It’s a busy time for farmers in Kansas, with harvest underway, and hay season in full swing. The Kansas Highway Patrol is reminding motorists to use more caution and patience when traveling around farm trucks, tractors, combines, and other implements.

“As the busy farming season is underway, each traveler in Kansas needs to be more aware of increased farm implement and truck traffic,” said Lieutenant Adam Winters, KHP public information officer. “In Kansas we have many trucks exiting and entering the roadways at any given time. Traveling around these vehicles requires extra caution.”

Most farm equipment is not designed to travel at highway speeds, and may only travel 15-25 mph. Farm equipment is often wider than the lane of traffic, so extra room should be allowed when sharing the road. Caution should be practiced on all roads, but especially on busy rural roads with unmarked intersections.

Preliminary statistics indicate that statewide in 2017, there were 118 crashes involving farm equipment. In those 118 crashes, three people were killed, and 41 people were injured. Already this year, preliminary statistics indicate there have been 23 crashes, with nine people injured.

Tips to keep in mind:

East Central Kansas Economic Opportunity Corporation will begin accepting school supply applications on June 25 for the 2018-2019 academic year. Jones Trust in Emporia has accepted ECKAN’s request for a school supply grant.

Applications can be submitted 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. June 25, 26, 27 and 29, and July 2, 3, 5, and 6, at the Osage County ECKAN Center, 530 Holliday St, Osage City.

Recipients of the school supply grants are required to be a resident of Osage County and must fall at or below 200 percent of poverty level.

Applications are available only at the Osage County ECKAN Center. For more information, contact the Osage County ECKAN Center at 785-528-5184.

The Friends of the Osage City Public Library will host “The Kansas City Monarchs in Your Hometown,” a presentation and discussion by Phil S. Dixon, at 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 20, 2018, at the Osage City Public Library community room, 515 Main St., Osage City. Members of the community are invited to attend the free program.

Formed in 1920, the Kansas City Monarchs revolutionized baseball: not only were they charter members of the Negro National League and the first professional team to use outdoor lighting, the Monarchs also sent more players to the major leagues than any other Negro League franchise. This presentation will explore the early barnstorming days of the Monarchs and highlight great players such as Wilbur “Bullet” Rogan, Satchel Paige, and Jackie Robinson.

A 1929 game scorecard gives the account of a game between the Lyndon team and the K.C. Monarchs. Graphic from Osage County Historical Society.

Have you ever wondered what there is to do in Kansas? You can find out at a special presentation at the Lyndon Carnegie Library. Author Marci Penner will be here to show some of the extraordinary places in Kansas.

The presentation will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 21, 2018, in the Lyndon Library basement.

Penner has authored and co-authored The Kansas Guidebook and 8 Wonders of Kansas among just a few. For more information, see www.kansassampler.org

For more information about this event or the Lyndon Library, stop by the library at 127 E. Sixth St., Lyndon, or call 785-828-4520.

Sexual assault is never the victim’s fault – how a person dresses, how much they drink or who they kiss does not matter. However, many times these are questions asked of survivors of sexual assault. SOS believes that any kind of abuse is unacceptable and that everyone deserves to feel safe wherever they are, including at bars. SOS collaborates with community partners to educate and reduce violence in Chase, Coffey, Greenwood, Morris, Lyon and Osage counties.

SOS’s newest partnership is “SOS Safe Bar” – working with local bars to help them know what to do when they witness alarming behaviors in their establishment, and help to keep their staff and customers safer from predatory behavior, sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Most people are told to watch out for date rape drugs like GHB and rohypnol while out and about, but alcohol is most often the substance used to perpetrate sexual violence. SOS hopes that Safe Bars will allow people to socialize in bars without the stress of predators bothering them, and with the relief of knowing their bartender has been trained by SOS to help prevent sexual assault.