For decades, the 1984 Chevron Doctrine gave unelected D.C. bureaucrats the power to bury Kansas businesses—especially our oil fields, farms, and ranches—in unnecessary regulations. Thankfully, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Chevron decision just a few weeks ago, finally reining in those powers.&nbsp;

This is a significant win for Kansas’ economy. Bureaucrats will no longer have free rein to impose extreme environmental regulations that stifle economic growth while offering little progress towards leaving this world cleaner than we found it. Under the Chevron Doctrine, businesses were legally powerless to fight back against these Washington-imposed rules. Federal agencies held all the cards, leaving our elected representatives with little say.&nbsp;

But those days are over. The legal playing field has now been leveled, giving Kansans a fair chance to challenge regulations that threaten their livelihoods. Federal agencies’ unchecked power has been curtailed, slowing down the regulatory assault on businesses across Kansas—from our fields and factories to Main Street.&nbsp;

The Chevron Doctrine was responsible for harmful regulations like the Obama and Biden Administrations’ Waters of the United States rule, which absurdly classified a puddle on a farm as federal water. It also allowed for overbearing, costly rules that hindered medical treatments and burdened workplaces with unnecessary safety regulations. Now, these kinds of federal rules can be legally scrutinized, delaying or even stopping them before they take effect.&nbsp;

This Supreme Court decision is a win for voters, too. It returns some power to our elected officials, ensuring that Washington’s bureaucratic class is more accountable to the people. Unelected agents still hold considerable regulatory power, but now they must adhere more closely to the laws written by Congress—the voice of the American people.&nbsp;

This is a victory for Kansas industries and the companies that call our state home. Reducing overregulation will spur economic activity, create good-paying jobs, and lower the cost of living.&nbsp;

We all want clean water, clean air, and to protect endangered species. But it’s Congress, not unelected bureaucrats, that should define what those terms mean.&nbsp;

— Sen.&nbsp;Roger Marshall, R-Kan.

For decades, the 1984 Chevron Doctrine gave unelected D.C. bureaucrats the power to bury Kansas businesses—especially our oil fields, farms, and ranches—in unnecessary regulations. Thankfully, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Chevron decision just a few weeks ago, finally reining in those powers.&nbsp;This is a significant win for Kansas’ economy. Bureaucrats will no longer have free rein to impose extreme environmental regulations that stifle economic growth while offering little progress towards leaving this world cleaner than we found it. Under the Chevron Doctrine, businesses were legally powerless to fight back against these Washington-imposed rules. Federal agencies held all the cards, leaving our elected representatives with little say.&nbsp;But those days are over. The legal playing field has now been leveled, giving Kansans a fair chance to challenge regulations that threaten their livelihoods. Federal agencies’ unchecked power has been curtailed, slowing down the regulatory assault on businesses across Kansas—from our fields and factories to Main Street.&nbsp;The Chevron Doctrine was responsible for harmful regulations like the Obama and Biden Administrations’ Waters of the United States rule, which absurdly classified a puddle on a farm as federal water. It also allowed for overbearing, costly rules that hindered medical treatments and burdened workplaces with unnecessary safety regulations. Now, these kinds of federal rules can be legally scrutinized, delaying or even stopping them before they take effect.&nbsp;This Supreme Court decision is a win for voters, too. It returns some power to our elected officials, ensuring that Washington’s bureaucratic class is more accountable to the people. Unelected agents still hold considerable regulatory power, but now they must adhere more closely to the laws written by Congress—the voice of the American people.&nbsp;This is a victory for Kansas industries and the companies that call our state home. Reducing overregulation will spur economic activity, create good-paying jobs, and lower the cost of living.&nbsp;We all want clean water, clean air, and to protect endangered species. But it’s Congress, not unelected bureaucrats, that should define what those terms mean.&nbsp;— Sen.&nbsp;Roger Marshall, R-Kan.

Marshall: Overturning Chevron delivers regulatory relief for Kansas’ economy 

By MONIQUE KOERNER Cottonwood Extension District

Handwashing might seem like a routine activity in today’s world, especially after COVID, but that wasn’t always the case. Have you ever wondered where we got this idea? I learned about it in graduate school and was fascinated by how it came about. It wasn’t until the 19th century that handwashing was actually researched and the birth of modern handwashing came about. And the physician that pioneered this work was ridiculed!

Ignaz Semmelweis (1840s) was Hungarian physician that discovered handwashing with chlorinated lime solutions dramatically reduced the incidence of puerperal fever (childbed fever) in his obstetric wards. Despite his findings, his ideas were initially met with skepticism. In the 1800’s the understanding of disease transmission and germ theory were rudimentary. Semmelweis noticed that there was a stark difference in mortality rates between two maternity wards at the Vienna General Hospital. The ward attended by medical students had a much higher mortality rate compared to the ward run by midwives.

With further investigation he found that medical students moved between the dissection room and the maternity ward which we know now that they carried infectious material from the cadavers to the women in labor causing the high mortality rates. In 1847, Semmelweis introduced a policy requiring medical students and doctors to wash their hands with a chlorinated lime solution before examining patients. Handwashing lowered rates of puerperal fever and mortality rates in the maternity ward. However, he faced professional isolation and resistance from his colleagues.

Semmelweis’s methods were dismissed and ridiculed by the medical community and his findings were not accepted until later with the work of Joseph Lister (1860s) and Louis Pasteur that furthered microbiology and germ theory that Semmelweis’s work was accepted. Joseph Lister was a British surgeon who built on Semmelweis’s work by promoting antiseptic techniques in surgery. Lister’s use of carbolic acid (phenol) as an antiseptic led to a significant decrease in post-surgical infections.

Moving forward to the 20th century commercialization of antiseptic agents and soap improved hand hygiene practices, especially in the medical field but then later would move to the general public with Handwashing Campaigns in the 1970s-1980s. Handwashing became a public health issue.

Today handwashing is recognized as one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of illness.

Extension agents promote handwashing often whether it’s cooking in the kitchen, outdoor parties, or in the classroom or workplace.

Hands pick up bacteria during daily routines, including gardening, taking out the trash, driving, playing with pets and many other activities.

It only takes 20 seconds with soap and warm water or about the time it takes to sing the alphabet. Be sure to scrub your hands…because the bubbles really do pick up the dirt and take it away.

A fun way we teach this to kids (and adults) is through our Glo-Germ Handwashing program that uses a black light to show the germs on your hands before washing and how they are gone after handwashing. We can also teach high speed handwashing that helps students learn to wash hands quickly and efficiently to save water! Call or email Monique today if you would like to introduce or remind your students how to properly wash their hands to keep everyone as healthy as possible this school year!

Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668522152076.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MONIQUE KOERNER Cottonwood Extension DistrictHandwashing might seem like a routine activity in today’s world, especially after COVID, but that wasn’t always the case. Have you ever wondered where we got this idea? I learned about it in graduate school and was fascinated by how it came about. It wasn’t until the 19th century that handwashing was actually researched and the birth of modern handwashing came about. And the physician that pioneered this work was ridiculed!Ignaz Semmelweis (1840s) was Hungarian physician that discovered handwashing with chlorinated lime solutions dramatically reduced the incidence of puerperal fever (childbed fever) in his obstetric wards. Despite his findings, his ideas were initially met with skepticism. In the 1800’s the understanding of disease transmission and germ theory were rudimentary. Semmelweis noticed that there was a stark difference in mortality rates between two maternity wards at the Vienna General Hospital. The ward attended by medical students had a much higher mortality rate compared to the ward run by midwives.With further investigation he found that medical students moved between the dissection room and the maternity ward which we know now that they carried infectious material from the cadavers to the women in labor causing the high mortality rates. In 1847, Semmelweis introduced a policy requiring medical students and doctors to wash their hands with a chlorinated lime solution before examining patients. Handwashing lowered rates of puerperal fever and mortality rates in the maternity ward. However, he faced professional isolation and resistance from his colleagues.Semmelweis’s methods were dismissed and ridiculed by the medical community and his findings were not accepted until later with the work of Joseph Lister (1860s) and Louis Pasteur that furthered microbiology and germ theory that Semmelweis’s work was accepted. Joseph Lister was a British surgeon who built on Semmelweis’s work by promoting antiseptic techniques in surgery. Lister’s use of carbolic acid (phenol) as an antiseptic led to a significant decrease in post-surgical infections.Moving forward to the 20th century commercialization of antiseptic agents and soap improved hand hygiene practices, especially in the medical field but then later would move to the general public with Handwashing Campaigns in the 1970s-1980s. Handwashing became a public health issue.Today handwashing is recognized as one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of illness.Extension agents promote handwashing often whether it’s cooking in the kitchen, outdoor parties, or in the classroom or workplace.Hands pick up bacteria during daily routines, including gardening, taking out the trash, driving, playing with pets and many other activities.It only takes 20 seconds with soap and warm water or about the time it takes to sing the alphabet. Be sure to scrub your hands…because the bubbles really do pick up the dirt and take it away.A fun way we teach this to kids (and adults) is through our Glo-Germ Handwashing program that uses a black light to show the germs on your hands before washing and how they are gone after handwashing. We can also teach high speed handwashing that helps students learn to wash hands quickly and efficiently to save water! Call or email Monique today if you would like to introduce or remind your students how to properly wash their hands to keep everyone as healthy as possible this school year!Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu.

KOERNER: Handwashing

By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District

For me, not many things beat the rejuvenation of a good night's sleep. I feel alert, focused, and ready to tackle the day. On the other hand, restless nights lead to sluggish mornings and dull afternoons.

It’s amazing how sleep quality directly affects quality of life, and there’s reason for it. Sleep plays an important role in how the entire body functions! Specifically, it makes a big impact on brain health, immune function, metabolism, mood, and heart health:

· Learning and memory- During sleep, the brain stores away memories, and it clears plaque that is associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.

· Illness- While your mind rests during sleep, your immune system works hard. Antibodies and cytokines that fight infection and viruses are produced during sleep.

· Hormone alterations- Sleep deprivation can change hormone production. For example, insufficient sleep increases cortisol levels and raises appetite. This can make weight management difficult. However, sufficient sleep supports healthy hormone production and also defends against irritability, inability to concentrate, and depression.

· Cardiovascular health- Getting enough sleep improves heart health. Sleep disorders are linked to hypertension, increased stress, and irregular heartbeat.

Research shows that people who consistently fail to get enough sleep are at an increased risk of chronic disease. Treating sleep as a priority, rather than a luxury, may be an important step in preventing many chronic conditions.

If you currently have difficulty sleeping, pay close attention to your sleeping habits. Here are a few recommendations to help you fall asleep and stay asleep:

· Get into the routine of going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning.

· Avoid large meals, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol before bedtime. Also, try not to exercise immediately before you sleep.

· Make your environment quiet, cool, dark, and relaxing. Keep technology out of reach.

As you know, sleep is vital for a healthy body. Plus, it simply makes you feel better. Good sleep doesn’t have to be a luxury. In fact, quality sleep should be a priority for your physical and mental health!

Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697546908793.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension DistrictFor me, not many things beat the rejuvenation of a good night's sleep. I feel alert, focused, and ready to tackle the day. On the other hand, restless nights lead to sluggish mornings and dull afternoons.It’s amazing how sleep quality directly affects quality of life, and there’s reason for it. Sleep plays an important role in how the entire body functions! Specifically, it makes a big impact on brain health, immune function, metabolism, mood, and heart health:· Learning and memory- During sleep, the brain stores away memories, and it clears plaque that is associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.· Illness- While your mind rests during sleep, your immune system works hard. Antibodies and cytokines that fight infection and viruses are produced during sleep.· Hormone alterations- Sleep deprivation can change hormone production. For example, insufficient sleep increases cortisol levels and raises appetite. This can make weight management difficult. However, sufficient sleep supports healthy hormone production and also defends against irritability, inability to concentrate, and depression.· Cardiovascular health- Getting enough sleep improves heart health. Sleep disorders are linked to hypertension, increased stress, and irregular heartbeat.Research shows that people who consistently fail to get enough sleep are at an increased risk of chronic disease. Treating sleep as a priority, rather than a luxury, may be an important step in preventing many chronic conditions.If you currently have difficulty sleeping, pay close attention to your sleeping habits. Here are a few recommendations to help you fall asleep and stay asleep:· Get into the routine of going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning.· Avoid large meals, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol before bedtime. Also, try not to exercise immediately before you sleep.· Make your environment quiet, cool, dark, and relaxing. Keep technology out of reach.As you know, sleep is vital for a healthy body. Plus, it simply makes you feel better. Good sleep doesn’t have to be a luxury. In fact, quality sleep should be a priority for your physical and mental health!Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

WINKEL: The role of sleep, make it a priority

By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas Outdoors

As we hurtle toward our fall time change, it makes me consider how the length-of-days and the increased or decreased amount of sunlight affects all life on this rock. Every living thing has an internal clock of some sort that helps regulate its life. It’s what tells butterflies and birds when to migrate and sea turtles when to lumber ashore to lay their eggs. My internal clock is very reliable as it relates to getting me up in the morning. I have an alarm clock by my bed like most everyone does, but I rarely have to use it. It seems I can just decide in my mind when I want to awaken and when that time rolls around, I awaken. We put our two little dogs to bed about ten PM every night and they also get a treat then. Their internal clock often tells them when it’s time for a snack, as they begin to stir and whine about that time every night, and you can nearly set your watch by it.

Wildlife has different worries in life which are all about survival, like when to begin growing their heavy winter coats or when to begin breeding to sustain their species. All studies and research say that those things are dictated by the amount of daylight in a day, technically known as photo-period. So as the days get shorter and thus the amount of daylight becomes less, it triggers changes in wildlife.

In deer, shortening days and reduced amount of daylight triggers the breeding season known to us as “the rut.” I spoke with now retired Big Game Coordinator for the state of Kansas, who explained to me how increased amount of darkness each day causes increased production of certain hormones in a deer’s body and thus the bodies of both male and female deer prepare for the breeding season. He also pointed out that moon signs and other factors may bring about increased deer activity and changes of behavior, but it is all ultimately controlled by the length of days (photo-period.) As a side note here, have you ever wondered why deer and all wildlife for that matter have their young in the spring and not fall, early winter or even year-round like some domestic livestock? God has programmed their bodies to react the way they do so all wildlife young are born in spring when everything in nature gives them the absolute best chance of survival.

Furbearers are also affected by decreased amount of daylight. Matt Peek, Furbearer Biologist for the state of Kansas explained to me how the photo period dictates when a fur bearer’s pelt becomes “prime.” Fur bearing animals grow an extra-thick, heavy coat to protect them from winter blasts, and when that coat is at its absolute fullest and best for fur harvesting it is called “prime.” Decreasing amounts of daylight initiates that growth. It could be sixty-five degrees clear into December, but the animals’ fur still grows and becomes prime in anticipation of the cold, no matter when it comes, so that the critters are prepared. Fur from different parts of the country varies vastly in quality, as fur from Idaho for example will always be thicker and more luxurious than fur from Florida. But no matter where a fur bearing animal lives, their fur still becomes prime and the timing of that is dictated by the amount of daylight.

I hate the bi-annual time changes; I wish we would just choose one or the other (I really don’t care which one) and then just leave it alone! But twice each year as I scurry around resetting the clocks on the microwave, etc. knowing full well I’ll have to do it again in 6 months, I stop for a moment and consider how the wild critters clocks just kinda’ reset themselves thanks to the wisdom of our Creator. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas OutdoorsAs we hurtle toward our fall time change, it makes me consider how the length-of-days and the increased or decreased amount of sunlight affects all life on this rock. Every living thing has an internal clock of some sort that helps regulate its life. It’s what tells butterflies and birds when to migrate and sea turtles when to lumber ashore to lay their eggs. My internal clock is very reliable as it relates to getting me up in the morning. I have an alarm clock by my bed like most everyone does, but I rarely have to use it. It seems I can just decide in my mind when I want to awaken and when that time rolls around, I awaken. We put our two little dogs to bed about ten PM every night and they also get a treat then. Their internal clock often tells them when it’s time for a snack, as they begin to stir and whine about that time every night, and you can nearly set your watch by it.Wildlife has different worries in life which are all about survival, like when to begin growing their heavy winter coats or when to begin breeding to sustain their species. All studies and research say that those things are dictated by the amount of daylight in a day, technically known as photo-period. So as the days get shorter and thus the amount of daylight becomes less, it triggers changes in wildlife.In deer, shortening days and reduced amount of daylight triggers the breeding season known to us as “the rut.” I spoke with now retired Big Game Coordinator for the state of Kansas, who explained to me how increased amount of darkness each day causes increased production of certain hormones in a deer’s body and thus the bodies of both male and female deer prepare for the breeding season. He also pointed out that moon signs and other factors may bring about increased deer activity and changes of behavior, but it is all ultimately controlled by the length of days (photo-period.) As a side note here, have you ever wondered why deer and all wildlife for that matter have their young in the spring and not fall, early winter or even year-round like some domestic livestock? God has programmed their bodies to react the way they do so all wildlife young are born in spring when everything in nature gives them the absolute best chance of survival.Furbearers are also affected by decreased amount of daylight. Matt Peek, Furbearer Biologist for the state of Kansas explained to me how the photo period dictates when a fur bearer’s pelt becomes “prime.” Fur bearing animals grow an extra-thick, heavy coat to protect them from winter blasts, and when that coat is at its absolute fullest and best for fur harvesting it is called “prime.” Decreasing amounts of daylight initiates that growth. It could be sixty-five degrees clear into December, but the animals’ fur still grows and becomes prime in anticipation of the cold, no matter when it comes, so that the critters are prepared. Fur from different parts of the country varies vastly in quality, as fur from Idaho for example will always be thicker and more luxurious than fur from Florida. But no matter where a fur bearing animal lives, their fur still becomes prime and the timing of that is dictated by the amount of daylight.I hate the bi-annual time changes; I wish we would just choose one or the other (I really don’t care which one) and then just leave it alone! But twice each year as I scurry around resetting the clocks on the microwave, etc. knowing full well I’ll have to do it again in 6 months, I stop for a moment and consider how the wild critters clocks just kinda’ reset themselves thanks to the wisdom of our Creator. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Does the length of the day cause your body to obey?

By Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01)

Last week, I completed my fourth annual 60-county Mann Listening Tour. Each year that I have served in Congress, I have hosted at least one town hall in every county of the Big First District. If an issue matters to Kansan, it matters to me, and those of you who show up to my town halls give me valuable insights to best serve you in Congress.

Over the past eight months I have consistently heard Kansans’ concerns about passing a fiscally conservative Farm Bill, reining in the weaponization of our federal government, cutting our reckless government spending, protecting the integrity of our nation’s elections, and securing America’s wide-open borders. These concerns have been a guide to how I develop solutions in Congress, and they will continue to be my pilot light in Washington, D.C.

As I concluded my annual listening tour last week, I could not help but to think about how our nation’s capital could benefit from more Kansas values.

Senator Bob Dole once told me about the “Kansas approach”—honesty, hard work, respect for your roots, common sense, service, simplicity, and genuine, thoughtful care for people. That is the Kansas spirit that so many of our fellow Kansans want to see more of in the nation’s capital. Sadly, that approach has dwindled and been forgotten by too many over the years.

Since the Biden-Harris Administration was sworn in, more than 12 million illegal immigrants have illegally entered the country. America begged Congress to come up with a solution, so House Republicans drafted H.R. 2, the strongest border security legislation passed in decades. Rather than coming to the table and finding commonsense solutions, Senate Majority Leader Schumer buried the bill in his legislative graveyard and refused to work with House Republicans to develop a solution.

When Americans rightly expressed their concerns about illegal immigrants voting in our national elections, House Republicans passed the SAVE Act, which requires individuals to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. 198 of my Democrat colleagues voted against this commonsense legislation, and President Biden and Vice President Harris came out against it.

The House Agriculture Committee heard the demands from farm country for a fiscally conservative Farm Bill that provides certainty as they work to feed, fuel, and clothe world. We passed the Food, Farm, and National Security Act of 2024 out of committee with bipartisan support, and again, our Senate Democrat colleagues have responded with silence and failed to develop their own Farm Bill.

When President Biden was sworn in, he inherited a strong economy from the Trump Administration. However, President Biden was hyper-focused on massive government spending and expansion. For the first two years, Washington Democrats shoved their partisan, reckless tax-and-spend packages through Congress, which ultimately led to skyrocketing inflation and a declining U.S. economy. They senselessly taxed hardworking Americans and spent those dollars in an irresponsible manner. They have ignored the financial burden this spending put on American families, all while implementing burdensome regulations that handcuff hardworking Americans and drive-up costs even further.

Rather than resolving these issues, the Biden-Harris Administration spent more time using the federal government as a weapon against its political opponents. From using federal agencies to register voters at official events to attacking former President Trump in our federal courts, President Biden and Vice President Harris have been more committed to abusing their power than serving the American people.

Meanwhile, Kansans are just asking for some sort of commonsense policy solutions that bring them a degree of relief from the hardships of the past four years.

Ad Astra per Aspera, “to the stars through difficulty”. This isn’t just our state motto – it’s our way of life. Since our state’s founding, Kansans have endured and embraced hardships as we reached for the stars. We work hard to solve difficult problems, we keep our word, and we take pride in being a loyal and dedicated people. Our government would be a lot more productive and efficient if our nation’s capital embraced these values.

When I laid out my Commitment to the Big First District at the beginning of the 118th&nbsp;Congress, I promised Kansans to fight for an economy that’s strong, a future that’s built on freedom, a nation that’s safe, and a government that is accountable. Throughout my town halls it was clear – Kansans want me to continue that fight and to get our nation back on track.

I do not serve in Congress to be a caretaker in the slow demise of America- I serve to fight and work to make it stronger. I will not give up on bringing our conservative Kansas values to our nation’s capital or believing our brightest days are yet to come.

Tracey Mann, R-Salina, is the Kansas First District Congressman.

By Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01)Last week, I completed my fourth annual 60-county Mann Listening Tour. Each year that I have served in Congress, I have hosted at least one town hall in every county of the Big First District. If an issue matters to Kansan, it matters to me, and those of you who show up to my town halls give me valuable insights to best serve you in Congress.Over the past eight months I have consistently heard Kansans’ concerns about passing a fiscally conservative Farm Bill, reining in the weaponization of our federal government, cutting our reckless government spending, protecting the integrity of our nation’s elections, and securing America’s wide-open borders. These concerns have been a guide to how I develop solutions in Congress, and they will continue to be my pilot light in Washington, D.C.As I concluded my annual listening tour last week, I could not help but to think about how our nation’s capital could benefit from more Kansas values.Senator Bob Dole once told me about the “Kansas approach”—honesty, hard work, respect for your roots, common sense, service, simplicity, and genuine, thoughtful care for people. That is the Kansas spirit that so many of our fellow Kansans want to see more of in the nation’s capital. Sadly, that approach has dwindled and been forgotten by too many over the years.Since the Biden-Harris Administration was sworn in, more than 12 million illegal immigrants have illegally entered the country. America begged Congress to come up with a solution, so House Republicans drafted H.R. 2, the strongest border security legislation passed in decades. Rather than coming to the table and finding commonsense solutions, Senate Majority Leader Schumer buried the bill in his legislative graveyard and refused to work with House Republicans to develop a solution.When Americans rightly expressed their concerns about illegal immigrants voting in our national elections, House Republicans passed the SAVE Act, which requires individuals to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. 198 of my Democrat colleagues voted against this commonsense legislation, and President Biden and Vice President Harris came out against it.The House Agriculture Committee heard the demands from farm country for a fiscally conservative Farm Bill that provides certainty as they work to feed, fuel, and clothe world. We passed the Food, Farm, and National Security Act of 2024 out of committee with bipartisan support, and again, our Senate Democrat colleagues have responded with silence and failed to develop their own Farm Bill.When President Biden was sworn in, he inherited a strong economy from the Trump Administration. However, President Biden was hyper-focused on massive government spending and expansion. For the first two years, Washington Democrats shoved their partisan, reckless tax-and-spend packages through Congress, which ultimately led to skyrocketing inflation and a declining U.S. economy. They senselessly taxed hardworking Americans and spent those dollars in an irresponsible manner. They have ignored the financial burden this spending put on American families, all while implementing burdensome regulations that handcuff hardworking Americans and drive-up costs even further.Rather than resolving these issues, the Biden-Harris Administration spent more time using the federal government as a weapon against its political opponents. From using federal agencies to register voters at official events to attacking former President Trump in our federal courts, President Biden and Vice President Harris have been more committed to abusing their power than serving the American people.Meanwhile, Kansans are just asking for some sort of commonsense policy solutions that bring them a degree of relief from the hardships of the past four years.Ad Astra per Aspera, “to the stars through difficulty”. This isn’t just our state motto – it’s our way of life. Since our state’s founding, Kansans have endured and embraced hardships as we reached for the stars. We work hard to solve difficult problems, we keep our word, and we take pride in being a loyal and dedicated people. Our government would be a lot more productive and efficient if our nation’s capital embraced these values.When I laid out my Commitment to the Big First District at the beginning of the 118th&nbsp;Congress, I promised Kansans to fight for an economy that’s strong, a future that’s built on freedom, a nation that’s safe, and a government that is accountable. Throughout my town halls it was clear – Kansans want me to continue that fight and to get our nation back on track.I do not serve in Congress to be a caretaker in the slow demise of America- I serve to fight and work to make it stronger. I will not give up on bringing our conservative Kansas values to our nation’s capital or believing our brightest days are yet to come.Tracey Mann, R-Salina, is the Kansas First District Congressman.

MANN: More Kansas values in our nation’s capital

By MARK JOSLYN Insight Kansas

For over a century, Johnson County residents voted for Republican presidential candidates.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Even during periods of Democrat strength, including Franklin Roosevelt’s landslide victory in 1932 and Lyndon Johnson’s overwhelming triumph in 1964, the county stayed true to its Republican identity.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Woodward Wilson was the last Democrat to win Johnson County, achieving this feat way back in 1916.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

But in 2020 Joe Biden put an end to the extraordinary run.

Two years later, nearly 60 percent of Johnson County voters supported Governor Kelly’s reelection bid and the county’s state House and Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-03/kansas-is-becoming-more-divided-democrats-win-suburban-areas-and-the-gop-holds-rural-communities">Democrat delegations</a>&nbsp;increased considerably.&nbsp;&nbsp;Democrats in fact now consider Johnson County a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2024-08-04/how-johnson-county-kansas-became-a-crucial-battleground-in-the-2024-election">crucial battle ground</a>&nbsp;in the 2024 elections.&nbsp;So, we have arrived at an important crossroad.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Are Democrat gains in Johnson County a harbinger of things to come?&nbsp; Or are they a temporary break in an otherwise robust trend of Republican dominance?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;The answer can be attributed to changes in demographics.&nbsp; Johnson County’s population is increasingly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/geo/chart/johnsoncountykansas/POP060220">urban</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/geo/chart/johnsoncountykansas/EDU685222">college-educated</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/geo/chart/douglascountykansas,johnsoncountykansas/INC110222">wealthy</a>&nbsp;– trends that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/04/09/partisanship-by-family-income-home-ownership-union-membership-and-veteran-status/">favor</a>&nbsp;the Democratic Party.&nbsp;Moreover, Democrat-leaning industries – education, health care and scientific professionals – now account for roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://thinkkc.com/business/communities/johnson-county-kansas">40 percent</a>&nbsp;of the county’s employment base.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Accordingly, the proportion of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jocoelection.org/archive/registration-numbers">Johnson County voters</a>&nbsp;registered as Democrats has increased from 20 percent in 2000 to 32 percent today.&nbsp; &nbsp;

But these changes cannot fully account for the shifts in voting behavior.&nbsp;After all, the percentage of voters in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jocoelection.org/archive/registration-numbers">Johnson County&nbsp;</a>registered as Republican has remained above 40 percent.&nbsp;&nbsp;What has changed is the Republican party.&nbsp; It has failed to offer candidates that appeal to moderates and those unaffiliated with either party.&nbsp; &nbsp;In the 2018 gubernatorial race, for example, Laura Kelly prevailed over Kris Kobach by 5 points statewide.&nbsp; &nbsp;In Johnson County, Kelly thumped Kobach by a whopping 17 points.

Also, in 2018 Democrat Sharice Davids unseated incumbent Republican Kevin Yoder in the race for Kansas’ third congressional district –&nbsp; which includes Johnson County.&nbsp;Davids skillfully managed a centrist image and has been able to hold the seat comfortably even after the district’s boundaries were redrawn to eliminate Democrat advantages.&nbsp; &nbsp;In 2016, Trump resonated with centrist voters.&nbsp;

 He secured majority support from independents and suburban voters across the nation and extended the Republican streak in Johnson County.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Four year later, Biden seized the ideological center winning 64 percent of moderates and 54 percent of Independents. &nbsp;He convincingly won Johnson County, garnering an unprecedented 53 percent of the vote.&nbsp;The meaning is clear:&nbsp; Centrism thrives in Johnson County.&nbsp;&nbsp;The county’s demographics do suggest a supportive environment for Democrats.&nbsp; &nbsp;

This alone implies Kamala Harris is poised to win Johnson County.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 

However, a better explanation is that county residents like centrist candidates.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Neither Harris not Trump, at this point, are centrists.&nbsp;And their vice president picks merely energized core supporters, prioritizing base maximization strategies over appeals to on-the-fence moderates.

Despite centrism’s successful track record of winning elections, reaching out to moderate voters if often met with disapproval.&nbsp; Passionate partisans steer candidates away from the middle ground in favor of more extreme policy agendas.&nbsp; &nbsp;Should Harris resist progressive pressures and concentrate on moderate voters, she will be in a strong position to take Johnson County and may very well be the next president.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695215697316.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK JOSLYN Insight KansasFor over a century, Johnson County residents voted for Republican presidential candidates.&nbsp; &nbsp;Even during periods of Democrat strength, including Franklin Roosevelt’s landslide victory in 1932 and Lyndon Johnson’s overwhelming triumph in 1964, the county stayed true to its Republican identity.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Woodward Wilson was the last Democrat to win Johnson County, achieving this feat way back in 1916.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;But in 2020 Joe Biden put an end to the extraordinary run.Two years later, nearly 60 percent of Johnson County voters supported Governor Kelly’s reelection bid and the county’s state House and Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-03/kansas-is-becoming-more-divided-democrats-win-suburban-areas-and-the-gop-holds-rural-communities">Democrat delegations</a>&nbsp;increased considerably.&nbsp;&nbsp;Democrats in fact now consider Johnson County a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2024-08-04/how-johnson-county-kansas-became-a-crucial-battleground-in-the-2024-election">crucial battle ground</a>&nbsp;in the 2024 elections.&nbsp;So, we have arrived at an important crossroad.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Are Democrat gains in Johnson County a harbinger of things to come?&nbsp; Or are they a temporary break in an otherwise robust trend of Republican dominance?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;The answer can be attributed to changes in demographics.&nbsp; Johnson County’s population is increasingly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/geo/chart/johnsoncountykansas/POP060220">urban</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/geo/chart/johnsoncountykansas/EDU685222">college-educated</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/geo/chart/douglascountykansas,johnsoncountykansas/INC110222">wealthy</a>&nbsp;– trends that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/04/09/partisanship-by-family-income-home-ownership-union-membership-and-veteran-status/">favor</a>&nbsp;the Democratic Party.&nbsp;Moreover, Democrat-leaning industries – education, health care and scientific professionals – now account for roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://thinkkc.com/business/communities/johnson-county-kansas">40 percent</a>&nbsp;of the county’s employment base.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Accordingly, the proportion of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jocoelection.org/archive/registration-numbers">Johnson County voters</a>&nbsp;registered as Democrats has increased from 20 percent in 2000 to 32 percent today.&nbsp; &nbsp;But these changes cannot fully account for the shifts in voting behavior.&nbsp;After all, the percentage of voters in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jocoelection.org/archive/registration-numbers">Johnson County&nbsp;</a>registered as Republican has remained above 40 percent.&nbsp;&nbsp;What has changed is the Republican party.&nbsp; It has failed to offer candidates that appeal to moderates and those unaffiliated with either party.&nbsp; &nbsp;In the 2018 gubernatorial race, for example, Laura Kelly prevailed over Kris Kobach by 5 points statewide.&nbsp; &nbsp;In Johnson County, Kelly thumped Kobach by a whopping 17 points.Also, in 2018 Democrat Sharice Davids unseated incumbent Republican Kevin Yoder in the race for Kansas’ third congressional district –&nbsp; which includes Johnson County.&nbsp;Davids skillfully managed a centrist image and has been able to hold the seat comfortably even after the district’s boundaries were redrawn to eliminate Democrat advantages.&nbsp; &nbsp;In 2016, Trump resonated with centrist voters.&nbsp; He secured majority support from independents and suburban voters across the nation and extended the Republican streak in Johnson County.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Four year later, Biden seized the ideological center winning 64 percent of moderates and 54 percent of Independents. &nbsp;He convincingly won Johnson County, garnering an unprecedented 53 percent of the vote.&nbsp;The meaning is clear:&nbsp; Centrism thrives in Johnson County.&nbsp;&nbsp;The county’s demographics do suggest a supportive environment for Democrats.&nbsp; &nbsp;This alone implies Kamala Harris is poised to win Johnson County.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; However, a better explanation is that county residents like centrist candidates.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Neither Harris not Trump, at this point, are centrists.&nbsp;And their vice president picks merely energized core supporters, prioritizing base maximization strategies over appeals to on-the-fence moderates.Despite centrism’s successful track record of winning elections, reaching out to moderate voters if often met with disapproval.&nbsp; Passionate partisans steer candidates away from the middle ground in favor of more extreme policy agendas.&nbsp; &nbsp;Should Harris resist progressive pressures and concentrate on moderate voters, she will be in a strong position to take Johnson County and may very well be the next president.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

INSIGHT KANSAS: Can Kamala Harris repeat Biden’s historic Johnson County performance?

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

Someone recently came into the Cottonwood Extension office with a tiny insect, asking what it is. Fortunately, it had a distinctive long snout. So that meant it was a weevil and I was able to narrow it down considerably and identify it as a rice weevil. I did get verification from J.P. Michaud, entomologist at the Ag Research Ct. in Hays, too.

It just so happened that was the same day my newspaper article is due. Therefore, I thought I would write about pantry or stored product pests. Some of the more common pantry or kitchen insect pests are probably the Indian meal moth, sawtoothed grain beetles, and flour beetles.

Several insects, commonly referred to as pantry or kitchen pests, infest dry or stored food products in the home. Most are either beetles or moths. In the case of beetles, both the adult and larval stages may be damaging while only the larvae of moths are destructive. Infestations may be noted when these insects are found in some products, but more commonly when the adults are seen crawling or flying about the kitchen or pantry.

Since most of these insects are of tropical or semi-tropical origin, they live and breed best under warm, humid conditions – conditions often found in kitchen cupboards. Since most do not hibernate, reproduction is continuous throughout the year and populations can build up rapidly if they are left undisturbed.

Inspection - Always keep in mind that many pantry pests are strong fliers and that their larvae can crawl some distance from a source of infestation. The source of infestation is usually limited to a small area such as the kitchen, or a single cabinet, or a single susceptible product. Before you attempt control, find out this source and eliminate it.

This is not always an easy job. Check all the materials mentioned as susceptible products. Do not overlook the fact that a sealed container may be infested because the lid may be loose enough to allow pantry pests.

Sterilization - It is possible to kill pantry pests by putting lightly infested packages in the refrigerator freezer compartment for a least two or three days.

Sanitation - Periodically clean all shelves in storage areas. Many pantry pests can breed in food particles that spill or sift from packages and accumulate in cracks and corners. The insects can then infest food packages on the shelves later.

Buy only small quantities of foods susceptible to infestation, especially in the summer. Carefully examine these foods when you get them to be sure they are free of pests.

Whenever possible, dry foods can be stored in clean glass or metal containers with tight fitting lids. (Empty coffee cans with plastic lids make excellent storage containers.) Clean containers thoroughly before placing fresh food in them. Never leave them undisturbed for long periods of time. Storing these food products in the refrigerator or freezer will prevent infestation.

Insecticides are not recommended for use against pantry pests.

This article is not intended to provoke panic, but just an FYI for folks to be aware of and keep in mind. If you have any questions give us a call at the Cottonwood Extension Office.

Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681266655144.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictSomeone recently came into the Cottonwood Extension office with a tiny insect, asking what it is. Fortunately, it had a distinctive long snout. So that meant it was a weevil and I was able to narrow it down considerably and identify it as a rice weevil. I did get verification from J.P. Michaud, entomologist at the Ag Research Ct. in Hays, too.It just so happened that was the same day my newspaper article is due. Therefore, I thought I would write about pantry or stored product pests. Some of the more common pantry or kitchen insect pests are probably the Indian meal moth, sawtoothed grain beetles, and flour beetles.Several insects, commonly referred to as pantry or kitchen pests, infest dry or stored food products in the home. Most are either beetles or moths. In the case of beetles, both the adult and larval stages may be damaging while only the larvae of moths are destructive. Infestations may be noted when these insects are found in some products, but more commonly when the adults are seen crawling or flying about the kitchen or pantry.Since most of these insects are of tropical or semi-tropical origin, they live and breed best under warm, humid conditions – conditions often found in kitchen cupboards. Since most do not hibernate, reproduction is continuous throughout the year and populations can build up rapidly if they are left undisturbed.Inspection - Always keep in mind that many pantry pests are strong fliers and that their larvae can crawl some distance from a source of infestation. The source of infestation is usually limited to a small area such as the kitchen, or a single cabinet, or a single susceptible product. Before you attempt control, find out this source and eliminate it.This is not always an easy job. Check all the materials mentioned as susceptible products. Do not overlook the fact that a sealed container may be infested because the lid may be loose enough to allow pantry pests.Sterilization - It is possible to kill pantry pests by putting lightly infested packages in the refrigerator freezer compartment for a least two or three days.Sanitation - Periodically clean all shelves in storage areas. Many pantry pests can breed in food particles that spill or sift from packages and accumulate in cracks and corners. The insects can then infest food packages on the shelves later.Buy only small quantities of foods susceptible to infestation, especially in the summer. Carefully examine these foods when you get them to be sure they are free of pests.Whenever possible, dry foods can be stored in clean glass or metal containers with tight fitting lids. (Empty coffee cans with plastic lids make excellent storage containers.) Clean containers thoroughly before placing fresh food in them. Never leave them undisturbed for long periods of time. Storing these food products in the refrigerator or freezer will prevent infestation.Insecticides are not recommended for use against pantry pests.This article is not intended to provoke panic, but just an FYI for folks to be aware of and keep in mind. If you have any questions give us a call at the Cottonwood Extension Office.Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Pantry pest control measures

In early July, we explored Ayre’s Natural Bridge, a site not far from Douglas, Wyoming. We’ve driven past a bazillion times and finally exited I-80 to investigate. It’s one of only a few intact natural bridges with water running beneath them in America. But, the highlight for me was seeing and hearing scores of flitting yellow warblers zipping through box elder trees that shade this charming historic/picnic site. This Western Kansan doesn’t see yellow warblers often and never in great numbers, which made that detour a big deal.

Just thinking about our hour wandering along La Prele Creek burbling through a red rock canyon while hordes of warblers presented an early July symphony continues put a smile on my face. Imagine my surprise when my husband recently alerted me to a pair of yellow warblers in our front locust tree one chilly day in early August. Temps never cracked 70 degrees til after 4 p.m. so maybe that triggered a mini-migration….

Due to the cool, every window in the house hung open, so I heard our visitors vigorously chatting out front before I saw them. I grabbed my camera and crept outside where I tucked myself behind the bush next to our porch and sat and sat and sat, listening to vocalizing I’d first heard in Ayre’s Canyon. Swift movements from branch to branch clued me in that these guys weren’t any more likely to pose than those warblers I tried photographing in Wyoming.

Thank goodness clouds held temps down as I awaited my photo op. Periodically, I’d see a tiny, yellow bird swiftly drop from a low-hanging branch to the lawn below to snag an insect and return at warp speed. I could never focus in time to capture a shot. As expected, vivid yellow feathered males showed up better than the paler females. Unfortunately, the males moved continuously, and when they paused, a dangling curtain of locust leaves left me photo-less.

Eventually, I saw we had more than a pair stopping to refuel. At least 5 if not 6 warblers occupied our tree for over an hour of intensive feasting. I learned they prefer caterpillars, but as far as I’m concerned, they can gobble any bug they want from our yard. No matter what they ate, these insectivores left with stuffed gullets.

Finally, they dined long enough that a lone female offered my waiting lens a side shot. After sitting still, my stiff muscles did their job and snapped her picture. Afterward, I re-assumed the patient position, hoping a male would cooperate. No such luck.

Eventually, I headed inside where my husband and I hid behind an open window to continue observing these unexpected visitors. Obviously, the screen eliminated any photo chances, but we enjoyed watching warbler acrobatic maneuvers through the tangle of branches and leaves of that old locust. With humans out of sight, our visitors unconcernedly zipped every direction, snarfing even more six-legged critters.

Who knows what told these visitors they needed to go, but go they did. That tree out front got awful quiet once they departed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723824078494.jpeg" alt="Photo by Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINIn early July, we explored Ayre’s Natural Bridge, a site not far from Douglas, Wyoming. We’ve driven past a bazillion times and finally exited I-80 to investigate. It’s one of only a few intact natural bridges with water running beneath them in America. But, the highlight for me was seeing and hearing scores of flitting yellow warblers zipping through box elder trees that shade this charming historic/picnic site. This Western Kansan doesn’t see yellow warblers often and never in great numbers, which made that detour a big deal.Just thinking about our hour wandering along La Prele Creek burbling through a red rock canyon while hordes of warblers presented an early July symphony continues put a smile on my face. Imagine my surprise when my husband recently alerted me to a pair of yellow warblers in our front locust tree one chilly day in early August. Temps never cracked 70 degrees til after 4 p.m. so maybe that triggered a mini-migration….Due to the cool, every window in the house hung open, so I heard our visitors vigorously chatting out front before I saw them. I grabbed my camera and crept outside where I tucked myself behind the bush next to our porch and sat and sat and sat, listening to vocalizing I’d first heard in Ayre’s Canyon. Swift movements from branch to branch clued me in that these guys weren’t any more likely to pose than those warblers I tried photographing in Wyoming.Thank goodness clouds held temps down as I awaited my photo op. Periodically, I’d see a tiny, yellow bird swiftly drop from a low-hanging branch to the lawn below to snag an insect and return at warp speed. I could never focus in time to capture a shot. As expected, vivid yellow feathered males showed up better than the paler females. Unfortunately, the males moved continuously, and when they paused, a dangling curtain of locust leaves left me photo-less.Eventually, I saw we had more than a pair stopping to refuel. At least 5 if not 6 warblers occupied our tree for over an hour of intensive feasting. I learned they prefer caterpillars, but as far as I’m concerned, they can gobble any bug they want from our yard. No matter what they ate, these insectivores left with stuffed gullets.Finally, they dined long enough that a lone female offered my waiting lens a side shot. After sitting still, my stiff muscles did their job and snapped her picture. Afterward, I re-assumed the patient position, hoping a male would cooperate. No such luck.Eventually, I headed inside where my husband and I hid behind an open window to continue observing these unexpected visitors. Obviously, the screen eliminated any photo chances, but we enjoyed watching warbler acrobatic maneuvers through the tangle of branches and leaves of that old locust. With humans out of sight, our visitors unconcernedly zipped every direction, snarfing even more six-legged critters.Who knows what told these visitors they needed to go, but go they did. That tree out front got awful quiet once they departed.

MADORIN: Staying alert pays off

By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension District

It is just about time for the Kansas State Fair! The State Fair will kick off on Friday, September 6th, and run through Sunday, September 15th.

We had 42 4-H youth in Barton County qualify to take an entry to the State Fair. From those 42, we have over 80 entries!

I always say this day of delivering 4-H exhibits to the Kansas State Fair is one of the scariest driving days that I experience all year. Fragile visual arts projects, entomology and geology boxes, small woodworking projects, and cakes, pies, and cookies – Oh My!

Several 4-H youth will take part in contests such as modeling for Fashion Revue, participating with a photography judging team, or presenting a demonstration or illustrated talk.

As a ten-year 4-H member, I lived too far from Hutchinson to ever see my State Fair exhibits on display so I encourage all of our 4-H members to check out the 4-H exhibits!

If you attend the State Fair on a weekend, be sure to stop in Centennial Hall and listen to a few demonstrations or project talks. These youth are working hard to improve their communication skills and it is fun to see their ideas. Over 1200 4-H photographs will be on display as well as a wealth of rockets, sewing, quilting, and horticulture exhibits.

In case you are wondering, the foods entries are judged on Thursday, September 5th, and only a small number of samples are kept on display due to space constraints. The other portion of the foods entry is placed in a bake sale which benefits the International Foreign Youth Exchange (IFYE) program so be sure to check this out if you happen to be in Hutchinson on the afternoon of September 5th.

Come visit the Kansas State Fair and step off the midway for a while to see the wide variety of talents and skills on display by 4-H members across our state!

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!

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="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension DistrictIt is just about time for the Kansas State Fair! The State Fair will kick off on Friday, September 6th, and run through Sunday, September 15th.We had 42 4-H youth in Barton County qualify to take an entry to the State Fair. From those 42, we have over 80 entries!I always say this day of delivering 4-H exhibits to the Kansas State Fair is one of the scariest driving days that I experience all year. Fragile visual arts projects, entomology and geology boxes, small woodworking projects, and cakes, pies, and cookies – Oh My!Several 4-H youth will take part in contests such as modeling for Fashion Revue, participating with a photography judging team, or presenting a demonstration or illustrated talk.As a ten-year 4-H member, I lived too far from Hutchinson to ever see my State Fair exhibits on display so I encourage all of our 4-H members to check out the 4-H exhibits!If you attend the State Fair on a weekend, be sure to stop in Centennial Hall and listen to a few demonstrations or project talks. These youth are working hard to improve their communication skills and it is fun to see their ideas. Over 1200 4-H photographs will be on display as well as a wealth of rockets, sewing, quilting, and horticulture exhibits.In case you are wondering, the foods entries are judged on Thursday, September 5th, and only a small number of samples are kept on display due to space constraints. The other portion of the foods entry is placed in a bake sale which benefits the International Foreign Youth Exchange (IFYE) program so be sure to check this out if you happen to be in Hutchinson on the afternoon of September 5th.Come visit the Kansas State Fair and step off the midway for a while to see the wide variety of talents and skills on display by 4-H members across our state!Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!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: Kansas State Fair time

By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood Extension District

As temperatures rise and the time between rains decreases, many homeowners begin to increase the frequency of watering their outdoor plants, and when a whole community of folks engage in watering it can impact both the amount and quality of water available, said Sedgwick County extension horticulture agent Matthew McKernan.

“July, August and September are the peak months for outdoor water use and in a lot of places, up to 40% or more of the municipal water is used for landscaping and irrigation purposes,” McKernan said.

Keeping that in mind and recognizing that water demands are increasing, McKernan added: “Much of Kansas has experienced drought over the last few years and it can have a big impact on our community lakes, ponds and waterways that cannot be refilled with water in just one or two rainfall events.

“As surface water decreases, people turn to groundwater for lawns and gardens and that can lead to water quality issues because water is being pulled from the ground faster than it can recharge.”

To best manage this limited resource, McKernan offers tips on ways that homeowners can use water efficiently when caring for outdoor plants.

“One simple thing that people can do is grouping more drought-tolerant plants together in the landscape so that the irrigation system can water more efficiently,” McKernan said. “A lot of native plants are naturally going to be more drought tolerant.”

For a list of drought-tolerant plants and trees, McKernan recommended people check out these two handouts, which are available online: Water Wise Plant List for South Central Kansas and Drought Tolerant Trees of South Central Kansas.

“When we irrigate, we want to water slowly, deeply and infrequently,” McKernan said. “It is best to use irrigation systems that deliver water directly to the soil so that the water doesn’t blow away in the wind or evaporate off the leaves. The best time of day to water is the morning.”

He recommends using a drip irrigation system with pressure-regulated emitters so that every hole in the system is sending out the same amount of water, which is different than soaker hoses that tend to put out more water at the beginning of the line than the end.

“Another irrigation option to consider is a smart irrigation system that adjusts the water that is applied based on the needs of the plant and the conditions outside, rather than a set schedule,” McKernan said.

Regarding the frequency of the watering, he recommends limiting it to one to two times/week to enhance root growth.

“By encouraging periods of mini drought, the plants will grow their roots deeper into the ground allowing them to naturally withstand longer periods of drought,” McKernan said.

The pace of the water absorption will vary depending on the soil type.

“Most of the water waste in irrigation occurs when we are watering too much and the water is running off the surface because the soil can only absorb so much water in a given amount of time,” he said.

To keep this water waste from happening, he recommends watering in zones for shorter periods of time and then rotating back through once the water has been absorbed.

Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698682262753.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood Extension DistrictAs temperatures rise and the time between rains decreases, many homeowners begin to increase the frequency of watering their outdoor plants, and when a whole community of folks engage in watering it can impact both the amount and quality of water available, said Sedgwick County extension horticulture agent Matthew McKernan.“July, August and September are the peak months for outdoor water use and in a lot of places, up to 40% or more of the municipal water is used for landscaping and irrigation purposes,” McKernan said.Keeping that in mind and recognizing that water demands are increasing, McKernan added: “Much of Kansas has experienced drought over the last few years and it can have a big impact on our community lakes, ponds and waterways that cannot be refilled with water in just one or two rainfall events.“As surface water decreases, people turn to groundwater for lawns and gardens and that can lead to water quality issues because water is being pulled from the ground faster than it can recharge.”To best manage this limited resource, McKernan offers tips on ways that homeowners can use water efficiently when caring for outdoor plants.“One simple thing that people can do is grouping more drought-tolerant plants together in the landscape so that the irrigation system can water more efficiently,” McKernan said. “A lot of native plants are naturally going to be more drought tolerant.”For a list of drought-tolerant plants and trees, McKernan recommended people check out these two handouts, which are available online: Water Wise Plant List for South Central Kansas and Drought Tolerant Trees of South Central Kansas.He also had advice on watering.“When we irrigate, we want to water slowly, deeply and infrequently,” McKernan said. “It is best to use irrigation systems that deliver water directly to the soil so that the water doesn’t blow away in the wind or evaporate off the leaves. The best time of day to water is the morning.”He recommends using a drip irrigation system with pressure-regulated emitters so that every hole in the system is sending out the same amount of water, which is different than soaker hoses that tend to put out more water at the beginning of the line than the end.“Another irrigation option to consider is a smart irrigation system that adjusts the water that is applied based on the needs of the plant and the conditions outside, rather than a set schedule,” McKernan said.Regarding the frequency of the watering, he recommends limiting it to one to two times/week to enhance root growth.“By encouraging periods of mini drought, the plants will grow their roots deeper into the ground allowing them to naturally withstand longer periods of drought,” McKernan said.The pace of the water absorption will vary depending on the soil type.“Most of the water waste in irrigation occurs when we are watering too much and the water is running off the surface because the soil can only absorb so much water in a given amount of time,” he said.To keep this water waste from happening, he recommends watering in zones for shorter periods of time and then rotating back through once the water has been absorbed.Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.

BOOR: Watering landscapes

My niece raises and sells project pigs to kids for their 4H fair projects, and after seeing pictures of some of the kids at various county fairs with pigs purchased from her, and after reminiscing about some of the fond memories that brought back of my own county fair experiences when I was a kid, this story came to mind.

We grew up on an Ohio farm about ten miles from the nearest large town, and our farm set at the end of a gravel lane nearly one-tenth of a mile long. Though we weren’t quite in the middle of nowhere, we could see it from our front porch. There was always livestock of some variety around because we five kids were all active in 4-H and FFA. One of the resident animals was a big, red Duroc boar hog named Charlie. Even though Charlie, at over four hundred pounds, was just a big pussycat, that’s still a lot of pussycat, so Charlie came and went pretty much as he pleased. This was before the days of one-piece fence panels, and woven wire fence was barely a challenge to him. We soon learned that the rule of thumb was, if Charlie could get his nose through something, the rest of him would soon follow! We tried electric fence with equal results. If he got as much as a snout hair under the electric wire before he felt the jolt, it just incited him to continue forward taking several feet of the electric fence with him. The bottom line here is that Charlie pretty much had the run of the place and ruled the roost. As I remember, the reason we put up with him was because he didn’t root or tear things up like you’d expect a four-hundred-pound hog to do, and since our place sat so far from the road, and Charlie being a hog and all, he evidently didn’t have the ambition or drive to navigate his big carcass clear to the road and get into any trouble there either. He’d get out in the morning, graze around the barnyard and loll in the shade all day, then find his way back in again at night; quite unusual to say the least. All he seemed to require of us was his feed at night and a good belly scratch each time we passed him.

Mom had an upholstery shop built onto our house, and did a goodly amount of business, so there was a lot of traffic in-and-out of our long lane. Evidently, enough of her customers were from surrounding farming communities that if Charlie happened to be wandering about, they paid him no mind. Even the UPS drivers had learned to ignore Charlie when he greeted them from the middle of the drive. Occasionally, however, she’d get a visiting salesman from one of her fabric companies out of state, and these guys usually came straight from the “big city.” One particular day, while working away in her shop, she suddenly heard a vehicle horn blaring from the driveway. Looking out the window, she saw one of the big city salesmen sitting in his van in front of her shop, one hand smashing the horn button as he peered frightfully out the driver’s side window. “Odd,” she thought. But even stranger was the fact that the whole van was rocking and wobbling as if being shaken by an earthquake.

This is probably as good a place as any to stop the story and tell you a little bit about our mom. Mom was about as big around as a minute and weighted about as much. She was a small spitfire of a lady who always had a cup of coal-black coffee in her hand (probably explaining her feistiness.) She loved nothing more than creating elegant pieces of furniture for people in her upholstery shop, but all the while remained as common as a dandelion. She loved to laugh and joke and would rather listen to the rock and roll songs my buddies and I played than anything.

So there sat the big-city salesman with an expression on his face like his whole life was passing before him, his eyes as big as hubcaps, in his van that was rocking and reeling like one of those old coin operated kiddy rides in front of the grocery store. Mom walked into the yard to unravel the mystery, and as she rounded the front of the van, there were all four hundred pounds of Charlie gleefully scratching himself on the front bumper! I’d love to have heard the conversation around the water cooler the next day that salesman was back at his company. “Come on guys, I’m serious! I really was trapped in my van in the middle of nowhere by Hogzilla! It was a huge, beastly red thing that weighed fifteen hundred pounds and could look through the windshield right into my eyes! If you don’t believe me, go look at the red hair on the bumper.”

Now, knowing my mother, that salesman sat there for a while longer; not on purpose mind you, but because it would’ve been tough for her to chase away a four-hundred-pound hog and roll with laughter at the same time. So goes the story of Charlie and the salesman. I don’t remember what ever happened to Charlie, but he probably died of old age as he may have even been too tough for sausage. I used to scoff when people would get all misty-eyed over memories, but danged if that doesn’t happen easier to me the older I get...Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas OutdoorsMy niece raises and sells project pigs to kids for their 4H fair projects, and after seeing pictures of some of the kids at various county fairs with pigs purchased from her, and after reminiscing about some of the fond memories that brought back of my own county fair experiences when I was a kid, this story came to mind.We grew up on an Ohio farm about ten miles from the nearest large town, and our farm set at the end of a gravel lane nearly one-tenth of a mile long. Though we weren’t quite in the middle of nowhere, we could see it from our front porch. There was always livestock of some variety around because we five kids were all active in 4-H and FFA. One of the resident animals was a big, red Duroc boar hog named Charlie. Even though Charlie, at over four hundred pounds, was just a big pussycat, that’s still a lot of pussycat, so Charlie came and went pretty much as he pleased. This was before the days of one-piece fence panels, and woven wire fence was barely a challenge to him. We soon learned that the rule of thumb was, if Charlie could get his nose through something, the rest of him would soon follow! We tried electric fence with equal results. If he got as much as a snout hair under the electric wire before he felt the jolt, it just incited him to continue forward taking several feet of the electric fence with him. The bottom line here is that Charlie pretty much had the run of the place and ruled the roost. As I remember, the reason we put up with him was because he didn’t root or tear things up like you’d expect a four-hundred-pound hog to do, and since our place sat so far from the road, and Charlie being a hog and all, he evidently didn’t have the ambition or drive to navigate his big carcass clear to the road and get into any trouble there either. He’d get out in the morning, graze around the barnyard and loll in the shade all day, then find his way back in again at night; quite unusual to say the least. All he seemed to require of us was his feed at night and a good belly scratch each time we passed him.Mom had an upholstery shop built onto our house, and did a goodly amount of business, so there was a lot of traffic in-and-out of our long lane. Evidently, enough of her customers were from surrounding farming communities that if Charlie happened to be wandering about, they paid him no mind. Even the UPS drivers had learned to ignore Charlie when he greeted them from the middle of the drive. Occasionally, however, she’d get a visiting salesman from one of her fabric companies out of state, and these guys usually came straight from the “big city.” One particular day, while working away in her shop, she suddenly heard a vehicle horn blaring from the driveway. Looking out the window, she saw one of the big city salesmen sitting in his van in front of her shop, one hand smashing the horn button as he peered frightfully out the driver’s side window. “Odd,” she thought. But even stranger was the fact that the whole van was rocking and wobbling as if being shaken by an earthquake.This is probably as good a place as any to stop the story and tell you a little bit about our mom. Mom was about as big around as a minute and weighted about as much. She was a small spitfire of a lady who always had a cup of coal-black coffee in her hand (probably explaining her feistiness.) She loved nothing more than creating elegant pieces of furniture for people in her upholstery shop, but all the while remained as common as a dandelion. She loved to laugh and joke and would rather listen to the rock and roll songs my buddies and I played than anything.So there sat the big-city salesman with an expression on his face like his whole life was passing before him, his eyes as big as hubcaps, in his van that was rocking and reeling like one of those old coin operated kiddy rides in front of the grocery store. Mom walked into the yard to unravel the mystery, and as she rounded the front of the van, there were all four hundred pounds of Charlie gleefully scratching himself on the front bumper! I’d love to have heard the conversation around the water cooler the next day that salesman was back at his company. “Come on guys, I’m serious! I really was trapped in my van in the middle of nowhere by Hogzilla! It was a huge, beastly red thing that weighed fifteen hundred pounds and could look through the windshield right into my eyes! If you don’t believe me, go look at the red hair on the bumper.”Now, knowing my mother, that salesman sat there for a while longer; not on purpose mind you, but because it would’ve been tough for her to chase away a four-hundred-pound hog and roll with laughter at the same time. So goes the story of Charlie and the salesman. I don’t remember what ever happened to Charlie, but he probably died of old age as he may have even been too tough for sausage. I used to scoff when people would get all misty-eyed over memories, but danged if that doesn’t happen easier to me the older I get...Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Charlie and the salesman

Graham County resident, Dani Roeder is looking forward to the Nicodemus Township History Trail Bike Tour scheduled for October 12, 2024.&nbsp; Dani will be serving as a volunteer at the second SAG (Support and Gear) station.

No stranger to volunteering, Dani served as a volunteer First Responder on the Graham County Fire Department for over 15 years.&nbsp; Similar to many western Kansas residents, Dani is an avid outdoor enthusiast and knows the importance of proper nutrition and hydration while participating in outdoor activities.&nbsp; Dani will bring this knowledge while staffing one of four SAG stops providing plenty of high caloric snacks and electrolyte replacement fluids. Dani is also aware of the need to practice good hygiene and will be encouraging hand sanitizing prior to allriders eating or drinking at the rest stops.

Ms. Roeder shared that she is very excited to be a part of this inaugural event showcasing the various historical signs of these early residents of western Kansas. The historical signs will describe and provide information as to the development and what happened in the Nicodemus Township and surrounding areas.&nbsp; Topics of the signs include numerous schools, churches, mercantile business, sporting events and multiple cemeteries.&nbsp; Aside from the historical significance of the ride, Dani would like to encourage others to participate by listing the amenities included:&nbsp; the option of a short (21 mile) which will hit 11 historical signs or the long (33 mile) ride which will include all 14 signs.&nbsp; Participants will receive a cool T-Shirt, meal, live music and a viewing of the documentary “Ellis Trail To Nicodemus”.&nbsp; Other benefits include the beautiful Nicodemus historic scenery, exercise and of course, the companionship of other participants.&nbsp;&nbsp; Dani said, stop to take a break and she will be happy to hang out with you.

To learn more about the ride and our history follow us on Facebook.&nbsp; Interested riders should register via the Nicodemus Historical Society’s website at:&nbsp; nicodemushistoricalsociety.org .&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723742940224.png" alt="(Courtesy photo)" />
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 </figure>By ROBIN HARDMANGraham County resident, Dani Roeder is looking forward to the Nicodemus Township History Trail Bike Tour scheduled for October 12, 2024.&nbsp; Dani will be serving as a volunteer at the second SAG (Support and Gear) station.No stranger to volunteering, Dani served as a volunteer First Responder on the Graham County Fire Department for over 15 years.&nbsp; Similar to many western Kansas residents, Dani is an avid outdoor enthusiast and knows the importance of proper nutrition and hydration while participating in outdoor activities.&nbsp; Dani will bring this knowledge while staffing one of four SAG stops providing plenty of high caloric snacks and electrolyte replacement fluids. Dani is also aware of the need to practice good hygiene and will be encouraging hand sanitizing prior to allriders eating or drinking at the rest stops.Ms. Roeder shared that she is very excited to be a part of this inaugural event showcasing the various historical signs of these early residents of western Kansas. The historical signs will describe and provide information as to the development and what happened in the Nicodemus Township and surrounding areas.&nbsp; Topics of the signs include numerous schools, churches, mercantile business, sporting events and multiple cemeteries.&nbsp; Aside from the historical significance of the ride, Dani would like to encourage others to participate by listing the amenities included:&nbsp; the option of a short (21 mile) which will hit 11 historical signs or the long (33 mile) ride which will include all 14 signs.&nbsp; Participants will receive a cool T-Shirt, meal, live music and a viewing of the documentary “Ellis Trail To Nicodemus”.&nbsp; Other benefits include the beautiful Nicodemus historic scenery, exercise and of course, the companionship of other participants.&nbsp;&nbsp; Dani said, stop to take a break and she will be happy to hang out with you.To learn more about the ride and our history follow us on Facebook.&nbsp; Interested riders should register via the Nicodemus Historical Society’s website at:&nbsp; nicodemushistoricalsociety.org .&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nicodemus Township History Trail Bike Tour Interview Series: Dani Roeder

By BILL FIANDER Insight Kansas

Citius, Altius, Fortius.&nbsp;The original Olympic motto – translated to Faster, Higher, Stronger. – was never in more splendid display as the past few weeks in Paris. If the Olympic spirit was a religion, the athletes were its evangelists.Time after time, we were moved by sheer will or talent. A strangely inspired connection to people we didn’t know yesterday but who we scream at to go faster, higher, or stronger today.&nbsp;Maybe because Olympic ideals represent the best of our democratic ideals. Regardless of circumstances one is born into, or obscurity toiled in, the liberties and rights we share when fused with self-determination and love of something allows anyone to catch their dreams in a bottle. Sport or otherwise. Podium or not. A Jeffersonian meritocracy.&nbsp;Which made me ponder another representation of democracy. What if Kansas politics and government were in the Olympics? For aren’t they us too? Shouldn’t we be shrieking at our TV screens for them to go faster, higher, stronger? What would that look like?

A few years ago, the Olympics added “together” to the end of their motto. For you only move faster, or climb higher, or become stronger, in solidarity. Like an Olympic&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/31/sport/north-south-korea-selfie-paris-olympics-spt/index.html">North Korean and South Korean selfie</a>, will Kansas politics come together to show their best?

Bill Fiander is a lecturer at Washburn University specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government. He is the former planning and development director for the City of Topeka.

<figure>
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 </figure>By BILL FIANDER Insight KansasCitius, Altius, Fortius.&nbsp;The original Olympic motto – translated to Faster, Higher, Stronger. – was never in more splendid display as the past few weeks in Paris. If the Olympic spirit was a religion, the athletes were its evangelists.Time after time, we were moved by sheer will or talent. A strangely inspired connection to people we didn’t know yesterday but who we scream at to go faster, higher, or stronger today.&nbsp;Maybe because Olympic ideals represent the best of our democratic ideals. Regardless of circumstances one is born into, or obscurity toiled in, the liberties and rights we share when fused with self-determination and love of something allows anyone to catch their dreams in a bottle. Sport or otherwise. Podium or not. A Jeffersonian meritocracy.&nbsp;Which made me ponder another representation of democracy. What if Kansas politics and government were in the Olympics? For aren’t they us too? Shouldn’t we be shrieking at our TV screens for them to go faster, higher, stronger? What would that look like?<ul>
 <li>The Governor’s “Pommel-Horse Guys”&nbsp;- One of Team USA’s biggest cult heroes is the paragon of pommel-horse, Stephen Nedoroscik. The bespectacled Clark Kent of gymnasts who removes his glasses to compete helped end the men’s team medal drought by specializing in one event. A hired gun so good he can literally feel his way through a routine. Conversely, a nearsighted part-time&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/07/30/kansas-legislatures-committee-to-study-options-for-changing-state-budget-process/">legislative branch may step outside their Team Kansas lane</a>&nbsp;this fall to create their own proposed statewide budget which is an event traditionally (and statutorily) reserved for the professionally trained full-time “pommel-horse guys” in the Governor’s executive branch.&nbsp;</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>“Ollie and Big Air” Legislators&nbsp;– In 2024, Kansas only saw two of its 165 legislators celebrate&nbsp;<a href="https://stateaffairs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/backofbook_12823.pdf">birthdays</a>&nbsp;with Gen Z vintage; a disconnect of young voices in lawmaking when 20-29 years is 14% of the state’s population and only 1% of the Legislature. But that number could double in November. Both Angel Roeser R-Manhattan and Alexis Simmons D-Topeka entertain very competitive chances to win their House seats and be synonymous with the youngest podium at the Olympics:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/08/06/olympic-medalists-at-womens-park-skateboarding-are-14-15-and-16/">women’s skateboarding (14-16 years)</a>. How about some Vans under the dome?</li><li>“Uncontested” is still the G.O.A.T.&nbsp;– Team USA saw their share of expected iconic dominance from swimming’s Katie Ledecky to gymnastics’ Simone Biles. But none can wear the G.O.A.T. necklace quite like “Uncontested”. This month, 80% of the Board of Education, 69% of both House and Senate, and 50% of Congressional races had&nbsp;<a href="https://ent.sos.ks.gov/Uncontested.html">NO opponents</a>! Likewise,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/12/kansas-primary-voters-were-smarter-than-megadonors-expected-but-too-many-stayed-home/?emci=501d6f34-4558-ef11-991a-6045bddbfc4b&amp;emdi=c6d8fa42-8958-ef11-991a-6045bddbfc4b&amp;ceid=125005">37% of November's Legislative races are unopposed</a>. As we painfully know when “Uncontested” enters a race, it's lights out 100% of the time for opponents. And change.</li><li>Comeback Kids&nbsp;– Nobody loves an epic comeback like America. And darned if we didn’t get two. USA’s Cole Hocker’s 1,500m and Kansas City’s Quincy Hall’s 400m? No. Independence’s Derek Schmidt and Baldwin City’s Nancy Boyda in the 2nd&nbsp;Congressional District. Democrat Boyda, seeking a return to the seat she held 15 years ago vs Schmidt, the former Republican Governor nominee, will need to dig deeper than a possessed&nbsp;<a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/S3vIeSmorzg?si=_doyBkqNGkLWAsmX">Hocker</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/3wZL_QMtqNw?si=0yXUJJK396TH6AAe">Hall</a>&nbsp;for her storybook ending in this gerrymandered district.</li>
 </ul>A few years ago, the Olympics added “together” to the end of their motto. For you only move faster, or climb higher, or become stronger, in solidarity. Like an Olympic&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/31/sport/north-south-korea-selfie-paris-olympics-spt/index.html">North Korean and South Korean selfie</a>, will Kansas politics come together to show their best?Bill Fiander is a lecturer at Washburn University specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government. He is the former planning and development director for the City of Topeka.

INSIGHT KANSAS:  If Kansas politics were in the Olympics

Variety selection is one of the most important decisions that a grower can make to ensure success on their farm. Now is the time when wheat producers across Kansas are reviewing yield data and making decisions about the varieties they will plant in the fall. Although yield is always a top priority, disease, and insect resistance, along with appropriate agronomic traits, can buffer against crop losses. In addition, genetic resistance to diseases and insect pests can be the most effective, economical, and environmentally sound method for control.

The Kansas Wheat Variety Guide 2024 (formerly called Wheat Variety Disease and Insect Ratings), from K-State Research and Extension, has now been released for this year. Agronomic characteristics, disease, and pest resistance information are included, as well as profiles that highlight some more common or new varieties for the state of Kansas.

Ratings in this publication represent results from field and greenhouse evaluations by public and private wheat researchers at multiple locations over multiple years.

A few other resources available to assist farmers with wheat variety selection is the Kansas Wheat Variety Performance Tests that are conducted around the state at K-State Experiment Stations and in other locations. These variety performance tests are replicated, each variety is randomly planted in four different locations in the field to increase accuracy of the yield data. That information along with all the other resources referenced in this article can be accessed from our Cottonwood Extension District web site at www.cottonwood.ksu.edu click onto the Crops and Livestock tab and look under Hot Topics for any of these resources.

The Colorado Wheat Trials Database decision tool provides complete access to variety information and data from university variety trials in Colorado and several other Great Plains states including Kansas. The database also includes private company trial data (Limagrain Cereal Seeds, Syngenta-Agripro). The database may be used to find up-to-date wheat variety information, display data from individual trial locations, generate summaries across multiple trial locations and years, and generate head-to-head comparisons for varieties of interest. It is an easy tool to use and very helpful!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681266655144.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictVariety selection is one of the most important decisions that a grower can make to ensure success on their farm. Now is the time when wheat producers across Kansas are reviewing yield data and making decisions about the varieties they will plant in the fall. Although yield is always a top priority, disease, and insect resistance, along with appropriate agronomic traits, can buffer against crop losses. In addition, genetic resistance to diseases and insect pests can be the most effective, economical, and environmentally sound method for control.The Kansas Wheat Variety Guide 2024 (formerly called Wheat Variety Disease and Insect Ratings), from K-State Research and Extension, has now been released for this year. Agronomic characteristics, disease, and pest resistance information are included, as well as profiles that highlight some more common or new varieties for the state of Kansas.Ratings in this publication represent results from field and greenhouse evaluations by public and private wheat researchers at multiple locations over multiple years.A few other resources available to assist farmers with wheat variety selection is the Kansas Wheat Variety Performance Tests that are conducted around the state at K-State Experiment Stations and in other locations. These variety performance tests are replicated, each variety is randomly planted in four different locations in the field to increase accuracy of the yield data. That information along with all the other resources referenced in this article can be accessed from our Cottonwood Extension District web site at www.cottonwood.ksu.edu click onto the Crops and Livestock tab and look under Hot Topics for any of these resources.The Colorado Wheat Trials Database decision tool provides complete access to variety information and data from university variety trials in Colorado and several other Great Plains states including Kansas. The database also includes private company trial data (Limagrain Cereal Seeds, Syngenta-Agripro). The database may be used to find up-to-date wheat variety information, display data from individual trial locations, generate summaries across multiple trial locations and years, and generate head-to-head comparisons for varieties of interest. It is an easy tool to use and very helpful!Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Kansas Wheat Variety Guide 2024 is now available

— Raj Gopaldas MD FACS , Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon&nbsp;

“No matter how thin the pancake is, there’s always two sides to it.” I am a cardiothoracic surgeon at HaysMed and have been practicing here for more than a year. I was on family vacation for a couple of weeks and recently returned only to note the buzz and media attention surrounding HaysMed. Eventually I read the articles and didn’t think much of it until I noticed that several patients decided to seek care for their heart conditions elsewhere. Therefore, I felt compelled to write this letter to you.&nbsp;

To provide some background, I have been practicing cardiothoracic surgery for almost 15 years. Last summer, I was asked to provide temporary coverage for cardiothoracic surgery services (heart and lung surgery ) at the DeBakey Heart Institute in HaysMed.

At that time, I lived in Michigan and the travel to Hays was certainly neither easy nor fun. Given the location of Hays in a rural part of Kansas, I had some reservations about the place.

But when I showed up here, I realized that I was wrong and maybe negatively prejudiced. When I performed my first heart surgery here, I was rather pleasantly surprised with the caliber of the open heart surgery team, the ICU nurses, the cardiac catheterization lab team and the Cardiac Anesthesiologists - Drs. Pham and Kreisler.

I was puzzled because I didn’t expect that a hospital located almost in the middle of nowhere would have a great team with a positive attitude and sincere dedication. But clearly, something was lacking – a consistent heart surgeon. But why?&nbsp;

So here is a little perspective for the community at large to understand. There are currently about 300 job openings in hospitals across the country for a full-time heart surgeon. There are only about 20 to 30 heart surgeons&nbsp; graduating in the country that maybe competent and confident to perform heart surgeries independently.

Almost every hospital in a major city is looking for a heart surgeon today. The average age of the cardiac surgeon in the United States is about 60 years old, and there are approximately 60 to 70 of them retiring every year.

This has resulted in a dire shortage of heart surgeons and, therefore, plenty of opportunities for practicing heart surgeons to pick a job anywhere they like. For hospitals located in rural communities such as Hays, it’s an even bigger struggle because many families, including mine, would not want to move to small communities but rather seek the conveniences that the bigger cities have to offer.&nbsp;

Furthermore, let me share my first hand experience at one of my previous jobs as a full-time heart surgeon.

At one of my prior employments elsewhere, I experienced on a first-hand basis an utter lack of competence, responsibility and accountability in the realm of heart surgery - Yes, in the United States - which is NOT a third world country.

My two associates at that time were trained at Mayo Clinic, and we were a complement of three highly trained heart surgeons. We had to on a day-to-day basis endure inexperienced ICU nurses, hospital-wide inefficiencies, grossly incompetent scrub technicians in the operating room, lack of any cardiac surgery PA to assist us, and above all we had to perform the majority of heart surgeries without a qualified cardiac anesthesiologist - something which is NOT THE STANDARD OF CARE in this millennium.

Between dealing with nurses connecting cardiac catheters backwards, nurses providing anesthesia for majority of the heart surgery procedure with almost no anesthesiologist supervision, administration pressuring us to do high risk and minimally invasive surgeries and heart surgery patients complaining that the ICU was like a frat house at the wee hours of the night ( I can go on and on) - we had enough!

And so I parted ways with a hospital system that was purportedly financially strong. Despite lucrative contracts, my two colleague surgeons departed as well in a short span of time, leaving the hospital with almost no permanent heart surgeons, leading the hospital to almost shut down all the cardiac surgeries

Why? Because - no surgeon or physician would or should practice in an environment that jeopardizes the safety and well being of the patient.&nbsp;

And then I come to HaysMed - and lo and behold, I notice that during the entire heart surgery - the cardiac anesthesiologist physicians are performing all the anesthesia duties and watching over these patients like a hawk, there are two highly seasoned circulating nurses in the operating room on every surgery and two scrub techs on every case, a cardiac surgery PA assisting on most of the surgeries and a perfusionist trained from the renowned Texas Heart Institute who runs the heart-lung machine.

Furthermore, the patients are co-managed in the ICU by two highly experienced pulmonary critical care physicians, Drs. Tangel and Biring, along with an entire team of hospitalists. Thus, I learned, “Never judge a book by its cover.”&nbsp;

As time went on, I realized that the DeBakey Heart Institute had even more to offer - the cath lab nurses were like a band of brothers/sisters, the ICU nurses were quite competent and dedicated despite some of them being only two years out from graduation, the clinic staff and nurses ran logistics like a well-oiled machine and the cardiology nurse practitioners were quite skilled and diligent.

The vetting process that this hospital has before allowing any ICU to take care of our cardiac surgery patients is rather stringent and thorough, which is clearly reflected in the way they care for our very sick patients. 

Above all, the cardiologists are highly compassionate and competent. Between Drs. Crawley, Gleed, Wagle - I don’t know if I can pick one over the other. The three interventional cardiologists - Drs. Janif, Sedhadri and Okuhara are technically superb.

Dr. Seshadri built the TAVR program here and many of our rural patients have benefitted tremendously from this procedure. Dr. Crawley has been a strong leader for the specialty, and Dr. Janif was a doyen in the field for this community.

It became evident that the Debakey Heart Institute was in need of a consistent heart surgeon, and, above all, the community at large needed it. Many patients had to travel hundreds of miles to seek open heart surgery due to the lack of a consistent heart surgeon.

I could see the staff in the operating rooms and ICU longing to have a strong heart surgery program. And so I was faced with this difficult decision - how do I commit more to this place?

Given our previous negative experience at a hospital in a midsize town, my family was clearly unwilling to move to any small city. But there had to be a way and a door opened when Dr. Roberto Cervera decided to be the other surgeon to partner with me and HaysMed in the winter of last year. 

Dr. Cervera and I trained together at Texas Heart Institute/Baylor College of Medicine in Houston almost 15 years ago. We decided to split the time at Hays between us so that the hospital would have a full complement of heart and lung surgery services 24/7 at any point in time. This would also allow us to alternate our time with our families.&nbsp;

Through 2024, our program has advanced significantly. The collaboration between cardiology, vascular surgery and cardiac surgery has been at its best. Dr. Seshadri and I performed the first transcatheter implantation of the mitral valve here.

Drs. Cervera and Seshadri performed the first detour procedure - a minimally invasive procedure for rerouting blood. We also started the minimally invasive heart valve program here and have recently performed in our community the first mitral valve surgery through keyhole incisions without cracking the patients breast bone unlike conventional open heart surgery.

Dr. Gleed has performed numerous minimally invasive watchman procedures and ablations for atrial fibrillation. The DeBakey Heart Institute has been firing on all cylinders.

I can say confidently that the patients have been receiving utmost care for their heart conditions from our physicians, practitioners and staff with compassion, empathy and dedication. And then when I see the news article and the opinions on social media that seemingly portrays our hospital in different light, I am rather disappointed.&nbsp;

We live in a world where everyone is entitled to an opinion that is promulgated by the power of social media.

Sure - anyone can have an opinion. Einstein had an opinion, so did President Reagan, so did President Lincoln, so do our next door neighbors. Even an inmate in prison has an opinion.

The question is: can I trust that opinion ? Is that opinion just speculative or it based on facts or is it complimented with foundational knowledge? Let us not forget that in the previous century, the opinions of a handful of prejudiced people with extreme ideologies led to two world wars and the deaths of millions of innocent humans. Opinions have consequences. 

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 </figure>— Raj Gopaldas MD FACS , Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon&nbsp;“No matter how thin the pancake is, there’s always two sides to it.” I am a cardiothoracic surgeon at HaysMed and have been practicing here for more than a year. I was on family vacation for a couple of weeks and recently returned only to note the buzz and media attention surrounding HaysMed. Eventually I read the articles and didn’t think much of it until I noticed that several patients decided to seek care for their heart conditions elsewhere. Therefore, I felt compelled to write this letter to you.&nbsp;To provide some background, I have been practicing cardiothoracic surgery for almost 15 years. Last summer, I was asked to provide temporary coverage for cardiothoracic surgery services (heart and lung surgery ) at the DeBakey Heart Institute in HaysMed.At that time, I lived in Michigan and the travel to Hays was certainly neither easy nor fun. Given the location of Hays in a rural part of Kansas, I had some reservations about the place.But when I showed up here, I realized that I was wrong and maybe negatively prejudiced. When I performed my first heart surgery here, I was rather pleasantly surprised with the caliber of the open heart surgery team, the ICU nurses, the cardiac catheterization lab team and the Cardiac Anesthesiologists - Drs. Pham and Kreisler.I was puzzled because I didn’t expect that a hospital located almost in the middle of nowhere would have a great team with a positive attitude and sincere dedication. But clearly, something was lacking – a consistent heart surgeon. But why?&nbsp;So here is a little perspective for the community at large to understand. There are currently about 300 job openings in hospitals across the country for a full-time heart surgeon. There are only about 20 to 30 heart surgeons&nbsp; graduating in the country that maybe competent and confident to perform heart surgeries independently.Almost every hospital in a major city is looking for a heart surgeon today. The average age of the cardiac surgeon in the United States is about 60 years old, and there are approximately 60 to 70 of them retiring every year.This has resulted in a dire shortage of heart surgeons and, therefore, plenty of opportunities for practicing heart surgeons to pick a job anywhere they like. For hospitals located in rural communities such as Hays, it’s an even bigger struggle because many families, including mine, would not want to move to small communities but rather seek the conveniences that the bigger cities have to offer.&nbsp;Furthermore, let me share my first hand experience at one of my previous jobs as a full-time heart surgeon.At one of my prior employments elsewhere, I experienced on a first-hand basis an utter lack of competence, responsibility and accountability in the realm of heart surgery - Yes, in the United States - which is NOT a third world country.My two associates at that time were trained at Mayo Clinic, and we were a complement of three highly trained heart surgeons. We had to on a day-to-day basis endure inexperienced ICU nurses, hospital-wide inefficiencies, grossly incompetent scrub technicians in the operating room, lack of any cardiac surgery PA to assist us, and above all we had to perform the majority of heart surgeries without a qualified cardiac anesthesiologist - something which is NOT THE STANDARD OF CARE in this millennium.Between dealing with nurses connecting cardiac catheters backwards, nurses providing anesthesia for majority of the heart surgery procedure with almost no anesthesiologist supervision, administration pressuring us to do high risk and minimally invasive surgeries and heart surgery patients complaining that the ICU was like a frat house at the wee hours of the night ( I can go on and on) - we had enough!And so I parted ways with a hospital system that was purportedly financially strong. Despite lucrative contracts, my two colleague surgeons departed as well in a short span of time, leaving the hospital with almost no permanent heart surgeons, leading the hospital to almost shut down all the cardiac surgeriesWhy? Because - no surgeon or physician would or should practice in an environment that jeopardizes the safety and well being of the patient.&nbsp;And then I come to HaysMed - and lo and behold, I notice that during the entire heart surgery - the cardiac anesthesiologist physicians are performing all the anesthesia duties and watching over these patients like a hawk, there are two highly seasoned circulating nurses in the operating room on every surgery and two scrub techs on every case, a cardiac surgery PA assisting on most of the surgeries and a perfusionist trained from the renowned Texas Heart Institute who runs the heart-lung machine.Furthermore, the patients are co-managed in the ICU by two highly experienced pulmonary critical care physicians, Drs. Tangel and Biring, along with an entire team of hospitalists. Thus, I learned, “Never judge a book by its cover.”&nbsp;As time went on, I realized that the DeBakey Heart Institute had even more to offer - the cath lab nurses were like a band of brothers/sisters, the ICU nurses were quite competent and dedicated despite some of them being only two years out from graduation, the clinic staff and nurses ran logistics like a well-oiled machine and the cardiology nurse practitioners were quite skilled and diligent.The vetting process that this hospital has before allowing any ICU to take care of our cardiac surgery patients is rather stringent and thorough, which is clearly reflected in the way they care for our very sick patients. Above all, the cardiologists are highly compassionate and competent. Between Drs. Crawley, Gleed, Wagle - I don’t know if I can pick one over the other. The three interventional cardiologists - Drs. Janif, Sedhadri and Okuhara are technically superb.Dr. Seshadri built the TAVR program here and many of our rural patients have benefitted tremendously from this procedure. Dr. Crawley has been a strong leader for the specialty, and Dr. Janif was a doyen in the field for this community.It became evident that the Debakey Heart Institute was in need of a consistent heart surgeon, and, above all, the community at large needed it. Many patients had to travel hundreds of miles to seek open heart surgery due to the lack of a consistent heart surgeon.I could see the staff in the operating rooms and ICU longing to have a strong heart surgery program. And so I was faced with this difficult decision - how do I commit more to this place?Given our previous negative experience at a hospital in a midsize town, my family was clearly unwilling to move to any small city. But there had to be a way and a door opened when Dr. Roberto Cervera decided to be the other surgeon to partner with me and HaysMed in the winter of last year. Dr. Cervera and I trained together at Texas Heart Institute/Baylor College of Medicine in Houston almost 15 years ago. We decided to split the time at Hays between us so that the hospital would have a full complement of heart and lung surgery services 24/7 at any point in time. This would also allow us to alternate our time with our families.&nbsp;Through 2024, our program has advanced significantly. The collaboration between cardiology, vascular surgery and cardiac surgery has been at its best. Dr. Seshadri and I performed the first transcatheter implantation of the mitral valve here.Drs. Cervera and Seshadri performed the first detour procedure - a minimally invasive procedure for rerouting blood. We also started the minimally invasive heart valve program here and have recently performed in our community the first mitral valve surgery through keyhole incisions without cracking the patients breast bone unlike conventional open heart surgery.Dr. Gleed has performed numerous minimally invasive watchman procedures and ablations for atrial fibrillation. The DeBakey Heart Institute has been firing on all cylinders.I can say confidently that the patients have been receiving utmost care for their heart conditions from our physicians, practitioners and staff with compassion, empathy and dedication. And then when I see the news article and the opinions on social media that seemingly portrays our hospital in different light, I am rather disappointed.&nbsp;We live in a world where everyone is entitled to an opinion that is promulgated by the power of social media.Sure - anyone can have an opinion. Einstein had an opinion, so did President Reagan, so did President Lincoln, so do our next door neighbors. Even an inmate in prison has an opinion.The question is: can I trust that opinion ? Is that opinion just speculative or it based on facts or is it complimented with foundational knowledge? Let us not forget that in the previous century, the opinions of a handful of prejudiced people with extreme ideologies led to two world wars and the deaths of millions of innocent humans. Opinions have consequences. This is why I am compelled to write this letter to you. I had come to notice that patients who need cardiac care are now canceling their appointments/ procedures and seeking care elsewhere. Now they will be traveling a couple of hundred miles to other hospitals. In circumstances where these heart patients need urgent care, this could be rather detrimental and unsafe to their health.They will be seeking care from physicians they have never met before and there will be a break in the continuity of their care - something that has been known to be detrimental to better clinical outcomes.The Debakey Heart Institute has been delivering the best care for its patients all throughout, and it is rather unfair that these patients are now going to suffer and be collateral damage of what I perceive to be a “social media lynching” of one of the best community hospitals I have worked at. Why do these patients have to face the consequences and suffer?&nbsp;I’m not contesting the opinions of a urologist or a dermatologist or whoever it might be. It is not my place and I certainly am not privy to what had happened - so I am not in a position to judge or opine. Every hospital has its challenges and difficulties, which have been aggravated since COVID. But I feel it is important for the community at large to understand that these generalized opinions have nothing to do with the DeBakey Heart Institute at HaysMed in any form.I have worked at a few hospitals in my career, and I have covered emergency cardiac surgery services at other hospitals in Kansas, Colorado, Michigan, and Minnesota. I could pen volumes about how some of these places shouldn’t be even performing heart surgery in the United States.Furthermore, I would like to caution that the opinion of a physician who has not been in practice every day for several months or that of a physician whose area of practice is primarily restricted to outpatients simply cannot be extrapolated in general terms- it would be rather preposterous to correlate this with the performance of high-level inpatient services.When a patient undergoes heart surgery or a cardiology procedure, their care in the hospital is resource intensive. Majority of patients undergoing these procedures at the DeBakey Heart Institute have done well given their risks and comorbidities.For example, when I perform a heart surgery, there is a battalion of people involved in the care of the patient ranging from the cardiac anesthesiologist, the cardiologist, the hospitalist, the pulmonologist and critical care physicians, the circulating nurses in the operating room, the Perfusionist, Scrub Techs, the ICU nurses, the lab technicians, the respiratory therapist, the physical therapist and the social workers.All these people have put their blood, sweat and soul every day in taking care of these very sick patients who undergo heart surgery and cardiac procedures.Our former patients will speak to the level of care they have received at our facility here in Hays, Kansas. Clearly these staff at the hospital didn’t come from thin air - someone hired them here and who is that “someone?"I feel that it is a disservice to these highly dedicated staff and physicians when an opinion rendered by a physician who doesn’t even witness or use these intensive services at the hospital on a day-to-day basis goes viral on social media and negatively impacts the community as well as the staff that serves the community.This has real consequences. If patients choose not to seek their cardiac care here, our procedural volumes will decrease - which means more physicians would leave and consequently staff will leave as well. Reimbursements to hospitals are dictated by insurance companies who for the most part do not differentiate between competent and incompetent care - all get paid the same.The community deserves a good hospital, and HaysMed is a good hospital. Is it perfect ? - maybe it is or may be it is not, but no hospital I have worked at is perfect by any stretch of the imagination! But compared to few of the other hospitals I have worked it, HaysMed is staffed with sincere, competent and compassionate people and delivers good clinical services. These staff take pride in their work to serve this community - they certainly deserve credit and appreciation.&nbsp;On a closing note - while many have harnessed the power of social media and press to express opinions and concerns whether it is right or wrong or true or untrue - I would like to use this opportunity to ask the community at large to help us.We are constantly faced with shortage of blood and especially blood products such as platelets, which some of the sick patients are in dire need of.Sometimes, we have to cancel procedures due to the lack of these blood products in our region. Donating blood helps us tremendously- but more importantly you are helping a fellow citizen.So if you can find a nearby blood bank or a hospital and donate blood, it would be for a noble cause. Let us live with integrity, compassion and empathy.&nbsp;Life is precious, time is valuable!