In the next two weeks, the voters in the USD 489 school district will decide on an issue that will impact our community for the next 50 years. Regardless of how you choose to vote on the school bond, I hope you will consider what I call the four Cs.

We live in a competitive world. Our community competes with many others when it comes to attracting new businesses, healthcare professionals, professors, teachers, retirees, and remote workers. Fortunately, in many areas, we compete very well. We have a great healthcare system, an amazing four-year university, great broadband technology, and our city and county elected officials have consistently done a very good job maintaining our infrastructure. Unfortunately, we don’t compete well in the quality of our educational facilities. We have failed to make the investments needed and it has put us at a competitive disadvantage. I assure you that when companies and people look at Hays, they look at the quality of education as WELL as the quality of our facilities. Facilities matter. We don’t compete well. We need to fix this.

Many comments have been made regarding trust. Trust comes hard these days and some feel we cannot trust the USD 489 school board, the vision committee, the architect, the date of the vote, you name it. Having witnessed the process, what I have seen is a group of dedicated community members who have done their homework, looked at various options, and developed a plan that is doable and will create long-term value for our community. While all of us will never agree with every part of this bond from what I have seen, we can have a great deal of confidence in the people who have worked through this process. They are not a bunch of Kool-Aid drinkers. They are smart, engaged people that want only the best for our community.&nbsp;

Much focus has been placed on the cost of the bond. &nbsp;Understandably so. It is a large investment and we will all have to contribute in one way or another. A more important question however is what is the cost of&nbsp;NOT&nbsp;passing this bond. Make no mistake, there is a cost to this community if this bond fails. We will miss opportunities. There will be people and businesses that will choose not to locate here. It will not help our workforce shortage and it will be more difficult to grow. I cannot put a specific dollar value on what that cost will be but I believe, in the long term, it will be well above the cost of this bond.&nbsp;

The most important C is children. We have neglected to provide modern learning environments for our kids for long enough. I am a lifelong resident of this community. My parents went through the USD 489 School System, I attended Lincoln School, Felten Middle School, and Hays High School on 12th street. They were old when I was there and that was a long time ago! The “it was good enough for me so it should be good enough for the children today” attitude doesn’t cut it anymore. We live in a different world and it is time that we make the investments needed to ensure our children, grandchildren, and future generations have an environment that equips them best for the future. We can’t kick this can down the road any longer.&nbsp;

Doug Williams, Grow Hays executive director

In the next two weeks, the voters in the USD 489 school district will decide on an issue that will impact our community for the next 50 years. Regardless of how you choose to vote on the school bond, I hope you will consider what I call the four Cs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Competition</h2>We live in a competitive world. Our community competes with many others when it comes to attracting new businesses, healthcare professionals, professors, teachers, retirees, and remote workers. Fortunately, in many areas, we compete very well. We have a great healthcare system, an amazing four-year university, great broadband technology, and our city and county elected officials have consistently done a very good job maintaining our infrastructure. Unfortunately, we don’t compete well in the quality of our educational facilities. We have failed to make the investments needed and it has put us at a competitive disadvantage. I assure you that when companies and people look at Hays, they look at the quality of education as WELL as the quality of our facilities. Facilities matter. We don’t compete well. We need to fix this.<h2>Confidence</h2>Many comments have been made regarding trust. Trust comes hard these days and some feel we cannot trust the USD 489 school board, the vision committee, the architect, the date of the vote, you name it. Having witnessed the process, what I have seen is a group of dedicated community members who have done their homework, looked at various options, and developed a plan that is doable and will create long-term value for our community. While all of us will never agree with every part of this bond from what I have seen, we can have a great deal of confidence in the people who have worked through this process. They are not a bunch of Kool-Aid drinkers. They are smart, engaged people that want only the best for our community.&nbsp;<h2>Cost</h2>Much focus has been placed on the cost of the bond. &nbsp;Understandably so. It is a large investment and we will all have to contribute in one way or another. A more important question however is what is the cost of&nbsp;NOT&nbsp;passing this bond. Make no mistake, there is a cost to this community if this bond fails. We will miss opportunities. There will be people and businesses that will choose not to locate here. It will not help our workforce shortage and it will be more difficult to grow. I cannot put a specific dollar value on what that cost will be but I believe, in the long term, it will be well above the cost of this bond.&nbsp;<h2>Children</h2>The most important C is children. We have neglected to provide modern learning environments for our kids for long enough. I am a lifelong resident of this community. My parents went through the USD 489 School System, I attended Lincoln School, Felten Middle School, and Hays High School on 12th street. They were old when I was there and that was a long time ago! The “it was good enough for me so it should be good enough for the children today” attitude doesn’t cut it anymore. We live in a different world and it is time that we make the investments needed to ensure our children, grandchildren, and future generations have an environment that equips them best for the future. We can’t kick this can down the road any longer.&nbsp;Doug Williams, Grow Hays executive director

LETTER: USD 489 bond — if not now, when?

I read with growing dismay the article in Hays Post of April 22 regarding the meeting about the upcoming bond issue and the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1bcb128d-dad8-45bf-9b21-87ea2601f267">arguments against passing.</a> I am retired and my grandchildren are old enough they will see very little of the gains from the major factors of the passage of the bond issues, but that is beside the point. The point being is that Hays desperately needs to build and revamp the secondary schools in the district. To not do so is short-sighted to say the least. Second-rate facilities means it is hard to hire and keep quality teachers and administration and provide a solid foundation for the future.

Additionally, HaysMed strives to be a paragon of excellence in health care for rural communities not only in Kansas, but as a model across the nation. We cannot attract and keep top-notch personnel if the school system is second rate. FHSU is also a pre-eminent institution. Likewise, the ability to attract not only faculty, but to retain them and to attract and retain students once they graduate is hampered when the district has second-rate facilities.

Arguments against passage of the bond issue cited high interest rates and inflation, but to delay only means the cost of eventually remedying the situation will be much higher. It is cheaper now than it will be in the future — it always is. How many times have you seen costs drop?

In the same issue of Hays Post, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/12a7d582-c8eb-4078-b540-226ef94748fd">Jacob Proffit had an op-ed</a> that was dead-on. It is more expensive to maintain older, outdated facilities than it is to build new ones and repurpose some of the newer of the current buildings.

Although USD 489 is the main beneficiary of the passage of the bond issue, the entire city, county and the region also benefit as Hays grows and more businesses and services come to town. The “pull factor” that Hays has now only increases with top-notch K-12 facilities. We cannot afford to not pass the bond issue.

I read with growing dismay the article in Hays Post of April 22 regarding the meeting about the upcoming bond issue and the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1bcb128d-dad8-45bf-9b21-87ea2601f267">arguments against passing.</a> I am retired and my grandchildren are old enough they will see very little of the gains from the major factors of the passage of the bond issues, but that is beside the point. The point being is that Hays desperately needs to build and revamp the secondary schools in the district. To not do so is short-sighted to say the least. Second-rate facilities means it is hard to hire and keep quality teachers and administration and provide a solid foundation for the future.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Additionally, HaysMed strives to be a paragon of excellence in health care for rural communities not only in Kansas, but as a model across the nation. We cannot attract and keep top-notch personnel if the school system is second rate. FHSU is also a pre-eminent institution. Likewise, the ability to attract not only faculty, but to retain them and to attract and retain students once they graduate is hampered when the district has second-rate facilities.Arguments against passage of the bond issue cited high interest rates and inflation, but to delay only means the cost of eventually remedying the situation will be much higher. It is cheaper now than it will be in the future — it always is. How many times have you seen costs drop?In the same issue of Hays Post, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/12a7d582-c8eb-4078-b540-226ef94748fd">Jacob Proffit had an op-ed</a> that was dead-on. It is more expensive to maintain older, outdated facilities than it is to build new ones and repurpose some of the newer of the current buildings.Although USD 489 is the main beneficiary of the passage of the bond issue, the entire city, county and the region also benefit as Hays grows and more businesses and services come to town. The “pull factor” that Hays has now only increases with top-notch K-12 facilities. We cannot afford to not pass the bond issue.Mike Giess Hays

LETTER: Time to move on from second-rate school facilities

Dear parents and students of Hays public schools and the Hays community:

What an exciting time for Hays, America! &nbsp;Mary and I have watched from a distance, with hopeful optimism, the various proposals to improve USD 489 facilities for kids, families and the community. &nbsp;We are so very thankful and excited that Hays is putting forward a bond proposal that is visionary, meaningful, appropriate, long-lasting, reasonable, affordable and necessary! &nbsp;Vote yes!

We will always love Hays and USD489! &nbsp;It was an honor to serve as educators at Roosevelt Elementary and Hays High School for 27 years, as we raised our three daughters who attended O’Loughlin, Roosevelt, Felten (HMS) and Hays High. &nbsp;We owe much to USD 489 and would not change a thing! Thanks to USD489, our daughters have grown into successful, strong and independent young women. Thank you, USD 489. Thanks for our daughters developmentally appropriate experiences, academic rigor and their individual personal-social growth while students of USD 489! &nbsp;Voteyes!

Our dear Hays students, parents and friends, it is time to reinvest, step up to the plate and hit a home run for the kids of Hays. &nbsp;Vote yes!&nbsp;

For 40 years, Hays students, staff and families have done their very best to make things work with what we have. &nbsp;At the same time, like-sized districts have passed bond issues that support the needs of their students. Many districts have passed as many as three bonds while Hays kids have been left behind. &nbsp;Any student, parent or staff member who travels the state for academic/athletic/fine arts events can validate this truth, this reality. &nbsp;In my new position as the Kapaun Mt Carmel athletic director, I am witnessing first-hand how districts like Salina, Maize, Andover, Wichita, Goddard, Derby, Mulvane and literally every other district I’ve attended student events at this year have invested and re-invested in their kids, families and communities. &nbsp;For the sake of current Hays kids and many future generations of Hays students, vote yes!

You can do this, Hays! Don’t let this opportunity to do what is needed, pass you by. For the sake of the current students and future generations of families, vote yes!

With sincere appreciation, love and care for USD 489, Martin and Mary Straub, Wichita

Dear parents and students of Hays public schools and the Hays community:What an exciting time for Hays, America! &nbsp;Mary and I have watched from a distance, with hopeful optimism, the various proposals to improve USD 489 facilities for kids, families and the community. &nbsp;We are so very thankful and excited that Hays is putting forward a bond proposal that is visionary, meaningful, appropriate, long-lasting, reasonable, affordable and necessary! &nbsp;Vote yes!<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>We will always love Hays and USD489! &nbsp;It was an honor to serve as educators at Roosevelt Elementary and Hays High School for 27 years, as we raised our three daughters who attended O’Loughlin, Roosevelt, Felten (HMS) and Hays High. &nbsp;We owe much to USD 489 and would not change a thing! Thanks to USD489, our daughters have grown into successful, strong and independent young women. Thank you, USD 489. Thanks for our daughters developmentally appropriate experiences, academic rigor and their individual personal-social growth while students of USD 489! &nbsp;Voteyes!Our dear Hays students, parents and friends, it is time to reinvest, step up to the plate and hit a home run for the kids of Hays. &nbsp;Vote yes!&nbsp;For 40 years, Hays students, staff and families have done their very best to make things work with what we have. &nbsp;At the same time, like-sized districts have passed bond issues that support the needs of their students. Many districts have passed as many as three bonds while Hays kids have been left behind. &nbsp;Any student, parent or staff member who travels the state for academic/athletic/fine arts events can validate this truth, this reality. &nbsp;In my new position as the Kapaun Mt Carmel athletic director, I am witnessing first-hand how districts like Salina, Maize, Andover, Wichita, Goddard, Derby, Mulvane and literally every other district I’ve attended student events at this year have invested and re-invested in their kids, families and communities. &nbsp;For the sake of current Hays kids and many future generations of Hays students, vote yes!You can do this, Hays! Don’t let this opportunity to do what is needed, pass you by. For the sake of the current students and future generations of families, vote yes!With sincere appreciation, love and care for USD 489, Martin and Mary Straub, Wichita

LETTER: It's time to catch Hays USD 489 up with rest of Kansas

State Senator Rick Kloos waded into the cultural warfare fray on Facebook this week by calling for the Shawnee Heights High School Superintendent to remove the book, “Gender Queer,” from the school library.

A graphic (comic-book style) memoir, the book, written by Maia Kobabe, deals primarily with transgender characters and subjects explained through the author’s teenage perspective.&nbsp;

“As a Senator who represents the 19th district of Kansas, I’m calling on USD 450 to remove the book from its library,” said Kloos on his Facebook page referring to his talk with the superintendent.&nbsp;

As a private citizen, Kloos can voice any opinion he has, but should a state legislator compel action from a school employee?&nbsp;

In Kansas, local boards of education are held responsible for choosing books for the library as well as removing books.&nbsp;

Books are selected in a variety of ways. These include:&nbsp; By the school librarian based on selections of the American Library Association or other educational groups, by the librarian and the principal or superintendent and by a committee of teachers.

The U. S. Supreme Court has not ruled on how boards of education should choose books for their libraries. However, in 1982 the Court ruled in Island Trees School District v. Pico that once a book is in a library, a school board may not remove that book because they disapprove of it.&nbsp;

Justice Brennan concluded for the majority that school officials may not remove books based on "narrowly partisan or political grounds," because that would amount to an "official suppression of ideas."&nbsp;&nbsp;

However, a book may be removed under certain circumstances, for example, if the book is inappropriate for students age-level.

Over time many books have been challenged for removal and many Kansas schools have established longstanding protocols for dealing with censorship challenges.&nbsp;

These protocols are based on school board review and include input from multiple individuals before a final decision is made.

Moreover, Kansas schools have allowed parents, upon request, to withhold a book from their child’s use while the book remains in the library. Parents also may withdraw students from classes or courses where they find the content objectionable.

As a writer, I am a strong proponent of free speech. Yet, I was surprised to find that 1,145 books have been banned from school libraries in the last nine months, and “Gender Queer” was the one most often removed according to a list compiled by PEN America. The research also showed 33 percent or 379 of the banned books were on the topic of gender identity.&nbsp;

After it was mentioned in testimony before a legislative committee this spring, I decided to read “Gender Queer.”&nbsp; I found a simple account that might help some young people. However, the graphic display of the work also made me see why parents might have strong reactions to this book based on the maturity of their child.&nbsp;

I won’t share my views on whether “Gender Queer” should be censored because, frankly, I’m conflicted and because this decision isn’t up to me.&nbsp;

The one thing I can say with conviction is that book banning decisions should not come from political pressure at the state level or through coercion of vocal parent groups.&nbsp;

The decisions should be made by the local school board based on processes schools have been using for years.&nbsp;

Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593719779701.jpeg" alt="Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education." />
 <figcaption>Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.</figcaption>
 </figure>State Senator Rick Kloos waded into the cultural warfare fray on Facebook this week by calling for the Shawnee Heights High School Superintendent to remove the book, “Gender Queer,” from the school library.A graphic (comic-book style) memoir, the book, written by Maia Kobabe, deals primarily with transgender characters and subjects explained through the author’s teenage perspective.&nbsp;“As a Senator who represents the 19th district of Kansas, I’m calling on USD 450 to remove the book from its library,” said Kloos on his Facebook page referring to his talk with the superintendent.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As a private citizen, Kloos can voice any opinion he has, but should a state legislator compel action from a school employee?&nbsp;In Kansas, local boards of education are held responsible for choosing books for the library as well as removing books.&nbsp;Books are selected in a variety of ways. These include:&nbsp; By the school librarian based on selections of the American Library Association or other educational groups, by the librarian and the principal or superintendent and by a committee of teachers.The U. S. Supreme Court has not ruled on how boards of education should choose books for their libraries. However, in 1982 the Court ruled in Island Trees School District v. Pico that once a book is in a library, a school board may not remove that book because they disapprove of it.&nbsp;Justice Brennan concluded for the majority that school officials may not remove books based on "narrowly partisan or political grounds," because that would amount to an "official suppression of ideas."&nbsp;&nbsp;However, a book may be removed under certain circumstances, for example, if the book is inappropriate for students age-level.Over time many books have been challenged for removal and many Kansas schools have established longstanding protocols for dealing with censorship challenges.&nbsp;These protocols are based on school board review and include input from multiple individuals before a final decision is made.Moreover, Kansas schools have allowed parents, upon request, to withhold a book from their child’s use while the book remains in the library. Parents also may withdraw students from classes or courses where they find the content objectionable.As a writer, I am a strong proponent of free speech. Yet, I was surprised to find that 1,145 books have been banned from school libraries in the last nine months, and “Gender Queer” was the one most often removed according to a list compiled by PEN America. The research also showed 33 percent or 379 of the banned books were on the topic of gender identity.&nbsp;After it was mentioned in testimony before a legislative committee this spring, I decided to read “Gender Queer.”&nbsp; I found a simple account that might help some young people. However, the graphic display of the work also made me see why parents might have strong reactions to this book based on the maturity of their child.&nbsp;I won’t share my views on whether “Gender Queer” should be censored because, frankly, I’m conflicted and because this decision isn’t up to me.&nbsp;The one thing I can say with conviction is that book banning decisions should not come from political pressure at the state level or through coercion of vocal parent groups.&nbsp;The decisions should be made by the local school board based on processes schools have been using for years.&nbsp;Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Book banning battles in Kansas schools

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

From hay to historic buildings -- and parts to pies -- Craig Stertz is involved in his rural community. He is what we call a ruralpreneur, an entrepreneur taking on multiple projects in his small town.&nbsp;

Craig and MaryAnn Stertz are ruralpreneurs in Lincoln, Kansas. Craig was born in Lincoln before his family moved to Belleville. Nine years later, the family moved back to Lincoln where Craig’s father founded Lincoln Farm Supply.&nbsp;

Craig followed his dad into the family business, which he owns today along with his brother Terry and partner Darrell Oetting. Craig also met and married MaryAnn, who works in the county treasurer’s office. He is in his second term as president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.&nbsp;

Lincoln Farm Supply provides new and used equipment, parts and repairs for farm operations in north central Kansas. The company is a dealer for multiple lines of farm equipment.&nbsp;

In response to customer needs, hay handling has become a specialty of Lincoln Farm Supply. “A combine or a planter gets used one time a year, but hay equipment might get used 4-5 times a year,” Craig said. Equipment has changed to include the making and stacking of giant square bales, and even treating the hay by steaming it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“At one time, we were the largest big square baler dealer in four states,” Craig said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Access to the Internet has also made a difference. “It extends your reach,” he said. “The other day I got a call from a guy in Oregon who bales rice straw and he wanted some of our equipment.”&nbsp;

In order to complement the farm store, Craig co-located an auto parts business with Lincoln Farm Supply. “That makes good use of our parts guys’ time when it’s slow during the winter months. It also brings new people in the door,” Craig said.&nbsp;

One of MaryAnn’s clients owned an old stone building downtown. After the owner’s husband passed, the building sat empty for years and was deteriorating. The woman decided to sell it rather than see it torn down.&nbsp;

“MaryAnn came home and told me, `We don’t want a hole in downtown,’” Craig said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Craig and MaryAnn bought and remodeled the building. “It was 2 ½ years of working nights and weekends, and MaryAnn was working side by side with me,” Craig said. “We had to tear out a lot of rotten wood, but we put it back the way it was.”&nbsp;

It looks great. Now a coffee shop is on the first floor and the upstairs is an Airbnb.&nbsp;

Craig also explored investing in food businesses. “Mostly I followed my stomach,” he said. He considered out-of-state companies that make salsa and barbecue sauce before he considered MarCon Pies.&nbsp;

As we have previously profiled, MarCon Pies in Marysville produces handcrafted pies for the wholesale market and fundraisers. The company is named for the original bakers, Marilyn and Connie, who started the business.&nbsp;

In 2020, Craig and MaryAnn bought MarCon Pies and moved the business to Lincoln, where it is housed in another building that Craig and MaryAnn bought on Main Street.&nbsp;

In addition to wholesaling pies to retail outlets, MarCon partners with local churches, athletic teams, community foundations and K-12 schools to sell pies as fundraisers.&nbsp;

Using heirloom recipes and delicious ingredients, MarCon produces pies in flavors such as apple, apricot, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, peach and strawberry rhubarb. No-sugar-added options are available in apple, cherry and peach. Pecan and pumpkin pies are available in April and in October through December.&nbsp;

Craig tries to encourage other businesses in town to have an Internet presence. “You can have a Main Street business, but if you also sell online, you can generate additional revenue from outside the community,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It’s great to find this ruralpreneur in the rural community of Lincoln, population 1,297 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information on Craig’s businesses, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.lincolnfarmsupply.com/">www.lincolnfarmsupply.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.marconpies.com/">www.marconpies.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

From pies to parts, from historic buildings to hay, we salute Craig and MaryAnn Stertz for making a difference with their local investment. They demonstrate commitment to their community.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650461762773.png" alt="MaryAnn and Craig Stertz" />
 <figcaption>MaryAnn and Craig Stertz</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;&nbsp;From hay to historic buildings -- and parts to pies -- Craig Stertz is involved in his rural community. He is what we call a ruralpreneur, an entrepreneur taking on multiple projects in his small town.&nbsp;Craig and MaryAnn Stertz are ruralpreneurs in Lincoln, Kansas. Craig was born in Lincoln before his family moved to Belleville. Nine years later, the family moved back to Lincoln where Craig’s father founded Lincoln Farm Supply.&nbsp;Craig followed his dad into the family business, which he owns today along with his brother Terry and partner Darrell Oetting. Craig also met and married MaryAnn, who works in the county treasurer’s office. He is in his second term as president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.&nbsp;Lincoln Farm Supply provides new and used equipment, parts and repairs for farm operations in north central Kansas. The company is a dealer for multiple lines of farm equipment.&nbsp;In response to customer needs, hay handling has become a specialty of Lincoln Farm Supply. “A combine or a planter gets used one time a year, but hay equipment might get used 4-5 times a year,” Craig said. Equipment has changed to include the making and stacking of giant square bales, and even treating the hay by steaming it.&nbsp;&nbsp;“At one time, we were the largest big square baler dealer in four states,” Craig said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Access to the Internet has also made a difference. “It extends your reach,” he said. “The other day I got a call from a guy in Oregon who bales rice straw and he wanted some of our equipment.”&nbsp;In order to complement the farm store, Craig co-located an auto parts business with Lincoln Farm Supply. “That makes good use of our parts guys’ time when it’s slow during the winter months. It also brings new people in the door,” Craig said.&nbsp;One of MaryAnn’s clients owned an old stone building downtown. After the owner’s husband passed, the building sat empty for years and was deteriorating. The woman decided to sell it rather than see it torn down.&nbsp;“MaryAnn came home and told me, `We don’t want a hole in downtown,’” Craig said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Craig and MaryAnn bought and remodeled the building. “It was 2 ½ years of working nights and weekends, and MaryAnn was working side by side with me,” Craig said. “We had to tear out a lot of rotten wood, but we put it back the way it was.”&nbsp;It looks great. Now a coffee shop is on the first floor and the upstairs is an Airbnb.&nbsp;Craig also explored investing in food businesses. “Mostly I followed my stomach,” he said. He considered out-of-state companies that make salsa and barbecue sauce before he considered MarCon Pies.&nbsp;As we have previously profiled, MarCon Pies in Marysville produces handcrafted pies for the wholesale market and fundraisers. The company is named for the original bakers, Marilyn and Connie, who started the business.&nbsp;In 2020, Craig and MaryAnn bought MarCon Pies and moved the business to Lincoln, where it is housed in another building that Craig and MaryAnn bought on Main Street.&nbsp;In addition to wholesaling pies to retail outlets, MarCon partners with local churches, athletic teams, community foundations and K-12 schools to sell pies as fundraisers.&nbsp;Using heirloom recipes and delicious ingredients, MarCon produces pies in flavors such as apple, apricot, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, peach and strawberry rhubarb. No-sugar-added options are available in apple, cherry and peach. Pecan and pumpkin pies are available in April and in October through December.&nbsp;Craig tries to encourage other businesses in town to have an Internet presence. “You can have a Main Street business, but if you also sell online, you can generate additional revenue from outside the community,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s great to find this ruralpreneur in the rural community of Lincoln, population 1,297 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information on Craig’s businesses, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.lincolnfarmsupply.com/">www.lincolnfarmsupply.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.marconpies.com/">www.marconpies.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;From pies to parts, from historic buildings to hay, we salute Craig and MaryAnn Stertz for making a difference with their local investment. They demonstrate commitment to their community.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Craig and MaryAnn Stertz, Lincoln

I grew up in the area but did not attend Hays High School. However, for the past 26 years, I have personally (and our&nbsp;company for the past 52 years) been involved in repairs and maintenance to&nbsp;the USD&nbsp;489 buildings.&nbsp;Some&nbsp;of this work has been donated by my company. During this&nbsp;time,&nbsp;I can say first-hand that at some point the expenses to maintaining these buildings out-cost rebuilding them.

Personally,&nbsp;I have always felt that Hays has some of the highest tax rates in the state and I am an advocate of lower taxes. However, education is the one place I feel we owe to our children and their futures. Anyone&nbsp;who knows me knows that I run our<a></a>&nbsp;businesses by running the numbers and assessing the up and down sides.

Hays High is 40 years old, yet it is the newest building in the USD 489 district. We are to that point where cost of maintenance and risk of safety is outweighing a new build.

Personally,&nbsp;I am in favor of a new high school and using the current high school&nbsp;as the middle school. My children currently attend Hays High but will be long out of school before the new school is completed. Still I believe in investing in the future of our city and that is done by investing in our future generations.

In the end, the money is going to be spent so we either continue to do repairs and attempt to keep the buildings safe, leaving the cost of the rebuilds to our children. Or we decide to spend the money and strengthen our community now.

Dear taxpayers,I grew up in the area but did not attend Hays High School. However, for the past 26 years, I have personally (and our&nbsp;company for the past 52 years) been involved in repairs and maintenance to&nbsp;the USD&nbsp;489 buildings.&nbsp;Some&nbsp;of this work has been donated by my company. During this&nbsp;time,&nbsp;I can say first-hand that at some point the expenses to maintaining these buildings out-cost rebuilding them.Personally,&nbsp;I have always felt that Hays has some of the highest tax rates in the state and I am an advocate of lower taxes. However, education is the one place I feel we owe to our children and their futures. Anyone&nbsp;who knows me knows that I run our<a></a>&nbsp;businesses by running the numbers and assessing the up and down sides.Hays High is 40 years old, yet it is the newest building in the USD 489 district. We are to that point where cost of maintenance and risk of safety is outweighing a new build.Personally,&nbsp;I am in favor of a new high school and using the current high school&nbsp;as the middle school. My children currently attend Hays High but will be long out of school before the new school is completed. Still I believe in investing in the future of our city and that is done by investing in our future generations.In the end, the money is going to be spent so we either continue to do repairs and attempt to keep the buildings safe, leaving the cost of the rebuilds to our children. Or we decide to spend the money and strengthen our community now.Jacob&nbsp;Proffitt, Hays

LETTER: On USD 489 bond, maintenance more expensive than investing

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer The wheat is greening, the fruit trees are blooming and spring planting is in full swing. One day the temperatures reached nearly 90 degrees, and then two days later we received a dusting of snow. Needless to say, it’s all part of spring in Kansas! &nbsp; While looking at the calendar to mark the first day of corn planting, I quickly realized that we have officially hit the one-month mark until school is out for the summer. The days of my two kids home all day are upon us, and I couldn’t be more excited! &nbsp; They have a garden to help maintain, livestock to care for, swimming lessons to complete, little league practices and games to go to, library programming to attend, wheat harvest to help with, and 4-H projects to complete. It’s safe to say I plan to have an enriching summer with my kids while also taking care of our responsibilities on the farm. &nbsp; The garden has been prepared, and it’s now ready for two children to help manage. The kids have had a say in the seeds selected. They have helped plan the way the water will get to the growing plants. My two children have been given full reign of the garden space. They are free to dig and rake and water (with my oversight) to their choosing. Yes, weeding will also be a priority, but with their own garden tools, a radio playing music, and ownership in the space, I envision this summer gardening to be a fun experience that will perhaps incorporate more vegetables into my children’s picky food preferences. At the least, I hope my two will have a few garden entries at the local fair later this summer.&nbsp; &nbsp; While on summer break, the livestock will get even more attention from my children. My son’s cow and calf will soon return to the pasture near our home. Ensuring the animals have access to water daily and an occasional serving of range cubes will be a priority for my boy. He knows his cow is already bred and will deliver a calf later this fall. He also knows it is his responsibility to care for and observe his animals daily to ensure they also have a good summer on the farm as he anticipates another calf to add to his herd later this year. &nbsp; The sheep have already been released into their summer grazing space after the kids helped their grandpa build the fence. A breeding harness with a blue crayon has also been put on the ram that we recently introduced to the ewes. Soon, we will hopefully begin seeing signs in the form of blue marks on the backs of the females indicating the arrival of lambs later this fall. My two children will be responsible for helping keep watch over the ewes daily and note when a blue mark appears on another member of the flock in anticipation of lambing season. &nbsp; Physical activity will also be key to being home this summer. Organized time at the swimming pool as well as ball practices and games will keep my kids moving (and decrease screen time) while also having fun with friends. &nbsp; Fun will also be had with friends as my children participate in our public library’s summer program in town as well as during sessions with others to work on completing their 4-H projects.&nbsp; &nbsp; And we can’t forget about the wheat harvest we will all focus on when the time comes this summer. My two will assist me with making and delivering meals to the field, helping deliver truckloads of grain to the local elevator, and sitting in the buddy seats next to their dad and grandpa as the combines work through fields. It’s safe to say we have a full summer planned that will keep my kids’ minds engaged, their bodies active, and their relationships nurtured, while also providing them with opportunities that will help them understand the importance of fulfilling responsibilities on the farm.

"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 The wheat is greening, the fruit trees are blooming and spring planting is in full swing. One day the temperatures reached nearly 90 degrees, and then two days later we received a dusting of snow. Needless to say, it’s all part of spring in Kansas! &nbsp; While looking at the calendar to mark the first day of corn planting, I quickly realized that we have officially hit the one-month mark until school is out for the summer. The days of my two kids home all day are upon us, and I couldn’t be more excited! &nbsp; They have a garden to help maintain, livestock to care for, swimming lessons to complete, little league practices and games to go to, library programming to attend, wheat harvest to help with, and 4-H projects to complete. It’s safe to say I plan to have an enriching summer with my kids while also taking care of our responsibilities on the farm. &nbsp; The garden has been prepared, and it’s now ready for two children to help manage. The kids have had a say in the seeds selected. They have helped plan the way the water will get to the growing plants. My two children have been given full reign of the garden space. They are free to dig and rake and water (with my oversight) to their choosing. Yes, weeding will also be a priority, but with their own garden tools, a radio playing music, and ownership in the space, I envision this summer gardening to be a fun experience that will perhaps incorporate more vegetables into my children’s picky food preferences. At the least, I hope my two will have a few garden entries at the local fair later this summer.&nbsp; &nbsp; While on summer break, the livestock will get even more attention from my children. My son’s cow and calf will soon return to the pasture near our home. Ensuring the animals have access to water daily and an occasional serving of range cubes will be a priority for my boy. He knows his cow is already bred and will deliver a calf later this fall. He also knows it is his responsibility to care for and observe his animals daily to ensure they also have a good summer on the farm as he anticipates another calf to add to his herd later this year. &nbsp; The sheep have already been released into their summer grazing space after the kids helped their grandpa build the fence. A breeding harness with a blue crayon has also been put on the ram that we recently introduced to the ewes. Soon, we will hopefully begin seeing signs in the form of blue marks on the backs of the females indicating the arrival of lambs later this fall. My two children will be responsible for helping keep watch over the ewes daily and note when a blue mark appears on another member of the flock in anticipation of lambing season. &nbsp; Physical activity will also be key to being home this summer. Organized time at the swimming pool as well as ball practices and games will keep my kids moving (and decrease screen time) while also having fun with friends. &nbsp; Fun will also be had with friends as my children participate in our public library’s summer program in town as well as during sessions with others to work on completing their 4-H projects.&nbsp; &nbsp; And we can’t forget about the wheat harvest we will all focus on when the time comes this summer. My two will assist me with making and delivering meals to the field, helping deliver truckloads of grain to the local elevator, and sitting in the buddy seats next to their dad and grandpa as the combines work through fields. It’s safe to say we have a full summer planned that will keep my kids’ minds engaged, their bodies active, and their relationships nurtured, while also providing them with opportunities that will help them understand the importance of fulfilling responsibilities on the farm."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: Visions of summer

Strong economic development efforts start with investment and re-investment in our community.&nbsp;

As the&nbsp;city and county&nbsp;put tremendous efforts into housing, workforce development,&nbsp;daycare,&nbsp;and other like initiatives it may all fall&nbsp;short&nbsp;without an investment in our schools. &nbsp;

It is important to recognize, with this bond&nbsp;opportunity, it is more about space than condition. &nbsp;We are out of space in our schools. &nbsp;How do we entice new businesses and families if we cannot find room for&nbsp;their children in our schools?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Our children learn differently today, teachers teach differently today&nbsp;but&nbsp;our schools are not conducive to that teaching/learning environment. &nbsp;Investing in our schools by passing the current school bond effort ensures our schools remain attractive, current and with space for everyone,&nbsp;making it easier to attract and retain great teachers&nbsp;along with businesses and families.

Our peer schools have done it and it is now our time. &nbsp;I support yes votes on&nbsp;both&nbsp;questions&nbsp;on&nbsp;May 10, ensuring&nbsp;our community is ready for our future — ready to grow and thrive.

Successful schools are the foundation of successful&nbsp;communities.

Help Hays stay a great place to live, work, grow and learn!&nbsp;Vote yes on May 10.

Strong economic development efforts start with investment and re-investment in our community.&nbsp;As the&nbsp;city and county&nbsp;put tremendous efforts into housing, workforce development,&nbsp;daycare,&nbsp;and other like initiatives it may all fall&nbsp;short&nbsp;without an investment in our schools. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>It is important to recognize, with this bond&nbsp;opportunity, it is more about space than condition. &nbsp;We are out of space in our schools. &nbsp;How do we entice new businesses and families if we cannot find room for&nbsp;their children in our schools?&nbsp;&nbsp;Our children learn differently today, teachers teach differently today&nbsp;but&nbsp;our schools are not conducive to that teaching/learning environment. &nbsp;Investing in our schools by passing the current school bond effort ensures our schools remain attractive, current and with space for everyone,&nbsp;making it easier to attract and retain great teachers&nbsp;along with businesses and families.Our peer schools have done it and it is now our time. &nbsp;I support yes votes on&nbsp;both&nbsp;questions&nbsp;on&nbsp;May 10, ensuring&nbsp;our community is ready for our future — ready to grow and thrive.Successful schools are the foundation of successful&nbsp;communities.Help Hays stay a great place to live, work, grow and learn!&nbsp;Vote yes on May 10.Sandy Jacobs, Hays

LETTER: It's time to reinvest in Hays USD 489, community

Government regulation of women who become pregnant from rape has suddenly grabbed national headlines. That’s because state legislatures around America are considering numerous controversial bills that would ban abortion access for these women.&nbsp;

In Kansas this year, a conservative lawmaker introduced House Bill (HB) 2746. It bans abortion except in very limited circumstances, with no exception for rape, incest, or many threats to a woman’s life or health. It also seemingly allows the prosecution of certain women who get abortions and their doctors.&nbsp;

HB 2746 didn’t get serious consideration, but the House Majority Leader did not rule out considering it next year when speaking to the&nbsp;Kansas City Star.&nbsp;

That “next year” part is key.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Right now, abortion is legal in Kansas but with significant limitations imposed by the legislature. However, that might soon change.&nbsp;

If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns&nbsp;Roe v. Wade&nbsp;this year&nbsp;and&nbsp;if the abortion amendment on the August primary ballot in Kansas passes, then the Kansas legislature could pass something like HB 2746 and it could actually be enforced.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If that August amendment fails, then something like HB 2746 would likely not be enforceable in Kansas, no matter what happens to&nbsp;Roe. Put simply, the August abortion vote decides the future of abortion access in Kansas.&nbsp;

Since “the rape exception” is getting national headlines, let’s focus there. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation reported 1,190 rapes in Kansas in 2020, though the real number is likely higher since sexual assault often goes unreported.&nbsp;

There is no consensus on how many rapes result in pregnancy, but 5% is often cited from a 1996 study. Given that, then at least 60 Kansas women likely became pregnant from rape in 2020. That seems small, unless it’s you or a loved one.&nbsp;

The rape exception has long bothered anti-abortion activists, dating at least to Eugene Quay’s famous 1961&nbsp;Georgetown Law Journal&nbsp;article. These activists sometimes argue that women will just lie about being raped if rape exceptions to abortion bans are allowed. Some have also advanced junk science saying that rape cannot cause pregnancy, which inspired Todd Akin’s controversial “legitimate rape” comment in Missouri in 2012.&nbsp;

The rape exception has broad support in Kansas. The 2021 Kansas Speaks survey from Ft. Hays State University shows that only 20% of Kansas adults support banning abortion in cases of rape.&nbsp;&nbsp;

That’s a tough realty for anti-abortion activists. If their true endgame is something like HB 2746 that bans abortion in Kansas even for rape victims, saying that publicly won’t win votes this August.&nbsp;

Instead, many amendment supporters are distorting the issue into something more palatable, falsely claiming that the 2019&nbsp;Hodes&nbsp;ruling from the Kansas Supreme Court declared every abortion restriction in Kansas illegal and bans the legislature from regulating abortion.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But that’s not reality, and not what&nbsp;Hodes&nbsp;actually did. Rather, it’s a hypothetical legal argument, unlike HB 2746 which actually exists. Three years after&nbsp;Hodes, abortion is still heavily restricted in Kansas. The sky hasn’t fallen on abortion regulations.&nbsp;

Borrowing a phrase from the late Republican Senator John Warner, the typical Kansan is “pro-choice with limitations, pro-life with exceptions.” The fate of abortion in Kansas is in our ambivalent hands this August. Kansans deserve forthright discussion about the complex reality here and the actual stakes of this abortion vote.&nbsp;

Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575644168170.png" alt="Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Government regulation of women who become pregnant from rape has suddenly grabbed national headlines. That’s because state legislatures around America are considering numerous controversial bills that would ban abortion access for these women.&nbsp;In Kansas this year, a conservative lawmaker introduced House Bill (HB) 2746. It bans abortion except in very limited circumstances, with no exception for rape, incest, or many threats to a woman’s life or health. It also seemingly allows the prosecution of certain women who get abortions and their doctors.&nbsp;HB 2746 didn’t get serious consideration, but the House Majority Leader did not rule out considering it next year when speaking to the&nbsp;Kansas City Star.&nbsp;That “next year” part is key.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Right now, abortion is legal in Kansas but with significant limitations imposed by the legislature. However, that might soon change.&nbsp;If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns&nbsp;Roe v. Wade&nbsp;this year&nbsp;and&nbsp;if the abortion amendment on the August primary ballot in Kansas passes, then the Kansas legislature could pass something like HB 2746 and it could actually be enforced.&nbsp;&nbsp;If that August amendment fails, then something like HB 2746 would likely not be enforceable in Kansas, no matter what happens to&nbsp;Roe. Put simply, the August abortion vote decides the future of abortion access in Kansas.&nbsp;Since “the rape exception” is getting national headlines, let’s focus there. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation reported 1,190 rapes in Kansas in 2020, though the real number is likely higher since sexual assault often goes unreported.&nbsp;There is no consensus on how many rapes result in pregnancy, but 5% is often cited from a 1996 study. Given that, then at least 60 Kansas women likely became pregnant from rape in 2020. That seems small, unless it’s you or a loved one.&nbsp;The rape exception has long bothered anti-abortion activists, dating at least to Eugene Quay’s famous 1961&nbsp;Georgetown Law Journal&nbsp;article. These activists sometimes argue that women will just lie about being raped if rape exceptions to abortion bans are allowed. Some have also advanced junk science saying that rape cannot cause pregnancy, which inspired Todd Akin’s controversial “legitimate rape” comment in Missouri in 2012.&nbsp;The rape exception has broad support in Kansas. The 2021 Kansas Speaks survey from Ft. Hays State University shows that only 20% of Kansas adults support banning abortion in cases of rape.&nbsp;&nbsp;That’s a tough realty for anti-abortion activists. If their true endgame is something like HB 2746 that bans abortion in Kansas even for rape victims, saying that publicly won’t win votes this August.&nbsp;Instead, many amendment supporters are distorting the issue into something more palatable, falsely claiming that the 2019&nbsp;Hodes&nbsp;ruling from the Kansas Supreme Court declared every abortion restriction in Kansas illegal and bans the legislature from regulating abortion.&nbsp;&nbsp;But that’s not reality, and not what&nbsp;Hodes&nbsp;actually did. Rather, it’s a hypothetical legal argument, unlike HB 2746 which actually exists. Three years after&nbsp;Hodes, abortion is still heavily restricted in Kansas. The sky hasn’t fallen on abortion regulations.&nbsp;Borrowing a phrase from the late Republican Senator John Warner, the typical Kansan is “pro-choice with limitations, pro-life with exceptions.” The fate of abortion in Kansas is in our ambivalent hands this August. Kansans deserve forthright discussion about the complex reality here and the actual stakes of this abortion vote.&nbsp;Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.&nbsp;

INSIGHT KANSAS: 'The rape exception' and the politics of abortion access

Have you ever stepped into the water on the first fishing trip of the spring only to find your waders leaked? Or lost a nice fish because the line on your reel was old and snapped? Or even found while trying to make the&nbsp;first cast of the year that your reel wouldn’t work at all?&nbsp;All of the above are scenarios&nbsp;that can easily be avoided with a little prior planning. So&nbsp;here are a few tips to help make you ready for action&nbsp;when your buddy calls and screams&nbsp;into the phone&nbsp;“The fish are bitin’!”

Check your gear early. We all lose tackle each year to rocks and “stick fish,” so go through your tackle box, make a list and stock up. Check your waders for leaks. If they didn’t leak the last time you took them off, they probably won’t leak now, but be sure; it’s better than an unexpected boot full of cold water. Line on fishing reels should be changed every few years; the more often you use it the more often it should be changed. You can buy&nbsp;spools of line and DIY, or most sporting&nbsp;goods stores have&nbsp;a&nbsp;machine to do it for a small fee.&nbsp;If you fish from a boat, hopefully you’ve gone over it by now to make sure the batteries are good, the motor starts and runs well and the trailer&nbsp;tires aren’t flat.&nbsp;Also be certain to have life preservers on board for every passenger, because if stopped by wildlife and parks on the water or at the dock, they will check that.&nbsp;If you hate wearing life jackets while fishing like most of us do, look into some of the new technology that now allows life jackets to be much smaller, thinner and less obstructing. &nbsp;

We were just leaving town the other day when my wife snapped her fingers in the air and stated “Darn, I forgot to get my&nbsp;new&nbsp;fishing license.” That excuse won’t fly with a game warden if you get&nbsp;checked only to discover your fishing (or hunting) license has expired, so be sure yours is up-to-date. If you are 65, you can&nbsp;purchase a lifetime&nbsp;combination hunting / fishing license&nbsp;for&nbsp;only&nbsp;$42.50&nbsp;that’s good until you turn&nbsp;74 and no longer need a license; it’s the deal of the century!&nbsp;

Have you ever bought your hunting license late in the season, and grumbled about it only being good for a short time until New Year’s Eve? Well grumble no more as that now has changed. Now all annual&nbsp;licenses (NOT&nbsp;special permits like deer and turkey tags and fur harvester’s permits) are valid for 365 days from the time you purchase them. So, for example, if you buy a hunting license just in time for the November pheasant opener, that license will be good until that date the&nbsp;following year. And to take convenience one step further, if you purchase licenses online, you can now sign up for a feature called “auto renew” that will send you a notice a few weeks before your new license is due each year, then automatically renew it and&nbsp;charge it to a credit or debit card. &nbsp;

Along with possessing the proper licenses and permits, comes knowledge of all Kansas fishing rules and regulations. Some regulations are statewide and apply to every cubic inch of Kansas water, whether lake, river, stream or reservoir. Some lakes and reservoirs however have length limits, etc that are unique to that water. That’s why every Kansas fisherman’s tackle box should contain a copy of the 2022&nbsp;Kansas Fishing regulations Summary, a 48 page pamphlet that lists all that information for all Kansas lakes, reservoirs, state fishing lakes and community fishing lakes, so you should never get “caught”&nbsp;with your hook bare, so to speak. These should be available everywhere tackle and licenses are sold.

If you’re like me,&nbsp;and not a died-in-the-wool fisherman, it’s handy to know what lakes and reservoirs are best for what fish species. Another handy booklet no Kansas fisherman should be without is the 2022Fishing Forecast. This forecast&nbsp;is assembled by Kansas fisheries biologists using data gathered when they sample&nbsp;lakes in each of their jurisdictions. For each fish species, it rates lakes, reservoirs, state fishing lakes and community fishing lakes for largest fish and largest fish populations. These forecasts are available at all Kansas Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism offices and to download online from the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ksoutdoors.com/">www.ksoutdoors.com</a>.&nbsp;

So instead of helping put the “pro” in procrastinate, take care of business by getting your&nbsp;fishing stuff in order, making certain your license is up-to-date, arm yourselves with all the available information readily available about Kansas fishing regulations and opportunities, and take someone along who’s new to fishing as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

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>Have you ever stepped into the water on the first fishing trip of the spring only to find your waders leaked? Or lost a nice fish because the line on your reel was old and snapped? Or even found while trying to make the&nbsp;first cast of the year that your reel wouldn’t work at all?&nbsp;All of the above are scenarios&nbsp;that can easily be avoided with a little prior planning. So&nbsp;here are a few tips to help make you ready for action&nbsp;when your buddy calls and screams&nbsp;into the phone&nbsp;“The fish are bitin’!”Check your gear early. We all lose tackle each year to rocks and “stick fish,” so go through your tackle box, make a list and stock up. Check your waders for leaks. If they didn’t leak the last time you took them off, they probably won’t leak now, but be sure; it’s better than an unexpected boot full of cold water. Line on fishing reels should be changed every few years; the more often you use it the more often it should be changed. You can buy&nbsp;spools of line and DIY, or most sporting&nbsp;goods stores have&nbsp;a&nbsp;machine to do it for a small fee.&nbsp;If you fish from a boat, hopefully you’ve gone over it by now to make sure the batteries are good, the motor starts and runs well and the trailer&nbsp;tires aren’t flat.&nbsp;Also be certain to have life preservers on board for every passenger, because if stopped by wildlife and parks on the water or at the dock, they will check that.&nbsp;If you hate wearing life jackets while fishing like most of us do, look into some of the new technology that now allows life jackets to be much smaller, thinner and less obstructing. &nbsp;We were just leaving town the other day when my wife snapped her fingers in the air and stated “Darn, I forgot to get my&nbsp;new&nbsp;fishing license.” That excuse won’t fly with a game warden if you get&nbsp;checked only to discover your fishing (or hunting) license has expired, so be sure yours is up-to-date. If you are 65, you can&nbsp;purchase a lifetime&nbsp;combination hunting / fishing license&nbsp;for&nbsp;only&nbsp;$42.50&nbsp;that’s good until you turn&nbsp;74 and no longer need a license; it’s the deal of the century!&nbsp;Have you ever bought your hunting license late in the season, and grumbled about it only being good for a short time until New Year’s Eve? Well grumble no more as that now has changed. Now all annual&nbsp;licenses (NOT&nbsp;special permits like deer and turkey tags and fur harvester’s permits) are valid for 365 days from the time you purchase them. So, for example, if you buy a hunting license just in time for the November pheasant opener, that license will be good until that date the&nbsp;following year. And to take convenience one step further, if you purchase licenses online, you can now sign up for a feature called “auto renew” that will send you a notice a few weeks before your new license is due each year, then automatically renew it and&nbsp;charge it to a credit or debit card. &nbsp;Along with possessing the proper licenses and permits, comes knowledge of all Kansas fishing rules and regulations. Some regulations are statewide and apply to every cubic inch of Kansas water, whether lake, river, stream or reservoir. Some lakes and reservoirs however have length limits, etc that are unique to that water. That’s why every Kansas fisherman’s tackle box should contain a copy of the 2022&nbsp;Kansas Fishing regulations Summary, a 48 page pamphlet that lists all that information for all Kansas lakes, reservoirs, state fishing lakes and community fishing lakes, so you should never get “caught”&nbsp;with your hook bare, so to speak. These should be available everywhere tackle and licenses are sold.If you’re like me,&nbsp;and not a died-in-the-wool fisherman, it’s handy to know what lakes and reservoirs are best for what fish species. Another handy booklet no Kansas fisherman should be without is the 2022Fishing Forecast. This forecast&nbsp;is assembled by Kansas fisheries biologists using data gathered when they sample&nbsp;lakes in each of their jurisdictions. For each fish species, it rates lakes, reservoirs, state fishing lakes and community fishing lakes for largest fish and largest fish populations. These forecasts are available at all Kansas Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism offices and to download online from the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ksoutdoors.com/">www.ksoutdoors.com</a>.&nbsp;So instead of helping put the “pro” in procrastinate, take care of business by getting your&nbsp;fishing stuff in order, making certain your license is up-to-date, arm yourselves with all the available information readily available about Kansas fishing regulations and opportunities, and take someone along who’s new to fishing as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Be prepared when the fish are biting

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

To find a good brewery, does a person have to go to the big city? No. In fact, we’re going to visit the state’s smallest town with an active brewery.&nbsp;

Lucas Hass and Grant Wagner are the owners of Fly Boy Brewery &amp; Eats in Sylvan Grove. Both Lucas and Grant are originally from Bennington.&nbsp;

“I’ve always loved food and cooking, and also a good beer,” Lucas said. He worked at a steakhouse in Emporia before taking a job doing business analytics at a manufacturing company in Salina.&nbsp;

Grant became a chef at top-end restaurants in Kansas City before moving back to north central Kansas to be near family.&nbsp;

In 2014, Clay and Linda Haring bought a building in Sylvan Grove, remodeled it, and started a brewery and restaurant. Clay is an agricultural pilot and Linda is a teacher.&nbsp;&nbsp;Because Clay was a pilot, they decorated the establishment with an aviation theme and called it Fly Boy Brewery &amp; Eats, or Flyboys for short.&nbsp;

Grant Wagner helped them set up the kitchen. When Clay and Linda got so busy with their other work that they decided to sell the restaurant, Grant approached Lucas with the idea of buying it. Together they became the new owners of Fly Boy Brewery &amp; Eats.&nbsp;&nbsp;“This is a great restaurant and we didn’t want it to be lost,” Lucas said.&nbsp;

“We try to make all the main dishes from scratch,” Lucas said. The menu features steaks, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, chicken and salads. There’s the Landing Strip Burger, Plane Jane burger, Crop Duster, Hanger Over, and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“At heart, we’re a steakhouse,” Lucas said. “Our ribeye, KC strip, and chicken fried steak are really popular.”&nbsp;

“On the first weekend of every month, we have a prime rib special and this place is packed,” Lucas said. “We use certified Angus beef and get what beef we can locally.”&nbsp;

Lucas also enjoys the process of brewing beer. “I’m a big science buff, so I enjoy that part of it,” he said.&nbsp;

Flyboys has all the brewing equipment, including glycol-chilled fermenters. Lucas has developed some beers using his original recipes. “We’ve figured out to how get nice crisp clear flavors,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The drinks offered by Flyboys are called House Taps: Prop Washes. These include Flight of Beer, First Light, Aviator Ale, Tail Spin IPA, Round Engine Red, Barnstormer Brown, and more.&nbsp;

Yes, I do detect an aviation theme.&nbsp;

Other drinks include Sylvan Sunrise, Colorado Bulldog, Blue Elephant, Purple Wave and more.&nbsp;

One beer is a Prohibition lager, using ingredients that were popular around the time of Prohibition. It’s called Hell’s Broth. “A local historian told us that was what Carry Nation called these drinks,” Lucas said. “We keep two seasonal beers on rotating taps at all times, and we have seven flagship house beers.”&nbsp;

“We get lots of lake traffic and we get a lot of hunters during hunting season,” Lucas said. Although many restaurants experience a drop in business after the holidays, Flyboys has seen some increase during the 2022 off-season. They also managed through the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

“We were able to take over in some of the most tumultuous times in the restaurant business and make it through,” Lucas said. “It shows how great of a community and how great of a staff that we have. We’re just really appreciative of the community for coming out and supporting us.”&nbsp;

It’s remarkable to find this restaurant in a rural community such as Sylvan Grove, population 279 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information, look for Fly Boy Brewery &amp; Eats on Facebook.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Recently Flyboys was visited by an author of an upcoming book about breweries in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;He told them that their community, Sylvan Grove, is the smallest town in the state with an active brewery. We commend Lucas Hass, Grant Wagner and all those involved with Fly Boy Brewery &amp; Eats for making a difference with their commitment to good food and drinks in small town Kansas.&nbsp;

I hope Flyboys will continue to reach new heights.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649857561990.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;To find a good brewery, does a person have to go to the big city? No. In fact, we’re going to visit the state’s smallest town with an active brewery.&nbsp;Lucas Hass and Grant Wagner are the owners of Fly Boy Brewery &amp; Eats in Sylvan Grove. Both Lucas and Grant are originally from Bennington.&nbsp;“I’ve always loved food and cooking, and also a good beer,” Lucas said. He worked at a steakhouse in Emporia before taking a job doing business analytics at a manufacturing company in Salina.&nbsp;Grant became a chef at top-end restaurants in Kansas City before moving back to north central Kansas to be near family.&nbsp;In 2014, Clay and Linda Haring bought a building in Sylvan Grove, remodeled it, and started a brewery and restaurant. Clay is an agricultural pilot and Linda is a teacher.&nbsp;&nbsp;Because Clay was a pilot, they decorated the establishment with an aviation theme and called it Fly Boy Brewery &amp; Eats, or Flyboys for short.&nbsp;Grant Wagner helped them set up the kitchen. When Clay and Linda got so busy with their other work that they decided to sell the restaurant, Grant approached Lucas with the idea of buying it. Together they became the new owners of Fly Boy Brewery &amp; Eats.&nbsp;&nbsp;“This is a great restaurant and we didn’t want it to be lost,” Lucas said.&nbsp;“We try to make all the main dishes from scratch,” Lucas said. The menu features steaks, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, chicken and salads. There’s the Landing Strip Burger, Plane Jane burger, Crop Duster, Hanger Over, and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;“At heart, we’re a steakhouse,” Lucas said. “Our ribeye, KC strip, and chicken fried steak are really popular.”&nbsp;“On the first weekend of every month, we have a prime rib special and this place is packed,” Lucas said. “We use certified Angus beef and get what beef we can locally.”&nbsp;Lucas also enjoys the process of brewing beer. “I’m a big science buff, so I enjoy that part of it,” he said.&nbsp;Flyboys has all the brewing equipment, including glycol-chilled fermenters. Lucas has developed some beers using his original recipes. “We’ve figured out to how get nice crisp clear flavors,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The drinks offered by Flyboys are called House Taps: Prop Washes. These include Flight of Beer, First Light, Aviator Ale, Tail Spin IPA, Round Engine Red, Barnstormer Brown, and more.&nbsp;Yes, I do detect an aviation theme.&nbsp;Other drinks include Sylvan Sunrise, Colorado Bulldog, Blue Elephant, Purple Wave and more.&nbsp;One beer is a Prohibition lager, using ingredients that were popular around the time of Prohibition. It’s called Hell’s Broth. “A local historian told us that was what Carry Nation called these drinks,” Lucas said. “We keep two seasonal beers on rotating taps at all times, and we have seven flagship house beers.”&nbsp;“We get lots of lake traffic and we get a lot of hunters during hunting season,” Lucas said. Although many restaurants experience a drop in business after the holidays, Flyboys has seen some increase during the 2022 off-season. They also managed through the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;“We were able to take over in some of the most tumultuous times in the restaurant business and make it through,” Lucas said. “It shows how great of a community and how great of a staff that we have. We’re just really appreciative of the community for coming out and supporting us.”&nbsp;It’s remarkable to find this restaurant in a rural community such as Sylvan Grove, population 279 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information, look for Fly Boy Brewery &amp; Eats on Facebook.&nbsp;&nbsp;Recently Flyboys was visited by an author of an upcoming book about breweries in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;He told them that their community, Sylvan Grove, is the smallest town in the state with an active brewery. We commend Lucas Hass, Grant Wagner and all those involved with Fly Boy Brewery &amp; Eats for making a difference with their commitment to good food and drinks in small town Kansas.&nbsp;I hope Flyboys will continue to reach new heights.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Lucas Hass and Grant Wagner, Flyboys 

I look forward to writing these columns because I enjoy sharing stories about the innovative, caring, and persistent nature of the people who make Tiger Nation special. Today, I would like to focus on one&nbsp;alumnus&nbsp;who came close to throwing his life away before he turned 18. He spent more than a decade in prison but found redemption with the help of the caring people of Hays, America.&nbsp;

Tuan&nbsp;Huyn&nbsp;was&nbsp;3&nbsp;years&nbsp;old when he and his family fled their native Vietnam and settled in a public housing complex in Wichita. Tuan and many members of his small Vietnamese immigrant community immediately found themselves as outsiders in a new home. Life in America&nbsp;for&nbsp;Tuan almost immediately became a struggle to survive. He got into his first fight in&nbsp;kindergarten, and as he entered his teen years, he found gang life&nbsp;as a way to&nbsp;fit in, command respect, and survive on the streets.

Just shy of his 18th birthday,&nbsp;Tuan&nbsp;committed a crime that sent him to prison.&nbsp;While incarcerated,&nbsp;Tuan made a commitment to turn his life around. Until that point in his life, he’d always been a brawler. But from that point forward, Tuan decided to let his intellect and natural leadership abilities guide his direction in life. He began reading, taking college courses, and painting. His work caught the eye and respect of his fellow inmates. He went on to create an art education program that eventually attracted more than 40 inmate artists.

As he began his transition to life after prison,&nbsp;Tuan met several people who would become instrumental in his redemption story. Leslie (Chris) Hauck was the Sunflower Electric Power Corporation CEO in Hays and met Tuan through his involvement in his church’s prison and jail ministry. The two forged an incredible bond, one so strong that Chris would later refer to Tuan as “my son.” He also met Anna Shelter, whose mother ran seminars on leadership and fellowship that Tuan attended. She would later become his wife and the mother of their two&nbsp;daughters.&nbsp;

Chris took Tuan to Fort Hays State to meet some contacts on campus and explore his degree options.&nbsp;Tuan&nbsp;intended to enroll in a business program, but as they walked through Rarick Hall, Chris introduced him to&nbsp;Chaiwat&nbsp;(pronounced&nbsp;chy-what)&nbsp;Thumsujarit, a graphic design professor.&nbsp;Chaiwat&nbsp;noticed that Tuan was holding two original paintings he planned to take to a local framing store&nbsp;and was impressed&nbsp;with the artwork. The&nbsp;professor&nbsp;suggested&nbsp;that Tuanconsider graphic design as a degree option.&nbsp;

A gifted artist with no background in the principles and practices of graphic design, Tuan struggled to keep up. While other students were already adept at using computer design software on projects, Tuan only knew how to paint. He had never used a computer. While reflective of his natural creative genius and artistry, much of his early work fell below his professor’s expectations. He contemplated quitting&nbsp;school&nbsp;about a year into his studies.&nbsp;

Then it all started to click for Tuan. The persistence, creativity, and a newfound commitment to servant leadership that helped him turn his life around began to inspire his work. He began to seek and accept help from peers and his professors. And he began to find other ways to give back to the local community, including cutting hair for students and residents in a local retirement community.&nbsp;

The immense creativity of Tuan’s work, his leadership, and his ability to accept and incorporate feedback caught the eye of Kerry Soukup, an FHSU alum and an executive with&nbsp;Leo Burnett Worldwide, a&nbsp;prestigious&nbsp;advertising agency in&nbsp;Chicago. In 2014,&nbsp;Kerry&nbsp;offered the&nbsp;recently graduated&nbsp;an internship. Tuan suggested that he probably would not pass a background check and initially declined the offer. But Kerry saw something special in Tuan. She and her Leo Burnett colleagues asked for a couple of days to consider options. When she called back a few days later, Kerry didn’t offer Tuan the internship but a full-time job as an art director instead.

Tuan enjoyed a remarkable career with Leo Burnett, but in January of 2021, Tuan, the servant leader, decided it was time to venture out on his own. More than a year later, he now leads or is involved in several non-profit organizations in Chicago, including an organization he created called Chicago Peace (<a href="https://www.chicagopeace.org/">https://www.chicagopeace.org/</a>). This group works to revitalize neighborhoods by building bridges between stakeholders through partnerships, education, the arts, compassion, and entrepreneurship.

And in early 2022, Tuan, the entrepreneur, launched a business initiative in partnership with family members still living in Vietnam to bring the distinctive flavors and aromas of Vietnamese coffees to America. The new company,&nbsp;VietFive&nbsp;Coffee (<a href="https://www.vietfive.com/about-3">https://www.vietfive.com/about-3</a>), recently opened on Madison Street in downtown Chicago.&nbsp;

Many who work in higher education say that a quality education can be a transformative experience. I am one of those who believe strongly in this observation. The immense value of the Fort Hays State experience is not&nbsp;just&nbsp;found in the professional skills learned and credentials earned.

Tuan’s story demonstrates that great transformations are the direct result of the persistence of our students and the powerful relationships they forge here, relationships that break down barriers and fuel dreams for those who want to live a life of purpose and impact. FHSU didn’t create Tuan, but he did find caring people on this campus and in the Hays community who were ready to help him on his path to redemption.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>I look forward to writing these columns because I enjoy sharing stories about the innovative, caring, and persistent nature of the people who make Tiger Nation special. Today, I would like to focus on one&nbsp;alumnus&nbsp;who came close to throwing his life away before he turned 18. He spent more than a decade in prison but found redemption with the help of the caring people of Hays, America.&nbsp;Tuan&nbsp;Huyn&nbsp;was&nbsp;3&nbsp;years&nbsp;old when he and his family fled their native Vietnam and settled in a public housing complex in Wichita. Tuan and many members of his small Vietnamese immigrant community immediately found themselves as outsiders in a new home. Life in America&nbsp;for&nbsp;Tuan almost immediately became a struggle to survive. He got into his first fight in&nbsp;kindergarten, and as he entered his teen years, he found gang life&nbsp;as a way to&nbsp;fit in, command respect, and survive on the streets.Just shy of his 18th birthday,&nbsp;Tuan&nbsp;committed a crime that sent him to prison.&nbsp;While incarcerated,&nbsp;Tuan made a commitment to turn his life around. Until that point in his life, he’d always been a brawler. But from that point forward, Tuan decided to let his intellect and natural leadership abilities guide his direction in life. He began reading, taking college courses, and painting. His work caught the eye and respect of his fellow inmates. He went on to create an art education program that eventually attracted more than 40 inmate artists.As he began his transition to life after prison,&nbsp;Tuan met several people who would become instrumental in his redemption story. Leslie (Chris) Hauck was the Sunflower Electric Power Corporation CEO in Hays and met Tuan through his involvement in his church’s prison and jail ministry. The two forged an incredible bond, one so strong that Chris would later refer to Tuan as “my son.” He also met Anna Shelter, whose mother ran seminars on leadership and fellowship that Tuan attended. She would later become his wife and the mother of their two&nbsp;daughters.&nbsp;Chris took Tuan to Fort Hays State to meet some contacts on campus and explore his degree options.&nbsp;Tuan&nbsp;intended to enroll in a business program, but as they walked through Rarick Hall, Chris introduced him to&nbsp;Chaiwat&nbsp;(pronounced&nbsp;chy-what)&nbsp;Thumsujarit, a graphic design professor.&nbsp;Chaiwat&nbsp;noticed that Tuan was holding two original paintings he planned to take to a local framing store&nbsp;and was impressed&nbsp;with the artwork. The&nbsp;professor&nbsp;suggested&nbsp;that Tuanconsider graphic design as a degree option.&nbsp;A gifted artist with no background in the principles and practices of graphic design, Tuan struggled to keep up. While other students were already adept at using computer design software on projects, Tuan only knew how to paint. He had never used a computer. While reflective of his natural creative genius and artistry, much of his early work fell below his professor’s expectations. He contemplated quitting&nbsp;school&nbsp;about a year into his studies.&nbsp;Then it all started to click for Tuan. The persistence, creativity, and a newfound commitment to servant leadership that helped him turn his life around began to inspire his work. He began to seek and accept help from peers and his professors. And he began to find other ways to give back to the local community, including cutting hair for students and residents in a local retirement community.&nbsp;The immense creativity of Tuan’s work, his leadership, and his ability to accept and incorporate feedback caught the eye of Kerry Soukup, an FHSU alum and an executive with&nbsp;Leo Burnett Worldwide, a&nbsp;prestigious&nbsp;advertising agency in&nbsp;Chicago. In 2014,&nbsp;Kerry&nbsp;offered the&nbsp;recently graduated&nbsp;an internship. Tuan suggested that he probably would not pass a background check and initially declined the offer. But Kerry saw something special in Tuan. She and her Leo Burnett colleagues asked for a couple of days to consider options. When she called back a few days later, Kerry didn’t offer Tuan the internship but a full-time job as an art director instead.Tuan enjoyed a remarkable career with Leo Burnett, but in January of 2021, Tuan, the servant leader, decided it was time to venture out on his own. More than a year later, he now leads or is involved in several non-profit organizations in Chicago, including an organization he created called Chicago Peace (<a href="https://www.chicagopeace.org/">https://www.chicagopeace.org/</a>). This group works to revitalize neighborhoods by building bridges between stakeholders through partnerships, education, the arts, compassion, and entrepreneurship.And in early 2022, Tuan, the entrepreneur, launched a business initiative in partnership with family members still living in Vietnam to bring the distinctive flavors and aromas of Vietnamese coffees to America. The new company,&nbsp;VietFive&nbsp;Coffee (<a href="https://www.vietfive.com/about-3">https://www.vietfive.com/about-3</a>), recently opened on Madison Street in downtown Chicago.&nbsp;Many who work in higher education say that a quality education can be a transformative experience. I am one of those who believe strongly in this observation. The immense value of the Fort Hays State experience is not&nbsp;just&nbsp;found in the professional skills learned and credentials earned.Tuan’s story demonstrates that great transformations are the direct result of the persistence of our students and the powerful relationships they forge here, relationships that break down barriers and fuel dreams for those who want to live a life of purpose and impact. FHSU didn’t create Tuan, but he did find caring people on this campus and in the Hays community who were ready to help him on his path to redemption.&nbsp;&nbsp;

MASON: A powerful redemption story

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher Water, it is the most important resource we have, not just in agriculture but humanity as a whole. It is an extraordinarily complex and difficult issue. This year the legislature proposed a massive water bill and while I will not get into the details of it, it did emphasize that water is an issue we will have to deal with in short order. Water issues in Kansas are many and varied. In general, if you are from western Kansas, it is about quantity and aquifers. If you reside in eastern Kansas you are dealing with sedimentation, harmful algae blooms and flooding. There are many more issues, but you get the idea, water issues are diversified, complex and they are critical to all of us. Will we have enough water? Where will it come from? Will it be safe? Are all questions we need to wrestle with. Kansas Farm Bureau has extensive policy when it comes to water and water rights. We have developed those policies through the years, and they have come from our grassroots. Just like all policy we need to make sure that our water policy reflects our current situation and accurately gives us direction. In short, we need to take a deep look at our policy. It’s no secret that other organizations are getting involved in the debate about water at the state and national levels. Some of these groups have different viewpoints and objectives than we do at Kansas Farm Bureau. We need to have a presence and be at the table when water is discussed. That means we need to have clear, concise and solid water policy. That is where you, Kansas Farm Bureau members, come in. We will be taking a deeper dive into our water policy in the near future to make sure it is relevant and fits your needs. Please watch for announcements of what the process will look like and be ready to do some hard work. This process will require us all to do our homework and learn more about water in Kansas. We need to understand the complexity of the issues and how they affect agriculture and society in general. This is not going to be an easy process, and it will require all of us to come together to help provide possible solutions. This is an issue that affects all of us, and it is the biggest problem we have ever tackled, that is why we need everyone. If you are not a Kansas Farm Bureau member, I encourage you to go to your county office and join. We all need to be at the table for this one. We might look at our policy and decide it is just fine, but my guess is that we will see things that need to be changed. The one thing I do know is that our grassroots’ developed policy is some of the strongest out there and if we all put our heads together, we can produce a good solution. There will be more information to come in the near future, please be ready to join in and add your ideas to this important issue.

<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 Water, it is the most important resource we have, not just in agriculture but humanity as a whole. It is an extraordinarily complex and difficult issue. This year the legislature proposed a massive water bill and while I will not get into the details of it, it did emphasize that water is an issue we will have to deal with in short order. Water issues in Kansas are many and varied. In general, if you are from western Kansas, it is about quantity and aquifers. If you reside in eastern Kansas you are dealing with sedimentation, harmful algae blooms and flooding. There are many more issues, but you get the idea, water issues are diversified, complex and they are critical to all of us. Will we have enough water? Where will it come from? Will it be safe? Are all questions we need to wrestle with. Kansas Farm Bureau has extensive policy when it comes to water and water rights. We have developed those policies through the years, and they have come from our grassroots. Just like all policy we need to make sure that our water policy reflects our current situation and accurately gives us direction. In short, we need to take a deep look at our policy. It’s no secret that other organizations are getting involved in the debate about water at the state and national levels. Some of these groups have different viewpoints and objectives than we do at Kansas Farm Bureau. We need to have a presence and be at the table when water is discussed. That means we need to have clear, concise and solid water policy. That is where you, Kansas Farm Bureau members, come in. We will be taking a deeper dive into our water policy in the near future to make sure it is relevant and fits your needs. Please watch for announcements of what the process will look like and be ready to do some hard work. This process will require us all to do our homework and learn more about water in Kansas. We need to understand the complexity of the issues and how they affect agriculture and society in general. This is not going to be an easy process, and it will require all of us to come together to help provide possible solutions. This is an issue that affects all of us, and it is the biggest problem we have ever tackled, that is why we need everyone. If you are not a Kansas Farm Bureau member, I encourage you to go to your county office and join. We all need to be at the table for this one. We might look at our policy and decide it is just fine, but my guess is that we will see things that need to be changed. The one thing I do know is that our grassroots’ developed policy is some of the strongest out there and if we all put our heads together, we can produce a good solution. There will be more information to come in the near future, please be ready to join in and add your ideas to this important issue."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: Wading into water

Imagine this, I have spent 55 of my 71 years in elementary, middle or high school buildings. Twelve of these years I was a student, and 43 as a teacher. I have seen a slew of changes during the 55 years of my career but one of the more pressing has been the need for more and more space.&nbsp;

I started first grade in Monument, Kansas, in 1957 having skipped kindergarten. (It wasn’t offered in the Monument School District). Through elementary school, we sat all day at desks, lined up in neat rows. The teacher had a desk in the front of the room. There were pull-down maps of the United States and a world map. Chalk boards lined the wall behind the teacher’s desk. Our desks faced that same long chalkboard wall. Math, English, social studies, reading, science, and handwriting ALL pretty much took place on that wall with an eraser moving quickly across the board between subjects. The teacher and textbooks were the source of information and learning.&nbsp; We only left the room for recess and lunch.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today, teaching and learning look nothing like the scene of my own elementary and high school years. Today, teachers seldom stand in front of the room all day to impart wisdom and knowledge. Both teachers and students engage in active, hands-on learning. Often, students work in small collaborative groups on science and social studies projects. Small group work is prominent during reading, writing, and math. Discussion groups explore new ideas presented in a shared book students are reading. Collaborative work on science experiments occurs across a week or more. Students work together on the floor, spreading out to make maps during social studies, draw out graphs and charts in math, or work through problems. Younger students often begin the morning on the floor in a large circle as a sharing time or to read a big book together. Students leave the room for art, music, P.E., recess, lunch, as well as special education, language, and social-emotional needs. These wonderful, positive changes in the way students and teachers work in the classroom require more and more space.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As the years moved along in my tenure as a student and teacher, new academic fields opened for students. Art and music programs were added to the curriculum. Band, orchestra, and&nbsp;theatre classes became available. Physical Education became a required class. Many new services and classes for students were added:&nbsp;nurses,&nbsp;physical and occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, Title I&nbsp;reading&nbsp;classes, Reading Recovery for first-grade students struggling to learn to read and write, math intervention, technology classes, k-12 counselors, school psychologists, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), SPED (Special Education/Educational Support for autism, gifted education, etc.). Each of the new academic areas and support services mentioned above require additional space&nbsp;both for teachers and students; however, our USD 489 buildings have stayed the same size, so hallways, custodians’ closets, corners of libraries, closets in classrooms, a cubicle next to a boiler room, a stage in the gym have all morphed into space for students to learn. Space was taken from libraries to squeeze in one or more small cubby holes for the school counselor or reading recovery teacher. Hallways themselves became portable classroom space. It seems every anteroom, booth, chamber, shoebox, and vestibule has been turned into learning spaces out of necessity.&nbsp;

We have entered the second decade of the 21st&nbsp;century. New buildings and classroom design are more important than ever. USD 489 has reached critical mass in providing space for our&nbsp;students and teachers. We need your help to&nbsp;meet the learning needs of all students. Please vote YES on SPACE (HAYS USD 489 BOND ISSUE ON MAY 10TH).&nbsp; For more information on USD 489 current needs for space, go to&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usd489.com/article/700246">https://www.usd489.com/article/700246</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Imagine this, I have spent 55 of my 71 years in elementary, middle or high school buildings. Twelve of these years I was a student, and 43 as a teacher. I have seen a slew of changes during the 55 years of my career but one of the more pressing has been the need for more and more space.&nbsp;I started first grade in Monument, Kansas, in 1957 having skipped kindergarten. (It wasn’t offered in the Monument School District). Through elementary school, we sat all day at desks, lined up in neat rows. The teacher had a desk in the front of the room. There were pull-down maps of the United States and a world map. Chalk boards lined the wall behind the teacher’s desk. Our desks faced that same long chalkboard wall. Math, English, social studies, reading, science, and handwriting ALL pretty much took place on that wall with an eraser moving quickly across the board between subjects. The teacher and textbooks were the source of information and learning.&nbsp; We only left the room for recess and lunch.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Today, teaching and learning look nothing like the scene of my own elementary and high school years. Today, teachers seldom stand in front of the room all day to impart wisdom and knowledge. Both teachers and students engage in active, hands-on learning. Often, students work in small collaborative groups on science and social studies projects. Small group work is prominent during reading, writing, and math. Discussion groups explore new ideas presented in a shared book students are reading. Collaborative work on science experiments occurs across a week or more. Students work together on the floor, spreading out to make maps during social studies, draw out graphs and charts in math, or work through problems. Younger students often begin the morning on the floor in a large circle as a sharing time or to read a big book together. Students leave the room for art, music, P.E., recess, lunch, as well as special education, language, and social-emotional needs. These wonderful, positive changes in the way students and teachers work in the classroom require more and more space.&nbsp;&nbsp;As the years moved along in my tenure as a student and teacher, new academic fields opened for students. Art and music programs were added to the curriculum. Band, orchestra, and&nbsp;theatre classes became available. Physical Education became a required class. Many new services and classes for students were added:&nbsp;nurses,&nbsp;physical and occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, Title I&nbsp;reading&nbsp;classes, Reading Recovery for first-grade students struggling to learn to read and write, math intervention, technology classes, k-12 counselors, school psychologists, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), SPED (Special Education/Educational Support for autism, gifted education, etc.). Each of the new academic areas and support services mentioned above require additional space&nbsp;both for teachers and students; however, our USD 489 buildings have stayed the same size, so hallways, custodians’ closets, corners of libraries, closets in classrooms, a cubicle next to a boiler room, a stage in the gym have all morphed into space for students to learn. Space was taken from libraries to squeeze in one or more small cubby holes for the school counselor or reading recovery teacher. Hallways themselves became portable classroom space. It seems every anteroom, booth, chamber, shoebox, and vestibule has been turned into learning spaces out of necessity.&nbsp;We have entered the second decade of the 21st&nbsp;century. New buildings and classroom design are more important than ever. USD 489 has reached critical mass in providing space for our&nbsp;students and teachers. We need your help to&nbsp;meet the learning needs of all students. Please vote YES on SPACE (HAYS USD 489 BOND ISSUE ON MAY 10TH).&nbsp; For more information on USD 489 current needs for space, go to&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usd489.com/article/700246">https://www.usd489.com/article/700246</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jo Ann Jennings, Hays

LETTER: A look at USD 489 classroom, building space across 60 years

Senate Highlights – Weekly overview

This week was the last week of legislative activity before VETO session.&nbsp; Late Friday afternoon, the Senate gaveled out for adjournment and will reconvene on April 25th for VETO Session.&nbsp;&nbsp;The wrap-up period is expected to not last long, but work remains on a few topics.

The Senate voted on numerous conference committee reports and also debated bills on the Senate floor the last few short weeks.&nbsp; A conference committee is a small, bipartisan, and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House and Senate’s version of a similar bill.&nbsp; Once the conference committee reaches a compromise, the negotiated bill is sent to both the House and Senate for a final vote before advancing to the governor’s desk.&nbsp; Within ten days after passage, a bill must be signed by the presiding officers of each chamber, the chief clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate and be presented to the governor for approval.&nbsp; The governor has ten days after receipt of the bill to act on it.&nbsp; If the governor does not act on it during the ten-day period, the bill automatically becomes law without the governor’s signature.&nbsp; Most bills passed by the Legislature are approved by the governor.&nbsp; However, the governor may veto a bill by refusing to sign it and returning it to the chamber in which the bill originated, together with a statement of the reasons for the veto.&nbsp; In appropriation bills only, the governor may veto some items (line-item) and approve the others by signing the bill.&nbsp; However, should the governor veto a bill, the Legislature, by a two-thirds vote in both chambers, may override (overturn) the governor's veto and the bill will be enacted into law without the governor’s signature.&nbsp; Once the bill becomes a law, whether by the governor’s approval or a legislative override, it is filed with the secretary of state.

Redistricting complete – map package heads to Governor

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb563/" target="_blank">Sub SB 563</a>&nbsp;contains the House and Senate maps plus the State Board of Education map for the next decade.&nbsp; The full package containing all three maps passed the Senate 29-11.&nbsp; The State Board of Education has ten districts, each containing four Senate districts.&nbsp; Senate district #36 remains the same except for adding Clay County now with a total of 14 counties which will tie with Senate district #40 also with 14 counties.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb348/" target="_blank">SB 348</a>&nbsp;would exempt certain threading methods from the definition of cosmetology in law related to the licensure of cosmetologists.&nbsp; SB 348 passed the Senate 32-6 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb451/" target="_blank">SB 451</a>&nbsp;would remove a requirement for which a Kansas resident must provide satisfactory proof that the person is at least 1/16 Indian by blood for purposes of receiving a free, permanent license to hunt, fish, and fur harvest in the state. SB 451 passed the Senate 38-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb493/" target="_blank">SB 493</a>&nbsp;passed the Senate before and prohibits cities and counties from regulating plastic and other containers (including straws) designed for the consumption, transportation or protection of merchandise, food, or beverages.&nbsp; SB 493 passed the Senate 26-12 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb101/" target="_blank">H Sub for SB 101</a>&nbsp;creates regulations and rules concerning the operation of e-bikes in Kansas. H&nbsp;Sub for SB 101 passed the Senate 37-2 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb160/">SB 160</a>&nbsp;- Fairness in Women’s Sports Act passed both the Senate and House this week.&nbsp; The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act ensures athletic teams or sports designated for women are reserved only for biological women.&nbsp; Last year, the Senate and House both passed the measure, but it was vetoed by the governor. The Senate narrowly failed to override the veto.&nbsp; The Conference Committee Report on SB 160 passed the Senate 25-13 and the House 74-39.&nbsp; It is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb161/" target="_blank">SB 161</a>&nbsp;was brought to the legislature by Amazon and would authorize personal delivery devices to operate on any sidewalk, crosswalk, or the shoulder or right side of any public highway of any municipality. SB 161 passed the Senate 22-17 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb199/" target="_blank">SB 199</a>&nbsp;concerns short-term medical plans, which are already allowed in Kansas.&nbsp; Federal regulations allow short-term plans to be renewed twice (for up to 36 months) without having to go through underwriting, thereby protecting people who gain a condition during a 12-month period by allowing their medical care to be covered in the next 12 months if they renew the same plan.&nbsp; SB 199 passed the Senate 28-11 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb58/" target="_blank">SB 58</a>&nbsp;affirms the right of parents to direct upbringing, education, care, and mental health of their children. The bill would require the boards of education of each school district to develop and adopt policies to guarantee parents’ rights, including curriculum transparency that provides parents the right to be informed about and review all materials related to their children's education, including educational and health records related to their child.&nbsp; The Conference Committee Report on SB 58 passed the Senate 23-15 and the House 67-46.&nbsp; It is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2252/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2252</a>&nbsp;specifies the Governor, the Secretary of State, and any other officer in the executive branch could not enter into a consent decree or other agreement with any state or federal court or any agreement with any other party regarding the enforcement of election law or the alteration of any election procedure without specific approval by the Legislature.&nbsp; S Sub for HB 2252 passed the Senate 27-12.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2005/" target="_blank">HB 2005</a>&nbsp;would amend provisions of law related to the Boiler Safety Act. It would also create the Elevator Safety Act, which would establish requirements for licensure of elevator contractors, mechanics, and inspectors; require elevators to be certified as having been annually inspected and establish the Elevator Safety Fee Fund. HB 2005 passed the Senate 34-5 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2056/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2056</a>&nbsp;would limit county election offices to one remote ballot box for every 30,000 registered voters in the county, require remote ballot boxes to be monitored or under constant video surveillance, and prohibit remote ballot boxes from being open and accessible for the deposit of advance voting ballots when the county election office is closed.&nbsp; S Sub for HB&nbsp;2056 passed the Senate 21-17.&nbsp; This topic needs further discussion with counties and how the boxes and how many are being utilized by our county clerks in our district – I voted NO until we have more discussion with our local elected officials.&nbsp; It now awaits action in the House.&nbsp;

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2644/" target="_blank">HB 2644</a>&nbsp;would designate the Sandhill plum, also known as the Chickasaw plum, as the official state fruit. &nbsp;HB 2644 passed the Senate 39-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2717/" target="_blank">HB 2717</a>&nbsp;bans sanctuary cities and counties by prohibiting municipalities from restricting law enforcement cooperation with federal authorities and would prohibit the use of municipal identification cards from being used to satisfy state proof of identity requirements, including for voter identification.&nbsp; HB 2717 passed the Senate 29-10 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb346/" target="_blank">SB 346</a>&nbsp;would allow for the on-farm retail sale of milk or milk products, regulate the labeling and advertising of such products, and allow the Secretary of Agriculture to declare an imminent health hazard when necessary to protect the public health.&nbsp; SB 346 passed the Senate 27-12 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb28/" target="_blank">H Sub for SB 28</a>&nbsp;would enact law and amend requirements requiring registration of pharmacy benefits managers with the Commissioner of Insurance to instead require licensure under the Pharmacy Benefits Manager Licensure Act.&nbsp; H Sub for SB 28 passed the Senate 39-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb62/" target="_blank">SB 62</a>&nbsp;would amend state standards for free school-administered vision screenings, establish the Kansas Children’s Vision Health and School Readiness Commission. SB 62 passed the Senate 34-5 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2448/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2448</a>&nbsp;would require the Department for Children and Families to assign all able-bodied adults without dependents subject to the food assistance work requirements to an employment and training program as defined in federal law. The bill would apply only to able-bodied adults aged 18 through 49 and only to individuals who are not employed at least 30 hours per week.&nbsp; S Sub for HB 2448 passed the Senate 28-11 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hcr5022/" target="_blank">HCR 5022</a>&nbsp;which if approved by voters, would amend Article 9, Sections 2 and 5 of the Kansas Constitution to require County Sheriffs to remain elected if the county had not abolished the sheriff prior to January of this year, and would allow counties who abolished it (Riley County is the only one) to restore the elected Sheriff.&nbsp; The amendment will be on the November 2022 ballot.&nbsp; HCR 5022 passed 39-1.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2476/" target="_blank">HB 2476</a>&nbsp;would authorize two distinctive license plates related to military honors and four distinctive license plates related to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). The military honors plates would be available to recipients of the Silver Star or the Bronze Star, and the KDWP plates would represent state parks, hunting, fishing, and nongame wildlife. HB 2476 passed the Senate 39-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2478/" target="_blank">HB 2478</a>&nbsp;would designate four portions of highway in honor of deceased public servants, a bridge in Pittsburg in honor of a private citizen, and two bridges in Cherokee County in honor of veterans. HB 2478 passed the Senate 39-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2595/" target="_blank">HB 2595</a>&nbsp;would amend law regarding titling procedures for certain antique vehicles. The bill would change, from prior to 1950 to 60 years old or older, the vehicle model years for which a bill of sale would be accepted as prima facie evidence that the applicant is the owner of the vehicle.&nbsp;&nbsp; HB 2595 passed the Senate 39-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2138/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2138</a>&nbsp;would require the Secretary, in consultation with county election officers, to develop an affidavit system to be utilized for the transfer of ballots. The affidavit system developed by the bill would apply to all ballots received, handled, and collected by county election offices prior to, on, and after the date of an election.&nbsp; An election audit procedure would be conducted by the Secretary in the calendar year following the general election of an even-numbered year. Four counties would be selected – one with a population over 90K residents; one between 20K and 90K residents; and two under 20K residents. The bill would also require such an audit to be conducted in any even-numbered year federal, statewide, or state legislative race where the margin of victory is within one percent. The county election officer would be required to audit ten percent of all county precincts, with a minimum of one precinct, in the same manner as existing audit requirements. The bill would require all voting systems in Kansas to use a paper ballot with a distinctive watermark as established by the Secretary, for elections on and after January 1, 2024. It would allow a county election officer to remove a registered voter from the registration list if such registrant has had no election-related activity for any four-calendar-year period and the confirmation notice sent by the county election officer is returned as undeliverable.&nbsp; Electronic Poll Books-the bill also contains several regulations to ensure that poll books are secure and approved by the Secretary of State.&nbsp; S Sub for HB 2138 passed the Senate 28-8.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb405/" target="_blank">SB 405</a>&nbsp;would authorize and direct the Executive Director of the Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS), on behalf of the KSHS, to convey by quitclaim deed, a 0.52-acre parcel of land in Johnson County to the Shawnee Tribe.&nbsp; SB 405 passed the Senate 39-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb479/" target="_blank">SB 479</a>&nbsp;would require the Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans to place a permanent memorial in the state capitol commemorating the work of Kansas suffragists toward achieving the right of women to vote in Kansas and the passage of the 19th&nbsp;amendment to the U.S. Constitution.&nbsp; SB 479 passed the Senate 39-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2087/" target="_blank">HB 2087</a>&nbsp;would amend law related to the review of administrative rules and regulations.&nbsp; HB&nbsp;2087 passed the Senate 34-4 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2559/" target="_blank">HB 2559</a>&nbsp;would establish the Kansas Cotton Boll Weevil Act and create the Kansas Cotton Boll Weevil Program. The bill would also create new law regarding industrial hemp testing services and seed treated with an irritating or poisonous substance, and update laws that are administered by the Plant Protection and Weed Control Program of the Kansas Department of Agriculture.&nbsp; HB 2559 passed the Senate 32-7 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb215/" target="_blank">SB 215</a>&nbsp;would authorize school district boards of education to contract with transportation network companies for the purpose of transporting eight or fewer people to and from school or school-related activities and transfer authority for certain postsecondary driver’s education and driver training schools to the Kansas Department of Revenue. SB 215 passed the Senate 39-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb2/" target="_blank">SB 2</a>&nbsp;contains several provisions related to the sale of alcohol in Kansas – including the sale and consumption of alcohol at the State Fair, permits for the sale and consumption of alcohol by local governments, and the distribution of liquor drink taxes. SB 2 passed the Senate 31-6 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb446/" target="_blank">SB 446</a>&nbsp;would authorize driving to and from religious activities by 15-year-olds with restricted driver’s licenses and would authorize online renewal of nondriver’s identification cards under certain circumstances.&nbsp; SB 446 passed the Senate 38-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2456/" target="_blank">HB 2456</a>&nbsp;would require the Secretary of Wildlife and Parks to issue a Kansas Kids’ lifetime combination hunting and fishing license.&nbsp; The bill also would require the Secretary to submit an annual report to the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on the number of kids licenses issued.&nbsp; HB 2456 passed the Senate 39-0 and is headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2703/" target="_blank">HB 2703</a>&nbsp;would create the Kansas Targeted Employment Act, which would establish a tax credit for businesses that employ individuals who are Kansas residents with developmental disabilities. HB 2703 passed the Senate 39-0 and is now headed to the governor.

<a></a><a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2239/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2239</a>&nbsp;is a major tax bill including property tax relief, tax credits for rail, air and community and technical colleges plus agriculture sales tax elimination for all future fencing in Kansas and wildfire damage for fencing and structures.&nbsp;&nbsp; It contains more than 20 policy pieces including a few listed here – elimination of sales tax on shipping and handling charges, repeals the sunset of the tax exclusion for motor vehicle manufacturer rebates, increases the residential property tax exemption from the uniform statewide school finance levy, allows for an additional personal exemption for certain disabled veterans, creates a property tax exemption for antique utility trailers, allows for refund claims pursuant to the Homestead Property Tax Refund Program based on tax growth from a base year, enacts a teacher classroom supplies tax credit (up to $250), provides for an income tax checkoff for contributions to Kansas state historic sites, defines new CRP land programs be taxed at grassland rates, modifies revenue neutral rate notice and hearing procedures and provide for property taxpayer complaint procedures.&nbsp;S Sub for HB&nbsp;2239 passed the Senate 39-0. It’s now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb150/" target="_blank">SB 150</a>&nbsp;protects consumers by adding disclosure requirements regarding legal advertising and creates law regulating use of protected health information to solicit individuals for legal services.&nbsp; SB 150 passed the Senate 27-13 and is now headed to the governor.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb91/" target="_blank">H Sub for SB 91</a>&nbsp;would exempt businesses from certain liability claims arising from a secondary student engaged in a “work-based learning program,” as that term would be defined by the bill.&nbsp;&nbsp; H Sub for SB 91 passed the Senate 37-2 and is now headed to the governor.

Opinion