Is the Kansas Legislature driving out “undesirables”?&nbsp; It would appear so.

In a recent series on KCUR’s&nbsp;Kansas City Today,&nbsp;reporters documented numerous personal stories of Transgender Kansans and Missourians who no longer feel safe in either state.&nbsp; Some are simply packing up the car and leaving for other states. These include the parents of Trans kids, who no longer feel this is a safe environment for their children.&nbsp; Some said they appreciated their own local community and did not want to leave, but felt they must evacuate before things get even more unsafe at the state level.

Of course, the interviewees were concerned about state laws themselves.&nbsp; For example, Transgender Kansas girls are no longer allowed to play girls’ sports.&nbsp; Trans Kansans will soon be prohibited from changing their sex on drivers’ licenses or other state documents, nor may they use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity.&nbsp; The legislature nearly banned gender-affirming healthcare for Trans youth but failed to override Governor Kelly’s veto.

More thoughtful, carefully-crafted policies had already been in place.&nbsp;

 For example, the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) regulations included the requirement that, “Gender identity of the student must be bona fide and not for the purpose of ‘gaining an unfair competitive advantage.’” They also recommended that gender identity on school registration records, medical documentation, and possible unfair advantages of changing gender be reviewed before any decision is made about sports participation.&nbsp; Legislators decided they knew better and replaced these with an inflexible ban.

KCUR’s interviewees expressed just as much concern over the overall climate being created by these bills and debates, as by the laws themselves.&nbsp; Consider the story of one Kansas couple who both identify as gender nonbinary. Instead of relocating, they have each purchased guns and learned how to use them.&nbsp; They no longer have faith in the states to provide even reasonable protections against hate crimes.&nbsp;

Legislators promoting these bills deny this.&nbsp; For example, Rep. Steve Howe of Salina rejected the claim that these bills hurt Trans kids, arguing instead that he was protecting kids from situations in which they change their minds after beginning gender-affirming care, some of which is irreversible.&nbsp; In fact, such occurrences are rare, but they do happen.&nbsp; Sensible guidelines modeled on the KSHSAA ones for athletes would be welcome.&nbsp; Yet Howe and his colleagues chose outright bans instead, stopped only by a veto pen—for now.

These legislators often speak of “parents’ rights.” They seek to ban or create parental exemptions from school curricula acknowledging the existence of LGBTQ persons or promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.&nbsp; What about the rights of parents who support their Trans kids?&nbsp; Like any medical procedure, gender-affirming care requires the consent of a parent or guardian for anyone under 18 unless they have been emancipated, which is rare.&nbsp; Apparently, these parents do not have rights.&nbsp; Some politicians have called them child abusers.&nbsp; In other states, it has been suggested that they lose custody or even face criminal prosecution.&nbsp; Increasingly, parents’ rights are only for the chosen—and politicians do the choosing.

In these changing times, carefully-crafted policies are needed, such as the now-invalidated KSHSAA guidelines.&nbsp; Yet instead, things have reached the point where some Kansans feel they must either move away or arm themselves.&nbsp; In order to change this, we must first acknowledge the painful truth that things really have gotten to this point.

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. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHAEL A. SMITHIs the Kansas Legislature driving out “undesirables”?&nbsp; It would appear so.In a recent series on KCUR’s&nbsp;Kansas City Today,&nbsp;reporters documented numerous personal stories of Transgender Kansans and Missourians who no longer feel safe in either state.&nbsp; Some are simply packing up the car and leaving for other states. These include the parents of Trans kids, who no longer feel this is a safe environment for their children.&nbsp; Some said they appreciated their own local community and did not want to leave, but felt they must evacuate before things get even more unsafe at the state level.Of course, the interviewees were concerned about state laws themselves.&nbsp; For example, Transgender Kansas girls are no longer allowed to play girls’ sports.&nbsp; Trans Kansans will soon be prohibited from changing their sex on drivers’ licenses or other state documents, nor may they use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity.&nbsp; The legislature nearly banned gender-affirming healthcare for Trans youth but failed to override Governor Kelly’s veto.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>More thoughtful, carefully-crafted policies had already been in place.&nbsp; For example, the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) regulations included the requirement that, “Gender identity of the student must be bona fide and not for the purpose of ‘gaining an unfair competitive advantage.’” They also recommended that gender identity on school registration records, medical documentation, and possible unfair advantages of changing gender be reviewed before any decision is made about sports participation.&nbsp; Legislators decided they knew better and replaced these with an inflexible ban.KCUR’s interviewees expressed just as much concern over the overall climate being created by these bills and debates, as by the laws themselves.&nbsp; Consider the story of one Kansas couple who both identify as gender nonbinary. Instead of relocating, they have each purchased guns and learned how to use them.&nbsp; They no longer have faith in the states to provide even reasonable protections against hate crimes.&nbsp;Legislators promoting these bills deny this.&nbsp; For example, Rep. Steve Howe of Salina rejected the claim that these bills hurt Trans kids, arguing instead that he was protecting kids from situations in which they change their minds after beginning gender-affirming care, some of which is irreversible.&nbsp; In fact, such occurrences are rare, but they do happen.&nbsp; Sensible guidelines modeled on the KSHSAA ones for athletes would be welcome.&nbsp; Yet Howe and his colleagues chose outright bans instead, stopped only by a veto pen—for now.These legislators often speak of “parents’ rights.” They seek to ban or create parental exemptions from school curricula acknowledging the existence of LGBTQ persons or promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.&nbsp; What about the rights of parents who support their Trans kids?&nbsp; Like any medical procedure, gender-affirming care requires the consent of a parent or guardian for anyone under 18 unless they have been emancipated, which is rare.&nbsp; Apparently, these parents do not have rights.&nbsp; Some politicians have called them child abusers.&nbsp; In other states, it has been suggested that they lose custody or even face criminal prosecution.&nbsp; Increasingly, parents’ rights are only for the chosen—and politicians do the choosing.In these changing times, carefully-crafted policies are needed, such as the now-invalidated KSHSAA guidelines.&nbsp; Yet instead, things have reached the point where some Kansans feel they must either move away or arm themselves.&nbsp; In order to change this, we must first acknowledge the painful truth that things really have gotten to this point.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: A choice for trans Kansans and their families—move away, or buy a gun?

By TISA MASON FHSU President

Much of what we do at Fort Hays State University can be summed up as the three C's: connections, meaningful conversations, and compassion. That's what I see when I look at our dedicated team of professional advisors who help our students along their journey every day.

Although advisors are very engaged with curriculum and scheduling discussions, advising involves much more than registration. It is the personal connections that advisors build every day that genuinely impact student experiences.

Nikki Brown, assistant director of Academic Advising and Career Exploration and advisor of exploratory students, views advising as a long-term investment in student success.

"Relationship building is critical. It is the relationship that brings the student back to the advisor when they need assistance. This connection can make the difference in a student's ability to persist through challenges and find personalized strategies to help them reach graduation," Nikki said.

It's easy to see that Nikki is passionate about her role as an integral part of the FHSU experience. Her office is an inviting space decorated with photos of family, friends, and inspirational art. Her voice is filled with emotion when speaking of her advisees. She enjoys engaging in meaningful conversations with her advisees as they discover and clarify their educational and personal goals.

"Until a student sits in front of you, you don't know what's going to happen," Nikki said. "What you wanted to discuss might not matter. Instead, you listen as the student works their plan out in front of your eyes."

"Professional advisors have the opportunity to support their students by listening to them and helping them create plans and options to achieve their goals. Ultimately, advising is teaching, and that is the work that professional advisors do."

"Advising is teaching" is central to how Nikki and other FHSU professional advisors view their role in students' lives.

"Advising is about everything students don't learn in the classroom," Nikki said. "It is learning how to be an effective and efficient adult. How to manage time, gather information, make educated decisions, and, most importantly, be accountable for their success. Helping students learn how to make meaning in their college experience is important."

The move to college-based professional advisors to serve undergraduate students began in 2021. Currently, FHSU employs 23 undergraduate advisors and four graduate advisors. Each student has an assigned professional advisor, and we have started assigning faculty mentors.

"This built-in support system for students is a huge value and shows that student success is at the heart of decisions made at FHSU," Nikki said.

Career exploration is another aspect of advising that can ensure students prepare for a career field that suits them. Nikki pointed out that students often arrive at a career choice with misconceptions about its requirements. Advisors can help students identify information gaps and find resources to lessen major changes. In addition, advisors encourage students to engage with faculty members to build relationships that may result in new opportunities to enrich their educational experience.

"Academic advisors help students figure out how to make meaning of their experiences, challenge their decision-making and use university resources to help them be successful," Nikki said. "We don't put it together for them, but we help guide the process and make the referrals for them to make the connections."

As far as compassion, you can see that in abundance when it comes to FHSU's professional advisors.

"Compassion is something you will consistently find across the board with all our advisors," Nikki said. "They all have that drive to want to see their students do well. They want to support their advisees however they can to help them get across the finish line."

"Students want to know somebody cares. Advisors can often be the person who shows you're not just a number. They can help students feel like Fort Hays is truly invested in them and supporting them to do big things."

<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>By TISA MASON FHSU PresidentMuch of what we do at Fort Hays State University can be summed up as the three C's: connections, meaningful conversations, and compassion. That's what I see when I look at our dedicated team of professional advisors who help our students along their journey every day.Although advisors are very engaged with curriculum and scheduling discussions, advising involves much more than registration. It is the personal connections that advisors build every day that genuinely impact student experiences.Nikki Brown, assistant director of Academic Advising and Career Exploration and advisor of exploratory students, views advising as a long-term investment in student success."Relationship building is critical. It is the relationship that brings the student back to the advisor when they need assistance. This connection can make the difference in a student's ability to persist through challenges and find personalized strategies to help them reach graduation," Nikki said.It's easy to see that Nikki is passionate about her role as an integral part of the FHSU experience. Her office is an inviting space decorated with photos of family, friends, and inspirational art. Her voice is filled with emotion when speaking of her advisees. She enjoys engaging in meaningful conversations with her advisees as they discover and clarify their educational and personal goals."Until a student sits in front of you, you don't know what's going to happen," Nikki said. "What you wanted to discuss might not matter. Instead, you listen as the student works their plan out in front of your eyes.""Professional advisors have the opportunity to support their students by listening to them and helping them create plans and options to achieve their goals. Ultimately, advising is teaching, and that is the work that professional advisors do.""Advising is teaching" is central to how Nikki and other FHSU professional advisors view their role in students' lives."Advising is about everything students don't learn in the classroom," Nikki said. "It is learning how to be an effective and efficient adult. How to manage time, gather information, make educated decisions, and, most importantly, be accountable for their success. Helping students learn how to make meaning in their college experience is important."The move to college-based professional advisors to serve undergraduate students began in 2021. Currently, FHSU employs 23 undergraduate advisors and four graduate advisors. Each student has an assigned professional advisor, and we have started assigning faculty mentors."This built-in support system for students is a huge value and shows that student success is at the heart of decisions made at FHSU," Nikki said.Career exploration is another aspect of advising that can ensure students prepare for a career field that suits them. Nikki pointed out that students often arrive at a career choice with misconceptions about its requirements. Advisors can help students identify information gaps and find resources to lessen major changes. In addition, advisors encourage students to engage with faculty members to build relationships that may result in new opportunities to enrich their educational experience."Academic advisors help students figure out how to make meaning of their experiences, challenge their decision-making and use university resources to help them be successful," Nikki said. "We don't put it together for them, but we help guide the process and make the referrals for them to make the connections."As far as compassion, you can see that in abundance when it comes to FHSU's professional advisors."Compassion is something you will consistently find across the board with all our advisors," Nikki said. "They all have that drive to want to see their students do well. They want to support their advisees however they can to help them get across the finish line.""Students want to know somebody cares. Advisors can often be the person who shows you're not just a number. They can help students feel like Fort Hays is truly invested in them and supporting them to do big things."

Heart of a Tiger: The three C’s

As two students of Fort Hays State University, last summer we were alarmed to realize that while other universities in Kansas had a polling place on campus for students to easily access, ours did not. And the impact on our voting rates was evident.

It was August of 2022, and we had recently started our work as the Student Co-Coordinators of the American Democracy Project. The goal of the American Democracy Project is to produce college and university graduates who are equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences they need to be informed, engaged members of their communities; we help our students gain these skills by promoting civil discourse, education, and engagement at the local, state, and national levels of government.

The lack of a polling location had a clear impact on students’ voting rates at FHSU. A 2020 report from the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement produced by the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education at Tufts University showed that the national voting rate for students across all registered institutions was 66 percent. Fort Hays State University students failed to meet the national average, voting at a significantly lower rate of 62.4 percent.

When compared to other universities in Kansas, this number shows a level of low engagement on our campus that is even more troubling. Kansas State University Students vote at 67.3 percent, Wichita State University Students vote at 68.1 percent, students at Emporia vote at 70.5 percent, and the University of Kansas students vote at 71 percent. FHSU is the only Kansas Board of Regents school enrolled in the national study that does not meet the national average.

It was clear to us that a polling place on campus would make voting more accessible for students and provide us with an opportunity to improve our engagement. In the 2020 election cycle, Wichita State University had an almost 20-point increase when their on-campus polling location opened.

We saw an incredible opportunity for improvement with a clear solution. So we researched, wrote a case for support, and then worked through several approval processes at the university level to gain support for moving a polling place onto the FHSU campus. After talking with individuals who had made similar efforts before us, we came up with a plan that addressed all of the issues that had previously prevented having a polling place on campus, such as cost, safety, parking, and not having enough poll workers.

Our plan alleviated the cost issue by asking that a current polling location be moved to campus, rather than creating an entirely new polling location. Most FHSU students reside in a ward and precinct that has underperformed compared to the other wards and precincts in Hays—thus moving the polling location to a more accessible place was a simple and obvious solution to meeting the needs of registered voters in the area. Our campus is a public space, and easily accessible to both students and other residents to cast their vote.

Bringing community members onto campus did at first raise some potential security questions, but after speaking with the University Police Department, we discovered that UPD had no novel concerns for safety or for parking—and even generously offered to run traffic on election days for us.

Finally, as our proposal to move an existing location to a more accessible place would not require additional poll workers, that previously existing obstacle was addressed. Additionally, moving the location onto campus had the additional benefit of enhancing our efforts to offer students opportunities to engage in democracy. We were excited to be able to provide students with the opportunity to work at the polling station. There is so much student support on campus that we could even send student poll workers to locations in addition to FHSU around Hays.

After making sure our plan addressed all past concerns and was the best option to pursue, we began gathering support from groups on campus: the Staff Senate, Faculty Senate, Office of the President, Student Government Association, the Campus Community Collaborative, the University Police Department, multiple building managers, and other individuals and organizations.

We approached Ellis County Clerk Bobbi Dreiling with the proposal, and she seemed receptive and even went out to our proposed location, the Memorial Union, which she stated was not feasible as the location of the actual room for the poll was quite a distance for voters to access. We recommended a second location, Gross Memorial Coliseum, and she acknowledged it would have been better. Ms. Dreiling visited the Coliseum and found the space would be available for all regularly scheduled elections, but difficult to secure for special elections. In response to this concern, we proposed another part of the building, Cunningham Hall, which would be available for all elections, no matter how short the notice. However, before Ms. Dreiling returned to tour this location, she had already selected a new site for a polling station that was even further from our campus than the original location. This new location condenses two previous voting districts into one and moves the polling station further from voters on campus.

While we were disappointed with this outcome, we believe there is still an opportunity for all of us voters to continue our work to make voting more accessible on our campus at FHSU, and we call on Ms. Dreiling to consider this an ongoing and collaborative project to meet the needs of our community. One other consideration: although no site will be perfect on- or off-campus, we had hoped that the county would add to our students' learning experiences by becoming a partner in this opportunity for civic engagement between town and gown.

And if you support our proposal, we hope you’ll contact Ms. Dreiling. After all, democracy depends on each of us to keep it healthy, and it’s our responsibility as citizens and as elected officials to ensure that people’s voices are effectively represented in our elections—and that comes down to how well we can actually get to our poll. We believe that this partnership between the county and the University learning community can provide immediate electoral benefits, but equally important, sets an example for promoting citizenship for students and county residents alike.

Grace McCord and Madison Albers are students at Fort Hays State University and student co-coordinators of the American Democracy Project.

As two students of Fort Hays State University, last summer we were alarmed to realize that while other universities in Kansas had a polling place on campus for students to easily access, ours did not. And the impact on our voting rates was evident.It was August of 2022, and we had recently started our work as the Student Co-Coordinators of the American Democracy Project. The goal of the American Democracy Project is to produce college and university graduates who are equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences they need to be informed, engaged members of their communities; we help our students gain these skills by promoting civil discourse, education, and engagement at the local, state, and national levels of government.The lack of a polling location had a clear impact on students’ voting rates at FHSU. A 2020 report from the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement produced by the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education at Tufts University showed that the national voting rate for students across all registered institutions was 66 percent. Fort Hays State University students failed to meet the national average, voting at a significantly lower rate of 62.4 percent.When compared to other universities in Kansas, this number shows a level of low engagement on our campus that is even more troubling. Kansas State University Students vote at 67.3 percent, Wichita State University Students vote at 68.1 percent, students at Emporia vote at 70.5 percent, and the University of Kansas students vote at 71 percent. FHSU is the only Kansas Board of Regents school enrolled in the national study that does not meet the national average.It was clear to us that a polling place on campus would make voting more accessible for students and provide us with an opportunity to improve our engagement. In the 2020 election cycle, Wichita State University had an almost 20-point increase when their on-campus polling location opened.We saw an incredible opportunity for improvement with a clear solution. So we researched, wrote a case for support, and then worked through several approval processes at the university level to gain support for moving a polling place onto the FHSU campus. After talking with individuals who had made similar efforts before us, we came up with a plan that addressed all of the issues that had previously prevented having a polling place on campus, such as cost, safety, parking, and not having enough poll workers.Our plan alleviated the cost issue by asking that a current polling location be moved to campus, rather than creating an entirely new polling location. Most FHSU students reside in a ward and precinct that has underperformed compared to the other wards and precincts in Hays—thus moving the polling location to a more accessible place was a simple and obvious solution to meeting the needs of registered voters in the area. Our campus is a public space, and easily accessible to both students and other residents to cast their vote.Bringing community members onto campus did at first raise some potential security questions, but after speaking with the University Police Department, we discovered that UPD had no novel concerns for safety or for parking—and even generously offered to run traffic on election days for us.Finally, as our proposal to move an existing location to a more accessible place would not require additional poll workers, that previously existing obstacle was addressed. Additionally, moving the location onto campus had the additional benefit of enhancing our efforts to offer students opportunities to engage in democracy. We were excited to be able to provide students with the opportunity to work at the polling station. There is so much student support on campus that we could even send student poll workers to locations in addition to FHSU around Hays.After making sure our plan addressed all past concerns and was the best option to pursue, we began gathering support from groups on campus: the Staff Senate, Faculty Senate, Office of the President, Student Government Association, the Campus Community Collaborative, the University Police Department, multiple building managers, and other individuals and organizations.We approached Ellis County Clerk Bobbi Dreiling with the proposal, and she seemed receptive and even went out to our proposed location, the Memorial Union, which she stated was not feasible as the location of the actual room for the poll was quite a distance for voters to access. We recommended a second location, Gross Memorial Coliseum, and she acknowledged it would have been better. Ms. Dreiling visited the Coliseum and found the space would be available for all regularly scheduled elections, but difficult to secure for special elections. In response to this concern, we proposed another part of the building, Cunningham Hall, which would be available for all elections, no matter how short the notice. However, before Ms. Dreiling returned to tour this location, she had already selected a new site for a polling station that was even further from our campus than the original location. This new location condenses two previous voting districts into one and moves the polling station further from voters on campus.While we were disappointed with this outcome, we believe there is still an opportunity for all of us voters to continue our work to make voting more accessible on our campus at FHSU, and we call on Ms. Dreiling to consider this an ongoing and collaborative project to meet the needs of our community. One other consideration: although no site will be perfect on- or off-campus, we had hoped that the county would add to our students' learning experiences by becoming a partner in this opportunity for civic engagement between town and gown.And if you support our proposal, we hope you’ll contact Ms. Dreiling. After all, democracy depends on each of us to keep it healthy, and it’s our responsibility as citizens and as elected officials to ensure that people’s voices are effectively represented in our elections—and that comes down to how well we can actually get to our poll. We believe that this partnership between the county and the University learning community can provide immediate electoral benefits, but equally important, sets an example for promoting citizenship for students and county residents alike.Grace McCord and Madison Albers are students at Fort Hays State University and student co-coordinators of the American Democracy Project.

Letter to the Editor: Students urge Ellis County Clerk to create FHSU polling site

In many areas of Kansas, prolonged drought has resulted in short wheat and thin stands. Harvesting wheat in these situations can be a challenge. Special attention needs to be given to cutting height, machine adjustments, and operator control. In short wheat, getting the heads into the combine with less straw will be a challenge. In some cases, the reel may not be able to effectively convey the wheat back from the cutter bar to the auger, nor hold it in place during cutting. Short cutting will also mean more contact potential with the ground and reduced levels of surface residue which will likely negatively impact moisture storage.

In the case of material conveyance, stripper headers, air reels, and draper headers may be a great help. The information in this article has been condensed considerably, for the full article go to our web site at www.cottonwood.ksu.edu

Stripper headers - Stripper headers allow the grain to be harvested efficiently while leaving the maximum amount of standing residue in the field. Research has shown that this preservation of wheat residue can reduce evaporative losses of water after harvest, aid in the moisture retention of snow, and improve the yields of next year’s crop.

Air reels - Air reels will also aid in the material conveyance from the cutter bar to the auger in reel-type units when crops are light or thin. These units are made in several different types including finger air reels, non-reel, and units that fit over existing reels. Examples of manufacturers are Crary (West Fargo, ND) and AWS (Mitchell, Ontario Canada).

Draper headers and flex heads - Draper headers may help with the conveyance of material since they have a very short distance between the cutterbar the conveyance belt. The ability to tip the cutterbar completely back will aid in keeping harvested crop material moving across the cutter bar and onto the belt as well as ensuring some stubble remains standing on the soil surface.

Flex heads will also help deal with the lower cutting heights and potential ground strikes. In thin wheat stands, it is even more important that sickles and guards are in good condition as there is less crop material pushing into the cutting area, which would normally help ensure cutting by worn sickles and guards.

If harvesting with a draper or flex header, maintain the cutting height as high as possible to preserve standing stubble. Typically, cutting wheat at two-thirds of its full height will result in losses of less than 0.5 percent as any missed heads contain light weight grain that will be lost as tailings during the harvesting process.

Conventional headers - For many farmers, new equipment may not be an economical choice and you may have to make do with a conventional head on your combine. In this case, adjust the reel to get the best movement of the heads from the cutter bar to the auger.

Combine adjustments - In addition to material conveyance and cutting height, lower yields and uneven crop flow may also require performing combine adjustments to the concave/rotor cage clearance, cylinder/rotor speed, and fan speed. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Summary -Although this will be a rough wheat harvest for many farmers, some changes can be made to help maximize harvest efficiencies. If you have ever wanted to try an alternate header (stripper, flex-draper, etc.), this may be the year for you. For those not wanting to buy, renting may also be a viable option.

Producers in dryland production systems need to keep in mind that in very low-yielding wheat years, anything that can be done to preserve what little crop residue is present will have large impacts on evaporative losses and productivity of the next crop.

Information provided by Lucas Haag, NW Area crops specialist and Ajay Sharda, Extension agricultural engineer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681266655144.jpeg" alt="Stacy Campbell, K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood Extension District" />
 <figcaption>Stacy Campbell, K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood Extension District</figcaption>
 </figure>In many areas of Kansas, prolonged drought has resulted in short wheat and thin stands. Harvesting wheat in these situations can be a challenge. Special attention needs to be given to cutting height, machine adjustments, and operator control. In short wheat, getting the heads into the combine with less straw will be a challenge. In some cases, the reel may not be able to effectively convey the wheat back from the cutter bar to the auger, nor hold it in place during cutting. Short cutting will also mean more contact potential with the ground and reduced levels of surface residue which will likely negatively impact moisture storage.In the case of material conveyance, stripper headers, air reels, and draper headers may be a great help. The information in this article has been condensed considerably, for the full article go to our web site at www.cottonwood.ksu.eduStripper headers - Stripper headers allow the grain to be harvested efficiently while leaving the maximum amount of standing residue in the field. Research has shown that this preservation of wheat residue can reduce evaporative losses of water after harvest, aid in the moisture retention of snow, and improve the yields of next year’s crop.Air reels - Air reels will also aid in the material conveyance from the cutter bar to the auger in reel-type units when crops are light or thin. These units are made in several different types including finger air reels, non-reel, and units that fit over existing reels. Examples of manufacturers are Crary (West Fargo, ND) and AWS (Mitchell, Ontario Canada).Draper headers and flex heads - Draper headers may help with the conveyance of material since they have a very short distance between the cutterbar the conveyance belt. The ability to tip the cutterbar completely back will aid in keeping harvested crop material moving across the cutter bar and onto the belt as well as ensuring some stubble remains standing on the soil surface.Flex heads will also help deal with the lower cutting heights and potential ground strikes. In thin wheat stands, it is even more important that sickles and guards are in good condition as there is less crop material pushing into the cutting area, which would normally help ensure cutting by worn sickles and guards.If harvesting with a draper or flex header, maintain the cutting height as high as possible to preserve standing stubble. Typically, cutting wheat at two-thirds of its full height will result in losses of less than 0.5 percent as any missed heads contain light weight grain that will be lost as tailings during the harvesting process.Conventional headers - For many farmers, new equipment may not be an economical choice and you may have to make do with a conventional head on your combine. In this case, adjust the reel to get the best movement of the heads from the cutter bar to the auger.Combine adjustments - In addition to material conveyance and cutting height, lower yields and uneven crop flow may also require performing combine adjustments to the concave/rotor cage clearance, cylinder/rotor speed, and fan speed. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.Summary -Although this will be a rough wheat harvest for many farmers, some changes can be made to help maximize harvest efficiencies. If you have ever wanted to try an alternate header (stripper, flex-draper, etc.), this may be the year for you. For those not wanting to buy, renting may also be a viable option.Producers in dryland production systems need to keep in mind that in very low-yielding wheat years, anything that can be done to preserve what little crop residue is present will have large impacts on evaporative losses and productivity of the next crop.Information provided by Lucas Haag, NW Area crops specialist and Ajay Sharda, Extension agricultural engineer.

CAMPBELL: Considerations when harvesting short wheat

In 2023, Governor Laura Kelly issued a near record number of vetoes (though close to half were overturned). What were her motivations in making use of her veto power so extensively?

Some of Kelly’s vetoes reflect her very practical, service-oriented vision for Kansas. More than anything else, Kelly campaigned as the anti-Brownback, as someone who would be responsible regarding state priorities, and not allow the state’s finances to be subject to such things as radical flat tax proposals or efforts to limit the revenue-raising power of cities. The bills pushing these and other changes often included provisions that Kelly wanted, but giving them up in order to stop what she considered larger harms was more important.

Kelly also wants Kansas to take a live-and-let-live attitude towards trans issues, which led her to repeatedly veto bills that targeted the access which trans Kansans had to public bathrooms, athletic competitions, and more. That vision is not shared by the Republicans majority in Topeka—and this session, after years of trying, the legislature finally managed to get its way.

Which leads to Kelly’s less visionary, more partisan uses of her veto pen. The veto power has long been used to not just shape legislation, but also send messages, to warn or punish legislators—particularly those of the chief executive’s own party—by targeting specific issues.

In this case, Kelly’s target was to use her line-item veto to eliminate $250,000 designated to help turn the Quindaro Ruins, a former stop on the Underground Railroad in Kansas City, into a historic landmark. Rep. Marvin Robinson, a Democrat, had pushed for this money, which the Republican leadership inserted into the final budget bill—but only after Robinson broke ranks and provided crucial votes to overturn Kelly’s vetoes of the legislature’s restrictive trans bills. While Kelly’s veto message claims that Robinson’s budget item hadn’t been properly vetted in committee, it’s not unreasonable to see payback here.

Some vetoes, though, are neither obviously visionary nor partisan. Kelly’s veto of a provision that would have made up for financial losses which some Kansas students suffered due to changes in the distribution of scholarship money through the state’s Comprehensive Grant is an example.

For decades, the Kansas Comprehensive Grant was distributed to Kansas’s colleges and universities, public and private, in a manner that recognized the distinct sets of students with financial need who might choose a small private (sometimes faith-based) college over a large public (and secular) university. By converting the distribution of the Grant to a rigorous per-student formula, Kansas’s independent colleges lost some of their ability to provide scholarship support to needy students, since those institutions are smaller, with a collectively smaller student body than state universities (though often with a higher percentage of qualifying-students nonetheless).

The legislature aimed to help make up for that loss with an additional $5 million of Grant money. Kelly’s reasoning for vetoing that single budget line is ambiguous. Was it rooted in a belief that Kansas shouldn’t provide full support to students who choose colleges that may have a faith-orientation? Was it a move reflecting that most (though not all) independent colleges are in rural, more Republican areas, while most (though not all) public universities are in counties that voted for Kelly? Both? Neither?

In the complicated process of striking deals and shaping legislation, the role of vetoes is one of the least predictable. This year, Kelly’s broad use of that power received both applause and condemnation, from the usual partisan sources. But maybe some of her vetoes make sense to her alone.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586443443315.jpeg" alt="Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2023, Governor Laura Kelly issued a near record number of vetoes (though close to half were overturned). What were her motivations in making use of her veto power so extensively?Some of Kelly’s vetoes reflect her very practical, service-oriented vision for Kansas. More than anything else, Kelly campaigned as the anti-Brownback, as someone who would be responsible regarding state priorities, and not allow the state’s finances to be subject to such things as radical flat tax proposals or efforts to limit the revenue-raising power of cities. The bills pushing these and other changes often included provisions that Kelly wanted, but giving them up in order to stop what she considered larger harms was more important.Kelly also wants Kansas to take a live-and-let-live attitude towards trans issues, which led her to repeatedly veto bills that targeted the access which trans Kansans had to public bathrooms, athletic competitions, and more. That vision is not shared by the Republicans majority in Topeka—and this session, after years of trying, the legislature finally managed to get its way.Which leads to Kelly’s less visionary, more partisan uses of her veto pen. The veto power has long been used to not just shape legislation, but also send messages, to warn or punish legislators—particularly those of the chief executive’s own party—by targeting specific issues.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In this case, Kelly’s target was to use her line-item veto to eliminate $250,000 designated to help turn the Quindaro Ruins, a former stop on the Underground Railroad in Kansas City, into a historic landmark. Rep. Marvin Robinson, a Democrat, had pushed for this money, which the Republican leadership inserted into the final budget bill—but only after Robinson broke ranks and provided crucial votes to overturn Kelly’s vetoes of the legislature’s restrictive trans bills. While Kelly’s veto message claims that Robinson’s budget item hadn’t been properly vetted in committee, it’s not unreasonable to see payback here.Some vetoes, though, are neither obviously visionary nor partisan. Kelly’s veto of a provision that would have made up for financial losses which some Kansas students suffered due to changes in the distribution of scholarship money through the state’s Comprehensive Grant is an example.For decades, the Kansas Comprehensive Grant was distributed to Kansas’s colleges and universities, public and private, in a manner that recognized the distinct sets of students with financial need who might choose a small private (sometimes faith-based) college over a large public (and secular) university. By converting the distribution of the Grant to a rigorous per-student formula, Kansas’s independent colleges lost some of their ability to provide scholarship support to needy students, since those institutions are smaller, with a collectively smaller student body than state universities (though often with a higher percentage of qualifying-students nonetheless).The legislature aimed to help make up for that loss with an additional $5 million of Grant money. Kelly’s reasoning for vetoing that single budget line is ambiguous. Was it rooted in a belief that Kansas shouldn’t provide full support to students who choose colleges that may have a faith-orientation? Was it a move reflecting that most (though not all) independent colleges are in rural, more Republican areas, while most (though not all) public universities are in counties that voted for Kelly? Both? Neither?In the complicated process of striking deals and shaping legislation, the role of vetoes is one of the least predictable. This year, Kelly’s broad use of that power received both applause and condemnation, from the usual partisan sources. But maybe some of her vetoes make sense to her alone.Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Kelly’s vetoes: visionary, vindictive or otherwise

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension Dist. Agent

Cropping options to follow an early terminated wheat crop could be similar to those for full-season crops. At this point in the season, viable crop options are still corn, soybeans, grain sorghum and feed/hay crops.

Regardless of which crop you choose to plant, weed control will likely be needed. Despite insufficient precipitation to produce a crop, many fields will still have emerged weeds and all fields will have a weed seed bank likely to emerge and compete with the summer crop. In addition, any remaining wheat will need to be terminated. Burndown of summer annual weeds present at planting is essential for successful double-cropping. 

Glyphosate will be effective for terminating wheat, but if glyphosate-resistant kochia and/or pigweeds are present, alternative treatments such as paraquat may be required.

General agronomic considerations, herbicide carryover, and weed management are fully addressed in the full length article on our K-State Agronomy eUpdate electronic newsletter. Also you can subscribe to this weekly newsletter, it only takes a minute to subscribe and K-State Research &amp; Extension does not share your email with anyone. 

To subscribe https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/index_new_prep.php Or just type into your internet browser K-State Agronomy eUpdates.

Cover Crops - Less information is available regarding the herbicide carryover potential of wheat herbicides to cover crops. There is little or no mention of rotational restrictions for specific cover crops on the labels of most herbicides. However, this does not mean there are no restrictions. 

Generally, there will be a statement indicating “no other crops” should be planted for a specified amount of time, or that a bioassay must be conducted before planting the crop. A bioassay is a fancy word meaning you simply take about 2 to 3 inches of top soil from field(s) in question and place the soil in some type of shallow container. Then plant at least 10 or more seeds of the intended crop to be planted, water and place in sunlight and see if the seed comes up and lives.

For more detailed information about herbicides, see the “2023 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, and Noncropland” guide available online at https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/CHEMWEEDGUIDE.pdf or come by the Cottonwood Extension Offices in Great Bend, 3007 10th Street or Hays, 601 Main Street, for a paper copy.

The use of trade names is for clarity to readers and does not imply endorsement of a particular product, nor does exclusion imply non-approval. Always consult the herbicide label for the most current use requirements.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681266655144.jpeg" alt="Stacy Campbell, Cottonwood Extension District" />
 <figcaption>Stacy Campbell, Cottonwood Extension District</figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension Dist. AgentCropping options to follow an early terminated wheat crop could be similar to those for full-season crops. At this point in the season, viable crop options are still corn, soybeans, grain sorghum and feed/hay crops.Regardless of which crop you choose to plant, weed control will likely be needed. Despite insufficient precipitation to produce a crop, many fields will still have emerged weeds and all fields will have a weed seed bank likely to emerge and compete with the summer crop. In addition, any remaining wheat will need to be terminated. Burndown of summer annual weeds present at planting is essential for successful double-cropping. Glyphosate will be effective for terminating wheat, but if glyphosate-resistant kochia and/or pigweeds are present, alternative treatments such as paraquat may be required.General agronomic considerations, herbicide carryover, and weed management are fully addressed in the full length article on our K-State Agronomy eUpdate electronic newsletter. Also you can subscribe to this weekly newsletter, it only takes a minute to subscribe and K-State Research &amp; Extension does not share your email with anyone. To subscribe https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/index_new_prep.php Or just type into your internet browser K-State Agronomy eUpdates.Cover Crops - Less information is available regarding the herbicide carryover potential of wheat herbicides to cover crops. There is little or no mention of rotational restrictions for specific cover crops on the labels of most herbicides. However, this does not mean there are no restrictions. Generally, there will be a statement indicating “no other crops” should be planted for a specified amount of time, or that a bioassay must be conducted before planting the crop. A bioassay is a fancy word meaning you simply take about 2 to 3 inches of top soil from field(s) in question and place the soil in some type of shallow container. Then plant at least 10 or more seeds of the intended crop to be planted, water and place in sunlight and see if the seed comes up and lives.For more detailed information about herbicides, see the “2023 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, and Noncropland” guide available online at https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/CHEMWEEDGUIDE.pdf or come by the Cottonwood Extension Offices in Great Bend, 3007 10th Street or Hays, 601 Main Street, for a paper copy.The use of trade names is for clarity to readers and does not imply endorsement of a particular product, nor does exclusion imply non-approval. Always consult the herbicide label for the most current use requirements.Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Crop options after early terminated wheat

TOPEKA&nbsp; – Navigating the health insurance marketplace is no easy task. Whether you have recently lost coverage, are looking for a new plan, or are getting health insurance for the first time, it is important to do your homework. 

I encourage Kansans that are in the market for health insurance to do their due diligence before choosing a plan. When shopping for health insurance, remember that the cheapest option is not always the best choice. Explore your options, compare plans, and make informed decisions to secure coverage that meets your health care needs.

Be sure to consult the department’s Health Insurance Shopper’s Guide before you start shopping. 

Here are a few questions to ask yourself: Is the plan with the lowest premium really the most affordable? You should consider not only the cost of premiums, but also how much you will pay out of pocket when you need health care. 

Do you have a chronic condition or have certain prescription drugs you need? You should confirm that the plan you are seeking covers your needs. Also, if you have a preferred family doctor or hospital, you will want to make sure they are not out of network or you may end up paying more. 

What is the deductible and are you prepared to pay the full cost for services until it is reached? The deductible is the amount you pay before your insurance company starts paying their share of the cost of care. Even with insurance, you pay the full cost of services until you meet your plan’s deductible. Some plans only pay up to a certain dollar amount; you may have to pay the cost beyond that amount. Be sure to carefully review what is covered and what is not. 

Is the person and their insurance company trying to sell you insurance licensed in Kansas? Always be wary of anyone who contacts you unsolicited offering to sell you health insurance. Ask for their state license number and verify online at sbs.naic.org/solar-external-lookup or contact the department at 785-296-7862. 

For other helpful resources, consult the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s Health Insurance Shopping Tool and the What to Ask When Shopping for Health Insurance guide. 

If you have questions while shopping for health insurance, contact the Kansas Insurance Department’s Consumer Assistance Division toll-free at 1-800-432-2484, by email kid.commissioner@ks.gov or visit the Department online at <a href="https://insurance.kansas.gov/">insurance.kansas.gov</a>.

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt&nbsp;serves as the secretary of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Midwest Zone and co-vice chair of the Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation (F) Committee of the NAIC. She also serves as a member on the Life Insurance and Annuities (A) Committee and the International Insurance Relations (G) Committee of the NAIC, and the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) Board of Directors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685110516042.jpeg" alt="Vicki Schmidt is the Kansas Insurance Commissioner. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Vicki Schmidt is the Kansas Insurance Commissioner. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By VICKI SCHMIDT KIDTOPEKA&nbsp; – Navigating the health insurance marketplace is no easy task. Whether you have recently lost coverage, are looking for a new plan, or are getting health insurance for the first time, it is important to do your homework. I encourage Kansans that are in the market for health insurance to do their due diligence before choosing a plan. When shopping for health insurance, remember that the cheapest option is not always the best choice. Explore your options, compare plans, and make informed decisions to secure coverage that meets your health care needs.Be sure to consult the department’s Health Insurance Shopper’s Guide before you start shopping. Here are a few questions to ask yourself: Is the plan with the lowest premium really the most affordable? You should consider not only the cost of premiums, but also how much you will pay out of pocket when you need health care. Do you have a chronic condition or have certain prescription drugs you need? You should confirm that the plan you are seeking covers your needs. Also, if you have a preferred family doctor or hospital, you will want to make sure they are not out of network or you may end up paying more. What is the deductible and are you prepared to pay the full cost for services until it is reached? The deductible is the amount you pay before your insurance company starts paying their share of the cost of care. Even with insurance, you pay the full cost of services until you meet your plan’s deductible. Some plans only pay up to a certain dollar amount; you may have to pay the cost beyond that amount. Be sure to carefully review what is covered and what is not. Is the person and their insurance company trying to sell you insurance licensed in Kansas? Always be wary of anyone who contacts you unsolicited offering to sell you health insurance. Ask for their state license number and verify online at sbs.naic.org/solar-external-lookup or contact the department at 785-296-7862. For other helpful resources, consult the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s Health Insurance Shopping Tool and the What to Ask When Shopping for Health Insurance guide. If you have questions while shopping for health insurance, contact the Kansas Insurance Department’s Consumer Assistance Division toll-free at 1-800-432-2484, by email kid.commissioner@ks.gov or visit the Department online at <a href="https://insurance.kansas.gov/">insurance.kansas.gov</a>. Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt&nbsp;serves as the secretary of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Midwest Zone and co-vice chair of the Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation (F) Committee of the NAIC. She also serves as a member on the Life Insurance and Annuities (A) Committee and the International Insurance Relations (G) Committee of the NAIC, and the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) Board of Directors.

SCHMIDT: Navigating the health insurance marketplace is no easy task

By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension District

I have a special guest to introduce this week! Camille Dolechek will be working as our Summer Program Assistant this year and we’ll tell you a little about her.

She is excited to intern with Cottonwood Extension Office as a summer program assistant this summer. Camille is a Hoisington native from a farming and ranching family. She is currently attending Kansas State University studying Elementary Education.

Camille is looking forward to assisting with the Barton County Fair, day camps, and working with agents. Growing up, she participated in 4-H, and 4-H is a fantastic program to learn life skills. She also looks forward to seeing the 4-H participants show their animals and arts and crafts this summer!

We are excited to have Camille on-board this summer and hope to let her experience all areas of Extension work. She has jumped in to assist in the office and is helping at a Day Camp the 4-H Junior Leaders are holding on Wednesday. Extension is all about learning experiences and we appreciate the ability to provide to our summer assistants with experiences as much as the communities we serve. Be sure to look for Camille at Extension events and the Barton County Fair this summer!

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.

Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668179445671.jpeg" alt="Michelle Beran&nbsp;is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;(Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Michelle Beran&nbsp;is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;(Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension District I have a special guest to introduce this week! Camille Dolechek will be working as our Summer Program Assistant this year and we’ll tell you a little about her.She is excited to intern with Cottonwood Extension Office as a summer program assistant this summer. Camille is a Hoisington native from a farming and ranching family. She is currently attending Kansas State University studying Elementary Education.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685104881742.jpeg" alt="Camille Dolechek (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Camille Dolechek (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Camille is looking forward to assisting with the Barton County Fair, day camps, and working with agents. Growing up, she participated in 4-H, and 4-H is a fantastic program to learn life skills. She also looks forward to seeing the 4-H participants show their animals and arts and crafts this summer!We are excited to have Camille on-board this summer and hope to let her experience all areas of Extension work. She has jumped in to assist in the office and is helping at a Day Camp the 4-H Junior Leaders are holding on Wednesday. Extension is all about learning experiences and we appreciate the ability to provide to our summer assistants with experiences as much as the communities we serve. Be sure to look for Camille at Extension events and the Barton County Fair this summer!Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

BERAN: Meet our summer program assistant

We liberal Christians are used to being overlooked. I was reminded of this the other day while discussing religion and politics with an otherwise smart, worldly, well-read former student who had never heard of liberal Christianity.

Liberal Christians are woven into the fabric of Kansas and American history. Without us, there might never have been an abolitionist or a civil rights movement.

Kansas Reflector reporters Sherman Smith and Rachel Mipro are trying to give us our due. Their recent series about religious faith and Kansas politics focuses on the Kansas Legislature’s 2023 session, particularly the priorities of fundamentalist, evangelical Christians. These include criminalizing abortion, mandating discrimination against LGBTQ persons, “parents’ rights,” promotion of religious schools instead of public ones, and attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

For balance, Smith and Mipro relied heavily on interviews with Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, a Topeka Democrat and United Church of Christ (UCC) Pastor. Schlingensiepen spoke of an inclusive church, the difference between personal faith and public legislation, representing the powerless, rejecting violence, and economic justice. Being UCC myself, I know all too well the tendency for people of faith to be stereotyped as anti-LGBTQ and as preoccupied with criminalizing abortion.

We believe that following the entire Bible literally is impossible. As A.J. Jacobs notes in The Year of Living Biblically, the Bible commands believers to avoid eating shellfish or wearing mixed-fiber clothing, for example, and men must not shave their beards. Those who do not keep the Sabbath holy are to be executed by stoning. Liberal Christians respond by focusing on what UCC theologian Marcus Borg called The Heart of Christianity–Jesus’ teachings through word and example. These teachings include humility, kindness, refraining from judging others, inclusiveness, economic justice, nonviolence, and speaking truth to power. If one does truly seek to follow the Bible as literally as possible, small, close-knit faith traditions such as Hasidic Jews or the Amish probably come the closest–but even they do not stone Sabbath-breakers.

Liberal Christians are not exclusively pro-choice. Some predominantly African-American Protestant churches and some Catholic congregations believe and practice the social justice gospel but also oppose abortion, for example. However, the UCC denomination and many other liberal Christians are openly, avowedly pro-choice. In an open letter published last year in the Wichita Eagle and signed by numerous UCC, United Methodist, and other clergy, these leaders called for Kansas voters to reject last year’s attempt to criminalize abortion, which they did. They argued that the Bible holds a woman’s body and her autonomy to be sacred. Not to be confused with being “pro-abortion,” the UCC and Unitarian Universalist Association co-publish Our Whole Lives, a sex-education curriculum for children and adults alike celebrating our bodies and calling for open communication, family planning, scientifically and medically accurate facts, and affirmative consent.

Must-read authors include Reinhold Niebuhr, who popularized the Serenity Prayer and influenced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and several Presidents. Scholar Elaine Pagels has closely studied the Gnostics, early Christians whose unique understanding of the faith gives insights into the Christianity’s early days. Finally, the Jesus Seminar’s Five Gospels offers offers a historically-grounded reading of the traditional four gospel stories, plus the recently-discovered Gospel of Thomas.

Liberal Christians may not fit the stereotype, but we remain an active, ongoing part of Kansas’ civic culture and religious life.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639601062071.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>We liberal Christians are used to being overlooked. I was reminded of this the other day while discussing religion and politics with an otherwise smart, worldly, well-read former student who had never heard of liberal Christianity.Liberal Christians are woven into the fabric of Kansas and American history. Without us, there might never have been an abolitionist or a civil rights movement.Kansas Reflector reporters Sherman Smith and Rachel Mipro are trying to give us our due. Their recent series about religious faith and Kansas politics focuses on the Kansas Legislature’s 2023 session, particularly the priorities of fundamentalist, evangelical Christians. These include criminalizing abortion, mandating discrimination against LGBTQ persons, “parents’ rights,” promotion of religious schools instead of public ones, and attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.For balance, Smith and Mipro relied heavily on interviews with Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, a Topeka Democrat and United Church of Christ (UCC) Pastor. Schlingensiepen spoke of an inclusive church, the difference between personal faith and public legislation, representing the powerless, rejecting violence, and economic justice. Being UCC myself, I know all too well the tendency for people of faith to be stereotyped as anti-LGBTQ and as preoccupied with criminalizing abortion.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>We believe that following the entire Bible literally is impossible. As A.J. Jacobs notes in The Year of Living Biblically, the Bible commands believers to avoid eating shellfish or wearing mixed-fiber clothing, for example, and men must not shave their beards. Those who do not keep the Sabbath holy are to be executed by stoning. Liberal Christians respond by focusing on what UCC theologian Marcus Borg called The Heart of Christianity–Jesus’ teachings through word and example. These teachings include humility, kindness, refraining from judging others, inclusiveness, economic justice, nonviolence, and speaking truth to power. If one does truly seek to follow the Bible as literally as possible, small, close-knit faith traditions such as Hasidic Jews or the Amish probably come the closest–but even they do not stone Sabbath-breakers.Liberal Christians are not exclusively pro-choice. Some predominantly African-American Protestant churches and some Catholic congregations believe and practice the social justice gospel but also oppose abortion, for example. However, the UCC denomination and many other liberal Christians are openly, avowedly pro-choice. In an open letter published last year in the Wichita Eagle and signed by numerous UCC, United Methodist, and other clergy, these leaders called for Kansas voters to reject last year’s attempt to criminalize abortion, which they did. They argued that the Bible holds a woman’s body and her autonomy to be sacred. Not to be confused with being “pro-abortion,” the UCC and Unitarian Universalist Association co-publish Our Whole Lives, a sex-education curriculum for children and adults alike celebrating our bodies and calling for open communication, family planning, scientifically and medically accurate facts, and affirmative consent.Must-read authors include Reinhold Niebuhr, who popularized the Serenity Prayer and influenced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and several Presidents. Scholar Elaine Pagels has closely studied the Gnostics, early Christians whose unique understanding of the faith gives insights into the Christianity’s early days. Finally, the Jesus Seminar’s Five Gospels offers offers a historically-grounded reading of the traditional four gospel stories, plus the recently-discovered Gospel of Thomas.Liberal Christians may not fit the stereotype, but we remain an active, ongoing part of Kansas’ civic culture and religious life.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: What is a liberal Christian?

By TISA MASON FHSU President

At Fort Hays State University, we foster an ethic of care for others beyond friendly and nice. This focus on cultivating intentional relationships that engage in people's stories, build self-confidence, and attend generously to each other's needs, is precisely why I love to write and talk about "Heart of a Tiger" stories.

This column's inspiring example of care started with an annual email from our Director of International Student Services, Carol Solko-Olliff, to the campus community. Each year, as Ramadan approaches, Carol sends a campus email to remind faculty and staff about the upcoming Ramadan observance. Ramadan is an Islam practice of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.

In response to the email, our student affairs staff provided a private prayer room and transportation to a local mosque. Graduate Assistant Diane Hernandez-Ramirez, worked closely with the students to plan the event—pretty much standard protocol for FHSU.

But then, out of the kindness of her heart, Farheen Khan, Assistant Professor of Art and Design, read the email and immediately reached out to see how she could support the students.

Carol shared that the Muslim Student Organization was planning an educational event for the campus community about Ramadan, where the students would break their fast after the presentation and share a meal with those in attendance. Professor Khan immediately wanted to get involved and provide some food. Carol thought that was great.

What Carol did not know was "some food" turned out to be a feast! An entire table was filled with food, and she paid careful attention to how it was set out and presented. Carol said, "It was amazing!" The students were so excited and grateful for this act of kindness.

Professor Khan's support and commitment did not stop there; she continued to cook and support the students. She shared that her cultural values have always inspired her to care for others. "Sharing the Iftar feast with our community members and FHSU International Muslim students, who are away from their homes and observing fast, was an excellent way to foster a sense of connection and community."

Professor Khan also shared that organizing the meal took "good intention, patience, goal setting, time management, of course, cooking skills, and helping kids who were involved in planning and organizing. Everything was prepared on the same day; therefore, it was a complete process of planning, shopping, cooking, packing, transferring, presenting, and sharing." Ultimately, she planned and provided for four gatherings for our students over two consecutive weekends.

Carol was so taken by Professor Khan's kindness that she sent photos to several other administrators and me to share the joy and generosity of Farheen's kindness. It did not take long for many to comment and share.

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation asks us to "imagine a world where you can succeed by being nice, where we all pay it forward. Where people look out for each other." They then declare, "It all starts with an act."

Thank you, Farheen Khan, for your generous act of kindness. It is a gesture that will live in the hearts of many. Like many acts of kindness, I continue to observe that the sharing of this story throughout campus has taken on a "life of its own."

In the meantime, our ethic of care culture ripples throughout our campus, in both big and small ways, to communicate "you matter." Our strength of connectedness provides an abundance of opportunities to amplify learning, and by doing so, develops generations primed for success who look out for each other – the essence of an engaged citizen leader.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575302014229.png" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason</figcaption>
 </figure>By TISA MASON FHSU PresidentAt Fort Hays State University, we foster an ethic of care for others beyond friendly and nice. This focus on cultivating intentional relationships that engage in people's stories, build self-confidence, and attend generously to each other's needs, is precisely why I love to write and talk about "Heart of a Tiger" stories.This column's inspiring example of care started with an annual email from our Director of International Student Services, Carol Solko-Olliff, to the campus community. Each year, as Ramadan approaches, Carol sends a campus email to remind faculty and staff about the upcoming Ramadan observance. Ramadan is an Islam practice of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.In response to the email, our student affairs staff provided a private prayer room and transportation to a local mosque. Graduate Assistant Diane Hernandez-Ramirez, worked closely with the students to plan the event—pretty much standard protocol for FHSU.But then, out of the kindness of her heart, Farheen Khan, Assistant Professor of Art and Design, read the email and immediately reached out to see how she could support the students.Carol shared that the Muslim Student Organization was planning an educational event for the campus community about Ramadan, where the students would break their fast after the presentation and share a meal with those in attendance. Professor Khan immediately wanted to get involved and provide some food. Carol thought that was great.What Carol did not know was "some food" turned out to be a feast! An entire table was filled with food, and she paid careful attention to how it was set out and presented. Carol said, "It was amazing!" The students were so excited and grateful for this act of kindness.Professor Khan's support and commitment did not stop there; she continued to cook and support the students. She shared that her cultural values have always inspired her to care for others. "Sharing the Iftar feast with our community members and FHSU International Muslim students, who are away from their homes and observing fast, was an excellent way to foster a sense of connection and community."Professor Khan also shared that organizing the meal took "good intention, patience, goal setting, time management, of course, cooking skills, and helping kids who were involved in planning and organizing. Everything was prepared on the same day; therefore, it was a complete process of planning, shopping, cooking, packing, transferring, presenting, and sharing." Ultimately, she planned and provided for four gatherings for our students over two consecutive weekends.Carol was so taken by Professor Khan's kindness that she sent photos to several other administrators and me to share the joy and generosity of Farheen's kindness. It did not take long for many to comment and share.The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation asks us to "imagine a world where you can succeed by being nice, where we all pay it forward. Where people look out for each other." They then declare, "It all starts with an act."Thank you, Farheen Khan, for your generous act of kindness. It is a gesture that will live in the hearts of many. Like many acts of kindness, I continue to observe that the sharing of this story throughout campus has taken on a "life of its own."In the meantime, our ethic of care culture ripples throughout our campus, in both big and small ways, to communicate "you matter." Our strength of connectedness provides an abundance of opportunities to amplify learning, and by doing so, develops generations primed for success who look out for each other – the essence of an engaged citizen leader.

Heart of a Tiger: Farheen Khan and her spirit of generosity

By Clay Wirestone <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Kansas Reflector’s comprehensive&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/tag/series-church-and-state/">series on religion in public life</a>&nbsp;keeps making waves.

Throughout the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://themercury.com/news/republicans-revel-in-divine-plan-to-turn-kansas-into-conservative-sanctuary/article_4a9bbd54-a6fd-5d05-b06f-41785cf4eff6.html">multiple news outlets</a>&nbsp;pick up our reporting&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hiawathaworldonline.com/news/state/">for their audiences</a>. Politicians have taken note. Those at the center of the story have pushed back. In all cases, readers can see why compelling, fact-based journalism makes all the difference in a state where extremists covet greater and greater power.

When&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://conservativeinstitute.org/author/adam-peters">Adam Peters</a>&nbsp;— the Ellis County GOP chairman who called for the transformation of Kansas into a “conservative sanctuary” — was asked to comment on his statements by Kansas Reflector editor Sherman Smith, he didn’t respond. He had every right to do so.

Yet the day the series made its debut, the Ellis County Republican Party&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/elliscountyksgop/posts/pfbid02Fidd5k4hb5iouiCozc9kCcsAheNHNXUeWuyH4ent8zNipgUsHESTae8JxusABhXml">posted a lengthy response</a>&nbsp;on its Facebook page. Here’s how the post began; I’m quoting it at length to show that we are more than willing to give Peters his say. Unfortunately, as will soon become clear, the party left out a bit.

On Monday, Kansas Reflector editor in chief Sherman Smith published allegations concerning a speech that Ellis County GOP Chairman Adam Peters delivered in March. Links to his speech as well as the accompanying Q&amp;A session are provided here, and they refute Smith’s claims:

Far from offering “hints of violence,” Peters explicitly disavowed any form of violence or harassment during his speech at the 27:33 mark, saying, “I’m not calling for, just to be clear in case anyone else is recording this, I’m not calling to ruin anyone’s life. I’m not supporting Antifa tactics.” That’s consistent with a speech he gave this month denouncing the concept of “Christian nationalism” and the use of violence to achieve political goals:

<a target="_blank" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Frumble.com%2Fv2n1fdk-christian-nationalism-is-anti-christian-and-un-american.html%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1iwtFKxFoMvC8NIfUpoIkVGgxLQWy6oEZCQKg-yEKIkF4WnlyvKOkoJ64&amp;h=AT11VEpFM3U3N-QWhW4sAeVLvz10sI1NV1tYWTFEnoRJlmnK0yltISoCFZlE1ArCC9qJCwfSEvTiqAHWyNxcBUVTwkiDQEUiCaKRGZXXgsACu4ncVWxK-4lZQEhC40cNAQ&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT04nRdMrND-J7sOonF7cPHIAALbj_vIbMenTQWJPUmUbT_nk5juB8Nd_x5lRJ8R6uZ1dQc2xuP4Wl8_-sjnUc7hDEnGcL0IbPyP3EqN-65lHtsH2xRYsWlxzsdiWrwSAjW4LPVHIR8aR4-BDSwProG84uflWErPo57Zy_WJZNzA0bSA58unyn3kdrUrLv2ah3O_sxMnRS4Lk9dmJM29ZPj3">https://rumble.com/v2n1fdk-christian-nationalism-is-anti…</a>

What’s more, Peters implored his listeners at 17:57 of the Q&amp;A to treat others with dignity, including men and women who do not fit traditional gender norms. He stated that we “need to keep in mind there are people who are struggling, and we need to approach them with love and kindness.”

First off, Smith wasn’t claiming anything. He was reporting. That includes listening to recording of Peters’ appearance and drawing conclusions. That’s what journalists do.

While Peters may have said at one point that he didn’t support “Antifa tactics,” he did say that “We need to use the tools that are at our disposal. You know, if we look in scripture, there was a time when the nation of Israel had to take up arms in defense of themselves.”

You can draw your own conclusions after listening to the man himself. The Reflector stands by its reporting.

Of the videos from Reno County Republicans’ meeting,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rumble.com/v2bn6qc-critical-theory-presentation-2.html?fbclid=IwAR1iwtFKxFoMvC8NIfUpoIkVGgxLQWy6oEZCQKg-yEKIkF4WnlyvKOkoJ64">the first</a>&nbsp;lasts 36 minutes and 15 seconds,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rumble.com/v2nybzw-reno-county-presentation-q-and-a.html?fbclid=IwAR2V6Fc50wCsrKBUwqOAZW5YThxt_wiqim3X6hXR6ogy7-dnD1HNnxR9mrE">the second</a>&nbsp;lasts 25 minutes and seven seconds, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rumble.com/v2nykzu-reno-co.-q-and-a-part-3.html?fbclid=IwAR0OGACSFyggjk73On8EccTu-Sgs4lLmkreWCJkvNNWe3smKmmgc3jgf2_c">the third</a>&nbsp;lasts one minute and 24 seconds. That adds up to one hour, two minutes and 46 seconds — although the first and second clips appear to overlap.

The recording that Kansas Reflector reporters reviewed totals one hour, 43 minutes and 17 seconds. In other words, it’s substantially longer and includes more discussion than the excerpts above.

Later in its statement (please read the rest if you feel ambitious), the party makes the following claim:

“Smith also contends that Peters accused ‘LGBTQ-friendly church pastors of having signed a contract with Satan.’ Anyone who watches the footage of the speech and Q&amp;A session will see that no such comment was made.”

Sure enough, you won’t see that statement in footage provided by the party. You won’t see it because it comes after the footage ends. In the recording Kansas Reflector reviewed, Peters’ makes those comments one hour and 13 minutes into the presentation. I’ll quote him directly.

“And that’s actually why we need to guard our churches,” Peters said. “There have been a growing number of churches that have been promoting drag shows. That they’re promoting just, you just look at this, and you think this is, this is satanic. You know, we were seeing about a contract with the devil before, and I’d have to seriously question what documents some of these pastors are signing.”

From my&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/18/a-year-ago-i-started-a-journey-as-kansas-reflector-opinion-editor-heres-what-i-learned/">perch as opinion editor</a>, I don’t think it’s a great look for a county party to make such easily disprovable statements. But then, I’m probably one of the people that Peters would want to create a “hostile environment” for and drive out of the state.

Let’s look at some more favorable reactions to the series.

Democratic Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, the senior minister at First Congregational Church in Topeka, was a major source for the series. He contributed again with a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/opinion/columns/2023/05/19/kansas-legislators-dont-have-christ-like-aims-its-about-power/70232845007/">column published last week</a>&nbsp;in the Topeka Capital-Journal.

He writes:&nbsp;“If these views were merely the day-dreaming of extreme activists, it could be brushed off as a fringe fever-dream. But, the sad fact is the majority of legislators have subscribed to this form of pseudo-religious manipulation.

“Crusading against those who are different from them has become standard practice for our Republican-dominated House and Senate. I have grave concerns not only for the future of our state but also the safety of those marginalized by the Legislature.”

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article275567036.html">contributed a piece</a>&nbsp;to the Kansas City Star over the weekend. I included an excerpt in my previous column.

But that wasn’t all! The Star published an earlier editorial about our work, titled “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article275480391.html">GOP chief wants to make Kansas ‘hostile’ to push out ‘bad people’ he disagrees with</a>.

“We also hope — but don’t fully expect — that many of Peters’ fellow Kansas Republicans reject his expressed desire to inflict misery on some of their constituents,” it concludes. “Kansas belongs to all Kansans, no matter their race, gender, orientation, faith or ideology. The state should be welcoming to all. Hateful policymaking and hints of brute force have no place here.”

Most geographically removed, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran its own editorial: “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-hot-mic-moment-for-kansas-gop-official-reveals-the-depth-of-partys-hostility/article_beffbcee-f4f7-11ed-9a55-cf93de8a81e7.html">Hot mic moment for Kansas GOP official reveals the depth of party’s hostility</a>.”

“Those who go out of their way to be ‘hostile’ to a ‘small sliver of society,’ when those targets aren’t hurting anyone, aren’t the ‘good people’ that the Kansas Republican chairman talked of wanting to keep in his state,” the paper’s editorial board thundered. “To use his own phrase,&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;the ‘bad people.’ And as long as the voters keep reelecting them, statehouses in Missouri and elsewhere will continue being playgrounds for these cynical bullies while the actual duties of government go unfulfilled.”

Finally, you can catch Reflector reporter Rachel Mipro — the other author of the series, along with Smith — on KCUR,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/podcast/kansas-city-today/2023-05-22/kansas-where-church-and-state-are-anything-but-separate">offering her perspective</a>.

Whew. That was a lot, but so is summarizing Kansas religious extremism. In the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.charlesdickensinfo.com/quotes/god-bless-us-every-one/">words of Tiny Tim</a>, as I wrap up today, “God bless us, every one.”

Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/submit-opinion/">here</a>.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/369ec344-c881-4d61-b32f-2d8128c04c5b">Counterpoint: Letter to the Editor: Ellis County GOP responds to church, state series</a>

By Clay Wirestone <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>Kansas Reflector’s comprehensive&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/tag/series-church-and-state/">series on religion in public life</a>&nbsp;keeps making waves.Throughout the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://themercury.com/news/republicans-revel-in-divine-plan-to-turn-kansas-into-conservative-sanctuary/article_4a9bbd54-a6fd-5d05-b06f-41785cf4eff6.html">multiple news outlets</a>&nbsp;pick up our reporting&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hiawathaworldonline.com/news/state/">for their audiences</a>. Politicians have taken note. Those at the center of the story have pushed back. In all cases, readers can see why compelling, fact-based journalism makes all the difference in a state where extremists covet greater and greater power.Let’s start with the offense-takers.When&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://conservativeinstitute.org/author/adam-peters">Adam Peters</a>&nbsp;— the Ellis County GOP chairman who called for the transformation of Kansas into a “conservative sanctuary” — was asked to comment on his statements by Kansas Reflector editor Sherman Smith, he didn’t respond. He had every right to do so.Yet the day the series made its debut, the Ellis County Republican Party&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/elliscountyksgop/posts/pfbid02Fidd5k4hb5iouiCozc9kCcsAheNHNXUeWuyH4ent8zNipgUsHESTae8JxusABhXml">posted a lengthy response</a>&nbsp;on its Facebook page. Here’s how the post began; I’m quoting it at length to show that we are more than willing to give Peters his say. Unfortunately, as will soon become clear, the party left out a bit.On Monday, Kansas Reflector editor in chief Sherman Smith published allegations concerning a speech that Ellis County GOP Chairman Adam Peters delivered in March. Links to his speech as well as the accompanying Q&amp;A session are provided here, and they refute Smith’s claims:<ul>
 <li><a target="_blank" href="https://rumble.com/v2bn6qc-critical-theory-presentation-2.html?fbclid=IwAR1iwtFKxFoMvC8NIfUpoIkVGgxLQWy6oEZCQKg-yEKIkF4WnlyvKOkoJ64">https://rumble.com/v2bn6qc-critical-theory-presentation-2…</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://rumble.com/v2nybzw-reno-county-presentation-q-and-a.html?fbclid=IwAR2V6Fc50wCsrKBUwqOAZW5YThxt_wiqim3X6hXR6ogy7-dnD1HNnxR9mrE">https://rumble.com/v2nybzw-reno-county-presentation-q-and…</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://rumble.com/v2nykzu-reno-co.-q-and-a-part-3.html?fbclid=IwAR0OGACSFyggjk73On8EccTu-Sgs4lLmkreWCJkvNNWe3smKmmgc3jgf2_c">https://rumble.com/v2nykzu-reno-co.-q-and-a-part-3.html</a></li>
 </ul>Far from offering “hints of violence,” Peters explicitly disavowed any form of violence or harassment during his speech at the 27:33 mark, saying, “I’m not calling for, just to be clear in case anyone else is recording this, I’m not calling to ruin anyone’s life. I’m not supporting Antifa tactics.” That’s consistent with a speech he gave this month denouncing the concept of “Christian nationalism” and the use of violence to achieve political goals:<a target="_blank" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Frumble.com%2Fv2n1fdk-christian-nationalism-is-anti-christian-and-un-american.html%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1iwtFKxFoMvC8NIfUpoIkVGgxLQWy6oEZCQKg-yEKIkF4WnlyvKOkoJ64&amp;h=AT11VEpFM3U3N-QWhW4sAeVLvz10sI1NV1tYWTFEnoRJlmnK0yltISoCFZlE1ArCC9qJCwfSEvTiqAHWyNxcBUVTwkiDQEUiCaKRGZXXgsACu4ncVWxK-4lZQEhC40cNAQ&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT04nRdMrND-J7sOonF7cPHIAALbj_vIbMenTQWJPUmUbT_nk5juB8Nd_x5lRJ8R6uZ1dQc2xuP4Wl8_-sjnUc7hDEnGcL0IbPyP3EqN-65lHtsH2xRYsWlxzsdiWrwSAjW4LPVHIR8aR4-BDSwProG84uflWErPo57Zy_WJZNzA0bSA58unyn3kdrUrLv2ah3O_sxMnRS4Lk9dmJM29ZPj3">https://rumble.com/v2n1fdk-christian-nationalism-is-anti…</a>What’s more, Peters implored his listeners at 17:57 of the Q&amp;A to treat others with dignity, including men and women who do not fit traditional gender norms. He stated that we “need to keep in mind there are people who are struggling, and we need to approach them with love and kindness.”First off, Smith wasn’t claiming anything. He was reporting. That includes listening to recording of Peters’ appearance and drawing conclusions. That’s what journalists do.While Peters may have said at one point that he didn’t support “Antifa tactics,” he did say that “We need to use the tools that are at our disposal. You know, if we look in scripture, there was a time when the nation of Israel had to take up arms in defense of themselves.”You can draw your own conclusions after listening to the man himself. The Reflector stands by its reporting.Of the videos from Reno County Republicans’ meeting,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rumble.com/v2bn6qc-critical-theory-presentation-2.html?fbclid=IwAR1iwtFKxFoMvC8NIfUpoIkVGgxLQWy6oEZCQKg-yEKIkF4WnlyvKOkoJ64">the first</a>&nbsp;lasts 36 minutes and 15 seconds,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rumble.com/v2nybzw-reno-county-presentation-q-and-a.html?fbclid=IwAR2V6Fc50wCsrKBUwqOAZW5YThxt_wiqim3X6hXR6ogy7-dnD1HNnxR9mrE">the second</a>&nbsp;lasts 25 minutes and seven seconds, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rumble.com/v2nykzu-reno-co.-q-and-a-part-3.html?fbclid=IwAR0OGACSFyggjk73On8EccTu-Sgs4lLmkreWCJkvNNWe3smKmmgc3jgf2_c">the third</a>&nbsp;lasts one minute and 24 seconds. That adds up to one hour, two minutes and 46 seconds — although the first and second clips appear to overlap.The recording that Kansas Reflector reporters reviewed totals one hour, 43 minutes and 17 seconds. In other words, it’s substantially longer and includes more discussion than the excerpts above.Later in its statement (please read the rest if you feel ambitious), the party makes the following claim:“Smith also contends that Peters accused ‘LGBTQ-friendly church pastors of having signed a contract with Satan.’ Anyone who watches the footage of the speech and Q&amp;A session will see that no such comment was made.”Sure enough, you won’t see that statement in footage provided by the party. You won’t see it because it comes after the footage ends. In the recording Kansas Reflector reviewed, Peters’ makes those comments one hour and 13 minutes into the presentation. I’ll quote him directly.“And that’s actually why we need to guard our churches,” Peters said. “There have been a growing number of churches that have been promoting drag shows. That they’re promoting just, you just look at this, and you think this is, this is satanic. You know, we were seeing about a contract with the devil before, and I’d have to seriously question what documents some of these pastors are signing.”From my&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/18/a-year-ago-i-started-a-journey-as-kansas-reflector-opinion-editor-heres-what-i-learned/">perch as opinion editor</a>, I don’t think it’s a great look for a county party to make such easily disprovable statements. But then, I’m probably one of the people that Peters would want to create a “hostile environment” for and drive out of the state.<h2>Commentary galore</h2>Let’s look at some more favorable reactions to the series.Democratic Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, the senior minister at First Congregational Church in Topeka, was a major source for the series. He contributed again with a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/opinion/columns/2023/05/19/kansas-legislators-dont-have-christ-like-aims-its-about-power/70232845007/">column published last week</a>&nbsp;in the Topeka Capital-Journal.He writes:&nbsp;“If these views were merely the day-dreaming of extreme activists, it could be brushed off as a fringe fever-dream. But, the sad fact is the majority of legislators have subscribed to this form of pseudo-religious manipulation.“Crusading against those who are different from them has become standard practice for our Republican-dominated House and Senate. I have grave concerns not only for the future of our state but also the safety of those marginalized by the Legislature.”Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article275567036.html">contributed a piece</a>&nbsp;to the Kansas City Star over the weekend. I included an excerpt in my previous column.But that wasn’t all! The Star published an earlier editorial about our work, titled “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article275480391.html">GOP chief wants to make Kansas ‘hostile’ to push out ‘bad people’ he disagrees with</a>.“We also hope — but don’t fully expect — that many of Peters’ fellow Kansas Republicans reject his expressed desire to inflict misery on some of their constituents,” it concludes. “Kansas belongs to all Kansans, no matter their race, gender, orientation, faith or ideology. The state should be welcoming to all. Hateful policymaking and hints of brute force have no place here.”Most geographically removed, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran its own editorial: “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-hot-mic-moment-for-kansas-gop-official-reveals-the-depth-of-partys-hostility/article_beffbcee-f4f7-11ed-9a55-cf93de8a81e7.html">Hot mic moment for Kansas GOP official reveals the depth of party’s hostility</a>.”“Those who go out of their way to be ‘hostile’ to a ‘small sliver of society,’ when those targets aren’t hurting anyone, aren’t the ‘good people’ that the Kansas Republican chairman talked of wanting to keep in his state,” the paper’s editorial board thundered. “To use his own phrase,&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;the ‘bad people.’ And as long as the voters keep reelecting them, statehouses in Missouri and elsewhere will continue being playgrounds for these cynical bullies while the actual duties of government go unfulfilled.”Finally, you can catch Reflector reporter Rachel Mipro — the other author of the series, along with Smith — on KCUR,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/podcast/kansas-city-today/2023-05-22/kansas-where-church-and-state-are-anything-but-separate">offering her perspective</a>.Whew. That was a lot, but so is summarizing Kansas religious extremism. In the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.charlesdickensinfo.com/quotes/god-bless-us-every-one/">words of Tiny Tim</a>, as I wrap up today, “God bless us, every one.”Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/submit-opinion/">here</a>.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/369ec344-c881-4d61-b32f-2d8128c04c5b">Counterpoint: Letter to the Editor: Ellis County GOP responds to church, state series</a>

Opinion: Revelations of religious zealotry infiltrating Kansas politics raise alarms near, far

I am disappointed that Hays Post has chosen to republish a series of hit pieces from the Kansas Reflector, beginning on May 25 with an article titled, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/91d59ad2-4746-4767-b13f-7db8ec415e45">“Church and state: Republicans revel in the divine plan to turn Kansas into ‘conservative sanctuary.’”&nbsp;</a>

Written by Kansas Reflector editor-in-chief Sherman Smith, it relied on a deceptively edited audio recording to mischaracterize a speech I gave earlier this year.

The Ellis County Republican party has responded with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/elliscountyksgop/posts/pfbid0jAGBrMPabe6L3fnSu6NHf9J6635pFhwxcUiu4SS6GGdcx9dmFrmZVgUWT6SrRHaGl" target="_blank">a statement</a> on its Facebook page which contains links to a video of <a href="https://rumble.com/v2bn6qc-critical-theory-presentation-2.html" target="_blank">my speech</a> along with the subsequent <a href="https://rumble.com/v2nybzw-reno-county-presentation-q-and-a.html" target="_blank">Q&amp;A session</a>.

Whereas Smith accused me of taking an “extremist position” on race, I unequivocally denounced any form of racial bigotry 12:26 minutes into my Q&amp;A, saying, “No one should ever be vilified, or blamed, or hurt, or discriminated against because of the way they happen to look.” I also asked listeners at 17:57 minutes to treat those who do not fit traditional gender norms with dignity, stressing how “we need to keep in mind there are people who are struggling, and we need to approach them with love and kindness.”&nbsp;

What’s more, I explicitly disavowed political violence at the 27:33 minute mark of my speech, saying, “I’m not calling to ruin anyone’s life. I’m not supporting Antifa tactics.” However, I did express a desire to turn Kansas into a sanctuary for those fleeing dysfunctional blue states, part of which involves improving our self-defense laws while ensuring our attorney general can target the criminal element and the violent political agitators who enable them.

Further, I decried the use of hateful material to indoctrinate children. As an example, I pointed to “Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness,” which is available at the Hays Public Library. Aimed at children ages 8 and up, it states on page 59 that white people made a deal with the devil to gain wealth and privilege at the expense of minorities (a screenshot of the page in question is included in our statement). In addition to vilifying white children, this message disempowers children of color by teaching that life is hopelessly stacked against them.&nbsp;

Decent Kansans are horrified to see children subjected to vile hate and they wish to be free from criminal violence. I and the Ellis County GOP will continue to fight for their values.

Adam Peters, Ellis County Republican Party Chairman

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c5771903-f517-4775-acd7-4f33951228ff">Counterpoint:&nbsp;Opinion: Revelations of religious zealotry infiltrating Kansas politics raise alarms near, far</a>

I am disappointed that Hays Post has chosen to republish a series of hit pieces from the Kansas Reflector, beginning on May 25 with an article titled, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/91d59ad2-4746-4767-b13f-7db8ec415e45">“Church and state: Republicans revel in the divine plan to turn Kansas into ‘conservative sanctuary.’”&nbsp;</a>Written by Kansas Reflector editor-in-chief Sherman Smith, it relied on a deceptively edited audio recording to mischaracterize a speech I gave earlier this year.The Ellis County Republican party has responded with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/elliscountyksgop/posts/pfbid0jAGBrMPabe6L3fnSu6NHf9J6635pFhwxcUiu4SS6GGdcx9dmFrmZVgUWT6SrRHaGl" target="_blank">a statement</a> on its Facebook page which contains links to a video of <a href="https://rumble.com/v2bn6qc-critical-theory-presentation-2.html" target="_blank">my speech</a> along with the subsequent <a href="https://rumble.com/v2nybzw-reno-county-presentation-q-and-a.html" target="_blank">Q&amp;A session</a>.Whereas Smith accused me of taking an “extremist position” on race, I unequivocally denounced any form of racial bigotry 12:26 minutes into my Q&amp;A, saying, “No one should ever be vilified, or blamed, or hurt, or discriminated against because of the way they happen to look.” I also asked listeners at 17:57 minutes to treat those who do not fit traditional gender norms with dignity, stressing how “we need to keep in mind there are people who are struggling, and we need to approach them with love and kindness.”&nbsp;What’s more, I explicitly disavowed political violence at the 27:33 minute mark of my speech, saying, “I’m not calling to ruin anyone’s life. I’m not supporting Antifa tactics.” However, I did express a desire to turn Kansas into a sanctuary for those fleeing dysfunctional blue states, part of which involves improving our self-defense laws while ensuring our attorney general can target the criminal element and the violent political agitators who enable them.Further, I decried the use of hateful material to indoctrinate children. As an example, I pointed to “Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness,” which is available at the Hays Public Library. Aimed at children ages 8 and up, it states on page 59 that white people made a deal with the devil to gain wealth and privilege at the expense of minorities (a screenshot of the page in question is included in our statement). In addition to vilifying white children, this message disempowers children of color by teaching that life is hopelessly stacked against them.&nbsp;Decent Kansans are horrified to see children subjected to vile hate and they wish to be free from criminal violence. I and the Ellis County GOP will continue to fight for their values.Adam Peters, Ellis County Republican Party Chairman <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c5771903-f517-4775-acd7-4f33951228ff">Counterpoint:&nbsp;Opinion: Revelations of religious zealotry infiltrating Kansas politics raise alarms near, far</a>

Letter to the Editor: Ellis County GOP chairman responds to church, state series

Governor Laura Kelly recently vetoed House Bill 2285, which would have restricted the ability of public health officials to respond to public health emergencies in the state of Kansas.

While Republican legislators will be unable to override this veto, bill proponents have promised this fight will continue next legislative session.

The legislature passed House Bill 2285, along narrow margins, in the final weeks of the legislative session. It would have removed the ability of public health officials, including local officials and the Kansas Secretary of the Department of Health and Environment (KDSE), to issue directives during public health emergencies, including orders that restrict gatherings and/or mandate isolation or quarantines for infected individuals.

The bill would have also limited the secretary’s ability to offer testing for infectious diseases and bar any requirement related to the COVID-19 vaccine for children enrolled in a childcare facility or school for the first time in Kansas.

While the bill would allow public health officials to make recommendations aimed at reducing the spread of infectious diseases, their authority would be greatly reduced, and law enforcement would not be required to enforce the implementation of these recommendations.

Had it been signed into law, the bill would have arguably left vulnerable populations, such as the young and immunocompromised, to fend for themselves in public places.

Proponents of the legislation argued that it protected individual liberty from unnecessary government regulation and intrusion. However, in doing so, it limited the ability of our local communities to respond to public health emergencies and prevent widespread infection of potentially life-threatening diseases.

The Kansas legislature is by no means alone in its attempt to restrict the power of public health officials in the wake of the COVID pandemic.

Public health policy has become a recent battleground in the growing polarization of U.S. politics at all levels of government. During the past three years, more than 30 states have passed laws that limit the authority and the ability of these officials to respond to public health emergencies.

These state actions, including the bill passed by the Kansas legislature, are examples of the politicization of many state and local policy priorities in our heavily polarized, partisan environment.

Research published in the World Medical and Health Policy journal found that the party identification of a state's Governor was critical to explaining the nature and timing of state-level responses during the early stages of the pandemic, with Democratic governors being more likely to issue stay-at-home orders.

Survey research suggests that this polarization is also occurring in the streets of our communities. For example, a 2021 Pew Research survey found that while a majority of U.S. adults thought public health benefits were worth the cost of restrictions on public activity, a large minority of survey respondents (37%) thought the costs outweighed the benefits.

While recent state legislation restricting the power of public health officials is undoubtedly a reaction to government actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, it will have an impact on future health emergencies.

Put simply, the ability of our public health officials to lead during the next crisis is being decided right now.

Brianne Heidbreder, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678375743023.jpeg" alt="Brianne Heidbreder is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Brianne Heidbreder is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Governor Laura Kelly recently vetoed House Bill 2285, which would have restricted the ability of public health officials to respond to public health emergencies in the state of Kansas.While Republican legislators will be unable to override this veto, bill proponents have promised this fight will continue next legislative session.The legislature passed House Bill 2285, along narrow margins, in the final weeks of the legislative session. It would have removed the ability of public health officials, including local officials and the Kansas Secretary of the Department of Health and Environment (KDSE), to issue directives during public health emergencies, including orders that restrict gatherings and/or mandate isolation or quarantines for infected individuals.The bill would have also limited the secretary’s ability to offer testing for infectious diseases and bar any requirement related to the COVID-19 vaccine for children enrolled in a childcare facility or school for the first time in Kansas.While the bill would allow public health officials to make recommendations aimed at reducing the spread of infectious diseases, their authority would be greatly reduced, and law enforcement would not be required to enforce the implementation of these recommendations.Had it been signed into law, the bill would have arguably left vulnerable populations, such as the young and immunocompromised, to fend for themselves in public places.Proponents of the legislation argued that it protected individual liberty from unnecessary government regulation and intrusion. However, in doing so, it limited the ability of our local communities to respond to public health emergencies and prevent widespread infection of potentially life-threatening diseases.The Kansas legislature is by no means alone in its attempt to restrict the power of public health officials in the wake of the COVID pandemic.Public health policy has become a recent battleground in the growing polarization of U.S. politics at all levels of government. During the past three years, more than 30 states have passed laws that limit the authority and the ability of these officials to respond to public health emergencies.These state actions, including the bill passed by the Kansas legislature, are examples of the politicization of many state and local policy priorities in our heavily polarized, partisan environment.Research published in the World Medical and Health Policy journal found that the party identification of a state's Governor was critical to explaining the nature and timing of state-level responses during the early stages of the pandemic, with Democratic governors being more likely to issue stay-at-home orders.Survey research suggests that this polarization is also occurring in the streets of our communities. For example, a 2021 Pew Research survey found that while a majority of U.S. adults thought public health benefits were worth the cost of restrictions on public activity, a large minority of survey respondents (37%) thought the costs outweighed the benefits.While recent state legislation restricting the power of public health officials is undoubtedly a reaction to government actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, it will have an impact on future health emergencies.Put simply, the ability of our public health officials to lead during the next crisis is being decided right now.Brianne Heidbreder, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University.

HEIDBREDER: Public health: The latest partisan battleground

First identified in 2008 as a potential pest of soybeans in the United States, trochanter mealybugs (Pseudococcus sp.) have a wide variety of hosts, including corn, sorghum and alfalfa. While their role as a pest of soybean is still not fully understood, it appears that this mealybug has the potential to be a problem in alfalfa and multiple infestations have been reported in southwest Kansas this season.

Trochanter mealybugs are small (~2mm) unarmored, scale insects. They are flattened, whitish, and wax-covered and feed on plant roots removing fluids from the plant with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Due to their small size and life history, they often go undetected. The motionless mealybugs you see with a dense wax coating are all females; large egg sacs are produced under the wax when mature. The eggs hatch and the immature “crawlers” are how the mealybugs disperse between plants. This stage is difficult to control because they can hide in extremely tight spaces. Males, who do not feed, will often go unnoticed as they are smaller, winged and look nothing like the females.

Mealybugs are also moved readily in irrigation water as the waxy covering on their bodies helps them survive being submerged. These insects tend to move the greatest distances with the help of ants. In fact, increased ant activity in infested fields is often noticed before mealybugs are discovered. The ants are tending the mealybugs to eat the honeydew the bugs excrete and in turn the ants protect them from predators.

Plants infested with these mealybugs typically look like they have a potassium deficiency with yellowed leaf margins, stunted growth, and parts of a field may fail to adequately green up. If fields display these symptoms and they cannot be explained by other factors, plants should be dug up and roots examined for the presence of these insects. Again, the presence of ants may be a clue and often small, sunken trails on the soil surface can be found that ants are using to move mealybugs around the field in.

There are no thresholds or control measures for this pest, and it is important to note that their waxy covering would make mealybugs very hard to control with contact insecticides, even when feeding in exposed locations. Crop rotation may help, but this pest can survive on several crop and weed species. Attempts to control the ants in a field would not eliminate the mealybug population.

The distribution of these mealybugs in Kansas alfalfa is not well understood. If you do find trochanter mealybugs in your fields, please do not hesitate to contact your local extension agent. To see pictures of this pest in Kansas alfalfa fields, simply type mealybugs in alfalfa, ksu into your internet browser box.

Information provided by Anthony Zukoff, Extension Entomologist in Garden City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681266655144.jpeg" alt="Stacy Campbell - Cottonwood Extension District" />
 <figcaption>Stacy Campbell - Cottonwood Extension District</figcaption>
 </figure>First identified in 2008 as a potential pest of soybeans in the United States, trochanter mealybugs (Pseudococcus sp.) have a wide variety of hosts, including corn, sorghum and alfalfa. While their role as a pest of soybean is still not fully understood, it appears that this mealybug has the potential to be a problem in alfalfa and multiple infestations have been reported in southwest Kansas this season.Trochanter mealybugs are small (~2mm) unarmored, scale insects. They are flattened, whitish, and wax-covered and feed on plant roots removing fluids from the plant with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Due to their small size and life history, they often go undetected. The motionless mealybugs you see with a dense wax coating are all females; large egg sacs are produced under the wax when mature. The eggs hatch and the immature “crawlers” are how the mealybugs disperse between plants. This stage is difficult to control because they can hide in extremely tight spaces. Males, who do not feed, will often go unnoticed as they are smaller, winged and look nothing like the females.Mealybugs are also moved readily in irrigation water as the waxy covering on their bodies helps them survive being submerged. These insects tend to move the greatest distances with the help of ants. In fact, increased ant activity in infested fields is often noticed before mealybugs are discovered. The ants are tending the mealybugs to eat the honeydew the bugs excrete and in turn the ants protect them from predators.Plants infested with these mealybugs typically look like they have a potassium deficiency with yellowed leaf margins, stunted growth, and parts of a field may fail to adequately green up. If fields display these symptoms and they cannot be explained by other factors, plants should be dug up and roots examined for the presence of these insects. Again, the presence of ants may be a clue and often small, sunken trails on the soil surface can be found that ants are using to move mealybugs around the field in.There are no thresholds or control measures for this pest, and it is important to note that their waxy covering would make mealybugs very hard to control with contact insecticides, even when feeding in exposed locations. Crop rotation may help, but this pest can survive on several crop and weed species. Attempts to control the ants in a field would not eliminate the mealybug population.The distribution of these mealybugs in Kansas alfalfa is not well understood. If you do find trochanter mealybugs in your fields, please do not hesitate to contact your local extension agent. To see pictures of this pest in Kansas alfalfa fields, simply type mealybugs in alfalfa, ksu into your internet browser box.Information provided by Anthony Zukoff, Extension Entomologist in Garden City.Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.