Paul Higgs, UCL

Continued drought conditions experienced across much of the State last week had diminished water supplies for both irrigated crops and livestock, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Western and Central Districts received some isolated rainstorms, however western and southern counties remained in extreme to exceptional drought status. Large fires continued to burn in western and southern Colorado.

Congressman Ken Buck (CO-04) announced the names of the 10 students he nominated from Colorado’s 4th Congressional District who have received appointments to the U.S. service academies. Of the 10, four will attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, two will attend the Merchant Marine Academy, one will attend the Naval Academy, and three will attend West Point. Each of these candidates has been appointed for their superior academic and athletic achievements as well as their commitment to public service in their communities.

Now is the time to prepare for the high temperatures that kill hundreds of people every year. Extreme heat causes more than 600 deaths each year. Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable, yet many people still die from extreme heat every year.

Take measures to stay cool, remain hydrated, and keep informed. Getting too hot can make you sick. You can become ill from the heat if your body can’t compensate for it and properly cool you off. The main things affecting your body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather are:

Charles Emmert, Jr.

September 5, 1945 – July 7, 2018

Charles Herbert Emmert, Jr., 72, of Kit Carson, passed away July 7, 2018 in Kit Carson.

Graveside funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at the Kit Carson cemetery with the Pastor Lane Gooden of Praise Community Church officiating.  

A fairly quiet week for news. Everyone is busy with harvesting. Another week will finish most of it. Hope everyone had a safe and bountiful harvest.

Our son, Mark, returned home today, Sunday. He had basketball team camps to help with this coming week. Kyle went home with his dad to spend a couple weeks with his family. Sure is quiet around here.

The Huddleston clan will be gathering this coming weekend in Tribune, Kansas, for our annual family reunion. Our cousins, Jerry and Joyce Huddleston, are hosting the event this year.

Dear EarthTalk: As a member of Joe Public, is it possible to monitor pesticide levels when my neighboring farmer sprays his fields? I have wild bees and am concerned that they are being affected. -- Mickey Proctor, Ames, IA

“People look at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”. 1 Samuel 16:7

It is true that we humans tend to look at the way a person looks on the surface, and we do not take time to see the inner beauty of people around us. We don’t always value what God values, but if we did, we might find a treasure!

During the 2017 disaster season, three severe hurricanes devastated large parts of the U.S.

The quick succession of major disasters made it obvious that such large-scale emergencies can be a strain, even in one of the world’s richest countries.