I’m a professor and biomedical researcher at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). I grew up in rural Kansas (Plainville), where my parents and community instilled values like honesty, hard work, and helping others. I rely on these values to guide my career, and I’m proud to contribute to my home state. However, it’s a challenging time for medical research and health care in Kansas.

KU Medical Center Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions are all dedicated to training new health care providers for Kansans. Although affiliated with The University of Kansas Health System, these educational programs are mainly funded by your state tax dollars and student tuition.

Faculty in these schools not only teach but also conduct research, ranging from basic science discoveries to practical methods for preventing and treating diseases, both clinically and in the communities throughout Kansas. Taxpayer dollars primarily fund our research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and this investment in the NIH has enabled U.S. biomedical research to become the world's best.

More importantly, this research is used to develop and advance medical care for us and our loved ones. NIH funding and the research environment it provides also play a vital role in training future health care providers and helping them adapt to the changing landscape they will encounter throughout their careers serving Kansans.

KU Medical Center, as a medical research university, provides the necessary infrastructure to educate and train high-quality health professionals across the state. However, NIH and state funding for KUMC currently face significant challenges.

If health care for you and your loved ones matters to you, please consider talking to your state and federal elected officials to maintain or enhance funding for education and research. This funding has a direct impact on the number of health care providers and the quality of scientifically advanced health care in our state.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698091063975.png" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>I’m a professor and biomedical researcher at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). I grew up in rural Kansas (Plainville), where my parents and community instilled values like honesty, hard work, and helping others. I rely on these values to guide my career, and I’m proud to contribute to my home state. However, it’s a challenging time for medical research and health care in Kansas.KU Medical Center Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions are all dedicated to training new health care providers for Kansans. Although affiliated with The University of Kansas Health System, these educational programs are mainly funded by your state tax dollars and student tuition.Faculty in these schools not only teach but also conduct research, ranging from basic science discoveries to practical methods for preventing and treating diseases, both clinically and in the communities throughout Kansas. Taxpayer dollars primarily fund our research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and this investment in the NIH has enabled U.S. biomedical research to become the world's best.More importantly, this research is used to develop and advance medical care for us and our loved ones. NIH funding and the research environment it provides also play a vital role in training future health care providers and helping them adapt to the changing landscape they will encounter throughout their careers serving Kansans.KU Medical Center, as a medical research university, provides the necessary infrastructure to educate and train high-quality health professionals across the state. However, NIH and state funding for KUMC currently face significant challenges.If health care for you and your loved ones matters to you, please consider talking to your state and federal elected officials to maintain or enhance funding for education and research. This funding has a direct impact on the number of health care providers and the quality of scientifically advanced health care in our state.— John P. Thyfault, PhD

LETTER: Health care in Kansas relies on well-trained doctors, scientific progress

Who doesn’t love getting Christmas cards? Since childhood, I’ve loved receiving friends’ and loved ones’ annual greetings. The best part after the letter is the scene on the front of the card.

For me, peaceful outdoor scenes top all others. It’s a struggle to find cards that express how I feel about the out-of-doors, which leads to selecting kitschy snowman scenes or clever verse simply because I can’t find a perfect image. Of course, it’d help if the picture was 3-D with a sound chip. If it met those criteria, I know exactly how it would look and sound.

A deer hunt decades ago led me into an enchanted Christmas card setting. That afternoon we hunted hills overlooking the Saline where overnight, windless snow had fallen for hours, blanketing hills in pristine white. Nothing had traveled before us, so our tracks were the first to mark previously unspoiled surfaces.

Enough snow frosted cedars dotting hillsides that it weighted branches, draping them artistically. Whenever small birds would light and flit away, their movements created mini-blizzards like one might see in snow globes.

While appreciating the stunning view, we struggled through heavy snow to an enchanted deer stand. White crystals disguised ordinary, prickly yucca disguising them as surrealistic snow sculptures. Because flakes had drifted gently, they formed outlandish shapes when they collected on spiny leaves and center spikes. Disney horticulturists couldn’t have created better fantasy creatures.

Upon reaching our destination, my feet ached and icicles dangled from my hunter orange face mask. Disregarding tingles creeping into toes, nose, and fingers, I savored the view of the river valley.

Grey sky silhouetted old cottonwood and hackberry branches. Trees hugged the river bank while a cut milo field stretched beyond, rust and burnished gold. Whitetails grazed unconcernedly. If I’d been seriously after game, I’d have been aggravated because the deer stood out of range. Instead, I enjoyed watching them browse stubble rows.

We sat midway downhill next to a large cedar that sheltered us from a breeze that made falling snowflakes dance lackadaisically about our heads. Low-hanging clouds and butt numbing snow muffled sound. I was grateful I’d done chores early so I could see this Christmas card world.

Despite muted noise, something to our north caught my attention. My husband, not wanting to signal our whereabouts or break the spell, signaled the direction from which the strange squawks and calls came. As I focused, I realized it was an army of turkeys marching single file to feed on fallen milo. I tried counting but found it impossible to number that descending horde.

After watching the flock feed, we saw them resume single file and count cadence toward their roost. By this time, another sound from somewhere over my shoulder edged into my awareness. The hubs noticed me looking toward the soft whistling and mouthed in a frosty vapor, “Bobwhite Come Here call.” I’d heard those notes many times, but this was the first time I associated them with this perky, top-notched creature. The cry signaled to these small gamebirds that dusk descended, and they needed to gather. I agreed. It was time to head home to daughters and toasty kitchen.

For an instant, I spent an afternoon in my own Christmas card. That enchanted memory still warms me.

Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766083318680.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINWho doesn’t love getting Christmas cards? Since childhood, I’ve loved receiving friends’ and loved ones’ annual greetings. The best part after the letter is the scene on the front of the card.For me, peaceful outdoor scenes top all others. It’s a struggle to find cards that express how I feel about the out-of-doors, which leads to selecting kitschy snowman scenes or clever verse simply because I can’t find a perfect image. Of course, it’d help if the picture was 3-D with a sound chip. If it met those criteria, I know exactly how it would look and sound.A deer hunt decades ago led me into an enchanted Christmas card setting. That afternoon we hunted hills overlooking the Saline where overnight, windless snow had fallen for hours, blanketing hills in pristine white. Nothing had traveled before us, so our tracks were the first to mark previously unspoiled surfaces.Enough snow frosted cedars dotting hillsides that it weighted branches, draping them artistically. Whenever small birds would light and flit away, their movements created mini-blizzards like one might see in snow globes.While appreciating the stunning view, we struggled through heavy snow to an enchanted deer stand. White crystals disguised ordinary, prickly yucca disguising them as surrealistic snow sculptures. Because flakes had drifted gently, they formed outlandish shapes when they collected on spiny leaves and center spikes. Disney horticulturists couldn’t have created better fantasy creatures.Upon reaching our destination, my feet ached and icicles dangled from my hunter orange face mask. Disregarding tingles creeping into toes, nose, and fingers, I savored the view of the river valley.Grey sky silhouetted old cottonwood and hackberry branches. Trees hugged the river bank while a cut milo field stretched beyond, rust and burnished gold. Whitetails grazed unconcernedly. If I’d been seriously after game, I’d have been aggravated because the deer stood out of range. Instead, I enjoyed watching them browse stubble rows.We sat midway downhill next to a large cedar that sheltered us from a breeze that made falling snowflakes dance lackadaisically about our heads. Low-hanging clouds and butt numbing snow muffled sound. I was grateful I’d done chores early so I could see this Christmas card world.Despite muted noise, something to our north caught my attention. My husband, not wanting to signal our whereabouts or break the spell, signaled the direction from which the strange squawks and calls came. As I focused, I realized it was an army of turkeys marching single file to feed on fallen milo. I tried counting but found it impossible to number that descending horde.After watching the flock feed, we saw them resume single file and count cadence toward their roost. By this time, another sound from somewhere over my shoulder edged into my awareness. The hubs noticed me looking toward the soft whistling and mouthed in a frosty vapor, “Bobwhite Come Here call.” I’d heard those notes many times, but this was the first time I associated them with this perky, top-notched creature. The cry signaled to these small gamebirds that dusk descended, and they needed to gather. I agreed. It was time to head home to daughters and toasty kitchen.For an instant, I spent an afternoon in my own Christmas card. That enchanted memory still warms me.Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

MADORIN: Living Christmas card

Across America, county jails have become the de facto front line for mental health crises. That is neither safe nor sustainable—for the people in crisis, for detention staff or for taxpayers. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports about 44% of people in local jails have been told by a professional they have a mental disorder, and one in four meets the threshold for severe psychological distress in just the past 30 days.

Those numbers carry human consequences behind our walls. People with untreated mental illness face elevated risks while incarcerated, including a higher likelihood of self-harm and suicide if care is delayed or inconsistent. Quick access to treatment can save lives.

Here at home, we feel this pressure every day. Our detention officers and medical providers do outstanding work, but a county jail is not a hospital—and it cannot, and should not, serve as a long-term mental health facility. When a person needs inpatient stabilization or competency services, they typically must go to Larned State Hospital or another licensed facility. In recent years, wait times for competency evaluation and restoration have stretched from weeks to months, prompting action by the State of Kansas.

That is precisely why the High Plains Mental Health Center Crisis Intervention Center in Hays is so important. High Plains has broken ground on a 22-bed facility in the Hadley Center’s east wing—the first of its kind in western Kansas—to provide short-term stabilization and detox services for adults in crisis, including both voluntary and non-voluntary referrals. The center is designed to relieve pressure on our jail and on state hospitals, shorten wait times and get people into treatment faster.

This is not just a humanitarian imperative—it is fiscally responsible. Evaluations of diversion and crisis-care models show that connecting people to treatment instead of cycling them through jail reduces re-arrests and saves taxpayers thousands of dollars per person.

High Plains continues to seek private donations, business sponsorships and civic grants to complete the build-out, hire staff, and provide 24/7 care. Community support matters just as much. Every dollar helps turn a crisis into a care plan—and turns a jail bed back into a last resort, not a default.

Ellis County deputies and detention officers are committed to protecting public safety. But we also see the people behind the calls. When our neighbors get the right help at the right time, they become safer, healthier and more productive members of our community—and we all save money by avoiding the costs of repeated incarceration.

That’s the promise of the Crisis Intervention Center, and it’s why I’m asking our community to stand behind it. If you’re able, please consider giving to High Plains Mental Health Center and sharing this message with friends, churches and civic groups. Together, we can build a response that is smarter, safer and more compassionate—for Ellis County and for western Kansas.

— Sheriff Scott J. Braun Ellis County

Editor's note: Information about donating to the Crisis Intervention Center can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://donatehighplains.com/">donatehighplains.com</a>

Gifts can be made online or by check, payable to HPMHC Endowment. High Plains can also accept pledges and set up payment plans. Contact&nbsp;donate@hpmh.com. Gifts of $500 or more receive a plaque on the center's mobile donor wall.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698091063975.png" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Across America, county jails have become the de facto front line for mental health crises. That is neither safe nor sustainable—for the people in crisis, for detention staff or for taxpayers. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports about 44% of people in local jails have been told by a professional they have a mental disorder, and one in four meets the threshold for severe psychological distress in just the past 30 days.Those numbers carry human consequences behind our walls. People with untreated mental illness face elevated risks while incarcerated, including a higher likelihood of self-harm and suicide if care is delayed or inconsistent. Quick access to treatment can save lives.Here at home, we feel this pressure every day. Our detention officers and medical providers do outstanding work, but a county jail is not a hospital—and it cannot, and should not, serve as a long-term mental health facility. When a person needs inpatient stabilization or competency services, they typically must go to Larned State Hospital or another licensed facility. In recent years, wait times for competency evaluation and restoration have stretched from weeks to months, prompting action by the State of Kansas.That is precisely why the High Plains Mental Health Center Crisis Intervention Center in Hays is so important. High Plains has broken ground on a 22-bed facility in the Hadley Center’s east wing—the first of its kind in western Kansas—to provide short-term stabilization and detox services for adults in crisis, including both voluntary and non-voluntary referrals. The center is designed to relieve pressure on our jail and on state hospitals, shorten wait times and get people into treatment faster.This is not just a humanitarian imperative—it is fiscally responsible. Evaluations of diversion and crisis-care models show that connecting people to treatment instead of cycling them through jail reduces re-arrests and saves taxpayers thousands of dollars per person.High Plains continues to seek private donations, business sponsorships and civic grants to complete the build-out, hire staff, and provide 24/7 care. Community support matters just as much. Every dollar helps turn a crisis into a care plan—and turns a jail bed back into a last resort, not a default.Ellis County deputies and detention officers are committed to protecting public safety. But we also see the people behind the calls. When our neighbors get the right help at the right time, they become safer, healthier and more productive members of our community—and we all save money by avoiding the costs of repeated incarceration.That’s the promise of the Crisis Intervention Center, and it’s why I’m asking our community to stand behind it. If you’re able, please consider giving to High Plains Mental Health Center and sharing this message with friends, churches and civic groups. Together, we can build a response that is smarter, safer and more compassionate—for Ellis County and for western Kansas.— Sheriff Scott J. Braun Ellis County---Editor's note: Information about donating to the Crisis Intervention Center can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://donatehighplains.com/">donatehighplains.com</a>Gifts can be made online or by check, payable to HPMHC Endowment. High Plains can also accept pledges and set up payment plans. Contact&nbsp;donate@hpmh.com. Gifts of $500 or more receive a plaque on the center's mobile donor wall.&nbsp;

LETTER: Why our community needs Crisis Intervention Center

If you or someone you know, a friend or family member, has ever had a crisis of an emotional, behavioral or psychiatric nature—some kind of painful experience that caused so much distress that you didn’t know where to turn, you can probably easily understand the life-changing nature of such an experience.

We’ve often called such crises times and episodes “having a nervous breakdown," a time of great emotional, mental and even physical upheaval. In such episodes, it’s common to feel an overwhelming amount of stress, confusion, fear, anxiety or depression. 

In turn, our ability to cope and to function in our daily lives, to relate to family and loved ones, friends, co-workers, and employers is deeply affected. The overwhelming emotional distress and feelings of depression can even become life-threatening for some.

In emotional and psychiatric crisis situations like these, we need the assistance of others when we can’t assist ourselves. Friends and family may not have the needed resources to assist in a crisis or may not know where to turn.

Sometimes, police become involved if safety issues are in question. Although usually well-intended, law enforcement interventions may add even more stress for a person in crisis and may not even result in effectively meeting the immediate need for treatment. So, where can we turn for help?

High Plains Mental Health is ready to answer the call. The High Plains planned <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e84760a-7c74-4287-a983-669114414f47">Crisis Intervention Center</a> to be housed in the Hadley Center on East Seventh St. in Hays will provide much-needed 24/7 specialized psychiatric treatment for voluntary and involuntary adults in the Hays community and the surrounding area.

It has been many years since an adult psychiatric crisis treatment facility has been available in Hays to meet the mental health crisis needs of folks in the area.

With the new High Plains Crisis Intervention Center, access to crisis services will not require the added stress of being transported long distances or having to wait hours upon hours to gain access to needed interventions and treatment. Compassionate, effective stabilization interventions can be given sooner, closer to home, and provide the gateway to recovery.

The High Plains Crisis Intervention Center is planned to be operational by this coming spring. But we need your help. Money continues to be raised both through grants and private donations. I kindly urge you to consider contributing in any amount you can to this most worthy cause. You will be helping someone who may need crisis care at the most vulnerable and volatile time in their lives. What better way can there be to serve others?

Thank you most kindly. — Ken Windholz---

More information about donating to the Crisis Intervention Center can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://donatehighplains.com/">donatehighplains.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698091063975.png" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>If you or someone you know, a friend or family member, has ever had a crisis of an emotional, behavioral or psychiatric nature—some kind of painful experience that caused so much distress that you didn’t know where to turn, you can probably easily understand the life-changing nature of such an experience.We’ve often called such crises times and episodes “having a nervous breakdown," a time of great emotional, mental and even physical upheaval. In such episodes, it’s common to feel an overwhelming amount of stress, confusion, fear, anxiety or depression. In turn, our ability to cope and to function in our daily lives, to relate to family and loved ones, friends, co-workers, and employers is deeply affected. The overwhelming emotional distress and feelings of depression can even become life-threatening for some.In emotional and psychiatric crisis situations like these, we need the assistance of others when we can’t assist ourselves. Friends and family may not have the needed resources to assist in a crisis or may not know where to turn.Sometimes, police become involved if safety issues are in question. Although usually well-intended, law enforcement interventions may add even more stress for a person in crisis and may not even result in effectively meeting the immediate need for treatment. So, where can we turn for help?High Plains Mental Health is ready to answer the call. The High Plains planned <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e84760a-7c74-4287-a983-669114414f47">Crisis Intervention Center</a> to be housed in the Hadley Center on East Seventh St. in Hays will provide much-needed 24/7 specialized psychiatric treatment for voluntary and involuntary adults in the Hays community and the surrounding area.It has been many years since an adult psychiatric crisis treatment facility has been available in Hays to meet the mental health crisis needs of folks in the area.With the new High Plains Crisis Intervention Center, access to crisis services will not require the added stress of being transported long distances or having to wait hours upon hours to gain access to needed interventions and treatment. Compassionate, effective stabilization interventions can be given sooner, closer to home, and provide the gateway to recovery.The High Plains Crisis Intervention Center is planned to be operational by this coming spring. But we need your help. Money continues to be raised both through grants and private donations. I kindly urge you to consider contributing in any amount you can to this most worthy cause. You will be helping someone who may need crisis care at the most vulnerable and volatile time in their lives. What better way can there be to serve others?Thank you most kindly. — Ken Windholz-------More information about donating to the Crisis Intervention Center can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://donatehighplains.com/">donatehighplains.com</a>Gifts can be made online or by check, payable to HPMHC Endowment. High Plains can also accept pledges and set up payment plans. Contact&nbsp;donate@hpmh.com. Gifts of $500 or more receive a plaque on the center's mobile donor wall.&nbsp;

LETTER: Crisis Intervention Center seeks donations 

By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas Outdoors

Welcome to Kansas, you’ll know when you’re here, Cause we hunt our pheasants, our quail and our deer.

But that wiley ole’ Grinch tried to spoil my deer season And he gave me no clue, not a why, not a reason.

I hunted deer high, and I hunted deer low But I left empty handed, not a buck nor a doe.

Now the Who’s down in Whoville continued to feast When that Grinch wrecked their Christmas and stole their roast beast.

But I needed a plan to show all was not lost Then I scratched on my noggin” and I thought and I thought.

So, I set out to prove I could spoil his Grinch notion, When out in the field there arose a commotion.

As I peered from my blind, what did appear, But a strange looking sleigh pulled by flying reindeer.

So, I’m thinking “Take that” Mr. Grinch you old geezer, Just one of those deer will fill my fridge and my freezer.

They landed their rig not far away, And a chubby old man tumbled out of the sleigh.

Now I’m thinkin’ it’s Grinch dressed like St Nick, Out here to fool me with some kind of trick.

To keep me from shootin’ one of these beasts, To keep me from havin’ a fine reindeer feast.

But instead of defending his steeds from my hunt, He gestured their way and said “Which one do you want?”

Now I thought this was odd for even the Grinch, That he’d let me shoot one and not even flinch.

But the deer in the front had a bright shiny nose, It’d be hard to miss that one the way that it glowed.

So, I lined up my shot, my freezer to fill When commotion again came from over the hill

It’s looked like ole’ Santa runnin’ our way, Seems the Grinch had tossed him out of his sleigh.

He tackled Ole’ Grinch and took back his red suit, Then he put on his hat, his coat and his boots.

He climbed into the sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And off they all flew like the down of a thistle.

And I heard him exclaim as they flew out of sight, “Thanks for not shootin’ Rudolph and ruining the night.”

But he also admonished to all who could hear “Keep Christ in Christmas and Happy New Year.”

Guess I’ll travel to Whoville and join in their feast, And hope that Ole’ Grinch gave them back their roast beast.

Merry Christmas from Steve and Joyce at Exploring Kansas Outdoors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas OutdoorsWelcome to Kansas, you’ll know when you’re here, Cause we hunt our pheasants, our quail and our deer.But that wiley ole’ Grinch tried to spoil my deer season And he gave me no clue, not a why, not a reason. I hunted deer high, and I hunted deer low But I left empty handed, not a buck nor a doe.Now the Who’s down in Whoville continued to feast When that Grinch wrecked their Christmas and stole their roast beast.But I needed a plan to show all was not lost Then I scratched on my noggin” and I thought and I thought.So, I set out to prove I could spoil his Grinch notion, When out in the field there arose a commotion.As I peered from my blind, what did appear, But a strange looking sleigh pulled by flying reindeer.So, I’m thinking “Take that” Mr. Grinch you old geezer, Just one of those deer will fill my fridge and my freezer.They landed their rig not far away, And a chubby old man tumbled out of the sleigh.Now I’m thinkin’ it’s Grinch dressed like St Nick, Out here to fool me with some kind of trick.To keep me from shootin’ one of these beasts, To keep me from havin’ a fine reindeer feast.But instead of defending his steeds from my hunt, He gestured their way and said “Which one do you want?”Now I thought this was odd for even the Grinch, That he’d let me shoot one and not even flinch.But the deer in the front had a bright shiny nose, It’d be hard to miss that one the way that it glowed.So, I lined up my shot, my freezer to fill When commotion again came from over the hillIt’s looked like ole’ Santa runnin’ our way, Seems the Grinch had tossed him out of his sleigh.He tackled Ole’ Grinch and took back his red suit, Then he put on his hat, his coat and his boots.He climbed into the sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And off they all flew like the down of a thistle.And I heard him exclaim as they flew out of sight, “Thanks for not shootin’ Rudolph and ruining the night.”But he also admonished to all who could hear “Keep Christ in Christmas and Happy New Year.”Guess I’ll travel to Whoville and join in their feast, And hope that Ole’ Grinch gave them back their roast beast.Merry Christmas from Steve and Joyce at Exploring Kansas Outdoors.

Explore Kansas Outdoors: You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch

Northwest Kansas Community Corrections strongly supports the need and implementation of the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e84760a-7c74-4287-a983-669114414f47">Crisis Intervention Center</a> in Hays. The CIC will directly address a critical need in our community by providing immediate treatment to those experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.

I believe this project will significantly improve the lives of individuals suffering from a mental health crisis by providing crisis intervention care for those who are pending inpatient psychiatric treatment at the state hospitals. Too often, those who screen for inpatient services are placed on a wait list, and it can be days or even weeks before a bed becomes available. 

The CIC will provide a safe and therapeutic place for them to stay while they await that bed date. Additionally, receiving immediate treatment through the CIC may potentially eliminate a patient's need for a bed at a state hospital, returning them home to their family and friends sooner.

Those suffering from substance use disorders will also benefit from the CIC. Currently, the closest state-funded medical detox facility is over 90 miles away. Those beds are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and finding safe transportation to those facilities can be difficult. Having this service available right here in Hays will be a huge benefit and will help alleviate the transportation barrier, ensuring people receive the appropriate detox services they need promptly.

I am excited to see this project come to fruition and look forward to the positive impact it will have on our community and western Kansas.

— Erin Geist, director Northwest Kansas Community Corrections

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698091063975.png" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Northwest Kansas Community Corrections strongly supports the need and implementation of the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e84760a-7c74-4287-a983-669114414f47">Crisis Intervention Center</a> in Hays. The CIC will directly address a critical need in our community by providing immediate treatment to those experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.I believe this project will significantly improve the lives of individuals suffering from a mental health crisis by providing crisis intervention care for those who are pending inpatient psychiatric treatment at the state hospitals. Too often, those who screen for inpatient services are placed on a wait list, and it can be days or even weeks before a bed becomes available. The CIC will provide a safe and therapeutic place for them to stay while they await that bed date. Additionally, receiving immediate treatment through the CIC may potentially eliminate a patient's need for a bed at a state hospital, returning them home to their family and friends sooner.Those suffering from substance use disorders will also benefit from the CIC. Currently, the closest state-funded medical detox facility is over 90 miles away. Those beds are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and finding safe transportation to those facilities can be difficult. Having this service available right here in Hays will be a huge benefit and will help alleviate the transportation barrier, ensuring people receive the appropriate detox services they need promptly.I am excited to see this project come to fruition and look forward to the positive impact it will have on our community and western Kansas.— Erin Geist, director Northwest Kansas Community Corrections

LETTER: Support for the Crisis Intervention Center, community corrections director

By Russell Arben Fox Insight Kansas

As the year comes to its end, thoughts often take an introspective turn. For me, for reasons both personal and public, that turn has me reflecting on the matriarchal nature of our state.

Of course, given Kansas’s strong conservative streak and often rather traditional Christian culture, it’s easy for outsiders to assume that Kansas history reflects an antiquated “Father Knows Best” politics. And it’s true that men still dominate the Kansas Republican party, which has nearly twice the number of supporters across the state as the Democrats.

But last week, while attending the burial of a powerful and beloved local woman and friend in Sedgwick County, I couldn’t help thinking about the women who have built, and continue to shape, this state.

Some were crusaders with national reputations, whose time in Kansas was only part of their full story.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://civilwaronthewesternborder.org/encyclopedia/nichols-clarina-irene-howard">Clarina Howard Nichols</a>&nbsp;was an abolitionist who relocated to Kansas in the years before the Civil War, and spent her time in the state fighting not only the evil of slavery but for temperance and women’s rights as well.&nbsp;It is due to women like her that Kansas granted women the right to vote in school board elections as early as 1861.

&nbsp;The activist and lawyer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/mary-elizabeth-lease-populist-reformer">Mary Elizabeth Lease</a>&nbsp;is another example; an orator and organizer who helped shape the Kansas People’s Party, and thereby the national Populist movement, the arguments she developed in Kanas became foundational to American reform movements throughout the early 20th&nbsp;century.

But many of the women that came to my mind were people whose influence was inseparable from their deep roots in our state, and the families and communities they were entwined with.

<a target="_blank" href="https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/fa/428/">Mary Skubitz</a>&nbsp;was a Slovenian immigrant to Kansas as a child in 1890; as a wife and mother in Crawford County, she helped organize the “Amazon Army” in 1921, a mass protest of women demanding improvements of the terrible conditions their husbands and sons suffered in the coal mines.&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.explorelawrence.com/blog/post/womens-history-month-honoring-lawrences-trailblazers/">Minnie Wish-Ken-O</a>&nbsp;was a Potawatomie woman and farmer in Jackson County who took up leadership in her tribe during the 1930s, and led the fight against the national government’s efforts at tribal re-organization and termination over the subsequent two decades.

Even more humbly, a filmmaker colleague of mine&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sodandstubble.com/">has resurrected the story of Rosa Ise</a>, a new bride who settled with her husband Henry and raised a family in Osborne County in the 1870s; the frontier challenges she overcame made her a determined believer in education, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news-and-publications/news/stories/2024/12/kansas-profile-deb-goodrich-sod-and-stubble.html">leading to her children graduating from some of the most prestigious schools in America</a>.

Education is a constant in so many of these stories, leading up to the present day.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li_2014/b2013_14/committees/misc/ctte_s_ed_1_20130307_03_other.pdf">Eldora Dugan Love</a>&nbsp;settled with her husband Charles in Butler County in the 1870s; from her homestead, she published a women’s journal which made educational and religious improvement its central message.

Three generations on her great-granddaughter,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.heartlandhero.org/post/they-didn-t-watch-us-weave-how-the-fringe-became-the-fabric-of-education-reform">Becky Love Elder</a>, became a devout believer in home schooling, and spent her life organizing and raising money for independent schools that defined not only the lives of her children and grandchildren, but of hundreds of others who were touched by her indefatigable commitment to learning, reading, and community.

Attending Becky’s graveside service, I was struck by the pastor’s invocation of “place,” and of Becky’s commitment to putting down roots, to growing and blessing others, from where she made her home. The same can be said, I think, of hundreds of matriarchs across Kansas history, whose strength was, and is, inseparable from the soil which all us Kansans—both native-born and new arrivals—share. Bless them, each and every one.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750955074364.jpeg" alt="Russell Arben Fox. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Russell Arben Fox. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By Russell Arben Fox Insight KansasAs the year comes to its end, thoughts often take an introspective turn. For me, for reasons both personal and public, that turn has me reflecting on the matriarchal nature of our state.Of course, given Kansas’s strong conservative streak and often rather traditional Christian culture, it’s easy for outsiders to assume that Kansas history reflects an antiquated “Father Knows Best” politics. And it’s true that men still dominate the Kansas Republican party, which has nearly twice the number of supporters across the state as the Democrats.But last week, while attending the burial of a powerful and beloved local woman and friend in Sedgwick County, I couldn’t help thinking about the women who have built, and continue to shape, this state.Some were crusaders with national reputations, whose time in Kansas was only part of their full story.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://civilwaronthewesternborder.org/encyclopedia/nichols-clarina-irene-howard">Clarina Howard Nichols</a>&nbsp;was an abolitionist who relocated to Kansas in the years before the Civil War, and spent her time in the state fighting not only the evil of slavery but for temperance and women’s rights as well.&nbsp;It is due to women like her that Kansas granted women the right to vote in school board elections as early as 1861.&nbsp;The activist and lawyer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/mary-elizabeth-lease-populist-reformer">Mary Elizabeth Lease</a>&nbsp;is another example; an orator and organizer who helped shape the Kansas People’s Party, and thereby the national Populist movement, the arguments she developed in Kanas became foundational to American reform movements throughout the early 20th&nbsp;century.But many of the women that came to my mind were people whose influence was inseparable from their deep roots in our state, and the families and communities they were entwined with.<a target="_blank" href="https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/fa/428/">Mary Skubitz</a>&nbsp;was a Slovenian immigrant to Kansas as a child in 1890; as a wife and mother in Crawford County, she helped organize the “Amazon Army” in 1921, a mass protest of women demanding improvements of the terrible conditions their husbands and sons suffered in the coal mines.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.explorelawrence.com/blog/post/womens-history-month-honoring-lawrences-trailblazers/">Minnie Wish-Ken-O</a>&nbsp;was a Potawatomie woman and farmer in Jackson County who took up leadership in her tribe during the 1930s, and led the fight against the national government’s efforts at tribal re-organization and termination over the subsequent two decades.Even more humbly, a filmmaker colleague of mine&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sodandstubble.com/">has resurrected the story of Rosa Ise</a>, a new bride who settled with her husband Henry and raised a family in Osborne County in the 1870s; the frontier challenges she overcame made her a determined believer in education, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news-and-publications/news/stories/2024/12/kansas-profile-deb-goodrich-sod-and-stubble.html">leading to her children graduating from some of the most prestigious schools in America</a>.Education is a constant in so many of these stories, leading up to the present day.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li_2014/b2013_14/committees/misc/ctte_s_ed_1_20130307_03_other.pdf">Eldora Dugan Love</a>&nbsp;settled with her husband Charles in Butler County in the 1870s; from her homestead, she published a women’s journal which made educational and religious improvement its central message. Three generations on her great-granddaughter,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.heartlandhero.org/post/they-didn-t-watch-us-weave-how-the-fringe-became-the-fabric-of-education-reform">Becky Love Elder</a>, became a devout believer in home schooling, and spent her life organizing and raising money for independent schools that defined not only the lives of her children and grandchildren, but of hundreds of others who were touched by her indefatigable commitment to learning, reading, and community.Attending Becky’s graveside service, I was struck by the pastor’s invocation of “place,” and of Becky’s commitment to putting down roots, to growing and blessing others, from where she made her home. The same can be said, I think, of hundreds of matriarchs across Kansas history, whose strength was, and is, inseparable from the soil which all us Kansans—both native-born and new arrivals—share. Bless them, each and every one.Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Kansas, a land made by matriarchs

The recent approval of the Tallgrass Development LLC solar farm is a profound moral and regulatory failure.

For four years, a small handful of landowners worked in secret to secure corporate leases, looking their neighbors in the eye and lying to people they called friends.

They prioritized personal profit over the well-being of the community and chose a payout over decades of friendship, but the betrayal doesn't end there. It has now escalated to outright bullying. 

The leasing landowners recently hired an attorney who threatened me with a lawsuit in a cowardly attempt to silence any opposition. Using legal pressure to intimidate your neighbors is an admission that your position cannot withstand honest scrutiny.

This project isn't being built on "green energy." It is being built on a foundation of deception and a ruthless "profit at any cost" mentality. 

To add insult to injury, the leasing landowners live miles away, comfortably insulated from the project’s impact, while neighbors and former friends are forced to live with the adverse consequences of their naked greed.

Unfortunately, rather than carefully and systematically reviewing the implications of a massive solar conversion facility, the Ellis County Planning and Zoning Committee facilitated this unscrupulous behavior. 

The developers plotted for four years, but the public was given a mere 20 days’ notice before zoning approval. This window, conveniently spanning holiday closings, was clearly designed to stifle dissent and speed the project to approval.

Even more alarming is that the committee moved this project forward with a list of conditions that weren't even finalized or made public.

I spent the morning after the meeting searching for specific requirements, only to find many are still being "decided." 

How can our officials recommend a 35-year conditional-use permit when significant details of the project are still a mystery?

Perhaps the worst of failures (almost too many to count) is the lack of basic due diligence regarding our natural resources.

To approve three decades of industrial construction and operation without securing a water source is the height of irresponsibility.

By approving this project, the Zoning and Planning Committee has effectively signed a blank check to a corporation and left the community to deal with the social, environmental and financial fallout. 

We deserve better than a government that rewards secrecy and intimidation, while ignoring basic due diligence. 

We deserve a government that protects its residents from corporate-funded bullying and demands transparency before the project has been approved, not after the damage is done

— Keith Pfannenstiel, Mt. Pleasant Road, Hays

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698091063975.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The recent approval of the Tallgrass Development LLC solar farm is a profound moral and regulatory failure.For four years, a small handful of landowners worked in secret to secure corporate leases, looking their neighbors in the eye and lying to people they called friends.They prioritized personal profit over the well-being of the community and chose a payout over decades of friendship, but the betrayal doesn't end there. It has now escalated to outright bullying. The leasing landowners recently hired an attorney who threatened me with a lawsuit in a cowardly attempt to silence any opposition. Using legal pressure to intimidate your neighbors is an admission that your position cannot withstand honest scrutiny.This project isn't being built on "green energy." It is being built on a foundation of deception and a ruthless "profit at any cost" mentality. To add insult to injury, the leasing landowners live miles away, comfortably insulated from the project’s impact, while neighbors and former friends are forced to live with the adverse consequences of their naked greed.Unfortunately, rather than carefully and systematically reviewing the implications of a massive solar conversion facility, the Ellis County Planning and Zoning Committee facilitated this unscrupulous behavior. The developers plotted for four years, but the public was given a mere 20 days’ notice before zoning approval. This window, conveniently spanning holiday closings, was clearly designed to stifle dissent and speed the project to approval.Even more alarming is that the committee moved this project forward with a list of conditions that weren't even finalized or made public.I spent the morning after the meeting searching for specific requirements, only to find many are still being "decided." How can our officials recommend a 35-year conditional-use permit when significant details of the project are still a mystery?Perhaps the worst of failures (almost too many to count) is the lack of basic due diligence regarding our natural resources.To approve three decades of industrial construction and operation without securing a water source is the height of irresponsibility.By approving this project, the Zoning and Planning Committee has effectively signed a blank check to a corporation and left the community to deal with the social, environmental and financial fallout. We deserve better than a government that rewards secrecy and intimidation, while ignoring basic due diligence. We deserve a government that protects its residents from corporate-funded bullying and demands transparency before the project has been approved, not after the damage is done— Keith Pfannenstiel, Mt. Pleasant Road, Hays

LETTER: Neighbor expresses frustration on solar project's approval

By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas Outdoors

I recently saw a Facebook post from Amanda Sellers in Arkansas, sharing her feelings concerning comments she received about a hunting picture she’d posted. Her reply sincerely struck a chord with me, so I asked for, and received her permission to share her post as a weekly column. 

In this post, she shows such an awareness and gives such a good and simple explanation of the importance hunting plays in our country, that I thought it needed to be passed-on. So here, in her own words is Amanda’s perception of the role hunting plays in their lifestyle.

“I am a homeschooling mom of 12 kids, raised in north-central Arkansas. I have traveled to many countries and lived halfway across the U.S. just to sell everything and move back to our roots. We do mission work local and foreign, and I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to raise my family the way we do - connected to the land and our heritage!

"I shared a hunting photo recently and it brought in a lot of strong reactions. I understand why. Hunting can feel uncomfortable if you didn't grow up around it. But I want to share why it matters where we live and why so many families in this region still participate in it.

"For generations, people here processed their own food. They understood where it came from. They used the meat to feed their families and honored the animal by not wasting it.

"Today most of us are so disconnected from our food system that we forget what actually has to happen for food to reach a store shelf.

"Hunting in our area is also part of caring for the land. When wildlife populations grow beyond what the ecosystem can support, animals face starvation, disease, and slow painful deaths. Regulated hunting keeps the population healthy and prevents suffering. It is one of the ways we protect the wildlife that lives in the forests around us.

"There is another point that matters to me. If we care this deeply about protecting life in the woods, we should care even more about protecting life in the womb. Human life begins at conception. It is precious from the very first moment it exists and deserves protection just as fiercely.

"My heart in sharing any of this is simple. Connection matters. Stewardship matters. Life matters. And understanding where our food comes from, and why we value all forms of life, is something worth talking about.”

Given the distance our country as a whole has chosen to distance itself from God, and given the fact that now, so many opinions are formed and so many decisions are made using emotions alone, with little or no factual input, its refreshing and comforting to hear the above. 

Thank you, Amanda… 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="Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas OutdoorsI recently saw a Facebook post from Amanda Sellers in Arkansas, sharing her feelings concerning comments she received about a hunting picture she’d posted. Her reply sincerely struck a chord with me, so I asked for, and received her permission to share her post as a weekly column. In this post, she shows such an awareness and gives such a good and simple explanation of the importance hunting plays in our country, that I thought it needed to be passed-on. So here, in her own words is Amanda’s perception of the role hunting plays in their lifestyle.“I am a homeschooling mom of 12 kids, raised in north-central Arkansas. I have traveled to many countries and lived halfway across the U.S. just to sell everything and move back to our roots. We do mission work local and foreign, and I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to raise my family the way we do - connected to the land and our heritage!"I shared a hunting photo recently and it brought in a lot of strong reactions. I understand why. Hunting can feel uncomfortable if you didn't grow up around it. But I want to share why it matters where we live and why so many families in this region still participate in it."For generations, people here processed their own food. They understood where it came from. They used the meat to feed their families and honored the animal by not wasting it."Today most of us are so disconnected from our food system that we forget what actually has to happen for food to reach a store shelf."Hunting in our area is also part of caring for the land. When wildlife populations grow beyond what the ecosystem can support, animals face starvation, disease, and slow painful deaths. Regulated hunting keeps the population healthy and prevents suffering. It is one of the ways we protect the wildlife that lives in the forests around us."There is another point that matters to me. If we care this deeply about protecting life in the woods, we should care even more about protecting life in the womb. Human life begins at conception. It is precious from the very first moment it exists and deserves protection just as fiercely."My heart in sharing any of this is simple. Connection matters. Stewardship matters. Life matters. And understanding where our food comes from, and why we value all forms of life, is something worth talking about.”Given the distance our country as a whole has chosen to distance itself from God, and given the fact that now, so many opinions are formed and so many decisions are made using emotions alone, with little or no factual input, its refreshing and comforting to hear the above. Thank you, Amanda… Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Explore Kansas Outdoors: Amanda’s perception

JAY HARRIS Cottonwood Extension District

As we turn the calendar to December and reflect on the year behind us, one theme continues to stand out across the Cottonwood Extension District: community matters. Not just as a concept, but as a lived experience; built through relationships, shared learning, and people willing to step forward and make a difference.

Cooperative Extension has existed in Kansas for more than a century, but its strength today is the same as it was in 1914: local people helping local people, supported by university research. And when you look closely, you’ll find Extension woven into the fabric of nearly every part of community life.

You see it in a 4-H member learning leadership skills for the first time while preparing a project for the county fair. You see it in a producer seeking support during drought or planning for next year’s pasture and forage needs. You see it in families who attend wellness or financial programs and leave with tools to improve their quality of life. And you see it in the countless volunteers who give time, talent, and heart to strengthen their communities.

Extension work is diverse; agriculture, youth development, health, family resources, community vitality, but it is all driven by the same belief: Knowledge is most powerful when it is shared.

In a world with search engines, apps, and endless online information, some might ask: Why do we still need Extension?

· Google can provide information, but it can’t provide connection.

· Technology can offer data, but it cannot replace trusted relationships.

· And online advice can be generic, but Extension is specific to Kansas, our climate, our challenges, and our way of life.

Extension doesn’t just deliver facts. It delivers understanding, context, and support grounded in real-world experience.

Even more importantly, Extension builds confidence, especially in young people. When a 4-H member gives their first speech, masters a skill, or discovers a new interest that may become a career, they’re experiencing something much bigger than a moment. They’re experiencing growth — the kind that stays with them long after awards and ribbons are forgotten.

As we prepare to enter a new year, I want to offer sincere gratitude to the Cottonwood District communities, partners, and volunteers who make this work meaningful. Your support ensures that Extension remains strong, relevant, and accessible.

And as always, we are here for you. Whether you’re producing food, raising a family, strengthening a community organization, or simply trying something new, Extension is your partner.

Because Extension isn’t just a service. It’s a relationship. It’s a commitment. And most of all, Extension is community.

Wishing you a season of peace, gratitude, and connection. We look forward to serving you in the new year.

Jay Harris&nbsp; is the District Director for K-State Extension, Cottonwood District (Ellis and Barton Counties).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745338245919.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>JAY HARRIS Cottonwood Extension DistrictAs we turn the calendar to December and reflect on the year behind us, one theme continues to stand out across the Cottonwood Extension District: community matters. Not just as a concept, but as a lived experience; built through relationships, shared learning, and people willing to step forward and make a difference.Cooperative Extension has existed in Kansas for more than a century, but its strength today is the same as it was in 1914: local people helping local people, supported by university research. And when you look closely, you’ll find Extension woven into the fabric of nearly every part of community life.You see it in a 4-H member learning leadership skills for the first time while preparing a project for the county fair. You see it in a producer seeking support during drought or planning for next year’s pasture and forage needs. You see it in families who attend wellness or financial programs and leave with tools to improve their quality of life. And you see it in the countless volunteers who give time, talent, and heart to strengthen their communities.Extension work is diverse; agriculture, youth development, health, family resources, community vitality, but it is all driven by the same belief: Knowledge is most powerful when it is shared.In a world with search engines, apps, and endless online information, some might ask: Why do we still need Extension?The answer is simple:· Google can provide information, but it can’t provide connection.· Technology can offer data, but it cannot replace trusted relationships.· And online advice can be generic, but Extension is specific to Kansas, our climate, our challenges, and our way of life.Extension doesn’t just deliver facts. It delivers understanding, context, and support grounded in real-world experience.Even more importantly, Extension builds confidence, especially in young people. When a 4-H member gives their first speech, masters a skill, or discovers a new interest that may become a career, they’re experiencing something much bigger than a moment. They’re experiencing growth — the kind that stays with them long after awards and ribbons are forgotten.As we prepare to enter a new year, I want to offer sincere gratitude to the Cottonwood District communities, partners, and volunteers who make this work meaningful. Your support ensures that Extension remains strong, relevant, and accessible.And as always, we are here for you. Whether you’re producing food, raising a family, strengthening a community organization, or simply trying something new, Extension is your partner.Because Extension isn’t just a service. It’s a relationship. It’s a commitment. And most of all, Extension is community.Wishing you a season of peace, gratitude, and connection. We look forward to serving you in the new year.Jay Harris&nbsp; is the District Director for K-State Extension, Cottonwood District (Ellis and Barton Counties).

HARRIS: Extension is community: Why local engagement matters

By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Insight Kansas

By any honest measure, too many Kansas families are struggling to make ends meet. 

The latest State of ALICE in Kansas report—ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed—finds that 38% of Kansas households were below the ALICE Threshold in 2023, meaning they could not afford the basics even while working. That includes 12% living in poverty and another 26% who earn too much to qualify for aid but still can’t cover essentials like housing, child care, food, transportation, and healthcare.

This isn’t a fringe problem; it’s the working backbone of our economy. These are Kansans we depend on daily, like child‑care providers, home‑health aides, cashiers, and delivery drivers. Kansans feel the squeeze. 

In the 2025 Kansas Speaks public opinion survey—conducted by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University—36.1% said the Kansas economy is getting worse, and 46.5% reported feeling very or moderately concerned that the state’s economy could seriously threaten their family’s welfare—a worry that ticked up from last year. When people don’t see a path to stability, they pull back on spending, on investing in education, on starting businesses. That feeds a cycle of slower growth.

Inflation adds insult to injury. In September, prices across the Midwest rose 3.1%. Housing costs are up 4.5% and rent surged 5.0% compared to 3.4% nationally. For a Kansas renter already under ALICE’s budget pressure, that is the difference between paying for a car repair or skipping the prescription refill.

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms that lower-income households experience greater impact from inflation than higher-income ones, meaning Kansans living on tighter budgets face disproportionate pressures. After adjusting for inflation, Kansas’ median household incomes have barely budged post-COVID, lagging behind national progress. Inflation’s heavier burden on lower-income families widens this gap, as working families spend more of their limited incomes on essentials.

Meanwhile, the recent federal government shutdown made a bad situation worse. Kansas Action for Children reports that the shutdown disrupted key economic data flows (including unemployment statistics) and contributed to state revenues missing estimates by $3.4 million in September due to a steep $35.4 million shortfall in corporate income tax receipts, despite&nbsp;stronger individual income and sales taxes. Overall receipts for the month were about 1.9% lower than in September 2024.

Beyond numbers on a page, the shutdown threatened essential benefits: SNAP and WIC faced imminent disruption, putting nearly 190,000 Kansans at risk of losing food assistance, with 48,000 WIC recipients depending on nutrition support for mothers and children. When Washington cannot keep the lights on, the ripple effects hit our paychecks, our schools, our main streets, and exacerbated those among us who are already vulnerable.

When federal policy falters, Kansas families pay the price first. Stabilize the basics—food assistance, health insurance support, small‑business lending, predictable budgets—and we give vulnerable households the breathing room to become the bedrock of the state’s growth rather than the warning siren of its fragility.

If we want a Kansas where hard work reliably leads to stability, we need policies that stop pushing families underwater and start helping them reach the shore.

As the Kansas Legislature gears up for its 2026 session, lawmakers are already sending signals about where priorities lie—the initial bills suggest little additional support for working families. Early filings include a proposal to delay school start dates until after Labor Day; legislation aimed at loosening library-district governance; and a “Kansas Teacher Shortage Relief Act” to ease re-entry for retired educators.

These bills signal lawmakers’ attention to core community institutions like schools and libraries, but if our state truly wants to lift those families hovering near or beneath the ALICE threshold, the session must go further.

Legislators should prioritize enhanced affordability—expanding access to affordable child care, increasing housing subsidies, and upgrading income thresholds to reflect changing living costs. Federal programs remain vital, but state action can shield families when Washington falters.

The 2026 Legislature has a choice: tinker at the edges or invest in Kansans’ ability to thrive. If leadership is serious about long-term economic resilience, it must anchor its agenda in policies that pair educational and community improvements with real financial support. That means not just making communities stronger, but lifting the families who live in them.

Alexandra Middlewood, PhD, is an associate professor and chair of the Political Science Department at Wichita State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740007073583.jpeg" alt="Alexandra Middlewood. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Middlewood. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Insight KansasBy any honest measure, too many Kansas families are struggling to make ends meet. The latest State of ALICE in Kansas report—ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed—finds that 38% of Kansas households were below the ALICE Threshold in 2023, meaning they could not afford the basics even while working. That includes 12% living in poverty and another 26% who earn too much to qualify for aid but still can’t cover essentials like housing, child care, food, transportation, and healthcare.This isn’t a fringe problem; it’s the working backbone of our economy. These are Kansans we depend on daily, like child‑care providers, home‑health aides, cashiers, and delivery drivers. Kansans feel the squeeze. In the 2025 Kansas Speaks public opinion survey—conducted by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University—36.1% said the Kansas economy is getting worse, and 46.5% reported feeling very or moderately concerned that the state’s economy could seriously threaten their family’s welfare—a worry that ticked up from last year. When people don’t see a path to stability, they pull back on spending, on investing in education, on starting businesses. That feeds a cycle of slower growth.Inflation adds insult to injury. In September, prices across the Midwest rose 3.1%. Housing costs are up 4.5% and rent surged 5.0% compared to 3.4% nationally. For a Kansas renter already under ALICE’s budget pressure, that is the difference between paying for a car repair or skipping the prescription refill.The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms that lower-income households experience greater impact from inflation than higher-income ones, meaning Kansans living on tighter budgets face disproportionate pressures. After adjusting for inflation, Kansas’ median household incomes have barely budged post-COVID, lagging behind national progress. Inflation’s heavier burden on lower-income families widens this gap, as working families spend more of their limited incomes on essentials.Meanwhile, the recent federal government shutdown made a bad situation worse. Kansas Action for Children reports that the shutdown disrupted key economic data flows (including unemployment statistics) and contributed to state revenues missing estimates by $3.4 million in September due to a steep $35.4 million shortfall in corporate income tax receipts, despite&nbsp;stronger individual income and sales taxes. Overall receipts for the month were about 1.9% lower than in September 2024.Beyond numbers on a page, the shutdown threatened essential benefits: SNAP and WIC faced imminent disruption, putting nearly 190,000 Kansans at risk of losing food assistance, with 48,000 WIC recipients depending on nutrition support for mothers and children. When Washington cannot keep the lights on, the ripple effects hit our paychecks, our schools, our main streets, and exacerbated those among us who are already vulnerable.When federal policy falters, Kansas families pay the price first. Stabilize the basics—food assistance, health insurance support, small‑business lending, predictable budgets—and we give vulnerable households the breathing room to become the bedrock of the state’s growth rather than the warning siren of its fragility.If we want a Kansas where hard work reliably leads to stability, we need policies that stop pushing families underwater and start helping them reach the shore.As the Kansas Legislature gears up for its 2026 session, lawmakers are already sending signals about where priorities lie—the initial bills suggest little additional support for working families. Early filings include a proposal to delay school start dates until after Labor Day; legislation aimed at loosening library-district governance; and a “Kansas Teacher Shortage Relief Act” to ease re-entry for retired educators.These bills signal lawmakers’ attention to core community institutions like schools and libraries, but if our state truly wants to lift those families hovering near or beneath the ALICE threshold, the session must go further.Legislators should prioritize enhanced affordability—expanding access to affordable child care, increasing housing subsidies, and upgrading income thresholds to reflect changing living costs. Federal programs remain vital, but state action can shield families when Washington falters.The 2026 Legislature has a choice: tinker at the edges or invest in Kansans’ ability to thrive. If leadership is serious about long-term economic resilience, it must anchor its agenda in policies that pair educational and community improvements with real financial support. That means not just making communities stronger, but lifting the families who live in them.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD, is an associate professor and chair of the Political Science Department at Wichita State University.

INSIGHST KANSAS: Kansas families are drowning. Will 2026 lawmakers throw a lifeline?

I know some might think, heavens no, December doesn’t need another holiday. After all, it has Christmas and New Year’s Eve, but those living in deer country need to make opening day of firearms deer season the kind of holiday that frees kids from school and employees from work. Even for those who don’t hunt, advantages exist.

For families that put wholesome meat on the table the old-fashioned way, the first Wednesday in December is a red-letter calendar date. It signals opportunities for every licensed hunter in the house to provide pure, unadulterated protein for loved ones. Diners who eat venison harvested in the wild consume meat produced by natural diets. Protein in this form is low in fat so it’s better for folks whose docs have told them to cut back on marbled beef.

Family hunts build bonds between spouses and among parents and children or grandparents and grandchildren. Spending time on a frosty morning waiting to see a healthy buck or doe pass forms memories and stories that liven up family gatherings for decades. The meat in the freezer may be long gone, but tales of making difficult shots or recovering a deer from a field far from the road make great fireside tales year after year.

Not only do such events create family legends, they enable experienced outdoors folk to teach patience, observational skills, and respect for nature and gifts it provides. Youngsters too young to carry a gun learn to sit quietly while waiting for game to come into range. Every hunt includes lessons from studying wind patterns to discovering how still and silent a person can be when a skunk wanders near the blind.

Once a successful hunt ends, family bonding and learning continue as youngsters help prepare for the butchering. Much of my understanding of anatomy occurred as I helped first my dad then my husband cut up deer meat. Helping field dress a fresh carcass made high school biology dissections seem easier. These experiences gave me an appreciation for where protein comes that helps me better understand when I buy shrink-wrapped packages from a grocery store meat case.

For non-hunters and vegetarians, reducing deer populations through controlled harvests lead to safer driving. In addition, managing populations improves herd health. Too many critters occupying an area not only makes driving dangerous, it also means more depredation on crops and native plants. A pitiful sight for any who have experienced it is a sick herd. In regions where residents discourage hunting, disease whittles populations in only a few seasons.

While the idea of an official holiday is tongue in cheek, I love hearing stories from families that make this day and the rest of the season an annual event. Not only do these folks reduce deer populations that make driving to work a game of real-life pinball with the car as the flicker and the deer as the puck, but they also strengthen family bonds, provide healthy protein, and teach respect for nature

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765376060338.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORIN I know some might think, heavens no, December doesn’t need another holiday. After all, it has Christmas and New Year’s Eve, but those living in deer country need to make opening day of firearms deer season the kind of holiday that frees kids from school and employees from work. Even for those who don’t hunt, advantages exist.For families that put wholesome meat on the table the old-fashioned way, the first Wednesday in December is a red-letter calendar date. It signals opportunities for every licensed hunter in the house to provide pure, unadulterated protein for loved ones. Diners who eat venison harvested in the wild consume meat produced by natural diets. Protein in this form is low in fat so it’s better for folks whose docs have told them to cut back on marbled beef.Family hunts build bonds between spouses and among parents and children or grandparents and grandchildren. Spending time on a frosty morning waiting to see a healthy buck or doe pass forms memories and stories that liven up family gatherings for decades. The meat in the freezer may be long gone, but tales of making difficult shots or recovering a deer from a field far from the road make great fireside tales year after year.Not only do such events create family legends, they enable experienced outdoors folk to teach patience, observational skills, and respect for nature and gifts it provides. Youngsters too young to carry a gun learn to sit quietly while waiting for game to come into range. Every hunt includes lessons from studying wind patterns to discovering how still and silent a person can be when a skunk wanders near the blind.Once a successful hunt ends, family bonding and learning continue as youngsters help prepare for the butchering. Much of my understanding of anatomy occurred as I helped first my dad then my husband cut up deer meat. Helping field dress a fresh carcass made high school biology dissections seem easier. These experiences gave me an appreciation for where protein comes that helps me better understand when I buy shrink-wrapped packages from a grocery store meat case.For non-hunters and vegetarians, reducing deer populations through controlled harvests lead to safer driving. In addition, managing populations improves herd health. Too many critters occupying an area not only makes driving dangerous, it also means more depredation on crops and native plants. A pitiful sight for any who have experienced it is a sick herd. In regions where residents discourage hunting, disease whittles populations in only a few seasons.While the idea of an official holiday is tongue in cheek, I love hearing stories from families that make this day and the rest of the season an annual event. Not only do these folks reduce deer populations that make driving to work a game of real-life pinball with the car as the flicker and the deer as the puck, but they also strengthen family bonds, provide healthy protein, and teach respect for natureKaren Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

MADORIN: Add another December holiday

Russell Arben Fox’s recent column,&nbsp; <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/788bc415-cbb0-4bb7-8509-378203a26761">"Questions for, and about, city managers in Kansas,”</a> raises timely and important points about how our cities are governed.

As a civic-minded Kansan and a retired city manager, I appreciate his reminder that debates over the council-manager form of government are neither trivial nor temporary. I write to offer historical context on why the city manager profession emerged more than a century ago and to address the concerns he raises about democracy, accountability, and effectiveness.

The council-manager model took shape during the Progressive Era, when many American cities were plagued by corruption, patronage, and inefficiency. 

Reformers believed that trained, nonpartisan administrators could manage public services more honestly and effectively than political machines. This belief led the National Civic League and what is now the International City/County Management Association to publish the first Model City Charter in 1915, introducing a system in which an elected council sets policy and a professional manager executes it. 

Early adopters reported immediate improvements in fiscal management, service delivery, and ethical integrity. In short, the city manager position was created to clean up city hall and restore public trust.

Over the past century, this system has proven its value. Today, a majority of U.S. cities with populations over 2,500 use the council-manager model, including most communities in Kansas. Here, elected mayors serve as part of the council, while a professional manager oversees day-to-day operations. This structure has helped Kansas cities avoid the hyper-partisanship seen at higher levels of government and focus instead on pragmatic problem-solving.

City managers bring professional training in public administration, finance, and urban policy, and they serve all residents regardless of political affiliation. Their recommendations are grounded in analysis, not political advantage. 

Research supports these benefits: one comprehensive study found that cities with council-manager governments have roughly 57 percent fewer corruption convictions than strong-mayor cities. Public trust is also higher at the local level than at the federal or state level, due in part to the nonpartisan, professional nature of council-manager governance.

Professor Fox raises an important question about democratic accountability: if managers and staff help shape complex policies and budgets, does this create a “democratic deficit”? 

It is a reasonable concern, but one that the council-manager system was designed to address. Managers serve entirely at the pleasure of the elected council and can be removed by a simple majority. 

The council/commission sets the community’s vision, adopts ordinances and budgets, and represents voter priorities; the manager implements these policies and provides professional options for consideration. 

Managers are evaluated—and retained—based on how effectively they carry out the council’s direction. Rather than diluting democracy, this model reinforces it by ensuring that elected officials make policy while administrative professionals carry it out responsibly.

Dr. John Nalbandian of Lawrence captures this balance well: city managers stand “at the intersection of the political and administrative arenas,” helping bridge what is politically acceptable with what is operationally sustainable. This connection strengthens democratic governance by allowing elected leaders to focus on community vision while relying on professional staff to deliver results.

To be sure, supporters of the council-manager model must take citizen engagement seriously. If voters sense that their voices matter less because professionals run daily operations, turnout may suffer. 

The solution, however, is greater transparency and more opportunities for public involvement—not abandoning a system that has served Kansas communities well. 

Wichita’s recent debate over its manager hiring process demonstrates that residents expect openness, even within a professionally administered government. We should welcome that expectation.

Comparing this model with the strong-mayor system underscores what is at stake. In strong-mayor cities, executive power is concentrated in one elected individual who oversees departments, prepares budgets, and can veto council actions. While this structure can produce decisive leadership, it also allows the city’s priorities—and personnel—to shift dramatically with each new administration.

 A strong-mayor model can energize a community when leadership is sound, but when it is not, the consequences can be destabilizing. Numerous cities that experienced turbulence or scandal under powerful mayors later added professional oversight or shifted toward council-manager governance. Concentrating executive authority in one office is inherently risky.

Kansas’s experience has shown the advantages of balanced, professional administration. Under home-rule authority, each city chooses its governing structure, and the vast majority have selected the council-manager form. This is because it helps ensure stability, ethical conduct, and long-term planning that transcends election cycles. 

Our governing bodies still debate vigorously, but city services remain steady and centered on community needs rather than personal politics. As Fox himself notes, this model “fosters pragmatic governance” in a time when pragmatism is sorely needed.

After ten decades of practice, the council-manager system remains a proven framework that upholds both democratic accountability and professional competence. It was created to curb corruption and improve performance, and those goals are as vital today as they were 100 years ago. 

Rather than concentrating power in a single elected executive, we should continue strengthening the partnership between our elected councils and the professional managers who carry out their vision.

Mr. Fox is right that Kansans should regularly examine how we govern ourselves. But before considering a shift to strong-mayor systems, we should recall what the council-manager model was designed to prevent and what it continues to provide: stability, transparency, ethical administration, and a collaborative balance between democratic leadership and professional expertise. Our communities deserve nothing less.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698091063975.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Russell Arben Fox’s recent column,&nbsp; <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/788bc415-cbb0-4bb7-8509-378203a26761">"Questions for, and about, city managers in Kansas,”</a> raises timely and important points about how our cities are governed. As a civic-minded Kansan and a retired city manager, I appreciate his reminder that debates over the council-manager form of government are neither trivial nor temporary. I write to offer historical context on why the city manager profession emerged more than a century ago and to address the concerns he raises about democracy, accountability, and effectiveness.The council-manager model took shape during the Progressive Era, when many American cities were plagued by corruption, patronage, and inefficiency. Reformers believed that trained, nonpartisan administrators could manage public services more honestly and effectively than political machines. This belief led the National Civic League and what is now the International City/County Management Association to publish the first Model City Charter in 1915, introducing a system in which an elected council sets policy and a professional manager executes it. Early adopters reported immediate improvements in fiscal management, service delivery, and ethical integrity. In short, the city manager position was created to clean up city hall and restore public trust.Over the past century, this system has proven its value. Today, a majority of U.S. cities with populations over 2,500 use the council-manager model, including most communities in Kansas. Here, elected mayors serve as part of the council, while a professional manager oversees day-to-day operations. This structure has helped Kansas cities avoid the hyper-partisanship seen at higher levels of government and focus instead on pragmatic problem-solving.City managers bring professional training in public administration, finance, and urban policy, and they serve all residents regardless of political affiliation. Their recommendations are grounded in analysis, not political advantage. Research supports these benefits: one comprehensive study found that cities with council-manager governments have roughly 57 percent fewer corruption convictions than strong-mayor cities. Public trust is also higher at the local level than at the federal or state level, due in part to the nonpartisan, professional nature of council-manager governance.Professor Fox raises an important question about democratic accountability: if managers and staff help shape complex policies and budgets, does this create a “democratic deficit”? It is a reasonable concern, but one that the council-manager system was designed to address. Managers serve entirely at the pleasure of the elected council and can be removed by a simple majority. The council/commission sets the community’s vision, adopts ordinances and budgets, and represents voter priorities; the manager implements these policies and provides professional options for consideration. Managers are evaluated—and retained—based on how effectively they carry out the council’s direction. Rather than diluting democracy, this model reinforces it by ensuring that elected officials make policy while administrative professionals carry it out responsibly.Dr. John Nalbandian of Lawrence captures this balance well: city managers stand “at the intersection of the political and administrative arenas,” helping bridge what is politically acceptable with what is operationally sustainable. This connection strengthens democratic governance by allowing elected leaders to focus on community vision while relying on professional staff to deliver results.To be sure, supporters of the council-manager model must take citizen engagement seriously. If voters sense that their voices matter less because professionals run daily operations, turnout may suffer. The solution, however, is greater transparency and more opportunities for public involvement—not abandoning a system that has served Kansas communities well. Wichita’s recent debate over its manager hiring process demonstrates that residents expect openness, even within a professionally administered government. We should welcome that expectation.Comparing this model with the strong-mayor system underscores what is at stake. In strong-mayor cities, executive power is concentrated in one elected individual who oversees departments, prepares budgets, and can veto council actions. While this structure can produce decisive leadership, it also allows the city’s priorities—and personnel—to shift dramatically with each new administration. A strong-mayor model can energize a community when leadership is sound, but when it is not, the consequences can be destabilizing. Numerous cities that experienced turbulence or scandal under powerful mayors later added professional oversight or shifted toward council-manager governance. Concentrating executive authority in one office is inherently risky.Kansas’s experience has shown the advantages of balanced, professional administration. Under home-rule authority, each city chooses its governing structure, and the vast majority have selected the council-manager form. This is because it helps ensure stability, ethical conduct, and long-term planning that transcends election cycles. Our governing bodies still debate vigorously, but city services remain steady and centered on community needs rather than personal politics. As Fox himself notes, this model “fosters pragmatic governance” in a time when pragmatism is sorely needed.After ten decades of practice, the council-manager system remains a proven framework that upholds both democratic accountability and professional competence. It was created to curb corruption and improve performance, and those goals are as vital today as they were 100 years ago. Rather than concentrating power in a single elected executive, we should continue strengthening the partnership between our elected councils and the professional managers who carry out their vision.Mr. Fox is right that Kansans should regularly examine how we govern ourselves. But before considering a shift to strong-mayor systems, we should recall what the council-manager model was designed to prevent and what it continues to provide: stability, transparency, ethical administration, and a collaborative balance between democratic leadership and professional expertise. Our communities deserve nothing less.— Jon Quinday, Russell

Opinion