News

Full effects of tariffs still unknown despite rising prices

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

Shoppers are noticing higher prices at their local stores, and the effects could last for a while, according to experts.

“As everyone knows, prices are going up, and recent tariffs are to blame. From coffee to furniture, tariffs are forcing companies to raise their prices to offset the costs of tariffs, and shoppers are the ones paying the price,” OEC Group Sales Supervisor Joseph Firrincieli said. “Many companies rushed in inventory to beat the tariffs, but those supplies are now running out. Everything in regard to this trade war is changing on a pretty frequent basis, but the main trend I'm seeing is a lot of ups and downs when it comes to import volume – for example, if there's a suspension on a tariff that's set to expire on a certain date, we will then see a surge of imports because shippers will want to bring in as much as they can before the suspension is lifted and then things go back to whatever it's supposed to be. Then, once that happens, there's typically a lull in that activity and there won't be as many imports because shippers don't want to pay those tariffs. It's very dependent on the commodity and country of origin, but for the most part, imports seem to be going up when shippers are trying to take advantage of the lack of tariffs prior to any increase(s) that go through. I can't say there's any one thing in particular since there are so many, but with the initial 145-day suspension that was put in place, we saw a lot of imports there and shippers bringing in as much as possible before that was lifted. That's the main trend we're currently seeing, but things are changing so much that it's difficult to fully keep up with everything.”

K-State, DCCC collaboration grows Southwest Kansas bachelor’s access

K-State News & Communications Services

DODGE CITY and MANHATTAN. — Thanks to a new collaboration between two leaders in Kansas higher education, students in Dodge City and Southwest Kansas will have expanded access to the transformative power of a bachelor’s degree — all from the comfort and support of their hometown region.

Combining the breadth and depth of a traditional four-year university with the homegrown reach and accessibility of a two-year community college, DCCC and Kansas State University are teaming up to expand access to bachelor’s degree programs in agriculture and education.

“At Dodge City Community College, we are always looking for ways to better serve our students, and this program is a great example,” DCCC President Harold Nolte said. “By allowing our transfer students to stay in the community while completing their four-year degrees, we’re helping them save both time and money. And in many cases, they’ll also be able to continue working in our local economy as they finish their studies.”

Despite claims of cuts, county payroll up more than a quarter of a million

EARL WATT

• Leader & Times

Despite claims that Seward County has eliminated 18 positions to meet the requested mill levy rate, payroll report comparisons from 2024 to 2025 show that the total payroll expenses have increased by $261,406.93 through August of each year.

From Jan. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2024, Seward County spent a total of $7,932,115.40 on payroll according to records forced to be released by a Kansas Open Records Act demand.

Tips for enjoying the air show in Liberal Saturday

EARL WATT

• Leader & Times

The skies will be filled with aerobatics and displays of muscle Saturday when the AirFair returns for the first time since 2018.

There are some familiar perks, like free admission to the show and to the Mid-America Air Museum.

But there are also some new enhancements. For one, the City of Liberal will be providing shuttle service form 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each hour for guests who would like to leave their car at the AirFair but visit the Liberal Tourist Center, Coronado Museum, Dorothy’s House and the Land of Oz and the Baker Arts Center. Each hour, a shuttle bus will drive a loop to those locations, and visitors can check out Liberal’s other attractions and then return to the tarmac for the AirFair when the next shuttle returns each hour.

Class of ’85 returns

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

The Liberal High School Class of 1985 gathered last weekend not just to catch up with one another, but also to honor a recently lost classmate and start a new scholarship fund.

“In the first part of May was when we were planning our class reunion, and around that time was when we lost one of our classmates, Hector Rios, who died in a kayaking accident,” Class of 1985 member Tony Naab said. “He was a distance runner all his life, and they started the 1984-85 cross country team back to LHS because of him. He was not only a great athlete but also a great person. We decided, with him gone, to do a run dedicated to him and would use the money to go to the cross country team. It was great seeing everyone out at our reunion Saturday, it's been a long time since we've all been together. I know Hector was looking down on us and smiling at us all being together like that, I know he would have been here if he could.”