Keep in mind, this is a watch and not a warning. Our concern is that economic signals indicate a potential slowdown in tax receipts coming in to fuel the FY2009 budget year, which we are just starting. As with weather watches, conditions indicate the potential for a budget recision, but no such event has occurred. We just want you to be aware in the coming months that we will be watching the whole budget situation carefully and doing what we can in budget management to assure the least amount of disruption.

In response to this budget watch situation, we are slowing the process of refilling vacated positions on the campus and in our outlying research centers and area extension offices. That said, we are moving ahead on all vacant positions that are currently advertised in the system. County and District recruiting and filling of vacant positions remains unaffected at this time.

Should conditions change, we will keep you informed.

In the spirit of patriotism and independence, have a safe and enjoyable 4th of July holiday weekend. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu and Fred Cholick fcholick@ksu.edu

LEAVE RATES CHANGE FOR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES
The Kansas Board of Regents has approved new leave accrual rates for non-exempt and exempt classified employees. The implementation of these changes will take place in two phases.

The first phase, effective June 15, affects employees with more than 10 years of service. These employees will earn 6.7 hours of annual leave per pay period when in pay status for 80 hours. There will no longer be a distinction between 10 and 15 years of service.

The second phase, which goes into effect with fiscal year 2010, affects employees with more than five years but less than 10 years of service. These employees will earn 5.5 hours of annual leave per pay period when in pay status for 80 hours.

Annual leave accrual for employees with less than five years of service remains unchanged.

Non-exempt classified employees who report fewer than 80 hours in a pay period shall earn annual leave on a prorated basis.

The maximum annual leave accruals and payouts for classified employees will be similar to unclassified beginning June 15.

Maximum accruals will no longer be based on years of service. Classified employees may accrue up to 304 hours of annual leave.

Maximum leave payout upon termination will change to 176 hours. At retirement, an employee may receive payment for up to 240 hours of annual leave.

Additional information, including the prorated accrual chart, will be available soon in a revised Classified Employee Leaves PPM 4860. --Martha Monihen mmonihen@ksu.edu

ENHANCEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE W-4 TAX INFORMATION PAGE IN EMPLOYEE SELF-SERVICE
Employees may now update their State of Kansas K-4 marital status and withholding allowances for tax purposes along with their Federal W-4 marital status and withholding allowances.

To access the Employee Self-Service W-4 Tax Information page, log on to HRIS with EID and password. Click on Employee Self-Service, Payroll and Compensation, and W-4 Tax Information. The W-4 Tax Information page will display the employee's current W-4 and K-4 marital status and withholding allowances. Employees may make changes to both federal and state marital status and withholding allowances or federal or state only.

Employees who have tax withheld for a state other than Kansas will not be able to update the State portion of Employee Self-Service. These employees will need to contact the Payroll office at 785-532-6277 for additional instructions. Employees with non-resident alien status will continue to submit W-4 or K-4 paper forms.

For information regarding Employee Self-Service W-4 Tax Information, please contact Anna Carroll at 785-532-6277. --Martha Monihen mmonihen@ksu.edu

KSRE AWARD NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED
The K-State Research and Extension Awards Luncheon will be Tuesday, October 21. This is our annual opportunity to recognize outstanding colleagues. I encourage you to review the award categories below and nominate someone by Friday, August 8. Send nominations to me at 114 Waters Hall or e-mail them to Dorothy Doan at ddoan@ksu.edu .

BUILDER AWARDS - These awards recognize individuals who have exhibited extra energy and creativity over a number of years in building new programs, audiences or institutions within K-State Research and Extension.

Nominations should include the following:

1) Name, title, address and phone number of the nominee and nominator.
2) Maximum 2 page justification for the award.

DIVERSITY AWARD - K-State Research and Extension is committed to an emphasis on diversity in programming, workforce and relationships with other organizations. In order to recognize individuals who have embraced this vision, a Diversity Award will be presented.

Nominations should include the following:

1) Name, title, address and phone number of the nominee and nominator.
2) Maximum 2 page justification for the award.

TEAM AWARD - The Team Award acknowledges outstanding efforts by a group of individuals addressing one of the Core Mission Themes of K-State Research and Extension.

Nominations should include the following:

1) Name, title, address and phone number of the nominees and nominator.
2) Maximum 2 page justification for the award.

MENTORING AWARD - K-State Research and Extension faculty who have been employed for two years or less are encouraged to nominate a mentor who has helped them and others achieve higher performance and productivity.

One award will be presented to a county/district faculty mentor and one to an area/state faculty mentor.

Nominations should include the following:

1) Name, title, address and phone number of the nominee and nominator.
2) Maximum 2 page justification for the award.

COUNTY/DISTRICT OFFICE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Nominations should include the following:

1) Name, title, address and phone number of the nominee and nominator.
2) Maximum 2 page justification for the award to include special efforts and accomplishments for 2007. Include information about quality of work, productivity, initiative, creativity, adaptability, teamwork, cooperation, service orientation and attitude.

UNCLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR (for the College of Agriculture and all divisions of K-State Research and Extension on and off-campus).

Nominations should include the following:

1) Name, title, address and phone number of the nominee and nominator.
2) Maximum 2 page justification for the award to include special efforts and accomplishments. Include information about quality of work, productivity, initiative, creativity, adaptability, teamwork, cooperation, service orientation and attitude.

I look forward to receiving the nominations by Friday, August 8. --Fred Cholick fcholick@ksu.,edu

A BARN RAISING EVENT TO REBUILD KIOWA COUNTY 4-H LIVESTOCK PAVILION
Here's a fantastic opportunity for 4-H clubs, 4-H members and their families to be involved in a most unique community service project! Taking place September 4-7, 2008, will be a "Barn Raising" to rebuild the Kiowa County 4-H Livestock Pavilion at the county fair grounds.

What makes this project and event unique is that it has been selected by The New York Says Thank You Foundation as their annual re-building project to help others rebuild after a loss. Their projects are tackled by a volunteer corps that includes New York City firefighters and others who either survived the September 11, 2001 attack or were affected by it in some way.

The volunteer group also includes survivors from communities stricken by disasters and assisted by The New York Says Thank You Foundation on previous anniversaries of 9/11.

How can Kansas 4-H clubs, members and families get involved in this project? Funds, time and supplies will be needed by the 200+ volunteers to replace the 14,000 square-foot building in just 4 days. Tax-deductible contributions can be sent to the Kiowa County 4-H Show Barn, in care of the Kansas 4-H Foundation, 116 Umberger Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506. Contributions received prior to August 15th will be earmarked for building materials; contributions received after August 15 will be earmarked for the project at the discretion of the Kiowa County 4-H Council for internal amenities/needs, such as stalls, tables and chairs.

If interested in being involved in the hands-on aspect of the building of the structure, contact the Kiowa County Extension Office at 620-723-2156 or Kendal Lothman (deputy director for emergency management and long- term recovery in Kiowa County) at 620-723-4154. For more information pertaining to The New York Says Thank You Foundation, please visit their website at http://www.NewYorkSaysThankYou.org . Additional information can be found in the K-State Research & Extension news release titled: "Unexpected Partner to Help Greensburg, Kansas and Kiowa County Kids" (issued June 6). --Pat McNally pmcnally@ksu.edu

K-STATE IPM MINI-GRANT CALL FOR PROPOSALS ANNOUNCED
The K-State IPM Mini-Grant Call for Proposals has been distributed to all Agriculture College Departments, research farms and county/area extension offices. It is also available at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/pesticides-ipm/mini_grants_2008.htm .

These are small grant awards for small research projects, IPM implementation ideas or other IPM related work. There is a maximum of $8,000 which can be applied for on any one grant project. All applicants must have a tie to a K-State Primary Investigator contact.

If you have any questions regarding this grant program, please contact Sharon Dobesh at 785-532-4748 or sdobesh@ksu.edu .  --Sharon Dobesh

KYLF WORKSHOP PRESENTERS NEEDED
We still need workshop presenters for the Kansas Youth Leadership Forum in November. The Forum will be held at Rock Springs 4-H Center, near Junction City. Teens, ages 14-18, are the primary audience. We need one hour workshops focusing on some aspect of leadership. The workshops will be held Saturday, November 22, 2008 and will begin at 8:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Proposals are due to the State 4-H Office on July 15.

A letter with details and a proposal form can be found on the 4-H website, http://www.kansas4h.org/Events/KYLF/Default.htm . --Beth Hinshaw bhinshaw@ksu.edu

CONSERVATION IN ACTION TOUR: FIVE FARMS - FIVE INNOVATIVE FARM FAMILIES - CONSERVATION PRACTICES THAT WORK
The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) will host the 2008 Conservation in Action Tour 2008 on July 17 in central Indiana. In a day-long tour of outstanding farming operations in Central Indiana, tour participants will be introduced to successful farmers who have mastered innovative conservation practices in their profitable operations, meet with them one-on-one and learn from their experience.

Leaders in agriculture from Indiana, the Midwest and the nation will be on this tour to see first-hand the good work that Indiana farmers do for resources, the economy and their state. The $75 registration fee includes transportation and meals.

To learn more about the tour and to register online, visit www.conservationinformation.org/?action=events_events_ctictour08 . --Robert Wilson rmwilson@k-state.edu

FOUR PROJECTS RECEIVE FUNDS FROM K-STATE CENTER FOR ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Projects to improve rural schools, agro-tourism, local food networks and the state's work force all are beneficiaries of spring 2008 grants from the Center for Engagement and Community Development at Kansas State University.

"These incentive grants are intended to increase collaborations between the K-State campus and communities on public issues of need around Kansas and throughout the world," said David Procter, center director.

Projects receiving grants include:

* Technology-Enhanced Collaboration -- Schools and Teachers Engaged in Professional Development. This collaborative effort between the Center for Rural Education and Small Schools, two rural school districts and K-State faculty in the College of Education and College of Human Ecology will design, deliver and evaluate an on-line model of professional development for K-12 schools in rural Kansas.

* Biscuits and Bison: Great Plains Foodways Connection. Collaborators include the Department of hotel, restaurant, institutional management and dietetics; Hale Library; Geography; The Center on Aging; Sociology; and the Huck Boyd Institute for Rural Development. This project will develop the framework for a statewide organization to host events, develop archives, generate publications and sponsor research while celebrating the state's food heritage and its contributions to the American culinary tapestry. 

 * Transportation Network Development: Leaping the Hurdles for Local Foods Markets in the Kansas River Valley. The project will address transportation for local food distribution by quantifying current transportation of local foods and identifying gaps and opportunities. The project will be guided by faculty from Agricultural Economics, and is designed to engage K-State faculty and students, the Kansas Rural Center, local producers and economic development personnel, as well as institutional buyers of local foods.

* Matchmaking Made Easy: Helping Jobs, Young Workers and Trainers Find Each Other. Centered in K-State's Division of Continuing Education, this project is bringing together postsecondary educators, trainers, high school counselors, parents and employers in a pilot program to improve postsecondary choices for high school graduates and adult workers. A central goal is to identify and remove real or imagined barriers that prevent individual graduates from finding and entering a suitable educational path. Participants include the Division of Continuing Education, K-State at Salina, Highland Community College, Northeast Kansas Area Technical College and the K-State department of special education, counseling and student affairs.

MARKETING MINUTE: CAN WEB 2.0 HELP YOU?
Web 2.0 is one of the many techno buzzwords being used today, and a concept that could be important to K-State Research and Extension local agents. Web 2.0 is a trend in web design and development that provides the second generation of

* web-based communities (such as blogs and wikis);
* web services (such as RSS, and Web Search and Atom feeds); and
* applications (such as content management systems, and workflow management).

You've probably heard of several of these technologies already, as part of K-State Research and Extension's move to content management-driven Websites.

For local K-State Research and Extension agents, new technologies in Web 2.0 allow you to collaborate with peers more easily, share information with other Web users, and facilitate online creativity.

Web 2.0 can help agents more easily gather information they need, with input from many; and that information can be easily sent to people who need it.

Learn more about Web 2.0 by visiting the K-State Research and Extension marketing blog at http://ksremarketingminute.blogspot.com/ . --Neal Wollenberg nealw@ksu.edu

JUNE EXTENSION AGENT PERSONNEL CHANGES
Rhonda Gordon, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent in Lyon County, began employment on June 1, 2008. Rhonda was previously the Family Nutrition Program Assistant in Lyon County. Her e-mail address is rgordon@ksu.edu .

Jamie Rathbun, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent in Ellsworth County, began employment on June 1, 2008. Her e-mail address is jrathbun@ksu.edu .

Allison AAlli@ Burns, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent in Dickinson County, transferred from Phillips-Rooks District on June 1, 2008.

Mark Schuler, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent in Linn County, ended employment effective 06/30/2008. --Stacey Warner swarner@ksu.edu

COMING IN JUNE 2009 - NATIONAL FESTIVAL OF BREADS BAKING COMPETITION
The Kansas Wheat Commission, the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, and contest title sponsor King Arthur Flour, will host the first National Festival of Breads Baking Competition, June 15-17, 2009 at the Wichita Airport Hilton, Wichita, Kansas. Please visit www.kansaswheat.org  or www.kingarthurflour.com  later this summer for contest information. --Cindy Falk, Nutritionist, Kansas Wheat Commission, 785-539-0255

Tuesday, July 8 through Saturday, July 12, 2008 in Concordia, Cloud County Fair, Patricia Gerhardt pgerhard@ksu.edu  or Todd Whitney twhitney@ksu.edu

Wednesday, July 9 through Saturday, July 12, 2008 in Cheney, Sedgwick County Fair, Jodi Besthorn besthorn@ksu.edu , Eric Otte eotte@ksu.edu , Beth Drescher drescher@ksu.edu

Wednesday, July 9 through Sunday, July 13, 2008 in Great Bend, Barton County Fair, Berny Unruh bunruh@ksu.edu

Wednesday, July 9 through Sunday, July 13, 2008 in Dighton, Lane County Free Fair, Connie Bretz cbretz@ksu.edu

Thursday, July 10 in Hiawatha, SHICK Medicare Insurance Training, Day 4 only – NE KS AAA, Carol Young cyoung@ksu.edu

Thursday, July 10 through Saturday, July 12, 2008 in Herington, Tri-County Free Fair

Thursday, July 10 through Friday, July 18, 2008 in Lyons, Rice County Fair, Lori Shoemaker lshoemak@ksu.edu

Thursday, July 10 through Saturday, July 19, 2008 in Coldwater, Comanche County Fair, Janice St. Clair  jstclair@ksu.edu or Michael Deewall mdeewall@ksu.edu  

Friday, July 11 through Tuesday, July 15, 2008 in Jetmore, 2008 Hodgeman County Fair, DeWayne Craghead dcraghea@ksu.edu

Saturday, July 12 through Saturday, July 19, 2008 in Hays, Ellis County Fair, Susan Schlichting sschlich@ksu.edu

Sunday, July 13 through Wednesday, July 16, 2008 in Spokane, Washington, Association of Leadership Educators Annual Conference, Robert Wilson rwilson@agecon.ksu.edu

Sunday, July 13 through Wednesday, July 16, 2008 in Osage City, Osage County Fair, Mary Richmond frichmon@ksu.edu  or Rodney Schaub rschaub@ksu.edu

Tuesday, July 15 and Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at the North Agronomy Farm, Manhattan, Crop Diagnostic Schools, Kraig Roozeboom kraig@ksu.edu

Tuesday, July 15 through Friday, July 18, 2008 at Horton, Brown County Free Fair, Suzanne Folks sfolks@ksu.edu

Tuesday, July 15 through Saturday, July 19, 2008 in Greensboro, NC, NACAA Annual Mtg/Prof Improvement Conference, Chuck Otte cotte@ksu.edu

Tuesday, July 15 through Saturday, July 19, 2008 in Minneapolis, Ottawa County Fair, Peg Condray pcondray@ksu.edu  or Ronald Seyfert rseyfert@ksu.edu

Wednesday, July 16 and Thursday, July 17, 2008 in Hays, SHICK Medicare Insurance Training, Days 1 & 2 – NW KS AAA, Carol Young cyoung@ksu.edu

Wednesday, July 16 through Saturday, July 19, 2008 in Sylvan Grove, Lincoln County Fair, Aliesa Woods awoods@ksu.edu

Wednesday, July 16 through Sunday, July 20, 2008 in Scott City, Scott County Free Fair, John Beckman jbeckman@ksu.edu  or Carol Ann Crouch ccrouch@ksu.edu