By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/17/antisemitic-messages-in-kansas-high-schools-reflect-how-jewish-people-are-treated-nationwide/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

Two instances of antisemitism at high schools have surfaced in the last few weeks in eastern Kansas.

The instance at Blue Valley High School created the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article271710032.html">most headlines</a> because of how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/community-jewish-leaders-react-to-antisemitic-racist-graffiti-at-blue-valley-high-school">flagrant</a>
 and reckless it was. School administrators for the Overland Park school
 found the press box for their athletic stadium damaged on the eve of 
the holiday honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The vandals — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/4th-person-charged-with-vandalizing-blue-valley-high-school-press-box-with-antisemitic-racist-messages">all under age 20</a>
 — are accused of breaking windows, trashing equipment and painting 
racist, homophobic and antisemitic slurs on the walls of the structure 
that sits atop the school’s bleachers. Four people have been charged, 
according to the local news media.

Student journalists at Lawrence High School <a target="_blank" href="https://lhsbudget.com/news/2023/01/20/antisemitic-graffiti-sparks-worries-at-lhs/">reported</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://lhsbudget.com/opinion/2023/01/20/antisemitism-is-on-the-rise-and-we-need-to-stop-ignoring-it/">commented</a> on the second series of incidents: a string of racist and antisemitic graffiti in bathrooms at the school.

Lawrence High School student 
journalist Jackson Green said the graffiti occurred at the end of the 
fall 2022 semester and continued into the current semester. In one 
incident, a swastika approximately two feet tall by two feet wide 
appeared to be etched into the wall using a sharp object, according to 
Green.

(A note of disclosure: I am director 
of the Kansas Student Press Association and helped the students decide 
how to handle the story — specifically, whether to publish images of the
 graffiti.)

Green said that he and a friend saw 
another swastika drawn with pencil in a bathroom. They reported it to a 
teacher, photographed it and then erased it.

“When living in Lawrence, you kind of
 think that you’re sheltered and protected from things like that,” Green
 said. “And you sometimes meet with the harsh realization that you’re 
not. So it’s disappointing to have to see that. And it’s scary.

“We know that these things can 
provoke violence. That’s the first thing that comes to mind. Who did 
this? Why did they do it? And are they going to continue doing it or are
 they going to do something worse?”

Racist and antisemitic&nbsp;messages like 
these poison our schools. Many students attend school while distracted 
with fear about mass shootings, let alone the targeted violence of hate 
crimes suggested by these messages.

Vulnerable students should not be made more insecure.

Educators know that students can’t 
learn when they are afraid. When students fear guns, bullying, a teacher
 or hate like these antisemitic images, they cannot concentrate on 
lessons about comma splices, ecosystems or verb conjugation. And they 
certainly can’t focus on the vital social lessons embedded in school. 
They can’t flourish.

Because these are both large high 
schools in Kansas, some might be tempted to criticize the schools 
themselves. But consider how, where and when these instances happened.

Students broke into school grounds 
after hours to vandalize the press box. And students hid in bathrooms at
 Lawrence High School, behind locked doors that shielded them from 
administrators. (The student vandals in Lawrence have not been 
identified.)

What can a school do to prevent the 
bigotry of students — cultivated during time away from school — from 
quietly infecting its hallways?

Lawrence’s principal, Jessica Bassett, has one answer.

“Incidents like this demonstrate that
 we still have work to do in helping students learn to respect one 
another no matter their differences,” Bassett wrote in an emailed 
statement. “I am hopeful about change as I watch our students and 
teachers actively working to develop a schoolwide campaign to combat 
hate.”

Bassett’s response shows dedication 
and faith in the power of schools. While I share that faith, I worry 
that students encounter hateful messages so potent and alluring that 
schools have only so much traction to combat them.

If a young person drifts down a YouTube rabbit hole of racist rhetoric, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/rabbit-hole">spending hours listening</a>
 to antisemitic misinformation and Holocaust denialism, how can a school
 combat that with occasional training? Years of growing up in households
 governed by bigoted stereotypes similarly seem too powerful.

Add to those forces the influence of celebrity.

Green, who covered the racist 
graffiti in the Lawrence bathrooms, said that written underneath the 
image of one swastika was the word “Yeezy,” a reference to the rapper 
Kanye West. Along with the message of “I hate Jews” the vandals wrote 
“Kanye was right.”

Last year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/culture/23400851/kanye-west-antisemitism-hitler-praise">West’s comments about Jews</a> drew widespread condemnation but also, to Green’s eye, copycats.

“That’s when we started to notice the
 shift towards more hateful things,” Green said. “So it all happened 
relatively quickly after he made those comments on interviews and the 
Twitter quote that we’ve all seen plenty of times. And that’s when it 
started — not long after that.”

Add to West’s ignorant comments the delusions of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/kyrie-irving-antisemitic.html">NBA star Kyrie Irving</a> and the xenophobia of many in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/12/07/electoral-logic-behind-trumps-antisemitism-00072661">President Donald Trump’s orbit</a>, and it’s no surprise that young people sound embittered and bigoted.

One suggested intervention that 
schools could consider? Communicating the presence of racist and 
antisemitic rhetoric to its parents, students and community. Parents 
these days know how often schools communicate about lockdowns, drills or
 security threats. We receive text messages, emails and app 
notifications.&nbsp;

While messages describing hateful language aren’t as urgent, parents should hear about them.

The hesitation to share creates feelings of distrust for students like Green.

“It was very obvious it was trying to
 be hidden,” Green said about his school’s response to the earliest 
incidents of graffiti. “And there was no discussion coming from it. 
Like, my parents did not know until I told them what I had seen and what
 I had heard. So there’s also no acknowledgement from administrators.”

Julie Boyle, executive director of 
communications for Lawrence Public Schools, wrote that “the board of 
education does not have such a policy; however, the district values 
school families as partners in their children’s education and works to 
keep families informed.”

Based solely on these incidents, we 
might also be tempted to draw conclusions about a localized rise of 
antisemitism in Kansas. However, recent research suggests — and the 
experiences of many American Jews confirm — that these acts of vandalism
 in Kansas mirror a disturbing national trend. Antisemitism is rising in
 America.

Last week, the American Jewish Committee released its 2022 report, titled <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ajc.org/AntisemitismReport2022/AmericanJews">“The State of Antisemitism in America.”</a> Imagine being a Jew in the America that this report describes.

Most to the point of these instances in Kansas, 16% reported that a familiar Jewish institution had been targeted with graffiti.

This all shows how young people in 
Kansas high schools unfortunately have access to scattered fetid pools, 
filled with the toxic sludge of antisemitism.

To revise Trump’s rhetoric, these are the swamps that America needs to drain.

<a target="_blank" href="https://journalism.ku.edu/eric-thomas">Eric Thomas</a> directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676657619226.jpg" alt="Students at Kansas high schools were disturbed by recent antisemitic messages, writes Eric Thomas. Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Students at Kansas high schools were disturbed by recent antisemitic messages, writes Eric Thomas. Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/17/antisemitic-messages-in-kansas-high-schools-reflect-how-jewish-people-are-treated-nationwide/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>Two instances of antisemitism at high schools have surfaced in the last few weeks in eastern Kansas.The instance at Blue Valley High School created the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article271710032.html">most headlines</a> because of how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/community-jewish-leaders-react-to-antisemitic-racist-graffiti-at-blue-valley-high-school">flagrant</a>
 and reckless it was. School administrators for the Overland Park school
 found the press box for their athletic stadium damaged on the eve of 
the holiday honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.The vandals — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/4th-person-charged-with-vandalizing-blue-valley-high-school-press-box-with-antisemitic-racist-messages">all under age 20</a>
 — are accused of breaking windows, trashing equipment and painting 
racist, homophobic and antisemitic slurs on the walls of the structure 
that sits atop the school’s bleachers. Four people have been charged, 
according to the local news media.Student journalists at Lawrence High School <a target="_blank" href="https://lhsbudget.com/news/2023/01/20/antisemitic-graffiti-sparks-worries-at-lhs/">reported</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://lhsbudget.com/opinion/2023/01/20/antisemitism-is-on-the-rise-and-we-need-to-stop-ignoring-it/">commented</a> on the second series of incidents: a string of racist and antisemitic graffiti in bathrooms at the school.Lawrence High School student 
journalist Jackson Green said the graffiti occurred at the end of the 
fall 2022 semester and continued into the current semester. In one 
incident, a swastika approximately two feet tall by two feet wide 
appeared to be etched into the wall using a sharp object, according to 
Green.(A note of disclosure: I am director 
of the Kansas Student Press Association and helped the students decide 
how to handle the story — specifically, whether to publish images of the
 graffiti.)<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Green said that he and a friend saw 
another swastika drawn with pencil in a bathroom. They reported it to a 
teacher, photographed it and then erased it.“When living in Lawrence, you kind of
 think that you’re sheltered and protected from things like that,” Green
 said. “And you sometimes meet with the harsh realization that you’re 
not. So it’s disappointing to have to see that. And it’s scary.“We know that these things can 
provoke violence. That’s the first thing that comes to mind. Who did 
this? Why did they do it? And are they going to continue doing it or are
 they going to do something worse?”Racist and antisemitic&nbsp;messages like 
these poison our schools. Many students attend school while distracted 
with fear about mass shootings, let alone the targeted violence of hate 
crimes suggested by these messages.Vulnerable students should not be made more insecure.Educators know that students can’t 
learn when they are afraid. When students fear guns, bullying, a teacher
 or hate like these antisemitic images, they cannot concentrate on 
lessons about comma splices, ecosystems or verb conjugation. And they 
certainly can’t focus on the vital social lessons embedded in school. 
They can’t flourish.Because these are both large high 
schools in Kansas, some might be tempted to criticize the schools 
themselves. But consider how, where and when these instances happened.Students broke into school grounds 
after hours to vandalize the press box. And students hid in bathrooms at
 Lawrence High School, behind locked doors that shielded them from 
administrators. (The student vandals in Lawrence have not been 
identified.)What can a school do to prevent the 
bigotry of students — cultivated during time away from school — from 
quietly infecting its hallways?Lawrence’s principal, Jessica Bassett, has one answer.“Incidents like this demonstrate that
 we still have work to do in helping students learn to respect one 
another no matter their differences,” Bassett wrote in an emailed 
statement. “I am hopeful about change as I watch our students and 
teachers actively working to develop a schoolwide campaign to combat 
hate.”Bassett’s response shows dedication 
and faith in the power of schools. While I share that faith, I worry 
that students encounter hateful messages so potent and alluring that 
schools have only so much traction to combat them.If a young person drifts down a YouTube rabbit hole of racist rhetoric, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/rabbit-hole">spending hours listening</a>
 to antisemitic misinformation and Holocaust denialism, how can a school
 combat that with occasional training? Years of growing up in households
 governed by bigoted stereotypes similarly seem too powerful.Add to those forces the influence of celebrity.Green, who covered the racist 
graffiti in the Lawrence bathrooms, said that written underneath the 
image of one swastika was the word “Yeezy,” a reference to the rapper 
Kanye West. Along with the message of “I hate Jews” the vandals wrote 
“Kanye was right.”Last year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/culture/23400851/kanye-west-antisemitism-hitler-praise">West’s comments about Jews</a> drew widespread condemnation but also, to Green’s eye, copycats.“That’s when we started to notice the
 shift towards more hateful things,” Green said. “So it all happened 
relatively quickly after he made those comments on interviews and the 
Twitter quote that we’ve all seen plenty of times. And that’s when it 
started — not long after that.”Add to West’s ignorant comments the delusions of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/kyrie-irving-antisemitic.html">NBA star Kyrie Irving</a> and the xenophobia of many in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/12/07/electoral-logic-behind-trumps-antisemitism-00072661">President Donald Trump’s orbit</a>, and it’s no surprise that young people sound embittered and bigoted.One suggested intervention that 
schools could consider? Communicating the presence of racist and 
antisemitic rhetoric to its parents, students and community. Parents 
these days know how often schools communicate about lockdowns, drills or
 security threats. We receive text messages, emails and app 
notifications.&nbsp;While messages describing hateful language aren’t as urgent, parents should hear about them.The hesitation to share creates feelings of distrust for students like Green.“It was very obvious it was trying to
 be hidden,” Green said about his school’s response to the earliest 
incidents of graffiti. “And there was no discussion coming from it. 
Like, my parents did not know until I told them what I had seen and what
 I had heard. So there’s also no acknowledgement from administrators.”Julie Boyle, executive director of 
communications for Lawrence Public Schools, wrote that “the board of 
education does not have such a policy; however, the district values 
school families as partners in their children’s education and works to 
keep families informed.”Based solely on these incidents, we 
might also be tempted to draw conclusions about a localized rise of 
antisemitism in Kansas. However, recent research suggests — and the 
experiences of many American Jews confirm — that these acts of vandalism
 in Kansas mirror a disturbing national trend. Antisemitism is rising in
 America.Last week, the American Jewish Committee released its 2022 report, titled <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ajc.org/AntisemitismReport2022/AmericanJews">“The State of Antisemitism in America.”</a> Imagine being a Jew in the America that this report describes.<ul>
 <li>82% of those surveyed believe that antisemitism has increased in the past five years.</li><li>41% believe that the status of American Jews is less secure than a year ago.</li><li>Young Jews were 17% more likely to encounter antisemitic remarks than the overall Jewish public.</li>
 </ul>Most to the point of these instances in Kansas, 16% reported that a familiar Jewish institution had been targeted with graffiti.This all shows how young people in 
Kansas high schools unfortunately have access to scattered fetid pools, 
filled with the toxic sludge of antisemitism.To revise Trump’s rhetoric, these are the swamps that America needs to drain.<a target="_blank" href="https://journalism.ku.edu/eric-thomas">Eric Thomas</a> directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas.

OPINION: Kansas incidents a reflection of treatment of Jewish people nationwide

Mike Brown is a former Johnson County commissioner, a failed primary candidate for GOP Secretary of State Scott Schwab’s job, and someone who has expressed sympathy for former President Trump’s lies regarding the 2020 election results. And as of last weekend, he is also the new chairperson of the Kansas Republican party. For those Republicans who want to forget election conspiracies and focus on their party’s substantive platform, this is probably frustrating.

It needs to be remembered that for many ordinary citizens across the country, the continued claims of voter fraud and rigged elections promoted by Trump make little sense. Recent polls show that election denialism has declined, and that only a third of those not already caught up in conspiracy theorizing say they find such paranoia understandable. In short, obsessing and nitpicking over close elections, especially in the wake of the attack on the Capitol in 2021 inspired by Trump’s loss, is increasing seen by many as pointless, dangerous, and strange.

Kansas Republicans, though, have a more complicated history with denialism. Long before Trump started ranting about how he was robbed—and started harassing GOP officials and his own vice-president to get them to support his lost cause—Kansas had Kris Kobach, who for years as Secretary of State focused less on his job than on prosecuting supposed illegal voters, leading to costly losses in court. Kansas Republicans, in short, have seen hysteria over election security overshadow their other responsibilities and priorities before.

Still, despite Kobach’s return to Topeka as Attorney General—after failing in races for governor and the U.S. Senate—many Kansas Republicans likely had reason to feel hopeful for the direction of the state party. Despite the closeness of his loss to Governor Kelly, Derek Schmidt left the stage without recriminations (and Kobach, securing his own very narrow win, said nothing about suing the governor). Schwab won re-election handily in the midst of national under-performance by Republicans, all while insisting the Kansas elections were secure and reliable. Perhaps they were shaking off the preoccupations of their former national leader?

Most rank and file Republicans in the state hopefully are. But some Kansas Republicans are unfortunately still obsessed with the idea, despite lacking any evidence, that nefarious actors are faking votes and corrupting election results. And now they have a state party chair on their side.

When running against Schwab in the Secretary of State GOP primary, Brown mocked his opponent for refusing to claim the same voter-hunting power Kobach had previously abused, insisted that all ballot drop-boxes should be banned, and implied that Schwab was at fault for not investigating outlandish, unsubstantiated claims about ballot-dumping and more. As party chair, he obviously won’t be involved in setting priorities for the Secretary of State, much less shaping voter legislation. Nonetheless, his narrow, 88-90 vote triumph among state party leaders is likely depressing to those Kansas Republicans hoping to move their party out of Trump’s shadow.

Of course, Trump may well be back at the top of the national GOP ticket come 2024, so perhaps the state Republican party is just getting ready to fall in line. But for Republicans who recognize how hopeless and dangerous adhering that paranoid line is—and they do exist!—Brown’s selection likely seems like as an unfortunate stop backwards, while others try to push ahead.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583339056495.jpeg" alt="Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.</figcaption>
 </figure>Mike Brown is a former Johnson County commissioner, a failed primary candidate for GOP Secretary of State Scott Schwab’s job, and someone who has expressed sympathy for former President Trump’s lies regarding the 2020 election results. And as of last weekend, he is also the new chairperson of the Kansas Republican party. For those Republicans who want to forget election conspiracies and focus on their party’s substantive platform, this is probably frustrating.It needs to be remembered that for many ordinary citizens across the country, the continued claims of voter fraud and rigged elections promoted by Trump make little sense. Recent polls show that election denialism has declined, and that only a third of those not already caught up in conspiracy theorizing say they find such paranoia understandable. In short, obsessing and nitpicking over close elections, especially in the wake of the attack on the Capitol in 2021 inspired by Trump’s loss, is increasing seen by many as pointless, dangerous, and strange.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Republicans, though, have a more complicated history with denialism. Long before Trump started ranting about how he was robbed—and started harassing GOP officials and his own vice-president to get them to support his lost cause—Kansas had Kris Kobach, who for years as Secretary of State focused less on his job than on prosecuting supposed illegal voters, leading to costly losses in court. Kansas Republicans, in short, have seen hysteria over election security overshadow their other responsibilities and priorities before.Still, despite Kobach’s return to Topeka as Attorney General—after failing in races for governor and the U.S. Senate—many Kansas Republicans likely had reason to feel hopeful for the direction of the state party. Despite the closeness of his loss to Governor Kelly, Derek Schmidt left the stage without recriminations (and Kobach, securing his own very narrow win, said nothing about suing the governor). Schwab won re-election handily in the midst of national under-performance by Republicans, all while insisting the Kansas elections were secure and reliable. Perhaps they were shaking off the preoccupations of their former national leader?Most rank and file Republicans in the state hopefully are. But some Kansas Republicans are unfortunately still obsessed with the idea, despite lacking any evidence, that nefarious actors are faking votes and corrupting election results. And now they have a state party chair on their side.When running against Schwab in the Secretary of State GOP primary, Brown mocked his opponent for refusing to claim the same voter-hunting power Kobach had previously abused, insisted that all ballot drop-boxes should be banned, and implied that Schwab was at fault for not investigating outlandish, unsubstantiated claims about ballot-dumping and more. As party chair, he obviously won’t be involved in setting priorities for the Secretary of State, much less shaping voter legislation. Nonetheless, his narrow, 88-90 vote triumph among state party leaders is likely depressing to those Kansas Republicans hoping to move their party out of Trump’s shadow.Of course, Trump may well be back at the top of the national GOP ticket come 2024, so perhaps the state Republican party is just getting ready to fall in line. But for Republicans who recognize how hopeless and dangerous adhering that paranoid line is—and they do exist!—Brown’s selection likely seems like as an unfortunate stop backwards, while others try to push ahead.Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Two steps forward, one step back for Kan. GOP

This week, the Kansas House of Representatives debated twelve bills and one resolution in the chamber.

On Tuesday, we debated House Bill 2027, which when a person is arrested or charged with felonious killing of the decedent and it would prevent the distribution of assets until after the court proceeding.

House Bill 2125 provides for charitable event permits and demonstration permits to provide tattooing, cosmetic tattooing, or body piercing services.

House Bill 2042 changes the name of the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility to the Larned State Correctional Facility.

Wednesday, I introduced House Resolution 6011 which commemorated the 150th Anniversary of the Ellsworth Route of the Chisolm Trail.

House Bill 2060 establishes the Special Education and Related Services Funding Services Task Force.

House Bill 2234 changes the measure of the cost threshold from “total project cost” to “construction cost.”

House Concurrent Resolution 5004 urges the U.S. Congress to fully fund the Federal government’s original funding promise under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Thursday, House Bill 2314 would prohibit the use of TikTok on state-owned devices or on any state network.

House Bill 2096 requires certain premium taxes be paid 90 days after each calendar year.

House Bill 2262 stipulates that six months of an embalmer apprenticeship is to be completed prior to an individual attending mortuary science school.

Many of the committees in the House of Representatives have been working diligently this past week discussing and passing legislation out of their respective committee so that the legislation can be debated on the House floor. The committee process will continue Monday and Tuesday of next week as we will be debating bills on the House floor all day starting Wednesday, February 22, through Friday, February 24.

We have reached the moment of the legislative calendar that is referred to as “Turnaround.” This is the midpoint of the legislative session and if bills are not passed by the House, then they can no longer proceed in the legislative process. After Friday, the bills will switch chambers, where the passed House bills go to the Senate and the Senate bills come to the House. The House Appropriations Committee is considered an exempt committee and does not need to comply with this deadline.

This week in the House Appropriations Committee we continued the budget process.

Here are some of the budgets that we addressed this week:

Tuesday, we analyzed the budgets for the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board, State Historical Society, State Library, Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office, and Health Care Stabilization Fund Board of Governors.

Wednesday, we continued the budget discussions with the Kansas Dental Board, Kansas Public Retirement System (KPERS), and Board of Examiners in Optometry, Kansas Department on Commerce, Kansas Commission on Peace Officer’s Standards and Training, Kansas Sentencing Commission, Kansas Legislature, Legislative Coordinating Council, Legislative Research Department, Legislative Division of Post Audit, and the Office of the Revisor of Statutes.

Thursday, we heard the budgets regarding the Board of Barbering, Board of Cosmetology, and Office of the Governor. We also had a briefing with the Kansas Housing Resource Center to discuss the rural housing initiatives that were funded last year.

Friday, we concluded the week with budget discussions from the Government Ethics Commission, Office of the State Treasurer, Pooled Money Investment Board, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment-Health.

Anytime that you would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, you can tune in by video or audio at www.kslegislature.org.

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

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

Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the Kansas House&nbsp;Appropriations Chairman and 109th District state representative which includes:

* Ellsworth, Lincoln, Osborne, Russell and Smith Counties

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633970422056.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster, 109th Dist., R-Bunker Hill" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, 109th Dist., R-Bunker Hill</figcaption>
 </figure>FEBRUARY 17, 2023House Floor ActionThis week, the Kansas House of Representatives debated twelve bills and one resolution in the chamber.On Tuesday, we debated House Bill 2027, which when a person is arrested or charged with felonious killing of the decedent and it would prevent the distribution of assets until after the court proceeding.House Bill 2125 provides for charitable event permits and demonstration permits to provide tattooing, cosmetic tattooing, or body piercing services.House Bill 2042 changes the name of the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility to the Larned State Correctional Facility.Wednesday, I introduced House Resolution 6011 which commemorated the 150th Anniversary of the Ellsworth Route of the Chisolm Trail.House Bill 2060 establishes the Special Education and Related Services Funding Services Task Force.House Bill 2234 changes the measure of the cost threshold from “total project cost” to “construction cost.”House Concurrent Resolution 5004 urges the U.S. Congress to fully fund the Federal government’s original funding promise under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.Thursday, House Bill 2314 would prohibit the use of TikTok on state-owned devices or on any state network.House Bill 2096 requires certain premium taxes be paid 90 days after each calendar year.House Bill 2262 stipulates that six months of an embalmer apprenticeship is to be completed prior to an individual attending mortuary science school.I voted “yes” and all passed.Kansas Legislative CalendarMany of the committees in the House of Representatives have been working diligently this past week discussing and passing legislation out of their respective committee so that the legislation can be debated on the House floor. The committee process will continue Monday and Tuesday of next week as we will be debating bills on the House floor all day starting Wednesday, February 22, through Friday, February 24.We have reached the moment of the legislative calendar that is referred to as “Turnaround.” This is the midpoint of the legislative session and if bills are not passed by the House, then they can no longer proceed in the legislative process. After Friday, the bills will switch chambers, where the passed House bills go to the Senate and the Senate bills come to the House. The House Appropriations Committee is considered an exempt committee and does not need to comply with this deadline.House Appropriations CommitteeThis week in the House Appropriations Committee we continued the budget process.Here are some of the budgets that we addressed this week:Tuesday, we analyzed the budgets for the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board, State Historical Society, State Library, Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office, and Health Care Stabilization Fund Board of Governors.Wednesday, we continued the budget discussions with the Kansas Dental Board, Kansas Public Retirement System (KPERS), and Board of Examiners in Optometry, Kansas Department on Commerce, Kansas Commission on Peace Officer’s Standards and Training, Kansas Sentencing Commission, Kansas Legislature, Legislative Coordinating Council, Legislative Research Department, Legislative Division of Post Audit, and the Office of the Revisor of Statutes.Thursday, we heard the budgets regarding the Board of Barbering, Board of Cosmetology, and Office of the Governor. We also had a briefing with the Kansas Housing Resource Center to discuss the rural housing initiatives that were funded last year.Friday, we concluded the week with budget discussions from the Government Ethics Commission, Office of the State Treasurer, Pooled Money Investment Board, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment-Health.Contact InformationAnytime that you would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, you can tune in by video or audio at www.kslegislature.org.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the Kansas House&nbsp;Appropriations Chairman and 109th District state representative which includes:* Ellsworth, Lincoln, Osborne, Russell and Smith Counties

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home, Feb. 17

Valentine’s&nbsp;Day. It is&nbsp;a&nbsp;day dedicated to telling the people in your life how much you care about them. For some, a day&nbsp;to celebrate&nbsp;strong connections. For others, a magnifier of loneliness. Even with our strong ethic of care&nbsp;at&nbsp;Fort Hays State University, I sometimes worry about missed opportunities to invest in one another&nbsp;every day, not just on February 14.

I&nbsp;am reminded&nbsp;of&nbsp;a story&nbsp;that&nbsp;writer David&nbsp;Vitt,&nbsp;the&nbsp;author of the&nbsp;Teachable Heart, once&nbsp;shared about a daddy-daughter date on Valentine’s Day.&nbsp;He&nbsp;and&nbsp;his&nbsp;young daughter went&nbsp;to a nice restaurant. After several minutes of lively conversation, she became silent.&nbsp;

She had noticed an elderly man sitting alone. It made her both sad and curious. She wondered if he was waiting on someone.&nbsp;Then,&nbsp;he was served his meal&nbsp;and remained alone. David tried to reengage his daughter in conversation,&nbsp;but she&nbsp;stayed&nbsp;focused on this man eating alone on Valentine’s&nbsp;Day. She asked, “Dad,&nbsp;we’ve got to&nbsp;do&nbsp;something for him; can we buy&nbsp;his dinner?”

As David&nbsp;witnessed his daughter’s concern, he took the opportunity&nbsp;to embrace the moment and go deeper.&nbsp;He responded, “something tells me he has enough money to buy his meal; what do you think his greater need might be?”&nbsp;&nbsp;

She replied, “Dad, he’s lonely.&nbsp;I can just tell; I think he needs company.”&nbsp;So,&nbsp;on their&nbsp;Valentine’s date,&nbsp;they&nbsp;invited&nbsp;the elderly gentleman&nbsp;to join their table. It took some coaxing,&nbsp;but he eventually agreed to share a cup of coffee.

For the next 30 minutes,&nbsp;dad&nbsp;sat and watched as this total stranger and&nbsp;his&nbsp;daughter interacted like they were good friends.&nbsp;They&nbsp;learned his name, that he was 85&nbsp;years old,&nbsp;and&nbsp;that this was his&nbsp;first&nbsp;Valentine’s Day without his wife of 62 years.&nbsp; He had buried her a few months before, and that restaurant had been “their place.”

I was so&nbsp;taken&nbsp;by both the simplicity of his story and the depth of how small acts of kindness can create authentic moments of connection and mattering. What I know about student success, and creating communities of care,&nbsp;is that those moments of mattering can make the difference between students who leave us and students who succeed.&nbsp;The same&nbsp;is true&nbsp;for colleagues.

I know that a residence hall housekeeper who notices a student at their best and worst, and befriends that student, will likely be the first person they introduce to their family at commencement.&nbsp;I&nbsp;also&nbsp;know that the dining hall worker who&nbsp;remembers&nbsp;the favorite foods of our students is one of&nbsp;our&nbsp;strongest&nbsp;student&nbsp;success tools.&nbsp;I know&nbsp;that&nbsp;the professor&nbsp;who&nbsp;calls all of&nbsp;her&nbsp;students by&nbsp;name and models&nbsp;grace&nbsp;is one of&nbsp;our&nbsp;most vital&nbsp;assets.&nbsp;And&nbsp;I know that staff&nbsp;who notice&nbsp;a&nbsp;student,&nbsp;who, like the elderly gentleman in the story,&nbsp;is&nbsp;sitting alone and&nbsp;makes&nbsp;time to learn&nbsp;that student’s&nbsp;story&nbsp;is&nbsp;demonstratingthe&nbsp;authentic sense of community&nbsp;that&nbsp;makes Tiger Nation so special.

Simply put, the more we multiply our efforts in investing&nbsp;in&nbsp;one another&nbsp;and focusing&nbsp;on a person’s greatest&nbsp;need,&nbsp;the stronger&nbsp;our community&nbsp;becomes.&nbsp;As a result, we&nbsp;find joy, hope, connection, and gratitude.

The lesson&nbsp;I carry from this daddy-daughter Valentine’s&nbsp;Day&nbsp;date&nbsp;is&nbsp;that in the business of&nbsp;ourworld, it is so important to notice, to be curious, and to be brave.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>Valentine’s&nbsp;Day. It is&nbsp;a&nbsp;day dedicated to telling the people in your life how much you care about them. For some, a day&nbsp;to celebrate&nbsp;strong connections. For others, a magnifier of loneliness. Even with our strong ethic of care&nbsp;at&nbsp;Fort Hays State University, I sometimes worry about missed opportunities to invest in one another&nbsp;every day, not just on February 14.I&nbsp;am reminded&nbsp;of&nbsp;a story&nbsp;that&nbsp;writer David&nbsp;Vitt,&nbsp;the&nbsp;author of the&nbsp;Teachable Heart, once&nbsp;shared about a daddy-daughter date on Valentine’s Day.&nbsp;He&nbsp;and&nbsp;his&nbsp;young daughter went&nbsp;to a nice restaurant. After several minutes of lively conversation, she became silent.&nbsp;She had noticed an elderly man sitting alone. It made her both sad and curious. She wondered if he was waiting on someone.&nbsp;Then,&nbsp;he was served his meal&nbsp;and remained alone. David tried to reengage his daughter in conversation,&nbsp;but she&nbsp;stayed&nbsp;focused on this man eating alone on Valentine’s&nbsp;Day. She asked, “Dad,&nbsp;we’ve got to&nbsp;do&nbsp;something for him; can we buy&nbsp;his dinner?”As David&nbsp;witnessed his daughter’s concern, he took the opportunity&nbsp;to embrace the moment and go deeper.&nbsp;He responded, “something tells me he has enough money to buy his meal; what do you think his greater need might be?”&nbsp;&nbsp;She replied, “Dad, he’s lonely.&nbsp;I can just tell; I think he needs company.”&nbsp;So,&nbsp;on their&nbsp;Valentine’s date,&nbsp;they&nbsp;invited&nbsp;the elderly gentleman&nbsp;to join their table. It took some coaxing,&nbsp;but he eventually agreed to share a cup of coffee.For the next 30 minutes,&nbsp;dad&nbsp;sat and watched as this total stranger and&nbsp;his&nbsp;daughter interacted like they were good friends.&nbsp;They&nbsp;learned his name, that he was 85&nbsp;years old,&nbsp;and&nbsp;that this was his&nbsp;first&nbsp;Valentine’s Day without his wife of 62 years.&nbsp; He had buried her a few months before, and that restaurant had been “their place.”I was so&nbsp;taken&nbsp;by both the simplicity of his story and the depth of how small acts of kindness can create authentic moments of connection and mattering. What I know about student success, and creating communities of care,&nbsp;is that those moments of mattering can make the difference between students who leave us and students who succeed.&nbsp;The same&nbsp;is true&nbsp;for colleagues.I know that a residence hall housekeeper who notices a student at their best and worst, and befriends that student, will likely be the first person they introduce to their family at commencement.&nbsp;I&nbsp;also&nbsp;know that the dining hall worker who&nbsp;remembers&nbsp;the favorite foods of our students is one of&nbsp;our&nbsp;strongest&nbsp;student&nbsp;success tools.&nbsp;I know&nbsp;that&nbsp;the professor&nbsp;who&nbsp;calls all of&nbsp;her&nbsp;students by&nbsp;name and models&nbsp;grace&nbsp;is one of&nbsp;our&nbsp;most vital&nbsp;assets.&nbsp;And&nbsp;I know that staff&nbsp;who notice&nbsp;a&nbsp;student,&nbsp;who, like the elderly gentleman in the story,&nbsp;is&nbsp;sitting alone and&nbsp;makes&nbsp;time to learn&nbsp;that student’s&nbsp;story&nbsp;is&nbsp;demonstratingthe&nbsp;authentic sense of community&nbsp;that&nbsp;makes Tiger Nation so special.Simply put, the more we multiply our efforts in investing&nbsp;in&nbsp;one another&nbsp;and focusing&nbsp;on a person’s greatest&nbsp;need,&nbsp;the stronger&nbsp;our community&nbsp;becomes.&nbsp;As a result, we&nbsp;find joy, hope, connection, and gratitude.The lesson&nbsp;I carry from this daddy-daughter Valentine’s&nbsp;Day&nbsp;date&nbsp;is&nbsp;that in the business of&nbsp;ourworld, it is so important to notice, to be curious, and to be brave.&nbsp;

Heart of a Tiger: Responding to the greater need

2023&nbsp;SENATE&nbsp;SCENE WEEK FIVE Feb. 15, 2023

Last week marked the fifth week of session with the first half of the legislative session almost behind us.&nbsp; As we approach “turn-around” the&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;held floor debate on Tuesday and Thursday and worked bills which were sent out of committees to the full&nbsp;Senate.&nbsp; The bills voted on by the full&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;now cross over to the House of Representatives where the process starts over.&nbsp;

DIRECTOR OF KBI &amp; OTHER APPOINTMENTS CONFIRMED&nbsp; The Director of the KBI was nominated by Attorney General Kobach while the other nominations were made by the governor.

Anthony Mattivi was named the 13th&nbsp;Director of Kansas Bureau of Investigation on Thursday, February 9th.&nbsp; Tony served as a federal prosecutor for over 20 years as an assistant United States Attorney.&nbsp; He was the lead prosecutor for the capital case against the al Qaeda operative who masterminded the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000.&nbsp; He also worked for the US Department of Justice’s (USDOJ) Regime Crimes Liaison Office in Iraq, advising the Iraqi High Tribunal as they tried members of Saddam Hussein’s regime for committing war crimes.&nbsp;

Other appointments approved:&nbsp; State Civil Service Board, Chrystal Krier and Jacob Miller; State Board of Indigents Defense Services, Maurice Brewer and Alexandra Rose; and State Banking Board, Ruth Stevenson, Lea Tatum-Haskell, and Patrick Walden.&nbsp; All nominees were by unanimous vote in the full&nbsp;Senate.&nbsp;

FLOOR ACTION – BILLS VOTED ON AND PASSED OUT OF THE&nbsp;SENATE

Dozens of bills are making their way through the legislative process and this week, a series of bills from the Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance and the Capitol Preservation Committee made their way to the&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;floor.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb14/" target="_blank">SB 14</a>&nbsp;<a>updates&nbsp;</a>the version of risk-based capital instructions in effect.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 14 passed 39-0.&nbsp;<a>&nbsp;I voted yes.</a>

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb15/" target="_blank">SB 15</a>&nbsp;removes the requirement of a documented written demand for premiums as part of a prima facie case against agents or brokers who fail to pay premiums due.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 15 passed 39-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;I voted yes.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb17/" target="_blank">SB 17</a>&nbsp;reduces the size of government by modifying the requirement to report individuals who solicit memberships on behalf of prepaid service plans from semi-annually to annually and upon application for registration and&nbsp;discontinuing payment of annual registration&nbsp;<a>fees for such plans</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 17 passed 39-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;I voted yes.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb25/" target="_blank">SB 25</a>&nbsp;is a tax cut, decreasing&nbsp;<a>the premium&nbsp;</a>tax rate imposed on surplus lines insurance from 6% to 4%.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 25 passed 39-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;I voted yes.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb26/" target="_blank">SB 26</a>&nbsp;specifies certain requirements necessary to demonstrate fiscal soundness for health maintenance organizations and Medicare provider organizations applying for certificates of authority.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 26 passed 38-1.&nbsp; I voted yes.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb19/" target="_blank">SB 19</a>&nbsp;requires certain premium taxes to be paid 90 days after each calendar year and basing such premium taxes upon the gross premiums collected for the&nbsp;previous year.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 19 passed 39‑0.&nbsp; I voted yes.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb42/" target="_blank">SB 42</a>&nbsp;authorizes payment claims of certain claims against the state.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 42 passed 39-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;I voted yes. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb11/" target="_blank">SB 11</a>&nbsp;would authorize the Capitol Preservation Committee to develop and approve the Ad Astra Plaza on capitol area grounds.&nbsp; The Plaza would include a life-size sculpture of the Ad Astra statute that tops the State Capitol Building, bronze plaques, and donor bricks.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 11 passed 39‑0.&nbsp; I voted yes.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb39/" target="_blank">SB 39</a>&nbsp;would provide for the development of a mural in the Statehouse honoring the 1st Kansas (Colored) Voluntary Infantry Regiment and establish a fund for such purpose.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 39 passed 39-0.&nbsp;I voted yes.

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

KANSAS.GOV – FILE YOUR TAXES FOR FREE

You can file your Kansas Income Tax Return and Homestead Refund Claim with Kansas WebFile, a free state tax return service provided by the Kansas Department of Revenue and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansas.gov/" target="_blank">www.Kansas.gov</a>.

Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslib.info%2FFergusons&amp;data=04%7C01%7CCindy.Roupe%40ks.gov%7C2686943afc684980dcbb08d8d8d33b0c%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637497749022293563%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=%2BCZBoEtk8v5za0dHvLoUiv%2FNpMfJOQDL%2F%2FRzLXOiDvo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://kslib.info/Fergusons</a>&nbsp;is an online career exploration and planning resource provided by the State Library of Kansas.&nbsp; It provides detailed and up-to-date profiles of thousands of today’s most popular jobs.&nbsp; Included:&nbsp; an undergraduate and graduate school finder, planning timelines that cover education to career, and a database of sample resumes and cover letters.&nbsp; A section on apprenticeships includes advice on applying and interviewing along with key skills for success.&nbsp; For someone seeking a summer internship:&nbsp; advice on resumes, creating an online persona, and how to recognize a quality internship program.

If the above link asks for a Kansas Library eCard number, you may get one at any library in Kansas.&nbsp; Most schools and Kansans will be automatically recognized as being in Kansas and will not need this step.&nbsp; Questions:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kslc@ks.gov" target="_blank">kslc@ks.gov</a>.

TOUR THE STATE CAPITOL AND STATE-OWNED HISTORICAL SITES FROM HOME

Take an online tour of the magnificent Kansas State Capitol, floor by floor at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843" target="_blank">https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843</a>.&nbsp; The classically inspired building is an impressive public monument as well as the working offices for the governor and legislators. The building holds a dramatic array of art, architecture, and colorful Kansas history.&nbsp; There are also 16 state-owned sites, administered by the Kansas Historical Society, to explore different topics in our state’s fascinating history.&nbsp; Two of these sites in&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;District #36 are Hollenberg Pony Express Station in Hanover and Pawnee Indian Museum in Republic.&nbsp;

I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature.&nbsp; Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.

Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E 300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a> 785-296-7389 <a href="https://elainebowers.com/" target="_blank">https://elainebowers.com/</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>

Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644853578448.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>2023&nbsp;SENATE&nbsp;SCENE WEEK FIVE Feb. 15, 2023SENATE&nbsp;HIGHLIGHTSLast week marked the fifth week of session with the first half of the legislative session almost behind us.&nbsp; As we approach “turn-around” the&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;held floor debate on Tuesday and Thursday and worked bills which were sent out of committees to the full&nbsp;Senate.&nbsp; The bills voted on by the full&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;now cross over to the House of Representatives where the process starts over.&nbsp;DIRECTOR OF KBI &amp; OTHER APPOINTMENTS CONFIRMED&nbsp; The Director of the KBI was nominated by Attorney General Kobach while the other nominations were made by the governor.Anthony Mattivi was named the 13th&nbsp;Director of Kansas Bureau of Investigation on Thursday, February 9th.&nbsp; Tony served as a federal prosecutor for over 20 years as an assistant United States Attorney.&nbsp; He was the lead prosecutor for the capital case against the al Qaeda operative who masterminded the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000.&nbsp; He also worked for the US Department of Justice’s (USDOJ) Regime Crimes Liaison Office in Iraq, advising the Iraqi High Tribunal as they tried members of Saddam Hussein’s regime for committing war crimes.&nbsp;Other appointments approved:&nbsp; State Civil Service Board, Chrystal Krier and Jacob Miller; State Board of Indigents Defense Services, Maurice Brewer and Alexandra Rose; and State Banking Board, Ruth Stevenson, Lea Tatum-Haskell, and Patrick Walden.&nbsp; All nominees were by unanimous vote in the full&nbsp;Senate.&nbsp;FLOOR ACTION – BILLS VOTED ON AND PASSED OUT OF THE&nbsp;SENATEDozens of bills are making their way through the legislative process and this week, a series of bills from the Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance and the Capitol Preservation Committee made their way to the&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;floor.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb14/" target="_blank">SB 14</a>&nbsp;<a>updates&nbsp;</a>the version of risk-based capital instructions in effect.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 14 passed 39-0.&nbsp;<a>&nbsp;I voted yes.</a><a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb15/" target="_blank">SB 15</a>&nbsp;removes the requirement of a documented written demand for premiums as part of a prima facie case against agents or brokers who fail to pay premiums due.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 15 passed 39-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;I voted yes.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb17/" target="_blank">SB 17</a>&nbsp;reduces the size of government by modifying the requirement to report individuals who solicit memberships on behalf of prepaid service plans from semi-annually to annually and upon application for registration and&nbsp;discontinuing payment of annual registration&nbsp;<a>fees for such plans</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 17 passed 39-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;I voted yes.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb25/" target="_blank">SB 25</a>&nbsp;is a tax cut, decreasing&nbsp;<a>the premium&nbsp;</a>tax rate imposed on surplus lines insurance from 6% to 4%.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 25 passed 39-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;I voted yes.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb26/" target="_blank">SB 26</a>&nbsp;specifies certain requirements necessary to demonstrate fiscal soundness for health maintenance organizations and Medicare provider organizations applying for certificates of authority.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 26 passed 38-1.&nbsp; I voted yes.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb19/" target="_blank">SB 19</a>&nbsp;requires certain premium taxes to be paid 90 days after each calendar year and basing such premium taxes upon the gross premiums collected for the&nbsp;previous year.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 19 passed 39‑0.&nbsp; I voted yes.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb42/" target="_blank">SB 42</a>&nbsp;authorizes payment claims of certain claims against the state.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 42 passed 39-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;I voted yes. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb11/" target="_blank">SB 11</a>&nbsp;would authorize the Capitol Preservation Committee to develop and approve the Ad Astra Plaza on capitol area grounds.&nbsp; The Plaza would include a life-size sculpture of the Ad Astra statute that tops the State Capitol Building, bronze plaques, and donor bricks.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 11 passed 39‑0.&nbsp; I voted yes.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb39/" target="_blank">SB 39</a>&nbsp;would provide for the development of a mural in the Statehouse honoring the 1st Kansas (Colored) Voluntary Infantry Regiment and establish a fund for such purpose.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 39 passed 39-0.&nbsp;I voted yes.Full texts of the bills and supplemental notes as well as the Final Action vote on these measures can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>.&nbsp;KANSAS.GOV – FILE YOUR TAXES FOR FREEYou can file your Kansas Income Tax Return and Homestead Refund Claim with Kansas WebFile, a free state tax return service provided by the Kansas Department of Revenue and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansas.gov/" target="_blank">www.Kansas.gov</a>.FROM THE STATE LIBRARYFerguson’s Career Guidance Center&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslib.info%2FFergusons&amp;data=04%7C01%7CCindy.Roupe%40ks.gov%7C2686943afc684980dcbb08d8d8d33b0c%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637497749022293563%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=%2BCZBoEtk8v5za0dHvLoUiv%2FNpMfJOQDL%2F%2FRzLXOiDvo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://kslib.info/Fergusons</a>&nbsp;is an online career exploration and planning resource provided by the State Library of Kansas.&nbsp; It provides detailed and up-to-date profiles of thousands of today’s most popular jobs.&nbsp; Included:&nbsp; an undergraduate and graduate school finder, planning timelines that cover education to career, and a database of sample resumes and cover letters.&nbsp; A section on apprenticeships includes advice on applying and interviewing along with key skills for success.&nbsp; For someone seeking a summer internship:&nbsp; advice on resumes, creating an online persona, and how to recognize a quality internship program.If the above link asks for a Kansas Library eCard number, you may get one at any library in Kansas.&nbsp; Most schools and Kansans will be automatically recognized as being in Kansas and will not need this step.&nbsp; Questions:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kslc@ks.gov" target="_blank">kslc@ks.gov</a>.TOUR THE STATE CAPITOL AND STATE-OWNED HISTORICAL SITES FROM HOMETake an online tour of the magnificent Kansas State Capitol, floor by floor at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843" target="_blank">https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843</a>.&nbsp; The classically inspired building is an impressive public monument as well as the working offices for the governor and legislators. The building holds a dramatic array of art, architecture, and colorful Kansas history.&nbsp; There are also 16 state-owned sites, administered by the Kansas Historical Society, to explore different topics in our state’s fascinating history.&nbsp; Two of these sites in&nbsp;Senate&nbsp;District #36 are Hollenberg Pony Express Station in Hanover and Pawnee Indian Museum in Republic.&nbsp;I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature.&nbsp; Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.Thank you for the honor of serving you!Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E 300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a> 785-296-7389 <a href="https://elainebowers.com/" target="_blank">https://elainebowers.com/</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a> Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas.

BOWERS: Senate Scene Week 5, Feb. 15, 2023

The Rahjes Report February 15, 2023

We are on week six of this legislative session. I apologize for the absence of these updates the last few weeks. I have been dealing with technical issues, that I hope are now resolved. 

This week we will have a busy week of bill hearings and final action in committees that will make for longer days on the house floor next week. The first “half” of the session will be here soon, so we will have a good idea of what bills will be voted on and if approved will head to the senate and vice-versa. 

As a reminder, if a bill is not granted a hearing or worked for final action in committee, there will be time next year. We have had several groups and individuals come to the capital and it is always good to hear directly from folks who come to share their ideas and concerns.

Passed: HB 2010 – Updating a statutory cross reference to provide proper jury instruction in cases when a defendant lacks the required mental state to commit a crime. This bill is a technical update deleting an old cross reference and replacing it with a new statute. It does not change the underlying aspect of the statute which relates to a person found not-guilty because of mental disease or defect.

HB 2033 – Changing the criteria used to refer and admit juveniles to a juvenile crisis intervention center. This bill clarifies and adds definitions for mental health and behavioral health crises in order to allow flexibility for crisis intervention. Intervention centers will now be better able to offer their services to minors who are exhibiting extreme behaviors that previously would not have received help as easily.

HB 2042 - Authorizing towing by self-storage unit operators of motor vehicles, watercraft or trailers for nonpayment of rent or abandonment and providing for notice to occupants, a right of redemption prior to towing and liability protection for operators. Today, self-storage business operators must go through government agencies to get a vehicle towed off their property if a client defaults on their contract. This leads to gridlock and hampering their abilities to conduct business. With this bill, they can arrange the towing themselves with prior notice to a customer in default.

HB 2065 - Allowing a court to change a spouse's name to a name that is different than a maiden or former name during a divorce proceeding. Current law only allows for a spouse undergoing a divorce to change their name to a previously used name or a maiden name. This bill allows for the spouse to select a different name if desired.

HB 2069 - Providing that the service of post release supervision period shall not toll except as otherwise provided by law. This bill will help in achieving more consistency in the courts statewide. When an offender is on supervision for a crime committed and is arrested for an alleged new crime, this legislation clarifies how the time spent in jail is credited. The time is credited to the original case first and then to the new case if applicable.

HB 2070 - Allowing certain nondrug offenders to participate in a certified drug abuse treatment program. The bill expands and clarifies which offenders are eligible for non-prison drug treatment programs. This allows offenders who suffer with addiction that have been convicted of felony property&nbsp;crimes to have access to treatment as part of their sentence. The bill is supported by law enforcement officers across the state, who believe that this can have a great impact in reducing future crimes.

SCR 1602 - Disapproving the designation of the lesser prairie chicken as a threatened species in Kansas by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. I carried this resolution on the house floor. Simply put, Kansas knows what's best for Kansas. Kansas farmers and ranchers already provide private efforts to protect the lesser prairie chicken that go above and beyond any measures the federal government is seeking to impose. While this is a symbolic gesture, it is very important that we stand with our Kansas Congressional delegation in opposition to the designation of the lesser prairie chicken as a threatened species.

You can follow along on happenings in the legislature online at <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/">kslegislature.org</a> and when the house and senate are on the floor or in committees you can see all of them on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel.

I have moved offices and now located at 186-W, which is the northwest corner of the capital. My assistant again this year is Terry Benitis. If you would like to contact me, Email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov, phone during the session 785-296-7463 or you can always try my cell number at 785-302-8416. If you have a young person who would like to come and spend the day as a Legislative Page, please let me know as soon as possible and we will work on what is a good day for that to happen.

Thanks for reading. It is my honor to serve you.

Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676473190864.jpeg" alt="Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th district, speaks in Hays on Feb. 4. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th district, speaks in Hays on Feb. 4. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The Rahjes Report February 15, 2023Hello from Topeka. We are on week six of this legislative session. I apologize for the absence of these updates the last few weeks. I have been dealing with technical issues, that I hope are now resolved. This week we will have a busy week of bill hearings and final action in committees that will make for longer days on the house floor next week. The first “half” of the session will be here soon, so we will have a good idea of what bills will be voted on and if approved will head to the senate and vice-versa. As a reminder, if a bill is not granted a hearing or worked for final action in committee, there will be time next year. We have had several groups and individuals come to the capital and it is always good to hear directly from folks who come to share their ideas and concerns.Some of the floor action last week:Passed: HB 2010 – Updating a statutory cross reference to provide proper jury instruction in cases when a defendant lacks the required mental state to commit a crime. This bill is a technical update deleting an old cross reference and replacing it with a new statute. It does not change the underlying aspect of the statute which relates to a person found not-guilty because of mental disease or defect.HB 2033 – Changing the criteria used to refer and admit juveniles to a juvenile crisis intervention center. This bill clarifies and adds definitions for mental health and behavioral health crises in order to allow flexibility for crisis intervention. Intervention centers will now be better able to offer their services to minors who are exhibiting extreme behaviors that previously would not have received help as easily.HB 2042 - Authorizing towing by self-storage unit operators of motor vehicles, watercraft or trailers for nonpayment of rent or abandonment and providing for notice to occupants, a right of redemption prior to towing and liability protection for operators. Today, self-storage business operators must go through government agencies to get a vehicle towed off their property if a client defaults on their contract. This leads to gridlock and hampering their abilities to conduct business. With this bill, they can arrange the towing themselves with prior notice to a customer in default.HB 2065 - Allowing a court to change a spouse's name to a name that is different than a maiden or former name during a divorce proceeding. Current law only allows for a spouse undergoing a divorce to change their name to a previously used name or a maiden name. This bill allows for the spouse to select a different name if desired.HB 2069 - Providing that the service of post release supervision period shall not toll except as otherwise provided by law. This bill will help in achieving more consistency in the courts statewide. When an offender is on supervision for a crime committed and is arrested for an alleged new crime, this legislation clarifies how the time spent in jail is credited. The time is credited to the original case first and then to the new case if applicable.HB 2070 - Allowing certain nondrug offenders to participate in a certified drug abuse treatment program. The bill expands and clarifies which offenders are eligible for non-prison drug treatment programs. This allows offenders who suffer with addiction that have been convicted of felony property&nbsp;crimes to have access to treatment as part of their sentence. The bill is supported by law enforcement officers across the state, who believe that this can have a great impact in reducing future crimes.SCR 1602 - Disapproving the designation of the lesser prairie chicken as a threatened species in Kansas by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. I carried this resolution on the house floor. Simply put, Kansas knows what's best for Kansas. Kansas farmers and ranchers already provide private efforts to protect the lesser prairie chicken that go above and beyond any measures the federal government is seeking to impose. While this is a symbolic gesture, it is very important that we stand with our Kansas Congressional delegation in opposition to the designation of the lesser prairie chicken as a threatened species.You can follow along on happenings in the legislature online at <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/">kslegislature.org</a> and when the house and senate are on the floor or in committees you can see all of them on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel. I have moved offices and now located at 186-W, which is the northwest corner of the capital. My assistant again this year is Terry Benitis. If you would like to contact me, Email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov, phone during the session 785-296-7463 or you can always try my cell number at 785-302-8416. If you have a young person who would like to come and spend the day as a Legislative Page, please let me know as soon as possible and we will work on what is a good day for that to happen.Thanks for reading. It is my honor to serve you.Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist.

RAHJES REPORT: February 15, 2023

By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt&nbsp;County farmer and rancher Calving season started on our farm last week with the arrival of three babies. For roughly two months our cows and their newborn babies will be the center of all our attention. This season has become one of my favorite parts of the farm year. Even though I grew up on a dairy farm, calves arriving in this small window was new to me as our dairy calving was staggered throughout the year. Calving is a time of long hours, spontaneous burst of intensity and nights filled with worry. But it is also filled with stretches of quiet serenity, the wonder of new life and a rhythm of routine that fills me with peace and gratitude. The births are unpredictable — a little bit like knowing you are going to have a house guest but not knowing when they will arrive. We are nervous the calves will show up in the middle of the night or when you are away from home, but we can’t spend all of our time watching and waiting. &nbsp;Day or night, the births often happen without issue and a cow with good maternal instinct will have the young one clean, feeding and walking around the pasture within 24 hours. Occasionally things don’t go as planned and we have to step-in and help things along. This is most likely to happen for those giving birth for the first time or on very cold nights. When we help by pulling a calf, warming them inside or occasionally feeding them colostrum, there is a lot of worry and hope that the calf will make it. Knowing that the natural course of calving means some won’t survive doesn’t ever make it easier to lose one. Like a doctor making rounds, farmers ride through their pastures multiples times a day during calving season. We are on the lookout for dark patches in the grass that might be a calf, cows with twitchy tails or away from the herd, which are both signs they are close to delivery. This exercise of checking the herd doubles as the practice of mindfulness, the therapeutic technique of focusing on the present to relieve stress, because all of our energy is spent paying attention to the things happening in the moment. The views during this season are unforgettable, too. I have always thought Kansas is at its height of beauty on warm February days when the sun is shining and cows are grazing on wheat that has greened up.&nbsp; Evening checks are always my favorite. The “how was your day,” conversation on the drive to the field fades away as we start the check and need to focus on the task at hand. As the days have started to get a little longer, the fading sun creates a picturesque world framed by the most beautiful colors the sky can paint. A feeling of peace and wonder settles in during these marvelous moments. Every day the work is the same: look for new calves to tag, check on cows who are getting close to delivery, check the water and roll out a feed bale if needed. These are simple steps of a routine that never feel that way; each day is challenging and gratifying in its own ways. The weeks of calving season are filled with hard work, lots of stress and little sleep. They also generate enough beauty and contentment to fuel my soul for the coming year. If you don’t have calves of your own, when you next pass a field of cows grazing stop to enjoy a moment of beauty and remember the farmers who keep watch at all hours’ day and night. "Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575406519723.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt&nbsp;County farmer and rancher Calving season started on our farm last week with the arrival of three babies. For roughly two months our cows and their newborn babies will be the center of all our attention. This season has become one of my favorite parts of the farm year. Even though I grew up on a dairy farm, calves arriving in this small window was new to me as our dairy calving was staggered throughout the year. Calving is a time of long hours, spontaneous burst of intensity and nights filled with worry. But it is also filled with stretches of quiet serenity, the wonder of new life and a rhythm of routine that fills me with peace and gratitude. The births are unpredictable — a little bit like knowing you are going to have a house guest but not knowing when they will arrive. We are nervous the calves will show up in the middle of the night or when you are away from home, but we can’t spend all of our time watching and waiting. &nbsp;Day or night, the births often happen without issue and a cow with good maternal instinct will have the young one clean, feeding and walking around the pasture within 24 hours. Occasionally things don’t go as planned and we have to step-in and help things along. This is most likely to happen for those giving birth for the first time or on very cold nights. When we help by pulling a calf, warming them inside or occasionally feeding them colostrum, there is a lot of worry and hope that the calf will make it. Knowing that the natural course of calving means some won’t survive doesn’t ever make it easier to lose one. Like a doctor making rounds, farmers ride through their pastures multiples times a day during calving season. We are on the lookout for dark patches in the grass that might be a calf, cows with twitchy tails or away from the herd, which are both signs they are close to delivery. This exercise of checking the herd doubles as the practice of mindfulness, the therapeutic technique of focusing on the present to relieve stress, because all of our energy is spent paying attention to the things happening in the moment. The views during this season are unforgettable, too. I have always thought Kansas is at its height of beauty on warm February days when the sun is shining and cows are grazing on wheat that has greened up.&nbsp; Evening checks are always my favorite. The “how was your day,” conversation on the drive to the field fades away as we start the check and need to focus on the task at hand. As the days have started to get a little longer, the fading sun creates a picturesque world framed by the most beautiful colors the sky can paint. A feeling of peace and wonder settles in during these marvelous moments. Every day the work is the same: look for new calves to tag, check on cows who are getting close to delivery, check the water and roll out a feed bale if needed. These are simple steps of a routine that never feel that way; each day is challenging and gratifying in its own ways. The weeks of calving season are filled with hard work, lots of stress and little sleep. They also generate enough beauty and contentment to fuel my soul for the coming year. If you don’t have calves of your own, when you next pass a field of cows grazing stop to enjoy a moment of beauty and remember the farmers who keep watch at all hours’ day and night. "Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: The rhythm of calving

February&nbsp;arrives,&nbsp;bringing with it&nbsp;Valentines, MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, and tax prep time. Some&nbsp;recollect&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;also&nbsp;down-to-the-wire&nbsp;time for&nbsp;junior&nbsp;classes&nbsp;and prom sponsors. Yes,&nbsp;for&nbsp;that memory-making night&nbsp;to occur&nbsp;as&nbsp;scheduled, it’s time to spend money juniors&nbsp;raised their&nbsp;previous&nbsp;two-and-a-half years&nbsp;of high school while mining the depths of teenage energy&nbsp;and teaching life lessons.

​Anyone&nbsp;who&nbsp;attended&nbsp;western Kansas&nbsp;schools&nbsp;will&nbsp;read&nbsp;this&nbsp;and&nbsp;take a nostalgic&nbsp;journey.Remember&nbsp;hours&nbsp;spent&nbsp;scouring&nbsp;thick&nbsp;catalogues to&nbsp;pick&nbsp;themes&nbsp;and decor, selecting&nbsp;a logo&nbsp;unique to&nbsp;the&nbsp;class,&nbsp;ordering logo-embossed glasses and napkins,&nbsp;and considering&nbsp;menus.&nbsp;Proms require&nbsp;time,&nbsp;analysis,&nbsp;effort,&nbsp;budgeting,&nbsp;mediation, and&nbsp;strong&nbsp;interpersonal skills.&nbsp;A highlight of&nbsp;11th&nbsp;grade&nbsp;is this effort&nbsp;toward a common goal.

​While&nbsp;prom night lasts approximately six hours,&nbsp;excluding&nbsp;after-prom activities,&nbsp;hosting a successful event&nbsp;requires&nbsp;juniors, parents,&nbsp;administrators,&nbsp;janitors, cooks,&nbsp;and sponsors&nbsp;to commit 1000s of hours&nbsp;beginning with fund-raising throughout freshman and sophomore years.In small&nbsp;schools,&nbsp;already-busy&nbsp;kids&nbsp;sign up for everything;&nbsp;otherwise,&nbsp;prom&nbsp;won’t&nbsp;happen.&nbsp;

​During planning 101,&nbsp;the class&nbsp;selects&nbsp;a&nbsp;theme. Simple, right? Keep in mind males and females&nbsp;do&nbsp;not&nbsp;think alike.&nbsp;To complicate matters,&nbsp;some&nbsp;individuals&nbsp;like fancy&nbsp;and others&nbsp;plain.&nbsp;Toss&nbsp;in&nbsp;video game and movie&nbsp;special effect concepts kids&nbsp;admire, and throw in veteran sponsors who know how long it&nbsp;actually&nbsp;takes to decorate and tear down decorations. It&nbsp;triggers&nbsp;new appreciation for&nbsp;crepe paper streamer and balloon décor&nbsp;days. Granted it takes a while to cut and hang enough crepe to form a big top over the dining and dancing area, but. . ..

​After picking a theme,&nbsp;planners&nbsp;review their&nbsp;budget&nbsp;again. Sponsors&nbsp;assisted by sophomore leaders&nbsp;scheduled&nbsp;a&nbsp;DJ&nbsp;the year before, a known expense,&nbsp;to guarantee&nbsp;this year’s music.&nbsp;While one group selects&nbsp;styles and logos for&nbsp;glassware and napkins, another&nbsp;consults the head cook&nbsp;for&nbsp;menu options.&nbsp;Others&nbsp;pour through catalogues,&nbsp;choosing decoration&nbsp;choices&nbsp;to share with classmates.&nbsp;Budget&nbsp;drives all decision-making. The class can only spend what it earned.

Organizing&nbsp;a function of this size&nbsp;challenges everyone involved. Factor in interpersonal issues&nbsp;and&nbsp;stress&nbsp;multiplies when juniors gather&nbsp;to&nbsp;vote.&nbsp;Everyone values&nbsp;individualism until&nbsp;a class&nbsp;must&nbsp;decide&nbsp;NOW.&nbsp;Good mediators or&nbsp;uneven enrollment&nbsp;numbers&nbsp;to&nbsp;prevent ties&nbsp;make&nbsp;for faster&nbsp;decisions.

​By February’s end,&nbsp;juniors&nbsp;have ordered supplies,&nbsp;established&nbsp;menus, and set up&nbsp;before and&nbsp;after&nbsp;school and weekend&nbsp;decorating&nbsp;schedules around academics, music, athletics,&nbsp;plays, forensics, jobs,&nbsp;friends,&nbsp;and family. Oh, and guys order tuxes while gals search for perfect prom dresses.&nbsp;Far-sighted&nbsp;juniors&nbsp;make&nbsp;corsage and boutonniere, hair, tanning, and nail appointments as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;

​One night in late April or early May,&nbsp;this&nbsp;well-dressed&nbsp;group of teens who graduate in another year hosts an event that&nbsp;becomes&nbsp;a life-long&nbsp;memory for them, families and friends,&nbsp;and the seniors they honor. Their efforts taught them&nbsp;to&nbsp;budget,&nbsp;plan,&nbsp;organize,&nbsp;work&nbsp;hard,&nbsp;deal with adversity, and collaborate with others.&nbsp;Best school lesson ever.

Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and
 sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

​By KAREN MADORINFebruary&nbsp;arrives,&nbsp;bringing with it&nbsp;Valentines, MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, and tax prep time. Some&nbsp;recollect&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;also&nbsp;down-to-the-wire&nbsp;time for&nbsp;junior&nbsp;classes&nbsp;and prom sponsors. Yes,&nbsp;for&nbsp;that memory-making night&nbsp;to occur&nbsp;as&nbsp;scheduled, it’s time to spend money juniors&nbsp;raised their&nbsp;previous&nbsp;two-and-a-half years&nbsp;of high school while mining the depths of teenage energy&nbsp;and teaching life lessons.​Anyone&nbsp;who&nbsp;attended&nbsp;western Kansas&nbsp;schools&nbsp;will&nbsp;read&nbsp;this&nbsp;and&nbsp;take a nostalgic&nbsp;journey.Remember&nbsp;hours&nbsp;spent&nbsp;scouring&nbsp;thick&nbsp;catalogues to&nbsp;pick&nbsp;themes&nbsp;and decor, selecting&nbsp;a logo&nbsp;unique to&nbsp;the&nbsp;class,&nbsp;ordering logo-embossed glasses and napkins,&nbsp;and considering&nbsp;menus.&nbsp;Proms require&nbsp;time,&nbsp;analysis,&nbsp;effort,&nbsp;budgeting,&nbsp;mediation, and&nbsp;strong&nbsp;interpersonal skills.&nbsp;A highlight of&nbsp;11th&nbsp;grade&nbsp;is this effort&nbsp;toward a common goal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>​While&nbsp;prom night lasts approximately six hours,&nbsp;excluding&nbsp;after-prom activities,&nbsp;hosting a successful event&nbsp;requires&nbsp;juniors, parents,&nbsp;administrators,&nbsp;janitors, cooks,&nbsp;and sponsors&nbsp;to commit 1000s of hours&nbsp;beginning with fund-raising throughout freshman and sophomore years.In small&nbsp;schools,&nbsp;already-busy&nbsp;kids&nbsp;sign up for everything;&nbsp;otherwise,&nbsp;prom&nbsp;won’t&nbsp;happen.&nbsp;​During planning 101,&nbsp;the class&nbsp;selects&nbsp;a&nbsp;theme. Simple, right? Keep in mind males and females&nbsp;do&nbsp;not&nbsp;think alike.&nbsp;To complicate matters,&nbsp;some&nbsp;individuals&nbsp;like fancy&nbsp;and others&nbsp;plain.&nbsp;Toss&nbsp;in&nbsp;video game and movie&nbsp;special effect concepts kids&nbsp;admire, and throw in veteran sponsors who know how long it&nbsp;actually&nbsp;takes to decorate and tear down decorations. It&nbsp;triggers&nbsp;new appreciation for&nbsp;crepe paper streamer and balloon décor&nbsp;days. Granted it takes a while to cut and hang enough crepe to form a big top over the dining and dancing area, but. . ..​After picking a theme,&nbsp;planners&nbsp;review their&nbsp;budget&nbsp;again. Sponsors&nbsp;assisted by sophomore leaders&nbsp;scheduled&nbsp;a&nbsp;DJ&nbsp;the year before, a known expense,&nbsp;to guarantee&nbsp;this year’s music.&nbsp;While one group selects&nbsp;styles and logos for&nbsp;glassware and napkins, another&nbsp;consults the head cook&nbsp;for&nbsp;menu options.&nbsp;Others&nbsp;pour through catalogues,&nbsp;choosing decoration&nbsp;choices&nbsp;to share with classmates.&nbsp;Budget&nbsp;drives all decision-making. The class can only spend what it earned.Organizing&nbsp;a function of this size&nbsp;challenges everyone involved. Factor in interpersonal issues&nbsp;and&nbsp;stress&nbsp;multiplies when juniors gather&nbsp;to&nbsp;vote.&nbsp;Everyone values&nbsp;individualism until&nbsp;a class&nbsp;must&nbsp;decide&nbsp;NOW.&nbsp;Good mediators or&nbsp;uneven enrollment&nbsp;numbers&nbsp;to&nbsp;prevent ties&nbsp;make&nbsp;for faster&nbsp;decisions.​By February’s end,&nbsp;juniors&nbsp;have ordered supplies,&nbsp;established&nbsp;menus, and set up&nbsp;before and&nbsp;after&nbsp;school and weekend&nbsp;decorating&nbsp;schedules around academics, music, athletics,&nbsp;plays, forensics, jobs,&nbsp;friends,&nbsp;and family. Oh, and guys order tuxes while gals search for perfect prom dresses.&nbsp;Far-sighted&nbsp;juniors&nbsp;make&nbsp;corsage and boutonniere, hair, tanning, and nail appointments as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;​One night in late April or early May,&nbsp;this&nbsp;well-dressed&nbsp;group of teens who graduate in another year hosts an event that&nbsp;becomes&nbsp;a life-long&nbsp;memory for them, families and friends,&nbsp;and the seniors they honor. Their efforts taught them&nbsp;to&nbsp;budget,&nbsp;plan,&nbsp;organize,&nbsp;work&nbsp;hard,&nbsp;deal with adversity, and collaborate with others.&nbsp;Best school lesson ever.Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and
 sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

MADORIN: Prom — behind the scenes

Gov.
 Laura Kelly mentioned Kansas’ water crisis in her 2023 State of the State Address, but so far she has proposed few specific policies to alleviate the problem.&nbsp; Will this be the year that Kansas policymakers step up?

Some
 90 years ago, the state endured the catastrophic Dust Bowl from 1931 to 1939.&nbsp; This tragedy was not caused by drought alone.&nbsp; The Dust Bowl was aided and abetted by the removal of natural grasslands for farmland.&nbsp; Tilling the soil made it vulnerable to drought
 and wind, and much of the topsoil blew away.&nbsp; Agricultural policies during the New Deal era aimed to prevent a second disaster.&nbsp; They included planting trees as windbreaks, offering incentives for low- and no-till farming, paying farmers to leave land fallow
 on a rotating basis, and the creation of soil and water conservation districts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today,
 we face a similar crisis with the High Plains Aquifer.&nbsp; Discovered in the late 1800s, the Aquifer is the reason why much of today’s agriculture in Western Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma is possible.&nbsp; Large-scale reliance on the Aquifer followed, with center-pivot
 irrigation becoming popular by the late Twentieth Century.&nbsp; Once known as the “Great American Desert,” suddenly this land could support non-drought resistant crops including soybeans and corn, in addition to winter wheat, which was already being grown there.
 In those earlier days, there were minimal limitations on how much water could be pumped and the level fell accordingly. &nbsp; Rainfall amounts vary greatly from year to year, and water levels vary in different places, but on balance, the water levels in the Aquifer
 have been falling for some time.&nbsp; Agriculture accounts for 94% of groundwater use in Kansas, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.

Thirty-seven
 years ago, author Marc Reisner’s 1986 book "Cadillac Desert"&nbsp; concluded that the Aquifer would one day reach a level where no more water could be pumped, effectively shutting down most agriculture in and around Western Kansas.&nbsp; Reisner also chronicled various proposals, some of which were downright bizarre, such as making
 entire rivers flow in the opposite direction.&nbsp; Wisely, policymakers rejected such foolishness. Not so wisely, they chose instead to implement only limited solutions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today,
 climate change complicates the problem further.&nbsp; Droughts have become more common, and average temperatures around here have risen by 1.5 degrees.&nbsp; Hotter temperatures mean more evaporation.&nbsp; Rainfall patterns throughout the year are changing, necessitating
 more adaptations.

Unfortunately,
 our farmers still face strong incentives to pump as much water as possible.&nbsp; Water rights have been set for well users for some time, but regulation and compliance are complicated.&nbsp; Droplines reduce lost water from center-pivot systems, but they are not enough
 without additional changes such as increased crop rotation.&nbsp; The United States continues to overproduce corn, a water-intensive, heat-sensitive crop that is not the best fit for Western Kansas’ climate, though newer farm legislation has begun to move away
 from that.&nbsp; Other waterways are threatened, too.

Without strong, bipartisan leadership, this issue could be yet another one sucked into our country’s wider
 culture wars, sowing distrust and making it harder to reach agreements between farmers and other conservation advocates.&nbsp; That would be a shame.&nbsp; Kansas farmers proudly help feed the world.&nbsp; The decisions we make today will decide if they can do so in the
 future.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639601062071.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>Gov.
 Laura Kelly mentioned Kansas’ water crisis in her 2023 State of the State Address, but so far she has proposed few specific policies to alleviate the problem.&nbsp; Will this be the year that Kansas policymakers step up?Some
 90 years ago, the state endured the catastrophic Dust Bowl from 1931 to 1939.&nbsp; This tragedy was not caused by drought alone.&nbsp; The Dust Bowl was aided and abetted by the removal of natural grasslands for farmland.&nbsp; Tilling the soil made it vulnerable to drought
 and wind, and much of the topsoil blew away.&nbsp; Agricultural policies during the New Deal era aimed to prevent a second disaster.&nbsp; They included planting trees as windbreaks, offering incentives for low- and no-till farming, paying farmers to leave land fallow
 on a rotating basis, and the creation of soil and water conservation districts.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Today,
 we face a similar crisis with the High Plains Aquifer.&nbsp; Discovered in the late 1800s, the Aquifer is the reason why much of today’s agriculture in Western Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma is possible.&nbsp; Large-scale reliance on the Aquifer followed, with center-pivot
 irrigation becoming popular by the late Twentieth Century.&nbsp; Once known as the “Great American Desert,” suddenly this land could support non-drought resistant crops including soybeans and corn, in addition to winter wheat, which was already being grown there.
 In those earlier days, there were minimal limitations on how much water could be pumped and the level fell accordingly. &nbsp; Rainfall amounts vary greatly from year to year, and water levels vary in different places, but on balance, the water levels in the Aquifer
 have been falling for some time.&nbsp; Agriculture accounts for 94% of groundwater use in Kansas, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.Thirty-seven
 years ago, author Marc Reisner’s 1986 book "Cadillac Desert"&nbsp; concluded that the Aquifer would one day reach a level where no more water could be pumped, effectively shutting down most agriculture in and around Western Kansas.&nbsp; Reisner also chronicled various proposals, some of which were downright bizarre, such as making
 entire rivers flow in the opposite direction.&nbsp; Wisely, policymakers rejected such foolishness. Not so wisely, they chose instead to implement only limited solutions.&nbsp;&nbsp;Today,
 climate change complicates the problem further.&nbsp; Droughts have become more common, and average temperatures around here have risen by 1.5 degrees.&nbsp; Hotter temperatures mean more evaporation.&nbsp; Rainfall patterns throughout the year are changing, necessitating
 more adaptations.Unfortunately,
 our farmers still face strong incentives to pump as much water as possible.&nbsp; Water rights have been set for well users for some time, but regulation and compliance are complicated.&nbsp; Droplines reduce lost water from center-pivot systems, but they are not enough
 without additional changes such as increased crop rotation.&nbsp; The United States continues to overproduce corn, a water-intensive, heat-sensitive crop that is not the best fit for Western Kansas’ climate, though newer farm legislation has begun to move away
 from that.&nbsp; Other waterways are threatened, too.Without strong, bipartisan leadership, this issue could be yet another one sucked into our country’s wider
 culture wars, sowing distrust and making it harder to reach agreements between farmers and other conservation advocates.&nbsp; That would be a shame.&nbsp; Kansas farmers proudly help feed the world.&nbsp; The decisions we make today will decide if they can do so in the
 future.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Not a drop to drink

By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/10/behold-the-kansas-city-chiefs-elite-quarterback-and-the-other-one-too/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

As they prep for the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs have a phenomenon at quarterback.

He threw for thousands of yards in high school, earning scholarship offers from <a target="_blank" href="https://247sports.com/Player/Chris-Oladokun-61358/high-school-140610/">universities that would compete on the national stage</a>. His talents <a target="_blank" href="https://www.profootballnetwork.com/betting-on-himself-has-paid-off-for-south-dakota-state-qb-chris-oladokun-as-he-prepares-for-the-2022-nfl-draft/">playing baseball and basketball</a> in high school still earn mentions when the news media profile him. In college, he set records for passing at his school, once <a target="_blank" href="https://samfordsports.com/sports/football/roster/chris-oladokun/7026">throwing for six touchdowns in a single game</a>. During his senior year in college, he threw for more than 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. He even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.profootballnetwork.com/betting-on-himself-has-paid-off-for-south-dakota-state-qb-chris-oladokun-as-he-prepares-for-the-2022-nfl-draft/">caught two touchdowns</a> while on the roster as quarterback.

Of course, you know who I’m writing about.&nbsp;

This freak athlete? It’s not Patrick Mahomes, the All-Pro, MVP, celebrity quarterback for the Chiefs.

It’s <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Oladokun">Chris Oladokun</a>, the team’s practice team quarterback, who doesn’t<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/KC/kansas-city-chiefs/depth-chart/"> even get mentioned on depth charts for the position</a>. Three quarterbacks would need to be injured for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fox13news.com/sports/chris-oladokun-hopes-his-6-year-college-journey-leads-to-the-nfl">him</a> to become <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/">QB1 for the Chiefs</a> — if even then.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Chris-Oladokun-QB-SouthDakotaState">Oladokun</a>,
 a coveted high school recruit from Florida who has earned a tenuous 
connection with an NFL team, illustrates two things to me. First, 
players require extraordinary talents to simply make a spot on a 
professional roster, whether baseball or hockey, soccer or basketball.

Oladokun’s status also demonstrates 
the absurd separation between the back-up to a back-up to a back-up, and
 Mahomes, the star destined for the Hall of Fame.&nbsp;

How can Mahomes be that much better than other quarterbacks, who themselves are almost inconceivably skilled?

To answer this, consider the 
separation between Mahomes and his fellow quarterbacks. To be clear, 
these next few comparisons don’t measure him next to practice squad 
rookies like Oladokun. Instead, we are setting Mahomes next to fellow 
first-string NFL quarterbacks.

The statistical website fivethirtyeight.com <a target="_blank" href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-nfl-predictions/quarterbacks/">awards Mahomes an ELO score of 280</a>
 for his overall performance. The next highest ELO score belongs to his 
Super Bowl opponent, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, with 247. That 
positions Mahomes 10% better than Hurts, the next best quarterback. (If 
you prefer the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/qbr/_/seasontype/2/sort/qbr">QBR rating</a>, Mahomes is still top of the chart.)

Are you comfortable saying that you are 10% better at your job than anyone else in the world? Not me.

Next, we might compare Hurts to the 
Raiders starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham: He scores a 77, showing 
that even among these NFL quarterbacks, the performance gap is enormous.
 And all these quarterbacks, when compared to us fans who struggle to 
throw a spiral, are complete athletic anomalies.

In addition to Mahomes’ overall 
quarterbacking scores, consider other specific skills that set him 
apart. In advance of last week’s AFC championship game against the 
Bengals, fans worried that Mahomes would struggle because of an ankle 
injury. Behold his ability to pass from the pocket: <a target="_blank" href="https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/patrick-mahomes-chiefs-bengals-lou-anarumo/">His stats on that skill were best in the league</a>, in addition to his precocious ability to improvise when chaos develops.

There’s more. This year Mahomes set a record for the most yards by a quarterback in NFL league history.

And more. Football experts are wowed 
by his ability to play with and recover from injury earned from his game
 Jan. 29, and a quick recovery from a gruesome knee injury earlier in 
his career.

For these reasons, as we watch the 
Super Bowl, our eyes will be on Mahomes because of his elite resume, 
those statistics, and his celebrity.

This superstar separation makes 
sports more fun to watch, regardless of the era. In basketball, it was 
former Jayhawk Wilt Chamberlain <a target="_blank" href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1977443-is-wilt-chamberlains-100-point-game-overhyped">improbably scoring 100 points</a> in a game during a dominant career. It was Wayne Gretzky <a target="_blank" href="https://thehockeywriters.com/wayne-gretzky-the-great-ones-10-most-unbreakable-records/">shattering records</a> for goal scoring and assists in hockey.

Whether they become hero or villain 
in your life as a fan, it’s fun to have the one-name wonders: Jordan in 
basketball, Pele in soccer, Ruth in baseball.

This spotlight on the superstars 
might seem to contradict my point at the start: that even the 
benchwarmers are fascinatingly talented. But it’s just the opposite.

The pyramid of sports — from the 
recreational youth sports at the bottom to the international 
professional leagues at the top — distinguishes anyone who makes it 
anywhere near
 the top level. And that ruthless competitive structure makes it absurd 
that anyone could be that much better than their peers — other 
professionals who make hundreds of millions of dollars themselves.

The last few months have been a 
showcase of all-time greatness, in addition to Mahomes. (Of course, you 
can argue that Tom Brady accomplished more before his retirement last 
week as an NFL quarterback than Mahomes has.)&nbsp;

Did you know that <a target="_blank" href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/mikaela-shiffrin-is-the-greatest-and-she-has-time-to-become-even-greater/">Michaela Shiffrin</a>
 is on the brink of becoming the consensus best downhill skier ever by 
shattering the record for World Cups earned by a single skier? The 
soccer <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-sports-argentina-lionel-messi-qatar-87afd31ddd4f8a22baec67f2d7ad73d9">World Cup in Qatar</a> served as Lionel Messi’s coronation as a generational talent, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/lionel-messi-cements-his-goat-status-with-a-little-help-from-his-friends">if not the best ever</a>, in the world’s most popular and competitive sport.

We would expect to see increasingly 
better performances by stronger and faster athletes because of better 
coaching, technology, nutrition and specialization. Athletes today are 
undoubtedly better than they have ever been.

What’s still surprising is how some 
can elevate themselves above contemporaries who have the same advantages
 and who strive to be included in the same record books.

So, as you sit down to watch the 
Chiefs and Eagles in the Super Bowl — or even as you watch a 12-year-old
 dribble around his opponents on a middle school basketball court — it’s
 OK to pinch yourself and ask the question.

By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/10/behold-the-kansas-city-chiefs-elite-quarterback-and-the-other-one-too/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>As they prep for the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs have a phenomenon at quarterback.He threw for thousands of yards in high school, earning scholarship offers from <a target="_blank" href="https://247sports.com/Player/Chris-Oladokun-61358/high-school-140610/">universities that would compete on the national stage</a>. His talents <a target="_blank" href="https://www.profootballnetwork.com/betting-on-himself-has-paid-off-for-south-dakota-state-qb-chris-oladokun-as-he-prepares-for-the-2022-nfl-draft/">playing baseball and basketball</a> in high school still earn mentions when the news media profile him. In college, he set records for passing at his school, once <a target="_blank" href="https://samfordsports.com/sports/football/roster/chris-oladokun/7026">throwing for six touchdowns in a single game</a>. During his senior year in college, he threw for more than 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. He even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.profootballnetwork.com/betting-on-himself-has-paid-off-for-south-dakota-state-qb-chris-oladokun-as-he-prepares-for-the-2022-nfl-draft/">caught two touchdowns</a> while on the roster as quarterback.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675895209824.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes answers a question during an NFL football Super Bowl media availability in Scottsdale, Ariz., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. The Chiefs will play against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57 on Sunday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes answers a question during an NFL football Super Bowl media availability in Scottsdale, Ariz., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. The Chiefs will play against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57 on Sunday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)</figcaption>
 </figure>Of course, you know who I’m writing about.&nbsp;This freak athlete? It’s not Patrick Mahomes, the All-Pro, MVP, celebrity quarterback for the Chiefs.It’s <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Oladokun">Chris Oladokun</a>, the team’s practice team quarterback, who doesn’t<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/KC/kansas-city-chiefs/depth-chart/"> even get mentioned on depth charts for the position</a>. Three quarterbacks would need to be injured for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fox13news.com/sports/chris-oladokun-hopes-his-6-year-college-journey-leads-to-the-nfl">him</a> to become <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/">QB1 for the Chiefs</a> — if even then.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Chris-Oladokun-QB-SouthDakotaState">Oladokun</a>,
 a coveted high school recruit from Florida who has earned a tenuous 
connection with an NFL team, illustrates two things to me. First, 
players require extraordinary talents to simply make a spot on a 
professional roster, whether baseball or hockey, soccer or basketball.Oladokun’s status also demonstrates 
the absurd separation between the back-up to a back-up to a back-up, and
 Mahomes, the star destined for the Hall of Fame.&nbsp;How can Mahomes be that much better than other quarterbacks, who themselves are almost inconceivably skilled?To answer this, consider the 
separation between Mahomes and his fellow quarterbacks. To be clear, 
these next few comparisons don’t measure him next to practice squad 
rookies like Oladokun. Instead, we are setting Mahomes next to fellow 
first-string NFL quarterbacks.The statistical website fivethirtyeight.com <a target="_blank" href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-nfl-predictions/quarterbacks/">awards Mahomes an ELO score of 280</a>
 for his overall performance. The next highest ELO score belongs to his 
Super Bowl opponent, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, with 247. That 
positions Mahomes 10% better than Hurts, the next best quarterback. (If 
you prefer the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/qbr/_/seasontype/2/sort/qbr">QBR rating</a>, Mahomes is still top of the chart.)Are you comfortable saying that you are 10% better at your job than anyone else in the world? Not me.Next, we might compare Hurts to the 
Raiders starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham: He scores a 77, showing 
that even among these NFL quarterbacks, the performance gap is enormous.
 And all these quarterbacks, when compared to us fans who struggle to 
throw a spiral, are complete athletic anomalies.In addition to Mahomes’ overall 
quarterbacking scores, consider other specific skills that set him 
apart. In advance of last week’s AFC championship game against the 
Bengals, fans worried that Mahomes would struggle because of an ankle 
injury. Behold his ability to pass from the pocket: <a target="_blank" href="https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/patrick-mahomes-chiefs-bengals-lou-anarumo/">His stats on that skill were best in the league</a>, in addition to his precocious ability to improvise when chaos develops.There’s more. This year Mahomes set a record for the most yards by a quarterback in NFL league history.And more. Football experts are wowed 
by his ability to play with and recover from injury earned from his game
 Jan. 29, and a quick recovery from a gruesome knee injury earlier in 
his career.For these reasons, as we watch the 
Super Bowl, our eyes will be on Mahomes because of his elite resume, 
those statistics, and his celebrity.This superstar separation makes 
sports more fun to watch, regardless of the era. In basketball, it was 
former Jayhawk Wilt Chamberlain <a target="_blank" href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1977443-is-wilt-chamberlains-100-point-game-overhyped">improbably scoring 100 points</a> in a game during a dominant career. It was Wayne Gretzky <a target="_blank" href="https://thehockeywriters.com/wayne-gretzky-the-great-ones-10-most-unbreakable-records/">shattering records</a> for goal scoring and assists in hockey.Whether they become hero or villain 
in your life as a fan, it’s fun to have the one-name wonders: Jordan in 
basketball, Pele in soccer, Ruth in baseball.This spotlight on the superstars 
might seem to contradict my point at the start: that even the 
benchwarmers are fascinatingly talented. But it’s just the opposite.The pyramid of sports — from the 
recreational youth sports at the bottom to the international 
professional leagues at the top — distinguishes anyone who makes it 
anywhere near
 the top level. And that ruthless competitive structure makes it absurd 
that anyone could be that much better than their peers — other 
professionals who make hundreds of millions of dollars themselves.The last few months have been a 
showcase of all-time greatness, in addition to Mahomes. (Of course, you 
can argue that Tom Brady accomplished more before his retirement last 
week as an NFL quarterback than Mahomes has.)&nbsp;Did you know that <a target="_blank" href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/mikaela-shiffrin-is-the-greatest-and-she-has-time-to-become-even-greater/">Michaela Shiffrin</a>
 is on the brink of becoming the consensus best downhill skier ever by 
shattering the record for World Cups earned by a single skier? The 
soccer <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-sports-argentina-lionel-messi-qatar-87afd31ddd4f8a22baec67f2d7ad73d9">World Cup in Qatar</a> served as Lionel Messi’s coronation as a generational talent, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/lionel-messi-cements-his-goat-status-with-a-little-help-from-his-friends">if not the best ever</a>, in the world’s most popular and competitive sport.We would expect to see increasingly 
better performances by stronger and faster athletes because of better 
coaching, technology, nutrition and specialization. Athletes today are 
undoubtedly better than they have ever been.What’s still surprising is how some 
can elevate themselves above contemporaries who have the same advantages
 and who strive to be included in the same record books.So, as you sit down to watch the 
Chiefs and Eagles in the Super Bowl — or even as you watch a 12-year-old
 dribble around his opponents on a middle school basketball court — it’s
 OK to pinch yourself and ask the question.How did they get to be that good?<a target="_blank" href="https://journalism.ku.edu/eric-thomas">Eric Thomas</a> directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas.

🏈 Behold the K.C. Chiefs’ elite quarterback — and the other one too

Clinical trials can benefit you, no matter what stage of cancer you have. Here, Tara Lin, M.D., professor of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics at KU Medical Center and medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, explains five reasons to consider participating in the testing of a novel cancer treatment.

Advances in cancer medicine come through rigorous testing in clinical trials. A clinical trial is how we develop new treatments — by testing a new drug alone, by testing a new drug in combination with already approved medications or by testing a new combination of older medicines used together. There are also clinical trials to learn about new techniques in surgery or radiation therapy for people with cancer.&nbsp;

By the time the treatment reaches an individual, scientists have already spent years developing it. Nearly all tried-and-true cancer drugs available to you today exist because past patients participated in clinical trials.

Despite the advantages of joining a clinical trial, few people with cancer actually&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kucancercenter.org/cancer-clinical-trials/why-participate" target="_blank">participate</a>. With all the advances in our understanding of cancer biology and new options for treatment, today is an ideal time to consider joining a clinical trial.

Below are five reasons you should consider participating in a clinical trial:

1. You gain access to innovative treatments before they become widely available.

As a participant in a clinical trial, you may receive the latest leading-edge cancer treatment.

2. You receive frequent, attentive medical care.&nbsp;

Some people are nervous that once in a clinical trial, their standard of care will stop. Placebos are rarely used for active cancer treatment. Most studies compare the standard treatment with a new investigational drug or treatment. As a clinical trial participant, in addition to the care you would receive as part of your standard treatment, you will also have visits to the clinic with the trial team. Team members will track your side effects as well as the effectiveness of the new therapy. In essence, you are receiving “Standard of Care Plus.”

3. You play an active role in important treatment decisions that can affect your care.&nbsp;

If you qualify for a clinical trial, you are the advocate in your care and can choose to take part. Participating in a clinical trial may make you feel as if you have more control over your health, which can lead to a more positive outlook on life.

4. Clinical trials aren’t just for people who have exhausted all treatment options.&nbsp;

There are more clinical trials testing new medications in combination with the current standard of care for people with newly diagnosed cancers, too. Clinical trials can be an important part of your cancer care when you are first diagnosed or if the cancer comes back.

5. You are contributing to improving the health of others.&nbsp;

Clinical trials are the only way researchers can continue to develop new cancer treatments. By participating in a clinical trial, you are helping to advance cancer research and offering hope and opportunity for future patients.

If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial, ask your doctor about your options.

To search KU Cancer Center clinical trials that may be a good fit for you, download the KUCC Clinical Trial Finder app. The app is currently available for iOS and Android users. To download, go to the App Store or Google Play Store and search for “KUCC Clinical Trial Finder.” From there, download the app to your personal device.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675778031892.jpeg" alt="Tara L. Lin, M.D., is a professor in the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She also is the medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at The University of Kansas Cancer Center." />
 <figcaption>Tara L. Lin, M.D., is a professor in the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She also is the medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at The University of Kansas Cancer Center.</figcaption>
 </figure>Clinical trials can benefit you, no matter what stage of cancer you have. Here, Tara Lin, M.D., professor of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics at KU Medical Center and medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, explains five reasons to consider participating in the testing of a novel cancer treatment.Advances in cancer medicine come through rigorous testing in clinical trials. A clinical trial is how we develop new treatments — by testing a new drug alone, by testing a new drug in combination with already approved medications or by testing a new combination of older medicines used together. There are also clinical trials to learn about new techniques in surgery or radiation therapy for people with cancer.&nbsp;By the time the treatment reaches an individual, scientists have already spent years developing it. Nearly all tried-and-true cancer drugs available to you today exist because past patients participated in clinical trials.Despite the advantages of joining a clinical trial, few people with cancer actually&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kucancercenter.org/cancer-clinical-trials/why-participate" target="_blank">participate</a>. With all the advances in our understanding of cancer biology and new options for treatment, today is an ideal time to consider joining a clinical trial.Below are five reasons you should consider participating in a clinical trial:<h2>1. You gain access to innovative treatments before they become widely available.</h2>As a participant in a clinical trial, you may receive the latest leading-edge cancer treatment.<h2>2. You receive frequent, attentive medical care.&nbsp;</h2>Some people are nervous that once in a clinical trial, their standard of care will stop. Placebos are rarely used for active cancer treatment. Most studies compare the standard treatment with a new investigational drug or treatment. As a clinical trial participant, in addition to the care you would receive as part of your standard treatment, you will also have visits to the clinic with the trial team. Team members will track your side effects as well as the effectiveness of the new therapy. In essence, you are receiving “Standard of Care Plus.”<h2>3. You play an active role in important treatment decisions that can affect your care.&nbsp;</h2>If you qualify for a clinical trial, you are the advocate in your care and can choose to take part. Participating in a clinical trial may make you feel as if you have more control over your health, which can lead to a more positive outlook on life.<h2>4. Clinical trials aren’t just for people who have exhausted all treatment options.&nbsp;</h2>There are more clinical trials testing new medications in combination with the current standard of care for people with newly diagnosed cancers, too. Clinical trials can be an important part of your cancer care when you are first diagnosed or if the cancer comes back.<h2>5. You are contributing to improving the health of others.&nbsp;</h2>Clinical trials are the only way researchers can continue to develop new cancer treatments. By participating in a clinical trial, you are helping to advance cancer research and offering hope and opportunity for future patients.If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial, ask your doctor about your options.To search KU Cancer Center clinical trials that may be a good fit for you, download the KUCC Clinical Trial Finder app. The app is currently available for iOS and Android users. To download, go to the App Store or Google Play Store and search for “KUCC Clinical Trial Finder.” From there, download the app to your personal device.

Opinion