protecting water quality is a priority because the river is a source of drinking water for 800,000 people. (Greg Zolnerowich)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER Kansas ReflectorTOPEKA — Riverkeeper Dawn Buehler can close her eyes and give voice to the sensation of gliding down the Kansas River near Manhattan.“From your boat in the middle of the river, you can look up and see the green rolling landscape of the Flint Hills,” she said. “It’s absolutely breathtaking to make that journey. And you can really feel all of Kansas and its beauty as you’re making your way.”Buehler, who grew up on a 2,000-acre vegetable farm along the river near DeSoto, is executive director of Friends of the Kaw. She also serves as chairwoman of the Kansas Water Authority.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625674442667.jpeg" alt="The Kansas River winds from Junction City to Kansas City, Kansas, before merging with the Missouri River. Nineteen boat ramps on the Kansas waterway offer the public free access to hard-to-find perspectives of wildlife and nature. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas River winds from Junction City to Kansas City, Kansas, before merging with the Missouri River. Nineteen boat ramps on the Kansas waterway offer the public free access to hard-to-find perspectives of wildlife and nature. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>Her quest is to convince Kansans to value the Kansas River as a rich recreational, educational, economic and environmental resource. The river zig-zags from Junction City, where the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers merge, to Kansas City, Kansas, where the waterway meets the mighty Missouri River.She told the Kansas Reflector podcast that along the route the public has an opportunity to experience one of the last wild places in the state. It’s an attractive locale for fishing and paddle sports, she said.From the seat of a canoe or kayak, a person can gain rare perspectives of bald eagles, blue heron and other wildlife tucked into remote sections of the river.“Dig a hole in the sand, build a bonfire — there’s plenty of driftwood on the Kansas River,” Buehler said. “But you don’t need a reservation. You don’t need a permit. The only license that you need is to go fishing. You think about the fact that we’re 49th out of 50 states for public lands, and you’ve got a 173-mile-long public land right in your backyard. And a lot of people don’t even know about it. They drive over the bridge and don’t think twice about it.”<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1081779694&color=ff5500"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/2021-07-05-podcast-01" title="Riverkeeper Dawn Buehler on the thrills of the Kansas River" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Riverkeeper Dawn Buehler on the thrills of the Kansas River</a></div></div>Gaining accessShe said braided sandbars were a hallmark of the Kansas River, which has become increasingly accessible during the past 30 years as the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism has worked with non-government organizations to install 19 boat ramps about 10 miles apart. It might take an average of four hours to six hours to paddle one of those sections between ramps, she said.Above the high water mark where the vegetation changes on the banks is considered private property of landowners. The zone between the muddy banks, including the water and sandbars, is public property.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625674632057.jpeg" alt="Volunteers working with Friends of the Kaw make use of Kansas River sandbars for camping as well as platforms for collection and removal of tires placed years ago along the river’s edge in an unsuccessful attempt to deter erosion. (Lisa Grossman)" />
 <figcaption>Volunteers working with Friends of the Kaw make use of Kansas River sandbars for camping as well as platforms for collection and removal of tires placed years ago along the river’s edge in an unsuccessful attempt to deter erosion. (Lisa Grossman)</figcaption>
 </figure>“You can camp on a sandbar overnight. Pitch a tent. It is absolutely phenomenal to see a Kansas River sunset,” Buehler said.With volunteers at the nonprofit Friends of the Kaw, Buehler works to help educate landowners, communities and individuals about the Kansas River. The methods include a variety of school programs, expansion of ramp access, promotion of recreational initiatives, monitoring for pollution, organization of trash collection events as well as advocacy on the political front.Friends of the Kaw is part of the Waterkeeper Alliance, an international water protection organization of more than 300 organizations in 34 countries. Membership in the alliance requires hiring of a riverkeeper — Buehler — to be eyes and ears of the Kansas River.Anyone unconvinced about importance of the Kansas River ought to consider this: 800,000 people get their drinking water from the river.The old tiresBuehler said Friends of the Kaw monitored the Kansas River throughout the year for sources of pollution that ranged from obvious trash dumped over the banks to difficult-to-detect runoff from industry.“I just do not understand that in 2021, why people are still dumping trash into the river, but it happens. And it’ll be on private property. I pity the person that dumps on the Kansas River because we’re going to find it,” she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625674786598.jpeg" alt="Friends of the Kaw has collaborated for years with city and state government officials as well as non-government organizations and volunteers to haul away unsightly piles of tires from banks and sand bars of the Kansas River. (Lisa Grossman)" />
 <figcaption>Friends of the Kaw has collaborated for years with city and state government officials as well as non-government organizations and volunteers to haul away unsightly piles of tires from banks and sand bars of the Kansas River. (Lisa Grossman)</figcaption>
 </figure>She also there was a persistent effort to remove remnants of unsuccessful attempts to control erosion. The placement of thousands of tires on the banks over the years cannot hold back nature, she said. Flooding has set the tires free for deposit elsewhere in the river.“The only thing that really is going to hold the bank is deep-rooted trees and grasses. We know that now, but we didn’t know that then,” Buehler said.Volunteers partnering with the City of Eudora, Big O Tires in Lawrence and Evergy’s green team to remove more than 450 tires from the Kansas River last fall. They were dug out of sandbars one by one and hauled to shore. There is a follow-up tire collection project in Shawnee scheduled for October.“One of my goals is that by the time I retire, we’re going to have all these legacy, what I call legacy old dump sites, cleaned up,” Buehler said.Volunteers also have been working the past four years to remove fragments of thick battery cases dumped into the river decades ago between Manhattan and St. George, she said.Building alliances“One of the biggest things that we’ve managed to do in the last five years is really increase our partnerships up and down the river,” Buehler said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625674940157.jpeg" alt="Dawn Buehler, executive director of Friends of the Kaw, said on the Kansas Reflector podcast that partnerships with business and government helped raise awareness of the necessity to protect the water resource. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Dawn Buehler, executive director of Friends of the Kaw, said on the Kansas Reflector podcast that partnerships with business and government helped raise awareness of the necessity to protect the water resource. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The outdoor company REI agreed to help Friends of the Kaw with recreation and education events. The City of DeSoto provided funding to redo a rain garden. In Topeka, there’s an active program to redevelop the riverfront area. There’s a riverbank restoration project with the City of Eudora, she said.Buehler said flooding in 2019 pushed Kansas reservoirs to the limit and generated interest in potential of reconnecting the Kansas River floodplain through development of wetlands. These wetland areas could be used to store water during times of surplus for use during drought, she said.The lower end of the Kansas River from Edwardsville down to Kansas City has few sandbars because it has been heavily dredged for the past century.“That’s one of the things that we advocate against,” she said. “We want to see dredging moved out of the river and into appropriately sited pit mines. It’s very devastating to the Kansas River itself. It can accelerate erosion. If I was a landowner on the river, and there was a dredge near my my land, I would not be happy about that, because you’re gonna have increased erosion and you may end up losing acres over it.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625622660199.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The above story is republished with permission from <a href="https://kansasreflector.com">Kansas Reflector</a>.

Paddling through opportunities, challenges on one of Kansas’ last wild places

MANHATTAN – Rick McNary thought he had a great idea when he started an online group to connect America’s consumers to Kansas farm and ranch families.&nbsp;

One year and more than 148,500 members later, it appears he was right.&nbsp;

McNary is the founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/shopkansasfarms" target="_blank">Shop Kansas Farms, a Facebook group</a>&nbsp;that is helping to direct consumers across the country buy locally grown foods from Kansas producers.&nbsp;

He&nbsp;was a featured speaker July 2 during K-State Research and Extension’s monthly online series,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/community/business/entrepreneurship" target="_blank">First Friday e-Calls</a>, which helps to nurture small businesses and inspire entrepreneurship in Kansas.&nbsp;

Shop Kansas Farms, he said, was partly inspired by a beef dinner he and his wife had a little more than a year ago.&nbsp;

“We noticed at our local grocery store that the meat counter was empty that day,” McNary said. “It got me to thinking, we just had some great beef (purchased directly from a local producer), so how can I connect people I know with that farmer and the beef they are producing.”&nbsp;

Shortly after, McNary launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/shopkansasfarms" target="_blank">Shop Kansas Farms on Facebook</a>&nbsp;and within 24 hours, he had more than 5,000 members. “I felt like a little kid who was walking along a dam, saw a leak and I was trying to plug it,” he said.&nbsp;

Shop Kansas Farms, LLC has since added a&nbsp;<a href="https://shopkansasfarms.com/" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;and is helping to connect consumers from across the United States with Kansas products. It has formed connections with another popular program –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fromthelandofkansas.com/" target="_blank">From the Land of Kansas</a>, managed by the Kansas Department of Agriculture – to help inspire consumer interest in Kansas-grown products.&nbsp;

McNary said many producers on his site have reported as much as a 500% to 600% increase in direct sales to consumers. He pointed to one such producer who had 20 customers in 2019, and more than 500 in 2020.&nbsp;

There are more than 775 farmers selling products on his site. “When I look at that list, I see 775 entrepreneurs,” he said. “To me, the best part of this is that we have stimulated entrepreneurship in Kansas.”&nbsp;

Deb Brown, co-founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://saveyour.town/" target="_blank">Save Your Town</a>, a consulting business that guides people toward making their small towns a better place to live, said post-pandemic surveys have indicated that a growing number of consumers have become disappointed in the selections at their grocery stores, and are moving toward supporting local farmers.&nbsp;

“96% of those who responded to one survey indicated that locally grown food is the healthiest available in their community,” Brown said.&nbsp;

Consumers’ growing interest in local foods is largely credited for the rise of such popular sites as&nbsp;<a href="http://eatwild.com/" target="_blank">EatWild.com</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://grassrootscoop.com/" target="_blank">GrassRootsCoop.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://choplocal.com/" target="_blank">ChopLocal.com</a>, among others, she added.&nbsp;

Brown’s and McNary’s full talk and other&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/community/business/entrepreneurship" target="_blank">First Friday presentations are available online</a>&nbsp;from K-State Research and Extension.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625673850234.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>MANHATTAN – Rick McNary thought he had a great idea when he started an online group to connect America’s consumers to Kansas farm and ranch families.&nbsp;One year and more than 148,500 members later, it appears he was right.&nbsp;McNary is the founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/shopkansasfarms" target="_blank">Shop Kansas Farms, a Facebook group</a>&nbsp;that is helping to direct consumers across the country buy locally grown foods from Kansas producers.&nbsp;He&nbsp;was a featured speaker July 2 during K-State Research and Extension’s monthly online series,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/community/business/entrepreneurship" target="_blank">First Friday e-Calls</a>, which helps to nurture small businesses and inspire entrepreneurship in Kansas.&nbsp;Shop Kansas Farms, he said, was partly inspired by a beef dinner he and his wife had a little more than a year ago.&nbsp;“We noticed at our local grocery store that the meat counter was empty that day,” McNary said. “It got me to thinking, we just had some great beef (purchased directly from a local producer), so how can I connect people I know with that farmer and the beef they are producing.”&nbsp;Shortly after, McNary launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/shopkansasfarms" target="_blank">Shop Kansas Farms on Facebook</a>&nbsp;and within 24 hours, he had more than 5,000 members. “I felt like a little kid who was walking along a dam, saw a leak and I was trying to plug it,” he said.&nbsp;Shop Kansas Farms, LLC has since added a&nbsp;<a href="https://shopkansasfarms.com/" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;and is helping to connect consumers from across the United States with Kansas products. It has formed connections with another popular program –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fromthelandofkansas.com/" target="_blank">From the Land of Kansas</a>, managed by the Kansas Department of Agriculture – to help inspire consumer interest in Kansas-grown products.&nbsp;McNary said many producers on his site have reported as much as a 500% to 600% increase in direct sales to consumers. He pointed to one such producer who had 20 customers in 2019, and more than 500 in 2020.&nbsp;There are more than 775 farmers selling products on his site. “When I look at that list, I see 775 entrepreneurs,” he said. “To me, the best part of this is that we have stimulated entrepreneurship in Kansas.”&nbsp;Deb Brown, co-founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://saveyour.town/" target="_blank">Save Your Town</a>, a consulting business that guides people toward making their small towns a better place to live, said post-pandemic surveys have indicated that a growing number of consumers have become disappointed in the selections at their grocery stores, and are moving toward supporting local farmers.&nbsp;“96% of those who responded to one survey indicated that locally grown food is the healthiest available in their community,” Brown said.&nbsp;Consumers’ growing interest in local foods is largely credited for the rise of such popular sites as&nbsp;<a href="http://eatwild.com/" target="_blank">EatWild.com</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://grassrootscoop.com/" target="_blank">GrassRootsCoop.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://choplocal.com/" target="_blank">ChopLocal.com</a>, among others, she added.&nbsp;Brown’s and McNary’s full talk and other&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/community/business/entrepreneurship" target="_blank">First Friday presentations are available online</a>&nbsp;from K-State Research and Extension.&nbsp;-KSRE-

Shop Kansas Farms helps connect consumers, KS producers

By&nbsp;ALLISON KITE Kansas Reflector

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A consumer watchdog wants federal regulators to acknowledge the influence of activist shareholders on Evergy’s decision-making, mirroring a local push that Kansas regulators rejected.&nbsp;

Public Citizen, a 40-year-old nonprofit representing consumers, is pushing the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ferc.gov/">Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</a>&nbsp;to recognize two investment firms as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/30/evergy-to-shutter-lawrence-coal-plant-speed-transition-to-renewable-energy/">Evergy</a>, arguing last year that one of the companies purchased shares “for the purpose of obtaining control over the company’s management.”&nbsp;

Last month, Public Citizen once again insisted in a filing with FERC that Elliott Management Corp. and Bluescape Energy Partners be considered affiliates of Evergy after the company did not list them in response to an inquiry from the commission.

“These non-arm’s length transactions raise serious concerns about the influence wielded by both Bluescape and Elliott Management,” the organization’s filing said.&nbsp;

The relationship between&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/23/advocacy-groups-push-for-transparency-in-evergys-8-9-billion-sustainability-plan/">Evergy and Elliott has been a subject of scrutiny</a>&nbsp;for other interested groups since last year when Elliott, an Evergy shareholder, sent a letter to Evergy’s board&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elliott-management-sends-letter-to-board-of-directors-of-evergy-inc-300990314.html">urging the company to either consider a sale or invest in capital</a>. That type of spending is the primary way heavily regulated monopoly utilities can raise their rates. Elliott then gained two seats on Evergy’s board.

Evergy, which serves 1.6 million electric customers in Kansas and Missouri, last year announced its Sustainability Transformation Plan, a $8.9 billion capital plan developed under pressure from Elliott.

Bluescape bought interest in Evergy earlier this year, and its executive chairman gained a seat on the company’s board.

“We are simply saying if these companies want to invest in Evergy, if these companies want to influence the future direction of Evergy, then they’ve got to do it by the book,” said Tyson Slocum, energy program director for Public Citizen.

In a statement, Evergy spokeswoman Gina Penzig said neither Elliott nor Bluescape fits the definition of an affiliated party.

“These are shareholders with no more or less control than any other shareholder,” Penzig said. “We have engaged in a dialogue with them over a process and have been transparent about that process. We frequently have dialogue with shareholders about our business operations and strategy.”

For months, the Kansas Corporation Commission has been reviewing Evergy’s Sustainability Transformation Plan. When it developed the STP, Evergy went through a 12-week analysis by the Boston Consulting Group, which has been kept confidential as part of proceedings before the Kansas Corporation Commission. Several groups criticized what they saw as limited transparency in the STP proceedings, leading the KCC to open the case to public comment. That window closes July 7.

The Kansas Industrial Consumers Group petitioned the KCC to require Elliott to be party to the STP investigation, arguing interested parties should be able to review Elliott’s influence in creating the plan.

“Elliott has amassed a significant amount of ‘economic exposure’ to, and influence over, Evergy,” the filing says. “This influence has caused Evergy to revise its capital plans by billions of dollars that could ultimately fall upon ratepayers. The commission should order the STP’s key architects participate in this investigation.”

Evergy responded in a filing, saying Elliott was not involved in the decision to pursue the STP or develop the plan itself.

“KIC’s allegation that Elliott is somehow exercising control over Evergy in a way that led to the development and approval of the STP is both false and offensive,” the company says. “In reality, the ‘key architects’ of the STP are Evergy and its management team —&nbsp;who are already under the commission’s jurisdiction and party to this docket.”&nbsp;

“Contrary to the unsupported allegations contained in KIC’s motion, Elliott has no control or substantial influence over any of Evergy’s directors,” the firm wrote.

The KCC rejected the motion, saying KIC hadn’t presented a compelling reason to require Elliott to join.

“The commission realizes the entire ‘strategic review’ to increase shareholder value resulted from pressure from Elliott … but the commission is not investigating either Elliott’s or Evergy’s motives,” the KCC said in its order. “Instead, the question before the commission is whether the STP is in the public interest of the state of Kansas.”

KIC and environmental groups have shared concerns Evergy’s STP is geared more at shareholder value than benefits for customers. Wells Fargo analysts recently downgraded Evergy as an investment, fearing a strict regulatory environment in Kansas.

But at the same time, the analyst said Evergy as a company was “shareholder-friendly” and capable of controlling costs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625672870382.jpeg" alt="Evergy's Flat Ridge Wind Farm, near Medicine Lodge, is one of the utility's sources of renewable energy. It plans to spend more, according to its sustainability transformation plan. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Evergy's Flat Ridge Wind Farm, near Medicine Lodge, is one of the utility's sources of renewable energy. It plans to spend more, according to its sustainability transformation plan. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;ALLISON KITE Kansas ReflectorKANSAS CITY, Mo. — A consumer watchdog wants federal regulators to acknowledge the influence of activist shareholders on Evergy’s decision-making, mirroring a local push that Kansas regulators rejected.&nbsp;Public Citizen, a 40-year-old nonprofit representing consumers, is pushing the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ferc.gov/">Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</a>&nbsp;to recognize two investment firms as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/30/evergy-to-shutter-lawrence-coal-plant-speed-transition-to-renewable-energy/">Evergy</a>, arguing last year that one of the companies purchased shares “for the purpose of obtaining control over the company’s management.”&nbsp;Last month, Public Citizen once again insisted in a filing with FERC that Elliott Management Corp. and Bluescape Energy Partners be considered affiliates of Evergy after the company did not list them in response to an inquiry from the commission.“These non-arm’s length transactions raise serious concerns about the influence wielded by both Bluescape and Elliott Management,” the organization’s filing said.&nbsp;The relationship between&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/23/advocacy-groups-push-for-transparency-in-evergys-8-9-billion-sustainability-plan/">Evergy and Elliott has been a subject of scrutiny</a>&nbsp;for other interested groups since last year when Elliott, an Evergy shareholder, sent a letter to Evergy’s board&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elliott-management-sends-letter-to-board-of-directors-of-evergy-inc-300990314.html">urging the company to either consider a sale or invest in capital</a>. That type of spending is the primary way heavily regulated monopoly utilities can raise their rates. Elliott then gained two seats on Evergy’s board.Evergy, which serves 1.6 million electric customers in Kansas and Missouri, last year announced its Sustainability Transformation Plan, a $8.9 billion capital plan developed under pressure from Elliott.Bluescape bought interest in Evergy earlier this year, and its executive chairman gained a seat on the company’s board.“We are simply saying if these companies want to invest in Evergy, if these companies want to influence the future direction of Evergy, then they’ve got to do it by the book,” said Tyson Slocum, energy program director for Public Citizen.In a statement, Evergy spokeswoman Gina Penzig said neither Elliott nor Bluescape fits the definition of an affiliated party.“These are shareholders with no more or less control than any other shareholder,” Penzig said. “We have engaged in a dialogue with them over a process and have been transparent about that process. We frequently have dialogue with shareholders about our business operations and strategy.”<h2>Actions in Kansas</h2>For months, the Kansas Corporation Commission has been reviewing Evergy’s Sustainability Transformation Plan. When it developed the STP, Evergy went through a 12-week analysis by the Boston Consulting Group, which has been kept confidential as part of proceedings before the Kansas Corporation Commission. Several groups criticized what they saw as limited transparency in the STP proceedings, leading the KCC to open the case to public comment. That window closes July 7.The Kansas Industrial Consumers Group petitioned the KCC to require Elliott to be party to the STP investigation, arguing interested parties should be able to review Elliott’s influence in creating the plan.“Elliott has amassed a significant amount of ‘economic exposure’ to, and influence over, Evergy,” the filing says. “This influence has caused Evergy to revise its capital plans by billions of dollars that could ultimately fall upon ratepayers. The commission should order the STP’s key architects participate in this investigation.”Evergy responded in a filing, saying Elliott was not involved in the decision to pursue the STP or develop the plan itself.“KIC’s allegation that Elliott is somehow exercising control over Evergy in a way that led to the development and approval of the STP is both false and offensive,” the company says. “In reality, the ‘key architects’ of the STP are Evergy and its management team —&nbsp;who are already under the commission’s jurisdiction and party to this docket.”&nbsp;Elliott said the same in another filing.“Contrary to the unsupported allegations contained in KIC’s motion, Elliott has no control or substantial influence over any of Evergy’s directors,” the firm wrote.The KCC rejected the motion, saying KIC hadn’t presented a compelling reason to require Elliott to join.“The commission realizes the entire ‘strategic review’ to increase shareholder value resulted from pressure from Elliott … but the commission is not investigating either Elliott’s or Evergy’s motives,” the KCC said in its order. “Instead, the question before the commission is whether the STP is in the public interest of the state of Kansas.”KIC and environmental groups have shared concerns Evergy’s STP is geared more at shareholder value than benefits for customers. Wells Fargo analysts recently downgraded Evergy as an investment, fearing a strict regulatory environment in Kansas.But at the same time, the analyst said Evergy as a company was “shareholder-friendly” and capable of controlling costs.Slocum said it’s important to scrutinize Elliott and Bluescape because Evergy serves captive ratepayers.“This isn’t some nefarious plot,” Slocum said. “… They are investors that are seeking to maximize their return, and the way that they do that is to push management in the direction that hedge fund thinks they need to go.”He added that would be fine if the company were selling “yachts or Rolexes.”“But Evergy is different,” he said.&nbsp;Neither Elliott nor Bluescape provided comment on Friday.<figure>
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 </figure>The above story is republished with permission from <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>.