Leasing land for farming and ranching has become a necessity to grow and stay competitive in today’s commercial agriculture. As a result, understanding how to effectively and equitably negotiate a land lease has risen in importance for both landowners and tenants. This workshop is designed to help both landowners and producers consider the factors that affect lease rates, contract terms, and risk exposure.
The Southwind Extension District will host a Land Lease Workshop on Friday, February 1, 2019 at 1pm in the Allen County Courthouse Community Room.
Topics include:
Explaining the differences and similarities of various leasing arrangements: crop share, fixed cash rent, flexible leases, AUM pasture leases
Active management of the landowner-tenant relationship through effective communication and recognition of incentives
Calculating an equitable lease using cost of production budgets, price and yield expectations, and other market-based information
More information and registration is available by contacting Carla Nemecek at the Southwind Extension District Iola Office, 620-365-2242 or email [email protected].
Robert Jack Eshelbrenner, age 71, died on January 9, 2019. He is survived by his wife Nancy (Wogan) Eshelbrenner of Fishers, IN; his daughters Erin Green of Fishers; Kate Sowder and husband Jason of St. Louis, MO; and three grandchildren, Ellie and Jackson Green of Fishers, IN and Nate Sowder of St. Louis, MO.
Bob was born on November 1, 1947 in Fort Scott, KS to parents Jack and Sara (Handly) Eshelbrenner. He graduated from Pittsburg State University with a degree in business. He worked in the insurance industry specializing in information technology, retiring as CIO from Hastings Mutual in Michigan.
Bob also served in the U.S. Army in both active and reserve duty for 27 years. He retired with the rank of Colonel after serving in Operation Desert Storm.
There was cremation. Rev. Dusty Drake will conduct a memorial service at 10:00 A.M. Friday, February 8, 2019 at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial with military honors will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery.
The Family will receive friends from 5:00 -7:00 P.M.
Thursday at the Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rock Steady Boxing, 7440 N Shadeland Ave., Suite 202, Indianapolis, IN 45250 or www.rocksteadyboxing.org.
Al Letner’s artwork is on display at Hedgehog.INK! during the month of January. He will give a presentation, open to the public, on January 19 at 3:00 p.m. During this time, he will share about his artwork and the techniques he uses.
“As an artist I find most of my inspiration in the natural world. I have always thought of myself as an organic artist, utilizing natural color and pattern in my abstract work.”
Kenny Holt is retiring as President and CEO of Union State Bank, after 25 years.
Bryan Holt became the president and Chief Executive Officer of Union State Bank on Jan. 1, 2019.
“I’ll be the fifth generation of the Holt family to hold this position,” Bryan Holt said. “It is a great honor for me.”
Union State Bank has been family-owned and operated since 1901.
“My great-grandfather, L.E. “Emett” Holt began, then grand-dad Curtis Holt, then my dad, Kent Holt,” Kenny Holt said.
Kenny Holt held the president and CEO position from 1993 to December 31, 2018.
“We (he and his wife, Nancy) are slowing down and doing things we want to do,” Kenny Holt said.
Kenny will work in the transition period to mentor Bryan and Chad Holt, his younger son, who will be taking over some duties as well, he said.
Bryan Holt has been preparing for leadership through education and career experience.
He has an associates degree from Fort Scott Community College and a Bachelors in Business Administration with a major in Finance from Pittsburg State University Additionally, he completed the Graduate School of Banking in 2012.
“I have worked at the (Union State) bank twice now,” Bryan Holt said. “Part-time as a teller from 1990 – 1993. I returned to the bank in 2005 as the Business Development Officer and Information Security Officer, moving from McKinney, Texas. In a bank our size, all of the officers have been exposed to all parts of the business and that’s true of me.”
“My duties will be evolving to include overseeing overall operations of the bank, including strategic direction,” he said. “Of course, I’ll still be working in lending and business development, but learning this new role will become a large part of my daily activities.”
Technology has been changed the culture in America and the world, and the banking sector is no different.
“The rapid advance of technology will continue to disrupt the traditional banking model,” Bryan Holt said. “Our customers will rely less and less on coming into the branch, preferring to do business via mobile methods. We are working to balance the personalized service that we’ve been providing for nearly 120 years with the convenience of banking from your mobile device.”
“Technology has allowed us to do a lot of things,” Kenny Holt said.
A negative change in banking in the last 25 years is the “regulatory burden put on us,” Kenny Holt said. “The regulation doesn’t apply to us (small banks), but we still have to abide.”
USB stated purpose is to provide affordable, high-quality financial products and services that enhance the customers’ financial well-being and strengthen the communities they serve. The mission is to be the bank of choice in the communities served.
Union State Bank has two locations: on the Uniontown square and can be reached at 620-756-4305 and Fort Scott at 1009 S. Clark, 620-223-0066.
From left: Darrell Spencer, Army; Stephen Dean. Army; Myra Jowers. Air Force, all vets themselves will be shuttle drivers. Not pictured Carl Jowers.
The Fort Scott to Topeka VA shuttle service will have its inaugural run to the Topeka VA Medical Center on Tuesday, February 5, 2019.
Many thanks to Patricia Neeland, Social Worker at the Fort Scott VA Medical Clinic and local Veterans Stephen Dean, Carl Jowers, Myra Jowers and Darrell Spencer for working together to make the Fort Scott – Topeka VA shuttle service a reality.
There is no cost to the veteran to ride the shuttle.
The VA shuttle holds five passengers and riders must preregister for a seat. Seats on the shuttle are open to any area veteran on a first come, first served basis.
At this time, the shuttle is operating only on Tuesdays. As more drivers are cleared by the Topeka VA Medical Center, the shuttle service will expand service to other days.
The shuttle will depart from First Southern Baptist Church parking lot (on South Main Street, near Pizza Hut) at 6:15 am and will return to Fort Scott after the last rider has completed their appointment in Topeka.
The rider must be at the designated departure point by 6:10 am or risk losing their seat to a standby.
The shuttle does not accommodate wheelchairs or pets. Only certified service dogs are permitted on the shuttle. Oxygen tanks are not permitted on the shuttle. Oxygen concentrators are allowed.
Family members may not ride with the veteran on the shuttle. Those veterans who need a caregiver to accompany them must have a signed note from their doctor attesting that the veteran requires a caregiver to accompany them to and from their appointment.
To register for a shuttle seat, the veteran must
·Have an appointment at the Topeka VA Medical Center between 9 am and 1 pm for the day they schedule their shuttle seat.
·Call 785-925-0261 to schedule their seat. All seat reservations must be scheduled by 5 pm, the day prior to their appointment in Topeka.
The Kansas Department of Commerce is extending the deadline to participate in the 53rd NCDA Annual Poetry and Art Contest, an initiative of the National Career Development Association, to February 1, 2019.
The contest theme is “Using Careers to Break Barriers, Empower Lives & Achieve Equity.”
The National Career Development Association promotes career development through its annual celebration of National Career Development Month. Every November, career development professionals are encouraged to celebrate with career-related activities including the annual Poetry and Art Contest.
Entries will be judged on how they celebrate and inspire career development with a positive tone while emphasizing the national theme.
Size: Submit each poem on a single sheet of paper 8.5″ x 11″ in 12-point font.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ART
Lettering: Simple bold lettering is preferred. Captions are to be used to convey the theme, attract attention, and to achieve goals of clarity, vigor and originality. All lettering will be considered part of the design.
Gov. Laura Kelly has appointed Julie Lorenz to lead the Kansas Department of Transportation as Interim Secretary. She succeeds Richard Carlson, who retired on Jan. 11.
While new to this position, this is her second tour of duty for KDOT, serving as the Director of Public Affairs and Special Assistant from 2003 to 2011. During that time, Lorenz led the development of several efforts at the agency, including the development and eventual legislative passage of the $8.2 billion, 10-year T-WORKS funding program in spring 2010.
“I am honored to be back at KDOT,” Lorenz said. “I’m excited to help develop new opportunities to expand our transportation investments across the state while also working to maintain the existing system. Transportation is a part of everyone’s lives and the work KDOT does is critical to our state.”
Lorenz comes from Burns & McDonnell where she was a Principal specializing in strategic business consulting and planning and policy development for the transportation industry at the national, regional and local levels.
Left to right: Carla Nemecek, Brody Nemecek, Clay Brillhart, Jillian Keller, Haydon Schaaf, John Emmerson earned Reserve National Champions at the National Western Stock Show, Denver, CO.
The Southwind Extension District 4-H Livestock Judging Team of Jillian Keller (Piqua), Brody Nemecek (Iola), Haydon Schaaf (Uniontown), and Clay Brillhart (Fort Scott) recently participated at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO. By the narrow margin of only one point, these youth were named Reserve National Champions to a team from Texas. They were selected as the only team to represent Kansas 4-H because they were the State Champion 4-H Livestock Judging Team in August, 2018. With 24 teams and 97 youth in the contest, this group had to work hard to receive national recognition.
In addition to being the second team overall, they were also 3rd in Reasons, 2nd in Sheep and 2nd in Goats. Individually results include: Brody Nemecek – 3rd in Swine and 8th Overall; Clay Brillhart – 4th in Hogs, 8th in Goats and 9th Overall; Jillian Keller – 2nd in Sheep and 2nd in Goats; Haydon Schaaf – 7th in Sheep and 8th in Reasons. The team continues to be coached by Carla Nemecek, Southwind District Director. John Emmerson, a former member of a Southwind team who participated at the National Western, served as Assistant Coach.
As a reward for their talents, the top two teams were awarded an invitation to compete internationally at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland and at the Charleville Show in the Republic of Ireland, June 19 – June 3, 2019. The contests are only a small piece of the international trip that will include agriculture seminars and opportunities to enhance leadership skills through interaction with the citizens of the UK and Ireland. The trip is limited to only nine American teams each year, and this is the first time a combined Southwind District team will participate. In 2005, a Neosho County 4-H team – Ryan Page, Trent Page, Clem Neely and Bailey Shaw were able to participate in the Scotland contest.
Although exciting for Southwind 4-H members, this opportunity comes with a price tag of about $6500 per person to attend. Fundraising efforts will soon be underway to send these youth on an international trip of a lifetime. Should you be interested in investing in this unique 4-H opportunity, please contact the Southwind Extension District at 620.365.2242.
