The 2020 Best of Craft Beer Awards took place February 7-9 in Bend, Oregon and featured over 2,200 entries by 375 breweries from 49 different states, provinces and countries. Lb. Brewing Co., located 117 E. 11th, earned gold for the British-Style Imperial Stout category with Lb.’s Roughneck Imperial Stout and bronze for the English- Style Brown Ale category with Lb.’s Brownell Brown. Vetted brewers, certified judges (BJCP) and industry professionals selected the winners in this annual, private competition dedicated to celebrating and promoting the best of the best in brewing. The latest honors raise Lb. Brewing Co.’s award count to 13 as the brewery and restaurant, Gella’s Diner, prepare to celebrate fifteen years in downtown Hays. These are the first medals from the Best of Craft Beer Awards. Previous awards earned came from the World Lupulin Challenge, World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival, which included Lb. Brewing Co. being named Brewery of the Year in 2013.

A group of young producers from across the state met in Topeka February 18-19 for the first installment of the 2020 Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) Young Stockmen’s Academy (YSA). Merck Animal Health is again partnering with the association to host these members for an in-depth look into KLA and the beef industry. The class of 20 will participate in four seminars throughout the year, which will be held in various locations across the state.

FIFTH-GRADE WINNERS in the Rooks County Conservation District annual poster contest were (from left): Camille Lowry, 1st, Stockton Grade School; Blaire Beougher, 2nd, Stockton Grade School; and Reid Stamper, 4th place, Plainville Elementary. Not pictured is Jayanna Creighton, 3rd place, Stockton Grade School.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced February 19th that the U.S. Department of Transpor tation will award $20.05 million in airport safety and infrastructure grants to 27 airports in Kansas, one of which includes Rooks County Regional Airport in the amount of $349,000 to acquire snow removal equipment. This investment in Kansas’ airports is part of a $520.5 million national investment in America’s airports that Secretary Chao. was announced today by

The council of the city of Woodston met in the council chamber at the city hall on February 10, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.

AMAZING GRACE. As the Lord Jesus said in John 17:17, "Thy Word is truth." Because God's Word is truth, it's incumbent upon us that we strive to understand God's truth rightly. Even so, there are still a few areas of doctrine where genuine Christians might disagree, e.g. the End Times. However, one area where all genuine Christians should be on the same page is when it comes to being thankful. Paul often thanked God for the "heart surgery" that He performed on many pure pagans throughout the Roman empire in bringing them to life-changing faith in Jesus Christ. And with good reason! People in the Roman Empire were commonly consumed with many sins. They certainly trusted in and worshipped dozens of imaginary, lifeless gods and goddesses. Concerning this, Paul wrote, "Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image made like corruptible man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts" (Rom. 1:22-24). Paul also listed out some of the life-consuming sins which were practiced throughout the Roman culture when he told the Corinthians, "Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you" (1 Cor. 6:10-11). It's no wonder that Paul thanked God for His amazing grace that can save and transform even those consumed by such dark sins when they humbly trusted in the One who loved them and gave Himself for their sins. The same is still true today. Paul's statement, "And such were some of you" speaks of all who have come to genuine faith in Jesus in our day. Sin consumed us and controlled us, but Calvary changed us and placed our feet on the Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ! Amazing grace, indeed!

Stockton USD 271 will be offering early childhood opportunities for children three to five years of age for the 2020-2021 school year.

SAVING FAITH. Everyone in the world has one thing in common. We all have faith. For example, who opens a can of food and has it analyzed to make sure it's safe? No one! We just open it up with full faith that it's ok to eat. We do the same at our favorite burger joint. We unwrap the sandwich and inhale it. People in China recently had full faith that the exotic animals sold in their marketplaces were safe to eat, but we all know how that's turned out with the Coronavirus now spreading across the planet. Of course, this kind of universal faith has nothing to do with the faith that God gives to those who trust the Lord Jesus Christ. We call that faith "Saving Faith." What's vital to understand is that Saving Faith is not faith in ourselves to merit God's favor but absolute, dependent faith upon Jesus who died in our place. Also, Saving Faith always leads to Living Faith. For instance, way back in time, Noah had Saving Faith in the coming Messiah and therefore found grace in God's eyes. Despite the fact he had never seen rain, and though he had never seen a flood, yet, "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household" (Heb. 11:7). His Saving Faith led him to live out his faith. Abraham also had Saving Faith in the Promised Messiah and God told him to pack up and start walking, "And he went out, not knowing where he was going" (Heb. 11:8). He put feet to his Saving Faith and responded with obedience. The same is true of David. As just a teenager, he had Saving Faith and so went against Goliath saying, "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand...that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel." All real McCoy Christians are no different. God opened our hearts to our utter sinfulness and gave us genuine Saving Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The result? We live out our faith by God's grace and for His glory!

Planning for the future is vital and families must take steps to ensure assets for the next generation. To support Kansas families through the process, K-State Research and Extension is partnering with the Small Business Development Center at Fort Hays State University to host the program, “Thriving Across Generations: Succession Planning in Rural Kansas” on Wednesday, March 11 from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. Registration will begin at 5:00 p.m. The event will be at the Fort Hays State University Memorial Union, 700 College Drive in Hays.