CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline plunged 19 cents over the past two weeks to $4.86 per gallon.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that the continued decline comes as crude oil costs also fall.

“Assuming oil prices do not shoot up from here, motorists may see prices drop another 10-20 cents as the oil price cuts continue making their way to street level,” Lundberg said in a statement.

The average price at the pump is down 24 cents over the past month, but it's $1.66 higher than it was one year ago.

Nationwide, the highest average price for regular-grade gas was in the San Francisco Bay Area, at $6.14 per gallon. The lowest average was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at $4.19 per gallon.

According to the survey, the average price of diesel dropped 13 cents since June 24 to $5.76 a gallon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628344445340.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSCAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline plunged 19 cents over the past two weeks to $4.86 per gallon.Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that the continued decline comes as crude oil costs also fall.“Assuming oil prices do not shoot up from here, motorists may see prices drop another 10-20 cents as the oil price cuts continue making their way to street level,” Lundberg said in a statement.The average price at the pump is down 24 cents over the past month, but it's $1.66 higher than it was one year ago.Nationwide, the highest average price for regular-grade gas was in the San Francisco Bay Area, at $6.14 per gallon. The lowest average was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at $4.19 per gallon.According to the survey, the average price of diesel dropped 13 cents since June 24 to $5.76 a gallon.

Average US gasoline price falls 19 cents to $4.86 per gallon

By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-07-08/how-an-increasingly-brutal-kansas-climate-threatens-cattles-health-and-ranchers-livelihoods">Kansas News Service</a>

Rancher Scott Whiting heard stories about all kinds of extreme weather growing up in western Kansas.

Blizzards,
 dry spells and heat waves commonly peppered the tales his parents and 
grandparents told about the land the family has lived on in Lane County 
for nearly 150 years.

So he knew that trying to shield cattle from the elements came with the job.

“It’s just a brutal area,” Whiting said. “It’s a land of extremes”

But the combination of dangerous weather conditions that struck the region last month — killing <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-06-16/days-of-intense-heat-have-killed-thousands-of-cattle-in-kansas" target="_blank">thousands of cattle</a> — took those extremes to another level.

Daytime high temperatures jumped from the mid-60s to well over 100 
degrees in a matter of days, accompanied by unusually high humidity and 
calm winds. The seasons changed from cool spring to hot summer so 
quickly that a lot of Whiting’s cattle didn’t even have a chance to shed
 their long, thick winter coats.

He watched as some of them 
climbed into their drinking water tanks — something he’d never seen them
 do before — as they desperately tried to cool off.

“It’s one of 
those deals where you hope for the best,” Whiting said. “There’s not a 
whole lot you can do. … It was just a worst-case scenario.”

As forecasts point to a <a href="https://www.weather.gov/fwd/summer2022outlook" target="_blank">warmer-than-average summer</a> and climate change turns up <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/energy-and-environment/2021-06-29/hotter-nights-from-climate-change-will-mean-worse-harvests-for-kansas-farmers" target="_blank">nighttime temperatures</a>, heat stress among the state’s millions of cattle continues to be a growing concern.

Ranching makes up the largest share of the state’s agriculture industry — generating nearly <a href="https://www.agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ag-marketing/county-ag-stats/2021-state-of-kansas.pdf?sfvrsn=467097c1_0" target="_blank">$9 billion per year</a>,
 compared to just over $5 billion from Kansas grain farming. So finding 
ways to keep cattle cool in a warming climate is also critical to the 
state’s economy.

It’s not just heat that makes a given day’s weather dangerous for cattle.

Chip Redmond, a meteorologist with the statewide climate monitoring system<a href="https://mesonet.k-state.edu/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://mesonet.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">Kansas Mesonet</a>, said humidity, wind speed and sun exposure can all be just as vital in determining how potentially deadly conditions may be.

That’s why the Mesonet puts out an <a href="https://mesonet.k-state.edu/agriculture/animal/#mtIndex=0&amp;tab=chart-tab" target="_blank">animal comfort index</a>
 — similar to a heat index for humans. It takes all of those factors 
into account and tells livestock owners when and where the conditions 
are most dangerous.

“Anything over 105 (on the comfort index),” 
Redmond said, “you could expect potentially up to 5% losses of outdoor 
livestock, if they’re not taken care of.”

Timing matters. That’s a big part of what made the heat wave that killed thousands of Kansas cattle last month so extraordinary.

After enjoying a few weeks of cool weather in late May and early June, temperatures shot up rapidly. That meant two things.

First, the cattle didn’t have time to acclimate to those warmer temperatures.

Secondly, the moist air that accompanied the cool spring weather didn’t have time to clear out before the heat quickly moved in.

So almost overnight, cattle went from mild weather to a Great Plains steam bath.

“You
 had that overlap of about 24, 36, even 48 hours where you had that 
humidity still present with the high temperatures,” Redmond said. 
“That’s got the potential to be more dangerous.”

So contrary to conspiracy theories peddled on social media that the cattle were purposefully killed by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-kansas-cattle/fact-check-death-of-kansas-cattle-in-june-2022-caused-by-extreme-temperatures-officials-and-industry-say-idUSL1N2Y71GK" target="_blank">Bill Gates</a> or government <a href="https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2022/extreme-heat-killed-cattle-in-kansas-not-chemtrails-or-a-food-shortage-scheme/" target="_blank">chemtrails</a>,
 it was simply the wrong weather at the wrong time. Redmond’s team is 
now researching past weather events that caused mass cattle die-offs in 
Kansas to see if they can find common threads between those disasters 
and the one that happened last month.

And while the extraordinary 
combination of factors that created that event are unlikely to repeat 
this summer, Redmond sees another trend that could still put Kansas 
cattle at risk: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200930194912.htm" target="_blank">rising nighttime temperatures</a> driven by climate change.

Dodge City experienced its warmest overnight minimum temperature ever last month. The low of 83 degrees on June 13th was the city’s <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1536701402667331585" target="_blank">highest in recorded history</a> dating back nearly 150 years.

Research shows that average overnight lows in Wichita steadily rose by <a href="https://www.climatecentral.org/graphic/2021-summer-package?graphicSet=Summer+Nights/Minimum+Temperature&amp;location=Wichita+Area&amp;lang=en" target="_blank">2.7 degrees</a> from 1970 to 2020

When
 it doesn’t cool off overnight, Redmond said, that robs cattle of their 
only chance to recover from the heat of the day. And that could make 
heat stress an even bigger problem in the coming years.

“Those 
warmer overnight temperatures will be your biggest factor,” Redmond 
said. “When we keep warmer temperatures at night, that usually infers 
more humidity, and additional humidity with warmer temperatures usually 
leads to increased stress.”

Heat stress fueled by climate change already costs the American cattle industry up to <a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2022/06/agriculture-cattle-heat-stress-abatement.html" target="_blank">$370 million</a>
 each year. A recent Cornell University study found that if global 
temperatures continue rising, heat stress could cost the world’s cattle 
producers <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220310143737.htm" target="_blank">$40 billion a year</a> by the end of this century.

And even if heat-stressed cattle avoid death, they could still experience other <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(22)00002-X/fulltext#%20" target="_blank">lingering effects</a> such as low weight gain, poor milk production or fertility problems. That could <a href="https://academic.oup.com/af/article/9/1/3/5272569" target="_blank">further endanger</a> fragile global food systems that are already being <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/kansas-failing-wheat-crops/" target="_blank">strained</a> by a changing climate.

Dr.
 Erika Nagorske, a livestock veterinarian who partners with the national
 agriculture group Farmers Business Network, said heat stress is one of 
the top concerns among the producers she deals with in southwest 
Minnesota.

“It’s definitely always on our mind in the agriculture industry,” Nagorske said, “especially this time of year.”

While cattle are adaptable creatures, she said, rising nighttime temperatures pose a particularly grave threat.

“We’ve
 raised cattle in this part of the world and in Kansas for a very long 
time,” Nagorske said. “But where it becomes problematic is when it 
doesn’t cool off at night, when there’s just never a break.”

There’s not much ranchers can do to cool the night air, but Nagorske said there are several <a href="https://fbn.showpad.com/share/PmpnRqAOq1bCj2ateM9YU" target="_blank">practical steps</a> they could take to limit the risk to their herd.

But the most critical thing cattle producers can do is provide plenty of water.

The
 amount of water cattle drink doubles from winter to summer. On a hot 
day, Nagorske said, a 1,500-pound steer could drink up to 30 gallons — 
roughly enough to fill a bathtub.

At his ranch in Lane County, Whiting said his cattle made it through 
the extreme June weather, shed their winter hair and have now adjusted 
to the recent 100-degree temperatures.

“Events like that have happened before. They're gonna happen again,” Whiting said. “You just gotta keep on ranching.”

But he is already taking steps to prepare for future western Kansas heat.

He
 tries to have a few days worth of water on hand at all times, just in 
case one of his well pumps breaks down. Sometimes, he sets up sprinklers
 that run droplets of water over the cattle.

He’s also begun 
transitioning his herd from Black Angus cattle to other breeds that have
 lighter coloring. Research has shown that cattle with black hair are 
especially vulnerable to the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268237498_Impact_of_Hair_Color_on_Thermoregulation_of_Dairy_Cows_to_Direct_Sunlight" target="_blank">effects of heat stress</a> from sun radiation, just like a person who wears a black shirt on a hot day.

Whiting's main concern going forward is how the <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">ongoing drought</a>
 in western Kansas has stunted and shriveled the grass on his pasture. 
If the animals don’t get enough nutrition to stay strong, that could 
make them more vulnerable to the next heat wave.

And if the wrong 
weather conditions combine again like they did last month, he knows that
 protecting them from it might be out of his control.

“You go to every extreme you can think of,” Whiting said, “but sometimes nature can be pretty cruel.”

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>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657294704657.png" alt="Cattle drink at a water trough in rural Kiowa County east of Dodge City. The amount of water cattle need to drink doubles from winter to summer, up to 30 gallons a day per animal, in order to avoid heat stress. David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Cattle drink at a water trough in rural Kiowa County east of Dodge City. The amount of water cattle need to drink doubles from winter to summer, up to 30 gallons a day per animal, in order to avoid heat stress. David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-07-08/how-an-increasingly-brutal-kansas-climate-threatens-cattles-health-and-ranchers-livelihoods">Kansas News Service</a>Rancher Scott Whiting heard stories about all kinds of extreme weather growing up in western Kansas.Blizzards,
 dry spells and heat waves commonly peppered the tales his parents and 
grandparents told about the land the family has lived on in Lane County 
for nearly 150 years.So he knew that trying to shield cattle from the elements came with the job.“It’s just a brutal area,” Whiting said. “It’s a land of extremes”But the combination of dangerous weather conditions that struck the region last month — killing <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-06-16/days-of-intense-heat-have-killed-thousands-of-cattle-in-kansas" target="_blank">thousands of cattle</a> — took those extremes to another level.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Forecast Cattle Comfort expected to reach &quot;Extreme&quot; across much of Kansas today. Take precautions and monitor real-time data here: <a href="https://t.co/A9gCaByviJ">https://t.co/A9gCaByviJ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/T4JCCSWtrX">pic.twitter.com/T4JCCSWtrX</a>&mdash; Kansas Mesonet (@ksmesonet) <a href="https://twitter.com/ksmesonet/status/1537448529228095489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>Daytime high temperatures jumped from the mid-60s to well over 100 
degrees in a matter of days, accompanied by unusually high humidity and 
calm winds. The seasons changed from cool spring to hot summer so 
quickly that a lot of Whiting’s cattle didn’t even have a chance to shed
 their long, thick winter coats.He watched as some of them 
climbed into their drinking water tanks — something he’d never seen them
 do before — as they desperately tried to cool off.“It’s one of 
those deals where you hope for the best,” Whiting said. “There’s not a 
whole lot you can do. … It was just a worst-case scenario.”As forecasts point to a <a href="https://www.weather.gov/fwd/summer2022outlook" target="_blank">warmer-than-average summer</a> and climate change turns up <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/energy-and-environment/2021-06-29/hotter-nights-from-climate-change-will-mean-worse-harvests-for-kansas-farmers" target="_blank">nighttime temperatures</a>, heat stress among the state’s millions of cattle continues to be a growing concern.Ranching makes up the largest share of the state’s agriculture industry — generating nearly <a href="https://www.agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ag-marketing/county-ag-stats/2021-state-of-kansas.pdf?sfvrsn=467097c1_0" target="_blank">$9 billion per year</a>,
 compared to just over $5 billion from Kansas grain farming. So finding 
ways to keep cattle cool in a warming climate is also critical to the 
state’s economy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657294796412.png" alt="Cattle congregate at a feedlot in Garden City, just north of where thousands died during recent extreme weather in southwest Kansas. David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Cattle congregate at a feedlot in Garden City, just north of where thousands died during recent extreme weather in southwest Kansas. David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>No reliefIt’s not just heat that makes a given day’s weather dangerous for cattle.Chip Redmond, a meteorologist with the statewide climate monitoring system<a href="https://mesonet.k-state.edu/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://mesonet.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">Kansas Mesonet</a>, said humidity, wind speed and sun exposure can all be just as vital in determining how potentially deadly conditions may be.That’s why the Mesonet puts out an <a href="https://mesonet.k-state.edu/agriculture/animal/#mtIndex=0&amp;tab=chart-tab" target="_blank">animal comfort index</a>
 — similar to a heat index for humans. It takes all of those factors 
into account and tells livestock owners when and where the conditions 
are most dangerous.“Anything over 105 (on the comfort index),” 
Redmond said, “you could expect potentially up to 5% losses of outdoor 
livestock, if they’re not taken care of.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Extremely high cattle stress this weekend in southwest Kansas. Historical/real-time data here: <a href="https://t.co/hOrMOzBTN4">https://t.co/hOrMOzBTN4</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/OQZOh9PX4n">pic.twitter.com/OQZOh9PX4n</a>&mdash; Kansas Mesonet (@ksmesonet) <a href="https://twitter.com/ksmesonet/status/1536406366079811584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>Timing matters. That’s a big part of what made the heat wave that killed thousands of Kansas cattle last month so extraordinary.After enjoying a few weeks of cool weather in late May and early June, temperatures shot up rapidly. That meant two things.First, the cattle didn’t have time to acclimate to those warmer temperatures.Secondly, the moist air that accompanied the cool spring weather didn’t have time to clear out before the heat quickly moved in.So almost overnight, cattle went from mild weather to a Great Plains steam bath.“You
 had that overlap of about 24, 36, even 48 hours where you had that 
humidity still present with the high temperatures,” Redmond said. 
“That’s got the potential to be more dangerous.”So contrary to conspiracy theories peddled on social media that the cattle were purposefully killed by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-kansas-cattle/fact-check-death-of-kansas-cattle-in-june-2022-caused-by-extreme-temperatures-officials-and-industry-say-idUSL1N2Y71GK" target="_blank">Bill Gates</a> or government <a href="https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2022/extreme-heat-killed-cattle-in-kansas-not-chemtrails-or-a-food-shortage-scheme/" target="_blank">chemtrails</a>,
 it was simply the wrong weather at the wrong time. Redmond’s team is 
now researching past weather events that caused mass cattle die-offs in 
Kansas to see if they can find common threads between those disasters 
and the one that happened last month.And while the extraordinary 
combination of factors that created that event are unlikely to repeat 
this summer, Redmond sees another trend that could still put Kansas 
cattle at risk: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200930194912.htm" target="_blank">rising nighttime temperatures</a> driven by climate change.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657294866542.png" alt="This graph shows how overnight low temperatures have steadily risen in central Kansas over the past 50 years, potentially robbing cattle of their chance to recover from daytime heat stress. Climate Central" />
 <figcaption>This graph shows how overnight low temperatures have steadily risen in central Kansas over the past 50 years, potentially robbing cattle of their chance to recover from daytime heat stress. Climate Central</figcaption>
 </figure>Dodge City experienced its warmest overnight minimum temperature ever last month. The low of 83 degrees on June 13th was the city’s <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1536701402667331585" target="_blank">highest in recorded history</a> dating back nearly 150 years.Research shows that average overnight lows in Wichita steadily rose by <a href="https://www.climatecentral.org/graphic/2021-summer-package?graphicSet=Summer+Nights/Minimum+Temperature&amp;location=Wichita+Area&amp;lang=en" target="_blank">2.7 degrees</a> from 1970 to 2020When
 it doesn’t cool off overnight, Redmond said, that robs cattle of their 
only chance to recover from the heat of the day. And that could make 
heat stress an even bigger problem in the coming years.“Those 
warmer overnight temperatures will be your biggest factor,” Redmond 
said. “When we keep warmer temperatures at night, that usually infers 
more humidity, and additional humidity with warmer temperatures usually 
leads to increased stress.”‘Nature can be pretty cruel’Heat stress fueled by climate change already costs the American cattle industry up to <a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2022/06/agriculture-cattle-heat-stress-abatement.html" target="_blank">$370 million</a>
 each year. A recent Cornell University study found that if global 
temperatures continue rising, heat stress could cost the world’s cattle 
producers <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220310143737.htm" target="_blank">$40 billion a year</a> by the end of this century.And even if heat-stressed cattle avoid death, they could still experience other <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(22)00002-X/fulltext#%20" target="_blank">lingering effects</a> such as low weight gain, poor milk production or fertility problems. That could <a href="https://academic.oup.com/af/article/9/1/3/5272569" target="_blank">further endanger</a> fragile global food systems that are already being <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/kansas-failing-wheat-crops/" target="_blank">strained</a> by a changing climate.Dr.
 Erika Nagorske, a livestock veterinarian who partners with the national
 agriculture group Farmers Business Network, said heat stress is one of 
the top concerns among the producers she deals with in southwest 
Minnesota.“It’s definitely always on our mind in the agriculture industry,” Nagorske said, “especially this time of year.”While cattle are adaptable creatures, she said, rising nighttime temperatures pose a particularly grave threat.“We’ve
 raised cattle in this part of the world and in Kansas for a very long 
time,” Nagorske said. “But where it becomes problematic is when it 
doesn’t cool off at night, when there’s just never a break.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Warmer-than-normal temperatures, especially at night, can cause heat stress to develop rapidly in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/livestock?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#livestock</a>. The <a href="https://twitter.com/ksmesonet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ksmesonet</a> has an Animal Comfort tool that helps track heat stress values at each location throughout the state. Check it out here: <a href="https://t.co/nOhCKanO0z">https://t.co/nOhCKanO0z</a> <a href="https://t.co/sX25hgs4Me">pic.twitter.com/sX25hgs4Me</a>&mdash; K-State Agronomy (@KStateAgron) <a href="https://twitter.com/KStateAgron/status/1538879340087087105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>There’s not much ranchers can do to cool the night air, but Nagorske said there are several <a href="https://fbn.showpad.com/share/PmpnRqAOq1bCj2ateM9YU" target="_blank">practical steps</a> they could take to limit the risk to their herd.<ul>
 <li>A
 cattle’s stomach generates a lot of internal heat, so feeding them 
during cooler nighttime hours can allow them to digest without 
overheating. There is also a variety of <a href="https://www.scahealth.com/p/ultracruz-calf-electrolyte-formula-cattle-supplement;jsessionid=Oe3Z0DydilFhMaF6qI5EUe2kYPPMY5P2JdQ76Yf4ndMb1TI7xgBq!-57602360!1657216711837" target="_blank">electrolyte</a> <a href="https://formafeed.com/faf-products/hydro-lac/" target="_blank">products</a> that can be added to feed — basically Gatorade for cattle — to help prevent dehydration.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Giving
 cattle access to mounds or hills — elevated spots where the breeze is 
likely to be a few miles per hour stronger — offers them opportunities 
to regulate their temperature.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Controlling flies lets cattle feel comfortable to spread out, which cools them down more than bunching up.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>In
 a region that doesn’t have many trees, cattle crowding close together 
under bits of scarce shade can block the breeze and raise their body 
temperatures. So Nagorske said installing a shade shelter might help.</li>
 </ul>But the most critical thing cattle producers can do is provide plenty of water.The
 amount of water cattle drink doubles from winter to summer. On a hot 
day, Nagorske said, a 1,500-pound steer could drink up to 30 gallons — 
roughly enough to fill a bathtub.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657294939227.png" alt="This animal comfort index map from Kansas Mesonet offers ranchers real-time data about the danger of heat stress where they live." />
 <figcaption>This animal comfort index map from Kansas Mesonet offers ranchers real-time data about the danger of heat stress where they live.</figcaption>
 </figure>At his ranch in Lane County, Whiting said his cattle made it through 
the extreme June weather, shed their winter hair and have now adjusted 
to the recent 100-degree temperatures.“Events like that have happened before. They're gonna happen again,” Whiting said. “You just gotta keep on ranching.”But he is already taking steps to prepare for future western Kansas heat.He
 tries to have a few days worth of water on hand at all times, just in 
case one of his well pumps breaks down. Sometimes, he sets up sprinklers
 that run droplets of water over the cattle.He’s also begun 
transitioning his herd from Black Angus cattle to other breeds that have
 lighter coloring. Research has shown that cattle with black hair are 
especially vulnerable to the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268237498_Impact_of_Hair_Color_on_Thermoregulation_of_Dairy_Cows_to_Direct_Sunlight" target="_blank">effects of heat stress</a> from sun radiation, just like a person who wears a black shirt on a hot day.Whiting's main concern going forward is how the <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">ongoing drought</a>
 in western Kansas has stunted and shriveled the grass on his pasture. 
If the animals don’t get enough nutrition to stay strong, that could 
make them more vulnerable to the next heat wave.And if the wrong 
weather conditions combine again like they did last month, he knows that
 protecting them from it might be out of his control.“You go to every extreme you can think of,” Whiting said, “but sometimes nature can be pretty cruel.”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>.

Brutal Kan. climate threatens cattle’s health, ranchers' livelihoods

By PAUl HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/10/railroaders-maintain-theyre-not-being-treated-fairly-by-bnsf-railway/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;More than 100 members of railroad 
unions rallied Sunday outside a BNSF Railway office in Lincoln, calling 
for better wages and working conditions to reflect inflation, sacrifices
 during the pandemic and stress caused by worker shortages.

Galen Owen, a representative of the track 
workers union, said railroad workers have been laboring without a 
contractor a raise for 2 1/2 years. Meanwhile, they worked through the 
pandemic and are now under additional stress due to furloughs and 
resignations prompted by worsening working conditions.

“Then we were essential. Now we’re 
expendable,” said Owen, a vice chairman with the Brotherhood of 
Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood 
of Teamsters union.

One worker said there have been 1,700 
terminations or resignations at BNSF Railway since the first of the 
year, including 67 out of Lincoln, forcing the remaining conductors and 
engineers to work even more hours.

Railroad workers at the nation’s seven major
 railroads have been working without a contract since 2019 and are 
currently voting to authorize a strike after talks with the companies 
broke down.

Such a strike — which could cripple an 
economy already struggling with supply chain delays — is not likely, 
since several hurdles must be crossed before a strike could occur.

It is expected that President Joe Biden, as 
early as July 18, will form a Presidential Emergency Board to hold 
hearings and recommend terms of a settlement. If that fails to find a 
resolution, Congress can intervene to solve the labor dispute.

Ben Wilemon, a spokesman for the BNSF, said 
the company has offered raises and retroactive raise, and has modified a
 much-criticized new attendance policy, Hi-Viz, that went into effect in
 February.

“BNSF remains committed and eager to work 
toward a swift and fair resolution to the collective bargaining 
process,” Wilemon said.

He added that the BNSF has more train crew 
employees now than a year ago and has hired 400 new train crew workers 
this year, half of whom have completed their training.

Railroad workers interviewed Sunday at the 
protest, however, said the railroad is seeking to increase worker 
contributions for health insurance and has reduced the amount of sick 
leave workers can take.

Owen said the offers by the BNSF “haven’t 
come close” to what workers need at a time when the company’s net 
profits are at $1 billion a quarter.

One major sticking point in the 
negotiations, and a long-running dispute between railroad unions and the
 companies, is over allowing one-man crews on some trains.

Currently, the union contract calls for 
two-man crews, which union members say is essential for safety on trains
 that can be nearly 3 miles long. A conductor, they maintain, is a 
crucial safety backup for the engineer, who drives the train.

The railroads contend that “redeploying” 
conductors to “ground-based” locations to run trains remotely will be 
just as safe and will allow for more predictable work schedules.

A new automatic braking system being 
installed in engines, to prevent collisions, the companies maintain, 
will allow the shift to one-man crews, though union officials say the 
system isn’t foolproof.

Conductors and engineers currently work on 
an “on-call” basis, seven days a week, which they said makes it 
difficult to have a normal family life.

U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., spoke earlier Sunday at the rally. He has supported legislation to maintain two-man crews.

Owen and others at Sunday’s rally said the BNSF and other railroads are sacrificing safety to increase profits.

“They want the least amount of workers to make the most money,” he said.

Wilemon, the BNSF spokesman, maintained there had been no change in how much time off employees receive.

More than 50% of train crew employees, Wilemon said, work fewer than 40 hours a week on average.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657555035833.png" alt="More than 100 members of railroad unions rallied Sunday in LIncoln outside of a BNSF Railway office for better wages and working conditions. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>More than 100 members of railroad unions rallied Sunday in LIncoln outside of a BNSF Railway office for better wages and working conditions. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUl HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/10/railroaders-maintain-theyre-not-being-treated-fairly-by-bnsf-railway/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;More than 100 members of railroad 
unions rallied Sunday outside a BNSF Railway office in Lincoln, calling 
for better wages and working conditions to reflect inflation, sacrifices
 during the pandemic and stress caused by worker shortages.Galen Owen, a representative of the track 
workers union, said railroad workers have been laboring without a 
contractor a raise for 2 1/2 years. Meanwhile, they worked through the 
pandemic and are now under additional stress due to furloughs and 
resignations prompted by worsening working conditions.<h2>‘Now we’re expendable’</h2>“Then we were essential. Now we’re 
expendable,” said Owen, a vice chairman with the Brotherhood of 
Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood 
of Teamsters union.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657555092240.jpeg" alt="The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway yard in Lincoln. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway yard in Lincoln. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>One worker said there have been 1,700 
terminations or resignations at BNSF Railway since the first of the 
year, including 67 out of Lincoln, forcing the remaining conductors and 
engineers to work even more hours.Railroad workers at the nation’s seven major
 railroads have been working without a contract since 2019 and are 
currently voting to authorize a strike after talks with the companies 
broke down.Such a strike — which could cripple an 
economy already struggling with supply chain delays — is not likely, 
since several hurdles must be crossed before a strike could occur.<h2>Biden expected to act</h2>It is expected that President Joe Biden, as 
early as July 18, will form a Presidential Emergency Board to hold 
hearings and recommend terms of a settlement. If that fails to find a 
resolution, Congress can intervene to solve the labor dispute.Ben Wilemon, a spokesman for the BNSF, said 
the company has offered raises and retroactive raise, and has modified a
 much-criticized new attendance policy, Hi-Viz, that went into effect in
 February.“BNSF remains committed and eager to work 
toward a swift and fair resolution to the collective bargaining 
process,” Wilemon said.He added that the BNSF has more train crew 
employees now than a year ago and has hired 400 new train crew workers 
this year, half of whom have completed their training.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657555119060.jpeg" alt="Railroad workers maintain they’re not being treated fairly by BNSF Railway and the Union Pacific. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Railroad workers maintain they’re not being treated fairly by BNSF Railway and the Union Pacific. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Railroad workers interviewed Sunday at the 
protest, however, said the railroad is seeking to increase worker 
contributions for health insurance and has reduced the amount of sick 
leave workers can take.Owen said the offers by the BNSF “haven’t 
come close” to what workers need at a time when the company’s net 
profits are at $1 billion a quarter.<h2>One-man crews</h2>One major sticking point in the 
negotiations, and a long-running dispute between railroad unions and the
 companies, is over allowing one-man crews on some trains.Currently, the union contract calls for 
two-man crews, which union members say is essential for safety on trains
 that can be nearly 3 miles long. A conductor, they maintain, is a 
crucial safety backup for the engineer, who drives the train.The railroads contend that “redeploying” 
conductors to “ground-based” locations to run trains remotely will be 
just as safe and will allow for more predictable work schedules.A new automatic braking system being 
installed in engines, to prevent collisions, the companies maintain, 
will allow the shift to one-man crews, though union officials say the 
system isn’t foolproof.<h2>Work on-call</h2>Conductors and engineers currently work on 
an “on-call” basis, seven days a week, which they said makes it 
difficult to have a normal family life.U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., spoke earlier Sunday at the rally. He has supported legislation to maintain two-man crews.Owen and others at Sunday’s rally said the BNSF and other railroads are sacrificing safety to increase profits.“They want the least amount of workers to make the most money,” he said.Wilemon, the BNSF spokesman, maintained there had been no change in how much time off employees receive.More than 50% of train crew employees, Wilemon said, work fewer than 40 hours a week on average.

Railroaders maintain they’re not being treated fairly by BNSF

STURGIS, Mich. (AP) —Production of baby formula has resumed at the Abbott Nutrition factory in Michigan whose February shutdown over contamination contributed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-government-and-politics-407435d8bb7d8e0825a926139c0f9f20">national shortage</a>, a company spokesman said.

Damage from severe thunderstorms including flooding had forced the Sturgis plant to halt operations in mid-June just two weeks after restarting production with additional sanitizing and safety protocols.

Production of EleCare, a specialty formula for infants with severe food allergies and digestive problems, was restored at Sturgis following a July 1 reboot, said Abbott spokesman John Koval.

“We are working to restart Similac production as soon as we can. We’ll provide more information when we have it,” he said via email.

Abbott recalled several leading brands of formula in February, including Similac. That squeezed supplies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">already been strained by supply chain disruptions</a>&nbsp;and stockpiling during COVID-19 shutdowns.

The shortage was most dire for children with allergies, digestive problems and metabolic disorders who rely on specialty formulas.

President Joe Biden’s administration has since eased import rules for foreign manufacturers, airlifted formula from Europe and invoked federal emergency rules to prioritize U.S. production.

Abbott is one of just four companies that produce about 90% of U.S. formula. Koval declined to say how much of Abbot's overall U.S. supply of infant formula is produced at the Sturgis plant.

The plant was closed in February after the Food and Drug Administration began investigating four bacterial infections among infants who consumed powdered formula from the plant. Two of the babies died. The company says its products have not been directly linked to the infections, which involved different bacterial strains.

FDA inspectors eventually uncovered a host of violations at the plant, including bacterial contamination, a leaky roof and lax safety protocols.

On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration announced plans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-united-states-government-and-politics-38745bd583dc0861dbe66a3ca7f828b4">to help overseas makers of infant formula</a>&nbsp;that have sent supplies, under emergency approval to address the shortfall, secure long-term authorization to market their formula in the U.S. The plan is to provide American consumers with more choices and make supplies more resilient against current or future shortages.

FDA commissioner, Dr. Robert Califf, and Susan Mayne, the director of the agency’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said in a statement that the Sturgis plant shutdown "compounded by unforeseen natural weather events, has shown just how vulnerable the supply chain has become.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648164055231.png" alt="In February Abbott, one of the country’s largest infant formula makers announced a recall of Similac made at the plant in Sturgis, Michigan-FDA image" />
 <figcaption>In February Abbott, one of the country’s largest infant formula makers announced a recall of Similac made at the plant in Sturgis, Michigan-FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>STURGIS, Mich. (AP) —Production of baby formula has resumed at the Abbott Nutrition factory in Michigan whose February shutdown over contamination contributed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-government-and-politics-407435d8bb7d8e0825a926139c0f9f20">national shortage</a>, a company spokesman said.Damage from severe thunderstorms including flooding had forced the Sturgis plant to halt operations in mid-June just two weeks after restarting production with additional sanitizing and safety protocols.Production of EleCare, a specialty formula for infants with severe food allergies and digestive problems, was restored at Sturgis following a July 1 reboot, said Abbott spokesman John Koval.“We are working to restart Similac production as soon as we can. We’ll provide more information when we have it,” he said via email.Abbott recalled several leading brands of formula in February, including Similac. That squeezed supplies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">already been strained by supply chain disruptions</a>&nbsp;and stockpiling during COVID-19 shutdowns.The shortage was most dire for children with allergies, digestive problems and metabolic disorders who rely on specialty formulas.President Joe Biden’s administration has since eased import rules for foreign manufacturers, airlifted formula from Europe and invoked federal emergency rules to prioritize U.S. production.Abbott is one of just four companies that produce about 90% of U.S. formula. Koval declined to say how much of Abbot's overall U.S. supply of infant formula is produced at the Sturgis plant.The plant was closed in February after the Food and Drug Administration began investigating four bacterial infections among infants who consumed powdered formula from the plant. Two of the babies died. The company says its products have not been directly linked to the infections, which involved different bacterial strains.FDA inspectors eventually uncovered a host of violations at the plant, including bacterial contamination, a leaky roof and lax safety protocols.On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration announced plans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-united-states-government-and-politics-38745bd583dc0861dbe66a3ca7f828b4">to help overseas makers of infant formula</a>&nbsp;that have sent supplies, under emergency approval to address the shortfall, secure long-term authorization to market their formula in the U.S. The plan is to provide American consumers with more choices and make supplies more resilient against current or future shortages.FDA commissioner, Dr. Robert Califf, and Susan Mayne, the director of the agency’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said in a statement that the Sturgis plant shutdown "compounded by unforeseen natural weather events, has shown just how vulnerable the supply chain has become.”

Production resumes at troubled baby formula factory

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has opted to pull investments from five energy corporations, joining other faith-based groups in targeting fossil-fuel companies over what they say are failures to address climate change.

The denomination's General Assembly, meeting online, voted overwhelmingly this week for a resolution targeting Chevron, ExxonMobil, Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66, and Valero Energy for divestment.

Presbyterian officials have in recent years sought to persuade several fossil fuel companies to take steps to reduce greenhouse gases. The resolution said these efforts “did not produce enough substantial change or movement” by the five corporations now targeted for divestment.

The church's investments are a small fraction of a percent of the five corporations' market capitalization. But supporters of divestment said it would send a message and help spur corporations to change policies in response to climate change.

Numerous, mostly progressive faith-based groups in various countries — including religious orders, dioceses and denominations such as the Episcopal Church and the Unitarian Universalist Association — have decided on partial or full divestment from fossil-fuel companies, according to Global Fossil Fuels Divestment Commitments Database, a website maintained by climate advocacy groups.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country, though it has struggled with decades of membership losses. It reported a 2021 membership of 1.2 million.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657418222669.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has opted to pull investments from five energy corporations, joining other faith-based groups in targeting fossil-fuel companies over what they say are failures to address climate change.The denomination's General Assembly, meeting online, voted overwhelmingly this week for a resolution targeting Chevron, ExxonMobil, Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66, and Valero Energy for divestment.Presbyterian officials have in recent years sought to persuade several fossil fuel companies to take steps to reduce greenhouse gases. The resolution said these efforts “did not produce enough substantial change or movement” by the five corporations now targeted for divestment.The church's investments are a small fraction of a percent of the five corporations' market capitalization. But supporters of divestment said it would send a message and help spur corporations to change policies in response to climate change.Numerous, mostly progressive faith-based groups in various countries — including religious orders, dioceses and denominations such as the Episcopal Church and the Unitarian Universalist Association — have decided on partial or full divestment from fossil-fuel companies, according to Global Fossil Fuels Divestment Commitments Database, a website maintained by climate advocacy groups.The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country, though it has struggled with decades of membership losses. It reported a 2021 membership of 1.2 million.___

Presbyterians agree to divest from fossil fuel companies

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-07-05/burned-out-as-more-educators-leave-kansas-faces-its-worst-ever-teacher-shortage">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — First came the school year where a killer 
virus sent everybody home early. Then the maddening online year. 
Followed by the half-and-half year.

Amid all that, teachers — or public schools writ large — became the 
enemy. Hostility boiled over about wearing masks, banning library books 
or teaching about history and race. And fears continued about gunmen 
storming classrooms.


Many teachers, principals and superintendents found themselves burned
 out, or merely worn out, and they’re calling it quits — heading for 
retirement or other jobs.


Now Kansas finds itself facing the most severe teacher shortage it’s 
ever known. Roughly 4% of teaching jobs — about 1,400 — are unfilled, 
and by the time the first bell rings this fall, it’s likely to be worse,
 not better.


“Forty years ago, there were up to 100 applicants for every 
(teaching) job in Kansas,” said Education Commissioner Randy Watson. 
This fall, even large districts will be lucky to get 10, he said. “We’ll
 have shortages.”


The problem has been building for years. But <a href="https://www.rand.org/education-and-labor/projects/state-of-the-american-teacher-and-the-american-principal.html" target="_blank">new research by the RAND Corporation</a> shows that the COVID-19 pandemic increased teachers’ levels of stress and burnout and may be accelerating the exodus.

The RAND think tank’s national survey of teachers and principals in 
January found educators faring far worse than other working adults on 
several indicators of overall well-being.


Nearly three-fourths of teachers and 85% of principals complained of 
frequent stress from their jobs. That’s more than double most adults. 
Fifty-nine percent of teachers and 48% of principals say they’re burned 
out.


Nearly a third of teachers and principals said they were likely to 
leave their current job by the end of the school year, an increase since
 <a href="https://www.rand.org/education-and-labor/projects/state-of-the-american-teacher-and-the-american-principal/related-research.html" target="_blank">RAND’s survey in 2021</a>. Teachers of color were more likely than white teachers to say they intended to leave.

For several years now, the survey has painted “a picture of stress 
and of some job dissatisfaction for many educators,” said Elizabeth 
Steiner, a policy researcher and co-author of the report.


The RAND survey found that supportive school environments — in which 
teachers are involved in decision-making and have positive relationships
 with their colleagues — lead to better well-being and a decreased 
likelihood of leaving the profession.


“They still love their jobs, want to be there for their students … 
love teaching, love leading schools,” Steiner said. “For many of them, 
it’s the context that they are teaching in, not teaching itself, that 
they find to be stressful and difficult.”


Cindy Deutsch <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/the-range/2022-06-17/let-the-children-play-a-wichita-kindergarten-teacher-looks-back-on-37-years-in-the-classroom" target="_blank">retired this spring</a>
 after teaching kindergarten for 37 years in Wichita. Early in her 
career, she had lots of flexibility and independence in the classroom, 
she said. Not now.

“We’re micromanaged a lot, where we’re told exactly what we’re 
supposed to be teaching, when we’re supposed to be teaching it,” she 
said.


A major frustration was an intense focus on testing even the youngest
 students, Deutsch said. When she started teaching, there were four 
categories to mark on kids’ report cards for reading and writing. Last 
year, there were more than 20.


At times, she said, she felt like she was testing more than teaching:


“We weigh the cow and we weigh the cow, but we don’t have time to feed the cow because we’re weighing the cow so much.”


Jarred Fuhrman struggled over his decision to leave his job as principal of <a href="https://blhs.usd458.org/" target="_blank">Basehor-Linwood High School</a>,
 but he finally decided in May to try something new. Fuhrman accepted a 
position in human resources for a Kansas City-area company.

“For me, it was a family decision,” said Fuhrman, who has two 
school-age children. “Being a high school principal is one of the more 
challenging positions in education.”


Fuhrman said there were days he’d get to school at 7 a.m. and not leave until after 10 p.m.


“It just wears on you. It’s just exhausting,” he said. “I was just tired.”


“The last couple years have been pretty hard with COVID and just all 
the different changes that schools have been going through,” he said. “I
 do worry about the teacher shortage. I think it’s going to be a little 
scary the next couple of years, and I don’t know that I have a good 
answer for that.”


Steiner, the RAND researcher, said a majority of teachers and 
principals intend to stay in their jobs and are leaning on each other to
 cope with job-related stress.


“They turn to their friends and colleagues to vent, to seek solutions, or sometimes just to hang out,” she said.


Steiner said school leaders should ask teachers what contributes to their stress and try to fix those problems.


“If there’s anything district and school leaders can do to address 
the things that teachers find difficult about their job,” she said, “it 
could help improve educators’ mental health.”


Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657138583709.png" alt="Nearly a third of teachers and principals said they were likely to leave their current job by the end of the school year, according to a survey by the RAND Corporation. Carlos Moreno/KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Nearly a third of teachers and principals said they were likely to leave their current job by the end of the school year, according to a survey by the RAND Corporation. Carlos Moreno/KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-07-05/burned-out-as-more-educators-leave-kansas-faces-its-worst-ever-teacher-shortage">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — First came the school year where a killer 
virus sent everybody home early. Then the maddening online year. 
Followed by the half-and-half year.
Amid all that, teachers — or public schools writ large — became the 
enemy. Hostility boiled over about wearing masks, banning library books 
or teaching about history and race. And fears continued about gunmen 
storming classrooms.
Many teachers, principals and superintendents found themselves burned
 out, or merely worn out, and they’re calling it quits — heading for 
retirement or other jobs.
Now Kansas finds itself facing the most severe teacher shortage it’s 
ever known. Roughly 4% of teaching jobs — about 1,400 — are unfilled, 
and by the time the first bell rings this fall, it’s likely to be worse,
 not better.
“Forty years ago, there were up to 100 applicants for every 
(teaching) job in Kansas,” said Education Commissioner Randy Watson. 
This fall, even large districts will be lucky to get 10, he said. “We’ll
 have shortages.”
The problem has been building for years. But <a href="https://www.rand.org/education-and-labor/projects/state-of-the-american-teacher-and-the-american-principal.html" target="_blank">new research by the RAND Corporation</a> shows that the COVID-19 pandemic increased teachers’ levels of stress and burnout and may be accelerating the exodus.
The RAND think tank’s national survey of teachers and principals in 
January found educators faring far worse than other working adults on 
several indicators of overall well-being.
Nearly three-fourths of teachers and 85% of principals complained of 
frequent stress from their jobs. That’s more than double most adults. 
Fifty-nine percent of teachers and 48% of principals say they’re burned 
out.
Nearly a third of teachers and principals said they were likely to 
leave their current job by the end of the school year, an increase since
 <a href="https://www.rand.org/education-and-labor/projects/state-of-the-american-teacher-and-the-american-principal/related-research.html" target="_blank">RAND’s survey in 2021</a>. Teachers of color were more likely than white teachers to say they intended to leave.
For several years now, the survey has painted “a picture of stress 
and of some job dissatisfaction for many educators,” said Elizabeth 
Steiner, a policy researcher and co-author of the report.
The RAND survey found that supportive school environments — in which 
teachers are involved in decision-making and have positive relationships
 with their colleagues — lead to better well-being and a decreased 
likelihood of leaving the profession.
“They still love their jobs, want to be there for their students … 
love teaching, love leading schools,” Steiner said. “For many of them, 
it’s the context that they are teaching in, not teaching itself, that 
they find to be stressful and difficult.”
<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657138676699.png" alt="Cindy Deutsch recently retired after 37 years of teaching, most of it in kindergarten classrooms in Wichita. Suzanne Perez / KMUW" />
 <figcaption>Cindy Deutsch recently retired after 37 years of teaching, most of it in kindergarten classrooms in Wichita. Suzanne Perez / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Deutsch <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/the-range/2022-06-17/let-the-children-play-a-wichita-kindergarten-teacher-looks-back-on-37-years-in-the-classroom" target="_blank">retired this spring</a>
 after teaching kindergarten for 37 years in Wichita. Early in her 
career, she had lots of flexibility and independence in the classroom, 
she said. Not now.
“We’re micromanaged a lot, where we’re told exactly what we’re 
supposed to be teaching, when we’re supposed to be teaching it,” she 
said.
A major frustration was an intense focus on testing even the youngest
 students, Deutsch said. When she started teaching, there were four 
categories to mark on kids’ report cards for reading and writing. Last 
year, there were more than 20.
At times, she said, she felt like she was testing more than teaching:
“We weigh the cow and we weigh the cow, but we don’t have time to feed the cow because we’re weighing the cow so much.”
Jarred Fuhrman struggled over his decision to leave his job as principal of <a href="https://blhs.usd458.org/" target="_blank">Basehor-Linwood High School</a>,
 but he finally decided in May to try something new. Fuhrman accepted a 
position in human resources for a Kansas City-area company.
“For me, it was a family decision,” said Fuhrman, who has two 
school-age children. “Being a high school principal is one of the more 
challenging positions in education.”
Fuhrman said there were days he’d get to school at 7 a.m. and not leave until after 10 p.m.
“It just wears on you. It’s just exhausting,” he said. “I was just tired.”
“The last couple years have been pretty hard with COVID and just all 
the different changes that schools have been going through,” he said. “I
 do worry about the teacher shortage. I think it’s going to be a little 
scary the next couple of years, and I don’t know that I have a good 
answer for that.”
Steiner, the RAND researcher, said a majority of teachers and 
principals intend to stay in their jobs and are leaning on each other to
 cope with job-related stress.
“They turn to their friends and colleagues to vent, to seek solutions, or sometimes just to hang out,” she said.
Steiner said school leaders should ask teachers what contributes to their stress and try to fix those problems.
“If there’s anything district and school leaders can do to address 
the things that teachers find difficult about their job,” she said, “it 
could help improve educators’ mental health.”
Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

Burned out: Kansas faces its worst-ever teacher shortage

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
For Creighton University economist Ernie Goss the news is not good as far as the trend of the overall economy.

"We're adding jobs, but unfortunately, productivity is down," Goss said. "When you put those together, the Atlanta Fed came out with their report, their look at the second quarter, which we just finished, they expect that number to come in negative. If that happens to be the case, that would be two consecutive quarters of negative GDP."

That is what most economists would call a recession.

"The inflation number is going to come down," Goss said. "The Federal Reserve is raising rates. They raised three quarters of a percent at their last meeting. They're going to raise rates again on July 27. It may be as high as three quarters of a percent again, then they are probably going to raise rates in September. That's slowing the overall economy, but inflation is still well above what most of us are getting in raises."

That productivity number, output per worker, hasn't been this low since 1947.

"Workers are standing around with these supply chain disruptions," Goss said. "They are waiting on inputs to come in to their company or they are waiting until transportation arrives to send outputs out. That's one of the real keys right now. We need to see those productivity numbers get better. We need to see supply chain disruptions get less."

That's why confidence among those Goss is surveying is particularly low looking out six months, as it may take at least that long to get the supply chain kinks worked out, even if we don't have another COVID spike in the fall and winter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622642233344.jpeg" alt="Creighton Professor Ernie Goss, PhD" />
 <figcaption>Creighton Professor Ernie Goss, PhD</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
For Creighton University economist Ernie Goss the news is not good as far as the trend of the overall economy."We're adding jobs, but unfortunately, productivity is down," Goss said. "When you put those together, the Atlanta Fed came out with their report, their look at the second quarter, which we just finished, they expect that number to come in negative. If that happens to be the case, that would be two consecutive quarters of negative GDP."That is what most economists would call a recession."The inflation number is going to come down," Goss said. "The Federal Reserve is raising rates. They raised three quarters of a percent at their last meeting. They're going to raise rates again on July 27. It may be as high as three quarters of a percent again, then they are probably going to raise rates in September. That's slowing the overall economy, but inflation is still well above what most of us are getting in raises."That productivity number, output per worker, hasn't been this low since 1947."Workers are standing around with these supply chain disruptions," Goss said. "They are waiting on inputs to come in to their company or they are waiting until transportation arrives to send outputs out. That's one of the real keys right now. We need to see those productivity numbers get better. We need to see supply chain disruptions get less."That's why confidence among those Goss is surveying is particularly low looking out six months, as it may take at least that long to get the supply chain kinks worked out, even if we don't have another COVID spike in the fall and winter.

Goss: Trend in economy is not good, even if inflation comes down

BEDFORD, Iowa (AP) — A Missouri resident is hospitalized in intensive care after being infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba that likely happened after swimming in a southeastern Iowa lake, health officials said Friday.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has shut down the beach at Lake of Three Fires State Park in Taylor County after the person was diagnosed with primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a rare and usually fatal infection caused by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/">naegleria fowleri ameba.</a>

Iowa state health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are testing to confirm the presence of the infection in the lake, which could take several days to complete.

People are infected when water containing the ameba enters the body through the nose, usually while victims are swimming or diving in lakes and rivers. The fatality rate is over 97%, according to CDC statistics. Only four people out of 154 known infected individuals in the United States from 1962 to 2021 have survived.

“It’s the worst parasite in the world that we know of because it causes such devastating pathology,” said Christopher Rice, a research scientist in the Center for Drug Discovery at the University of Georgia. He added that the brain infection is difficult to diagnose because it requires a sample of cerebral spinal fluid.

It is believed to be the first case discovered in Iowa. Neighboring states Minnesota, Missouri and Kansas have all reported infections, which have primarily occurred in southern-tier states.

<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657417166988.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSBEDFORD, Iowa (AP) — A Missouri resident is hospitalized in intensive care after being infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba that likely happened after swimming in a southeastern Iowa lake, health officials said Friday.The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has shut down the beach at Lake of Three Fires State Park in Taylor County after the person was diagnosed with primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a rare and usually fatal infection caused by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/">naegleria fowleri ameba.</a>Iowa state health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are testing to confirm the presence of the infection in the lake, which could take several days to complete.People are infected when water containing the ameba enters the body through the nose, usually while victims are swimming or diving in lakes and rivers. The fatality rate is over 97%, according to CDC statistics. Only four people out of 154 known infected individuals in the United States from 1962 to 2021 have survived.“It’s the worst parasite in the world that we know of because it causes such devastating pathology,” said Christopher Rice, a research scientist in the Center for Drug Discovery at the University of Georgia. He added that the brain infection is difficult to diagnose because it requires a sample of cerebral spinal fluid.It is believed to be the first case discovered in Iowa. Neighboring states Minnesota, Missouri and Kansas have all reported infections, which have primarily occurred in southern-tier states.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/YjPkNdLXriDu0-t84r0xPt2VJJSuBxlcLBlZnIDJ0l-QZ6h_fv1Om4eBB8zl_TKVHuGjGy0f0VteVuQfqhABiYoqIYpaQCrqRwHGLY-i9aPfAepqHr2oKHMdxxVa-zS8E1slZCRfLJBYVGY4vg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Missouri swimmer infected with amoeba, likely from Iowa swim

It is believed to be the first case discovered in Iowa. Neighboring states Kansas, Missouri and Minnesota have all reported infections, which have primarily occurred in southern-tier states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657393056107.png" alt="Naegleria fowleri ameba or brain-eating amoeba- image CDC" />
 <figcaption>Naegleria fowleri ameba or brain-eating amoeba- image CDC</figcaption>
 </figure>BEDFORD, Iowa (AP) — A Missouri resident is hospitalized in intensive care after being infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba that likely happened after swimming in a southeastern Iowa lake, health officials said Friday.The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has shut down the beach at Lake of Three Fires State Park in Taylor County after the person was diagnosed with primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a rare and usually fatal infection caused by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/">naegleria fowleri ameba.</a>Iowa state health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are testing to confirm the presence of the infection in the lake, which could take several days to complete.People are infected when water containing the ameba enters the body through the nose, usually while victims are swimming or diving in lakes and rivers. The fatality rate is over 97%, according to CDC statistics. Only four people out of 154 known infected individuals in the United States from 1962 to 2021 have survived.“It’s the worst parasite in the world that we know of because it causes such devastating pathology,” said Christopher Rice, a research scientist in the Center for Drug Discovery at the University of Georgia. He added that the brain infection is difficult to diagnose because it requires a sample of cerebral spinal fluid.It is believed to be the first case discovered in Iowa. Neighboring states Kansas, Missouri and Minnesota have all reported infections, which have primarily occurred in southern-tier states.

Swimmer infected with brain-eating amoeba also reported in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will send another $400 million in military equipment to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">Ukraine</a>, including four more advanced rocket systems, a senior defense official said Friday, in an effort to bolster Ukrainian efforts to strike deeper behind Russian frontlines in the eastern Donbas region.

The aid comes as Moscow this week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-army-donetsk-89326e201d66191b815971ceb1a1c6b2">claimed full control of Ukraine’s Luhansk province</a>&nbsp;in the Donbas, but Ukrainian officials say their troops still control a small part of the province and fierce fighting continues in several villages.

The defense official said that the eight High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, that were previously sent are still being used by Ukraine forces in the fight. And this will give them four more to help hit Russian command and control nodes, logistics capabilities and other systems that are further back behind the battlefront. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.

Russia in recent days has launched dozens of missiles across Ukraine and pinned down Ukrainian forces with continuous long-range fire for sometimes hours at a time. Ukraine’s leaders have publicly called on Western allies to quickly send more ammunition and advanced systems that will help them narrow the gap in equipment and manpower. The precision weapons can help Ukraine hit Russian weapons that are farther away and are being used to bombard Ukrainian locations.

The latest aid is the 15th package of military weapons and equipment transferred to Ukraine from Defense Department stocks since last August. In addition to the HIMARS, the U.S. will also send 1,000 rounds of 155 millimeter artillery which has an increased precision capability that also will help Ukraine hit specific targets. The package also will include three tactical vehicles, counter battery radar systems, spare parts and other equipment.

Looking ahead to the coming months, the official said that a key goal is to build up Ukraine’s logistics and repair capabilities so troops can maintain its weapons systems and continue the fight into the future.

Overall, the U.S. has sent about $7.3 billion in aid to Ukraine since the war began in late February.

Luhansk is one of two provinces that make up the Donbas, a region of mines and factories where pro-Moscow separatists have fought Ukraine’s army for eight years and declared independent republics that Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized before he sent troops into Ukraine.

Putin on Thursday warned that Kyiv should accept Moscow’s terms or brace for the worst, saying that Russia hasn’t yet “started anything in earnest.”

U.S. and other western officials have said that Russia has been making slow, incremental progress in the Donbas but has not made gains as rapidly as Moscow initially intended. President Joe Biden has said that the U.S. is giving Ukrainians the aid needed to continue to resist Russian aggression.

“I don’t know how it’s going to end, but it will not end with a Russian defeat of Ukraine in Ukraine,” Biden said last week.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will send another $400 million in military equipment to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">Ukraine</a>, including four more advanced rocket systems, a senior defense official said Friday, in an effort to bolster Ukrainian efforts to strike deeper behind Russian frontlines in the eastern Donbas region.The aid comes as Moscow this week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-army-donetsk-89326e201d66191b815971ceb1a1c6b2">claimed full control of Ukraine’s Luhansk province</a>&nbsp;in the Donbas, but Ukrainian officials say their troops still control a small part of the province and fierce fighting continues in several villages.The defense official said that the eight High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, that were previously sent are still being used by Ukraine forces in the fight. And this will give them four more to help hit Russian command and control nodes, logistics capabilities and other systems that are further back behind the battlefront. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.Russia in recent days has launched dozens of missiles across Ukraine and pinned down Ukrainian forces with continuous long-range fire for sometimes hours at a time. Ukraine’s leaders have publicly called on Western allies to quickly send more ammunition and advanced systems that will help them narrow the gap in equipment and manpower. The precision weapons can help Ukraine hit Russian weapons that are farther away and are being used to bombard Ukrainian locations.The latest aid is the 15th package of military weapons and equipment transferred to Ukraine from Defense Department stocks since last August. In addition to the HIMARS, the U.S. will also send 1,000 rounds of 155 millimeter artillery which has an increased precision capability that also will help Ukraine hit specific targets. The package also will include three tactical vehicles, counter battery radar systems, spare parts and other equipment.Looking ahead to the coming months, the official said that a key goal is to build up Ukraine’s logistics and repair capabilities so troops can maintain its weapons systems and continue the fight into the future.Overall, the U.S. has sent about $7.3 billion in aid to Ukraine since the war began in late February.Luhansk is one of two provinces that make up the Donbas, a region of mines and factories where pro-Moscow separatists have fought Ukraine’s army for eight years and declared independent republics that Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized before he sent troops into Ukraine.Putin on Thursday warned that Kyiv should accept Moscow’s terms or brace for the worst, saying that Russia hasn’t yet “started anything in earnest.”U.S. and other western officials have said that Russia has been making slow, incremental progress in the Donbas but has not made gains as rapidly as Moscow initially intended. President Joe Biden has said that the U.S. is giving Ukrainians the aid needed to continue to resist Russian aggression.“I don’t know how it’s going to end, but it will not end with a Russian defeat of Ukraine in Ukraine,” Biden said last week.

US spending another $400 million on aid for Ukraine

Site along I-80 planned for Pinnacle Bank Sports Complex

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/09/grand-island-seeking-to-tap-lucrative-youth-sports-market-with-multi-court-facility/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

GRAND 
ISLAND — This central Nebraska city is hoping to join the effort to 
attract regional, youth sports tournaments and the local spending on 
motels and meals that comes with it.

The&nbsp;160,000-square-foot&nbsp;Pinnacle Bank Sports
 Complex is being planned for a site just off Interstate 80 at the U.S. 
Highway 281 interchange. The first phase will feature six indoor courts 
for basketball and volleyball and batting cages for baseball, though 
it’s being designed with expansion in mind.

About $10 million has been raised locally, 
with another $10 million being sought statewide, according to Johnny 
Dorn, vice president of Cresa, a real estate firm working on the 
project, who is a former University of Nebraska-Lincoln baseball player.

The goal of the sports complex is to attract
 regional tournaments to Grand Island and tap into a national market for
 youth sports that has grown to a $19 billion-a-year industry.

“Each time a parent has to travel for their 
child’s sporting event or practice, that money leaves Hall County,” said
 Tino Martinez, president of the board of the nonprofit Pinnacle Bank 
Sports Complex.

“We want to invest here in Hall County to 
keep the kids and the money locally,” said Martinez, who also coaches 
basketball at Grand Island Central Catholic High School.

A state-of-the-art training center for local
 athletes would also allow parents in the area to avoid long drives to 
volleyball and basketball training centers in Lincoln, according to 
Kristin Maser, who drove two daughters back and- forth to the Capital 
City for club volleyball.

“We put a lot of miles on our car over the 
last eight years,” Maser said. “It would just be nice if the kids from 
Grand Island would have the opportunity to have really good training and
 play locally here.”

The Grand Island facility could also be used
 for dance, wrestling, cheerleading, yoga/exercise classes and other 
community events.

Two large, outdoor complexes for youth sports tournaments have broken ground recently in the Omaha area.

The Nebraska Multi-Sports Complex in La 
Vista and the MD West ONE Sports Complex in Valley were major recipients
 recently of state grants through the state’s “shovel-ready” program 
designed to help projects by nonprofit organizations disrupted by the 
COVID-19 pandemic. Funding for the program came from the Biden 
Administration’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The La Vista project received $12.7 million,
 while the Valley complex got $3.8 million. A field house planned by the
 Columbus Community Hospital also got $12.7 million.

That compares to just under $116,000 for the
 Grand Island sports center, forcing backers there to explore other 
sources of funding.

Recently, Grand Island officials, including 
Mayor Roger Steele, toured the UBT Sports Complex in Elkhorn and the 
Iowa West Field House in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to better understand what
 works and what doesn’t in such facilities.

Dorn said they learned that while improving 
practice and tournament facilities for local youth athletes is critical,
 hosting multi-team, regional tournaments is what brings greater 
revenue.

According to Dave Taylor of the Grand Island
 Area Economic Development, the Pinnacle Bank Sports Complex has the 
potential to generate $4 million to $6 million per year in new visitor 
spending, which includes overnight stays and meals.

The mayor said the sports complex will also 
be an ideal “new gateway development” for Grand Island, providing a 
stronger link between I-80 and the city of 51,000.

Dorn said that it’s possible that ground 
could be broken for the facility yet this year, but spring 2023 is 
probably more realistic. He said no state or county funds are being 
sought for the project but said it is possible that sales taxes 
generated by new development in the immediate area of the Sports Complex
 could be tapped to help finance the facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657385619072.png" alt="Proposed design of the Pinnacle Bank Sports Complex being planned in Grand Island, Nebraska. (Courtesy of Tri-Cities Sports Complex)" />
 <figcaption>Proposed design of the Pinnacle Bank Sports Complex being planned in Grand Island, Nebraska. (Courtesy of Tri-Cities Sports Complex)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Site along I-80 planned for Pinnacle Bank Sports Complex</h2>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/09/grand-island-seeking-to-tap-lucrative-youth-sports-market-with-multi-court-facility/">Nebraska Examiner</a>GRAND 
ISLAND — This central Nebraska city is hoping to join the effort to 
attract regional, youth sports tournaments and the local spending on 
motels and meals that comes with it.The&nbsp;160,000-square-foot&nbsp;Pinnacle Bank Sports
 Complex is being planned for a site just off Interstate 80 at the U.S. 
Highway 281 interchange. The first phase will feature six indoor courts 
for basketball and volleyball and batting cages for baseball, though 
it’s being designed with expansion in mind.About $10 million has been raised locally, 
with another $10 million being sought statewide, according to Johnny 
Dorn, vice president of Cresa, a real estate firm working on the 
project, who is a former University of Nebraska-Lincoln baseball player.<h2>Youth sports market</h2>The goal of the sports complex is to attract
 regional tournaments to Grand Island and tap into a national market for
 youth sports that has grown to a $19 billion-a-year industry.“Each time a parent has to travel for their 
child’s sporting event or practice, that money leaves Hall County,” said
 Tino Martinez, president of the board of the nonprofit Pinnacle Bank 
Sports Complex.“We want to invest here in Hall County to 
keep the kids and the money locally,” said Martinez, who also coaches 
basketball at Grand Island Central Catholic High School.A state-of-the-art training center for local
 athletes would also allow parents in the area to avoid long drives to 
volleyball and basketball training centers in Lincoln, according to 
Kristin Maser, who drove two daughters back and- forth to the Capital 
City for club volleyball.“We put a lot of miles on our car over the 
last eight years,” Maser said. “It would just be nice if the kids from 
Grand Island would have the opportunity to have really good training and
 play locally here.”The Grand Island facility could also be used
 for dance, wrestling, cheerleading, yoga/exercise classes and other 
community events.<h2>‘Shovel ready’ funds</h2>Two large, outdoor complexes for youth sports tournaments have broken ground recently in the Omaha area.The Nebraska Multi-Sports Complex in La 
Vista and the MD West ONE Sports Complex in Valley were major recipients
 recently of state grants through the state’s “shovel-ready” program 
designed to help projects by nonprofit organizations disrupted by the 
COVID-19 pandemic. Funding for the program came from the Biden 
Administration’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).The La Vista project received $12.7 million,
 while the Valley complex got $3.8 million. A field house planned by the
 Columbus Community Hospital also got $12.7 million.That compares to just under $116,000 for the
 Grand Island sports center, forcing backers there to explore other 
sources of funding.Recently, Grand Island officials, including 
Mayor Roger Steele, toured the UBT Sports Complex in Elkhorn and the 
Iowa West Field House in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to better understand what
 works and what doesn’t in such facilities.Dorn said they learned that while improving 
practice and tournament facilities for local youth athletes is critical,
 hosting multi-team, regional tournaments is what brings greater 
revenue.<h2>Economic impact</h2>According to Dave Taylor of the Grand Island
 Area Economic Development, the Pinnacle Bank Sports Complex has the 
potential to generate $4 million to $6 million per year in new visitor 
spending, which includes overnight stays and meals.The mayor said the sports complex will also 
be an ideal “new gateway development” for Grand Island, providing a 
stronger link between I-80 and the city of 51,000.Dorn said that it’s possible that ground 
could be broken for the facility yet this year, but spring 2023 is 
probably more realistic. He said no state or county funds are being 
sought for the project but said it is possible that sales taxes 
generated by new development in the immediate area of the Sports Complex
 could be tapped to help finance the facility.

Grand Island seeks to tap youth sports market with new complex

News Release United States Attorney-Omaha

Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Anthony Dwayne Jackson, 39, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal&nbsp;court in Lincoln.&nbsp; United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Jackson to 188 months in prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine with a prior serious drug felony conviction.&nbsp; After serving his sentence, Jackson will be placed on supervised release for 10 years.&nbsp; Jackson faced a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence because of a prior drug trafficking conviction.&nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp;

From January through March, 2021, an undercover Lincoln Police Officer made a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Jackson in Lincoln in quantities ranging from an eighth of an ounce up to three ounces of methamphetamine.&nbsp; On April 8, 2021, officers arrested Jackson in Lincoln and searched his vehicle.&nbsp; Inside the vehicle was about an ounce of methamphetamine, a digital scale with suspected methamphetamine residue, and a number of baggies typically used in the packaging and sale of narcotics.&nbsp; The methamphetamine seized or obtained from Jackson that was tested for purity was at least 90% pure.

This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1559657144941.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release United States Attorney-OmahaActing United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Anthony Dwayne Jackson, 39, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal&nbsp;court in Lincoln.&nbsp; United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Jackson to 188 months in prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine with a prior serious drug felony conviction.&nbsp; After serving his sentence, Jackson will be placed on supervised release for 10 years.&nbsp; Jackson faced a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence because of a prior drug trafficking conviction.&nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp;From January through March, 2021, an undercover Lincoln Police Officer made a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Jackson in Lincoln in quantities ranging from an eighth of an ounce up to three ounces of methamphetamine.&nbsp; On April 8, 2021, officers arrested Jackson in Lincoln and searched his vehicle.&nbsp; Inside the vehicle was about an ounce of methamphetamine, a digital scale with suspected methamphetamine residue, and a number of baggies typically used in the packaging and sale of narcotics.&nbsp; The methamphetamine seized or obtained from Jackson that was tested for purity was at least 90% pure.This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.

Lincoln man sentenced to more than 15 years on meth charges

JEFFERSON COUNTY, KY. — The father of four family members from Nickerson, Kansas hit by an alleged impaired driver in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier this week has died.

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office says Trey Jones, teacher and track coach at Nickerson USD 309, succumbed to his injuries Thursday night.

Jones, his wife Amy, and daughter Ava, along with the family’s youngest child were all hit by a motorist who drove up onto the sidewalk in the downtown area of Louisville Tuesday evening.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ava, who just signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Iowa, was improving, according to&nbsp;Nickerson USD 309 Superintendent Curtis Nightingale.&nbsp; Ava's team, Wheat State Elite, is playing in the&nbsp;<a href="https://run4theroses.com/">Run 4 The Roses</a>&nbsp;club basketball tournament in Louisville.

A candlelight vigil will be held at the Nickerson High School football stadium on Sunday at 9 p.m. A&nbsp;fund has been set up at Peoples Bank and Trust to help with the family’s expenses. Donations can be made at the bank to the Jones Family Fund.

Police arrested the suspect, 33-year-old Michael Hurley of Lexington, Indiana. Hurley admitted he had just taken Oxycodone before the accident and failed a field test for narcotics at the scene. According to the Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney's Office, Hurley is now facing an amended charge of murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657310781672.jpeg" alt="Trey, daughter Ava and Amy Jones-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Trey, daughter Ava and Amy Jones-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON COUNTY, KY. — The father of four family members from Nickerson, Kansas hit by an alleged impaired driver in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier this week has died.The Jefferson County Coroner's Office says Trey Jones, teacher and track coach at Nickerson USD 309, succumbed to his injuries Thursday night.Jones, his wife Amy, and daughter Ava, along with the family’s youngest child were all hit by a motorist who drove up onto the sidewalk in the downtown area of Louisville Tuesday evening.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ava, who just signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Iowa, was improving, according to&nbsp;Nickerson USD 309 Superintendent Curtis Nightingale.&nbsp; Ava's team, Wheat State Elite, is playing in the&nbsp;<a href="https://run4theroses.com/">Run 4 The Roses</a>&nbsp;club basketball tournament in Louisville.A candlelight vigil will be held at the Nickerson High School football stadium on Sunday at 9 p.m. A&nbsp;fund has been set up at Peoples Bank and Trust to help with the family’s expenses. Donations can be made at the bank to the Jones Family Fund.Police arrested the suspect, 33-year-old Michael Hurley of Lexington, Indiana. Hurley admitted he had just taken Oxycodone before the accident and failed a field test for narcotics at the scene. According to the Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney's Office, Hurley is now facing an amended charge of murder.