On Thursday, September 17, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), updated its list of public health advisories for Kansas lakes due to blue-green algae.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) encourages Kansans to adopt active living and healthy eating habits in response to an adult obesity report September 17th by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In June of this year, Governor Laura Kelly’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce Executive Committee reviewed and approved a proposal to distribute $400 million to local governments to help address the health and economic challenges inflicted by COVID-19.

The Rooks County Commission met with road and bridge supervisor Rich Bouchey at the regular weekly meeting on Tuesday, September 15th. Bouchey and the commissioners discussed the fuel expense charge for Plainville Township since the County will be re-routing a road when Plainville works on its chip and seal project sometime in October.

COME IN AND CHECK US OUT!!!! NEW BOOKS FOR ADULTS ARE: • “The Last Passenger” by Charles Finch • “Murder on Pleasant Avenue” by Victoria Thompson • “Shadows in Death” by J. D.

For the week of September 21st through 25th, all schools in Rooks County plan to continue with in-person learning. Our decision is based on a continued low level of absenteeism in the schools (only 0.5% above baseline from the 2019-2020 school year), a low positive testing rate in the county (5.7% over the last two weeks) and a decreasing incidence rate in Rooks County over the last two weeks.

Linda Melton’s cousin of Florien, Louisiana called to let family know they had been eleven days without power. Thirty miles south of them had been hit much worse and other utility companies were sending crews and truck loads of poles to help with repairs.

Youth have entered 1,889 animals in the 88th Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS), which will take place October 2-4 at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson. A total of 784 exhibitors from 95 counties have entered 135 market steers, 368 breeding heifers, 228 market hogs, 260 breeding gilts, 280 market lambs, 277 breeding ewes, 175 market goats and 176 commercial does. This event is the largest youth show in the state.

We are clearly in the middle of fall and that means harvest. Harvest is one of the most thrilling, rewarding, happiest times of the year. Of course, that is when things go right. It can also be the most maddening, frustrating, disappointing time of the year. If you are in agriculture and you do not look forward to this time of the year you might be in the wrong business. Fall is our Super Bowl.

The Stockton PRIDE committee meeting was held on Tuesday, September 15th at the Stockton City Office. President Amber Muir called the meeting to order and Kayla Hilbrink gave the Treasurer’s Report. The balance for the organization is $1,108.61 with all bills paid to date.