By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Insight Kansas

The state’s Attorney General Kris Kobach has filed a lawsuit against the federal government to block student loan forgiveness, leading a multi-state coalition against the policy.

The lawsuit comes on the heels of the 2023 case led by Missouri where the Supreme Court struck down the federal government’s previous student loan forgiveness plans.

It’s clear that Kobach is leading this charge at least partly because he’s likely to be successful. In the 2023 case, the conservative majority Supreme Court demonstrated a willingness to grant standing to states suing the federal government for harms state agencies could face if student loans were forgiven.

The lawsuit challenges the legality of the federal government’s newest attempt to forgive student loans for some borrowers called the SAVE Plan. It only applies to borrowers who took out less than $12,000 and have been making consistent payments for over 10 years.

Not only is it questionable if Kansas has the legal standing for the lawsuit — the burden of proof is on the coalition of states to prove that individual states will be financially harmed by the forgiveness program — blocking student loan forgiveness would deny 1,200 Kansans financial relief, according to the federal government.

Millennials stand to benefit most from the student loan forgiveness program. According to TransUnion, Millennials hold 43% of all student loan debt as of 2023.

Millennials are those who came of age around the year 2000, typically born between 1981 and 1996, and are currently between 43 and 28 years old.

The Kansas Speaks public opinion survey, fielded every fall by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, gives us some insight into the attitudes of Kansas Millennials on economic and life-prospects in the state.

Older Millennials had the worst rating of the Kansas economy in 2023. 37% of those aged 35-44 rated the state’s economy as “poor” or “very poor”. The next lowest rating was 26% and among younger Millennials and Gen Z — those aged 18-34.

Older Millennials also expressed the most concern that the Kansas economy will seriously threaten their family’s well-being over the next year, 26% are very concerned and 23% are moderately concerned.

These survey questions present various ways of measuring financial stability among this age group.

According to a 2021 poll by the National Association of Realtors, 60% of Millennials say student loan debt has delayed their ability to buy a home. In 2021, only 43% of Millennials were homeowners, the lowest home ownership rate of any generation, per research conducted by Freddie Mac.

In Kansas Speaks, older Millennials also had the highest rate of renting (47%), highest concern about the cost of housing in their community (73%), and the highest rate of disagreement with the statement “I spend the right amount of my income on housing costs” (42%).

The cost of a college education has increased over the past several decades as states have consistently cut higher education funding, thus increasing tuition costs for students who then have had to take out more student loans. At the same time, the cost of living has increased exponentially while wages have remained stagnant for college graduates.

Millennials are largely bearing this economic burden, and Gen Z is starting to join them.

In 2019, Millennials became the largest population cohort in the United States, surpassing the Baby Boomers. Their sheer size gives Millennials social, economic, and political influence.

Given the recent precedent, there’s good reason to assume Kobach’s case will be successful at the Supreme Court, begging the question of whether this is smart politics for Kansas?

Championing a lawsuit that targets Millennials, the state’s largest voting cohort, doesn’t seem like the brightest political move by the state’s Attorney General, but only time will tell.

The case will be heard by the US District Court in the coming months.

Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is the Department Chair of Political Science at Wichita State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694699489540.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Insight KansasThe state’s Attorney General Kris Kobach has filed a lawsuit against the federal government to block student loan forgiveness, leading a multi-state coalition against the policy.The lawsuit comes on the heels of the 2023 case led by Missouri where the Supreme Court struck down the federal government’s previous student loan forgiveness plans.It’s clear that Kobach is leading this charge at least partly because he’s likely to be successful. In the 2023 case, the conservative majority Supreme Court demonstrated a willingness to grant standing to states suing the federal government for harms state agencies could face if student loans were forgiven.The lawsuit challenges the legality of the federal government’s newest attempt to forgive student loans for some borrowers called the SAVE Plan. It only applies to borrowers who took out less than $12,000 and have been making consistent payments for over 10 years.Not only is it questionable if Kansas has the legal standing for the lawsuit — the burden of proof is on the coalition of states to prove that individual states will be financially harmed by the forgiveness program — blocking student loan forgiveness would deny 1,200 Kansans financial relief, according to the federal government.Millennials stand to benefit most from the student loan forgiveness program. According to TransUnion, Millennials hold 43% of all student loan debt as of 2023.Millennials are those who came of age around the year 2000, typically born between 1981 and 1996, and are currently between 43 and 28 years old.The Kansas Speaks public opinion survey, fielded every fall by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, gives us some insight into the attitudes of Kansas Millennials on economic and life-prospects in the state.Older Millennials had the worst rating of the Kansas economy in 2023. 37% of those aged 35-44 rated the state’s economy as “poor” or “very poor”. The next lowest rating was 26% and among younger Millennials and Gen Z — those aged 18-34.Older Millennials also expressed the most concern that the Kansas economy will seriously threaten their family’s well-being over the next year, 26% are very concerned and 23% are moderately concerned.These survey questions present various ways of measuring financial stability among this age group.According to a 2021 poll by the National Association of Realtors, 60% of Millennials say student loan debt has delayed their ability to buy a home. In 2021, only 43% of Millennials were homeowners, the lowest home ownership rate of any generation, per research conducted by Freddie Mac.In Kansas Speaks, older Millennials also had the highest rate of renting (47%), highest concern about the cost of housing in their community (73%), and the highest rate of disagreement with the statement “I spend the right amount of my income on housing costs” (42%).The cost of a college education has increased over the past several decades as states have consistently cut higher education funding, thus increasing tuition costs for students who then have had to take out more student loans. At the same time, the cost of living has increased exponentially while wages have remained stagnant for college graduates.Millennials are largely bearing this economic burden, and Gen Z is starting to join them.In 2019, Millennials became the largest population cohort in the United States, surpassing the Baby Boomers. Their sheer size gives Millennials social, economic, and political influence.Given the recent precedent, there’s good reason to assume Kobach’s case will be successful at the Supreme Court, begging the question of whether this is smart politics for Kansas?Championing a lawsuit that targets Millennials, the state’s largest voting cohort, doesn’t seem like the brightest political move by the state’s Attorney General, but only time will tell.The case will be heard by the US District Court in the coming months.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is the Department Chair of Political Science at Wichita State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Kansas AG challenges student loan forgiveness, millennial voters

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

Our current winter wheat crop condition for Ellis and Barton County has been pretty favorable due to the precipitation events last fall and this winter. There are always exceptions to this, where the crop did not emerge until later, due to when the crop was planted, when and how much moisture was received.

No surprise to anyone, that our winter has been warmer than average, my wife would argue that fact with me, but the weather data does not lie. Growing degree days (GDD) is a measure used to estimate the growth and development of a certain crop during the growing season. According to Kansas Mesonet weather data the GDD are well ahead of the normal averages for our Kansas wheat crop.

Last week Kansas experienced a cold front that sent temperatures well below freezing. What kind of impact can that have on our wheat crop in this area. Well like so many things, it depends. Factors that influence the potential for freeze injury to wheat include primarily:

Other factors, such as position in the landscape and the presence of residue covering the soil surface, might also impact the extent of freeze damage within a field. “The challenge is integrating all these factors into a reasonable estimate of freeze injury”, according to Romulo Lollato, K-State Wheat Specialist.

Soil temperatures can help buffer freezing air temperatures if the growing point is below ground or near the soil surface. However, its buffering capacity decreases as the crop develops and the growing point moves above the soil surface. Thus, we can expect a positive effect from soil temperatures in the majority of the state since soil temperatures did not reach levels below 35 degrees F, with exception of southeast where the crop is further along and the growing point is well into the canopy.

For fields that have not jointed yet, the crop can generally withstand temperatures of 15-20°F fairly well, especially if the growing point is still below ground. Kansas Mesonet data indicates that temperatures fell below this threshold, reaching as low as about 10°F in parts of northwest Kansas.

If the growing point is already above ground (first joint visible), wheat can sustain temperatures down to about 24 degrees F for a few hours. Minimum temperatures below 24°F for extended periods of time increase the risk of crop injury. Information from the K-State Mesonet indicates that air temperatures were around this 24°F threshold in most of central and north-central Kansas; however, they dipped below the threshold for as many as 17-21 hours in southwest Kansas, which can cause damage to fields at the first node of development or more advanced stages.

Based on the wheat growth stage, temperature and duration of temperature. Romulo Lollato says “we estimate that parts of southwest Kansas would be more exposed to the potential freeze damage”, given that the crop is relatively advanced (at or past jointing) and was met with many hours of air temperatures below 24°F, with lowest temperatures reaching 13°F.

In the remainder of the state, temperatures needed to cause damage at the observed crop stages were borderline, and therefore, we expect that only more advanced fields could sustain freeze damage.

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 DistrictOur current winter wheat crop condition for Ellis and Barton County has been pretty favorable due to the precipitation events last fall and this winter. There are always exceptions to this, where the crop did not emerge until later, due to when the crop was planted, when and how much moisture was received.No surprise to anyone, that our winter has been warmer than average, my wife would argue that fact with me, but the weather data does not lie. Growing degree days (GDD) is a measure used to estimate the growth and development of a certain crop during the growing season. According to Kansas Mesonet weather data the GDD are well ahead of the normal averages for our Kansas wheat crop.Last week Kansas experienced a cold front that sent temperatures well below freezing. What kind of impact can that have on our wheat crop in this area. Well like so many things, it depends. Factors that influence the potential for freeze injury to wheat include primarily:· Growth stage of the crop· Air temperatures· Duration of cold temperatures· Soil temperatures· Snow coverOther factors, such as position in the landscape and the presence of residue covering the soil surface, might also impact the extent of freeze damage within a field. “The challenge is integrating all these factors into a reasonable estimate of freeze injury”, according to Romulo Lollato, K-State Wheat Specialist.Soil temperatures can help buffer freezing air temperatures if the growing point is below ground or near the soil surface. However, its buffering capacity decreases as the crop develops and the growing point moves above the soil surface. Thus, we can expect a positive effect from soil temperatures in the majority of the state since soil temperatures did not reach levels below 35 degrees F, with exception of southeast where the crop is further along and the growing point is well into the canopy.For fields that have not jointed yet, the crop can generally withstand temperatures of 15-20°F fairly well, especially if the growing point is still below ground. Kansas Mesonet data indicates that temperatures fell below this threshold, reaching as low as about 10°F in parts of northwest Kansas.If the growing point is already above ground (first joint visible), wheat can sustain temperatures down to about 24 degrees F for a few hours. Minimum temperatures below 24°F for extended periods of time increase the risk of crop injury. Information from the K-State Mesonet indicates that air temperatures were around this 24°F threshold in most of central and north-central Kansas; however, they dipped below the threshold for as many as 17-21 hours in southwest Kansas, which can cause damage to fields at the first node of development or more advanced stages.Based on the wheat growth stage, temperature and duration of temperature. Romulo Lollato says “we estimate that parts of southwest Kansas would be more exposed to the potential freeze damage”, given that the crop is relatively advanced (at or past jointing) and was met with many hours of air temperatures below 24°F, with lowest temperatures reaching 13°F.In the remainder of the state, temperatures needed to cause damage at the observed crop stages were borderline, and therefore, we expect that only more advanced fields could sustain freeze damage.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: 2024 Kansas wheat crop and the weather

Budget Bill in Conference Committee

The House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means budget conference committee began negotiations Monday on the state budget. During the conference committee, numerous rounds of offers from both the House and Senate conferees were deliberated until an agreement was reached early Wednesday afternoon.

We were able to include in the Board of Regents Budget, $2.2 million for the Kansas Osteopathic Scholarship and $15.8 million for Student Success Initiatives at community colleges throughout the state. Each of these are available for fiscal year 2025. We also included $5 million for the Kansas Comprehensive Grant.

We included $4.7 million from the State General Fund to pay off state debt incurred from the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility and Kansas State House renovations, and we agreed to pay off bonds that refinanced prior obligations for a variety of capital improvement projects.

We included the $16.5 million for fiscal year 2025 from the House budget to the Department of Commerce for housing and retail development for northwest Kansas. We deleted 10 Full-Time Equivalent positions in both fiscal year 2024 and 2025 from the Department of Revenue budget. For the Judicial Branch, we provided $2.4 million in fiscal year 2024 and $1.1 for fiscal year 2025 for expenditures related to the security breach and $1.1 million for one year credit monitoring for those impacted by the breach in fiscal years 2024.

In the Department of Health and Environment budget we included $50 million, all funds, to increase the Medicaid Outpatient Hospital Reimbursement Rates. We included in the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services fiscal 2025 budget, $5.8 million, all funds, to address 250 individuals from the waitlist for the Physical Disability Waiver and 250 individuals from the waitlist from the Intellectual and Developmental Disability waiver with an all-fund cost of $17.3 million.

Another item that we negotiated was a position of the Senate. They had $10 million from the State Highway Fund to address expansion needs of the seven commercial airports throughout Kansas. We agreed to a compromise of $5 million, with a grant maximum amount of $1 million.

Following the completion of the conference committee, we adopted the conference committee report on the House Floor and it passed Friday afternoon, 78-44.

The Legislature is scheduled to leave for what is referred to as First Adjournment. The House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means Committee will return Thursday, April 25. We will meet jointly to receive updates regarding the consensus revenue estimates, Human Services caseload estimates, education caseload estimates and the Governor’s Budget amendments.

Following that joint meeting, the Appropriations Committee will meet to discuss the items that we wished to discuss at a later date, commonly referred to as Omnibus. We will also discuss any new budget items and those that were submitted by the Governor as a budget adjustment. The final week of session, Veto Session, commences on April 29.

Before we adjourned for first adjournment on Friday, April 5, many bills still needed to be addressed, including bills for the budget and education. Another bill that was discussed is a tax bill. This is the third tax bill that the House has debated this session so we can use the State General Fund ending surplus for tax relief for Kansans.

The income tax will remain as a three-tiered structure. Two attempts were made this session to reduce it to either a one or two-tiered rate system. The rates would be the top rate of 5.70% to 5.50% and no rate changes to the lower to brackets. The bill also immediately eliminates Social Security Income Tax up to a total income of $100,000.

The bill addresses the elimination of the state’s sales tax portion on food and has that tax eliminated on July 1, 2024. The bill also reduces the state’s portion of the 20 mills that the state has control regarding property taxes to 19.5 mills. A provision to raise the residential property tax exemption from $43,000 to $100,000.

As mentioned above, this is the third tax bill that we have debated during the 2024 Legislative Session. The first tax bill was vetoed by the Governor, mainly due to the single rate, and the second, which passed 123-0 in the House, was refused by the Senate. This tax bill was referred to the Tax conference committee by the House Thursday night. We can do better for Kansans with tax relief.

Anytime that you would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, you can tune in by video or audio at <a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.

As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me 785-296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.

It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621346439026.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka April 5, 2024Budget Bill in Conference CommitteeThe House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means budget conference committee began negotiations Monday on the state budget. During the conference committee, numerous rounds of offers from both the House and Senate conferees were deliberated until an agreement was reached early Wednesday afternoon.We were able to include in the Board of Regents Budget, $2.2 million for the Kansas Osteopathic Scholarship and $15.8 million for Student Success Initiatives at community colleges throughout the state. Each of these are available for fiscal year 2025. We also included $5 million for the Kansas Comprehensive Grant.We included $4.7 million from the State General Fund to pay off state debt incurred from the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility and Kansas State House renovations, and we agreed to pay off bonds that refinanced prior obligations for a variety of capital improvement projects.We included the $16.5 million for fiscal year 2025 from the House budget to the Department of Commerce for housing and retail development for northwest Kansas. We deleted 10 Full-Time Equivalent positions in both fiscal year 2024 and 2025 from the Department of Revenue budget. For the Judicial Branch, we provided $2.4 million in fiscal year 2024 and $1.1 for fiscal year 2025 for expenditures related to the security breach and $1.1 million for one year credit monitoring for those impacted by the breach in fiscal years 2024.In the Department of Health and Environment budget we included $50 million, all funds, to increase the Medicaid Outpatient Hospital Reimbursement Rates. We included in the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services fiscal 2025 budget, $5.8 million, all funds, to address 250 individuals from the waitlist for the Physical Disability Waiver and 250 individuals from the waitlist from the Intellectual and Developmental Disability waiver with an all-fund cost of $17.3 million.Another item that we negotiated was a position of the Senate. They had $10 million from the State Highway Fund to address expansion needs of the seven commercial airports throughout Kansas. We agreed to a compromise of $5 million, with a grant maximum amount of $1 million.Following the completion of the conference committee, we adopted the conference committee report on the House Floor and it passed Friday afternoon, 78-44.April ScheduleThe Legislature is scheduled to leave for what is referred to as First Adjournment. The House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means Committee will return Thursday, April 25. We will meet jointly to receive updates regarding the consensus revenue estimates, Human Services caseload estimates, education caseload estimates and the Governor’s Budget amendments.Following that joint meeting, the Appropriations Committee will meet to discuss the items that we wished to discuss at a later date, commonly referred to as Omnibus. We will also discuss any new budget items and those that were submitted by the Governor as a budget adjustment. The final week of session, Veto Session, commences on April 29.Another Tax BillBefore we adjourned for first adjournment on Friday, April 5, many bills still needed to be addressed, including bills for the budget and education. Another bill that was discussed is a tax bill. This is the third tax bill that the House has debated this session so we can use the State General Fund ending surplus for tax relief for Kansans.The income tax will remain as a three-tiered structure. Two attempts were made this session to reduce it to either a one or two-tiered rate system. The rates would be the top rate of 5.70% to 5.50% and no rate changes to the lower to brackets. The bill also immediately eliminates Social Security Income Tax up to a total income of $100,000.The bill addresses the elimination of the state’s sales tax portion on food and has that tax eliminated on July 1, 2024. The bill also reduces the state’s portion of the 20 mills that the state has control regarding property taxes to 19.5 mills. A provision to raise the residential property tax exemption from $43,000 to $100,000.As mentioned above, this is the third tax bill that we have debated during the 2024 Legislative Session. The first tax bill was vetoed by the Governor, mainly due to the single rate, and the second, which passed 123-0 in the House, was refused by the Senate. This tax bill was referred to the Tax conference committee by the House Thursday night. We can do better for Kansans with tax relief.Contact InformationAnytime that you would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, you can tune in by video or audio at <a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me 785-296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home; 3rd tax bill 

Some crave novelty. They like new places, people, foods, books, and websites. They love the thrill of discovery. Others, like me, find solace in returning to the familiar. That said, I’ve learned over decades that repeated encounters with the known leads to discovery of nuances missed during previous visits. 

Over 30 plus years of rereading and teaching "To Kill a Mockingbird," I mined gems I’d never have discovered during those first readings. As a result, I seek favorite books and slowly pore through them in search of more to love. 

My most recent adventure led me back to a prairie diamond, "My Antonia" by Willa Cather. Like a visit to a favorite grandmother’s, no matter how often I return, I look forward to every visit.

Besides crafting sympathetic characters that draw readers into her tales, Cather’s sensory memory and accompanying details defy explanation. When she was nine, her family moved from a farm in Virginia to the Nebraska prairie in 1882, early settlement years. A decade later, she attended university in Lincoln. Soon after graduation, she headed to east to work in Pittsburgh for 10 years, finally making New York City her permanent home.

 Although she visited Red Cloud throughout her life, she never again lived there. 

Despite living a mostly Eastern urban life, her prairie trilogy describes this landscape so that readers tumble into its multitudinous universes: flora, fauna, weather, insects, humanity, culture, and spirit. Clearly, as she grew up in Webster County, Nebraska, she soaked in that world like a sponge absorbs moisture.

Early in "My Antonia," narrator Jim Burden describes his first day at his grandparents’ farm, “I can remember exactly how the country looked to me as I walked beside my grandmother along the faint wagon-tracks on that early September morning. Perhaps the glide of long railway travel was still with me, for more than anything else I felt motion in the landscape; in the fresh, easy-blowing morning wind, and in the earth itself, as if the shaggy grass were a sort of loose hide, and underneath it herds of wild buffalo were galloping, galloping . . .’”

Only a page later, Jim describes leaning against a pumpkin in his grandmother’s garden, saying, “… the wind did not blow very hard, but I could hear it singing its humming tune . . . and see the tall grasses wave. The earth was warm under me . . .. Queer little red bugs came out and moved n slow squadrons around me. Their backs were polished vermillion, with black spots. I kept as still as I could. Nothing happened. I did not expect anything to happen. I was something that lay under the sun and felt it, like the pumpkins, and I did not want to be anything more. . . . At any rate, that is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great. When it comes to one, it comes as naturally as sleep.”

In several hundred words, Cather unveils the secret of the prairie. 

For those willing to silence themselves and open every sense to attend to a single moment, they become something greater than themselves. 

When I see this quote attributed to Cather, “Anyone can love the mountains. It takes a soul to love the prairie,” I recognize the soul of Cather and every prairie dweller willing to dissolve into that state that completes us.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINSome crave novelty. They like new places, people, foods, books, and websites. They love the thrill of discovery. Others, like me, find solace in returning to the familiar. That said, I’ve learned over decades that repeated encounters with the known leads to discovery of nuances missed during previous visits. Over 30 plus years of rereading and teaching "To Kill a Mockingbird," I mined gems I’d never have discovered during those first readings. As a result, I seek favorite books and slowly pore through them in search of more to love. My most recent adventure led me back to a prairie diamond, "My Antonia" by Willa Cather. Like a visit to a favorite grandmother’s, no matter how often I return, I look forward to every visit.Besides crafting sympathetic characters that draw readers into her tales, Cather’s sensory memory and accompanying details defy explanation. When she was nine, her family moved from a farm in Virginia to the Nebraska prairie in 1882, early settlement years. A decade later, she attended university in Lincoln. Soon after graduation, she headed to east to work in Pittsburgh for 10 years, finally making New York City her permanent home. Although she visited Red Cloud throughout her life, she never again lived there. Despite living a mostly Eastern urban life, her prairie trilogy describes this landscape so that readers tumble into its multitudinous universes: flora, fauna, weather, insects, humanity, culture, and spirit. Clearly, as she grew up in Webster County, Nebraska, she soaked in that world like a sponge absorbs moisture.Early in "My Antonia," narrator Jim Burden describes his first day at his grandparents’ farm, “I can remember exactly how the country looked to me as I walked beside my grandmother along the faint wagon-tracks on that early September morning. Perhaps the glide of long railway travel was still with me, for more than anything else I felt motion in the landscape; in the fresh, easy-blowing morning wind, and in the earth itself, as if the shaggy grass were a sort of loose hide, and underneath it herds of wild buffalo were galloping, galloping . . .’”Only a page later, Jim describes leaning against a pumpkin in his grandmother’s garden, saying, “… the wind did not blow very hard, but I could hear it singing its humming tune . . . and see the tall grasses wave. The earth was warm under me . . .. Queer little red bugs came out and moved n slow squadrons around me. Their backs were polished vermillion, with black spots. I kept as still as I could. Nothing happened. I did not expect anything to happen. I was something that lay under the sun and felt it, like the pumpkins, and I did not want to be anything more. . . . At any rate, that is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great. When it comes to one, it comes as naturally as sleep.”In several hundred words, Cather unveils the secret of the prairie. For those willing to silence themselves and open every sense to attend to a single moment, they become something greater than themselves. When I see this quote attributed to Cather, “Anyone can love the mountains. It takes a soul to love the prairie,” I recognize the soul of Cather and every prairie dweller willing to dissolve into that state that completes us.Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.&nbsp;

MADORIN: Soul of the prairie

By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood Extension District

Do you have a small backyard? Do you wish you had the space for a garden, but don’t want to sacrifice your entire yard to be able to grow your favorite vegetables? Or, do you want a way to have a garden without the amount of physical labor that is involved with traditional gardening. Well, an option for you is to garden is a small raised bed or containers.

There will be a program on small space and container gardening at the Ellinwood District Hospital in the Education room on April 12 at noon. &nbsp;I will be talking about several different ways to garden in a smaller space, and be able to answer questions to help you get started. 

Space is limited, so an RSVP to Tonya Pike at 620-564-2548 is requested.

Whether you want a couple tomato plants, a bin of potatoes, or just a small herb garden, there is a garden for everyone. We hope to see you on the 12th!

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="Alicia Boor (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Alicia Boor (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood Extension DistrictDo you have a small backyard? Do you wish you had the space for a garden, but don’t want to sacrifice your entire yard to be able to grow your favorite vegetables? Or, do you want a way to have a garden without the amount of physical labor that is involved with traditional gardening. Well, an option for you is to garden is a small raised bed or containers.There will be a program on small space and container gardening at the Ellinwood District Hospital in the Education room on April 12 at noon. &nbsp;I will be talking about several different ways to garden in a smaller space, and be able to answer questions to help you get started. Space is limited, so an RSVP to Tonya Pike at 620-564-2548 is requested.Whether you want a couple tomato plants, a bin of potatoes, or just a small herb garden, there is a garden for everyone. We hope to see you on the 12th!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: Backyard gardens

By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension District

April 21-27 is National Volunteer Week and this is one of many times that it is important to recognize and thank the many people who help Extension in providing learning opportunities for 4-H youth.

We have eight 4-H clubs across Barton County and eight in Ellis County and each of them have 2-3 registered volunteers who serve as club leaders. They are actively involved in shaping a young person’s experience in 4-H by teaching parliamentary procedure, demonstrating teamwork and communication, and sharing information.

Additionally, we have several volunteers who work with specific project areas to teach skills from the shooting sports project to foods and nutrition. Sharing their skills and expertise shows youth the importance of giving back to their community and how to share something they are interested in for a lifetime.

Leaders for 4-H Livestock, Junior Leaders, 4-H Ambassadors, and 4-H Council provide older youth with opportunities to expand their leadership and communication skills with guidance and experience.

Two other important groups of volunteers are definitely related to the county fair! Fair superintendents assist the judging process, display exhibits, answer questions, and provide a positive environment during the fair. Additionally, the Barton County Fair Association is a group of volunteers with a goal to provide a fun, family-oriented event to showcase 4-H and agriculture in our communities. They spend countless hours planning, repairing, and organizing so many details!

If you would like to know more about serving as a volunteer in any of these capacities, get in contact with me for Barton County and Tamara Robertson in Ellis County! Having a positive impact on the youth in our communities is challenging, enlightening, and FUN!

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/2022/11/1668179500533.jpeg" alt="Michelle Beran (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Michelle Beran (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension DistrictApril 21-27 is National Volunteer Week and this is one of many times that it is important to recognize and thank the many people who help Extension in providing learning opportunities for 4-H youth.We have eight 4-H clubs across Barton County and eight in Ellis County and each of them have 2-3 registered volunteers who serve as club leaders. They are actively involved in shaping a young person’s experience in 4-H by teaching parliamentary procedure, demonstrating teamwork and communication, and sharing information.Additionally, we have several volunteers who work with specific project areas to teach skills from the shooting sports project to foods and nutrition. Sharing their skills and expertise shows youth the importance of giving back to their community and how to share something they are interested in for a lifetime.Leaders for 4-H Livestock, Junior Leaders, 4-H Ambassadors, and 4-H Council provide older youth with opportunities to expand their leadership and communication skills with guidance and experience.Two other important groups of volunteers are definitely related to the county fair! Fair superintendents assist the judging process, display exhibits, answer questions, and provide a positive environment during the fair. Additionally, the Barton County Fair Association is a group of volunteers with a goal to provide a fun, family-oriented event to showcase 4-H and agriculture in our communities. They spend countless hours planning, repairing, and organizing so many details!If you would like to know more about serving as a volunteer in any of these capacities, get in contact with me for Barton County and Tamara Robertson in Ellis County! Having a positive impact on the youth in our communities is challenging, enlightening, and FUN!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: Thank you, volunteers!

By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District

Bacteria usually gets a bad rap for causing infection, contaminating food, and weakening the immune system. However, some strains of these microorganisms are extremely beneficial to human health.

You might know these bugs as “good bacteria” that reside in the microbiome of the gut. These microbes break down foods and play an important role in nutrient absorption. They even generate vitamins B, B12, and K. 

Good gut bacteria play a part in defending against illness by developing immune cells and controlling the inflammatory response. Not only do they contribute to digestive and immune function, microbiota produce neurotransmitters and hormones which can impact mental and neurological health.

The human microbiome contains about 100 trillion microorganisms which is 10 times the number of cells in the body! At such a large number, these bacteria greatly influence the well-being of the entire body.

In fact, emerging research indicates that gut health is directly related to chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, neurological disorders, and more. When the gut is unhealthy, overgrowth of harmful bacteria limits the capacity of good bacteria. 

Diversity of microbes may also be limited which causes imbalance. This is called dysbiosis, and symptoms may include nutrient malabsorption, permeability of the intestinal wall, reduced immune response, and increased inflammation throughout the body.

Gut health is influenced at birth and factors such as breastfeeding contribute to colonization of microbiota at an early age. Throughout life, gut health can be impacted by a variety of lifestyle choices like diet, stress management, and antibiotic use.

Diet can be one of the most effective ways to impact gut health. Studies show that eating a plant-based diet supports microbiota because fiber present in produce, beans, and grains feeds good bacteria. “Eating the rainbow” by including a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables also

supports the diversity of bacteria in the gut. Another way to support the microbiome is through fermented foods. A few examples include sauerkraut, yogurt, kombucha, kefir, and sourdough bread containing probiotics. These are beneficial live bacteria that replenish the microbiome.

Stress is a multidimensional factor that can harm the gut. Research indicates that hormones and neurotransmitters have direct communication between the gut and the brain. When chronic stress is present, hormones such as cortisol can recompose the microbiome by supporting the growth of harmful bacteria. 

Therefore, managing stress is essential to promote a healthy microbiome. Regular exercise, meditation and prayer, and adequate sleep have been shown to reduce stress.

Throughout history, antibiotics have saved millions of lives and prevented the spread of mass disease. However, regular use of antibiotics can be harmful. This is because antibiotics destroy both bad and good bacteria, including microbiota. When overuse of antibiotics results in dysbiosis, the immune system can be compromised. This can lead to a vicious cycle of illness, antibiotic use, and impaired gut health among other health concerns.

Caring for the microbiome can make a tremendous impact on overall health. After all, it is an environment that contains over 100 trillion microorganisms. No wonder why it affects the whole body! Maintaining balance and increasing diversity of good bacteria through a plant-based diet, stress management, and proper use of antibiotics are just a few ways to build a healthy microbiome.

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="Karissa Winkel (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Karissa Winkel (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension DistrictBacteria usually gets a bad rap for causing infection, contaminating food, and weakening the immune system. However, some strains of these microorganisms are extremely beneficial to human health.You might know these bugs as “good bacteria” that reside in the microbiome of the gut. These microbes break down foods and play an important role in nutrient absorption. They even generate vitamins B, B12, and K. Good gut bacteria play a part in defending against illness by developing immune cells and controlling the inflammatory response. Not only do they contribute to digestive and immune function, microbiota produce neurotransmitters and hormones which can impact mental and neurological health.The human microbiome contains about 100 trillion microorganisms which is 10 times the number of cells in the body! At such a large number, these bacteria greatly influence the well-being of the entire body.In fact, emerging research indicates that gut health is directly related to chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, neurological disorders, and more. When the gut is unhealthy, overgrowth of harmful bacteria limits the capacity of good bacteria. Diversity of microbes may also be limited which causes imbalance. This is called dysbiosis, and symptoms may include nutrient malabsorption, permeability of the intestinal wall, reduced immune response, and increased inflammation throughout the body.Gut health is influenced at birth and factors such as breastfeeding contribute to colonization of microbiota at an early age. Throughout life, gut health can be impacted by a variety of lifestyle choices like diet, stress management, and antibiotic use.Diet can be one of the most effective ways to impact gut health. Studies show that eating a plant-based diet supports microbiota because fiber present in produce, beans, and grains feeds good bacteria. “Eating the rainbow” by including a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables alsosupports the diversity of bacteria in the gut. Another way to support the microbiome is through fermented foods. A few examples include sauerkraut, yogurt, kombucha, kefir, and sourdough bread containing probiotics. These are beneficial live bacteria that replenish the microbiome.Stress is a multidimensional factor that can harm the gut. Research indicates that hormones and neurotransmitters have direct communication between the gut and the brain. When chronic stress is present, hormones such as cortisol can recompose the microbiome by supporting the growth of harmful bacteria. Therefore, managing stress is essential to promote a healthy microbiome. Regular exercise, meditation and prayer, and adequate sleep have been shown to reduce stress.Throughout history, antibiotics have saved millions of lives and prevented the spread of mass disease. However, regular use of antibiotics can be harmful. This is because antibiotics destroy both bad and good bacteria, including microbiota. When overuse of antibiotics results in dysbiosis, the immune system can be compromised. This can lead to a vicious cycle of illness, antibiotic use, and impaired gut health among other health concerns.Caring for the microbiome can make a tremendous impact on overall health. After all, it is an environment that contains over 100 trillion microorganisms. No wonder why it affects the whole body! Maintaining balance and increasing diversity of good bacteria through a plant-based diet, stress management, and proper use of antibiotics are just a few ways to build a healthy microbiome.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: Building a healthy microbiome

SENATE HIGHLIGHTS - WEEKLY OVERVIEW

The Kansas Senate completed a whirlwind three days of floor action debating more than 40 bills ending after 5 p.m. last Wednesday. 

Monday will start a five-day week to complete the regular part of the 2024 legislative session and head us towards first adjournment on Friday. There are more than 40 bills in conference committees and this week’s work will primarily consist of voting on these conference committee reports. 

In this process, the committee chair, vice-chair, and ranking member will gather from the House and Senate committees and hammer out the differences in bills. Conference committees will have until Friday, April 5, to meet. 

A conference committee is a small, bipartisan, and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House and Senate’s version of a similar bill. Once the conference committee reaches a compromise, the negotiated bill is sent to both the House and Senate for a final vote before advancing to the governor’s desk. 

After the conclusion of the regular session this week, the legislature is scheduled to take a three-week break before returning for the veto session in late April.

HB 2144 would create the crime of organized retail crime, providing criminal penalties for violation thereof increasing the criminal penalties for theft of property, including organized retail crime in the definition of racketeering activity under the Kansas racketeer influenced and corrupt organization act and authorizing the attorney general to prosecute crimes concurrently with county or district attorneys. HB 2144 passed 30-10. I voted yes.

HB 2583 would amend the crime of inflicting harm, disability, or death to law enforcement animals to include police dogs and horses and increasing penalties for inflicting harm that results in disability or death to these animals including restitution. HB 2583 passed 25-15. I voted yes.

SB 367 would amend the Transparency in Revenues Underwriting Elections Act regarding the designation of voter registration agencies and the acceptance and use of certain election-related funds. SB 367 passed 28-12. I voted yes.

HB 2577 would provide discretionary authority to the state treasurer to determine the amount of unclaimed property receipts available for long-term investment and to liquidate such investments by the Pooled Money Investment Board (PMIB) for necessary payments to owners of unclaimed property. HB 2577 passed 38-2. I voted yes.

HB 2560 would amend the State Banking Code and provisions pertaining to trust companies to address the abandonment or expiration of certain applications and allow an originating trustee to have its principal place of business outside of Kansas. HB 2560 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

HB 2663 would permit title insurance agents to deposit escrow, settlement, and closing funds for real estate closings, including closings involving refinances of existing mortgage loans, which exceed $2,500 to be in the form of a real-time or instant payment systems. HB 2663 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 524 would authorize mail ballot elections for certain irrigation district boards of directors, would change the definition of “dams” &amp; “water structures” as the terms relate to agriculture use, and add a civil penalty that could be assessed by the chief engineer at the Division of Water Resources. SB 524 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 488 would expand the scope of the inspector general within the Office of the Attorney General to include the audit, investigation, and performance review of all state cash, food, and health assistance programs. The bill would grant the inspector general the power to subpoena, administer oaths, and execute search warrants. SB 488 passed 22-18. I voted no.

SB 427 would have required districts to publicly list the names and email addresses of current school board members, authorizing local school board members to add new items to board meeting discussions, ask questions or engage in discussion with members of the public and access school property, authorizing members of the public to address school boards at board meetings and authorizing payment of annual dues to any not-for-profit organization that provides services to member school districts. SB 427 failed 13-24. I voted no.

SB 386 would amend certain enrollment determination criteria in the Kansas School Equity and Enhancement Act to require school district enrollment be determined using the current or preceding school year. The bill would also authorize an additional enrollment count determination for school year 2024-2025 only. SB 386 passed 33-6. I voted yes.

HB 2501 would designate the official state steam locomotive and the official state heritage railroad. It names The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe #3415 Pacific class 4-6-2 as the official steam locomotive for the state. The Abilene &amp; Smoky Valley Railroad would be designated as the official state heritage railroad. HB 2501 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

S Sub HB 2436 would create the crime of coercion to obtain an abortion and providing enhanced criminal penalties for offenses committed with the intent to coerce a woman to obtain an abortion. HB 2436 passed 27-11. I voted yes.

HB 2703 would add students in the custody of the Secretary for Children and Families to the list of students identified as eligible to receive at-risk programs and services. HB 2703 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2590 would increase the maximum penalties that can be assessed for violation of Kansas pipeline safety regulations. HB 2590 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2665 would increase the penalties for leaving the scene of an accident when the driver knew or reasonably should have known the accident resulted in injury or death. The bill would be known as “Levi’s Law.” HB 2665 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2484 would establish the Social Work Licensure Compact to facilitate interstate practice of regulated social workers. The bill would also amend law to add the background check procedure for the Social Work Licensure Act and add a fee relating to the multistate licenses under the Compact. HB 2484 passed 35-5. I voted yes.

HB 2353 would amend provisions in the Care and Treatment Act for Mentally Ill Persons to extend the time period a person may be held for treatment and to add conditions for which continued treatment may be ordered. HB 2353 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2661 would amend the process for filling county commission vacancies when the vacancies are created by an increase of commission districts. HB 2661 passed 40-0.

HB 2477 as amended, would make changes to the Remediation Reimbursement Program that provides remediation funding from the Kansas Agricultural Remediation Fund. HB 2477 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

HB 2749 would require medical care facilities and providers to report the reasons for each abortion performed at such facility or providers to the secretary of health and environment. HB 2749 passed 27-13. I voted yes.

HB 2483 would eliminate the requirement for the Legislative Division of Post Audit to conduct recurring audits of the implementation of the 911 system, Kansas Public Employees Retirement System audits, and the other economic development incentive audits. HB 2483 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

HB 2551 would authorize expenditures totaling $49,343 from existing resources in FY 2024 to pay claims against the State. HB 2551 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2124 would amend law pertaining to microbreweries, including, but not limited to, permitting microbreweries to self-distribute beer and hard cider up to certain limits and lowering the number of barrels per year a microbrewery may manufacture and store. HB 2124 passed 38-2. I voted yes.

HB 2690 would allow counties or governing bodies of cities to contract with another governing body of a Public Safety Answering Point for consolidation of the provision of 911 services, make changes to how 911 is governed within the state by replacing the current 911 Coordinating Council with a new State 911 Board, change how the 911 fees are allowed to be used, and require 911 fees collected from phone bills and prepaid wireless service to be transferred to the state treasury. HB 2690 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

HB 2715 would authorize the Commissioner of Insurance to set the amount of fees and fines for applications, licenses, license renewals, certificates of authority, and other required filings by certain insurance entities and public adjusters under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner. HB 2715 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2787 would amend law relating to the Kansas Insurance Guaranty Association. HB 2787 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2607 would amend and update the Kansas Pesticide Law and Kansas Chemigation Safety Law. HB 2607 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

HB 2547 as amended, would amend law regarding the stock, maintenance, and administration of emergency medication kits in schools, including epinephrine and albuterol. HB 2547 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2628 would modify the law governing access to confidential information regarding children alleged to be in need of care. HB 2628 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2618 would amend current law regarding the crime of false representation of an election official. HB 2618 passed 29-9. I voted yes.

HB 2536 would establish a new legal permanency option for children 16 years of age or older who are in the custody of the Secretary for Children and Families. The bill would also amend various statutes contained in the Revised Kansas Code for Care of Children to reference this new form of permanency, which would be designated as “SOUL Family Legal Permanency.” HB 2536 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 553 would amend the Utilization Review Organization Act and the Electronic Notice and Document Act. HB 553 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2358 would modify the Uniform Vital Statistics Act provisions concerning who may certify a cause of death. HB 2358 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

HB 2754 would allow counties to opt out of conducting school sanitary inspections pursuant to home rule powers granted to counties under the County Home Rule Act. HB 2754 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2614 would amend Rules and Regulations Filing Act provisions authorizing expedited revocation of certain rules and regulations to require certain notifications be made during the revocation process. HB 2614 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2675 would enact the Uniform Nonparent Visitation Act. HB 2675 passed 40-0. HB 2711 would amend the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System working-after-retirement. HB 2675 passed 38-2. I voted yes.

HB 2453 would enact the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact to provide interstate practice privileges for dentists and dental hygienists. The bill contains uniform language that would enact the Compact in Kansas. HB 2453 passed 38-2. I voted yes.

HB 2527 would create new definitions and modify definitions pertaining to cost recovery and rate making procedures before the Kansas Corporation Commission. The bill would establish new mechanisms for the recovery of costs associated with deferred depreciation &amp; new gas-fired generating units. HB 2527 passed 35-2.

S Sub HB 2047 would make clarifying amendments to the Farm Animal and Field Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act. HB 2047 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2588 would amend the Net Metering and Easy Connection Act to further develop regulation and expand capacity for investor-owned utilities to connect customers’ renewable energy generation systems, such as rooftop solar panels systems, to the electric grid. HB 2588 passed 32-6. I voted yes.

HB 2784 would transfer authority for certification of continuing care retirement communities from the Kansas Insurance Department to the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. HB 2784 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 532 would establish the Kansas Blueprint for Literacy. The bill would create a Literacy Advisory Committee, create a Director of Literacy to be appointed and employed by the State Board of Regents, require the State Board of Education and the State Board of Regents to collaborate on a literacy micro-credential and professional development, authorize the oversight of postsecondary classes and provide an annual systemwide analysis of all literary postsecondary courses, and require a plan to create six regional centers of excellence in reading. SB 532 passed 35-3. I voted yes.

HB 2570 would make various amendments to law related to unemployment compensation. HB 2570 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 426 would increase penalties for drivers who fail, upon approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights, to proceed with due caution and to move into another lane away from the emergency vehicle or to slow the driver’s vehicle (move-over law). SB 426 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

SB 544 would replace the Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship Program with the Kansas Education Opportunity Scholarship Program Act. SB 544 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2549 would amend law in the Kansas Adoption and Relinquishment Act governing petitions to terminate parental rights and notice required to be given in a hearing on a petition for adoption. HB 2549 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

HB 2491 would shift deposits of fees previously credited to the Law Enforcement Training Center Fund to the State General Fund. HB 2491 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 457 would clarify the term “public utility” in statute, for the purposes of appropriation of property through eminent domain, to include solar powered electric generation equipment, including solar panels. The bill would prohibit public utilities from exercising eminent domain for the purpose of siting or placement of solar facilities. SB 457 passed 38-0. I voted yes.

SB 552 would create the Kansas Campus Restoration Act authorizing the Kansas Board of Regents to adopt rules and regulations relating to deferred maintenance and demolition of facilities at postsecondary institutions. SB 552 passed 34-6. I voted yes.

Full texts of the bills and supplemental notes as well as the Final Action vote on these measures can be found at <a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.

Pages for the Senate - March 26 and 27

On March 26, Avery Kueker and Tessa Breese, both of Concordia, served as pages for the Kansas Senate. On March 27, Izaak Robbins, Concordia; Noah Peterie, Eudora; and Wesley Swann, Lawrence, served as pages for the Kansas Senate. The pages spent their day with us at the Capitol running errands, working in my office, and taking a historical tour of the Capitol as well as the dome tour.

Several legislative townhalls have been conducted throughout the 36th Kansas Senate District with more scheduled in the upcoming few weeks. On April 6, Senator Billinger, Representative Rahjes, and I will be in Stockton at 10:45 a.m. at the Stockton City Building. Next, we will be in Phillipsburg at 12:30 p.m. at the Huck Boyd Community Center. On April 13, there is a Legislative Coffee scheduled in Concordia at 8:00 a.m. at Jitters Coffee House with Representative Susan Concannon, Representative Bill Bloom, and I, sponsored by Farm Bureau. Representative Concannon and I are scheduled to be in Beloit on April 20 at 9:00 a.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church.

Senator Elaine BowersKansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300SW 10th St.Topeka, KS 66612elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov785-296-7389<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a><a href="http://www.elainebowers.com/" target="_blank">www.elainebowers.com</a>

Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas, which includes:

* Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington Counties* Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville; Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek, Herkimer, Logan, Marysville, Oketo, Walnut and Waterville* Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg; Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom, Glenwood, Greenwood, Kirwin, Phillipsburg, Plum, Rushville, Solomon(part), Sumner, Valley and Walnut

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644853578448.jpeg" alt="Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist." />
 <figcaption>Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka April 1, 2024SENATE HIGHLIGHTS - WEEKLY OVERVIEWThe Kansas Senate completed a whirlwind three days of floor action debating more than 40 bills ending after 5 p.m. last Wednesday. Monday will start a five-day week to complete the regular part of the 2024 legislative session and head us towards first adjournment on Friday. There are more than 40 bills in conference committees and this week’s work will primarily consist of voting on these conference committee reports. In this process, the committee chair, vice-chair, and ranking member will gather from the House and Senate committees and hammer out the differences in bills. Conference committees will have until Friday, April 5, to meet. A conference committee is a small, bipartisan, and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House and Senate’s version of a similar bill. Once the conference committee reaches a compromise, the negotiated bill is sent to both the House and Senate for a final vote before advancing to the governor’s desk. After the conclusion of the regular session this week, the legislature is scheduled to take a three-week break before returning for the veto session in late April.SENATE FLOOR ACTION HB 2144 would create the crime of organized retail crime, providing criminal penalties for violation thereof increasing the criminal penalties for theft of property, including organized retail crime in the definition of racketeering activity under the Kansas racketeer influenced and corrupt organization act and authorizing the attorney general to prosecute crimes concurrently with county or district attorneys. HB 2144 passed 30-10. I voted yes. HB 2583 would amend the crime of inflicting harm, disability, or death to law enforcement animals to include police dogs and horses and increasing penalties for inflicting harm that results in disability or death to these animals including restitution. HB 2583 passed 25-15. I voted yes. SB 367 would amend the Transparency in Revenues Underwriting Elections Act regarding the designation of voter registration agencies and the acceptance and use of certain election-related funds. SB 367 passed 28-12. I voted yes. HB 2577 would provide discretionary authority to the state treasurer to determine the amount of unclaimed property receipts available for long-term investment and to liquidate such investments by the Pooled Money Investment Board (PMIB) for necessary payments to owners of unclaimed property. HB 2577 passed 38-2. I voted yes. HB 2560 would amend the State Banking Code and provisions pertaining to trust companies to address the abandonment or expiration of certain applications and allow an originating trustee to have its principal place of business outside of Kansas. HB 2560 passed 39-1. I voted yes. HB 2663 would permit title insurance agents to deposit escrow, settlement, and closing funds for real estate closings, including closings involving refinances of existing mortgage loans, which exceed $2,500 to be in the form of a real-time or instant payment systems. HB 2663 passed 40-0. I voted yes. SB 524 would authorize mail ballot elections for certain irrigation district boards of directors, would change the definition of “dams” &amp; “water structures” as the terms relate to agriculture use, and add a civil penalty that could be assessed by the chief engineer at the Division of Water Resources. SB 524 passed 40-0. I voted yes. SB 488 would expand the scope of the inspector general within the Office of the Attorney General to include the audit, investigation, and performance review of all state cash, food, and health assistance programs. The bill would grant the inspector general the power to subpoena, administer oaths, and execute search warrants. SB 488 passed 22-18. I voted no. SB 427 would have required districts to publicly list the names and email addresses of current school board members, authorizing local school board members to add new items to board meeting discussions, ask questions or engage in discussion with members of the public and access school property, authorizing members of the public to address school boards at board meetings and authorizing payment of annual dues to any not-for-profit organization that provides services to member school districts. SB 427 failed 13-24. I voted no. SB 386 would amend certain enrollment determination criteria in the Kansas School Equity and Enhancement Act to require school district enrollment be determined using the current or preceding school year. The bill would also authorize an additional enrollment count determination for school year 2024-2025 only. SB 386 passed 33-6. I voted yes. HB 2501 would designate the official state steam locomotive and the official state heritage railroad. It names The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe #3415 Pacific class 4-6-2 as the official steam locomotive for the state. The Abilene &amp; Smoky Valley Railroad would be designated as the official state heritage railroad. HB 2501 passed 39-1. I voted yes. S Sub HB 2436 would create the crime of coercion to obtain an abortion and providing enhanced criminal penalties for offenses committed with the intent to coerce a woman to obtain an abortion. HB 2436 passed 27-11. I voted yes. HB 2703 would add students in the custody of the Secretary for Children and Families to the list of students identified as eligible to receive at-risk programs and services. HB 2703 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2590 would increase the maximum penalties that can be assessed for violation of Kansas pipeline safety regulations. HB 2590 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2665 would increase the penalties for leaving the scene of an accident when the driver knew or reasonably should have known the accident resulted in injury or death. The bill would be known as “Levi’s Law.” HB 2665 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2484 would establish the Social Work Licensure Compact to facilitate interstate practice of regulated social workers. The bill would also amend law to add the background check procedure for the Social Work Licensure Act and add a fee relating to the multistate licenses under the Compact. HB 2484 passed 35-5. I voted yes. HB 2353 would amend provisions in the Care and Treatment Act for Mentally Ill Persons to extend the time period a person may be held for treatment and to add conditions for which continued treatment may be ordered. HB 2353 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2661 would amend the process for filling county commission vacancies when the vacancies are created by an increase of commission districts. HB 2661 passed 40-0. HB 2477 as amended, would make changes to the Remediation Reimbursement Program that provides remediation funding from the Kansas Agricultural Remediation Fund. HB 2477 passed 39-1. I voted yes. HB 2749 would require medical care facilities and providers to report the reasons for each abortion performed at such facility or providers to the secretary of health and environment. HB 2749 passed 27-13. I voted yes. HB 2483 would eliminate the requirement for the Legislative Division of Post Audit to conduct recurring audits of the implementation of the 911 system, Kansas Public Employees Retirement System audits, and the other economic development incentive audits. HB 2483 passed 39-1. I voted yes. HB 2551 would authorize expenditures totaling $49,343 from existing resources in FY 2024 to pay claims against the State. HB 2551 passed 40-0. I voted yes.HB 2124 would amend law pertaining to microbreweries, including, but not limited to, permitting microbreweries to self-distribute beer and hard cider up to certain limits and lowering the number of barrels per year a microbrewery may manufacture and store. HB 2124 passed 38-2. I voted yes. HB 2690 would allow counties or governing bodies of cities to contract with another governing body of a Public Safety Answering Point for consolidation of the provision of 911 services, make changes to how 911 is governed within the state by replacing the current 911 Coordinating Council with a new State 911 Board, change how the 911 fees are allowed to be used, and require 911 fees collected from phone bills and prepaid wireless service to be transferred to the state treasury. HB 2690 passed 39-1. I voted yes. HB 2715 would authorize the Commissioner of Insurance to set the amount of fees and fines for applications, licenses, license renewals, certificates of authority, and other required filings by certain insurance entities and public adjusters under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner. HB 2715 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2787 would amend law relating to the Kansas Insurance Guaranty Association. HB 2787 passed 40-0. I voted yes.HB 2607 would amend and update the Kansas Pesticide Law and Kansas Chemigation Safety Law. HB 2607 passed 39-1. I voted yes. HB 2547 as amended, would amend law regarding the stock, maintenance, and administration of emergency medication kits in schools, including epinephrine and albuterol. HB 2547 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2628 would modify the law governing access to confidential information regarding children alleged to be in need of care. HB 2628 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2618 would amend current law regarding the crime of false representation of an election official. HB 2618 passed 29-9. I voted yes. HB 2536 would establish a new legal permanency option for children 16 years of age or older who are in the custody of the Secretary for Children and Families. The bill would also amend various statutes contained in the Revised Kansas Code for Care of Children to reference this new form of permanency, which would be designated as “SOUL Family Legal Permanency.” HB 2536 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 553 would amend the Utilization Review Organization Act and the Electronic Notice and Document Act. HB 553 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2358 would modify the Uniform Vital Statistics Act provisions concerning who may certify a cause of death. HB 2358 passed 39-1. I voted yes. HB 2754 would allow counties to opt out of conducting school sanitary inspections pursuant to home rule powers granted to counties under the County Home Rule Act. HB 2754 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2614 would amend Rules and Regulations Filing Act provisions authorizing expedited revocation of certain rules and regulations to require certain notifications be made during the revocation process. HB 2614 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2675 would enact the Uniform Nonparent Visitation Act. HB 2675 passed 40-0. HB 2711 would amend the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System working-after-retirement. HB 2675 passed 38-2. I voted yes. HB 2453 would enact the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact to provide interstate practice privileges for dentists and dental hygienists. The bill contains uniform language that would enact the Compact in Kansas. HB 2453 passed 38-2. I voted yes. HB 2527 would create new definitions and modify definitions pertaining to cost recovery and rate making procedures before the Kansas Corporation Commission. The bill would establish new mechanisms for the recovery of costs associated with deferred depreciation &amp; new gas-fired generating units. HB 2527 passed 35-2. S Sub HB 2047 would make clarifying amendments to the Farm Animal and Field Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act. HB 2047 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2588 would amend the Net Metering and Easy Connection Act to further develop regulation and expand capacity for investor-owned utilities to connect customers’ renewable energy generation systems, such as rooftop solar panels systems, to the electric grid. HB 2588 passed 32-6. I voted yes. HB 2784 would transfer authority for certification of continuing care retirement communities from the Kansas Insurance Department to the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. HB 2784 passed 40-0. I voted yes. SB 532 would establish the Kansas Blueprint for Literacy. The bill would create a Literacy Advisory Committee, create a Director of Literacy to be appointed and employed by the State Board of Regents, require the State Board of Education and the State Board of Regents to collaborate on a literacy micro-credential and professional development, authorize the oversight of postsecondary classes and provide an annual systemwide analysis of all literary postsecondary courses, and require a plan to create six regional centers of excellence in reading. SB 532 passed 35-3. I voted yes. HB 2570 would make various amendments to law related to unemployment compensation. HB 2570 passed 40-0. I voted yes. SB 426 would increase penalties for drivers who fail, upon approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights, to proceed with due caution and to move into another lane away from the emergency vehicle or to slow the driver’s vehicle (move-over law). SB 426 passed 39-1. I voted yes. SB 544 would replace the Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship Program with the Kansas Education Opportunity Scholarship Program Act. SB 544 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2549 would amend law in the Kansas Adoption and Relinquishment Act governing petitions to terminate parental rights and notice required to be given in a hearing on a petition for adoption. HB 2549 passed 40-0. I voted yes. HB 2491 would shift deposits of fees previously credited to the Law Enforcement Training Center Fund to the State General Fund. HB 2491 passed 40-0. I voted yes. SB 457 would clarify the term “public utility” in statute, for the purposes of appropriation of property through eminent domain, to include solar powered electric generation equipment, including solar panels. The bill would prohibit public utilities from exercising eminent domain for the purpose of siting or placement of solar facilities. SB 457 passed 38-0. I voted yes. SB 552 would create the Kansas Campus Restoration Act authorizing the Kansas Board of Regents to adopt rules and regulations relating to deferred maintenance and demolition of facilities at postsecondary institutions. SB 552 passed 34-6. I voted yes.Full texts of the bills and supplemental notes as well as the Final Action vote on these measures can be found at <a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.Pages for the Senate - March 26 and 27On March 26, Avery Kueker and Tessa Breese, both of Concordia, served as pages for the Kansas Senate. On March 27, Izaak Robbins, Concordia; Noah Peterie, Eudora; and Wesley Swann, Lawrence, served as pages for the Kansas Senate. The pages spent their day with us at the Capitol running errands, working in my office, and taking a historical tour of the Capitol as well as the dome tour.Legislative TownhallsSeveral legislative townhalls have been conducted throughout the 36th Kansas Senate District with more scheduled in the upcoming few weeks. On April 6, Senator Billinger, Representative Rahjes, and I will be in Stockton at 10:45 a.m. at the Stockton City Building. Next, we will be in Phillipsburg at 12:30 p.m. at the Huck Boyd Community Center. On April 13, there is a Legislative Coffee scheduled in Concordia at 8:00 a.m. at Jitters Coffee House with Representative Susan Concannon, Representative Bill Bloom, and I, sponsored by Farm Bureau. Representative Concannon and I are scheduled to be in Beloit on April 20 at 9:00 a.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church.Thank you for the honor of serving you!Senator Elaine BowersKansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300SW 10th St.Topeka, KS 66612elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov785-296-7389<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a><a href="http://www.elainebowers.com/" target="_blank">www.elainebowers.com</a>Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas, which includes:* Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington Counties* Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville; Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek, Herkimer, Logan, Marysville, Oketo, Walnut and Waterville* Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg; Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom, Glenwood, Greenwood, Kirwin, Phillipsburg, Plum, Rushville, Solomon(part), Sumner, Valley and Walnut

BOWERS: Senate Scene Week 12; 40+ bills in conference committee

This will be the final week of the session and first adjournment. 

Any bills that were passed previously in the House or Senate which contain any changes in the legislation must now go to conference committee for final agreement. The Senate Ways and Means committee will call our first conference Monday afternoon. 

Currently there are approximately eighteen pages of differences between the House and Senate on the budgets. 

Some of the bills that were passed last week: 

SB 552 creates the Kansas Campus Restoration Act authorizing the Kansas Board of Regents to adopt rules and regulations relating to deferred maintenance and demolition of facilities at postsecondary institutions. The bill will allow transfers from the State General Fund to the Kansas Campus Restoration Fund and require annual reports be submitted to the Legislature. This bill provides $32.7M for the next six years starting in 2026 of which $30M will go to the Regent schools, Kansas University, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Pittsburg State University, Emporia State University and Fort Hays State University.

The funding for the universities will require a one for one match for dollars being used for restoration. Any funds used for demolition will not require the match.

 The additional $2.7M will go to all community and technical colleges and Washburn University. Each will receive $100,000 per year starting in 2026 for the next six years. 

Currently the community and technical colleges and Washburn University do not receive demolition and restoration funding. The $2.7M will not require a one for one match. 

HB 2690 will allow counties or governing bodies of cities to contract with another governing body of a Public Safety Answering Point for consideration of the provision of 911 services, make changes to how 911 is governed within the state by replacing the current 911 Coordinating Council with a new State 911 Board, change how the 911 fees are allowed to be used, and require 911 fees collected from phone bills and prepaid wireless service to be transferred to the state treasury.

HB2536 passed and would establish a new legal permanency option for children 16 years of age or older who are in the custody of the Secretary for Children and Families. The bill would also amend various statutes contained in the Revised Kansas Code for Care of Children to reference this new form of permanency.

HB 2358 will modify the Uniform Vital Statistics Act provisions concerning who may certify a cause of death. This legislation is important to rural Kansas. It will allow other qualified medical personnel when a coroner is not available to sign a death certificate.

HB 2570 passed and would make various amendments to law related to unemployment compensation. This new legislation should be helpful to all employers who are contributing to the State Unemployment Plan. These changes should lower the unemployment rates for all employers.

HB2527 would establish new mechanisms for the recovery of costs associated with deferred depreciation and new gas-fired generating units. The bill will modify the qualification requirement receiving a discounted electric rate and increase the term of the discount for certain facilities.

HB2453 would enact the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact to provide interstate practice privileges for dentists and dental hygienists.

 I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399 or my cell number is 785 899-4700. If you are in Topeka stop by my office, room 545-S.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675701343257.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. Becky Kiser/Hays Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. Becky Kiser/Hays Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka March 31, 2024 This will be the final week of the session and first adjournment. Any bills that were passed previously in the House or Senate which contain any changes in the legislation must now go to conference committee for final agreement. The Senate Ways and Means committee will call our first conference Monday afternoon. Currently there are approximately eighteen pages of differences between the House and Senate on the budgets. Some of the bills that were passed last week: SB 552 creates the Kansas Campus Restoration Act authorizing the Kansas Board of Regents to adopt rules and regulations relating to deferred maintenance and demolition of facilities at postsecondary institutions. The bill will allow transfers from the State General Fund to the Kansas Campus Restoration Fund and require annual reports be submitted to the Legislature. This bill provides $32.7M for the next six years starting in 2026 of which $30M will go to the Regent schools, Kansas University, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Pittsburg State University, Emporia State University and Fort Hays State University. The funding for the universities will require a one for one match for dollars being used for restoration. Any funds used for demolition will not require the match. The additional $2.7M will go to all community and technical colleges and Washburn University. Each will receive $100,000 per year starting in 2026 for the next six years. Currently the community and technical colleges and Washburn University do not receive demolition and restoration funding. The $2.7M will not require a one for one match. HB 2690 will allow counties or governing bodies of cities to contract with another governing body of a Public Safety Answering Point for consideration of the provision of 911 services, make changes to how 911 is governed within the state by replacing the current 911 Coordinating Council with a new State 911 Board, change how the 911 fees are allowed to be used, and require 911 fees collected from phone bills and prepaid wireless service to be transferred to the state treasury. HB2536 passed and would establish a new legal permanency option for children 16 years of age or older who are in the custody of the Secretary for Children and Families. The bill would also amend various statutes contained in the Revised Kansas Code for Care of Children to reference this new form of permanency. HB 2358 will modify the Uniform Vital Statistics Act provisions concerning who may certify a cause of death. This legislation is important to rural Kansas. It will allow other qualified medical personnel when a coroner is not available to sign a death certificate. HB 2570 passed and would make various amendments to law related to unemployment compensation. This new legislation should be helpful to all employers who are contributing to the State Unemployment Plan. These changes should lower the unemployment rates for all employers. HB2527 would establish new mechanisms for the recovery of costs associated with deferred depreciation and new gas-fired generating units. The bill will modify the qualification requirement receiving a discounted electric rate and increase the term of the discount for certain facilities. HB2453 would enact the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact to provide interstate practice privileges for dentists and dental hygienists. I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399 or my cell number is 785 899-4700. If you are in Topeka stop by my office, room 545-S.&nbsp;

BILLINGER: Senate Update; Final week of the session

By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas Outdoors

Today, as I sit here at my computer, not sure whether I’m gonna’ hunt turkeys this year or not, one spring turkey hunt from years ago keeps rambling through my mind. 

Now, everyone knows wild turkeys MUST be hunted from the ground. Sitting on the ground or on a five-gallon bucket until your butt and both legs are numb is just part of the turkey hunting experience, and NOT to do so would certainly be as un-American as eating pizza without potato chips, or owning a Corvette with an automatic transmission. 

Yet, that morning, there I stood, gazing longingly up the ladder of the landowner’s tree stand thinking what a perfect spot it would be to call-in the gobbler that roamed this wood lot. But I must persevere and not break turkey hunting protocol!

“What a great seat,” I thought to myself as I surveyed my surroundings from above (I’m sure you saw this coming.) 

At this point several acres of nice timber separated the crop field to my left from the river. Right here is where I wanted to be, but the ground below was unusually void of the normal brush and downed tree limbs that make such good camouflage, so I put out a couple hen decoys and up the tree I went.

My “yelps” were occasionally answered by a gobble from afar, and soon a young gobbler and a hen appeared from the far corner of the crop field and started toward me.

 “This is too easy,” I thought as the pair steadily came my way. 

At 50 yards, they veered away and taunted me from the edge of the trees, hidden from sight by limbs on the tree next to my perch. For the next 45 minutes it was a stand-off, and my desire to harvest him soon turned to wishes that he would just leave so I could climb down without totally spooking him and start afresh in the morning.

The next morning, I followed my bouncing flashlight beam across the field, found the proper tree, set the decoys out and scaled the ladder once more up and into the tree stand.&nbsp;This tree stood barely three feet into the woodlot from the edge of the crop field; if I fell out, I’d land in the bean stubble.

I figured the gobbler to be roosted at the end of the crop field and along the river, some distance away. Usually, you can hear a gobbler even in the dark, as he’ll often gobble at every barking dog, hooting owl or slamming car door, but this morning the woods was unusually quiet. Perhaps that wasn’t good; perhaps I had misdiagnosed where he roosted and would be left high and dry. 

Trying not to shatter yet another turkey hunting rule of “calling very sparingly while the turkeys are still roosted,” I watched and waited as daylight slowly poured itself across the landscape around me. I yelped softly with the box call and a gobble erupted beside me along the river probably seventy yards away; the rascal was roosting where I had not even considered. 

For 30 minutes he gobbled away, and I tried to find a good balance between calling back to let him know I was still interested and playing hard to get to make him come find me. 

<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 Exploring Kansas OutdoorsToday, as I sit here at my computer, not sure whether I’m gonna’ hunt turkeys this year or not, one spring turkey hunt from years ago keeps rambling through my mind. Now, everyone knows wild turkeys MUST be hunted from the ground. Sitting on the ground or on a five-gallon bucket until your butt and both legs are numb is just part of the turkey hunting experience, and NOT to do so would certainly be as un-American as eating pizza without potato chips, or owning a Corvette with an automatic transmission. Yet, that morning, there I stood, gazing longingly up the ladder of the landowner’s tree stand thinking what a perfect spot it would be to call-in the gobbler that roamed this wood lot. But I must persevere and not break turkey hunting protocol!“What a great seat,” I thought to myself as I surveyed my surroundings from above (I’m sure you saw this coming.) At this point several acres of nice timber separated the crop field to my left from the river. Right here is where I wanted to be, but the ground below was unusually void of the normal brush and downed tree limbs that make such good camouflage, so I put out a couple hen decoys and up the tree I went.My “yelps” were occasionally answered by a gobble from afar, and soon a young gobbler and a hen appeared from the far corner of the crop field and started toward me. “This is too easy,” I thought as the pair steadily came my way. At 50 yards, they veered away and taunted me from the edge of the trees, hidden from sight by limbs on the tree next to my perch. For the next 45 minutes it was a stand-off, and my desire to harvest him soon turned to wishes that he would just leave so I could climb down without totally spooking him and start afresh in the morning.The next morning, I followed my bouncing flashlight beam across the field, found the proper tree, set the decoys out and scaled the ladder once more up and into the tree stand.&nbsp;This tree stood barely three feet into the woodlot from the edge of the crop field; if I fell out, I’d land in the bean stubble.I figured the gobbler to be roosted at the end of the crop field and along the river, some distance away. Usually, you can hear a gobbler even in the dark, as he’ll often gobble at every barking dog, hooting owl or slamming car door, but this morning the woods was unusually quiet. Perhaps that wasn’t good; perhaps I had misdiagnosed where he roosted and would be left high and dry. Trying not to shatter yet another turkey hunting rule of “calling very sparingly while the turkeys are still roosted,” I watched and waited as daylight slowly poured itself across the landscape around me. I yelped softly with the box call and a gobble erupted beside me along the river probably seventy yards away; the rascal was roosting where I had not even considered. For 30 minutes he gobbled away, and I tried to find a good balance between calling back to let him know I was still interested and playing hard to get to make him come find me. For those 30 minutes he seemed not to move, and suddenly he was silent. I called softly a couple times but heard nothing in return. My heart dropped to my toes; what had I done wrong or not done right?As I tossed the situation around in my mind, a gobble broke the stillness again, this time directly in front of me not far away; he had snuck quietly through the trees and was in the bean stubble where I knew he would see my plastic decoy “jezebels.” Soon, I saw him strutting his way toward the decoys in the open&nbsp;field. I put the call aside and brought the shotgun around into position. He got so close I heard him spit each time he fanned out, and could hear the scratching noise as each wingtip drug across the ground. I could see him well, but too many tree limbs were in the way for a sure shot. Like a target in an arcade, he marched back and forth but would not come any closer. I had just read an article where the author warned about placing decoys too close and creating just such a situation. It became another standoff as he remained behind too many limbs for a safe killing shot. I decided it was time for a plan “B”; if he would just step a little closer to the edge of the trees during his little show, he would momentarily be in a small clear spot for a shot. Finally, he appeared to stray a little closer to the trees, so as his back was toward me as he turned, I swung the shotgun around and leaned out around the tree trunk in front of me. He saw or heard me move and immediately dropped his tail feathers to run, but the twelve-gauge nailed him to the ground before he could take more than a couple steps.If this story leaves some of you turkey hunting purists shaking your heads, I apologize. I’ve never been one to worry much about protocol. Maybe more of you have shot turkeys from tree stands than I know, but if not and the situation presents itself, give it a try. So, from Mr. Politically Incorrect himself, Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Opinion