By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancher

The saying “April showers bring May flowers” is what runs through my mind every spring. It’s a saying that has held true for almost every year I have lived on our Kansas farm.&nbsp; &nbsp; Like clockwork, the crocus and daffodils are the first to appear followed by my tulips, lilacs and peonies. Add in the fruit trees blooming and you have a beautiful spring floral assortment.&nbsp; &nbsp; Generally, by the time my peonies and lilacs bloom, I can’t help but attempt to capture the aromas and beauty by arranging cuttings of these flowers into a table-top display to be enjoyed in my kitchen as a precursor of June’s wheat harvest. &nbsp; However, this year’s blooms never went on display to be enjoyed at my kitchen table. The sweet smells from one of my lilacs have been enjoyed only when I walk up to the bush and bring my nose close to the smaller-than-normal white blooms. &nbsp; I’m still waiting on my peonies to appear. Like normal, the plant has grown and buds have formed; but as I’ve kept watch over this plant anticipating its May bloom, I’ve been left wondering if we’ve somehow missed the last step and the flowers will not come this year. &nbsp; Perhaps it is just a little late to bloom this year, but I can’t help but wonder if the delay of my peonies and stunted lilacs are signs of what our wheat harvest will look like. &nbsp; It’s no secret that we experienced an incredibly dry 2022. The drought stressed our crops, stressed our water sources and stressed us. We had hoped for a wet winter, but instead it remained mild. It feels as if the first five months of 2023 is a continuation of last year’s drought.&nbsp; &nbsp; The ponds in our pastures, which would normally be filled by now, are totally dry. We’ve been watching our wheat slowly grow. We hesitated to begin the spring planting of our fall crops in hopes it would rain; and when we did begin planting, we planted the seeds deeper than we’ve ever planted them to ensure they had some moisture to begin their growth.&nbsp; &nbsp; My husband has always half-joked that when a farmer prays for rain, there’s more people praying for the opposite. He’s probably right. After all, people have parades, picnics, car shows, golf outings, garage sales, field trips and weekend plans that call for nice, sunny days to be enjoyed in the spring.&nbsp; &nbsp; Even though my prayers for rain might be outnumbered, I will continue to pray for it multiple times daily.&nbsp; &nbsp; I generally keep my daily prayers between God and myself, but like many other farmers, I’m openly calling for others to join me in our request. &nbsp; Please Lord, let it rain.

&nbsp;"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;Copyright © 2023 Kansas Farm Bureau, All rights reserved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin. Photo courtesy Kansas Farm Bureau&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin. Photo courtesy Kansas Farm Bureau&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancherThe saying “April showers bring May flowers” is what runs through my mind every spring. It’s a saying that has held true for almost every year I have lived on our Kansas farm.&nbsp; &nbsp; Like clockwork, the crocus and daffodils are the first to appear followed by my tulips, lilacs and peonies. Add in the fruit trees blooming and you have a beautiful spring floral assortment.&nbsp; &nbsp; Generally, by the time my peonies and lilacs bloom, I can’t help but attempt to capture the aromas and beauty by arranging cuttings of these flowers into a table-top display to be enjoyed in my kitchen as a precursor of June’s wheat harvest. &nbsp; However, this year’s blooms never went on display to be enjoyed at my kitchen table. The sweet smells from one of my lilacs have been enjoyed only when I walk up to the bush and bring my nose close to the smaller-than-normal white blooms. &nbsp; I’m still waiting on my peonies to appear. Like normal, the plant has grown and buds have formed; but as I’ve kept watch over this plant anticipating its May bloom, I’ve been left wondering if we’ve somehow missed the last step and the flowers will not come this year. &nbsp; Perhaps it is just a little late to bloom this year, but I can’t help but wonder if the delay of my peonies and stunted lilacs are signs of what our wheat harvest will look like. &nbsp; It’s no secret that we experienced an incredibly dry 2022. The drought stressed our crops, stressed our water sources and stressed us. We had hoped for a wet winter, but instead it remained mild. It feels as if the first five months of 2023 is a continuation of last year’s drought.&nbsp; &nbsp; The ponds in our pastures, which would normally be filled by now, are totally dry. We’ve been watching our wheat slowly grow. We hesitated to begin the spring planting of our fall crops in hopes it would rain; and when we did begin planting, we planted the seeds deeper than we’ve ever planted them to ensure they had some moisture to begin their growth.&nbsp; &nbsp; My husband has always half-joked that when a farmer prays for rain, there’s more people praying for the opposite. He’s probably right. After all, people have parades, picnics, car shows, golf outings, garage sales, field trips and weekend plans that call for nice, sunny days to be enjoyed in the spring.&nbsp; &nbsp; Even though my prayers for rain might be outnumbered, I will continue to pray for it multiple times daily.&nbsp; &nbsp; I generally keep my daily prayers between God and myself, but like many other farmers, I’m openly calling for others to join me in our request. &nbsp; Please Lord, let it rain.&nbsp;"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;Copyright © 2023 Kansas Farm Bureau, All rights reserved.

INSIGHT: Let it rain

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.growhays.com/" target="_blank">Grow Hays</a> executive director Doug Williams shares updates on area projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.growhays.com/" target="_blank">Grow Hays</a> executive director Doug Williams shares updates on area projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Grow Hays director shares area project updates" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ch9rf-1408cd7-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎙 Post Podcast: Grow Hays director shares area project updates

By ZACHARY ROTH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

A top Republican election lawyer recently caused a stir when she told GOP donors that the party should work to make it harder for college students to vote in key states.

But the comments from Cleta Mitchell, who worked closely with then-President Donald Trump to try to overturn the 2020 election, are perhaps less surprising than they seem.&nbsp;

They follow numerous efforts in recent years by Republican lawmakers across the country to restrict voting by college students, a group that leans Democratic. And they come at a time when the youth vote has been surging.

At an April 15 retreat for donors to the Republican National Committee, Mitchell, a leader in the broader conservative push to impose new voting restrictions, called on her party to find ways to tighten the rules for student voting in several battleground states.

Mitchell’s comments were first&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/lawindsor/status/1649075730687352833">posted online</a>&nbsp;by the independent progressive journalist Lauren Windsor.

With Republicans now enjoying veto-proof majorities in both of North Carolina’s chambers, Mitchell said, the party has a chance to crack down on voting by students there.&nbsp;

“We need to be looking at, what are these college campus locations and polling, what is this young people effort that (Democrats) do?” said Mitchell. “They basically put the polling place next to the student dorm, so they just have to roll out of bed, vote, and go back to bed.”&nbsp;

“And we need to build strong election integrity task forces in those counties,” Mitchell added, naming Durham, Wake, and Mecklenburg counties — all of which are Democratic strongholds and are home to large colleges.

The Election Integrity Network, which Mitchell chairs, works to build what it calls Election Integrity Task Forces, in which volunteers aim to root out fraud and illegal voting.

Mitchell also lamented that in Wisconsin and Michigan, both of which offer same-day voter registration, polling sites are located on campuses, making it easy for students to register and vote in one trip.&nbsp;

“So they’ve registered them in one line, and then they vote them in the second line,” Mitchell said.

“Wisconsin is a big problem, because of the polling locations on college campuses,” Mitchell continued. “Their goal for the Supreme Court race was to turn out 240,000 college students in that Supreme Court race. And we don’t have anything like that, and we need to figure out how to do that, and how to combat that.”

The recent race for a seat on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, which was won by the liberal candidate backed by Democrats, saw&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/11/wisconsin-liberal-youth-vote/">record campus turnout</a>.

Mitchell also brought up New Hampshire, which has a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.asumag.com/research/top-10s/article/20856007/states-with-most-college-students-as-a-percentage-of-population">higher share</a>&nbsp;of college students than any other state, as well as statewide elections that are often decided by just a few thousand votes, The Granite State has seen a series of efforts in recent years to impose stricter rules for student voting, despite no evidence of illegal voting by students.&nbsp;

“I just talked to Governor Sununu, and asked him about the college student voting issue that has been a problem,” Mitchell said, referring to the state’s Republican governor, Chris Sununu.&nbsp;

“He thinks it’s fixed. We just need to have an active task force to make sure it’s fixed, and do our look back about whether or not they did go back and make sure those college students who presented, who said they were residents, really were.”

Finally, Mitchell falsely claimed that, thanks to President Joe Biden, people who apply for federal student loan aid are required to fill out a voter registration form.&nbsp;

A White House executive order does&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-agencies-lag-registering-voters-despite-biden-executive-order-advocates-say">urge</a>&nbsp;federal agencies, including the Department of Education, to offer voter registration opportunities. But&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://electionlawblog.org/?p=135773">no one is required to register</a>.

Mitchell’s remarks weren’t focused only on student voting.&nbsp;

She also declared that if Republicans win full control of Virginia state government this year, they should eliminate early voting and same-day registration in the state. And she&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/lawindsor/status/1650499628809302016">said</a>&nbsp;that any group “that’s got democracy in their name — those are not friends of ours.”

But the comments about voting by college students deserve particular scrutiny because of an ongoing multi-state push to tighten the rules for student voters — including by banning student IDs for voting.&nbsp;

Mike Burns, the national director for the Campus Vote Project, which works as an arm of the nonpartisan Fair Elections Center to expand access to voting for college students, said the tens of millions of students enrolled in higher education across the country already face a unique set of hurdles in casting a ballot: They’re less likely than other voters to have a driver’s license or utility bill to use as ID; they’re less likely to have a car to get to an off-campus polling site; and they often move each year, requiring them to go through the registration process anew each time.

Few states, Burns added, design their election systems to address these challenges. Despite Mitchell’s fear about students rolling out of bed to vote, a 2022 Duke University&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.campusvoteproject.org/post/mtv-partners-with-campus-vote-project-on-early-vote-program">study</a>&nbsp;that looked at 35 states found that nearly three quarters of colleges did not have voting sites on campus.

Given this backdrop, “it’s just that much more exasperating,” Burns said, “to hear someone talk about intentionally trying to make that even harder, and to do it for political reasons.”

The issue of student voting has flared lately thanks to a recent surge in the youth vote. The midterm elections of 2018 and 2022&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2022/11/10/1135810302/turnout-among-young-voters-was-the-second-highest-for-a-midterm-in-past-30-years">saw</a>&nbsp;the two highest turnout rates for voters younger than 30 in the last three decades.&nbsp;And in 2020, half of all eligible voters younger than 30 turned out, a stunning&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2021/04/30/analysis-youth-voter-turnout-rose-substantially-2020">11-point increase&nbsp;</a>from 2016.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2021/04/30/analysis-youth-voter-turnout-rose-substantially-2020">&nbsp;</a>

In 2018, those voters&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/06/30/behind-bidens-2020-victory/">went for</a>&nbsp;Democratic candidates by a 49-point margin, and in 2020 they went for Biden over Trump by 24 points — making them easily the most Democratic-leaning age group in both years.

That’s spurred Republican legislators to take action. This year alone, three GOP-controlled states — Missouri, Montana, and Idaho — have tightened their voter ID laws to remove student IDs from the list of documents voters can use to prove their identity.&nbsp;

Montana’s law was struck down as a violation of the state constitution. Idaho’s is being&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/LOWV-student-id-idaho.pdf">challenged</a>&nbsp;in court by voting rights groups.

One of the Idaho bill’s backers, state Rep. Tina Lambert,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2023/01/30/idaho-republicans-push-another-new-bill-to-outlaw-the-use-of-student-ids-in-elections/">said</a>&nbsp;she was concerned that students from neighboring Oregon or Washington might use their student IDs to vote in Idaho, then also vote in their home state. In fact, there has not been a single instance of fraud linked to student IDs in the state.

Idaho saw a 66 percent increase in registration by 18- and 19-year-olds between November 2018 and September 2022, by far the highest in the country, a Tufts University study&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/youth-voter-registration-has-surpassed-2018-levels-many-states-its-lagging-youngest">found</a>.<a target="_blank" href="https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/youth-voter-registration-has-surpassed-2018-levels-many-states-its-lagging-youngest">&nbsp;</a>

A fourth state, Ohio, passed a strict voter ID law with a similar impact. Ohio doesn’t allow student IDs for voting, but previously it did allow utility bills. So colleges would issue students zero-dollar utility bills to be used for voter ID purposes. The new law, which is also being challenged in court, eliminates that option by requiring a photo ID.

In Texas, where growing numbers of young and non-white voters threaten to upend the state’s politics, one Republican bill introduced this session would ban polling places on college campuses. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Carrie Isaac, has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/bill-ban-voting-college-campuses-texas-legislature/">described</a>&nbsp;it as a safety measure aimed at keeping outsiders off campus since campus polling places also serve the wider voting public.

Voter advocates charged in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021.06.22_-TX-SB-1111_-Complaint-FILED-wm.pdf">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;that a 2021 Texas law establishing strict residency requirements would particularly burden college students, by preventing them from registering at their prior home address when they temporarily move away for college. A federal judge last year struck down much of the law, but the decision was reversed on appeal.

Efforts to make it difficult for students and other young people to vote are almost as old as the 26th Amendment, which went into effect in 1971, enfranchising Americans aged 18 to 20.&nbsp;

In one Texas county with a large, historically Black university, the chief voting official responded to the measure by requiring students to answer questions about their employment status and property ownership, before being stopped by a federal court in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/439/1105/">key ruling</a>&nbsp;for student voting rights.

Following the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision weakening the Voting Rights Act, Texas imposed a voter ID law that didn’t allow student IDs, even those from state universities, though it did include handgun licenses. And North Carolina passed a sweeping 2013 voting law that, among other steps, ended pre-registration of high-school students.&nbsp;

Two years earlier, Wisconsin passed a voter ID law that does allow student IDs from state universities but mandates that the ID have an expiration date and have been issued within the last two years — requirements that many student IDs don’t meet. Though some colleges have created special voter IDs, advocates say the issue still generates significant confusion among students.

New Hampshire has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-people-no-roth">often</a>&nbsp;been a hotspot for efforts to restrict student voting. Backers of these efforts have at times argued that students don’t have as much stake in the community as other voters, since they might not stick around after college.

A 2021 bill that died in committee would have barred students from using their campus addresses to register. “People who go to college in New Hampshire, unless they are really bona fide permanent residents … should vote by absentee ballot in their home states,” the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Norman Silver,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2022/12/30/college-students-push-to-ease-voting-access-after-midterm-barriers/">told</a>&nbsp;Stateline. “It’s a matter of simple equity.”

Back in 2011, Rep. William O’Brien, then the House speaker and advocating for a bill to tighten residency requirements, was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/nh-gop-seeks-to-disenfranchise-students-who-just-vote-their-feelings-video">even blunter</a>.&nbsp;

“They go into these general elections, they’ll have 900 same-day registrations, which are the kids coming out of the schools and basically doing what I did when I was a kid, which is voting as a liberal,” O’Brien said. “That’s what kids do. They don’t have life experience, and they just vote their feelings and they’re taking away the towns’ ability to govern themselves. It’s not fair.”

Burns, of the Campus Vote Project, said that kind of sentiment not only runs counter to the purpose of the 26th Amendment but to any notion of voting as a civic good.&nbsp;

This is a formative process,” said Burns. “We know from research that if people start to vote at a younger age, they will stay involved. It puts them on a trajectory of being more involved in civic life for the rest of their life, and I think that’s a good thing.”

“Every community is better when more people have their voices heard. And that includes young people,” Burns added. “So regardless of who someone’s going to vote for, we think they should have equal access.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683664113362.jpeg" alt="Anja Bartels, left, and Melanie Cervantes stop at a League of Women Voters of Topeka and Shawnee County voter registration booth Aug. 30, 2022, on the campus lawn. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Anja Bartels, left, and Melanie Cervantes stop at a League of Women Voters of Topeka and Shawnee County voter registration booth Aug. 30, 2022, on the campus lawn. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ZACHARY ROTH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>A top Republican election lawyer recently caused a stir when she told GOP donors that the party should work to make it harder for college students to vote in key states.But the comments from Cleta Mitchell, who worked closely with then-President Donald Trump to try to overturn the 2020 election, are perhaps less surprising than they seem.&nbsp;They follow numerous efforts in recent years by Republican lawmakers across the country to restrict voting by college students, a group that leans Democratic. And they come at a time when the youth vote has been surging.At an April 15 retreat for donors to the Republican National Committee, Mitchell, a leader in the broader conservative push to impose new voting restrictions, called on her party to find ways to tighten the rules for student voting in several battleground states.Mitchell’s comments were first&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/lawindsor/status/1649075730687352833">posted online</a>&nbsp;by the independent progressive journalist Lauren Windsor.With Republicans now enjoying veto-proof majorities in both of North Carolina’s chambers, Mitchell said, the party has a chance to crack down on voting by students there.&nbsp;“We need to be looking at, what are these college campus locations and polling, what is this young people effort that (Democrats) do?” said Mitchell. “They basically put the polling place next to the student dorm, so they just have to roll out of bed, vote, and go back to bed.”&nbsp;“And we need to build strong election integrity task forces in those counties,” Mitchell added, naming Durham, Wake, and Mecklenburg counties — all of which are Democratic strongholds and are home to large colleges.<h2>Wisconsin ‘is a big problem’</h2>The Election Integrity Network, which Mitchell chairs, works to build what it calls Election Integrity Task Forces, in which volunteers aim to root out fraud and illegal voting.Mitchell also lamented that in Wisconsin and Michigan, both of which offer same-day voter registration, polling sites are located on campuses, making it easy for students to register and vote in one trip.&nbsp;“So they’ve registered them in one line, and then they vote them in the second line,” Mitchell said.“Wisconsin is a big problem, because of the polling locations on college campuses,” Mitchell continued. “Their goal for the Supreme Court race was to turn out 240,000 college students in that Supreme Court race. And we don’t have anything like that, and we need to figure out how to do that, and how to combat that.”The recent race for a seat on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, which was won by the liberal candidate backed by Democrats, saw&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/11/wisconsin-liberal-youth-vote/">record campus turnout</a>.Mitchell also brought up New Hampshire, which has a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.asumag.com/research/top-10s/article/20856007/states-with-most-college-students-as-a-percentage-of-population">higher share</a>&nbsp;of college students than any other state, as well as statewide elections that are often decided by just a few thousand votes, The Granite State has seen a series of efforts in recent years to impose stricter rules for student voting, despite no evidence of illegal voting by students.&nbsp;“I just talked to Governor Sununu, and asked him about the college student voting issue that has been a problem,” Mitchell said, referring to the state’s Republican governor, Chris Sununu.&nbsp;“He thinks it’s fixed. We just need to have an active task force to make sure it’s fixed, and do our look back about whether or not they did go back and make sure those college students who presented, who said they were residents, really were.”Finally, Mitchell falsely claimed that, thanks to President Joe Biden, people who apply for federal student loan aid are required to fill out a voter registration form.&nbsp;A White House executive order does&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-agencies-lag-registering-voters-despite-biden-executive-order-advocates-say">urge</a>&nbsp;federal agencies, including the Department of Education, to offer voter registration opportunities. But&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://electionlawblog.org/?p=135773">no one is required to register</a>.<h2>Banning student IDs for voting</h2>Mitchell’s remarks weren’t focused only on student voting.&nbsp;She also declared that if Republicans win full control of Virginia state government this year, they should eliminate early voting and same-day registration in the state. And she&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/lawindsor/status/1650499628809302016">said</a>&nbsp;that any group “that’s got democracy in their name — those are not friends of ours.”But the comments about voting by college students deserve particular scrutiny because of an ongoing multi-state push to tighten the rules for student voters — including by banning student IDs for voting.&nbsp;Mike Burns, the national director for the Campus Vote Project, which works as an arm of the nonpartisan Fair Elections Center to expand access to voting for college students, said the tens of millions of students enrolled in higher education across the country already face a unique set of hurdles in casting a ballot: They’re less likely than other voters to have a driver’s license or utility bill to use as ID; they’re less likely to have a car to get to an off-campus polling site; and they often move each year, requiring them to go through the registration process anew each time.Few states, Burns added, design their election systems to address these challenges. Despite Mitchell’s fear about students rolling out of bed to vote, a 2022 Duke University&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.campusvoteproject.org/post/mtv-partners-with-campus-vote-project-on-early-vote-program">study</a>&nbsp;that looked at 35 states found that nearly three quarters of colleges did not have voting sites on campus.Given this backdrop, “it’s just that much more exasperating,” Burns said, “to hear someone talk about intentionally trying to make that even harder, and to do it for political reasons.”<h2>Surging youth vote</h2>The issue of student voting has flared lately thanks to a recent surge in the youth vote. The midterm elections of 2018 and 2022&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2022/11/10/1135810302/turnout-among-young-voters-was-the-second-highest-for-a-midterm-in-past-30-years">saw</a>&nbsp;the two highest turnout rates for voters younger than 30 in the last three decades.&nbsp;And in 2020, half of all eligible voters younger than 30 turned out, a stunning&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2021/04/30/analysis-youth-voter-turnout-rose-substantially-2020">11-point increase&nbsp;</a>from 2016.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2021/04/30/analysis-youth-voter-turnout-rose-substantially-2020">&nbsp;</a>In 2018, those voters&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/06/30/behind-bidens-2020-victory/">went for</a>&nbsp;Democratic candidates by a 49-point margin, and in 2020 they went for Biden over Trump by 24 points — making them easily the most Democratic-leaning age group in both years.That’s spurred Republican legislators to take action. This year alone, three GOP-controlled states — Missouri, Montana, and Idaho — have tightened their voter ID laws to remove student IDs from the list of documents voters can use to prove their identity.&nbsp;Montana’s law was struck down as a violation of the state constitution. Idaho’s is being&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/LOWV-student-id-idaho.pdf">challenged</a>&nbsp;in court by voting rights groups.One of the Idaho bill’s backers, state Rep. Tina Lambert,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2023/01/30/idaho-republicans-push-another-new-bill-to-outlaw-the-use-of-student-ids-in-elections/">said</a>&nbsp;she was concerned that students from neighboring Oregon or Washington might use their student IDs to vote in Idaho, then also vote in their home state. In fact, there has not been a single instance of fraud linked to student IDs in the state.Idaho saw a 66 percent increase in registration by 18- and 19-year-olds between November 2018 and September 2022, by far the highest in the country, a Tufts University study&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/youth-voter-registration-has-surpassed-2018-levels-many-states-its-lagging-youngest">found</a>.<a target="_blank" href="https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/youth-voter-registration-has-surpassed-2018-levels-many-states-its-lagging-youngest">&nbsp;</a>A fourth state, Ohio, passed a strict voter ID law with a similar impact. Ohio doesn’t allow student IDs for voting, but previously it did allow utility bills. So colleges would issue students zero-dollar utility bills to be used for voter ID purposes. The new law, which is also being challenged in court, eliminates that option by requiring a photo ID.In Texas, where growing numbers of young and non-white voters threaten to upend the state’s politics, one Republican bill introduced this session would ban polling places on college campuses. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Carrie Isaac, has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/bill-ban-voting-college-campuses-texas-legislature/">described</a>&nbsp;it as a safety measure aimed at keeping outsiders off campus since campus polling places also serve the wider voting public.Voter advocates charged in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021.06.22_-TX-SB-1111_-Complaint-FILED-wm.pdf">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;that a 2021 Texas law establishing strict residency requirements would particularly burden college students, by preventing them from registering at their prior home address when they temporarily move away for college. A federal judge last year struck down much of the law, but the decision was reversed on appeal.<h2>‘They just vote their feelings’</h2>Efforts to make it difficult for students and other young people to vote are almost as old as the 26th Amendment, which went into effect in 1971, enfranchising Americans aged 18 to 20.&nbsp;In one Texas county with a large, historically Black university, the chief voting official responded to the measure by requiring students to answer questions about their employment status and property ownership, before being stopped by a federal court in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/439/1105/">key ruling</a>&nbsp;for student voting rights.Following the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision weakening the Voting Rights Act, Texas imposed a voter ID law that didn’t allow student IDs, even those from state universities, though it did include handgun licenses. And North Carolina passed a sweeping 2013 voting law that, among other steps, ended pre-registration of high-school students.&nbsp;Two years earlier, Wisconsin passed a voter ID law that does allow student IDs from state universities but mandates that the ID have an expiration date and have been issued within the last two years — requirements that many student IDs don’t meet. Though some colleges have created special voter IDs, advocates say the issue still generates significant confusion among students.New Hampshire has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-people-no-roth">often</a>&nbsp;been a hotspot for efforts to restrict student voting. Backers of these efforts have at times argued that students don’t have as much stake in the community as other voters, since they might not stick around after college.A 2021 bill that died in committee would have barred students from using their campus addresses to register. “People who go to college in New Hampshire, unless they are really bona fide permanent residents … should vote by absentee ballot in their home states,” the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Norman Silver,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2022/12/30/college-students-push-to-ease-voting-access-after-midterm-barriers/">told</a>&nbsp;Stateline. “It’s a matter of simple equity.”Back in 2011, Rep. William O’Brien, then the House speaker and advocating for a bill to tighten residency requirements, was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/nh-gop-seeks-to-disenfranchise-students-who-just-vote-their-feelings-video">even blunter</a>.&nbsp;“They go into these general elections, they’ll have 900 same-day registrations, which are the kids coming out of the schools and basically doing what I did when I was a kid, which is voting as a liberal,” O’Brien said. “That’s what kids do. They don’t have life experience, and they just vote their feelings and they’re taking away the towns’ ability to govern themselves. It’s not fair.”Burns, of the Campus Vote Project, said that kind of sentiment not only runs counter to the purpose of the 26th Amendment but to any notion of voting as a civic good.&nbsp;This is a formative process,” said Burns. “We know from research that if people start to vote at a younger age, they will stay involved. It puts them on a trajectory of being more involved in civic life for the rest of their life, and I think that’s a good thing.”“Every community is better when more people have their voices heard. And that includes young people,” Burns added. “So regardless of who someone’s going to vote for, we think they should have equal access.”

A top GOP lawyer wants to crack down on the college vote. States already are

I hope that you are enjoying learning about the wide variety of 4-H projects available to our youth! In 4-H, we look for a SPARK that inspires a young person to learn, grow, explore, and potentially lead to a career or lifetime hobby. Any of these project areas may just be the spark that inspires someone in your world.

This week we are looking at some very different projects.

Many of us have had a dog at some point in our life and learning to care for and train a dog is a big responsibility! Youth in the Dog Care and Training project learn about different breeds and their characteristics and why some dogs are better suited for different families. Youth explore dog behavior and body language as well as grooming and nutrition. In this unique partnership, youth and their dog work on obedience training with a goal of showmanship and agility training.

Another interesting project area with the potential for a career is Home Environment. This project explores decorating a room, and experimenting with colors and patterns. While I had no goal of interior design, I did participate in this project in 4-H and, with the help of my dad, designed and decorated my bedroom. This is a project I look back fondly on as it challenged me to coordinate my personal style with a budget, colors, furniture, and fabrics.

An active and extensive area of 4-H is Shooting Sports! This project area covers a variety of disciplines from Archery to Muzzleloading. Important aspects include safety first then learning the skills of a specific discipline. We have a great group of youth across the district who are representing themselves, their clubs, and our program at local, regional, and state matches. Shooting Sports is represented during the fair by poster displays so be sure to check those out!

If you are interested in learning more about these or other 4-H projects, check out kansas4-h.org in the Projects section! All projects include communications skills, record keeping, career connections, and opportunities for leadership and community service!

Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668179445671.jpeg" alt="&nbsp; Michelle Beran&nbsp;is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp; Michelle Beran&nbsp;is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>I hope that you are enjoying learning about the wide variety of 4-H projects available to our youth! In 4-H, we look for a SPARK that inspires a young person to learn, grow, explore, and potentially lead to a career or lifetime hobby. Any of these project areas may just be the spark that inspires someone in your world.This week we are looking at some very different projects.Many of us have had a dog at some point in our life and learning to care for and train a dog is a big responsibility! Youth in the Dog Care and Training project learn about different breeds and their characteristics and why some dogs are better suited for different families. Youth explore dog behavior and body language as well as grooming and nutrition. In this unique partnership, youth and their dog work on obedience training with a goal of showmanship and agility training.Another interesting project area with the potential for a career is Home Environment. This project explores decorating a room, and experimenting with colors and patterns. While I had no goal of interior design, I did participate in this project in 4-H and, with the help of my dad, designed and decorated my bedroom. This is a project I look back fondly on as it challenged me to coordinate my personal style with a budget, colors, furniture, and fabrics.An active and extensive area of 4-H is Shooting Sports! This project area covers a variety of disciplines from Archery to Muzzleloading. Important aspects include safety first then learning the skills of a specific discipline. We have a great group of youth across the district who are representing themselves, their clubs, and our program at local, regional, and state matches. Shooting Sports is represented during the fair by poster displays so be sure to check those out!If you are interested in learning more about these or other 4-H projects, check out kansas4-h.org in the Projects section! All projects include communications skills, record keeping, career connections, and opportunities for leadership and community service!Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

BERAN: Pet care, home improvement and shooting sports projects for 4-H

By Fort Hays State University Communications

HAYS, Kan. –&nbsp;The Department of Applied Business Studies, a division of the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Fort Hays State University, announced seven graduating seniors as outstanding program students. The department houses three programs with various concentrations.

The Outstanding Student Award recognizes a graduating senior who has demonstrated exceptional performance in academics, leadership, and overall excellence in the respective program at FHSU. 

In addition, the student is a role model who positively characterizes the core values of the awarding program. 

The awards are given annually to one on-campus student and one online student. 

An international student was also recognized from an international partner school. 

Each student receives a plaque to celebrate this outstanding honor.

Business Education Outstanding Student Award Winners:

The Business Education program offers concentration areas in Corporate Communication, Talent Development, and Teacher Licensure.

Marketing Outstanding Student Award Winners:

The Marketing program offers courses including, but not limited to, business sales and development, digital marketing, social media marketing, marketing research, consumer behavior, and international marketing.

Tourism and Hospitality Management Outstanding Student Award Winners:

The Tourism and Hospitality Management program offers courses including, but not limited to, hotel management, event management, international tourism, casino management, food and beverage, health and wellness, and sustainable tourism.

Tourism and Hospitality Management Outstanding International Student Award Winner:

This awards a Tourism and Hospitality Management student from the international partnership with the American University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

By Fort Hays State University CommunicationsHAYS, Kan. –&nbsp;The Department of Applied Business Studies, a division of the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Fort Hays State University, announced seven graduating seniors as outstanding program students. The department houses three programs with various concentrations.The Outstanding Student Award recognizes a graduating senior who has demonstrated exceptional performance in academics, leadership, and overall excellence in the respective program at FHSU. In addition, the student is a role model who positively characterizes the core values of the awarding program. The awards are given annually to one on-campus student and one online student. An international student was also recognized from an international partner school. Each student receives a plaque to celebrate this outstanding honor.Business Education Outstanding Student Award Winners:<ul>
 <li>Slater Heglin, Ulysses&nbsp;</li><li>Nadyme Murteira, Easton, Penn.</li>
 </ul>The Business Education program offers concentration areas in Corporate Communication, Talent Development, and Teacher Licensure.Marketing Outstanding Student Award Winners:<ul>
 <li>Cydney Larson, Kinsley&nbsp;</li><li>Nancy Avalos-Medina, Garden City</li>
 </ul>The Marketing program offers courses including, but not limited to, business sales and development, digital marketing, social media marketing, marketing research, consumer behavior, and international marketing.Tourism and Hospitality Management Outstanding Student Award Winners:<ul>
 <li>Zoe Cooper, Abilene&nbsp;</li><li>Rodney Ullah, Anaheim, Calif.</li>
 </ul>The Tourism and Hospitality Management program offers courses including, but not limited to, hotel management, event management, international tourism, casino management, food and beverage, health and wellness, and sustainable tourism.Tourism and Hospitality Management Outstanding International Student Award Winner:<ul>
 <li>Sochivornmonineath Meas, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</li>
 </ul>This awards a Tourism and Hospitality Management student from the international partnership with the American University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

Department of Applied Business Studies at FHSU names outstanding graduating seniors

The Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Inc. (Innovation Center) is proud to announce the hiring of Randy Speaker as Housing Specialist for the northwest 26-counties of Kansas.

Affordable, quality, and accessible housing are critical to growing the Northwest Kansas economy and improving the quality of life in our region.

The state of Kansas and the federal government have various programs to assist individuals, developers, cities, counties, non-profits, and lenders to meet housing needs. “Randy will be integral in assisting Northwest Kansas communities navigate these programs to take advantage of these opportunities. It is the opportune time right now to bring Randy on board to set up our communities to take advantage of the numerous programs available for rural housing expansion. Randy will be invaluable in helping us navigate and pair together all of the different opportunities to make the best housing packages possible,” stated Scott Sproul, president and CEO of the Innovation Center.

Since 2021, Speaker was the Housing Specialist for the Kansas Department of Commerce where he worked with developers, businesses, and communities so that each could benefit from additional housing production. These duties included working with the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, USDA-Rural Development, and Federal Home Loan Bank to ensure the state has enough good quality and affordable housing for all Kansans. He has also served as a managing partner for the Kansas Regional Center since 2013 and Director of Public Works and Deputy City Manager with the City of Topeka. Originally from Leavenworth, Randy received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Washburn University.

Scott Sproul, went on to add, “The Innovation Center Board of Directors set a five-year goal to be the resource to help create sufficient housing in their region. Hiring Randy is a key component of this plan.”

To contact Randy, email office@nwkeici.org.

SubmittedThe Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Inc. (Innovation Center) is proud to announce the hiring of Randy Speaker as Housing Specialist for the northwest 26-counties of Kansas.Affordable, quality, and accessible housing are critical to growing the Northwest Kansas economy and improving the quality of life in our region.The state of Kansas and the federal government have various programs to assist individuals, developers, cities, counties, non-profits, and lenders to meet housing needs. “Randy will be integral in assisting Northwest Kansas communities navigate these programs to take advantage of these opportunities. It is the opportune time right now to bring Randy on board to set up our communities to take advantage of the numerous programs available for rural housing expansion. Randy will be invaluable in helping us navigate and pair together all of the different opportunities to make the best housing packages possible,” stated Scott Sproul, president and CEO of the Innovation Center.Since 2021, Speaker was the Housing Specialist for the Kansas Department of Commerce where he worked with developers, businesses, and communities so that each could benefit from additional housing production. These duties included working with the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, USDA-Rural Development, and Federal Home Loan Bank to ensure the state has enough good quality and affordable housing for all Kansans. He has also served as a managing partner for the Kansas Regional Center since 2013 and Director of Public Works and Deputy City Manager with the City of Topeka. Originally from Leavenworth, Randy received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Washburn University.Scott Sproul, went on to add, “The Innovation Center Board of Directors set a five-year goal to be the resource to help create sufficient housing in their region. Hiring Randy is a key component of this plan.”To contact Randy, email office@nwkeici.org.Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Northwest KS gets serious about housing; Speaker hired from the KS Dept. of Commerce

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683920438801.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

BARTON COUNTY - Even though we are in a severe drought, the date has been set for the Barton County Wheat Demonstration Plot Field Day. “Sometimes we can learn more in periods of drought than in wetter years” says Stacy Campbell, crop production agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.

The Barton County Wheat Plot Field Day is scheduled for Thursday, May 18, beginning at 8:30 a.m. It is located from Highway 281 north of Hoisington on the Galatia blacktop, NW 190 Road, go 1 mile west, turn south onto NW 50 Avenue, go 1/8 mile. 

Tim Maier is the cooperator and K-State has an intensive management test trail looking as well looking at different practices of planting populations, fungicides, and fertility, along with many varieties to view and discuss.

No RSVP necessary to attend. Coffee, juice, water and donuts will be provided courtesy of American Ag Credit and Ed Junior Farm.

In case of inclement weather, it will be held indoors at Tim Maier’s farm shed, 525 NW 190 Road.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652304868216.jpeg" alt="Wheat Field Day 2021 in Barton County. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Wheat Field Day 2021 in Barton County. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KSRE BARTON COUNTY - Even though we are in a severe drought, the date has been set for the Barton County Wheat Demonstration Plot Field Day. “Sometimes we can learn more in periods of drought than in wetter years” says Stacy Campbell, crop production agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.The Barton County Wheat Plot Field Day is scheduled for Thursday, May 18, beginning at 8:30 a.m. It is located from Highway 281 north of Hoisington on the Galatia blacktop, NW 190 Road, go 1 mile west, turn south onto NW 50 Avenue, go 1/8 mile. Tim Maier is the cooperator and K-State has an intensive management test trail looking as well looking at different practices of planting populations, fungicides, and fertility, along with many varieties to view and discuss.No RSVP necessary to attend. Coffee, juice, water and donuts will be provided courtesy of American Ag Credit and Ed Junior Farm.In case of inclement weather, it will be held indoors at Tim Maier’s farm shed, 525 NW 190 Road.

Barton County Wheat Demonstration Plot Field Day is May 18th

As the Cottonwood Extension District
completed its Walk Kansas programing, a part of the program will be featured at
an upcoming community event.

MED instead of MEDS, a program
that helps introduce the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, will be
featured at noon, May 24, at the extension district office at 601 Main.

“We have had
some good discussions after the webinars and taste-tested a few recipes,” said family
and consumer wellness agent Monique Koerner.

The program was featured in watch
parties during Walk Kansas, and Koerner said she hopes to spur additional
interest with the upcoming session.

“To kind
of wrap up Walk Kansas, we're going to be doing a Mediterranean taste-testing
party,” she said. “The MED instead of MEDS program is basically focusing on
your diet.”

The program
helps participants focus on healthy eating, which can stave off the need for
medical interventions.

“Some of
those things that they have included is, for instance, eating lots of fruits
and vegetables,” Koerner said. “Research shows that if you have nine or more servings
of fruits and vegetables, it results in a 60 percent reduction in
cardiovascular disease.”

She said
the significant impact could be a motivator to try the diet.

“More
aspects of the program are eating whole grains, eating more fish and seafood,
eating nuts and seeds for snacks, replacing solid fats with olive oil, using
herbs and spices,” Koerner said. “And then, of course, they also throw in there
things like physical activity, enjoying your meals, really focusing on family
and friends and slowing down the mindful eating and then limiting sugar.”

The
webinars provided different focuses, with practical ways to incorporate a Mediterranean
diet.

“Sometimes
it can be overwhelming when we think about having to change our whole diet,”
Koerner said. “But really, you can take bits and pieces out of this. And I
think it's important to maybe try smaller steps along the way rather than
trying to overhaul everything in our lives all at once. Because then it gets
overwhelming. And we tend to slide back into our old routines.”

Overall
the program provided a continuum for users to follow.

“It's not
that you have to do this or have to do that,” Koerner said. “It's a look at
your whole menu and where could you maybe stick a few more, fish meals, or
maybe switch up your snacks to eat a fruit or a vegetable or nuts or seeds, rather
than some of those sweet treats.”

“It's
eat more of this and less of this. So, it's not like you have to cut a certain
thing out of your diet. And I think That's where we kind of get into trouble
too. If we remove all of the good things out of our diet, or we remove certain
food crew or something we like, then we tend to fall back the other way, when
we have a little bit of stress or some little hiccup in life happens.”

Other topics
include meal planning, using leftovers, reducing food waste and portion sizes, she
said.

And Koerner
will present some of the best “tips, tricks and hacks,” she said during the
upcoming event.

RSVPs
are required and can be made by contacting the Cottonwood Extension District at
(785) 628-9430.

<div><iframe title="Area residents offered opportunity to explore MED instead of Meds" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=f7bpj-140736f-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL Hays PostAs the Cottonwood Extension District
completed its Walk Kansas programing, a part of the program will be featured at
an upcoming community event.MED instead of MEDS, a program
that helps introduce the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, will be
featured at noon, May 24, at the extension district office at 601 Main.“We have had
some good discussions after the webinars and taste-tested a few recipes,” said family
and consumer wellness agent Monique Koerner.The program was featured in watch
parties during Walk Kansas, and Koerner said she hopes to spur additional
interest with the upcoming session.“To kind
of wrap up Walk Kansas, we're going to be doing a Mediterranean taste-testing
party,” she said. “The MED instead of MEDS program is basically focusing on
your diet.”The program
helps participants focus on healthy eating, which can stave off the need for
medical interventions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683829012182.jpeg" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>“Some of
those things that they have included is, for instance, eating lots of fruits
and vegetables,” Koerner said. “Research shows that if you have nine or more servings
of fruits and vegetables, it results in a 60 percent reduction in
cardiovascular disease.”She said
the significant impact could be a motivator to try the diet.“More
aspects of the program are eating whole grains, eating more fish and seafood,
eating nuts and seeds for snacks, replacing solid fats with olive oil, using
herbs and spices,” Koerner said. “And then, of course, they also throw in there
things like physical activity, enjoying your meals, really focusing on family
and friends and slowing down the mindful eating and then limiting sugar.”The
webinars provided different focuses, with practical ways to incorporate a Mediterranean
diet.“Sometimes
it can be overwhelming when we think about having to change our whole diet,”
Koerner said. “But really, you can take bits and pieces out of this. And I
think it's important to maybe try smaller steps along the way rather than
trying to overhaul everything in our lives all at once. Because then it gets
overwhelming. And we tend to slide back into our old routines.”Overall
the program provided a continuum for users to follow.“It's not
that you have to do this or have to do that,” Koerner said. “It's a look at
your whole menu and where could you maybe stick a few more, fish meals, or
maybe switch up your snacks to eat a fruit or a vegetable or nuts or seeds, rather
than some of those sweet treats.”“It's
eat more of this and less of this. So, it's not like you have to cut a certain
thing out of your diet. And I think That's where we kind of get into trouble
too. If we remove all of the good things out of our diet, or we remove certain
food crew or something we like, then we tend to fall back the other way, when
we have a little bit of stress or some little hiccup in life happens.”Other topics
include meal planning, using leftovers, reducing food waste and portion sizes, she
said.And Koerner
will present some of the best “tips, tricks and hacks,” she said during the
upcoming event.RSVPs
are required and can be made by contacting the Cottonwood Extension District at
(785) 628-9430.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683828383563.jpg" alt="Courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎙 Area residents offered opportunity to explore MED instead of MEDS

WAKEENEY - Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at WaKeeney,&nbsp;403 South 13th, will host its&nbsp;18th annual Memorial Day service at 10 a.m.&nbsp; Monday, May 29.

Guest speaker is retired U.S. Army veterinarian Fr. Richard Daise, Hays.&nbsp;

* Marine Corps League E.A. Schumacher Detachment * WaKeeney VFW * Cavalry Re-enactment Troop (under the direction of Jake Bauer) * American Legion Riders * Punishers M.C. * Hays High Plains Chapter Barbershop Chorus * WaKeeney VFW Auxiliary (Peggy White &amp; MaDonna Richeson)

Taps will be played by Trego Community High School Band member Gage Hilmes.&nbsp;Bagpipes will be played by Rev. Randy Gibbs.

Seating is limited. Lawn chairs are welcome.&nbsp;

North gates will be open for additional parking.&nbsp;Handicapped parking available near the shelter area.

For more information contact&nbsp;Charlene Lix, cemetery manager at 785-743-5685.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683746583931.jpeg" alt="Kansas Veterans' Cemetery at WaKeeney. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Veterans' Cemetery at WaKeeney. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>News release WAKEENEY - Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at WaKeeney,&nbsp;403 South 13th, will host its&nbsp;18th annual Memorial Day service at 10 a.m.&nbsp; Monday, May 29.Guest speaker is retired U.S. Army veterinarian Fr. Richard Daise, Hays.&nbsp;The service will feature:* Marine Corps League E.A. Schumacher Detachment * WaKeeney VFW * Cavalry Re-enactment Troop (under the direction of Jake Bauer) * American Legion Riders * Punishers M.C. * Hays High Plains Chapter Barbershop Chorus * WaKeeney VFW Auxiliary (Peggy White &amp; MaDonna Richeson) Taps will be played by Trego Community High School Band member Gage Hilmes.&nbsp;Bagpipes will be played by Rev. Randy Gibbs.Seating is limited. Lawn chairs are welcome.&nbsp; North gates will be open for additional parking.&nbsp;Handicapped parking available near the shelter area.All are invited.For more information contact&nbsp;Charlene Lix, cemetery manager at 785-743-5685.

Memorial Day tribute at WaKeeney Kansas Veterans Cemetery

As a heartfelt tribute to their alma mater, the Hays High School Class of 1972 has honored five seniors with $1000 scholarships. 

These awards were presented to the students at their annual awards night on May 8 by Margie Denning Hammerschmidt, project leader for this initiative.

Last October, the HHS Class of 1972 celebrated their 50 years of “living life” since high school graduation by donating items and participating in a raffle and auction held during their reunion event. 

Generous monetary donations were also given to support this scholarship effort. 

The response was overwhelmingly positive and allowed this class to provide scholarships to promising students in our community. 

This generous contribution is a testament to the enduring spirit of HHS graduates and a reminder that investing in the education of our youth is critical to our future.

For the selection process, significance was assigned to the values of character, work ethic,&nbsp; integrity and a commitment to helping others. 

The importance of both ‘giving back’ and ‘paying it forward’ are values the HHS Class of 1972 believes will provide a good foundation for incorporating a charitable awareness of social responsibility.

The Class of 1972 would like to thank all the students who applied to this process.

 All students planning to attend ANY higher education Hays institution were invited to apply (Fort Hays State University, NCK Tech-Hays and the Hays Academy of Hair Design). 

The applications received confirmed there are many fine students who emphasize the importance of valuing oneself and recognizing the positive contributions they can make every day. 

We are proud to award $1000 scholarships to five deserving students: 

"May your dreams take you on a journey that makes your soul sing, and may your heart be filled with the grace and courage to fulfill your purpose." - Unknown

SubmittedAs a heartfelt tribute to their alma mater, the Hays High School Class of 1972 has honored five seniors with $1000 scholarships. These awards were presented to the students at their annual awards night on May 8 by Margie Denning Hammerschmidt, project leader for this initiative.Last October, the HHS Class of 1972 celebrated their 50 years of “living life” since high school graduation by donating items and participating in a raffle and auction held during their reunion event. Generous monetary donations were also given to support this scholarship effort. The response was overwhelmingly positive and allowed this class to provide scholarships to promising students in our community. This generous contribution is a testament to the enduring spirit of HHS graduates and a reminder that investing in the education of our youth is critical to our future.For the selection process, significance was assigned to the values of character, work ethic,&nbsp; integrity and a commitment to helping others. The importance of both ‘giving back’ and ‘paying it forward’ are values the HHS Class of 1972 believes will provide a good foundation for incorporating a charitable awareness of social responsibility.The Class of 1972 would like to thank all the students who applied to this process. All students planning to attend ANY higher education Hays institution were invited to apply (Fort Hays State University, NCK Tech-Hays and the Hays Academy of Hair Design). The applications received confirmed there are many fine students who emphasize the importance of valuing oneself and recognizing the positive contributions they can make every day. We are proud to award $1000 scholarships to five deserving students: <ul>
 <li>Halle Lohmeyer</li><li>Ashlyn Zimmer</li><li>Matthew Berner</li><li>Chase Victoria Wittman</li><li>Allie Straub</li>
 </ul>"May your dreams take you on a journey that makes your soul sing, and may your heart be filled with the grace and courage to fulfill your purpose." - Unknown

Hays High Class of 1972 honors five HHS seniors with $1000 scholarships

Content Warning: This column contains discussion of gun violence and gun related homicide and suicide.

Medicaid expansion has been a hot topic over the past decade. Despite many states across the country expanding their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, Kansas has yet to do so.

According to the 2022 Kansas Speaks public opinion survey distributed by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, nearly 76% of Kansans support KanCare expansion — KanCare is the name of the state’s Medicaid program.

Despite extremely high levels of public support, the state legislature has failed to expand KanCare. The reason is most often attributed to partisan politics.

However, opponents of KanCare expansion may want to take a second look at some specific benefits of extending the program — 90% of which would be paid for by the federal government.

The RAND Corporation, a non-partisan policy think tank, has published new data about state-level firearm related deaths.

According to their findings, Kansas’ firearm death rates are 24% higher than the national average. This high percentage is driven mostly by the state’s firearm death by suicide rate, which is 46% higher than the national average.

Firearm homicides are 7% lower in Kansas than the national average.

Contrary to popular belief, gun violence is not unique to urban areas.

New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) last month finds that gun violence is not even predominantly an urban issue — an argument that is generally used as justification for loosening gun laws. Rather, all areas of Kansas are impacted by gun violence. Especially self-harm via firearms.

In Kansas’ rural areas, firearm deaths are 14% higher than the national average, firearm deaths by suicide are 25% higher, and rural firearm homicides are 9% lower.

What does this have to do with KanCare expansion?

Research from the Kaiser Foundation finds that Medicaid expansion increases access to care for adults with mental health conditions, such as depression.

Medicaid expansion is associated with an increase in the number of mental health facilities accepting Medicaid patients and an increase in the number of visits individual patients make to mental health providers.

Medicaid expansion is especially beneficial in providing much needed mental healthcare to rural residents, as nearly half of all mental health professional shortage areas nationally are located in rural areas.

Furthermore, a report from the Kansas Health Institute and the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas found that an estimated 24,154 Kansans are likely to use extended mental and behavioral health services under KanCare expansion.

Another research study published in JAMA, this one in June 2022, finds that an average of 1818 deaths by suicide were averted in Medicaid expansion states after the expansions — mostly among 20-29 year olds.

Expanding KanCare could — and based on the research likely would — prevent firearms deaths, especially those by suicide, in our state.

Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633377761670.jpeg" alt="Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University." />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>Content Warning: This column contains discussion of gun violence and gun related homicide and suicide.Medicaid expansion has been a hot topic over the past decade. Despite many states across the country expanding their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, Kansas has yet to do so.According to the 2022 Kansas Speaks public opinion survey distributed by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, nearly 76% of Kansans support KanCare expansion — KanCare is the name of the state’s Medicaid program.Despite extremely high levels of public support, the state legislature has failed to expand KanCare. The reason is most often attributed to partisan politics.However, opponents of KanCare expansion may want to take a second look at some specific benefits of extending the program — 90% of which would be paid for by the federal government.The RAND Corporation, a non-partisan policy think tank, has published new data about state-level firearm related deaths.According to their findings, Kansas’ firearm death rates are 24% higher than the national average. This high percentage is driven mostly by the state’s firearm death by suicide rate, which is 46% higher than the national average.Firearm homicides are 7% lower in Kansas than the national average.Contrary to popular belief, gun violence is not unique to urban areas.New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) last month finds that gun violence is not even predominantly an urban issue — an argument that is generally used as justification for loosening gun laws. Rather, all areas of Kansas are impacted by gun violence. Especially self-harm via firearms.In Kansas’ rural areas, firearm deaths are 14% higher than the national average, firearm deaths by suicide are 25% higher, and rural firearm homicides are 9% lower.What does this have to do with KanCare expansion?<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Research from the Kaiser Foundation finds that Medicaid expansion increases access to care for adults with mental health conditions, such as depression.Medicaid expansion is associated with an increase in the number of mental health facilities accepting Medicaid patients and an increase in the number of visits individual patients make to mental health providers.Medicaid expansion is especially beneficial in providing much needed mental healthcare to rural residents, as nearly half of all mental health professional shortage areas nationally are located in rural areas.Furthermore, a report from the Kansas Health Institute and the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas found that an estimated 24,154 Kansans are likely to use extended mental and behavioral health services under KanCare expansion.Another research study published in JAMA, this one in June 2022, finds that an average of 1818 deaths by suicide were averted in Medicaid expansion states after the expansions — mostly among 20-29 year olds.Expanding KanCare could — and based on the research likely would — prevent firearms deaths, especially those by suicide, in our state.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Firearms related deaths are high in Kansas, KanCare expansion could help

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 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with NASA <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/victor-j-glover/biography" target="_blank">Astronaut Victor Glover, Jr.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;who will pilot NASA's mission to the moon next year.

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Astronaut Victor Glover, Jr." allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=php3r-1408c50-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with NASA <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/victor-j-glover/biography" target="_blank">Astronaut Victor Glover, Jr.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;who will pilot NASA's mission to the moon next year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680538101123.png" alt="The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission (left to right):NASA astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Reid Wiseman (seated), Victor Glover, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen- Credits: NASA" />
 <figcaption>The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission (left to right):NASA astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Reid Wiseman (seated), Victor Glover, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen- Credits: NASA</figcaption>
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🎤 Forward Ever: NASA Astronaut Victor Glover, Jr.

The Hays Police Department responded to 82 incidents April 30-May 5, 2023, according to the HPD Activity Log

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 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 82 incidents April 30-May 5, 2023, according to the HPD Activity Log<figure>
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Hays PD Activity Log, April 30-May 5

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board received the maximum price for the Roosevelt Elementary School addition and remodel during a special meeting on Monday.

<a href="https://nabholz.com/">Nabholz Construction</a>, the construction manager at risk, set that price at $21.9 million. That is about 1 percent of the estimated price for the project.&nbsp;

Preston Moore of Nabholz said that was an excellent result, as many other projects have seen their projects' costs go up much more with recent inflation.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f5911a80-0122-4fce-91f8-27835e5435c7">The work is part of a $143.5 million bond issue. Roosevelt, which has three classes of each grade, will be expanded to accommodate five classes of each grade.</a>

The school will be able to accommodate 690 students once the renovations are complete.

The project is scheduled to be completed in December 2024.&nbsp;

As the construction manager at risk, Nabholz guarantees $21.9 million will be the maximum project cost. Any savings that are found in the project go back to the school district.

The $21.9 million includes the project budget, design fees and owner costs, such as furnishings and fixtures.

The district has several alternates that were parts of the Roosevelt bids. One of these included replacing damaged doors in the existing building.

If savings can be found, the district would likely opt to do some of this additional work.

More than 3,200 companies were invited to bid on the Roosevelt contracts. The project received 125 bids. Local contractors were selected for 36 percent of the total cost of the project, which Moore also said was a good number.

On most of Nabholz's recent projects, only about 20 percent of the work was done by local contractors.

Official groundbreaking on the project will be at noon, May 18, on the north side of the school. You can RSVP by emailing ccrough@usd489.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678295560251.jpeg" alt="A rendering of the new entrance of Roosevelt Elementary School. The school is being renovated as part of a $143.5 million bond issue. A new addition will increase the school's capacity to five classes for each grade. Image courtesy of DLR" />
 <figcaption>A rendering of the new entrance of Roosevelt Elementary School. The school is being renovated as part of a $143.5 million bond issue. A new addition will increase the school's capacity to five classes for each grade. Image courtesy of DLR</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 school board received the maximum price for the Roosevelt Elementary School addition and remodel during a special meeting on Monday.<a href="https://nabholz.com/">Nabholz Construction</a>, the construction manager at risk, set that price at $21.9 million. That is about 1 percent of the estimated price for the project.&nbsp;Preston Moore of Nabholz said that was an excellent result, as many other projects have seen their projects' costs go up much more with recent inflation.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f5911a80-0122-4fce-91f8-27835e5435c7">The work is part of a $143.5 million bond issue. Roosevelt, which has three classes of each grade, will be expanded to accommodate five classes of each grade.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678295960413.jpeg" alt="Roosevelt's new gym also will be a storm shelter. It will have a drop-down screen that could be used during assemblies and a partition that would allow two gym classes to be conducted at once. Image courtesy of DLR" />
 <figcaption>Roosevelt's new gym also will be a storm shelter. It will have a drop-down screen that could be used during assemblies and a partition that would allow two gym classes to be conducted at once. Image courtesy of DLR</figcaption>
 </figure>The school will be able to accommodate 690 students once the renovations are complete.The project is scheduled to be completed in December 2024.&nbsp;As the construction manager at risk, Nabholz guarantees $21.9 million will be the maximum project cost. Any savings that are found in the project go back to the school district.The $21.9 million includes the project budget, design fees and owner costs, such as furnishings and fixtures.The district has several alternates that were parts of the Roosevelt bids. One of these included replacing damaged doors in the existing building.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678296061065.jpeg" alt="A rendering of one of the new classrooms at Roosevelt. Image courtesy of DLR " />
 <figcaption>A rendering of one of the new classrooms at Roosevelt. Image courtesy of DLR </figcaption>
 </figure>If savings can be found, the district would likely opt to do some of this additional work.More than 3,200 companies were invited to bid on the Roosevelt contracts. The project received 125 bids. Local contractors were selected for 36 percent of the total cost of the project, which Moore also said was a good number.On most of Nabholz's recent projects, only about 20 percent of the work was done by local contractors.Official groundbreaking on the project will be at noon, May 18, on the north side of the school. You can RSVP by emailing ccrough@usd489.com.

Hays' Roosevelt Elementary School addition price set at $21.9 M

WICHITA - Rural Kansans who thought they were just too far away from where medical research happens might be pleasantly surprised with the changes taking place at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/school-of-medicine/campuses/wichita/research/center-for-clinical-research-wichita.html">Center for Clinical Research at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita</a>&nbsp;(CCR).

Using telehealth, telephone and even the United States Postal Service, researchers at CCR are devising new ways to include more rural residents in their clinical trials.

“We’re really excited about our rural outreach, about breaking down barriers for people that live in rural regions,” said Tiffany Schwasinger-Schmidt, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita and director of the CCR.

The CCR is a research facility on KU Medical Center’s Wichita campus, and it is one of the KU Medical Center&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/ctsu.html">Clinical and Translational Science Units</a>&nbsp;(CTSUs) that provides services to researchers. Although it shares the same address as the Wichita campus, its separate entrance, dedicated parking and proximity to Interstate 135 allows rural residents easy access to its facility.

“Clinical trials open up potential opportunities,” Schwasinger-Schmidt said. “In a lot of the clinical trials that we do, people have tried other treatments and they haven’t been successful, or there just haven’t been a lot of treatments available. Just having the opportunity to try something — that’s a significant opportunity for patients.”

Inside the CCR are a laboratory, pharmacy and two exam rooms as well as researchers and study coordinators.&nbsp; These scientists are tackling some of medicine’s toughest challenges, including Alzheimer’s disease, treatment-resistant depression and COVID-19 prevention and treatment.

People who live in rural areas have different environmental factors than those who live in urban or suburban areas, and those factors need to be studied in clinical trials, Schwasinger-Schmidt said.

“We have different socio-economic areas that we live in, and we have different exposures to environmental components,” she said. “We have different stressors — so many different things that interplay into our health, that define the social determinants of health.”

K. James Kallail, Ph.D., associate dean for research for KU School of Medicine-Wichita, said rural Kansans no doubt have barriers to participating in clinical trials. “These individuals usually live distant to academic hospitals and clinical researchers, yet they need representation, “ Kallail said. “Especially in new drug development, their participation is needed to provide robust data on drug effectiveness and efficacy.”

There’s a myth that rural residents don’t want to participate in scientific research, which Schwasinger-Schmidt hasn’t found to be true.

“I think there’s a misconception that people who move to rural areas are looking for more solitude,” she said. “And while there is some peacefulness and solitude out in the country, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have access to cutting-edge therapies. And just because you don’t choose the hustle and bustle of the city doesn’t mean that you don’t want to do your part for advancing science.”

Schwasinger-Schmidt understands those motives because she’s lived them. As a girl growing up in Goodland, Kansas, the future doctor had to spend hours in the car to access medical care.

“I’m a western Kansas girl, born and raised. And I know the challenges that people face living in those rural areas with access to health care, and especially access to clinical trials and research,” she said.

She’s also aware of the potential for perception problems when rural-centered research isn’t conducted in a rural area. “Wichita is the biggest city within Kansas, so sometimes when I talk about rural outreach, people say, ‘But you’re in the largest city in Kansas.’ But it’s the connections to rural communities that matter, and really focusing on how we can help others.”

Clinical trial participant Jo Dove and her husband, Kent, make bimonthly visits to the CCR from their home in rural Sedgewick, Kansas, population 1,603. The route is around one hour round-trip, but the retired couple said they don’t mind the drive.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683745511775.jpeg" alt="Goodland native&nbsp;Tiffany Schwasinger-Schmidt, M.D. with a patient. Photo by University of Kansas Medical School-Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Goodland native&nbsp;Tiffany Schwasinger-Schmidt, M.D. with a patient. Photo by University of Kansas Medical School-Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>KU Medical CenterWICHITA - Rural Kansans who thought they were just too far away from where medical research happens might be pleasantly surprised with the changes taking place at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/school-of-medicine/campuses/wichita/research/center-for-clinical-research-wichita.html">Center for Clinical Research at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita</a>&nbsp;(CCR).Using telehealth, telephone and even the United States Postal Service, researchers at CCR are devising new ways to include more rural residents in their clinical trials.“We’re really excited about our rural outreach, about breaking down barriers for people that live in rural regions,” said Tiffany Schwasinger-Schmidt, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita and director of the CCR.The CCR is a research facility on KU Medical Center’s Wichita campus, and it is one of the KU Medical Center&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/ctsu.html">Clinical and Translational Science Units</a>&nbsp;(CTSUs) that provides services to researchers. Although it shares the same address as the Wichita campus, its separate entrance, dedicated parking and proximity to Interstate 135 allows rural residents easy access to its facility.“Clinical trials open up potential opportunities,” Schwasinger-Schmidt said. “In a lot of the clinical trials that we do, people have tried other treatments and they haven’t been successful, or there just haven’t been a lot of treatments available. Just having the opportunity to try something — that’s a significant opportunity for patients.”Inside the CCR are a laboratory, pharmacy and two exam rooms as well as researchers and study coordinators.&nbsp; These scientists are tackling some of medicine’s toughest challenges, including Alzheimer’s disease, treatment-resistant depression and COVID-19 prevention and treatment.<h2>Rural representation</h2>People who live in rural areas have different environmental factors than those who live in urban or suburban areas, and those factors need to be studied in clinical trials, Schwasinger-Schmidt said.“We have different socio-economic areas that we live in, and we have different exposures to environmental components,” she said. “We have different stressors — so many different things that interplay into our health, that define the social determinants of health.”K. James Kallail, Ph.D., associate dean for research for KU School of Medicine-Wichita, said rural Kansans no doubt have barriers to participating in clinical trials. “These individuals usually live distant to academic hospitals and clinical researchers, yet they need representation, “ Kallail said. “Especially in new drug development, their participation is needed to provide robust data on drug effectiveness and efficacy.”There’s a myth that rural residents don’t want to participate in scientific research, which Schwasinger-Schmidt hasn’t found to be true.“I think there’s a misconception that people who move to rural areas are looking for more solitude,” she said. “And while there is some peacefulness and solitude out in the country, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have access to cutting-edge therapies. And just because you don’t choose the hustle and bustle of the city doesn’t mean that you don’t want to do your part for advancing science.”Schwasinger-Schmidt understands those motives because she’s lived them. As a girl growing up in Goodland, Kansas, the future doctor had to spend hours in the car to access medical care.“I’m a western Kansas girl, born and raised. And I know the challenges that people face living in those rural areas with access to health care, and especially access to clinical trials and research,” she said.She’s also aware of the potential for perception problems when rural-centered research isn’t conducted in a rural area. “Wichita is the biggest city within Kansas, so sometimes when I talk about rural outreach, people say, ‘But you’re in the largest city in Kansas.’ But it’s the connections to rural communities that matter, and really focusing on how we can help others.”<figure>
 <img src="https://www.kumc.edu/images/news/news-wichita-rural-research-participants.jpg" alt="Kent and Jo Dove, Sedgewick, have both participated in clinical trials at the Center for Clinical Research in Wichita. Photo courtesy Jo and Kent Dove.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kent and Jo Dove, Sedgewick, have both participated in clinical trials at the Center for Clinical Research in Wichita. Photo courtesy Jo and Kent Dove.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Clinical trial participant Jo Dove and her husband, Kent, make bimonthly visits to the CCR from their home in rural Sedgewick, Kansas, population 1,603. The route is around one hour round-trip, but the retired couple said they don’t mind the drive.“When you see each other every two weeks, you sit down and have conversations with (CCR personnel),” Jo Dove said. “They ask, ‘How has your week been?’ It feels like a family conversing.”Jo has been part of multiple clinical trials studying Alzheimer’s disease, and Kent participated in a COVID-19 study in 2021. Their visits to the CCR have easily reached the triple digits. Jo said she’s on her 84th&nbsp;visit for this particular clinical trial involving infusions of an investigational product.“When you live in the country, you get used to going somewhere for services, whether it be for groceries or other places to shop,” Kent explained. “To travel down here is just a reason to go out to eat afterward.”<h2>Different strategies for outreach</h2>The CCR has a variety of different strategies for clinical trial participants, including in-person, telehealth, and even via U.S. mail.“We have analyzed just how many visits are needed in a face-to-face environment,” Schwasinger-Schmidt said. “And we’re considering the financial burden placed on rural participants who have to drive to Wichita, pay for transportation costs, and then maybe pay for lodging if an overnight stay is needed.”Instead of traveling to Wichita, rural residents can participate in some clinical trials via a secure video platform. “Before the pandemic, using telehealth in clinical trials was unheard of,” Schwasinger-Schmidt said. “The participants came to our center to be seen for study visits. But the pandemic opened things up, and now we consider what we can do safely over a telemedicine platform.”For telehealth to be an equitable solution, however, all of Kansas needs affordable, high-speed internet access, she said. “In some areas of Kansas, internet signals and cell phone signals are not always the most reliable. Solving this problem addresses the social issue of getting people better connected, not just for clinical trials but for other important opportunities.”<figure>
 <img src="https://www.kumc.edu/images/news/news-wichita-rural-research-team.jpg" alt="Tina Peck, APRN, confers with CCR site manager Trish Steele and Schwasinger-Schmidt. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Tina Peck, APRN, confers with CCR site manager Trish Steele and Schwasinger-Schmidt. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>One recent COVID-19 study named ACTIV-6 introduced Schwasinger-Schmidt (and clinical trial participants all over the state) to the concept of “virtual” clinical trials using online forms and medication sent through the mail. Schwasinger-Schmidt led a statewide effort that mailed medications such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/jama-ivermectin-study.html">ivermectin</a>&nbsp;to participants who met specific criteria. Follow-up was also conducted remotely.Study coordinators tracked the participants’ daily diaries, which included when they took the medication, how they felt while taking it and how long it took COVID-19 symptoms to resolve.“It’s a great way to be able to reach out to everyone who wants to participate and to eliminate distance barriers,” Schwasinger-Schmidt said.Clinical trials such as the ACTIV-6 platform set the stage for future trials to use delivery via mail or courier, Schwasinger-Schmidt said. “I think there are going to be more and more opportunities to do remote work and break down barriers. These remote opportunities allow us to still take great care of people and advance medicine regardless of their physical location.”<h2>Rural outreach for Alzheimer’s clinical trials</h2>The Center for Clinical Research (CCR) in Wichita is currently running four different studies on Alzheimer’s disease and regularly focuses 20-25% of its clinical trials on dementia research.Tiffany Schwasinger-Schmidt, M.D., director of the CCR, said the current studies use a mixture of in-person visits and phone calls or telehealth videoconferencing. “Participants will need to be seen in person for at least 50% of the time for our current trials,” she said.About half (46%) of all Alzheimer’s disease clinical trial participants have identified themselves as living in rural areas.“I have made it a priority to engage with rural communities to promote access to clinical trials research. This is especially important in the field of neurocognitive disorders, given the limited number of neurologists in the state of Kansas,” Schwasinger-Schmidt said.Eric Vidoni, Ph.D., associate professor of neurology at the University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, said that for new treatments to help as many people as possible, “our friends and family in rural and frontier Kansas need to be included.”He explained why that diversity was important. “If a drug or treatment is difficult to produce, transport or administer, that drug may not work in a county that recently lost a trusted clinic or pharmacy” even if the drug is approved. “Making sure people in rural and frontier counties are included in trials gives us an opportunity to identify those problems early.”Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/school-of-medicine/campuses/wichita/research/center-for-clinical-research-wichita/clinical-trials-interest-form.html">joining a clinical trial&nbsp;</a>in Wichita.