January 2022

Pratt Wrestling Club results from Concordia tournament

January 12, 2022

BOYS RESULTS 106 Noah Cox (2-3) placed 6th and scored 5.0 team points. Round 1 - Braydon Pacheco (Garden City) 3-2 won by fall over noah cox (Pratt) 2-3 (Fall 0:59) Round 2 - Ezekiel Witt (Junction City) 5-0 won by fall over noah cox (Pratt) 2-3 (Fall 1:00) Round 3 - noah cox (Pratt) 2-3 won by fall over Jason Lucas (Manhattan) 0-5 (Fall 1:07) Consolation Bracket Consolation Bracket - noah cox (Pratt) 2-3 won in sudden victory - 1 over Gavin Lamkin (Goddard) 1-4 (SV-1 6-4) 5th Place Match - Braxton Malone (Emporia) 3-2 won by fall over noah cox (Pratt) 2-3 (Fall 1:50) 113 Maddox Riffey (1-14) placed 10th and scored 0.0 team points.

Considering a new insurance plan?

January 12, 2022

OVER THE NEXT few weeks, thousands will select insurance plans for 2022, whether on a state exchange or through their employer Ȧ health plan’s fine print hardly makes for riveting reading. So most folks just focus on the monthly premium, make sure their doctor is covered, and ensure cost-sharing responsibilities are manageable.

Center for Rural Affairs pleased with USDA’s plan to invest in climate-smart agriculture

January 12, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Center for Rural Affairs is applauding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its dedication to climate-smart agriculture following the agency’s announcement Monday that it plans to invest $38 million in a new program aimed at increasing cover crop acres. In addition, a key change to the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) was announced.

Support for independent meat processors will have far-reaching benefits

January 12, 2022

IF YOU RECENTLY bought meat from a local farmer, you are not alone. Over the past 22 months, millions of Americans quit overpaying at the grocery store and began buying food grown closer to home. This is good news for local livestock producers and the independent meat lockers they partner with.

State has a surplus of money to spend

January 12, 2022

THE BEGINNING of the 2022 legislative session is right around the corner. This year, we’re in a different situation than we’ve been in for a long time, since our state is currently running around a two billion dollar surplus. Because of the large surplus that our state currently has, both Republicans and Democrats are looking to cut taxes and give part of our state’s surplus back to the people of our state. However, there are some differences between Republicans and Democrats as far as what the tax cuts should consist of.

County commissioners choose where to spend tax dollars

January 12, 2022

At the January 3 meeting of the Pratt County Commission, Pratt Area Economic Development Director Heather Morgan brought to light details of the state’s Rural Opportunity Zone program. The program offers up to $15,000 in student loan repayment over 5 years to residents who relocate to designated areas. The burden of repayment is shared equally by the state and a local sponsoring business or other entity. While a county endorsement of the program is necessary, no county dollars have been pledged. Those wishing to utilize the program must have a business sponsor.

The rest of that story: The allure of wind turbines creates difficulties

January 12, 2022

Hello there, my name is Josanna Henry and I will be meeting and greeting many of you in the coming weeks and months as I work as a freelance reporter for the Kiowa County Signal. My editor thought it a good idea to introduce myself, so here we go

Soup Supper a success for area youth

January 12, 2022

Youth Core Ministries held their annual Kiowa County Soup Supper on December 19, 2021 and happily reports it was a smashing success. Many area youth will be able to go to the upcoming Winter Youth Camp because of donations and funds raised at the event.

Kiowa County commissioners work to fill critical law enforcement positions

January 12, 2022

The Kiowa County commissioners convened in regular session on Monday, January 3. After approving a consent agenda, the Commissioners received a report from Sheriff Lothman. Lothman presented payroll changes for Terry Neal and Clay Parkin resulting from their annual performance evaluations. He also reported that the New Years' weekend was uneventful throughout the County. The Department is down two deputies at this time. Lothman has one, possibly two jail workers ready to move to highway work, but he must hire new jail workers before the changes can occur. The jail and dispatch positions are critical positions for the County because both are around-the-clock positions and must remain filled at all times. The Sheriff is reaching out to local community colleges for new recruits. Unfortunately, the number of recruits is low nationwide, and the County's pay is not competitive with surrounding communities.

Colleges and universities face fallen tenured positions

January 12, 2022

IT HAS BEEN a tough year for colleges and universities, but for mostly different reasons than in K–12. The number of tenured faculty had already fallen— replaced by temporary adjuncts who only taught. This “financial flexibility” was used to downsize when enrollments dropped due to the pandemic.