For local women Jeannine Bloss and Cindy Hertel, employees at Hays-based Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, Thanksgiving this year is more than a feast. The year delivered amazing blessings not only for them but for six other women.

Cindy and I taught together in Ellis for more than a decade. I recall her joking that she wouldn’t share her favorite snack, but she’d donate a kidney if you needed one. This spring, she got to do exactly that.

She switched careers after devoting more than two decades to teaching high school English, leaving education to serve eventually as Sunflower’s communications manager. Although she missed working with students, she loved the challenges of producing informative documents, brochures, reports, videos, and other materials with a team of fellow creatives.

As well as finding her job satisfying, Cindy repeatedly expressed how she valued working for a company built on the pillar of servant leadership. Four years ago, she received the opportunity to serve in a big way.

Fellow employee Jeannine Bloss shared via a company memo that she needed a kidney donation due to a deteriorating health condition. Cindy, whose father underwent dialysis before he passed away, didn’t hesitate to join several fellow employees in initiating the steps necessary to see if they could help Jeannine.

This began a series of medical evaluations that determined Cindy passed the tests to donate a kidney, but, unfortunately, she and Jeannine didn’t match for a direct donation. Despite that bump in the road, the two learned they could continue because KU Medical Center has a paired-kidney exchange program to deal with such contingencies. Cindy’s kidney would go to a matched candidate enabling to Jeannine to receive a compatible kidney from another donor.

Over many months, Cindy updated family and friends regarding progress toward the donation. In late March of this year, Cindy and Jeannine received confirmation that the kidney donation chain, the second largest chain KU Med has done, was in place. Four female donors would have a kidney transplanted to four female recipients.

Interestingly, Cindy’s donor surgery took place on Tuesday of Holy Week. Her daughter Seri kept loved ones in the loop, texting, “Doctor said everything went great. Kidney is being transplanted right now. We’ll see her once she wakes up and gets to her room.” Two days later, Holy Thursday evolved into a double blessing when doctors dismissed Cindy to recuperate at home.

Speaking of blessings, among the transplant team was former student Clay King. After he graduated from Ellis High School and then university, he attended medical school, eventually specializing in surgery. Now, he serves as a member of the KU transplant team, offering hope to those with failing kidneys.

When Cindy called to say, “Guess who’s on my transplant team?” her cheering section nearly raised the roof with shouts of thanksgiving. During a later visit, Cindy recounted how Clay cleverly distracted her pre-op nerves, bantering about the legendary Hertel Research Paper.

As Cindy healed in Ellis, her friend Jeannine and her donor underwent surgery the following week. Once everyone recovered, the eight ladies in the donation chain met at KU Med to celebrate with the medical team who made four miracles possible.

More than six months have passed since Holy Week in April. During that time four women have experienced functioning kidneys. As donors, recipients, loved ones, and medical team celebrate another Thanksgiving, they can count special blessings this year. 

Interested in being a kidney donor? Visit <a href="https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/care/specialties/organ-transplant/become-an-organ-donor">https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/care/specialties/organ-transplant/become-an-organ-donor</a> or call 913-588-1277.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700233782406.jpeg" alt="Jeannine Bloss and Cindy Hertel at KU Medical Center for Transplantation. Photo courtesy Cindy Hertel" />
 <figcaption>Jeannine Bloss and Cindy Hertel at KU Medical Center for Transplantation. Photo courtesy Cindy Hertel</figcaption>
 </figure>For local women Jeannine Bloss and Cindy Hertel, employees at Hays-based Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, Thanksgiving this year is more than a feast. The year delivered amazing blessings not only for them but for six other women.Cindy and I taught together in Ellis for more than a decade. I recall her joking that she wouldn’t share her favorite snack, but she’d donate a kidney if you needed one. This spring, she got to do exactly that.She switched careers after devoting more than two decades to teaching high school English, leaving education to serve eventually as Sunflower’s communications manager. Although she missed working with students, she loved the challenges of producing informative documents, brochures, reports, videos, and other materials with a team of fellow creatives.As well as finding her job satisfying, Cindy repeatedly expressed how she valued working for a company built on the pillar of servant leadership. Four years ago, she received the opportunity to serve in a big way.Fellow employee Jeannine Bloss shared via a company memo that she needed a kidney donation due to a deteriorating health condition. Cindy, whose father underwent dialysis before he passed away, didn’t hesitate to join several fellow employees in initiating the steps necessary to see if they could help Jeannine.This began a series of medical evaluations that determined Cindy passed the tests to donate a kidney, but, unfortunately, she and Jeannine didn’t match for a direct donation. Despite that bump in the road, the two learned they could continue because KU Medical Center has a paired-kidney exchange program to deal with such contingencies. Cindy’s kidney would go to a matched candidate enabling to Jeannine to receive a compatible kidney from another donor.Over many months, Cindy updated family and friends regarding progress toward the donation. In late March of this year, Cindy and Jeannine received confirmation that the kidney donation chain, the second largest chain KU Med has done, was in place. Four female donors would have a kidney transplanted to four female recipients.Interestingly, Cindy’s donor surgery took place on Tuesday of Holy Week. Her daughter Seri kept loved ones in the loop, texting, “Doctor said everything went great. Kidney is being transplanted right now. We’ll see her once she wakes up and gets to her room.” Two days later, Holy Thursday evolved into a double blessing when doctors dismissed Cindy to recuperate at home.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700086071630.jpeg" alt="Cindy Hertel with former student Clay King. Photo courtesy Cindy Hertel" />
 <figcaption>Cindy Hertel with former student Clay King. Photo courtesy Cindy Hertel</figcaption>
 </figure>Speaking of blessings, among the transplant team was former student Clay King. After he graduated from Ellis High School and then university, he attended medical school, eventually specializing in surgery. Now, he serves as a member of the KU transplant team, offering hope to those with failing kidneys.When Cindy called to say, “Guess who’s on my transplant team?” her cheering section nearly raised the roof with shouts of thanksgiving. During a later visit, Cindy recounted how Clay cleverly distracted her pre-op nerves, bantering about the legendary Hertel Research Paper.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700086258972.jpeg" alt="Kidney transplant chain with Cindy Hertel at right end and&nbsp;&nbsp;Jeannine Bloss next to her. Photo courtesy KU Medical Communications" />
 <figcaption>Kidney transplant chain with Cindy Hertel at right end and&nbsp;&nbsp;Jeannine Bloss next to her. Photo courtesy KU Medical Communications</figcaption>
 </figure>As Cindy healed in Ellis, her friend Jeannine and her donor underwent surgery the following week. Once everyone recovered, the eight ladies in the donation chain met at KU Med to celebrate with the medical team who made four miracles possible.More than six months have passed since Holy Week in April. During that time four women have experienced functioning kidneys. As donors, recipients, loved ones, and medical team celebrate another Thanksgiving, they can count special blessings this year. Interested in being a kidney donor? Visit <a href="https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/care/specialties/organ-transplant/become-an-organ-donor">https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/care/specialties/organ-transplant/become-an-organ-donor</a> or call 913-588-1277. A life depends on it.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

MADORIN: Thanksgiving – More than a feast

Thanksgiving is around the corner and you’ve likely experienced a range of emotions planning for the holiday. Maybe you’re excited to see family, relieved to have a day off work, or maybe you’re stressed about how much food you’ve got to prepare. Despite the good or bad feelings related to Turkey Day, have you pondered the original name of the holiday itself, “Thanksgiving?”

Thanksgiving is rooted in the tradition of autumn harvest festivals. It has been celebrated for centuries, and George Washington made it an official holiday. He proclaimed that the people of the United States observe "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer."

As you prepare for the big day, I challenge you to remember the origin of the holiday: gratitude. 

Gratitude is the readiness to show appreciation and to return kindness. Research has found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed. In fact, a study showed that people who wrote one letter of thanksgiving for three weeks reported better mental health up to three months after the exercise ended. When people focus on the good in their lives, they tend to ruminate less on their negative experiences. Gratitude not only reduces the risk of depression, but it lowers stress which is a top cause of chronic illnesses including high blood pressure and heart disease.

As you can see, gratitude improves both mental and physical condition. If you’re interested in practicing gratitude for Thanksgiving and beyond, here are a few ways to make it routine:

· Recall three good things that happen to you each day. This may be a fun habit for you and your kids as you tuck them in at night!

· Keep a gratitude journal. Jotting down things you are grateful for is likely to change your perspective. You might see more positivity in the world around you. Looking through the pages of blessings in your life after a tough day may also be especially handy.

· Use your phone for good. We all find ourselves tied to our smart devices, so make it a priority to send a few “thank you” texts per week.

· Be self-aware of complaining. It’s easy to get drawn into a cycle of negativity when things aren’t going your way. To combat this habit, every time you complain, try to find the silver lining. When you can find the good in every situation, there is less room to fixate on the negatives of life.

Regardless of how you decide to practice gratitude, I encourage you to try it. Joshua Brown, a doctor of psychological science said it best, “Much of our time and energy is spent pursuing things we currently don’t have. Gratitude reverses our priorities to help us appreciate the people and things we do.”

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.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697546908793.jpeg" alt="Karissa Winkel" />
 <figcaption>Karissa Winkel</figcaption>
 </figure>Thanksgiving is around the corner and you’ve likely experienced a range of emotions planning for the holiday. Maybe you’re excited to see family, relieved to have a day off work, or maybe you’re stressed about how much food you’ve got to prepare. Despite the good or bad feelings related to Turkey Day, have you pondered the original name of the holiday itself, “Thanksgiving?”Thanksgiving is rooted in the tradition of autumn harvest festivals. It has been celebrated for centuries, and George Washington made it an official holiday. He proclaimed that the people of the United States observe "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer."As you prepare for the big day, I challenge you to remember the origin of the holiday: gratitude. Gratitude is the readiness to show appreciation and to return kindness. Research has found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed. In fact, a study showed that people who wrote one letter of thanksgiving for three weeks reported better mental health up to three months after the exercise ended. When people focus on the good in their lives, they tend to ruminate less on their negative experiences. Gratitude not only reduces the risk of depression, but it lowers stress which is a top cause of chronic illnesses including high blood pressure and heart disease.As you can see, gratitude improves both mental and physical condition. If you’re interested in practicing gratitude for Thanksgiving and beyond, here are a few ways to make it routine:· Recall three good things that happen to you each day. This may be a fun habit for you and your kids as you tuck them in at night!· Keep a gratitude journal. Jotting down things you are grateful for is likely to change your perspective. You might see more positivity in the world around you. Looking through the pages of blessings in your life after a tough day may also be especially handy.· Use your phone for good. We all find ourselves tied to our smart devices, so make it a priority to send a few “thank you” texts per week.· Be self-aware of complaining. It’s easy to get drawn into a cycle of negativity when things aren’t going your way. To combat this habit, every time you complain, try to find the silver lining. When you can find the good in every situation, there is less room to fixate on the negatives of life.Regardless of how you decide to practice gratitude, I encourage you to try it. Joshua Brown, a doctor of psychological science said it best, “Much of our time and energy is spent pursuing things we currently don’t have. Gratitude reverses our priorities to help us appreciate the people and things we do.”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.&nbsp;

WINKEL: Thanksgiving: A day of gratitude

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline can personally answer your food safety questions on weekdays year-round.

The hotline receives more than 50,000 calls yearly. This toll-free telephone service, which began July 1, 1985, helps prevent foodborne illness by answering questions about the safe storage, handling, and preparation of meat, poultry, and egg products.

Food Safety Questions? Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline. If you have questions about meat, poultry, or egg products, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline toll fee at 1-888-674-6854. The Hotline is open year-round Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm Eastern time and is available in English or Spanish. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. Check out the FSIS Web site at <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/">www.fsis.usda.gov</a>. Send email questions to MPHotline@usda.gov.

The hotline is staffed by food safety specialists with backgrounds in home economics, nutrition, and food technology.

The majority of calls come from consumers regarding how to properly handle their food, including food safety during power outages, food manufacturer recalls, foodborne illnesses, and the inspection of meat, poultry, and egg products.

Hotline Answers Millions of Calls The hotline has answered over 2 million calls as part of USDA's consumer food safety education efforts. Often the first question callers ask is, "Are you a real person?" The hotline is one of the rare services where a live person answers callers individually specific questions one-on-one.

In the more than 35 years of operation, callers have asked the hotline increasingly more sophisticated questions. Now they frequently know the names of bacteria many people had never heard of 10 or 20 years ago.

From novice cooks wondering how long to safely roast a chicken to more experienced food handlers asking about additives, residues, and foodborne bacteria. Hotline food safety specialists have heard it all—2 million times over.

Hotline Services Available in Spanish

 Beginning in 2002, the toll-free Hotline extended its service to callers whose first language is Spanish. By touching the appropriate number at the prompt, callers will be connected to a Spanish-speaking food safety specialist who can answer their questions. Callers may also listen to more than 50 food safety messages recorded in Spanish, 24 hours a day.

The hotline is open on Thanksgiving Day from 7:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central Time and 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p. m., Eastern Time, but closed on other federal government holidays.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668522152076.jpeg" alt="Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline can personally answer your food safety questions on weekdays year-round.The hotline receives more than 50,000 calls yearly. This toll-free telephone service, which began July 1, 1985, helps prevent foodborne illness by answering questions about the safe storage, handling, and preparation of meat, poultry, and egg products.Food Safety Questions? Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline. If you have questions about meat, poultry, or egg products, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline toll fee at 1-888-674-6854. The Hotline is open year-round Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm Eastern time and is available in English or Spanish. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. Check out the FSIS Web site at <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/">www.fsis.usda.gov</a>. Send email questions to MPHotline@usda.gov.The hotline is staffed by food safety specialists with backgrounds in home economics, nutrition, and food technology.The majority of calls come from consumers regarding how to properly handle their food, including food safety during power outages, food manufacturer recalls, foodborne illnesses, and the inspection of meat, poultry, and egg products.Hotline Answers Millions of Calls The hotline has answered over 2 million calls as part of USDA's consumer food safety education efforts. Often the first question callers ask is, "Are you a real person?" The hotline is one of the rare services where a live person answers callers individually specific questions one-on-one.In the more than 35 years of operation, callers have asked the hotline increasingly more sophisticated questions. Now they frequently know the names of bacteria many people had never heard of 10 or 20 years ago.From novice cooks wondering how long to safely roast a chicken to more experienced food handlers asking about additives, residues, and foodborne bacteria. Hotline food safety specialists have heard it all—2 million times over.Hotline Services Available in Spanish Beginning in 2002, the toll-free Hotline extended its service to callers whose first language is Spanish. By touching the appropriate number at the prompt, callers will be connected to a Spanish-speaking food safety specialist who can answer their questions. Callers may also listen to more than 50 food safety messages recorded in Spanish, 24 hours a day.The hotline is open on Thanksgiving Day from 7:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central Time and 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p. m., Eastern Time, but closed on other federal government holidays.Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu.

KOERNER: USDA Meat, Poultry Hotline: 1-888-MPHotline

Looking at turkeys for your holiday meals? Here are some tips to help make your holiday turkey safe and healthy. 

Turkey is a healthy choice since it is considered a white meat and full of protein! Some tips for keeping it as healthy as possible are to bake it and not fry it or use herbs and lemon to season rather than butter and salt. Allow one pound (1 lb.) of turkey per person you are serving.

Thawing turkeys can be tricky but remember to thaw them in one of three ways: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or the microwave. 

Allowing your bird to thaw at room temperature can allow dangerous bacteria to grow. Washing a raw turkey or poultry also spreads bacteria around the kitchen so you can save time and skip washing the bird. 

To roast the turkey, start with an oven temperature set at least at 325 degrees. Timetable for turkey roasting varies based on size and if the turkey is stuffed or not. The turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees when it is thoroughly cooked. Allow the turkey to stand for 20 minutes before carving.

Turkeys must be kept at a safe temperature during "the big thaw." While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. However, as soon as it begins to thaw, any bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to grow again.

Immediately after grocery store checkout, take the frozen turkey home and store it in the freezer. Frozen turkeys should not be left on the back porch, in the car trunk, in the basement, or any place else where temperatures cannot be constantly monitored.

A package of frozen meat or poultry left thawing on the counter more than two hours is not at a safe temperature. Even though the center of the package may still be frozen, the outer layer of the food is in the "Danger Zone" between 40 and 140 °F — at a temperature where foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly.

There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave oven.

When thawing a turkey in the refrigerator:

· Plan ahead: allow approximately 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds in a refrigerator set at 40 °F or below. · Place the turkey in a container to prevent the juices from dripping on other foods.

· 4 to 12 pounds — 1 to 3 days · 12 to 16 pounds — 3 to 4 days · 16 to 20 pounds — 4 to 5 days · 20 to 24 pounds —5 to 6 days

A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days before cooking. Foods thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking but there may be some loss of quality.

First be sure the turkey is in a leak-proof plastic bag to prevent cross-contamination and to prevent the turkey from absorbing water, resulting in a watery product.

Submerge the wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed.

· 4 to 12 pounds — 2 to 6 hours · 12 to 16 pounds — 6 to 8 hours · 16 to 20 pounds — 8 to 10 hours · 20 to 24 pounds — 10 to 12 hours

A turkey thawed by the cold water method should be cooked immediately. After cooking, meat from the turkey can be refrozen.

Follow the microwave oven manufacturer's instruction when defrosting a turkey. Plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed.

A turkey thawed in the microwave must be cooked immediately.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668522152076.jpeg" alt="Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension, Cottonwood District. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension, Cottonwood District. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Looking at turkeys for your holiday meals? Here are some tips to help make your holiday turkey safe and healthy. Turkey is a healthy choice since it is considered a white meat and full of protein! Some tips for keeping it as healthy as possible are to bake it and not fry it or use herbs and lemon to season rather than butter and salt. Allow one pound (1 lb.) of turkey per person you are serving.Thawing turkeys can be tricky but remember to thaw them in one of three ways: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or the microwave. Allowing your bird to thaw at room temperature can allow dangerous bacteria to grow. Washing a raw turkey or poultry also spreads bacteria around the kitchen so you can save time and skip washing the bird. To roast the turkey, start with an oven temperature set at least at 325 degrees. Timetable for turkey roasting varies based on size and if the turkey is stuffed or not. The turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees when it is thoroughly cooked. Allow the turkey to stand for 20 minutes before carving.Turkeys must be kept at a safe temperature during "the big thaw." While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. However, as soon as it begins to thaw, any bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to grow again.Immediately after grocery store checkout, take the frozen turkey home and store it in the freezer. Frozen turkeys should not be left on the back porch, in the car trunk, in the basement, or any place else where temperatures cannot be constantly monitored.A package of frozen meat or poultry left thawing on the counter more than two hours is not at a safe temperature. Even though the center of the package may still be frozen, the outer layer of the food is in the "Danger Zone" between 40 and 140 °F — at a temperature where foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly.There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave oven.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699891554135.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Refrigerator ThawingWhen thawing a turkey in the refrigerator:· Plan ahead: allow approximately 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds in a refrigerator set at 40 °F or below. · Place the turkey in a container to prevent the juices from dripping on other foods. REFRIGERATOR THAWING TIMESWhole turkey:· 4 to 12 pounds — 1 to 3 days · 12 to 16 pounds — 3 to 4 days · 16 to 20 pounds — 4 to 5 days · 20 to 24 pounds —5 to 6 days A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days before cooking. Foods thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking but there may be some loss of quality.Cold Water ThawingAllow about 30 minutes per pound.First be sure the turkey is in a leak-proof plastic bag to prevent cross-contamination and to prevent the turkey from absorbing water, resulting in a watery product.Submerge the wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed.COLD WATER THAWING TIMES· 4 to 12 pounds — 2 to 6 hours · 12 to 16 pounds — 6 to 8 hours · 16 to 20 pounds — 8 to 10 hours · 20 to 24 pounds — 10 to 12 hours A turkey thawed by the cold water method should be cooked immediately. After cooking, meat from the turkey can be refrozen.Microwave ThawingFollow the microwave oven manufacturer's instruction when defrosting a turkey. Plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed.A turkey thawed in the microwave must be cooked immediately.Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension, Cottonwood District. You may reach her at 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu.

KOERNER: Turkey thawing, cooking basics  

Last weekend, 4-H families across Barton County gathered for fun, fellowship, and celebrations!

The annual 4-H Achievement Celebration gives us an opportunity to celebrate individual and club achievements, and recognize leaders and supporters.

4-H Council officers Landon Woydziak, Melody Braddy, and Jonas Kern were our masters of ceremony as each club had the time to highlight a few of their activities and award winners for the past year.

In addition to club awards, a few special awards are presented including the Key Award and Friends of 4-H.

The Key Award is the most prestigious Kansas 4-H Award. Candidates must be 16 years old and have been enrolled in the Leadership project for the past four years. Nominees must have demonstrated outstanding contributions in leadership, citizenship, community service, demonstrations, and the holding of club and county offices. In short, it recognizes 4-H members who have lived up to the high ideals of the 4-H pledge. 

The Farm Credit Associations of Kansas proudly present these awards across the state each year and Parker Dicks is the 2023 recipient. 

Dicks is a 10-year member of the Busy Buzzers 4-H Club and has been active in the Leadership project for four years. He has held multiple offices for his club and at the county level for 4-H Council, Junior Leaders, and the 4-H Livestock Committee. He is involved in a variety of project areas and can be counted on to mentor young 4-H members and provide a calm and steady presence in and out of the show ring.

Each 4-H Club has the opportunity to nominate someone as a Friend of 4-H. 

The first recipient this year is the Dustin and Aimee Wyant family. Wyants give generously of their time to assist at the county level in several project areas. In particular, they provide direction for the STEM SpaceTech project, help younger members attending STEM camp, and assist livestock members in the poultry and rabbit projects.

An additional Friend of 4-H was awarded to Connie Hughes. She was a club leader for the Ellinwood Energizers 4-H Club for a number of years and continues to support Junior Leaders through peach sales, welcome photography youth to their family farm to practice their skills, and supports 4-H at the Barton County Fair Sale of Champions. She helped to plan the Achievement Celebration for many years and mentored many youth in the Beef project.

A wonderful 4-H Council committee planned the meal and the decorations for a fun-filled evening with a delicious dinner! In this season of thanksgiving, I always end the evening by reminding 4-H members to look around them and show their appreciation to their families and club leaders for direction and support. I’ll add the same here – 4-H couldn’t provide such opportunities without dedicated volunteers, club leaders, fantastic families, and my co-workers who step in to help whenever and wherever needed!

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&nbsp;<a href="mailto:mberan@ksu.edu">mberan@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or call Cottonwood Extension District, Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668179445671.jpeg" alt="Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>Last weekend, 4-H families across Barton County gathered for fun, fellowship, and celebrations!The annual 4-H Achievement Celebration gives us an opportunity to celebrate individual and club achievements, and recognize leaders and supporters.4-H Council officers Landon Woydziak, Melody Braddy, and Jonas Kern were our masters of ceremony as each club had the time to highlight a few of their activities and award winners for the past year.In addition to club awards, a few special awards are presented including the Key Award and Friends of 4-H.The Key Award is the most prestigious Kansas 4-H Award. Candidates must be 16 years old and have been enrolled in the Leadership project for the past four years. Nominees must have demonstrated outstanding contributions in leadership, citizenship, community service, demonstrations, and the holding of club and county offices. In short, it recognizes 4-H members who have lived up to the high ideals of the 4-H pledge. The Farm Credit Associations of Kansas proudly present these awards across the state each year and Parker Dicks is the 2023 recipient. Dicks is a 10-year member of the Busy Buzzers 4-H Club and has been active in the Leadership project for four years. He has held multiple offices for his club and at the county level for 4-H Council, Junior Leaders, and the 4-H Livestock Committee. He is involved in a variety of project areas and can be counted on to mentor young 4-H members and provide a calm and steady presence in and out of the show ring.Each 4-H Club has the opportunity to nominate someone as a Friend of 4-H. The first recipient this year is the Dustin and Aimee Wyant family. Wyants give generously of their time to assist at the county level in several project areas. In particular, they provide direction for the STEM SpaceTech project, help younger members attending STEM camp, and assist livestock members in the poultry and rabbit projects.An additional Friend of 4-H was awarded to Connie Hughes. She was a club leader for the Ellinwood Energizers 4-H Club for a number of years and continues to support Junior Leaders through peach sales, welcome photography youth to their family farm to practice their skills, and supports 4-H at the Barton County Fair Sale of Champions. She helped to plan the Achievement Celebration for many years and mentored many youth in the Beef project.A wonderful 4-H Council committee planned the meal and the decorations for a fun-filled evening with a delicious dinner! In this season of thanksgiving, I always end the evening by reminding 4-H members to look around them and show their appreciation to their families and club leaders for direction and support. I’ll add the same here – 4-H couldn’t provide such opportunities without dedicated volunteers, club leaders, fantastic families, and my co-workers who step in to help whenever and wherever needed!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&nbsp;<a href="mailto:mberan@ksu.edu">mberan@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or call Cottonwood Extension District, Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

BERAN: 4-H achievement celebrations

After hunting for several years now from our permanent, enclosed, raised deer blind, I often take it for granted, forgetting the good, the bad and the ugly experiences of hunting deer any other way. Today, however, as I searched the cobweb-cluttered attic of my mind for this week’s column, I felt a new appreciation for our nice raised blind as memories of deer hunts early in our marriage came up. Don’t ask me how I can remember any of these when I can’t remember now what I had for breakfast this morning, but here are some memories from a particular deer hunt in southwest Kansas many years ago when we still hunted as a couple from a small portable ground blind.

By flashlight, we again settled into our respective camp chairs, unzipped each shooting window slightly, and prepared to greet a new day through these narrow slits in our hunting blind. Since Joyce and I often hunted together, this blind was a worthy investment. It was lightweight, quick and easy to set up, provided camouflage and protection from the wind, plus allowed for a little more noise and movement than if we merely sat in an open stand. It served another purpose as well. Even a slight breeze made enough natural noise that it allowed us to talk in quiet whispers, and talk we did. When stepping into the blind for another morning or evening of hunting, the adrenalin flowed briskly for a time, and all was business. But gradually we relaxed, and the thoughts that were born in the solitude were given voice.

My wife’s designing mind was usually going full speed. 

We hunted in an area of Kansas where both whitetail and mule deer existed side by side, and, despite what you have heard or read, distinguishing between the two species is not so easy on very short notice. We verbally designed a deck of “flash” cards, which would show comparative views of both species, male and female, side by side, for quick reference. 

We designed new and better hunting blinds and stands, as well as made improvements to our own. To ours, we imagined adding removable drapes made of netting that would hang over the windows, and pouches sewn to the inside walls for storage of binoculars, etc. Joyce mentally designed and built folding camp chairs with swivel seats that could be raised and lowered, and with more padding! We also custom designed hunting clothing; from gloves with inner pouches to hold heat packets, to outer clothing with insulation that would automatically shrink or swell according to the temperature.

Occasionally, after a time of watching deer that we couldn’t shoot, we’d get a bit silly, and begin imagining conversations between them. For instance, one morning a nice mule deer doe grazed for several minutes on the wheat, not 30 yards away. Having “Whitetail Only” tags, we watched in silence. Deciding to have some fun with the situation, we began concocting a story that had all the neighborhood deer drawing tumbleweeds to see which one would walk onto the wheat as a decoy so the rest could slip away unseen. Ole’ Mable, now in front of us, drew the short tumbleweed, so there she stood while the rest of her buddies crept away and awaited her fate.

On the serious side, we both felt this time was good for our relationship. Activities enjoyed together always seem to draw people closer, and somehow, the silence of the&nbsp;hunt drowned out all the usual cares and conversations, clearing the way for discussion (in whispers) of subjects we didn’t often tackle.

I think that every presidential cabinet meeting, United Nations Assembly, world summits and especially congressional meetings should be held in a huge hunting blind. Who knows what diseases may be cured, what discoveries could be made, which mortal enemies might shake hands again and maybe congress would even get something accomplished…or maybe not! 

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at&nbsp;stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>After hunting for several years now from our permanent, enclosed, raised deer blind, I often take it for granted, forgetting the good, the bad and the ugly experiences of hunting deer any other way. Today, however, as I searched the cobweb-cluttered attic of my mind for this week’s column, I felt a new appreciation for our nice raised blind as memories of deer hunts early in our marriage came up. Don’t ask me how I can remember any of these when I can’t remember now what I had for breakfast this morning, but here are some memories from a particular deer hunt in southwest Kansas many years ago when we still hunted as a couple from a small portable ground blind.By flashlight, we again settled into our respective camp chairs, unzipped each shooting window slightly, and prepared to greet a new day through these narrow slits in our hunting blind. Since Joyce and I often hunted together, this blind was a worthy investment. It was lightweight, quick and easy to set up, provided camouflage and protection from the wind, plus allowed for a little more noise and movement than if we merely sat in an open stand. It served another purpose as well. Even a slight breeze made enough natural noise that it allowed us to talk in quiet whispers, and talk we did. When stepping into the blind for another morning or evening of hunting, the adrenalin flowed briskly for a time, and all was business. But gradually we relaxed, and the thoughts that were born in the solitude were given voice.My wife’s designing mind was usually going full speed. We hunted in an area of Kansas where both whitetail and mule deer existed side by side, and, despite what you have heard or read, distinguishing between the two species is not so easy on very short notice. We verbally designed a deck of “flash” cards, which would show comparative views of both species, male and female, side by side, for quick reference. We designed new and better hunting blinds and stands, as well as made improvements to our own. To ours, we imagined adding removable drapes made of netting that would hang over the windows, and pouches sewn to the inside walls for storage of binoculars, etc. Joyce mentally designed and built folding camp chairs with swivel seats that could be raised and lowered, and with more padding! We also custom designed hunting clothing; from gloves with inner pouches to hold heat packets, to outer clothing with insulation that would automatically shrink or swell according to the temperature.Occasionally, after a time of watching deer that we couldn’t shoot, we’d get a bit silly, and begin imagining conversations between them. For instance, one morning a nice mule deer doe grazed for several minutes on the wheat, not 30 yards away. Having “Whitetail Only” tags, we watched in silence. Deciding to have some fun with the situation, we began concocting a story that had all the neighborhood deer drawing tumbleweeds to see which one would walk onto the wheat as a decoy so the rest could slip away unseen. Ole’ Mable, now in front of us, drew the short tumbleweed, so there she stood while the rest of her buddies crept away and awaited her fate.On the serious side, we both felt this time was good for our relationship. Activities enjoyed together always seem to draw people closer, and somehow, the silence of the&nbsp;hunt drowned out all the usual cares and conversations, clearing the way for discussion (in whispers) of subjects we didn’t often tackle.I think that every presidential cabinet meeting, United Nations Assembly, world summits and especially congressional meetings should be held in a huge hunting blind. Who knows what diseases may be cured, what discoveries could be made, which mortal enemies might shake hands again and maybe congress would even get something accomplished…or maybe not! Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at&nbsp;stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoor Kansas: Deliberations from a deer blind

Wildly popular with consumers, recycling in the USA is in crisis right now, particularly for plastics.&nbsp; Many of the items we try to recycle end up in landfills.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kake.com/story/48933486/kake-news-investigates-the-problem-with-plastic-bag-recycling" target="_blank">recent KAKE news project</a>&nbsp;tracked the recycling crisis… literally.&nbsp; KAKE staff attached GPS trackers to four different plastic bags, then recycled those bags at four different Wichita retail stores.&nbsp; One bag went on a long journey to Malaysia.&nbsp; One was being held at a local recycling center.&nbsp; The last two went to the landfill.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Plastic bags must be recycled separately, just one of many problems.&nbsp; Plastics do not mix well, so they should be sorted according to the number inside the triangle of arrows embossed on the item.&nbsp; 

Recycling plastic changes its properties, making it more dense and less flexible.&nbsp; This type of plastic definitely has its uses– one inventor in Ghana is turning&nbsp;<a href="https://face2faceafrica.com/article/nelson-boateng-the-entrepreneur-behind-ghanas-first-house-made-from-plastic-waste" target="_blank">recycled plastics into bricks</a>&nbsp;that can be assembled into houses.&nbsp; Recycled plastic’s tough, heavy, rugged qualities also make good toys.&nbsp;

Unfortunately, much of the demand for plastic is because it is lightweight and flexible. Recycled plastic lacks these qualities, and plastic gets harder and harder to recycle each time it is processed.

<a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/1131131088/recycling-plastic-is-practically-impossible-and-the-problem-is-getting-worse" target="_blank">Recent studies</a>&nbsp;found that fewer than 5% of cups and containers and only 21% of plastic bottles are actually recycled.&nbsp; There are many&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article273912825.html" target="_blank">reports&nbsp;</a>of plastics being sent from recycling centers to landfills.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For years, U.S. recycling was sent to China for processing, filling shipping containers for their return trip.&nbsp; However, China&nbsp;<a href="https://www.waste360.com/recycling/chinese-banned-our-recyclables-what-happened-next" target="_blank">imposed a ban&nbsp;</a>on many imported recyclables starting in 2018, including paper and plastic.&nbsp; One reason cited was that the recyclables being sent there were not clean– recyclable and non-recyclable items were mixed together, and many were contaminated, particularly with food waste.&nbsp; This last is also the reason why the University of Kansas recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/ku/2023/feb/23/ku-suspends-a-major-part-of-its-recycling-program-and-it-is-uncertain-if-it-will-return-in-future-years/" target="_blank">curtailed some recycling programs</a>.&nbsp;

In addition, the price for recyclable materials has plummeted. The California Attorney General is&nbsp;<a href="https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-demands-manufacturers-plastic-bags-substantiate" target="_blank">investigating</a>&nbsp;the plastics industry for misleading consumers about the recyclability of plastic over decades, a deception known as “greenwashing.”

Consumers need to clean our recyclables.&nbsp; Fast food containers and other items contaminated with food waste are not recyclable.&nbsp; 

This&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jocogov.org/department/environment/recycling/recycling-101" target="_blank">handy guide&nbsp;</a>called “Recycling 101” from Johnson County lists recycling dos and don’ts.&nbsp;

Welcome to your source for what can and cannot go in your recycling bin.

If you drop your recyclables off at a recycling center, clean and sort them first.&nbsp; If you place a bin outside for curbside collection, follow the instructions provided.&nbsp; Consumers should avoid “aspirational recycling,” or throwing items in recycling containers hoping for the best.&nbsp; These items must be removed, deposited into the trash and hauled to the landfill, raising costs.&nbsp; Better to throw them away at home.

It is also time to reduce uses of these items in the first place. 

For example, the Lawrence city commission in August of this year approved an ordinance banning single-use disposable plastic bags.&nbsp;The ordinance will take effect in March.

 Plastic production has grown from 1.5 million tons annually in the 1950s to 300 million tons today.&nbsp; Substitute reusable materials when possible.&nbsp; When it is not, placing non-recyclable materials in the trash to be deposited in a proper landfill is still a good alternative to littering, illegal dumping, and illegal burning.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While recycling items like aluminum and precious metals is highly valuable,&nbsp; other materials have little value as scrap.&nbsp; Many end up in the landfill despite our good intentions.&nbsp; Just throwing everything in the recycling bin is not working.&nbsp; We need to re-think our interconnected systems of packaging, production, and waste from top to bottom.

Michael Smith is a professor&nbsp;of&nbsp;political Science and chair of social sciences at Emporia State University.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700168795368.png" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Wildly popular with consumers, recycling in the USA is in crisis right now, particularly for plastics.&nbsp; Many of the items we try to recycle end up in landfills.A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kake.com/story/48933486/kake-news-investigates-the-problem-with-plastic-bag-recycling" target="_blank">recent KAKE news project</a>&nbsp;tracked the recycling crisis… literally.&nbsp; KAKE staff attached GPS trackers to four different plastic bags, then recycled those bags at four different Wichita retail stores.&nbsp; One bag went on a long journey to Malaysia.&nbsp; One was being held at a local recycling center.&nbsp; The last two went to the landfill.&nbsp;&nbsp;Plastic bags must be recycled separately, just one of many problems.&nbsp; Plastics do not mix well, so they should be sorted according to the number inside the triangle of arrows embossed on the item.&nbsp; Recycling plastic changes its properties, making it more dense and less flexible.&nbsp; This type of plastic definitely has its uses– one inventor in Ghana is turning&nbsp;<a href="https://face2faceafrica.com/article/nelson-boateng-the-entrepreneur-behind-ghanas-first-house-made-from-plastic-waste" target="_blank">recycled plastics into bricks</a>&nbsp;that can be assembled into houses.&nbsp; Recycled plastic’s tough, heavy, rugged qualities also make good toys.&nbsp; Unfortunately, much of the demand for plastic is because it is lightweight and flexible. Recycled plastic lacks these qualities, and plastic gets harder and harder to recycle each time it is processed.<a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/1131131088/recycling-plastic-is-practically-impossible-and-the-problem-is-getting-worse" target="_blank">Recent studies</a>&nbsp;found that fewer than 5% of cups and containers and only 21% of plastic bottles are actually recycled.&nbsp; There are many&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article273912825.html" target="_blank">reports&nbsp;</a>of plastics being sent from recycling centers to landfills.&nbsp;&nbsp;For years, U.S. recycling was sent to China for processing, filling shipping containers for their return trip.&nbsp; However, China&nbsp;<a href="https://www.waste360.com/recycling/chinese-banned-our-recyclables-what-happened-next" target="_blank">imposed a ban&nbsp;</a>on many imported recyclables starting in 2018, including paper and plastic.&nbsp; One reason cited was that the recyclables being sent there were not clean– recyclable and non-recyclable items were mixed together, and many were contaminated, particularly with food waste.&nbsp; This last is also the reason why the University of Kansas recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/ku/2023/feb/23/ku-suspends-a-major-part-of-its-recycling-program-and-it-is-uncertain-if-it-will-return-in-future-years/" target="_blank">curtailed some recycling programs</a>.&nbsp; In addition, the price for recyclable materials has plummeted. The California Attorney General is&nbsp;<a href="https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-demands-manufacturers-plastic-bags-substantiate" target="_blank">investigating</a>&nbsp;the plastics industry for misleading consumers about the recyclability of plastic over decades, a deception known as “greenwashing.”Consumers need to clean our recyclables.&nbsp; Fast food containers and other items contaminated with food waste are not recyclable.&nbsp; This&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jocogov.org/department/environment/recycling/recycling-101" target="_blank">handy guide&nbsp;</a>called “Recycling 101” from Johnson County lists recycling dos and don’ts.&nbsp;<h2>Recycling 101</h2>Welcome to your source for what can and cannot go in your recycling bin.If you drop your recyclables off at a recycling center, clean and sort them first.&nbsp; If you place a bin outside for curbside collection, follow the instructions provided.&nbsp; Consumers should avoid “aspirational recycling,” or throwing items in recycling containers hoping for the best.&nbsp; These items must be removed, deposited into the trash and hauled to the landfill, raising costs.&nbsp; Better to throw them away at home.It is also time to reduce uses of these items in the first place. For example, the Lawrence city commission in August of this year approved an ordinance banning single-use disposable plastic bags.&nbsp;The ordinance will take effect in March. Plastic production has grown from 1.5 million tons annually in the 1950s to 300 million tons today.&nbsp; Substitute reusable materials when possible.&nbsp; When it is not, placing non-recyclable materials in the trash to be deposited in a proper landfill is still a good alternative to littering, illegal dumping, and illegal burning.&nbsp;&nbsp;While recycling items like aluminum and precious metals is highly valuable,&nbsp; other materials have little value as scrap.&nbsp; Many end up in the landfill despite our good intentions.&nbsp; Just throwing everything in the recycling bin is not working.&nbsp; We need to re-think our interconnected systems of packaging, production, and waste from top to bottom.Michael Smith is a professor&nbsp;of&nbsp;political Science and chair of social sciences at Emporia State University.&nbsp;

Insight Kansas: Time to rethink recycling

Save the date for the 2023 Crop Production Update, hosted by the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association and in cooperation with K-State Research and Extension. The two-day event is set for December 6 and 7 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Manhattan. Each day will kick off at 8:30 a.m. and conclude around 4:00 p.m. Several CCA CEUs will be offered in addition to one 1A hour and one core hour.

This training provides the latest research and technological advances in weed and insect control, fertilizer and chemical recommendations, soil fertility concerns, and much more. The agendas for each day are still being finalized and will be shared in a future eUpdate article. Stay tuned to the eUpdate and the conference website (<a href="https://www.ksagretailers.org/events-training/crop-production-update/">https://www.ksagretailers.org/events-training/crop-production-update/</a>) for registration to open and the final agendas to be released soon.

K-State Research and Extension will host the 21st annual Cover Your Acres Winter Conference for crop producers and consultants on January 16 and 17. The conference will take place in the traditional in-person format at the Gateway Civic Center in Oberlin.

Cover Your Acres is a producer-driven meeting focused on new ideas and research-based updates in crop production in northwest Kansas and the Central High Plains region.

The conference, which typically draws more than 400 attendees from Kansas and other states, highlights the latest technology, methods, and conservation practices to improve crop production in the region. This year’s conference will feature university specialists and industry representatives discussing what’s driving profitability in northwest Kansas farms. Confirmed session topics will include economic drivers on northwest Kansas farms, weed resistance management, cropping systems, and soil fertility management. Additional session topics and speakers are still being finalized and will be announced in an upcoming eUpdate article and on the conference website at <a href="https://www.northwest.k-state.edu/events/cover-your-acres/">www.northwest.ksu.edu/coveryouracres</a>.

The same programs will be offered on both days of the conference. Participants attending both days will find catching most or all of the programs easier. The sessions are followed by a social on Tuesday evening, where attendees can visit with industry representatives and conference speakers while enjoying appetizers.

Online registration is open. The fee is $55 for Tuesday, January 16, $60 for Wednesday, January 17, or $80 for both days. After January 10, and for walk-ins, the cost is $80 per day. The conference fee includes lunch, morning and afternoon refreshments and educational materials. The program will offer continuing education unit (CEU) credits for Certified Crop Advisors and 1A for Commercial Applicators credit.

To view the preliminary conference details, lodging accommodations, and online registration, visit www.northwest.ksu.edu/coveryouracres. For questions, call 785-462-6281.

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="Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Save the date for the 2023 Crop Production Update, hosted by the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association and in cooperation with K-State Research and Extension. The two-day event is set for December 6 and 7 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Manhattan. Each day will kick off at 8:30 a.m. and conclude around 4:00 p.m. Several CCA CEUs will be offered in addition to one 1A hour and one core hour.This training provides the latest research and technological advances in weed and insect control, fertilizer and chemical recommendations, soil fertility concerns, and much more. The agendas for each day are still being finalized and will be shared in a future eUpdate article. Stay tuned to the eUpdate and the conference website (<a href="https://www.ksagretailers.org/events-training/crop-production-update/">https://www.ksagretailers.org/events-training/crop-production-update/</a>) for registration to open and the final agendas to be released soon. K-State Research and Extension will host the 21st annual Cover Your Acres Winter Conference for crop producers and consultants on January 16 and 17. The conference will take place in the traditional in-person format at the Gateway Civic Center in Oberlin.Cover Your Acres is a producer-driven meeting focused on new ideas and research-based updates in crop production in northwest Kansas and the Central High Plains region.The conference, which typically draws more than 400 attendees from Kansas and other states, highlights the latest technology, methods, and conservation practices to improve crop production in the region. This year’s conference will feature university specialists and industry representatives discussing what’s driving profitability in northwest Kansas farms. Confirmed session topics will include economic drivers on northwest Kansas farms, weed resistance management, cropping systems, and soil fertility management. Additional session topics and speakers are still being finalized and will be announced in an upcoming eUpdate article and on the conference website at <a href="https://www.northwest.k-state.edu/events/cover-your-acres/">www.northwest.ksu.edu/coveryouracres</a>.The same programs will be offered on both days of the conference. Participants attending both days will find catching most or all of the programs easier. The sessions are followed by a social on Tuesday evening, where attendees can visit with industry representatives and conference speakers while enjoying appetizers.Online registration is open. The fee is $55 for Tuesday, January 16, $60 for Wednesday, January 17, or $80 for both days. After January 10, and for walk-ins, the cost is $80 per day. The conference fee includes lunch, morning and afternoon refreshments and educational materials. The program will offer continuing education unit (CEU) credits for Certified Crop Advisors and 1A for Commercial Applicators credit.To view the preliminary conference details, lodging accommodations, and online registration, visit www.northwest.ksu.edu/coveryouracres. For questions, call 785-462-6281.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.

CAMBELL: K-State/KARA crop production, 'Cover Your Acres' winter conferences scheduled

Hot weather lovers dread the arrival of mornings decorated with ice-covered bird baths and frosted vehicle windows that require scraping before drivers head off to work or school.

 In sharp contrast, I love this time of year. 

Watching migratory birds vee their way south, hearing cranes and geese sing autumn songs, watching golden leaves flutter in shiver-inducing breezes, wearing fleece-topped layers of clothing, and making soup several times a week turns each day into a personal Great Plains nirvana.

In response to that first frosty morning, I dug through our freezer to guarantee I have adequate supplies of tomatoes, chopped onions, peppers, celery, and shredded cabbage on hand. These I’ll add to meat broths and stews to warm us from inside out. Continuing this mission, I baked, pureed, bagged, and froze garden pumpkins for soups, puddings, breads, and pies. I checked flour and yeast supplies to be sure I can slap together hot bread or cinnamon rolls. A corn meal stash assures we’ll enjoy pans of steaming cornbread or johnny cakes we can drizzle with local honey to dance on taste buds.

As I inventoried seasonal supplies, I glanced out the kitchen window and spied a larger-than-typical bird navigating the edge of our now dormant garden, where we experimentally left plants in place. We hoped providing extra shelter encourages more winter birds to visit our heated water bowl. It does. I identified a female Cooper’s hawk fighting her way through drying zinnias, marigolds, and pepper plants to snag her prey. It didn’t take long to recognize familiar markings. Raptors eat too, and over the years, I’ve learned feeding birds means you feed all birds.

During a recent visit, this frequent guest left evidence she satisfied her hunger. We returned from church to find collared dove feathers blanketing the base of our ash tree where she devoured dinner in sight of our hens.

Speaking of chickens, she appeared on the branch of a nearby pine the day we moved four pullets into their netted enclosure. The hawk lurked long enough to provide a pitiful cell phone photo. Bottomline, she’s no stranger to this yard, which is why we covered the hen pen. As a bird lover, I admire her, though I prefer she eat someone else’s feathered friends. I’ve told her, cardinals, should they show up, aren’t a menu option.

Anyway, back to soups. Seeing that hawk scrabbling after a fresh meal in my now sere garden, I wondered if autumn weather invigorates wild birds the way it heightens my senses. 

Perhaps diving after a dodging sparrow or collared dove sparks raptor neurons the same way steam rising above coffee or walking through crunchy leaves does mine. Nothing starts a morning better than slipping into the grey-lavender dawn to creep across rime-covered grass to snap a photo of the rising sun.

I can’t read bird minds, but I like to imagine this taloned neighbor enjoys favorite foods this time of year. My spouse ends such reveries in a pointedly matter-of-fact voice, reminding me, “Birds just want to eat regularly.” 

Regardless, when I blow on a spoonful of hot soup, I’ll wish her the best as long as she leaves red birds alone.

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>Hot weather lovers dread the arrival of mornings decorated with ice-covered bird baths and frosted vehicle windows that require scraping before drivers head off to work or school. In sharp contrast, I love this time of year. Watching migratory birds vee their way south, hearing cranes and geese sing autumn songs, watching golden leaves flutter in shiver-inducing breezes, wearing fleece-topped layers of clothing, and making soup several times a week turns each day into a personal Great Plains nirvana.In response to that first frosty morning, I dug through our freezer to guarantee I have adequate supplies of tomatoes, chopped onions, peppers, celery, and shredded cabbage on hand. These I’ll add to meat broths and stews to warm us from inside out. Continuing this mission, I baked, pureed, bagged, and froze garden pumpkins for soups, puddings, breads, and pies. I checked flour and yeast supplies to be sure I can slap together hot bread or cinnamon rolls. A corn meal stash assures we’ll enjoy pans of steaming cornbread or johnny cakes we can drizzle with local honey to dance on taste buds.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699308712012.jpeg" alt="Cooper's hawk. Photo by Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Cooper's hawk. Photo by Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>As I inventoried seasonal supplies, I glanced out the kitchen window and spied a larger-than-typical bird navigating the edge of our now dormant garden, where we experimentally left plants in place. We hoped providing extra shelter encourages more winter birds to visit our heated water bowl. It does. I identified a female Cooper’s hawk fighting her way through drying zinnias, marigolds, and pepper plants to snag her prey. It didn’t take long to recognize familiar markings. Raptors eat too, and over the years, I’ve learned feeding birds means you feed all birds.During a recent visit, this frequent guest left evidence she satisfied her hunger. We returned from church to find collared dove feathers blanketing the base of our ash tree where she devoured dinner in sight of our hens.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699308760287.jpeg" alt="Cooper's hawk. Photo by Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Cooper's hawk. Photo by Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>Speaking of chickens, she appeared on the branch of a nearby pine the day we moved four pullets into their netted enclosure. The hawk lurked long enough to provide a pitiful cell phone photo. Bottomline, she’s no stranger to this yard, which is why we covered the hen pen. As a bird lover, I admire her, though I prefer she eat someone else’s feathered friends. I’ve told her, cardinals, should they show up, aren’t a menu option.Anyway, back to soups. Seeing that hawk scrabbling after a fresh meal in my now sere garden, I wondered if autumn weather invigorates wild birds the way it heightens my senses. Perhaps diving after a dodging sparrow or collared dove sparks raptor neurons the same way steam rising above coffee or walking through crunchy leaves does mine. Nothing starts a morning better than slipping into the grey-lavender dawn to creep across rime-covered grass to snap a photo of the rising sun.I can’t read bird minds, but I like to imagine this taloned neighbor enjoys favorite foods this time of year. My spouse ends such reveries in a pointedly matter-of-fact voice, reminding me, “Birds just want to eat regularly.” Regardless, when I blow on a spoonful of hot soup, I’ll wish her the best as long as she leaves red birds alone.Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.&nbsp;

MADORIN: Tis the season  

In early childhood, we teach routines to help children feel safe. When children know what is happening next in their world, they are less likely to feel anxious or worried. 

Brush, Book, Bed is a routine and structure you can create for children to help them prepare for bed. 

Brush, Book, Bed is a program by the American Academy of Pediatrics to educate families with children to combine oral health and bedtime routines. This program has been implemented by safety net clinics, Parents as Teachers, and Healthy families in Kansas.

Brush: Each night assist your child in brushing their teeth. If teeth haven’t come in use a soft washcloth to wipe your baby’s gums before bed. This helps them get used to the sensory experience of having something put into their mouth, which will hopefully make brushing teeth easier when those pearly whites pop through. Be gentle, make it a game, smile and help your baby feel comfortable. It’s okay to let your child practice brushing, but they need your help to do the best job. Until they can write in cursive or tie their own shoes, they do not have the fine motor skills to be able to properly brush their teeth on their own.

Book: After you have helped them brush their teeth, it is time to read. Let your child pick a book. Let them be in charge, follow their lead. You don’t have to read word for word for them to have fun. Ask them questions about the pictures. Even as kids get older and can read on their own, this may be a good time to connect with your child at the end of the day. Many parents have fond memories of reading a chapter or two of longer novels with their children in the evening.

Bed: After brushing teeth and reading together, it’s time to go to bed. Make daytime playtime! Play and exercise during the day will help your children sleep at night. To prevent tooth decay, avoid putting babies in bed with a bottle of milk or juice. Breastfeeding at night is okay, since breastmilk alone does not cause cavities, according to Kansas Cavity Free Kids.

Try to start this routine at about the same time every night, about 30 minutes before bedtime, so that you have enough time to brush teeth, read together, and go to sleep. For more tips visit: <a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/oral-health/Pages/Brush-Book-Bed.aspx">www.healthychildren.org/brushbookbed</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668522152076.jpeg" alt="Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension, Cottonwood District. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension, Cottonwood District. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>In early childhood, we teach routines to help children feel safe. When children know what is happening next in their world, they are less likely to feel anxious or worried. Brush, Book, Bed is a routine and structure you can create for children to help them prepare for bed. Brush, Book, Bed is a program by the American Academy of Pediatrics to educate families with children to combine oral health and bedtime routines. This program has been implemented by safety net clinics, Parents as Teachers, and Healthy families in Kansas.Brush: Each night assist your child in brushing their teeth. If teeth haven’t come in use a soft washcloth to wipe your baby’s gums before bed. This helps them get used to the sensory experience of having something put into their mouth, which will hopefully make brushing teeth easier when those pearly whites pop through. Be gentle, make it a game, smile and help your baby feel comfortable. It’s okay to let your child practice brushing, but they need your help to do the best job. Until they can write in cursive or tie their own shoes, they do not have the fine motor skills to be able to properly brush their teeth on their own.Book: After you have helped them brush their teeth, it is time to read. Let your child pick a book. Let them be in charge, follow their lead. You don’t have to read word for word for them to have fun. Ask them questions about the pictures. Even as kids get older and can read on their own, this may be a good time to connect with your child at the end of the day. Many parents have fond memories of reading a chapter or two of longer novels with their children in the evening.Bed: After brushing teeth and reading together, it’s time to go to bed. Make daytime playtime! Play and exercise during the day will help your children sleep at night. To prevent tooth decay, avoid putting babies in bed with a bottle of milk or juice. Breastfeeding at night is okay, since breastmilk alone does not cause cavities, according to Kansas Cavity Free Kids.Try to start this routine at about the same time every night, about 30 minutes before bedtime, so that you have enough time to brush teeth, read together, and go to sleep. For more tips visit: <a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/oral-health/Pages/Brush-Book-Bed.aspx">www.healthychildren.org/brushbookbed</a>Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension, Cottonwood District. You may reach her at 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu.

KOERNER: Brush, book, bed

The holiday season is around the corner, and this means that the kitchen will likely become a busy place as we prepare meals to gather around. As you prepare tasty dishes to share, be conscious of the possibility of sharing illness too. 

I found these tips from K-State food scientist, Karen Blakeslee, especially helpful for preventing cross-contamination:&nbsp;

“We use the kitchen sink for food preparation and more,” Blakeslee said. “The possibility exists for foodborne illness-causing bacteria to hang out in the sink too. These bacteria could cross-contaminate your food and make you sick.”&nbsp;

Blakeslee added that a recent USDA study tested surfaces where participants prepared a breakfast meal with raw sausage, shell eggs, and a fruit salad made with cut-up cantaloupe. Test results showed that 34% of the sinks were contaminated after preparing the meal.&nbsp;

Even more scary, 26% of the samples of cut-up cantaloupe from the fruit salad were contaminated after breakfast prep.&nbsp;

“The bacteria in the sink or on your hands can cross-contaminate from the sink to other items, including those you normally eat raw. This means you’ll be eating that bacteria too,” Blakeslee said.&nbsp;

After using your sink to wash or prepare food, clean and sanitize the sink:&nbsp;

1) Use warm, soapy water to wash the sink. Wipe it clean with paper towels.&nbsp;

2) Use a sanitizer and let air dry. Sanitizers can be homemade (1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water) or use a commercial sanitizer or sanitizing wipe.&nbsp;

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 <a href="mailto:krwinkel@ksu.edu" target="_blank">krwinkel@ksu.edu</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697546908793.jpeg" alt="Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension, Cottonwood District. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension, Cottonwood District. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The holiday season is around the corner, and this means that the kitchen will likely become a busy place as we prepare meals to gather around. As you prepare tasty dishes to share, be conscious of the possibility of sharing illness too. I found these tips from K-State food scientist, Karen Blakeslee, especially helpful for preventing cross-contamination:&nbsp;“We use the kitchen sink for food preparation and more,” Blakeslee said. “The possibility exists for foodborne illness-causing bacteria to hang out in the sink too. These bacteria could cross-contaminate your food and make you sick.”&nbsp;Blakeslee added that a recent USDA study tested surfaces where participants prepared a breakfast meal with raw sausage, shell eggs, and a fruit salad made with cut-up cantaloupe. Test results showed that 34% of the sinks were contaminated after preparing the meal.&nbsp;Even more scary, 26% of the samples of cut-up cantaloupe from the fruit salad were contaminated after breakfast prep.&nbsp;“The bacteria in the sink or on your hands can cross-contaminate from the sink to other items, including those you normally eat raw. This means you’ll be eating that bacteria too,” Blakeslee said.&nbsp;After using your sink to wash or prepare food, clean and sanitize the sink:&nbsp;1) Use warm, soapy water to wash the sink. Wipe it clean with paper towels.&nbsp;2) Use a sanitizer and let air dry. Sanitizers can be homemade (1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water) or use a commercial sanitizer or sanitizing wipe.&nbsp;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 <a href="mailto:krwinkel@ksu.edu" target="_blank">krwinkel@ksu.edu</a>.&nbsp;

WINKEL: Food Safety Tip: Clean the kitchen sink 

I love watching hawks hunt and I love observing how they’ve learned to interact with farm equipment as it rolls across fields and stirs up rodents and small birds that scurry about and often end up as a snack for the hawk. 

Our raised deer blind overlooks a grass waterway that grows up in giant sunflowers and pigweed by summer’s end, becoming a nice secure travel way for deer, but making them hard to spot during hunting season. I try to mow that area every fall, and every year as I mow the last swath of thick weedy cover, fat field mice scatter everywhere and I think to myself “Man, could the hawks be feasting here.” 

A few years back I happened by a nearby field of soybeans being cut. What caught my eye was the enormous number of hawks all around the field; I counted to thirty-some, then lost count.

 I rolled into the field and talked with one of the combine drivers about the hawks. He said they had suddenly appeared as if from nowhere when they started cutting and had been there since. The soybean plants were extra tall and thick that year, and as they ripened and dropped their foliage, it left several inches of duff covering the ground between the rows, perfect cover for field mice and rats looking for warm concealment. As the combines lumbered through the field, they forced all those rodents from their cozy quarters and the hawks were feasting.

We’re already starting to see an extraordinary number of hawks of all varieties as they migrate south toward warmer climates. The extent of our Kansas winter will largely determine whether they stay here for a spell or move on south, and our milder-than-normal winters of late have been a huge draw to migrating hawks. 

The hawks I observed hunting the soybean stubble field that year were obviously migrants that were getting a good meal whether they stayed or not. 

The vast acreages of new wheat fields will be a huge draw too, as mice, voles and insects become vulnerable to the hawk’s keen eyes in the short new wheat. Another plus is the type of air currents and thermals that blow through the Plains states. North winds coming down from Canada are utilized by all types of hawks, saving them precious energy by being able to soar. 

So, in summary, the mild winters, the open fields and the beneficial wind currents all make Kansas a popular place to see hawks of many varieties this time of year.

One common hawk we see here every winter is the Northern Harrier. They are large hawks with wide white bands across their broad square tails and are often seen gliding effortlessly mere feet above CRP fields and pastures. We also get an influx of Red Tails from northern states as they come here for our milder winters. Swainson Hawks on their way to Argentina stop in Kansas by the thousands. Rough-Legged Hawks migrate from Canada to the western U.S., including Kansas. Ferruginous Hawks may be seen here as they travel from western Kansas to parts of the South Eastern US and to Florida. All these truly make for a kaleidoscope of raptors in our Kansas sky.

This article wouldn’t be complete without emphasizing the important role raptors play in our agricultural environment. Raptors get blamed for everything from low pheasant and quail populations to stealing chickens and everything in between. Yes, we all know that hawks and especially owls will steal a chicken or two given the chance, but in actuality, hawks prey on mice, rats, snakes and possums that eat quail and pheasant eggs and newly&nbsp;hatched young. (FYI, feral and stray cats are the worst predators alive for killing young game birds and song birds.) Owls are huge rat and mice hunters and also eat skunks that carry rabies. 

If not for these raptors in our midst, rodent populations would devastate farmer’s crops and our environment as a whole. And for the record, killing a raptor of any kind is illegal in Kansas!

You can’t go afield this time of year without spotting hawks silently hunting low over patches of CRP and milo stalks, waiting patiently atop power poles for prey to reveal themselves or putting on shows of acrobatic excellence as they soar above us on the fall breezes. I once overheard a raptor rehabilitator tell someone “We as humans have encroached on them, so the least we can do is let them live with us.” 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>I love watching hawks hunt and I love observing how they’ve learned to interact with farm equipment as it rolls across fields and stirs up rodents and small birds that scurry about and often end up as a snack for the hawk. Our raised deer blind overlooks a grass waterway that grows up in giant sunflowers and pigweed by summer’s end, becoming a nice secure travel way for deer, but making them hard to spot during hunting season. I try to mow that area every fall, and every year as I mow the last swath of thick weedy cover, fat field mice scatter everywhere and I think to myself “Man, could the hawks be feasting here.” A few years back I happened by a nearby field of soybeans being cut. What caught my eye was the enormous number of hawks all around the field; I counted to thirty-some, then lost count. I rolled into the field and talked with one of the combine drivers about the hawks. He said they had suddenly appeared as if from nowhere when they started cutting and had been there since. The soybean plants were extra tall and thick that year, and as they ripened and dropped their foliage, it left several inches of duff covering the ground between the rows, perfect cover for field mice and rats looking for warm concealment. As the combines lumbered through the field, they forced all those rodents from their cozy quarters and the hawks were feasting.We’re already starting to see an extraordinary number of hawks of all varieties as they migrate south toward warmer climates. The extent of our Kansas winter will largely determine whether they stay here for a spell or move on south, and our milder-than-normal winters of late have been a huge draw to migrating hawks. The hawks I observed hunting the soybean stubble field that year were obviously migrants that were getting a good meal whether they stayed or not. The vast acreages of new wheat fields will be a huge draw too, as mice, voles and insects become vulnerable to the hawk’s keen eyes in the short new wheat. Another plus is the type of air currents and thermals that blow through the Plains states. North winds coming down from Canada are utilized by all types of hawks, saving them precious energy by being able to soar. So, in summary, the mild winters, the open fields and the beneficial wind currents all make Kansas a popular place to see hawks of many varieties this time of year.One common hawk we see here every winter is the Northern Harrier. They are large hawks with wide white bands across their broad square tails and are often seen gliding effortlessly mere feet above CRP fields and pastures. We also get an influx of Red Tails from northern states as they come here for our milder winters. Swainson Hawks on their way to Argentina stop in Kansas by the thousands. Rough-Legged Hawks migrate from Canada to the western U.S., including Kansas. Ferruginous Hawks may be seen here as they travel from western Kansas to parts of the South Eastern US and to Florida. All these truly make for a kaleidoscope of raptors in our Kansas sky.This article wouldn’t be complete without emphasizing the important role raptors play in our agricultural environment. Raptors get blamed for everything from low pheasant and quail populations to stealing chickens and everything in between. Yes, we all know that hawks and especially owls will steal a chicken or two given the chance, but in actuality, hawks prey on mice, rats, snakes and possums that eat quail and pheasant eggs and newly&nbsp;hatched young. (FYI, feral and stray cats are the worst predators alive for killing young game birds and song birds.) Owls are huge rat and mice hunters and also eat skunks that carry rabies. If not for these raptors in our midst, rodent populations would devastate farmer’s crops and our environment as a whole. And for the record, killing a raptor of any kind is illegal in Kansas!You can’t go afield this time of year without spotting hawks silently hunting low over patches of CRP and milo stalks, waiting patiently atop power poles for prey to reveal themselves or putting on shows of acrobatic excellence as they soar above us on the fall breezes. I once overheard a raptor rehabilitator tell someone “We as humans have encroached on them, so the least we can do is let them live with us.” Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at&nbsp;stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoor Kansas: Here Come the Hawks

Russell Arben Fox's insightful <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5044e38b-4d59-4805-9474-786c9a04bbf1">editorial on the dynamics of local governance in Kansas</a> rightly underscores the pivotal role played by city managers in shaping our communities.

While his article delves into the complexities of the relationship between elected officials and appointed professionals, it is equally important to acknowledge the empowering nature of constitutional home-rule authority granted to Kansas citizens, the cornerstone of self-determination. 

Home­ rule authority allows cities to choose the form of government that aligns with the community's specific needs and goals. This flexibility is instrumental in ensuring that local governments can effectively address the challenges they face while operating within the framework of our great state.

In Kansas, the council-manager system has predominantly been embraced, which, as Fox aptly points out, fosters pragmatic governance and guards against the polarization often observed in state and national politics. 

City managers, as nonpartisan professionals, bring expertise and experience to the decision-making process, ensuring that choices are made based on sound judgment and technical knowledge rather than political agendas.

It is important to recognize that appointing city managers by elected officials creates a synergy between professional expertise and the community's values and priorities. Elected officials representing their constituents are well-suited to select city managers who share their vision for the community and possess the necessary skills to execute it effectively. 

While city managers play a vital role in day-to-day decision-making, they are held accountable to the elected officials who appoint them. City managers serve at the pleasure of the governing body, and their performance is continually evaluated based on their ability to implement the council's decisions and achieve the community's goals.

The balance between elected officials and professionals in local government is crucial. Elected officials provide the vision and direction, while professional managers ensure those goals are translated into effective action. This collaborative approach allows for the best of both worlds: the democratic representation of citizens' interests and the expertise needed to navigate complex administrative tasks.

In summary, Fox's column serves as a valuable reminder of the critical role played by city managers and their staff in shaping our local communities. Home-rule authority empowers cities to choose a form of government - a council-manager system, a strong mayor system, or a hybrid model - that is effective and responsive to community values. 

By striking a balance&nbsp;between elected officials and professional managers and fostering transparency and citizen engagement, Kansas cities can continue to thrive under strong leadership and professional expertise.

Jon Quinday, ICMA-CM Russell City Manager

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698091063975.png" alt="Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Russell Arben Fox's insightful <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5044e38b-4d59-4805-9474-786c9a04bbf1">editorial on the dynamics of local governance in Kansas</a> rightly underscores the pivotal role played by city managers in shaping our communities. While his article delves into the complexities of the relationship between elected officials and appointed professionals, it is equally important to acknowledge the empowering nature of constitutional home-rule authority granted to Kansas citizens, the cornerstone of self-determination. Home­ rule authority allows cities to choose the form of government that aligns with the community's specific needs and goals. This flexibility is instrumental in ensuring that local governments can effectively address the challenges they face while operating within the framework of our great state.In Kansas, the council-manager system has predominantly been embraced, which, as Fox aptly points out, fosters pragmatic governance and guards against the polarization often observed in state and national politics. City managers, as nonpartisan professionals, bring expertise and experience to the decision-making process, ensuring that choices are made based on sound judgment and technical knowledge rather than political agendas.It is important to recognize that appointing city managers by elected officials creates a synergy between professional expertise and the community's values and priorities. Elected officials representing their constituents are well-suited to select city managers who share their vision for the community and possess the necessary skills to execute it effectively. While city managers play a vital role in day-to-day decision-making, they are held accountable to the elected officials who appoint them. City managers serve at the pleasure of the governing body, and their performance is continually evaluated based on their ability to implement the council's decisions and achieve the community's goals.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The balance between elected officials and professionals in local government is crucial. Elected officials provide the vision and direction, while professional managers ensure those goals are translated into effective action. This collaborative approach allows for the best of both worlds: the democratic representation of citizens' interests and the expertise needed to navigate complex administrative tasks.In summary, Fox's column serves as a valuable reminder of the critical role played by city managers and their staff in shaping our local communities. Home-rule authority empowers cities to choose a form of government - a council-manager system, a strong mayor system, or a hybrid model - that is effective and responsive to community values. By striking a balance&nbsp;between elected officials and professional managers and fostering transparency and citizen engagement, Kansas cities can continue to thrive under strong leadership and professional expertise.Jon Quinday, ICMA-CM Russell City Manager

LETTER: The role of city managers and home-rule authority in local governance

According to data published by the Pew Charitable Trusts, an affiliate of the Pew Research Center, Kansas ranks dead last in the country on the share of state revenue that comes from federal funds.

Across the country, the percentage of state revenue from federal funds ranges from about a quarter to more than half of state revenue and according to Pew, a higher or lower percentage does not necessarily indicate a problem for state budgets.

The highest and lowest ranked states vary greatly — and perhaps challenge some partisan stereotypes about federal spending. Alaska, Louisiana, Montana and Rhode Island make up the top four, while New Jersey, California, Utah, and Kansas fall at the bottom of the list.

To some, this may not seem like a bad thing; Kansas’ politics has strong libertarian undertones after all.

However, the federal share of state revenue does reflect how much funding states receive from the federal government to help pay for public services — healthcare, education and training, transportation, infrastructure, etc.

In Kansas in particular, our ranking shows that federal dollars are left on the table rather than being used on public goods that benefit citizens.

The latest Kansas Speaks public opinion survey — conducted by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University from September 20 to October 10 of this year — shows that nearly 70% of respondents support Medicaid expansion.

Ninety-percent of the cost of expanding KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program, would come from federal dollars under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Forty states and Washington, D.C. have enacted expansion, including all of our neighboring states — three of which expanded Medicaid via initiative petition.

Studies estimate that 150,000 Kansans would gain coverage under KanCare expansion. Sixty-six percent of Kansas Speaks respondents indicated that these Kansans deserve healthcare from the state.

Furthermore, expanding KanCare would also keep rural hospitals open — which is critically important to our rural communities.

In an investigation by Wichita’s KWCH Factfinder 12 team earlier this year, over half of the state’s rural hospitals are at risk of closing. Of 104 rural hospitals, 60 are at risk of closing, including 29 facing immediate risk.

Just over 64% of Kansas Speaks respondents agree that keeping rural hospitals open is an important benefit of expanding KanCare.

In the face of Kansas' unique position as the lowest-ranked state in terms of federal funds contributing to our state revenue, it becomes evident that there is untapped potential for improving the well-being of citizens.

The data from Pew and Kansas Speaks paint a clear picture: Kansas has an opportunity to leverage federal funding to enhance public services, especially in the crucial areas of healthcare and rural hospital sustainability.

Accepting federal funds does not compromise our values but rather presents an avenue to improve the lives of our fellow Kansans. It's not just about numbers; it's about providing a lifeline to those who need it and ensuring the stability of our rural hospitals.

Kansas stands at a crossroads, with the opportunity to harness federal resources for the betterment of our citizens and communities.

Expanding KanCare is not just an investment in healthcare; it is an investment in the future of our state, where every individual's well-being and the vitality of our rural communities matter.

Kansas can rise above its ranking by embracing practical solutions that reflect our deeply held values of compassion, community, and care for one another.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694699489540.png" alt="Alexandra Middlewood (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Middlewood (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>According to data published by the Pew Charitable Trusts, an affiliate of the Pew Research Center, Kansas ranks dead last in the country on the share of state revenue that comes from federal funds.Across the country, the percentage of state revenue from federal funds ranges from about a quarter to more than half of state revenue and according to Pew, a higher or lower percentage does not necessarily indicate a problem for state budgets.The highest and lowest ranked states vary greatly — and perhaps challenge some partisan stereotypes about federal spending. Alaska, Louisiana, Montana and Rhode Island make up the top four, while New Jersey, California, Utah, and Kansas fall at the bottom of the list.To some, this may not seem like a bad thing; Kansas’ politics has strong libertarian undertones after all.However, the federal share of state revenue does reflect how much funding states receive from the federal government to help pay for public services — healthcare, education and training, transportation, infrastructure, etc.In Kansas in particular, our ranking shows that federal dollars are left on the table rather than being used on public goods that benefit citizens.The latest Kansas Speaks public opinion survey — conducted by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University from September 20 to October 10 of this year — shows that nearly 70% of respondents support Medicaid expansion.Ninety-percent of the cost of expanding KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program, would come from federal dollars under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Forty states and Washington, D.C. have enacted expansion, including all of our neighboring states — three of which expanded Medicaid via initiative petition.Studies estimate that 150,000 Kansans would gain coverage under KanCare expansion. Sixty-six percent of Kansas Speaks respondents indicated that these Kansans deserve healthcare from the state.Furthermore, expanding KanCare would also keep rural hospitals open — which is critically important to our rural communities.In an investigation by Wichita’s KWCH Factfinder 12 team earlier this year, over half of the state’s rural hospitals are at risk of closing. Of 104 rural hospitals, 60 are at risk of closing, including 29 facing immediate risk.Just over 64% of Kansas Speaks respondents agree that keeping rural hospitals open is an important benefit of expanding KanCare.In the face of Kansas' unique position as the lowest-ranked state in terms of federal funds contributing to our state revenue, it becomes evident that there is untapped potential for improving the well-being of citizens.The data from Pew and Kansas Speaks paint a clear picture: Kansas has an opportunity to leverage federal funding to enhance public services, especially in the crucial areas of healthcare and rural hospital sustainability.Accepting federal funds does not compromise our values but rather presents an avenue to improve the lives of our fellow Kansans. It's not just about numbers; it's about providing a lifeline to those who need it and ensuring the stability of our rural hospitals.Kansas stands at a crossroads, with the opportunity to harness federal resources for the betterment of our citizens and communities.Expanding KanCare is not just an investment in healthcare; it is an investment in the future of our state, where every individual's well-being and the vitality of our rural communities matter.Kansas can rise above its ranking by embracing practical solutions that reflect our deeply held values of compassion, community, and care for one another.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD, is the Department Chair of Political Science at Wichita State University.

Opinion