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Kansas deer hunters have options to test for Chronic Wasting Disease

PRATT – Deer hunters across Kansas can have deer they harvest during the 2021-2022 seasons tested for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) free of charge through the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). KDWP, in collaboration with the University of Missouri, is continuing a three-year research project to better understand where CWD is present in Kansas and how the disease spreads. As part of the research project, the cost of CWD testing will again be covered for up to 450 samples per Deer Management Unit (DMU). All hunters need to provide to receive free testing is harvest location of the deer in the form of GPS coordinates, section Range- Township-Section number, or nearest intersection.

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Sunflower Senior Center hosts well-attended senior dinner December 1

Season’s Greetings from St. John Sunflower Senior Center. As we enter into the Christmas Month, the seniors played host to 40 attendees at the 2nd Annual Senior Christmas Dinner on December 1, 2021. Baked ham was furnished by the center with “pot luck” brought by everyone attending. Drawings for door prizes and special grand prizes followed the dinner. We want to congratulate Helen Cokely, Steve Schulz, Joan Young and Mark Tompkins on winning the prizes provided by St. John-Hudson Recreation Commission. “White Elephant” BINGO was enjoyed during the afternoon.

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Volunteer trees can be replanted or controlled with herbicides

Controlling Volunteer Trees Though trees are a vital part of our landscapes, there are situations where volunteer trees need to be controlled. This is often a case of the wrong plant in the wrong place. If the tree is still small and a desirable species, you may want to consider transplanting in the spring. If it is not, active control measures would be in order. Most, but not all, trees resprout after cutting. Cutting those that don't resprout is an effective control method. For example, eastern redcedar is a very common species that will not resprout after cutting. Those that do resprout include Siberian elm, hackberry, Osage orange (hedgeball), oak, ash, aspen, cottonwood, maple, sycamore, willow and many more. These trees will either need to be dug out or the cut stump treated with herbicide after cutting. Note that when we say volunteer trees, we mean those that come from seed rather than suckers that originate from the roots of an existing tree. The recommendations given in the remainder of

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Meyer issues protocol insight and happy holiday greetings

As we move into the colder months, we are seeing a lot of sickness going around. We’ve had an absentee rate of over 20% here at the end of November and beginning of December. It’s not all related to COVID. We have influenza, strep, and a stomach bug running through the school. I’d like to encourage parents to keep kids home if they are sick and contact the school nurse if you’d like a COVID test.

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Thanksgiving intentionality – moments that last the year round

The time of year has come when we gather with our family and friends and are reminded of all of the blessings in our lives. Most people think about all there is to be thankful for around the holiday season - especially Thanksgiving. One Haviland resident, Logan Vandenhoek, has taken thankfulness to the next level of intentionality. Beginning in November of 2020 and ending in November of 2021, VandenHoek has shared what she is thankful for daily on Facebook for a whole year. Some posts included pictures, and others were just a sentence or two simply saying what she is thankful for.

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USD 422 Board of Education hears about free passes for senior citizens

The USD 422 Kiowa County Board of Education met several times during the month of November to hear about and approve on-going school activities as well as conduct regular business for the district. On November 8, board members approved payment of November bills in the amount of $359,775.79, then approved the following appointments for the 2021-22 school year: Brian Deterding – Title IX coordinator; Travis Powell and Stephanie White-Neuhold – Title IX investigators (for their respective buildings); and Mark Clodfelter – Title IX decision maker.

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