Is it even worth it to buy a house these days? I’ve always been told buying a house is the adult thing to do and that it’s a great investment, but I can’t find anything decent and livable in my area for less than $350,000. My wife and I are debt-free, and we’re expecting our first baby in January. I was hoping to get your advice.

I can understand how things might feel a little hopeless in your current situation. You’re probably feeling the weight of the responsibility a new life brings to the picture. Things are getting real really fast, aren’t they? Believe me, I get it.

The truth is you may not be ready to buy a house today. And that’s okay. Having a new baby on the horizon doesn’t mean you have to run out and buy a home. That little boy or girl isn’t going to know the difference between a house and an apartment for a long time. Right now, giving your child a safe, loving environment is the most important thing.

Now, looking down the road, is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/how-much-house-can-i-afford">owning a house</a>&nbsp;worth it? Yes. But it’s not worth doing it at the wrong time or in a stupid way. You first need to make sure the income is there. Then, you need an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses in place along with a strong down payment. So, what if you don’t buy a home for another two or three years? Home buying should always be done with patience and wisdom.

There are two or three things that make buying a home a great long-term investment versus renting your whole life:

A house is a great wealth-building tool, and it can also stabilize the biggest line item in your budget—housing.

Dave Ramsey&nbsp;is an eight-time national bestselling author, personal finance expert and host of “The Ramsey Show,” heard by more than 18 million listeners. He&nbsp;has appeared on “Good Morning America,” “CBS This Morning,” “Today,” Fox News, CNN, Fox Business and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth, and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO of Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648177011035.png" alt="Dave Ramsey&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,Is it even worth it to buy a house these days? I’ve always been told buying a house is the adult thing to do and that it’s a great investment, but I can’t find anything decent and livable in my area for less than $350,000. My wife and I are debt-free, and we’re expecting our first baby in January. I was hoping to get your advice.CraigDear Craig,I can understand how things might feel a little hopeless in your current situation. You’re probably feeling the weight of the responsibility a new life brings to the picture. Things are getting real really fast, aren’t they? Believe me, I get it.The truth is you may not be ready to buy a house today. And that’s okay. Having a new baby on the horizon doesn’t mean you have to run out and buy a home. That little boy or girl isn’t going to know the difference between a house and an apartment for a long time. Right now, giving your child a safe, loving environment is the most important thing.Now, looking down the road, is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/how-much-house-can-i-afford">owning a house</a>&nbsp;worth it? Yes. But it’s not worth doing it at the wrong time or in a stupid way. You first need to make sure the income is there. Then, you need an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses in place along with a strong down payment. So, what if you don’t buy a home for another two or three years? Home buying should always be done with patience and wisdom.There are two or three things that make buying a home a great long-term investment versus renting your whole life:<ol>
 <li>Rents go up every year. If you lock in a good, fixed-rate mortgage, that payment will stay the same.</li><li>The value of your home will increase. When you rent, you don’t own your residence, and you won’t benefit from the value of it going up.</li><li><a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/the-national-study-of-millionaires-research">Our study</a>&nbsp;of 10,000 millionaires showed that most say two things were integral parts of their ability to build wealth: Good retirement investments and a paid-off home.</li>
 </ol>A house is a great wealth-building tool, and it can also stabilize the biggest line item in your budget—housing.God bless you guys, Craig!— DaveDave Ramsey&nbsp;is an eight-time national bestselling author, personal finance expert and host of “The Ramsey Show,” heard by more than 18 million listeners. He&nbsp;has appeared on “Good Morning America,” “CBS This Morning,” “Today,” Fox News, CNN, Fox Business and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth, and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO of Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: Wait until the time is right

Kansas Supreme Court Justice Caleb Stegall is in the news for a letter he wrote to KU Law, his alma mater, stating that he would no longer serve as an adjunct professor there. I confess, this surprised me.

Two years ago, Stegall did another surprising thing. He publicly rebuked members of his own party for voting down Carl Folsom, whom Governor Laura Kelly had nominated to the Kansas Court of Appeals. It was, of course, just a partisan vote, but GOP leaders claimed justification because Folsom had gone to court on behalf of people charged with some pretty horrible crimes, as was his job as a public defender, and that was used to smear him. Stegall responded by calling out those Republicans for failing to honor “the ideal of a public-spirited, deliberative, and reasoned engagement with others.”

Now Stegall and I are not close friends. Still, we’ve interacted and argued with each other for close to 20 years; we’ve come to know and, I think, like each other. My philosophical understanding of that ideal which he articulated back in 2020 isn’t exactly the same as his, but we’ve disagreed plenty before, and either way, I truly admire how he has adhered to it.

So when Stegall faulted KU Law for “an institutional failure to cultivate the norms, habits, and skills necessary to the task of lawyering”—specifically in reference to what he called the “bullying” response of certain members of the KU Law community when a conservative student organization invited a speaker from the controversial Alliance Defending Freedom to campus—I took his words seriously.

On the one hand, Stegall is plainly correct that the ADF and its ideas—which tend to frame almost any advance in the rights of gay, lesbian, and transgender individuals as an attack on religious liberty—have, like it or not, long been present in Kansas’s legal environment. Consequently, discouraging students from confronting those ideas—even when, as Stegall admits, they may seem “existentially threatening”—is probably not a good way to prepare Kansas’s future lawyers. Quoting Professor Richard Levy, a longtime KU Law faculty member, Stegall rightly makes the point that “if lawyers cannot talk to each other about difficult subjects on which they disagree, how can we expect anyone too?”

But on the other hand, I have a hard time squaring Stegall’s previous rebuke of those who prefer accusations to “reasoned engagement” with his own decision. After all, in our present moment, with polarizing opinions taking advantage of the ideological and technological breakdown of long-accepted norms all around us, remaining present to so as to engage ideas which one disagrees with directly seems imperative. Shouldn’t that include disagreements over how other people respond to disagreements as well?

Last year, Stegall gave a wonderful address that addressed how the law can never be entirely disentangled from arguments over the ethical concerns and procedural outcomes which surround it. Quoting an old parable, he concluded that, in the midst of these quandaries, “heaven smiles mischievously down on us”—then added, “we can smile back, if we have the stomach for it.”

Every person’s stomach for dealing with disagreement is going to be different, and perhaps sometimes withdrawing in the face of a disagreement may be the most productive way of engaging with it. Nobody can entirely refuse to ever draw lines in the sand, and hence I respect Stegall’s reasoning for drawing his line here. But I also must admit: it doesn’t seem consistent with his own best arguments to me. No doubt, this will be something we can continue to disagree about as well.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583339056495.jpeg" alt="Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Supreme Court Justice Caleb Stegall is in the news for a letter he wrote to KU Law, his alma mater, stating that he would no longer serve as an adjunct professor there. I confess, this surprised me.Two years ago, Stegall did another surprising thing. He publicly rebuked members of his own party for voting down Carl Folsom, whom Governor Laura Kelly had nominated to the Kansas Court of Appeals. It was, of course, just a partisan vote, but GOP leaders claimed justification because Folsom had gone to court on behalf of people charged with some pretty horrible crimes, as was his job as a public defender, and that was used to smear him. Stegall responded by calling out those Republicans for failing to honor “the ideal of a public-spirited, deliberative, and reasoned engagement with others.”Now Stegall and I are not close friends. Still, we’ve interacted and argued with each other for close to 20 years; we’ve come to know and, I think, like each other. My philosophical understanding of that ideal which he articulated back in 2020 isn’t exactly the same as his, but we’ve disagreed plenty before, and either way, I truly admire how he has adhered to it.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>So when Stegall faulted KU Law for “an institutional failure to cultivate the norms, habits, and skills necessary to the task of lawyering”—specifically in reference to what he called the “bullying” response of certain members of the KU Law community when a conservative student organization invited a speaker from the controversial Alliance Defending Freedom to campus—I took his words seriously.On the one hand, Stegall is plainly correct that the ADF and its ideas—which tend to frame almost any advance in the rights of gay, lesbian, and transgender individuals as an attack on religious liberty—have, like it or not, long been present in Kansas’s legal environment. Consequently, discouraging students from confronting those ideas—even when, as Stegall admits, they may seem “existentially threatening”—is probably not a good way to prepare Kansas’s future lawyers. Quoting Professor Richard Levy, a longtime KU Law faculty member, Stegall rightly makes the point that “if lawyers cannot talk to each other about difficult subjects on which they disagree, how can we expect anyone too?”But on the other hand, I have a hard time squaring Stegall’s previous rebuke of those who prefer accusations to “reasoned engagement” with his own decision. After all, in our present moment, with polarizing opinions taking advantage of the ideological and technological breakdown of long-accepted norms all around us, remaining present to so as to engage ideas which one disagrees with directly seems imperative. Shouldn’t that include disagreements over how other people respond to disagreements as well?Last year, Stegall gave a wonderful address that addressed how the law can never be entirely disentangled from arguments over the ethical concerns and procedural outcomes which surround it. Quoting an old parable, he concluded that, in the midst of these quandaries, “heaven smiles mischievously down on us”—then added, “we can smile back, if we have the stomach for it.”Every person’s stomach for dealing with disagreement is going to be different, and perhaps sometimes withdrawing in the face of a disagreement may be the most productive way of engaging with it. Nobody can entirely refuse to ever draw lines in the sand, and hence I respect Stegall’s reasoning for drawing his line here. But I also must admit: it doesn’t seem consistent with his own best arguments to me. No doubt, this will be something we can continue to disagree about as well.Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Dealing with disagreement, in law and life

Robins, sandhill cranes, hummers, and other summer birds headed south&nbsp;months ago.&nbsp;Official winter has&nbsp;nearly&nbsp;arrived,&nbsp;and&nbsp;now&nbsp;sparrows, finches, and juncos&nbsp;visit&nbsp;our feeder&nbsp;several times a day. Hoping we’ll see an elusive cardinal adding&nbsp;its&nbsp;color to our regular diners’ drab neutrals,&nbsp;we&nbsp;hide behind the curtain and peek out the window. Instead of&nbsp;laying eyes on that&nbsp;scarlet bird with the dashing cockade, we&nbsp;observe&nbsp;extreme skittishness&nbsp;amongst our&nbsp;regulars who&nbsp;never stay in one spot long.&nbsp;That means&nbsp;one thing—a predator lurks.

My husband adds fresh&nbsp;birdseed&nbsp;every day and makes sure the suet hasn’t disappeared. One of us empties ice from the water pan and refills it so our visitors can drink or bathe, depending on their mood.&nbsp;Since we&nbsp;began&nbsp;winter feeding, we’ve noticed&nbsp;our little brown birds (lbbs) dash to the feeder&nbsp;only&nbsp;long enough to grab&nbsp;a beak full of&nbsp;seeds.&nbsp;They then&nbsp;flee to our deck’s edge&nbsp;where&nbsp;they duck under swiftly when&nbsp;they feel&nbsp;threatened&nbsp;(which is often). In&nbsp;years&nbsp;past, we’ve enjoyed watching them hang&nbsp;out to&nbsp;do the bird version of gabbing around the office water cooler. This season, these&nbsp;creatures&nbsp;don’t congregate in open space.&nbsp;

Once we noted their anxious zipping from feeder to&nbsp;porch, we&nbsp;looked&nbsp;for the reason. Clearly, a neighboring cat didn’t alarm them. It would have no trouble following&nbsp;panicked birds&nbsp;under the deck. In fact, that would simplify&nbsp;feline&nbsp;efforts to snag a fresh meal.&nbsp;Our eyes turned skyward. What threatened&nbsp;from above?

On&nbsp;a recent&nbsp;windy day, I spied a possibility&nbsp;clinging to a nearby&nbsp;light pole.&nbsp;A small&nbsp;accipiter&nbsp;took refuge from gusts in the&nbsp;crook where&nbsp;light&nbsp;intersects with pole. On a day like that, I assumed&nbsp;it blew in, but&nbsp;based on&nbsp;our&nbsp;backyard&nbsp;birds’&nbsp;behavior,&nbsp;this designed-for-precision attack bird&nbsp;preyed regularly upon&nbsp;several&nbsp;feeders&nbsp;available&nbsp;in our neighborhood.

A couple&nbsp;of&nbsp;days later, I stood at the stove stirring&nbsp;bubbling&nbsp;fudge. My hubs&nbsp;slipped&nbsp;in&nbsp;to tell me&nbsp;to&nbsp;creep&nbsp;quietly into the laundry room and look out the window. What the heck&nbsp;did I see but&nbsp;animmature&nbsp;Cooper’s&nbsp;hawk&nbsp;planting itself&nbsp;square in the middle of our deck!

Needless to say, not a single lbb remained in sight. I’m sure&nbsp;that&nbsp;raptor&nbsp;heard&nbsp;their tiny, hollowbones quaking in fear below the&nbsp;flooring. I had to&nbsp;pour&nbsp;that fudge&nbsp;onto a plate,&nbsp;but&nbsp;fortunately&nbsp;thehawk hung around&nbsp;long enough to&nbsp;let&nbsp;me&nbsp;have&nbsp;another&nbsp;look&nbsp;along with a quick cell phone pic through a smudged window.&nbsp;

For those of us who’ve reached&nbsp;an&nbsp;age where&nbsp;feathered&nbsp;visitors&nbsp;add excitement to our days, Iwanted desperately&nbsp;to spy a cardinal. Instead, a&nbsp;young Cooper’s hawk&nbsp;highlighted&nbsp;my week&nbsp;by landing right outside our back door.&nbsp;That said, we don’t&nbsp;want&nbsp;to make&nbsp;easy&nbsp;targets&nbsp;of our&nbsp;tiny&nbsp;guests. Now we&nbsp;need&nbsp;to&nbsp;pile&nbsp;brush next to the little brown birds’&nbsp;food&nbsp;source&nbsp;so they can&nbsp;flitswiftly&nbsp;to safety.&nbsp;Hawks need to eat too, but&nbsp;they’ll&nbsp;have&nbsp;to work&nbsp;to snag a meal in our backyard.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670599042550.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINRobins, sandhill cranes, hummers, and other summer birds headed south&nbsp;months ago.&nbsp;Official winter has&nbsp;nearly&nbsp;arrived,&nbsp;and&nbsp;now&nbsp;sparrows, finches, and juncos&nbsp;visit&nbsp;our feeder&nbsp;several times a day. Hoping we’ll see an elusive cardinal adding&nbsp;its&nbsp;color to our regular diners’ drab neutrals,&nbsp;we&nbsp;hide behind the curtain and peek out the window. Instead of&nbsp;laying eyes on that&nbsp;scarlet bird with the dashing cockade, we&nbsp;observe&nbsp;extreme skittishness&nbsp;amongst our&nbsp;regulars who&nbsp;never stay in one spot long.&nbsp;That means&nbsp;one thing—a predator lurks.My husband adds fresh&nbsp;birdseed&nbsp;every day and makes sure the suet hasn’t disappeared. One of us empties ice from the water pan and refills it so our visitors can drink or bathe, depending on their mood.&nbsp;Since we&nbsp;began&nbsp;winter feeding, we’ve noticed&nbsp;our little brown birds (lbbs) dash to the feeder&nbsp;only&nbsp;long enough to grab&nbsp;a beak full of&nbsp;seeds.&nbsp;They then&nbsp;flee to our deck’s edge&nbsp;where&nbsp;they duck under swiftly when&nbsp;they feel&nbsp;threatened&nbsp;(which is often). In&nbsp;years&nbsp;past, we’ve enjoyed watching them hang&nbsp;out to&nbsp;do the bird version of gabbing around the office water cooler. This season, these&nbsp;creatures&nbsp;don’t congregate in open space.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>Once we noted their anxious zipping from feeder to&nbsp;porch, we&nbsp;looked&nbsp;for the reason. Clearly, a neighboring cat didn’t alarm them. It would have no trouble following&nbsp;panicked birds&nbsp;under the deck. In fact, that would simplify&nbsp;feline&nbsp;efforts to snag a fresh meal.&nbsp;Our eyes turned skyward. What threatened&nbsp;from above?On&nbsp;a recent&nbsp;windy day, I spied a possibility&nbsp;clinging to a nearby&nbsp;light pole.&nbsp;A small&nbsp;accipiter&nbsp;took refuge from gusts in the&nbsp;crook where&nbsp;light&nbsp;intersects with pole. On a day like that, I assumed&nbsp;it blew in, but&nbsp;based on&nbsp;our&nbsp;backyard&nbsp;birds’&nbsp;behavior,&nbsp;this designed-for-precision attack bird&nbsp;preyed regularly upon&nbsp;several&nbsp;feeders&nbsp;available&nbsp;in our neighborhood.A couple&nbsp;of&nbsp;days later, I stood at the stove stirring&nbsp;bubbling&nbsp;fudge. My hubs&nbsp;slipped&nbsp;in&nbsp;to tell me&nbsp;to&nbsp;creep&nbsp;quietly into the laundry room and look out the window. What the heck&nbsp;did I see but&nbsp;animmature&nbsp;Cooper’s&nbsp;hawk&nbsp;planting itself&nbsp;square in the middle of our deck!Needless to say, not a single lbb remained in sight. I’m sure&nbsp;that&nbsp;raptor&nbsp;heard&nbsp;their tiny, hollowbones quaking in fear below the&nbsp;flooring. I had to&nbsp;pour&nbsp;that fudge&nbsp;onto a plate,&nbsp;but&nbsp;fortunately&nbsp;thehawk hung around&nbsp;long enough to&nbsp;let&nbsp;me&nbsp;have&nbsp;another&nbsp;look&nbsp;along with a quick cell phone pic through a smudged window.&nbsp;For those of us who’ve reached&nbsp;an&nbsp;age where&nbsp;feathered&nbsp;visitors&nbsp;add excitement to our days, Iwanted desperately&nbsp;to spy a cardinal. Instead, a&nbsp;young Cooper’s hawk&nbsp;highlighted&nbsp;my week&nbsp;by landing right outside our back door.&nbsp;That said, we don’t&nbsp;want&nbsp;to make&nbsp;easy&nbsp;targets&nbsp;of our&nbsp;tiny&nbsp;guests. Now we&nbsp;need&nbsp;to&nbsp;pile&nbsp;brush next to the little brown birds’&nbsp;food&nbsp;source&nbsp;so they can&nbsp;flitswiftly&nbsp;to safety.&nbsp;Hawks need to eat too, but&nbsp;they’ll&nbsp;have&nbsp;to work&nbsp;to snag a meal in our backyard.Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and
 sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

MADORIN: Raptors vs. LBBs

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;

It’s the Festival of Lights. Twinkly lights adorn five acres of trees, barns and buildings as excited families enjoy hot chocolate and homemade, spiced wine.&nbsp;

It’s an annual Christmas celebration hosted by a family-owned winery on the high plains of rural Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kirk and Treva Johnston are the owners and founders of Shiloh Vineyard and Winery near WaKeeney. The vineyard hosts special events throughout the year, including the weeklong Festival of Lights during the week before Christmas.&nbsp;

Kirk Johnston grew up in Goodland. His wife Treva is originally from Damar. Kirk was always interested in farming. He grew up helping his uncle on the farm and earned a degree in agronomy from Kansas State University.&nbsp;

“I took lots of chemistry classes,” Kirk said. The two married and eventually ended up on his grandfather’s place near WaKeeney.&nbsp;

“My grandfather bought this place in 1921 because it had a horse barn on it,” Kirk said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“They built a chicken house and by 1925, had 300 layers in it.”&nbsp;

In 1929, they added the family home: “It was a house ordered out of the Montgomery Ward catalog,” Kirk said.&nbsp;

When Kirk and Treva got the property decades later, they considered their options. “We wanted to farm, but diversification seemed like a good idea, compared to spending millions of dollars for new farm equipment,” Kirk said.&nbsp;

Instead of big farm equipment, they put in a vineyard, installing a drip irrigation system. “We planted our first grapes in 2008,” Kirk said. Ultimately, this became a commercial winery.&nbsp;

“I read everything I could and went to a lot of conferences,” Kirk said. He learned from other commercial operators as well.&nbsp;

“We were assistant pastors at a local church in Hays and felt called to make an overseas trip,” Kirk said. Kirk and Treva went to a vineyard in Shiloh, Israel to help trim the vineyard and prune their vines. It was a powerful experience for them.&nbsp;

“If you let God direct your paths, his peace will come in,” Kirk said. “We want to provide top quality service so that people can experience that peace here in western Kansas.”&nbsp;

Today, Shiloh Vineyard and Winery offers a variety of premium wines made from the farm’s own fruit. This includes&nbsp;dry whites, dry reds, semi-sweet white, fruit and dessert wines.&nbsp;

“We started with 350 gallons in our first year,” Kirk said. “In 2021, we produced 1,000 cases at 2.5 gallons per case.”&nbsp;

They have upgraded their facilities and renovated the chicken house, barn, and a 100-year-old granary. In 2020, Treva’s niece, Kym, and her husband, Chris Heitke, relocated from California to WaKeeney to help with the business.&nbsp;

Shiloh Vineyard and Winery also hosts special events, lots of weddings, and visitors throughout the year. In addition to the nightly Festival of Lights during the week before Christmas, they offer a Sip of Summer Patio Party, Fall Festival dinner, and much more.&nbsp;&nbsp;Three times a year, they host five course meals paired with their wines.&nbsp;

The Johnstons also offer recreational vehicle dry camping sites at the vineyard. They connected with a national website called Harvest Hosts which promotes RV camping at farms, breweries, wineries and more across the country. The website has brought in lots of visitors.&nbsp;

“It’s been so wonderful,” Kirk said. “People say this is an oasis.”&nbsp;

They have had guests from every state in the U.S. plus Brazil, China, Peru, Germany, Australia and more.&nbsp;

Shiloh wines are available at a variety of retail outlets in western Kansas as well as at the vineyard itself. The vineyard is located in the country between WaKeeney and the rural community of Collyer, population 97 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.shilohvineyard.com/">www.shilohvineyard.com</a>.&nbsp;

It’s time to leave the Festival of Lights, one of several events that bring guests to the Shiloh Vineyard and Winery. We commend Kirk and Treva Johnston for making a difference with grape and wine production and lots of great hospitality on the high plains.&nbsp;

They are helping to bring happiness to light.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670423416710.png" alt="Treva and Kirk Johnston / Courtesy K-State Extension" />
 <figcaption>Treva and Kirk Johnston / Courtesy K-State Extension</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;It’s the Festival of Lights. Twinkly lights adorn five acres of trees, barns and buildings as excited families enjoy hot chocolate and homemade, spiced wine.&nbsp;It’s an annual Christmas celebration hosted by a family-owned winery on the high plains of rural Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kirk and Treva Johnston are the owners and founders of Shiloh Vineyard and Winery near WaKeeney. The vineyard hosts special events throughout the year, including the weeklong Festival of Lights during the week before Christmas.&nbsp;Kirk Johnston grew up in Goodland. His wife Treva is originally from Damar. Kirk was always interested in farming. He grew up helping his uncle on the farm and earned a degree in agronomy from Kansas State University.&nbsp;“I took lots of chemistry classes,” Kirk said. The two married and eventually ended up on his grandfather’s place near WaKeeney.&nbsp;“My grandfather bought this place in 1921 because it had a horse barn on it,” Kirk said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“They built a chicken house and by 1925, had 300 layers in it.”&nbsp;In 1929, they added the family home: “It was a house ordered out of the Montgomery Ward catalog,” Kirk said.&nbsp;When Kirk and Treva got the property decades later, they considered their options. “We wanted to farm, but diversification seemed like a good idea, compared to spending millions of dollars for new farm equipment,” Kirk said.&nbsp;Instead of big farm equipment, they put in a vineyard, installing a drip irrigation system. “We planted our first grapes in 2008,” Kirk said. Ultimately, this became a commercial winery.&nbsp;“I read everything I could and went to a lot of conferences,” Kirk said. He learned from other commercial operators as well.&nbsp;“We were assistant pastors at a local church in Hays and felt called to make an overseas trip,” Kirk said. Kirk and Treva went to a vineyard in Shiloh, Israel to help trim the vineyard and prune their vines. It was a powerful experience for them.&nbsp;“If you let God direct your paths, his peace will come in,” Kirk said. “We want to provide top quality service so that people can experience that peace here in western Kansas.”&nbsp;Today, Shiloh Vineyard and Winery offers a variety of premium wines made from the farm’s own fruit. This includes&nbsp;dry whites, dry reds, semi-sweet white, fruit and dessert wines.&nbsp;“We started with 350 gallons in our first year,” Kirk said. “In 2021, we produced 1,000 cases at 2.5 gallons per case.”&nbsp;They have upgraded their facilities and renovated the chicken house, barn, and a 100-year-old granary. In 2020, Treva’s niece, Kym, and her husband, Chris Heitke, relocated from California to WaKeeney to help with the business.&nbsp;Shiloh Vineyard and Winery also hosts special events, lots of weddings, and visitors throughout the year. In addition to the nightly Festival of Lights during the week before Christmas, they offer a Sip of Summer Patio Party, Fall Festival dinner, and much more.&nbsp;&nbsp;Three times a year, they host five course meals paired with their wines.&nbsp;The Johnstons also offer recreational vehicle dry camping sites at the vineyard. They connected with a national website called Harvest Hosts which promotes RV camping at farms, breweries, wineries and more across the country. The website has brought in lots of visitors.&nbsp;“It’s been so wonderful,” Kirk said. “People say this is an oasis.”&nbsp;They have had guests from every state in the U.S. plus Brazil, China, Peru, Germany, Australia and more.&nbsp;Shiloh wines are available at a variety of retail outlets in western Kansas as well as at the vineyard itself. The vineyard is located in the country between WaKeeney and the rural community of Collyer, population 97 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.shilohvineyard.com/">www.shilohvineyard.com</a>.&nbsp;It’s time to leave the Festival of Lights, one of several events that bring guests to the Shiloh Vineyard and Winery. We commend Kirk and Treva Johnston for making a difference with grape and wine production and lots of great hospitality on the high plains.&nbsp;They are helping to bring happiness to light.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Trego County's Shiloh Vineyard 

By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/09/when-the-world-cup-comes-to-kansas-city-tough-questions-will-follow/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

Last weekend, the team representing the United States at the World Cup in Qatar crashed out of the tournament following a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxsports.com/watch/play-6110921be00004b?cmpid=google-one-box">3-1 loss against the Netherlands</a>.

As a fan, I have tracked this team 
from qualifying in CONCACAF to pre-tournament friendlies, from the group
 stage into the knockout round, monitoring the pre-match lineups and 
coaching decisions. Even my soccer-crazed son might have rolled his eyes
 at the arcane statistics I recited to him, likely from one of the 
dozens of <a target="_blank" href="https://meninblazers.com/page/podcasts">podcasts</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://theathletic.com/">articles</a> or videos I gobbled up.

Besides the results for the U.S. 
men’s national team, the other dominant storyline from the World Cup has
 little to do with assists, corner kicks or <a target="_blank" href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2021/07/what-are-expected-goals-xg/">xG</a>.
 Counterintuitively, this second storyline might determine the success 
of the 2026 World Cup in the United States even more than the wins, 
losses and ties of our national team.

The referee’s final whistle at 
Khalifa International Stadium signaled the start of a new storyline. The
 next World Cup match that the U.S. will play will likely be at home — 
in the United States.

This storyline is the stew of 
political hijinks and squabbles that flooded the World Cup this year. 
That storyline includes how journalists have covered (or failed to 
cover) the politics of this multibillion dollar global sports event.

With Kansas City hosting games for 
the 2026 event, our region will be dipped into that World Cup stew. As 
local journalists, many of us will decide how to cover it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

One thing is certain: This year’s 
World Cup has provided lessons on what not to do as both a host nation 
and as journalists. Let’s study the lessons now for 2026, so we don’t 
make the same blunders.

We start with the profit-driven 
cowardice of Fox Sports. In the years preceding the Qatar World Cup, 
FIFA and the host nation generated so many newsworthy controversies: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/20/fifa-qatar-world-cup-corruption/">accusations of bribes to FIFA</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/the-world-cup-is-officially-underway-in-qatar-heres-why-its-so-controversial">anti-gay laws in Qatar</a> and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022">deaths of foreign workers</a>.
 The question for Fox Sports, the broadcast rights holder in the United 
States, was how it would cover these juicy narratives during the match 
telecasts.

How would they cover the diplomatic 
tensions between the competing countries? Perhaps, they would cover 
international flaps — like the social media staff of the U.S. team 
foolishly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/27/usmnt-twitter-iran-flag-change/">removing a portion of the Iran flag</a>
 on some social media posts — during pregame segments. Or perhaps we 
would hear the in-match commentators interject the news into their 
play-by-play.

Fox Sports made short work of that decision by simply opting not to cover any of it.

Their possible motive? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/18/fox-qatar-world-cup-coverage/">The Washington Post reported</a>
 that Fox Sports agreed to a sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways. That 
funding (and perhaps some complementary airfare for Fox Sports staff) 
may have enabled the broadcaster to set up a swank studio in Qatar 
rather than anchoring coverage from Los Angeles.&nbsp;

Who owns the airline? Qatar itself, suggesting an unsightly quid pro quo. A Fox Sports spokesman <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/18/fox-qatar-world-cup-coverage/">told the Post</a> that the network did not agree to censor its political coverage in exchange for the Qatar Airways sponsorship deal.

However, contrast Fox Sports’ 
editorial spinelessness with the words of Telemundo Deportes president 
Ray Warren about how his network would cover World Cup politics: “I do 
think we have to talk about the legacy we leave. By the time the 
tournament’s over, we (won’t have been) ignoring the geopolitical issues
 that might arise.”

I doubt that an American sponsor in 
2026 will make such a brazen attempt to neuter a media outlet, at least 
partially because of how embarrassing this incident has been for Fox 
Sports.

However, millions of sponsorship 
dollars will flood the Kansas City region. Might a sponsor ask a local 
publication or broadcaster to weaken its scrutiny with a wink? How might
 an advertiser discourage honest coverage through a financial nudge?

“World Corrupt,” <a target="_blank" href="https://crooked.com/podcast-series/world-corrupt/">a podcast series</a>
 that has chronicled the hypocrisy and corruption of this World Cup, 
summarized what it looks like to watch the coverage of a World Cup that 
has been artificially sweetened.

“It is basically the Splenda of international tournaments,” <a target="_blank" href="https://crooked.com/podcast/world-corrupt-episode-7-stoppage-time/">co-host Tommy Vietor half-joked</a>.

Fewer controversies should ignite in 
the run-up to the World Cup in North America. However, smoke-free skies 
can’t be guaranteed with a flammable international syndicate like FIFA.

Because Kansas City will host 
matches, we should also expect that the visiting foreign press will zoom
 in on the blemishes of Missouri, Kansas and the Midwest. As the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/16/world-cup-2026-venues-los-angeles-new-york-list">only host city in the central United States</a>,
 our local site will stand in for all of middle America in news 
coverage. You could travel west from Pennsylvania to California, and the
 only host city you would pass would be KC.

Of course, we want our region to be a
 great place to live for the sake of, well, being a great place to live.
 However, if we need any extra motivation, maybe we will clean up our 
room before the house guests come to visit.

Consider, for example, the local headlines that the foreign press might have seized on during the last month. A<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/4-teens-man-charged-in-shooting-death-of-kansas-city-man-in-shawnee"> recent Shawnee shooting</a> resulted in charges for four teens. Alleged <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/corruption-in-kansas-city-kansas">corruption in the Kansas City, Kansas, police department</a> allowed an officer to terrorize citizens. A small town <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/06/kansas-towns-library-lease-renewed-after-months-of-debate-about-lgbtq-content/">nearly shuttered its library</a> because it included books about LGBTQ lives.

If we need any proof that the 
visiting press will care about these stories, note how the American 
press is rightfully scrutinizing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/qatar-world-cup-migrant-deaths-28679897">the death of a foreign worker in Qatar</a> this week.

We should also prepare ourselves for absurd questions from hostile journalists with an agenda. Here’s how <a target="_blank" href="https://time.com/6237256/usmnt-press-conference-tyler-adams/">they grilled the U.S. team captain</a> Tyler Adams about racism in America, after chiding him for his pronunciation of Iran.

“Are you OK to be representing a 
country that has so much discrimination against Black people in its own 
borders?” a reporter for Iran’s state-controlled TV station asked during
 a pre-match press conference.

Or — even more bonkers — how the same press gaggle asked U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter for <a target="_blank" href="https://nypost.com/2022/11/28/us-coach-gregg-berhalter-grilled-at-world-cup-presser-before-iran-match/">his take on the position of U.S. warships</a>.

Everything will be inbounds. We, as Americans and Midwesterners, will need answers.

Adams’ response to the grilling by 
the Iranian press displayed the kind of eloquence and patience that our 
politicians and players will need in 2026.

“There’s discrimination everywhere 
you go,” he said. “In the U.S., we’re continuing to make progress every 
single day … through education. I think it’s super important. Like you 
just educated me now on the pronunciation of your country. It’s a 
process. As long as you see progress, that’s the most important thing.”

Or, perhaps we need to all practice the kind of deflection that Berhalter used.

“I don’t know enough about politics; I’m a soccer coach,” Berhalter said, dodging a foreign affairs kerfuffle.

As hosts, we will need to do a bit of each: toughen our skin, clean up our affairs and provide thoughtful and patient answers.

Like the team itself, we will need 
some practice to prepare for the World Cup in Kansas City. The 2026 
summer of soccer and all its controversial storylines are coming, along 
with the goals and celebrations.

Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, a nonprofit that supports student journalism throughout the state. He also teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670597372971.png" alt="The U.S. men’s national soccer team warms up before a friendly match against the national team of Uruguay on June 5, 2022, at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. (Eric Thomas, courtesy Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. men’s national soccer team warms up before a friendly match against the national team of Uruguay on June 5, 2022, at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. (Eric Thomas, courtesy Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/09/when-the-world-cup-comes-to-kansas-city-tough-questions-will-follow/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>Last weekend, the team representing the United States at the World Cup in Qatar crashed out of the tournament following a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxsports.com/watch/play-6110921be00004b?cmpid=google-one-box">3-1 loss against the Netherlands</a>.As a fan, I have tracked this team 
from qualifying in CONCACAF to pre-tournament friendlies, from the group
 stage into the knockout round, monitoring the pre-match lineups and 
coaching decisions. Even my soccer-crazed son might have rolled his eyes
 at the arcane statistics I recited to him, likely from one of the 
dozens of <a target="_blank" href="https://meninblazers.com/page/podcasts">podcasts</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://theathletic.com/">articles</a> or videos I gobbled up.Besides the results for the U.S. 
men’s national team, the other dominant storyline from the World Cup has
 little to do with assists, corner kicks or <a target="_blank" href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2021/07/what-are-expected-goals-xg/">xG</a>.
 Counterintuitively, this second storyline might determine the success 
of the 2026 World Cup in the United States even more than the wins, 
losses and ties of our national team.The referee’s final whistle at 
Khalifa International Stadium signaled the start of a new storyline. The
 next World Cup match that the U.S. will play will likely be at home — 
in the United States.This storyline is the stew of 
political hijinks and squabbles that flooded the World Cup this year. 
That storyline includes how journalists have covered (or failed to 
cover) the politics of this multibillion dollar global sports event.With Kansas City hosting games for 
the 2026 event, our region will be dipped into that World Cup stew. As 
local journalists, many of us will decide how to cover it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One thing is certain: This year’s 
World Cup has provided lessons on what not to do as both a host nation 
and as journalists. Let’s study the lessons now for 2026, so we don’t 
make the same blunders.We start with the profit-driven 
cowardice of Fox Sports. In the years preceding the Qatar World Cup, 
FIFA and the host nation generated so many newsworthy controversies: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/20/fifa-qatar-world-cup-corruption/">accusations of bribes to FIFA</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/the-world-cup-is-officially-underway-in-qatar-heres-why-its-so-controversial">anti-gay laws in Qatar</a> and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022">deaths of foreign workers</a>.
 The question for Fox Sports, the broadcast rights holder in the United 
States, was how it would cover these juicy narratives during the match 
telecasts.How would they cover the diplomatic 
tensions between the competing countries? Perhaps, they would cover 
international flaps — like the social media staff of the U.S. team 
foolishly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/27/usmnt-twitter-iran-flag-change/">removing a portion of the Iran flag</a>
 on some social media posts — during pregame segments. Or perhaps we 
would hear the in-match commentators interject the news into their 
play-by-play.Fox Sports made short work of that decision by simply opting not to cover any of it.Their possible motive? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/18/fox-qatar-world-cup-coverage/">The Washington Post reported</a>
 that Fox Sports agreed to a sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways. That 
funding (and perhaps some complementary airfare for Fox Sports staff) 
may have enabled the broadcaster to set up a swank studio in Qatar 
rather than anchoring coverage from Los Angeles.&nbsp;Who owns the airline? Qatar itself, suggesting an unsightly quid pro quo. A Fox Sports spokesman <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/18/fox-qatar-world-cup-coverage/">told the Post</a> that the network did not agree to censor its political coverage in exchange for the Qatar Airways sponsorship deal.However, contrast Fox Sports’ 
editorial spinelessness with the words of Telemundo Deportes president 
Ray Warren about how his network would cover World Cup politics: “I do 
think we have to talk about the legacy we leave. By the time the 
tournament’s over, we (won’t have been) ignoring the geopolitical issues
 that might arise.”I doubt that an American sponsor in 
2026 will make such a brazen attempt to neuter a media outlet, at least 
partially because of how embarrassing this incident has been for Fox 
Sports.However, millions of sponsorship 
dollars will flood the Kansas City region. Might a sponsor ask a local 
publication or broadcaster to weaken its scrutiny with a wink? How might
 an advertiser discourage honest coverage through a financial nudge?“World Corrupt,” <a target="_blank" href="https://crooked.com/podcast-series/world-corrupt/">a podcast series</a>
 that has chronicled the hypocrisy and corruption of this World Cup, 
summarized what it looks like to watch the coverage of a World Cup that 
has been artificially sweetened.“It is basically the Splenda of international tournaments,” <a target="_blank" href="https://crooked.com/podcast/world-corrupt-episode-7-stoppage-time/">co-host Tommy Vietor half-joked</a>.Fewer controversies should ignite in 
the run-up to the World Cup in North America. However, smoke-free skies 
can’t be guaranteed with a flammable international syndicate like FIFA.Because Kansas City will host 
matches, we should also expect that the visiting foreign press will zoom
 in on the blemishes of Missouri, Kansas and the Midwest. As the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/16/world-cup-2026-venues-los-angeles-new-york-list">only host city in the central United States</a>,
 our local site will stand in for all of middle America in news 
coverage. You could travel west from Pennsylvania to California, and the
 only host city you would pass would be KC.Of course, we want our region to be a
 great place to live for the sake of, well, being a great place to live.
 However, if we need any extra motivation, maybe we will clean up our 
room before the house guests come to visit.Consider, for example, the local headlines that the foreign press might have seized on during the last month. A<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/4-teens-man-charged-in-shooting-death-of-kansas-city-man-in-shawnee"> recent Shawnee shooting</a> resulted in charges for four teens. Alleged <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/corruption-in-kansas-city-kansas">corruption in the Kansas City, Kansas, police department</a> allowed an officer to terrorize citizens. A small town <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/06/kansas-towns-library-lease-renewed-after-months-of-debate-about-lgbtq-content/">nearly shuttered its library</a> because it included books about LGBTQ lives.If we need any proof that the 
visiting press will care about these stories, note how the American 
press is rightfully scrutinizing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/qatar-world-cup-migrant-deaths-28679897">the death of a foreign worker in Qatar</a> this week.We should also prepare ourselves for absurd questions from hostile journalists with an agenda. Here’s how <a target="_blank" href="https://time.com/6237256/usmnt-press-conference-tyler-adams/">they grilled the U.S. team captain</a> Tyler Adams about racism in America, after chiding him for his pronunciation of Iran.“Are you OK to be representing a 
country that has so much discrimination against Black people in its own 
borders?” a reporter for Iran’s state-controlled TV station asked during
 a pre-match press conference.Or — even more bonkers — how the same press gaggle asked U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter for <a target="_blank" href="https://nypost.com/2022/11/28/us-coach-gregg-berhalter-grilled-at-world-cup-presser-before-iran-match/">his take on the position of U.S. warships</a>.Everything will be inbounds. We, as Americans and Midwesterners, will need answers.Adams’ response to the grilling by 
the Iranian press displayed the kind of eloquence and patience that our 
politicians and players will need in 2026.“There’s discrimination everywhere 
you go,” he said. “In the U.S., we’re continuing to make progress every 
single day … through education. I think it’s super important. Like you 
just educated me now on the pronunciation of your country. It’s a 
process. As long as you see progress, that’s the most important thing.”Or, perhaps we need to all practice the kind of deflection that Berhalter used.“I don’t know enough about politics; I’m a soccer coach,” Berhalter said, dodging a foreign affairs kerfuffle.As hosts, we will need to do a bit of each: toughen our skin, clean up our affairs and provide thoughtful and patient answers.Like the team itself, we will need 
some practice to prepare for the World Cup in Kansas City. The 2026 
summer of soccer and all its controversial storylines are coming, along 
with the goals and celebrations.Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, a nonprofit that supports student journalism throughout the state. He also teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.&nbsp;

OPINION: World Cup kicks tough questions at Kansas City

I am always inspired by our students’ stories. Listening to Brendan Chapman at a recent donor reception did not disappoint. I found his story filled with courage, perseverance, and a humble confidence.

Brendan is a Fort Hays senior finishing his double major in history and secondary education. He aspires to complete his master’s and doctorate degrees and teach at a university in the future, passing on knowledge to the next generation and publishing his writings along the way.&nbsp;

Brendan is a Tiger legacy –&nbsp;his mom, Alaina&nbsp;Dresslar, dad,&nbsp;Korrie&nbsp;Chapman, and older brother, Keegan Chapman, are all FHSU alumni. Brendan shared that since he grew up in Hays, he knew all about FHSU’s good reputation.&nbsp;

Brendan wanted to study history and was very aware of the excellent reputation of our History Department faculty. Indeed, he is correct, as they are known for excellence in their profession coupled with a deep culture of mentoring and caring for their students.

A major driver of his decision to attend Fort Hays State&nbsp;University was our value proposition. Brendan shared that he knew he could attend FHSU and graduate debt free.&nbsp;

“With the scholarships that I have received, I had the opportunity to dedicate myself to my education without worrying about taking out loans.&nbsp;This will allow me to pursue further education in history, whereas, without scholarships, I would not be able to do so,” Brendan said.&nbsp;

As he completes his senior year, he is in the process of applying for graduate schools, including Purdue, Arizona, Kansas, Virginia, and Fort Hays State. The FHSU value proposition, low cost, high quality, and outstanding faculty mentors made his dream of both undergraduate and graduate education possible. It will launch his dream of becoming a professor.

I have heard and written about&nbsp;several student stories, rich with testimony, of faculty who invested authentically in their students. Brendan’s experience is no different.&nbsp;

“Throughout my years of studying history, I discovered my passion for cultural history. In orderto understand how the public reacts to both historical events and new technologies and to also understand how they promote&nbsp;change,&nbsp;cultural history is the integral piece. By learning more about technologies and events, we can make informed predictions on&nbsp;how people will react. By understanding the causes and effects of the past, we can learn from those actions and will grow as a society. This is the mindset that I intend to pass on to my students – one that encourages them to learn lessons from the past in&nbsp;order to build a better future. By doing this, I seek to inspire greatness in the next generation.”

Currently, Brendan is&nbsp;working on a research paper on Music Television with guidance from Dr. McClure. It was Dr. McClure who inspired his passion for cultural history. Brendan plans to submit this paper for publication to California State Fullerton’s online history journal. Additionally, he plans to present his paper at the Kansas Association of Historians Annual Conference in March 2023.&nbsp;

“Through these endeavors, I am utilizing skills on writing and presenting academic works learned from my professors, particularly Dr. Amber Nickell and Hollie Marquess. By honing my skills as a writer and academic, I plan on producing several more written works on the history of popular culture in the future,” Brendan noted.

His dreams are to continue to research the past to write books and articles that teach lessons about how the world works. He is passionate about sharing these lessons with his future university students and inspiring them to make the world a better place in their lifetimes, just as his Fort Hays professors have done for him.

Henry David Thoreau said, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” This is exactly what Brendan is doing, and that positive forward momentum has been fueled by a university that invests deeply in our students.

<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>I am always inspired by our students’ stories. Listening to Brendan Chapman at a recent donor reception did not disappoint. I found his story filled with courage, perseverance, and a humble confidence.Brendan is a Fort Hays senior finishing his double major in history and secondary education. He aspires to complete his master’s and doctorate degrees and teach at a university in the future, passing on knowledge to the next generation and publishing his writings along the way.&nbsp;Brendan is a Tiger legacy –&nbsp;his mom, Alaina&nbsp;Dresslar, dad,&nbsp;Korrie&nbsp;Chapman, and older brother, Keegan Chapman, are all FHSU alumni. Brendan shared that since he grew up in Hays, he knew all about FHSU’s good reputation.&nbsp;Brendan wanted to study history and was very aware of the excellent reputation of our History Department faculty. Indeed, he is correct, as they are known for excellence in their profession coupled with a deep culture of mentoring and caring for their students.A major driver of his decision to attend Fort Hays State&nbsp;University was our value proposition. Brendan shared that he knew he could attend FHSU and graduate debt free.&nbsp;“With the scholarships that I have received, I had the opportunity to dedicate myself to my education without worrying about taking out loans.&nbsp;This will allow me to pursue further education in history, whereas, without scholarships, I would not be able to do so,” Brendan said.&nbsp;As he completes his senior year, he is in the process of applying for graduate schools, including Purdue, Arizona, Kansas, Virginia, and Fort Hays State. The FHSU value proposition, low cost, high quality, and outstanding faculty mentors made his dream of both undergraduate and graduate education possible. It will launch his dream of becoming a professor.I have heard and written about&nbsp;several student stories, rich with testimony, of faculty who invested authentically in their students. Brendan’s experience is no different.&nbsp;“Throughout my years of studying history, I discovered my passion for cultural history. In orderto understand how the public reacts to both historical events and new technologies and to also understand how they promote&nbsp;change,&nbsp;cultural history is the integral piece. By learning more about technologies and events, we can make informed predictions on&nbsp;how people will react. By understanding the causes and effects of the past, we can learn from those actions and will grow as a society. This is the mindset that I intend to pass on to my students – one that encourages them to learn lessons from the past in&nbsp;order to build a better future. By doing this, I seek to inspire greatness in the next generation.”Currently, Brendan is&nbsp;working on a research paper on Music Television with guidance from Dr. McClure. It was Dr. McClure who inspired his passion for cultural history. Brendan plans to submit this paper for publication to California State Fullerton’s online history journal. Additionally, he plans to present his paper at the Kansas Association of Historians Annual Conference in March 2023.&nbsp;“Through these endeavors, I am utilizing skills on writing and presenting academic works learned from my professors, particularly Dr. Amber Nickell and Hollie Marquess. By honing my skills as a writer and academic, I plan on producing several more written works on the history of popular culture in the future,” Brendan noted.His dreams are to continue to research the past to write books and articles that teach lessons about how the world works. He is passionate about sharing these lessons with his future university students and inspiring them to make the world a better place in their lifetimes, just as his Fort Hays professors have done for him.Henry David Thoreau said, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” This is exactly what Brendan is doing, and that positive forward momentum has been fueled by a university that invests deeply in our students.

Heart of a Tiger: Brendan Chapman

About this time each year,&nbsp;with numerous hunting and trapping seasons in full swing,&nbsp;we begin to hear and read stories that all center&nbsp;around&nbsp;the&nbsp;illegal taking of Kansas wildlife, otherwise known as poaching.Whether&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;bald eagles being shot, outfitters being investigated for assisting their clients in illegally taking and transporting game or&nbsp;numerous game law violations intentionally and knowingly committed by people mistakenly calling themselves hunters, it all amounts to theft from those of us who attempt to abide by all the game rules and regulations of our state.&nbsp;

When poachers take fish or game illegally,&nbsp;they&nbsp;not only hurt&nbsp;the&nbsp;population of&nbsp;wildlife&nbsp;they prey upon, but they&nbsp;also&nbsp;tarnish the reputation of&nbsp;we&nbsp;ethical&nbsp;hunters&nbsp;who&nbsp;follow the rules and regulations. For the most part, poachers&nbsp;are not poor people looking to put food on the table for their families.&nbsp;They are&nbsp;greedy individuals who kill&nbsp;for the&nbsp;thrill of&nbsp;illegally taking trophy game animals, or they&nbsp;are&nbsp;people being paid outrageous sums of money to&nbsp;collect trophy or rare&nbsp;fish and wildlife.

Kansas is&nbsp;divided into 105 counties and currently a drastic shortage&nbsp;of game wardens saddles around 60 natural resource officers (NRO’s) with&nbsp;the&nbsp;intense&nbsp;responsibility of patrolling&nbsp;all&nbsp;those counties.&nbsp;Each year those NRO’s check tens of thousands of hunters and fishermen in the field&nbsp;and about 96% of them are found to be law-abiding. Unfortunately, many non-hunters associate ethical hunters with the small percentage who are not.

Kansas Dept. of&nbsp;Wildlife, Parks and Tourism has an excellent tool to help fight wildlife crimes called Operation Game Thief. It’s a toll-free telephone hotline, (877) 426-3843, that can be accessed anytime of the day or night, any day of the year. Callers are given the choice to remain anonymous and each call is immediately relayed to the natural resource officer&nbsp;nearest the violation.&nbsp;Examples of activities that can be reported over the game thief hotline are road hunting, trespassing, littering,&nbsp;vandalism,&nbsp;drinking while hunting, taking more game than allowed by law, using illegal equipment, hunting out of season or taking wildlife for which there&nbsp;is no legal season.&nbsp;

Two important rules to remember when observing illegal wildlife related activities are:

• Never confront the suspects you observe committing these crime •Be observant and be prepared to provide as much information as possible about what you observe, such as detailed descriptions of the people and vehicles including license plate numbers, and location and time of the incident. We all have cellphones now with excellent cameras, so take pictures if possible.

Calls to Operation Game Thief&nbsp;have resulted in arrest and convictions on violations from vandalism to deer poaching and everything in between. Drug operations have even been uncovered as a result of calls to this number. Perhaps the worst result of wildlife related crimes is the damage caused to the image of those of us who attempt to abide by all the wildlife&nbsp;rules and regulations. I refuse to be categorized with those who call themselves “hunters” but refuse to abide by the rules. If they insist on being known as “hunters” then perhaps the rest of us should find a different term for what we enjoy. Remember, Operation Game Thief, (877) 426-3843. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>About this time each year,&nbsp;with numerous hunting and trapping seasons in full swing,&nbsp;we begin to hear and read stories that all center&nbsp;around&nbsp;the&nbsp;illegal taking of Kansas wildlife, otherwise known as poaching.Whether&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;bald eagles being shot, outfitters being investigated for assisting their clients in illegally taking and transporting game or&nbsp;numerous game law violations intentionally and knowingly committed by people mistakenly calling themselves hunters, it all amounts to theft from those of us who attempt to abide by all the game rules and regulations of our state.&nbsp;When poachers take fish or game illegally,&nbsp;they&nbsp;not only hurt&nbsp;the&nbsp;population of&nbsp;wildlife&nbsp;they prey upon, but they&nbsp;also&nbsp;tarnish the reputation of&nbsp;we&nbsp;ethical&nbsp;hunters&nbsp;who&nbsp;follow the rules and regulations. For the most part, poachers&nbsp;are not poor people looking to put food on the table for their families.&nbsp;They are&nbsp;greedy individuals who kill&nbsp;for the&nbsp;thrill of&nbsp;illegally taking trophy game animals, or they&nbsp;are&nbsp;people being paid outrageous sums of money to&nbsp;collect trophy or rare&nbsp;fish and wildlife.Kansas is&nbsp;divided into 105 counties and currently a drastic shortage&nbsp;of game wardens saddles around 60 natural resource officers (NRO’s) with&nbsp;the&nbsp;intense&nbsp;responsibility of patrolling&nbsp;all&nbsp;those counties.&nbsp;Each year those NRO’s check tens of thousands of hunters and fishermen in the field&nbsp;and about 96% of them are found to be law-abiding. Unfortunately, many non-hunters associate ethical hunters with the small percentage who are not.Kansas Dept. of&nbsp;Wildlife, Parks and Tourism has an excellent tool to help fight wildlife crimes called Operation Game Thief. It’s a toll-free telephone hotline, (877) 426-3843, that can be accessed anytime of the day or night, any day of the year. Callers are given the choice to remain anonymous and each call is immediately relayed to the natural resource officer&nbsp;nearest the violation.&nbsp;Examples of activities that can be reported over the game thief hotline are road hunting, trespassing, littering,&nbsp;vandalism,&nbsp;drinking while hunting, taking more game than allowed by law, using illegal equipment, hunting out of season or taking wildlife for which there&nbsp;is no legal season.&nbsp;Two important rules to remember when observing illegal wildlife related activities are:• Never confront the suspects you observe committing these crime •Be observant and be prepared to provide as much information as possible about what you observe, such as detailed descriptions of the people and vehicles including license plate numbers, and location and time of the incident. We all have cellphones now with excellent cameras, so take pictures if possible.Calls to Operation Game Thief&nbsp;have resulted in arrest and convictions on violations from vandalism to deer poaching and everything in between. Drug operations have even been uncovered as a result of calls to this number. Perhaps the worst result of wildlife related crimes is the damage caused to the image of those of us who attempt to abide by all the wildlife&nbsp;rules and regulations. I refuse to be categorized with those who call themselves “hunters” but refuse to abide by the rules. If they insist on being known as “hunters” then perhaps the rest of us should find a different term for what we enjoy. Remember, Operation Game Thief, (877) 426-3843. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Operation Game Thief

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancher The rush is on as the hustle and bustle of the holiday season ramps up! It seems like there’s never enough hours in the days, or days in the weeks leading up to Christmas. &nbsp; As a parent, small business owner, community member and farmer, there’s just a lot to accomplish immediately after washing the dishes from our Thanksgiving meal. &nbsp; As a parent, keeping track of the Christmas parties and holiday-themed school days for my two young children requires organization and focus.&nbsp; &nbsp; Throughout the year, I keep track of the "normal" school things needed to be done like the minutes we read nightly, the weekly spelling words needing attention at home, and making sure the kids have their library books read and ready to return on their assigned library days.&nbsp; &nbsp; But this month I’m hyper alert to knowing when “Ugly Christmas Sweater Day”&nbsp;is compared to when “Santa’s Ho-Ho-Hoedown Day”&nbsp;is to ensure my kids participate in at least some of their school’s countdown to Christmas Break spirit days – 15 themed spirit days in all.&nbsp; &nbsp; One of my greatest fears this month has become the thought of sending the kids to school wearing their pajamas for “Dream a Little Dream Day”&nbsp;when they should be wearing a scarf for “Deck Your Neck Day” or forgetting to dig out Hawaiian shirts for “Christmas Vacation Day”.&nbsp; &nbsp; I’ve concluded that if there are prizes for most spirited this month at school, the Baldwin kids probably won’t make the cut. I’ll consider it a win if I remember to send lunch money on the day the school serves their Christmas ham meal later this month! &nbsp; On the farm, there’s a list of things we try to get done every December. Currently, that list has us trying to get fields fertilized before any potential snow falls. This responsibility mainly falls on my husband as I dedicate my days fulfilling holiday orders and making multiple trips to the post office for our small business.&nbsp; &nbsp; There are parties and practices and community events and performances and games and top-secret shopping trips also on my December calendar. &nbsp; My December started out with an incredibly busy day, which transitioned into an equally busy evening consisting of shuttling kids from school to basketball practice and then home for showers and food, only to drive them back to town to practice their church Christmas program. I was able to briefly catch my breath after handing the kids off to my husband before making my way to choir practice.&nbsp; &nbsp; Getting home shortly before 9 that night, I collapsed on the couch ready to unwind from a busy, busy day. However, I got a phone call from my father-in-law instead.&nbsp; &nbsp; It turned out my day was not done just yet. Instead, I put on my coveralls and headed out to the barn to watch over a ewe who had just lambed.&nbsp; &nbsp; Peeking into the lambing pen that was now occupied by the ewe with her tiny, wet lamb with wobbly legs brought me a calm I had not experienced that day.&nbsp; &nbsp; Under a clear, dark December sky with stars shining bright above us, a new mother with her newborn lying in a bed of straw reminded me of the true spirit of this season. And all was calm. &nbsp; May you have at least one moment this month which causes you to pause amongst the holiday hustle and bustle in order to experience the true spirit of the season.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancher The rush is on as the hustle and bustle of the holiday season ramps up! It seems like there’s never enough hours in the days, or days in the weeks leading up to Christmas. &nbsp; As a parent, small business owner, community member and farmer, there’s just a lot to accomplish immediately after washing the dishes from our Thanksgiving meal. &nbsp; As a parent, keeping track of the Christmas parties and holiday-themed school days for my two young children requires organization and focus.&nbsp; &nbsp; Throughout the year, I keep track of the "normal" school things needed to be done like the minutes we read nightly, the weekly spelling words needing attention at home, and making sure the kids have their library books read and ready to return on their assigned library days.&nbsp; &nbsp; But this month I’m hyper alert to knowing when “Ugly Christmas Sweater Day”&nbsp;is compared to when “Santa’s Ho-Ho-Hoedown Day”&nbsp;is to ensure my kids participate in at least some of their school’s countdown to Christmas Break spirit days – 15 themed spirit days in all.&nbsp; &nbsp; One of my greatest fears this month has become the thought of sending the kids to school wearing their pajamas for “Dream a Little Dream Day”&nbsp;when they should be wearing a scarf for “Deck Your Neck Day” or forgetting to dig out Hawaiian shirts for “Christmas Vacation Day”.&nbsp; &nbsp; I’ve concluded that if there are prizes for most spirited this month at school, the Baldwin kids probably won’t make the cut. I’ll consider it a win if I remember to send lunch money on the day the school serves their Christmas ham meal later this month! &nbsp; On the farm, there’s a list of things we try to get done every December. Currently, that list has us trying to get fields fertilized before any potential snow falls. This responsibility mainly falls on my husband as I dedicate my days fulfilling holiday orders and making multiple trips to the post office for our small business.&nbsp; &nbsp; There are parties and practices and community events and performances and games and top-secret shopping trips also on my December calendar. &nbsp; My December started out with an incredibly busy day, which transitioned into an equally busy evening consisting of shuttling kids from school to basketball practice and then home for showers and food, only to drive them back to town to practice their church Christmas program. I was able to briefly catch my breath after handing the kids off to my husband before making my way to choir practice.&nbsp; &nbsp; Getting home shortly before 9 that night, I collapsed on the couch ready to unwind from a busy, busy day. However, I got a phone call from my father-in-law instead.&nbsp; &nbsp; It turned out my day was not done just yet. Instead, I put on my coveralls and headed out to the barn to watch over a ewe who had just lambed.&nbsp; &nbsp; Peeking into the lambing pen that was now occupied by the ewe with her tiny, wet lamb with wobbly legs brought me a calm I had not experienced that day.&nbsp; &nbsp; Under a clear, dark December sky with stars shining bright above us, a new mother with her newborn lying in a bed of straw reminded me of the true spirit of this season. And all was calm. &nbsp; May you have at least one moment this month which causes you to pause amongst the holiday hustle and bustle in order to experience the true spirit of the season."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: The spirit of the season

By AUDREY COLEMAN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/05/from-this-celebrated-kansans-past-a-leadership-legacy-for-the-future/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

Dec. 5 marks one year since the passing of one of America’s greatest statesmen, U.S. Sen. Bob Dole.

In a time when bipartisan cooperation is an innovation rather than an
 empirical norm, we’re left with the historical examples. It’s 
instructive to remember that Dole reached the height of power and 
influence through dealmaking — shepherding nuanced, compromise 
legislative solutions into law and building a future-oriented consensus.

In honor of him, and fortunately for us, the values that produced 
these compromises are still alive and well at the University of Kansas’ 
Dole Institute of Politics. Since 2003, the Dole Institute has promoted 
civility, bipartisanship, and public service — elements of human 
character made institutional mission.

As a witness and participant in Dole’s memorial services last year, 
another of his defining qualities prevailed among the public remarks and
 personal conversations: his optimism, a posture not always present but 
well-considered and hard-fought.

Optimism has been a hard sell of late to students on college 
campuses, and all of us beyond, conjuring either willful obliviousness 
or a delusion excusing norm-destroying behavior. But the optimism Dole 
came to know was constructive, centering the belief beyond all doubt 
that he — and you, and I — possessed the power to surmount the day’s 
challenges together and regardless of political difference.

Several weeks ago, among an already busy slate of engagement 
opportunities for young people, the Dole Institute hosted an exchange 
between KU students, largely Kansan and Midwestern, with a group of 
students from Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics for 
conversation about political polarization, political participation and 
democracy’s future in this country. Twelve undergraduate students of 
different places, backgrounds and beliefs dedicated their weekend to one
 another, deliberating actionable steps to address what comes next for 
our country.

Those of us who had the privilege to witness this next generation — 
their smarts, compassion, earnestness of purpose — would be forgiven our
 optimism for our nation’s future.

The 118th Congress will convene in January, and again arrives the 
opportunity for a new cohort of leaders to turn from bitter partisanship
 toward compromise and consensus. That expectation might seem 
unreasonable given our political climate, but as the midterm election 
results showed, the electorate is ready for a change in tone.

In this way, perhaps, the past is again an inspiration. More than a 
quarter-century ago, Dole accepted the Republican nomination for 
president with a speech that closed in these words:

Optimism is in our blood. I know this as few others can. There 
once was a time when I doubted the future. But I have learned as many of
 you have learned that obstacles can be overcome.

And I have unlimited confidence in the wisdom of our people and the future of our country.

Tonight, I stand before you tested by adversity, made sensitive 
by hardship, a fighter by principle, and the most optimistic man in 
America.

My life is proof that America is a land without limits. And with 
my feet on the ground and my heart filled with hope, I put my faith in 
you and in the God who loves us all.

For I am convinced that America’s best days are yet to come.

We don’t typically look for the next wave of the future in 
institutions, which tend to be about as revolutionary as nostalgia for a
 receding past. But at their best, when reflecting human nature’s finest
 qualities, they are both an essential foundation of and sustaining 
nourishment for an enduring democratic society.

On a sad day for so many, how fortunate we are that Dole’s legacy 
lives through a thriving institution dedicated to the only kind of 
leadership that will secure our country’s future.

Audrey Coleman is the director of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670260627700.png" alt="Audrey Coleman gives opening remarks at the Kansas Statehouse service for Sen. Bob Dole last year. (Eric Montgomery/Dole Archives)" />
 <figcaption>Audrey Coleman gives opening remarks at the Kansas Statehouse service for Sen. Bob Dole last year. (Eric Montgomery/Dole Archives)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AUDREY COLEMAN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/05/from-this-celebrated-kansans-past-a-leadership-legacy-for-the-future/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>Dec. 5 marks one year since the passing of one of America’s greatest statesmen, U.S. Sen. Bob Dole.In a time when bipartisan cooperation is an innovation rather than an
 empirical norm, we’re left with the historical examples. It’s 
instructive to remember that Dole reached the height of power and 
influence through dealmaking — shepherding nuanced, compromise 
legislative solutions into law and building a future-oriented consensus.In honor of him, and fortunately for us, the values that produced 
these compromises are still alive and well at the University of Kansas’ 
Dole Institute of Politics. Since 2003, the Dole Institute has promoted 
civility, bipartisanship, and public service — elements of human 
character made institutional mission.As a witness and participant in Dole’s memorial services last year, 
another of his defining qualities prevailed among the public remarks and
 personal conversations: his optimism, a posture not always present but 
well-considered and hard-fought.Optimism has been a hard sell of late to students on college 
campuses, and all of us beyond, conjuring either willful obliviousness 
or a delusion excusing norm-destroying behavior. But the optimism Dole 
came to know was constructive, centering the belief beyond all doubt 
that he — and you, and I — possessed the power to surmount the day’s 
challenges together and regardless of political difference.Partisanship was a means, not an end.Several weeks ago, among an already busy slate of engagement 
opportunities for young people, the Dole Institute hosted an exchange 
between KU students, largely Kansan and Midwestern, with a group of 
students from Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics for 
conversation about political polarization, political participation and 
democracy’s future in this country. Twelve undergraduate students of 
different places, backgrounds and beliefs dedicated their weekend to one
 another, deliberating actionable steps to address what comes next for 
our country.Those of us who had the privilege to witness this next generation — 
their smarts, compassion, earnestness of purpose — would be forgiven our
 optimism for our nation’s future.The 118th Congress will convene in January, and again arrives the 
opportunity for a new cohort of leaders to turn from bitter partisanship
 toward compromise and consensus. That expectation might seem 
unreasonable given our political climate, but as the midterm election 
results showed, the electorate is ready for a change in tone.In this way, perhaps, the past is again an inspiration. More than a 
quarter-century ago, Dole accepted the Republican nomination for 
president with a speech that closed in these words:Optimism is in our blood. I know this as few others can. There 
once was a time when I doubted the future. But I have learned as many of
 you have learned that obstacles can be overcome.And I have unlimited confidence in the wisdom of our people and the future of our country.Tonight, I stand before you tested by adversity, made sensitive 
by hardship, a fighter by principle, and the most optimistic man in 
America. My life is proof that America is a land without limits. And with 
my feet on the ground and my heart filled with hope, I put my faith in 
you and in the God who loves us all.For I am convinced that America’s best days are yet to come.We don’t typically look for the next wave of the future in 
institutions, which tend to be about as revolutionary as nostalgia for a
 receding past. But at their best, when reflecting human nature’s finest
 qualities, they are both an essential foundation of and sustaining 
nourishment for an enduring democratic society.On a sad day for so many, how fortunate we are that Dole’s legacy 
lives through a thriving institution dedicated to the only kind of 
leadership that will secure our country’s future.Audrey Coleman is the director of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

OPINION: From celebrated Kansan’s past, a leadership legacy for the future

Over Labor Day Weekend ,many&nbsp;Nicodemus descendants gathered to&nbsp;re-enact&nbsp;their ancestors’ story&nbsp;of leaving&nbsp;1877&nbsp;Kentucky&nbsp;to&nbsp;immigrate&nbsp;to Western Kansas&nbsp;to homestead and found a town. Descendant Angela Bates&nbsp;devoted decades to researching and recording her family’s&nbsp;Western Kansas story&nbsp;and has written a script to share&nbsp;it. &nbsp;The&nbsp;ripples, like those of a pebble tossed into a still pond, continue to affect&nbsp;participants’ lives.

Angela&nbsp;researched the Ellis/Nicodemus Trail, collaborated with Walz families who own land the trail crosses, wrote the script, encouraged cousins to participate,&nbsp;and&nbsp;discovered&nbsp;Nick Abt&nbsp;Films.&nbsp;Finally, she, with the help of others, and funding from the National Parks Foundation and Trust for Public Lands,&nbsp;tied up loose ends necessary to film the&nbsp;Ellis to Nicodemus Trail&nbsp;segment&nbsp;of the documentary in&nbsp;only three days.&nbsp;After a storm threatened filming on Friday evening,&nbsp;they&nbsp;shot&nbsp;the rest of the weekend’s footage&nbsp;with&nbsp;sunshine,&nbsp;gentle breezes, and moderate temperatures.&nbsp;Everyone involved&nbsp;thanked God&nbsp;that local snakes sunbathed&nbsp;elsewhere&nbsp;while&nbsp;participants&nbsp;traipsed&nbsp;the path their forebears&nbsp;walked&nbsp;145 years earlier.&nbsp;

I&nbsp;participated&nbsp;as the&nbsp;proverbial fly on the wall, taking&nbsp;photos and listening&nbsp;to conversations among computer techs, business people, realtors, vet techs, university professors, United States Park Service employees, chefs,&nbsp;and&nbsp;others&nbsp;who peeled&nbsp;away&nbsp;layers of shared family history.&nbsp;Several descendants&nbsp;traveled from&nbsp;urban areas&nbsp;as far away as Atlanta and Cincinnati&nbsp;because&nbsp;Nicodemus like most western Kansas&nbsp;small towns has outsourced&nbsp;many&nbsp;dreamers and visionaries.&nbsp;

These cousins&nbsp;proudly&nbsp;connect to this community that birthed their&nbsp;futures&nbsp;through their&nbsp;annual&nbsp;Emancipation&nbsp;Celebration&nbsp;and its huge gathering.&nbsp;Only a&nbsp;few&nbsp;live&nbsp;nearby so&nbsp;hiking through&nbsp;grasses&nbsp;so&nbsp;dense&nbsp;walkers&nbsp;couldn’t see&nbsp;snakes or ticks added realistic drama.&nbsp;Experiencing&nbsp;mosquito&nbsp;bites and&nbsp;a badger-hole-induced&nbsp;tumble,&nbsp;re-enactors&nbsp;demonstrated the&nbsp;same&nbsp;hardy spirit their ancestors&nbsp;displayed following wagons&nbsp;35 miles&nbsp;northwest&nbsp;from&nbsp;Ellis&nbsp;across unbroken&nbsp;prairie to&nbsp;undeveloped&nbsp;Nicodemus.&nbsp;

On Pioneer Day in October,&nbsp;ripples widened as&nbsp;documentary&nbsp;participants&nbsp;provided the Nicodemus Historical Society&nbsp;Program.&nbsp;Actors&nbsp;emotionally&nbsp;voiced&nbsp;either in person or through Zoomhow the filming impacted them.&nbsp;Several told how children,&nbsp;grandchildren, and friends&nbsp;had never heard of&nbsp;relatives who left Kentucky and&nbsp;traveled&nbsp;to Kansas to homestead.&nbsp;They&nbsp;discussed&nbsp;what homesteading required.&nbsp;All&nbsp;took pride in&nbsp;descending&nbsp;from sturdy stock.&nbsp;Actors&nbsp;playing the&nbsp;very&nbsp;pregnant&nbsp;Emma Williams,&nbsp;her mom&nbsp;Zerina, and dad&nbsp;Tom&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;experienced&nbsp;a deep spiritual connection to&nbsp;ancestors they portrayed.&nbsp;Those observing filming watched their characters develop&nbsp;and deepen.&nbsp;

Many&nbsp;participants&nbsp;noted original settlers’&nbsp;physical&nbsp;stressors&nbsp;due to traveling with&nbsp;a very pregnant woman&nbsp;and&nbsp;several older family members.&nbsp;They commented that their&nbsp;ancestors relied entirely on themselves during that first&nbsp;trek&nbsp;to Nicodemus. Re-enactors knew&nbsp;they&nbsp;could call help if&nbsp;necessary. Someone&nbsp;mentioned&nbsp;farmsteads with wells&nbsp;now&nbsp;exist that didn’t back then.&nbsp;Those newcomers&nbsp;either carried water or drank from creeks and the river along the way.

The circle widens as this story impacts&nbsp;more than&nbsp;the descendants recreating&nbsp;it. Their&nbsp;formerly enslaved&nbsp;ancestors’&nbsp;desire for freedom and the right to&nbsp;homestead&nbsp;came to life for&nbsp;the film crew, land owners, support crews, and&nbsp;wagon and horse&nbsp;teams&nbsp;who had no relatives in Nicodemus.&nbsp;The filming&nbsp;touched everyone involved.&nbsp;That effect will grow as more audiences view it.&nbsp;

Completing all aspects of the documentary takes time.&nbsp;In the future, when it hits the screen, ripples will expand beyond Western Kansas and these&nbsp;participants’&nbsp;lives.&nbsp;This&nbsp;story&nbsp;of strength and determination adds not only to the&nbsp;legacy&nbsp;of our state but also our nation. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669931782533.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINOver Labor Day Weekend ,many&nbsp;Nicodemus descendants gathered to&nbsp;re-enact&nbsp;their ancestors’ story&nbsp;of leaving&nbsp;1877&nbsp;Kentucky&nbsp;to&nbsp;immigrate&nbsp;to Western Kansas&nbsp;to homestead and found a town. Descendant Angela Bates&nbsp;devoted decades to researching and recording her family’s&nbsp;Western Kansas story&nbsp;and has written a script to share&nbsp;it. &nbsp;The&nbsp;ripples, like those of a pebble tossed into a still pond, continue to affect&nbsp;participants’ lives.Angela&nbsp;researched the Ellis/Nicodemus Trail, collaborated with Walz families who own land the trail crosses, wrote the script, encouraged cousins to participate,&nbsp;and&nbsp;discovered&nbsp;Nick Abt&nbsp;Films.&nbsp;Finally, she, with the help of others, and funding from the National Parks Foundation and Trust for Public Lands,&nbsp;tied up loose ends necessary to film the&nbsp;Ellis to Nicodemus Trail&nbsp;segment&nbsp;of the documentary in&nbsp;only three days.&nbsp;After a storm threatened filming on Friday evening,&nbsp;they&nbsp;shot&nbsp;the rest of the weekend’s footage&nbsp;with&nbsp;sunshine,&nbsp;gentle breezes, and moderate temperatures.&nbsp;Everyone involved&nbsp;thanked God&nbsp;that local snakes sunbathed&nbsp;elsewhere&nbsp;while&nbsp;participants&nbsp;traipsed&nbsp;the path their forebears&nbsp;walked&nbsp;145 years earlier.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>I&nbsp;participated&nbsp;as the&nbsp;proverbial fly on the wall, taking&nbsp;photos and listening&nbsp;to conversations among computer techs, business people, realtors, vet techs, university professors, United States Park Service employees, chefs,&nbsp;and&nbsp;others&nbsp;who peeled&nbsp;away&nbsp;layers of shared family history.&nbsp;Several descendants&nbsp;traveled from&nbsp;urban areas&nbsp;as far away as Atlanta and Cincinnati&nbsp;because&nbsp;Nicodemus like most western Kansas&nbsp;small towns has outsourced&nbsp;many&nbsp;dreamers and visionaries.&nbsp;These cousins&nbsp;proudly&nbsp;connect to this community that birthed their&nbsp;futures&nbsp;through their&nbsp;annual&nbsp;Emancipation&nbsp;Celebration&nbsp;and its huge gathering.&nbsp;Only a&nbsp;few&nbsp;live&nbsp;nearby so&nbsp;hiking through&nbsp;grasses&nbsp;so&nbsp;dense&nbsp;walkers&nbsp;couldn’t see&nbsp;snakes or ticks added realistic drama.&nbsp;Experiencing&nbsp;mosquito&nbsp;bites and&nbsp;a badger-hole-induced&nbsp;tumble,&nbsp;re-enactors&nbsp;demonstrated the&nbsp;same&nbsp;hardy spirit their ancestors&nbsp;displayed following wagons&nbsp;35 miles&nbsp;northwest&nbsp;from&nbsp;Ellis&nbsp;across unbroken&nbsp;prairie to&nbsp;undeveloped&nbsp;Nicodemus.&nbsp;On Pioneer Day in October,&nbsp;ripples widened as&nbsp;documentary&nbsp;participants&nbsp;provided the Nicodemus Historical Society&nbsp;Program.&nbsp;Actors&nbsp;emotionally&nbsp;voiced&nbsp;either in person or through Zoomhow the filming impacted them.&nbsp;Several told how children,&nbsp;grandchildren, and friends&nbsp;had never heard of&nbsp;relatives who left Kentucky and&nbsp;traveled&nbsp;to Kansas to homestead.&nbsp;They&nbsp;discussed&nbsp;what homesteading required.&nbsp;All&nbsp;took pride in&nbsp;descending&nbsp;from sturdy stock.&nbsp;Actors&nbsp;playing the&nbsp;very&nbsp;pregnant&nbsp;Emma Williams,&nbsp;her mom&nbsp;Zerina, and dad&nbsp;Tom&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;experienced&nbsp;a deep spiritual connection to&nbsp;ancestors they portrayed.&nbsp;Those observing filming watched their characters develop&nbsp;and deepen.&nbsp;Many&nbsp;participants&nbsp;noted original settlers’&nbsp;physical&nbsp;stressors&nbsp;due to traveling with&nbsp;a very pregnant woman&nbsp;and&nbsp;several older family members.&nbsp;They commented that their&nbsp;ancestors relied entirely on themselves during that first&nbsp;trek&nbsp;to Nicodemus. Re-enactors knew&nbsp;they&nbsp;could call help if&nbsp;necessary. Someone&nbsp;mentioned&nbsp;farmsteads with wells&nbsp;now&nbsp;exist that didn’t back then.&nbsp;Those newcomers&nbsp;either carried water or drank from creeks and the river along the way.The circle widens as this story impacts&nbsp;more than&nbsp;the descendants recreating&nbsp;it. Their&nbsp;formerly enslaved&nbsp;ancestors’&nbsp;desire for freedom and the right to&nbsp;homestead&nbsp;came to life for&nbsp;the film crew, land owners, support crews, and&nbsp;wagon and horse&nbsp;teams&nbsp;who had no relatives in Nicodemus.&nbsp;The filming&nbsp;touched everyone involved.&nbsp;That effect will grow as more audiences view it.&nbsp;Completing all aspects of the documentary takes time.&nbsp;In the future, when it hits the screen, ripples will expand beyond Western Kansas and these&nbsp;participants’&nbsp;lives.&nbsp;This&nbsp;story&nbsp;of strength and determination adds not only to the&nbsp;legacy&nbsp;of our state but also our nation. &nbsp;Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and
 sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

MADORIN: Ripples beyond Nicodemus

	On November 10, the Kansas School Board voted 7-1 with two abstentions to pass a resolution.&nbsp; They recommend that schools drop their Native American (“Indian”) themed mascots. This came upon the recommendation of a commission, including representatives from four federally-recognized tribes with significant numbers here in Kansas.&nbsp; The resolution is not tied to funding or accreditation.&nbsp; Even so, several school districts including Atchison, Wichita, and Shawnee Mission had already stopped using such mascots, and more name changes are under consideration.

	Our region’s highest-profile team with such a name is of course the Kansas City Chiefs. Though they play in Missouri, the Chiefs Kingdom (as they call it) extends well into Kansas.&nbsp; The team name, stadium name, and arrowhead logo all reference Native Americans, and so do fan rituals such as the “war cry” and the “tomahawk chop.”&nbsp; With other sports teams having dumped such names, protests by local Native American groups to change the name are growing.&nbsp; A deep dive shows just how complicated such decisions can be.

	The Chiefs are named for former Kansas City, MO Mayor H. Roe Bartle, who was instrumental in moving the former Dallas Texans football team to KC.&nbsp; Bartle earned his nickname “The Chief” by founding a Boy Scout Camp near Osceola, MO, which is now named for him.&nbsp; He also founded a regional Scouting organization with the now politically-incorrect name, Tribe of Mic-O-Say, which has tens of thousands of fiercely loyal members and supporters, mostly in Missouri and Kansas.&nbsp; Many alumni and adult leaders have given generously of their time and money over the years to support the organization.

	Scouting legend holds that Bartle founded Camp Osceola after studying with Native American tribes in Montana.&nbsp; Impressed with their rituals in which boys become men, and long before a time when gender neutrality was an expected norm, Bartle created an imaginary “tribe” for Boy Scouts where they could practice similar initiation rites.&nbsp; To this day, boys (and now girls) recreate these rituals as part of their rites of joining the organization.&nbsp;&nbsp;

	Mic-O-Say is just one example of Scouting-connected “Indian” lore that is increasingly considered offensive today. &nbsp; Scouting itself is also in big trouble.&nbsp; Formerly called Boy Scouts of America, they are now in bankruptcy.&nbsp; Some Mic-O-Say youth and parents are weighing in with proposals for new themes.&nbsp; My favorite is Star Wars, but this of course would require an arrangement with the Disney Corporation.&nbsp; My entire immediate family are Mic-O-Say members, and I do hope that they find a way to preserve the organization and Scouting itself, with its commitment to team building and survival skills.&nbsp; This will require dialogue, respect and sensitivity toward Native American communities.

	As for the Chiefs, I am tempted to suggest that they keep their name but drop the “war cry” and “tomahawk chop.”&nbsp; Alas, fans may find this confusing.&nbsp; Instead, a complete name change may be inevitable, but there are further complications.&nbsp; For example, what about the popular “arrowhead” tattoo many fans have on their bodies?&nbsp; The team would also have to spend a great deal of money removing old signage and other branding, and irate and forgetful fans alike are likely to continue using the old names, rituals and symbols for years.&nbsp; After all, I still meet people who refer to Emporia State as “Kansas State Teachers College” — a name we dropped in the early 1970s.&nbsp; Finally, the whole thing could easily get sucked into our society’s wider culture war.

	Changing offensive names and showing respect for all cultures is vital work – but it sure does come with complications.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639601062071.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>	On November 10, the Kansas School Board voted 7-1 with two abstentions to pass a resolution.&nbsp; They recommend that schools drop their Native American (“Indian”) themed mascots. This came upon the recommendation of a commission, including representatives from four federally-recognized tribes with significant numbers here in Kansas.&nbsp; The resolution is not tied to funding or accreditation.&nbsp; Even so, several school districts including Atchison, Wichita, and Shawnee Mission had already stopped using such mascots, and more name changes are under consideration.	Our region’s highest-profile team with such a name is of course the Kansas City Chiefs. Though they play in Missouri, the Chiefs Kingdom (as they call it) extends well into Kansas.&nbsp; The team name, stadium name, and arrowhead logo all reference Native Americans, and so do fan rituals such as the “war cry” and the “tomahawk chop.”&nbsp; With other sports teams having dumped such names, protests by local Native American groups to change the name are growing.&nbsp; A deep dive shows just how complicated such decisions can be.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>	The Chiefs are named for former Kansas City, MO Mayor H. Roe Bartle, who was instrumental in moving the former Dallas Texans football team to KC.&nbsp; Bartle earned his nickname “The Chief” by founding a Boy Scout Camp near Osceola, MO, which is now named for him.&nbsp; He also founded a regional Scouting organization with the now politically-incorrect name, Tribe of Mic-O-Say, which has tens of thousands of fiercely loyal members and supporters, mostly in Missouri and Kansas.&nbsp; Many alumni and adult leaders have given generously of their time and money over the years to support the organization.	Scouting legend holds that Bartle founded Camp Osceola after studying with Native American tribes in Montana.&nbsp; Impressed with their rituals in which boys become men, and long before a time when gender neutrality was an expected norm, Bartle created an imaginary “tribe” for Boy Scouts where they could practice similar initiation rites.&nbsp; To this day, boys (and now girls) recreate these rituals as part of their rites of joining the organization.&nbsp;&nbsp;	Mic-O-Say is just one example of Scouting-connected “Indian” lore that is increasingly considered offensive today. &nbsp; Scouting itself is also in big trouble.&nbsp; Formerly called Boy Scouts of America, they are now in bankruptcy.&nbsp; Some Mic-O-Say youth and parents are weighing in with proposals for new themes.&nbsp; My favorite is Star Wars, but this of course would require an arrangement with the Disney Corporation.&nbsp; My entire immediate family are Mic-O-Say members, and I do hope that they find a way to preserve the organization and Scouting itself, with its commitment to team building and survival skills.&nbsp; This will require dialogue, respect and sensitivity toward Native American communities.	As for the Chiefs, I am tempted to suggest that they keep their name but drop the “war cry” and “tomahawk chop.”&nbsp; Alas, fans may find this confusing.&nbsp; Instead, a complete name change may be inevitable, but there are further complications.&nbsp; For example, what about the popular “arrowhead” tattoo many fans have on their bodies?&nbsp; The team would also have to spend a great deal of money removing old signage and other branding, and irate and forgetful fans alike are likely to continue using the old names, rituals and symbols for years.&nbsp; After all, I still meet people who refer to Emporia State as “Kansas State Teachers College” — a name we dropped in the early 1970s.&nbsp; Finally, the whole thing could easily get sucked into our society’s wider culture war.	Changing offensive names and showing respect for all cultures is vital work – but it sure does come with complications.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Past, present and future of KC Chiefs’ name

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;&nbsp;

The pilot has come in for a landing. In this case, the pilot is the famous aviator Amelia Earhart (or her replica in the form of a bronze statue), and her landing place isn’t an airport — it’s the nation’s capitol.&nbsp;

Amelia Earhart was recently honored by the State of Kansas by having her statue placed in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol building.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Statuary Hall is that area of the capitol that displays statues depicting people representing all 50 states. Each state is authorized to send two statues to this collection.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas recently replaced one of its statues with one of Amelia Earhart, who captured the world’s attention as a pioneer in aviation.&nbsp;

With support from the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation, her statue was unveiled in the National Statuary Collection in July, 2022.&nbsp;

Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison on July 24, 1897. She must have been quite the adventurous child.&nbsp;&nbsp;One time she and friends built a homemade roller coaster by greasing boards with lard and suspending them from the top of a toolshed. Amelia made the trial run on this roller coaster in a wooden crate and crashed part way down.&nbsp;

She came up with a torn dress and split lip but a big smile, proclaiming, "Oh! It's just like flying!"&nbsp;

During World War I, she worked as a nurse’s aid at a military hospital and heard the military pilots talk about their flights. Amelia’s interest grew when she attended an airshow in Canada.&nbsp;

In 1921, Amelia Earhart took her first flying lessons. Six months later, she bought her first plane.&nbsp;

Amelia went on to make history: She was the first president of the Ninety-Nines, a women's aviation organization; the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic; first woman to fly solo coast-to-coast; and the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to the mainland.&nbsp;

Through her husband, a publisher, she published several books and articles. She designed fashion clothing and had her own luggage line. She received many honors, including the Distinguished Flying Cross from Congress, before disappearing on an ill-fated attempt to fly around the globe.&nbsp;

So what is Statuary Hall and how did Amelia Earhart come to land there? Statuary Hall goes back to the 1860s when a south wing was added to the U.S. Capitol building. The House of Representatives moved into its new chamber where it still meets today.&nbsp;

The House was debating what should be done with the former chamber that it had vacated. A suggestion came from Rep. Justin Morrill of Vermont. (This was the same congressman who authored the Morrill Act that authorized land grants for public higher education and under which Kansas State University became the nation’s first operational land grant university.)&nbsp;

Morrill suggested that the former House chamber become a place to display statues from each state. His suggestion was adopted. Every state was allowed to have two statues.&nbsp;

One might ask, who were the two statues from Kansas? Would you guess, George Glick and John J. Ingalls? When I led capitol tours years ago, our visitors would ask,&nbsp;&nbsp;“Who are those guys?&nbsp;&nbsp;Never heard of them.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

I learned that George Glick was a one-term governor of Kansas and John J. Ingalls was a long-time Senator during the late 1800s.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2003, Kansas became the first state to change its two representative statues. The Kansas Legislature voted to replace Glick and Ingalls with statues depicting Dwight D. Eisenhower and Amelia Earhart, provided the statues were funded with private money.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ike was placed there in 2003 and Amelia followed in 2022.&nbsp;

The Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation paid for the statue of Amelia. The foundation is also working toward opening an aviation museum in her honor. That would be a wonderful addition to the rural community of Atchison, population 10,885 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ameliaearharthangarmuseum.org/foundation">www.ameliaearharthangarmuseum.org/foundation</a>.&nbsp;

This pilot has come in for a landing – that is, landing a spot in the Statuary Hall collection in Washington DC.&nbsp;

We commend the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation for making a difference by honoring her legacy. I hope Amelia’s ideals keep flying high.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669815891320.png" alt="Courtesy K-State Research &amp; Extension" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy K-State Research &amp; Extension</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;&nbsp;The pilot has come in for a landing. In this case, the pilot is the famous aviator Amelia Earhart (or her replica in the form of a bronze statue), and her landing place isn’t an airport — it’s the nation’s capitol.&nbsp;Amelia Earhart was recently honored by the State of Kansas by having her statue placed in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol building.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Statuary Hall is that area of the capitol that displays statues depicting people representing all 50 states. Each state is authorized to send two statues to this collection.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas recently replaced one of its statues with one of Amelia Earhart, who captured the world’s attention as a pioneer in aviation.&nbsp;With support from the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation, her statue was unveiled in the National Statuary Collection in July, 2022.&nbsp;Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison on July 24, 1897. She must have been quite the adventurous child.&nbsp;&nbsp;One time she and friends built a homemade roller coaster by greasing boards with lard and suspending them from the top of a toolshed. Amelia made the trial run on this roller coaster in a wooden crate and crashed part way down.&nbsp;She came up with a torn dress and split lip but a big smile, proclaiming, "Oh! It's just like flying!"&nbsp;During World War I, she worked as a nurse’s aid at a military hospital and heard the military pilots talk about their flights. Amelia’s interest grew when she attended an airshow in Canada.&nbsp;In 1921, Amelia Earhart took her first flying lessons. Six months later, she bought her first plane.&nbsp;Amelia went on to make history: She was the first president of the Ninety-Nines, a women's aviation organization; the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic; first woman to fly solo coast-to-coast; and the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to the mainland.&nbsp;Through her husband, a publisher, she published several books and articles. She designed fashion clothing and had her own luggage line. She received many honors, including the Distinguished Flying Cross from Congress, before disappearing on an ill-fated attempt to fly around the globe.&nbsp;So what is Statuary Hall and how did Amelia Earhart come to land there? Statuary Hall goes back to the 1860s when a south wing was added to the U.S. Capitol building. The House of Representatives moved into its new chamber where it still meets today.&nbsp;The House was debating what should be done with the former chamber that it had vacated. A suggestion came from Rep. Justin Morrill of Vermont. (This was the same congressman who authored the Morrill Act that authorized land grants for public higher education and under which Kansas State University became the nation’s first operational land grant university.)&nbsp;Morrill suggested that the former House chamber become a place to display statues from each state. His suggestion was adopted. Every state was allowed to have two statues.&nbsp;One might ask, who were the two statues from Kansas? Would you guess, George Glick and John J. Ingalls? When I led capitol tours years ago, our visitors would ask,&nbsp;&nbsp;“Who are those guys?&nbsp;&nbsp;Never heard of them.”&nbsp;&nbsp;I learned that George Glick was a one-term governor of Kansas and John J. Ingalls was a long-time Senator during the late 1800s.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2003, Kansas became the first state to change its two representative statues. The Kansas Legislature voted to replace Glick and Ingalls with statues depicting Dwight D. Eisenhower and Amelia Earhart, provided the statues were funded with private money.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ike was placed there in 2003 and Amelia followed in 2022.&nbsp;The Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation paid for the statue of Amelia. The foundation is also working toward opening an aviation museum in her honor. That would be a wonderful addition to the rural community of Atchison, population 10,885 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ameliaearharthangarmuseum.org/foundation">www.ameliaearharthangarmuseum.org/foundation</a>.&nbsp;This pilot has come in for a landing – that is, landing a spot in the Statuary Hall collection in Washington DC.&nbsp;We commend the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation for making a difference by honoring her legacy. I hope Amelia’s ideals keep flying high.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Amelia Earhart 

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher The annual meeting of Kansas Farm Bureau is in Manhattan is coming the first weekend of December. I truly look forward to this meeting every year, and this one is no different. However, this year’s meeting will be a bit bittersweet as KFB’s President Rich Felts will ride off into the sunset and retirement. Our members will have the tough job of electing his replacement. President Felts has guided Kansas Farm Bureau for the past eight years with steady hand, a calm demeanor and an artful grace that has led to our organization reaching new heights. I have had the honor and privilege to a front-row seat at the board table. I consider Rich a friend and, more importantly, a mentor. I have watched as he has provided leadership and guidance on issues and made decisions that will affect our organization, our state and all of agriculture for years to come. I believe President Felts has left Kansas Farm Bureau in the best position we have ever been in and laid a foundation to ensure success in the future. Personally, I have been able to seek Rich’s wisdom and opinion on many things, and he has always been gracious and thoughtful. I have always taken heed of his advice, and I hope I can offer others the same leadership and experience. I am not sure I have ever been around someone as caring, dedicated, gracious or as empathetic as President Felts. He is truly the living example of servant leadership; I wish there were more leaders like him. You will never find anyone who cares more for Kansas Farm Bureau or agriculture. I wish everyone could know the hours and miles Rich has put into representing Kansas Farm Bureau. He has been the face of the organization; one we were proud to have representing farmers and ranchers. I doubt there is anyone who came in contact with Rich who was not better because of it. While I understand his decision to step down and spend more time with his wife, Shirley, and the rest of their family, I hope Rich knows how much all of us will miss him both as the head of Kansas Farm Bureau and as a person. I also know he will still be around and always just a phone call away, which is reassuring. I will also miss Shirley equally as much. If a greeting from Shirley can’t brighten your day, you are in bad shape. Her joy and happiness are always contagious. President Felts will leave a tremendous legacy in the organization and in its future. Generations will be able to make better decisions and advocate for our way of life because of his leadership and for that we will be forever grateful. I know this is not goodbye and we will still see each other, but not nearly enough. I also know that Rich will probably not be comfortable with all of this attention, and that is part of what makes him a truly amazing individual. Rich and Shirley, I hope you enjoy your well-deserved rest but please also know how much we all appreciate your dedication and sacrifice in the name of Kansas Farm Bureau and agriculture in general. We are all better for knowing you.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576508626397.png" alt="Glenn Brunkow" />
 <figcaption>Glenn Brunkow</figcaption>
 </figure>By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher The annual meeting of Kansas Farm Bureau is in Manhattan is coming the first weekend of December. I truly look forward to this meeting every year, and this one is no different. However, this year’s meeting will be a bit bittersweet as KFB’s President Rich Felts will ride off into the sunset and retirement. Our members will have the tough job of electing his replacement. President Felts has guided Kansas Farm Bureau for the past eight years with steady hand, a calm demeanor and an artful grace that has led to our organization reaching new heights. I have had the honor and privilege to a front-row seat at the board table. I consider Rich a friend and, more importantly, a mentor. I have watched as he has provided leadership and guidance on issues and made decisions that will affect our organization, our state and all of agriculture for years to come. I believe President Felts has left Kansas Farm Bureau in the best position we have ever been in and laid a foundation to ensure success in the future. Personally, I have been able to seek Rich’s wisdom and opinion on many things, and he has always been gracious and thoughtful. I have always taken heed of his advice, and I hope I can offer others the same leadership and experience. I am not sure I have ever been around someone as caring, dedicated, gracious or as empathetic as President Felts. He is truly the living example of servant leadership; I wish there were more leaders like him. You will never find anyone who cares more for Kansas Farm Bureau or agriculture. I wish everyone could know the hours and miles Rich has put into representing Kansas Farm Bureau. He has been the face of the organization; one we were proud to have representing farmers and ranchers. I doubt there is anyone who came in contact with Rich who was not better because of it. While I understand his decision to step down and spend more time with his wife, Shirley, and the rest of their family, I hope Rich knows how much all of us will miss him both as the head of Kansas Farm Bureau and as a person. I also know he will still be around and always just a phone call away, which is reassuring. I will also miss Shirley equally as much. If a greeting from Shirley can’t brighten your day, you are in bad shape. Her joy and happiness are always contagious. President Felts will leave a tremendous legacy in the organization and in its future. Generations will be able to make better decisions and advocate for our way of life because of his leadership and for that we will be forever grateful. I know this is not goodbye and we will still see each other, but not nearly enough. I also know that Rich will probably not be comfortable with all of this attention, and that is part of what makes him a truly amazing individual. Rich and Shirley, I hope you enjoy your well-deserved rest but please also know how much we all appreciate your dedication and sacrifice in the name of Kansas Farm Bureau and agriculture in general. We are all better for knowing you."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: A 'Rich' legacy

Thanksgiving’s&nbsp;turkey, dressing, casseroles, and pie are now leftovers, and I’ll&nbsp;soon&nbsp;traipse downstairs&nbsp;to&nbsp;decide&nbsp;what Christmas&nbsp;baubles&nbsp;make&nbsp;this year’s decorating cut. Thinking about the tree, boxes of ornaments and lights,&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;snowmen and Santas that&nbsp;create&nbsp;December’s festive mood&nbsp;triggered&nbsp;memories of&nbsp;pouring through the&nbsp;Christmas&nbsp;Catalogue. It would surprise our grandkids to learn I recollect the hours spent exploring that Sear’s Wish Book&nbsp;more than I remember&nbsp;actual gifts.&nbsp;

Our grands scope out the internet&nbsp;and&nbsp;TV&nbsp;to see what they want to add to their Christmas lists. While exciting,&nbsp;electronic devices&nbsp;can’t&nbsp;possibly&nbsp;offer&nbsp;the&nbsp;anticipation&nbsp;we felt&nbsp;racing to finish chores and&nbsp;homework&nbsp;so&nbsp;we could&nbsp;bury our noses in that&nbsp;magical&nbsp;book of dreams. It’s a good thing my family didn’t have an outhouse that&nbsp;required&nbsp;a catalogue to provide wiping paper because&nbsp;my brother and I&nbsp;wore&nbsp;our annual wish&nbsp;book’s pages&nbsp;thin. We spent&nbsp;the month before Christmas salivating over&nbsp;toy guns, Roy Rogers’&nbsp;accessories, GI Joes, Barbies, Chatty Cathys, Easy Bake ovens, and art supply boxes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Our fingers wore trails down pages&nbsp;filled with&nbsp;our&nbsp;desires.&nbsp;We looked&nbsp;so often&nbsp;that&nbsp;the catalogue fell open to our favorites. If Santa&nbsp;doubted&nbsp;what to deliver on Christmas Eve, the catalogue cleared&nbsp;up&nbsp;any&nbsp;confusion.

Simpler&nbsp;Christmases reigned&nbsp;in the 50s and 60s. First&nbsp;of all, whether&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;store or catalogue, fewer choices&nbsp;existed to confuse us.&nbsp;Our TVs&nbsp;got one or two&nbsp;channels with advertisements to reveal the&nbsp;possibilities.&nbsp;Those&nbsp;turned off at midnight and didn’t restart til 8 the next morning.&nbsp;Our parents&nbsp;had&nbsp;no&nbsp;credit cards&nbsp;so they&nbsp;bought&nbsp;one toy that Santa delivered.&nbsp;

My family’s&nbsp;Christmas Eve custom required a drive around town to&nbsp;oooh and ahhh over&nbsp;other people’s&nbsp;lights and periodically&nbsp;open a&nbsp;window to listen for Santa’s sleigh bells.&nbsp;My dad always&nbsp;required&nbsp;an emergency bathroom run right after we&nbsp;loaded&nbsp;the car so&nbsp;waiting for his return offered&nbsp;time to imagine hearing&nbsp;tinkling&nbsp;bells.&nbsp;We&nbsp;loved that&nbsp;dark drive filled with twinkling lights, but&nbsp;because of&nbsp;Dad’s long potty stop,&nbsp;we knew we’d missed catching Santa. Sure enough, we&nbsp;did every single year.&nbsp;We’d creep&nbsp;into the house&nbsp;to&nbsp;see he’d delivered our&nbsp;gifts&nbsp;and&nbsp;sampled cookies and milk left for him.&nbsp;

After&nbsp;that&nbsp;sensational build up, we opened&nbsp;our&nbsp;packages. Usually,&nbsp;I got&nbsp;a doll&nbsp;and my brother a cap&nbsp;pistol or rifle.&nbsp;Afterwards, we&nbsp;dug a&nbsp;brown paper bag filled with the prettiest hard Christmas candies,&nbsp;candy orange slices, an apple, and a handful of peanuts&nbsp;from our stockings.&nbsp;We gave our dad our peanuts,&nbsp;and we&nbsp;gobbled&nbsp;the candy.&nbsp;To this day, I&nbsp;love&nbsp;old-fashion Christmas&nbsp;sweets.

A big present&nbsp;showed up&nbsp;the years&nbsp;we each turned eight. For Christmas during third grade, Santa delivered a new bike. I learned as an adult this meant dad had sold&nbsp;a&nbsp;gun so he could buy&nbsp;those shiny Schwinns. &nbsp;

I’ve seen pictures of living rooms stacked with so many presents for each family member that gift opening takes&nbsp;hours. Looking back, I’m glad our drive around town looking at other families’&nbsp;lights and listening for&nbsp;sleigh&nbsp;bells occupied our time.&nbsp;Recollecting the&nbsp;anticipation as we&nbsp;wore out&nbsp;the&nbsp;Wish&nbsp;Book and&nbsp;tried to catch Santa delivering that&nbsp;simple gift leaves&nbsp;me&nbsp;nostalgic&nbsp;for&nbsp;that time&nbsp;when less was more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINThanksgiving’s&nbsp;turkey, dressing, casseroles, and pie are now leftovers, and I’ll&nbsp;soon&nbsp;traipse downstairs&nbsp;to&nbsp;decide&nbsp;what Christmas&nbsp;baubles&nbsp;make&nbsp;this year’s decorating cut. Thinking about the tree, boxes of ornaments and lights,&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;snowmen and Santas that&nbsp;create&nbsp;December’s festive mood&nbsp;triggered&nbsp;memories of&nbsp;pouring through the&nbsp;Christmas&nbsp;Catalogue. It would surprise our grandkids to learn I recollect the hours spent exploring that Sear’s Wish Book&nbsp;more than I remember&nbsp;actual gifts.&nbsp;Our grands scope out the internet&nbsp;and&nbsp;TV&nbsp;to see what they want to add to their Christmas lists. While exciting,&nbsp;electronic devices&nbsp;can’t&nbsp;possibly&nbsp;offer&nbsp;the&nbsp;anticipation&nbsp;we felt&nbsp;racing to finish chores and&nbsp;homework&nbsp;so&nbsp;we could&nbsp;bury our noses in that&nbsp;magical&nbsp;book of dreams. It’s a good thing my family didn’t have an outhouse that&nbsp;required&nbsp;a catalogue to provide wiping paper because&nbsp;my brother and I&nbsp;wore&nbsp;our annual wish&nbsp;book’s pages&nbsp;thin. We spent&nbsp;the month before Christmas salivating over&nbsp;toy guns, Roy Rogers’&nbsp;accessories, GI Joes, Barbies, Chatty Cathys, Easy Bake ovens, and art supply boxes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our fingers wore trails down pages&nbsp;filled with&nbsp;our&nbsp;desires.&nbsp;We looked&nbsp;so often&nbsp;that&nbsp;the catalogue fell open to our favorites. If Santa&nbsp;doubted&nbsp;what to deliver on Christmas Eve, the catalogue cleared&nbsp;up&nbsp;any&nbsp;confusion.Simpler&nbsp;Christmases reigned&nbsp;in the 50s and 60s. First&nbsp;of all, whether&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;store or catalogue, fewer choices&nbsp;existed to confuse us.&nbsp;Our TVs&nbsp;got one or two&nbsp;channels with advertisements to reveal the&nbsp;possibilities.&nbsp;Those&nbsp;turned off at midnight and didn’t restart til 8 the next morning.&nbsp;Our parents&nbsp;had&nbsp;no&nbsp;credit cards&nbsp;so they&nbsp;bought&nbsp;one toy that Santa delivered.&nbsp;My family’s&nbsp;Christmas Eve custom required a drive around town to&nbsp;oooh and ahhh over&nbsp;other people’s&nbsp;lights and periodically&nbsp;open a&nbsp;window to listen for Santa’s sleigh bells.&nbsp;My dad always&nbsp;required&nbsp;an emergency bathroom run right after we&nbsp;loaded&nbsp;the car so&nbsp;waiting for his return offered&nbsp;time to imagine hearing&nbsp;tinkling&nbsp;bells.&nbsp;We&nbsp;loved that&nbsp;dark drive filled with twinkling lights, but&nbsp;because of&nbsp;Dad’s long potty stop,&nbsp;we knew we’d missed catching Santa. Sure enough, we&nbsp;did every single year.&nbsp;We’d creep&nbsp;into the house&nbsp;to&nbsp;see he’d delivered our&nbsp;gifts&nbsp;and&nbsp;sampled cookies and milk left for him.&nbsp;After&nbsp;that&nbsp;sensational build up, we opened&nbsp;our&nbsp;packages. Usually,&nbsp;I got&nbsp;a doll&nbsp;and my brother a cap&nbsp;pistol or rifle.&nbsp;Afterwards, we&nbsp;dug a&nbsp;brown paper bag filled with the prettiest hard Christmas candies,&nbsp;candy orange slices, an apple, and a handful of peanuts&nbsp;from our stockings.&nbsp;We gave our dad our peanuts,&nbsp;and we&nbsp;gobbled&nbsp;the candy.&nbsp;To this day, I&nbsp;love&nbsp;old-fashion Christmas&nbsp;sweets.A big present&nbsp;showed up&nbsp;the years&nbsp;we each turned eight. For Christmas during third grade, Santa delivered a new bike. I learned as an adult this meant dad had sold&nbsp;a&nbsp;gun so he could buy&nbsp;those shiny Schwinns. &nbsp;I’ve seen pictures of living rooms stacked with so many presents for each family member that gift opening takes&nbsp;hours. Looking back, I’m glad our drive around town looking at other families’&nbsp;lights and listening for&nbsp;sleigh&nbsp;bells occupied our time.&nbsp;Recollecting the&nbsp;anticipation as we&nbsp;wore out&nbsp;the&nbsp;Wish&nbsp;Book and&nbsp;tried to catch Santa delivering that&nbsp;simple gift leaves&nbsp;me&nbsp;nostalgic&nbsp;for&nbsp;that time&nbsp;when less was more.Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and
 sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

MADORIN: A time when less was more

Last week was a week of reminiscing. First of all, all five of us siblings were able to get together for a few days, which rarely happens anymore since we are now located in Kansas, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee. Secondly, my brother is selling his beautiful home and absolute whitetail-deer haven buried deep in the southern Ohio woods, and I got to spend a little time with him there.&nbsp;Thirdly, while we were there, my&nbsp;niece’s&nbsp;daughter harvested her first deer and my nephew’s daughter trapped her first raccoon.&nbsp;

Now the harvest of these two may not seem much like reminiscing, but it reminded me of how my siblings and I became hunters and trappers, and&nbsp;our&nbsp;nieces, nephews and&nbsp;their&nbsp;kids are the generations that will keep these traditions alive after we siblings have gone-on.

We began deer hunting where we grew up in central Ohio. Deer were hunted a little differently there at that time.&nbsp;We&nbsp;neighborhood deer hunters&nbsp;all had stands we sat in for the first couple days of deer gun season, then we would gather&nbsp;as a group&nbsp;to hunt in woods owned by us hunters. The only legal guns allowed for deer hunting then in Ohio were shotguns using slugs. We would drop off a couple hunters at one end of a woods, then the remainder of the group would walk in from the opposite side to push deer towards the shooters. Last week, my brother reminded me that the first time I took him along, I told him that when certain members of the group started shooting, just drop to the ground, cause when a deer was spotted, all bets were off. We often gathered in a&nbsp;neighbor’s&nbsp;kitchen early in the morning for coffee and hot chocolate, and&nbsp;inevitably, someone would spot a deer crossing the road nearby, and chairs would fly and coffee cups clatter as we headed out the door in an attempt to get ahead of the deer. As I recall, my brother harvested his first deer, on my farm no less, before me, and I believe I asked him where he thought he was going to hunt from then on. I have harvested my share of Kansas deer since moving here, but my brother&nbsp;was always&nbsp;the better deer hunter.

I started trapping in junior high after making friends with an older local trapper named&nbsp;Mr. Wolfe.&nbsp;A stream traveled the entire length of our property, continuing on for a few miles before winding its way back around to cross our land a second time. As I remember, Mr. Wolfe trapped that stream for years. When I was in my early teens, he began taking me along, and I was hooked on trapping. Mr. Wolfe drove an old 1950’s vintage dark green Ford car. I can still see him seated behind the wheel wearing hip boots and a big coat with lots of pockets, and wearing a pistol on his side. He’d pull into the drive, get out and open the trunk to show me what he had caught. The trunk would contain a mix of traps and stakes, muskrats, coons’ and an occasional mink. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>Last week was a week of reminiscing. First of all, all five of us siblings were able to get together for a few days, which rarely happens anymore since we are now located in Kansas, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee. Secondly, my brother is selling his beautiful home and absolute whitetail-deer haven buried deep in the southern Ohio woods, and I got to spend a little time with him there.&nbsp;Thirdly, while we were there, my&nbsp;niece’s&nbsp;daughter harvested her first deer and my nephew’s daughter trapped her first raccoon.&nbsp;Now the harvest of these two may not seem much like reminiscing, but it reminded me of how my siblings and I became hunters and trappers, and&nbsp;our&nbsp;nieces, nephews and&nbsp;their&nbsp;kids are the generations that will keep these traditions alive after we siblings have gone-on.We began deer hunting where we grew up in central Ohio. Deer were hunted a little differently there at that time.&nbsp;We&nbsp;neighborhood deer hunters&nbsp;all had stands we sat in for the first couple days of deer gun season, then we would gather&nbsp;as a group&nbsp;to hunt in woods owned by us hunters. The only legal guns allowed for deer hunting then in Ohio were shotguns using slugs. We would drop off a couple hunters at one end of a woods, then the remainder of the group would walk in from the opposite side to push deer towards the shooters. Last week, my brother reminded me that the first time I took him along, I told him that when certain members of the group started shooting, just drop to the ground, cause when a deer was spotted, all bets were off. We often gathered in a&nbsp;neighbor’s&nbsp;kitchen early in the morning for coffee and hot chocolate, and&nbsp;inevitably, someone would spot a deer crossing the road nearby, and chairs would fly and coffee cups clatter as we headed out the door in an attempt to get ahead of the deer. As I recall, my brother harvested his first deer, on my farm no less, before me, and I believe I asked him where he thought he was going to hunt from then on. I have harvested my share of Kansas deer since moving here, but my brother&nbsp;was always&nbsp;the better deer hunter.I started trapping in junior high after making friends with an older local trapper named&nbsp;Mr. Wolfe.&nbsp;A stream traveled the entire length of our property, continuing on for a few miles before winding its way back around to cross our land a second time. As I remember, Mr. Wolfe trapped that stream for years. When I was in my early teens, he began taking me along, and I was hooked on trapping. Mr. Wolfe drove an old 1950’s vintage dark green Ford car. I can still see him seated behind the wheel wearing hip boots and a big coat with lots of pockets, and wearing a pistol on his side. He’d pull into the drive, get out and open the trunk to show me what he had caught. The trunk would contain a mix of traps and stakes, muskrats, coons’ and an occasional mink. I remember feeling pretty pleased that this old man would take the time to stop and show me his catch.&nbsp;Eventually I put together a rag-tag collection of used traps and Mr. Wolfe let me begin trapping our stream.&nbsp;I caught a few muskrats and a couple coons before we moved to a larger farm my junior year of high school. We built a pond there, and when my brother stared tagging along on trap checks and got hooked on trapping himself, I gave him the pond to trap.&nbsp;Since moving to Kansas, I have harvested numerous coyotes, raccoons and a few bobcats. My brother still traps a little, and will try to catch a few coyotes at his new home in Tennessee.Our family’s interest in hunting, trapping, fishing and the outdoors came from our grandfather (our mother’s father) who routinely hunted deer, turkeys and elk in Texas and Wyoming, and harvested a&nbsp;moose that is in the Boone and Crocket record book. Of us five siblings, my brother and I and one sister are deer and turkey hunters&nbsp;and / or trappers, and most of my&nbsp;siblings’&nbsp;kids are hunters and&nbsp;trappers and&nbsp;have passed&nbsp;that&nbsp;interest&nbsp;on to their kids too.&nbsp;Yes, it was a week of reminiscing, and I think our grandfather would have approved of the ways&nbsp;our family&nbsp;has&nbsp;handed down his passions. The younger generations are the ones that must keep alive the love of the outdoors, so&nbsp;take a kid with you hunting, trapping or fishing as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

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