While Ed Hammond says he supports students, comments made during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7fyXoJppI4">a debate</a>&nbsp;with state Rep. Barb Wasinger earlier this month suggests that his commitment to protecting girls leaves something to be desired.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Specifically, Hammond refused to say that he would support a ban on biological males competing in girls’ sports. Across the country, we have seen girls lose out on opportunities because they’ve had to compete against those with an unfair physical advantage.&nbsp;

In the 2018-2019 season, University of Pennsylvania transgender swimmer Lia Thomas&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220318183249/https:/www.swimcloud.com/swimmer/314430/rankings/">was ranked</a>&nbsp;as the NCAA’s 87th Division 1 male swimmer but took the 31st spot after competing against girls. What’s more, Thomas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/us-sports-ncaa-news-what-rank-did-lia-thomas-stand-at-while-competing-in-the-mens-swimming-division/">went from</a>&nbsp;holding 554th in the 200-yd freestyle to claiming fifth place now and moved from 65th place in the 200 yard freestyle to number one today.&nbsp;

This is not an isolated example, as former Connecticut high school track athlete Selina Soule is suing her state after having been made to face off against biologically male competitors. She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/connecticut-track-athlete-sues-state-transgender-policy-womens-sports-being-robbed">told</a>&nbsp;Fox News, "I lost out on qualifying spots for the meets, better placement and possibly even scholarship opportunities. It was a very frustrating and heartbreaking thing to have to go through.”

The simple truth is that male and female bodies are inherently different: they develop differently and have different capabilities, which is the whole reason why male and female athletes compete in different divisions. Then there’s the fact that female athletes shouldn’t have to share a locker room and change clothes in front of someone of the opposite sex.&nbsp;

Hammond said at 1:02:58 in his debate with Wasinger that it is “common sense” to let the Kansas State High School Activities Association make decisions regarding transgender issues “on a case-by-case basis.” That isn’t good enough for our girls.&nbsp;

Wasinger understands this, which is why she sponsored “The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” a bill which&nbsp;<a href="https://nypost.com/2022/04/16/kansas-gov-laura-kelly-vetoes-gop-bill-banning-trans-athletes/">was vetoed</a>&nbsp;in April by Gov. Laura Kelly. At one point in the debate, Wasinger said, “I want to know why it’s OK to discriminate against young women.” That’s a question the rest of us should be asking too.&nbsp;

While Ed Hammond says he supports students, comments made during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7fyXoJppI4">a debate</a>&nbsp;with state Rep. Barb Wasinger earlier this month suggests that his commitment to protecting girls leaves something to be desired.&nbsp;&nbsp;Specifically, Hammond refused to say that he would support a ban on biological males competing in girls’ sports. Across the country, we have seen girls lose out on opportunities because they’ve had to compete against those with an unfair physical advantage.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In the 2018-2019 season, University of Pennsylvania transgender swimmer Lia Thomas&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220318183249/https:/www.swimcloud.com/swimmer/314430/rankings/">was ranked</a>&nbsp;as the NCAA’s 87th Division 1 male swimmer but took the 31st spot after competing against girls. What’s more, Thomas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/us-sports-ncaa-news-what-rank-did-lia-thomas-stand-at-while-competing-in-the-mens-swimming-division/">went from</a>&nbsp;holding 554th in the 200-yd freestyle to claiming fifth place now and moved from 65th place in the 200 yard freestyle to number one today.&nbsp;This is not an isolated example, as former Connecticut high school track athlete Selina Soule is suing her state after having been made to face off against biologically male competitors. She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/connecticut-track-athlete-sues-state-transgender-policy-womens-sports-being-robbed">told</a>&nbsp;Fox News, "I lost out on qualifying spots for the meets, better placement and possibly even scholarship opportunities. It was a very frustrating and heartbreaking thing to have to go through.”The simple truth is that male and female bodies are inherently different: they develop differently and have different capabilities, which is the whole reason why male and female athletes compete in different divisions. Then there’s the fact that female athletes shouldn’t have to share a locker room and change clothes in front of someone of the opposite sex.&nbsp;Hammond said at 1:02:58 in his debate with Wasinger that it is “common sense” to let the Kansas State High School Activities Association make decisions regarding transgender issues “on a case-by-case basis.” That isn’t good enough for our girls.&nbsp;Wasinger understands this, which is why she sponsored “The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” a bill which&nbsp;<a href="https://nypost.com/2022/04/16/kansas-gov-laura-kelly-vetoes-gop-bill-banning-trans-athletes/">was vetoed</a>&nbsp;in April by Gov. Laura Kelly. At one point in the debate, Wasinger said, “I want to know why it’s OK to discriminate against young women.” That’s a question the rest of us should be asking too.&nbsp;Eugenia Spady, Hays&nbsp;

LETTER: Protecting females in sports a crucial issue

When I’m asked&nbsp;how&nbsp;to&nbsp;best&nbsp;describe&nbsp;State Representative Barb Wasinger one word comes immediately to mind. Tenacious!

​From the day Barb Wasinger set foot in the statehouse it was clear she&nbsp;was a leader. &nbsp;For most new legislators it takes time to get their feet under them but with Barb it was different. &nbsp;Barb jumped in and immediately became an effective advocate for the people of Hays and Ellis County.

​Barb quickly earned the trust of House leadership and because of that she serves on several important committees including Taxation and Financial Institutions&nbsp;&amp; Rural Development. &nbsp;Even more impressive is that after only two years in office she was named Vice Chair of the Higher Education Budget committee where she is a powerful voice for Fort Hays State University.

​She was also Chair of the Joint Rules and Regulations and is currently it’s Vice Chair. &nbsp;Barb took the lead to get the Constitutional Amendment (HCR 5014) dealing with the out-of-control bureaucracy to the ballot.

​She is a tenacious legislator who is not afraid to do the hard work to&nbsp;actually make&nbsp;things happen&nbsp;in the Statehouse. &nbsp;Whether working on&nbsp;a&nbsp;project for House Leadership or her constituents, Barb is single-minded. &nbsp;She will not let up until the job is done.&nbsp;

The people of Ellis County need to know what an effective, tremendous asset she is for them in Topeka.

​We have big plans for her next year! &nbsp;

Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, 100th District, House Majority Leader

When I’m asked&nbsp;how&nbsp;to&nbsp;best&nbsp;describe&nbsp;State Representative Barb Wasinger one word comes immediately to mind. Tenacious!​From the day Barb Wasinger set foot in the statehouse it was clear she&nbsp;was a leader. &nbsp;For most new legislators it takes time to get their feet under them but with Barb it was different. &nbsp;Barb jumped in and immediately became an effective advocate for the people of Hays and Ellis County.​Barb quickly earned the trust of House leadership and because of that she serves on several important committees including Taxation and Financial Institutions&nbsp;&amp; Rural Development. &nbsp;Even more impressive is that after only two years in office she was named Vice Chair of the Higher Education Budget committee where she is a powerful voice for Fort Hays State University.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>​She was also Chair of the Joint Rules and Regulations and is currently it’s Vice Chair. &nbsp;Barb took the lead to get the Constitutional Amendment (HCR 5014) dealing with the out-of-control bureaucracy to the ballot.​She is a tenacious legislator who is not afraid to do the hard work to&nbsp;actually make&nbsp;things happen&nbsp;in the Statehouse. &nbsp;Whether working on&nbsp;a&nbsp;project for House Leadership or her constituents, Barb is single-minded. &nbsp;She will not let up until the job is done.&nbsp;The people of Ellis County need to know what an effective, tremendous asset she is for them in Topeka.​We have big plans for her next year! &nbsp;I give her my strongest endorsement.Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, 100th District, House Majority Leader

LETTER: House leader — big plans for Wasinger

By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau I recently had to fire up the furnace for the first time this season. As painful as it was to switch the thermostat from the off position to heat, Mother Nature forced my hand with a hard freeze about two weeks early. In my mind there’s nothing better than waking up in a chilly house. On the flip side, there’s nothing worse than being awoken by a freezing house. The acorns falling on my roof for the past few weeks were one of the first signals this day was coming. Despite the drought, the oak tree north of my house has had a productive year. We’ve endured what can best be described as an intermittent hailstorm since late August. The seeds land with a thud before rolling into the gutter. Some of the larger acorns get a significant enough bounce off the hipped roof to make it to the patio, which adds an extra bit of excitement to each step once the little ovals are covered by leaves. The leaves and acorns will require some extra work over the coming weeks to remove. Like switching on the heat, raking leaves, disconnecting hoses and cleaning gutters are just some of the season’s many routines. In a couple of weeks my wife and I will participate in what’s become another fall tradition, voting early. Like any good idiosyncratic custom, this habit developed accidentally rather than on purpose. We’ll go out to breakfast on the Saturday before Election Day. On our way home we’ll stop by the county annex building to cast our ballots. I don’t remember exactly how this particular routine got started, but it ranks high on the list for why fall is my favorite season. Even if I’m not fully satisfied with the slate of candidates, I get to talk over the choices with my wife at our favorite breakfast place. Of course, voting early does involve a little risk. There’s always the chance of late-breaking news happening in the hours between Saturday morning and Tuesday evening that would change my vote in a particular race. I think the odds of that happening are up there with delaying my vote, getting busy on the second Tuesday of November and not voting, only to see a race end in a tie all because I didn’t cast my ballot. Both are plausible if highly unlikely scenarios. After voting, we’ll likely spend the rest of the day working outside, picking up acorns that have bounced off the roof and raking leaves into giant piles. At least one of us will probably try to watch a little football and possibly sneak in an afternoon nap. In some ways, elections are the easiest way we control our own governance. The hard work comes later, when you have to ensure winning candidates stick to their campaign promises if you voted for them. Tougher still is convincing someone you didn’t vote for to reconsider their position. That work will come in a different season. Whether you’re starting a tradition or sticking to an old routine, fall is voting season. I encourage you to make the most of it and cast your ballot anytime between now and Nov. 8.

"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/2019/11/1574694551876.png" alt="Greg Doering&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Greg Doering&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau I recently had to fire up the furnace for the first time this season. As painful as it was to switch the thermostat from the off position to heat, Mother Nature forced my hand with a hard freeze about two weeks early. In my mind there’s nothing better than waking up in a chilly house. On the flip side, there’s nothing worse than being awoken by a freezing house. The acorns falling on my roof for the past few weeks were one of the first signals this day was coming. Despite the drought, the oak tree north of my house has had a productive year. We’ve endured what can best be described as an intermittent hailstorm since late August. The seeds land with a thud before rolling into the gutter. Some of the larger acorns get a significant enough bounce off the hipped roof to make it to the patio, which adds an extra bit of excitement to each step once the little ovals are covered by leaves. The leaves and acorns will require some extra work over the coming weeks to remove. Like switching on the heat, raking leaves, disconnecting hoses and cleaning gutters are just some of the season’s many routines. In a couple of weeks my wife and I will participate in what’s become another fall tradition, voting early. Like any good idiosyncratic custom, this habit developed accidentally rather than on purpose. We’ll go out to breakfast on the Saturday before Election Day. On our way home we’ll stop by the county annex building to cast our ballots. I don’t remember exactly how this particular routine got started, but it ranks high on the list for why fall is my favorite season. Even if I’m not fully satisfied with the slate of candidates, I get to talk over the choices with my wife at our favorite breakfast place. Of course, voting early does involve a little risk. There’s always the chance of late-breaking news happening in the hours between Saturday morning and Tuesday evening that would change my vote in a particular race. I think the odds of that happening are up there with delaying my vote, getting busy on the second Tuesday of November and not voting, only to see a race end in a tie all because I didn’t cast my ballot. Both are plausible if highly unlikely scenarios. After voting, we’ll likely spend the rest of the day working outside, picking up acorns that have bounced off the roof and raking leaves into giant piles. At least one of us will probably try to watch a little football and possibly sneak in an afternoon nap. In some ways, elections are the easiest way we control our own governance. The hard work comes later, when you have to ensure winning candidates stick to their campaign promises if you voted for them. Tougher still is convincing someone you didn’t vote for to reconsider their position. That work will come in a different season. Whether you’re starting a tradition or sticking to an old routine, fall is voting season. I encourage you to make the most of it and cast your ballot anytime between now and Nov. 8."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: Routines of fall

In these ridiculously partisan times,&nbsp;it may be a stretch to expect&nbsp;voters to look to the&nbsp;issues&nbsp;when&nbsp;checking a ballot&nbsp;box&nbsp;in the upcoming weeks, but that’s exactly what I’m&nbsp;asking&nbsp;you to do.

And when you look&nbsp;closely&nbsp;at&nbsp;the key issues of the economy, healthcare,&nbsp;and education, you’re going to want to vote for Ed Hammond&nbsp;to represent the 111th&nbsp;District&nbsp;(including Hays and Victoria)&nbsp;in the Kansas Legislature.

Let’s start with the economy and healthcare together since they both&nbsp;are intertwined with the issue of Medicaid&nbsp;expansion. Five years ago, a bipartisan&nbsp;Kansas Legislature passed Medicaid&nbsp;expansion, but then-Governor Brownback vetoed it.

Kansas legislators&nbsp;no doubt passed this measure&nbsp;because, quite frankly, it’s the right thing to do&nbsp;—&nbsp;and&nbsp;every surrounding state must agree:&nbsp;Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Colorado have all passed Medicaid&nbsp;expansion, and their residents benefit, while Kansas residents do not.&nbsp;And economists note that, because of the tax benefits,&nbsp;states&nbsp;that pass expansion&nbsp;either see&nbsp;no deficit&nbsp;in&nbsp;their bottom line&nbsp;or, in some cases, even see a positive economic impact.

Without expansion, who&nbsp;even&nbsp;qualifies for Medicaid&nbsp;coverage in Kansas? Only the poorest of the poor.&nbsp;Currently,&nbsp;for a parent supporting two children,&nbsp;the salary cap&nbsp;for eligibility&nbsp;is a mere $8,500/year,&nbsp;and the wage cap is $4/hour.&nbsp;Yes, you read that right.&nbsp;It’s absurd and even negligent. This tough economy hurts&nbsp;everyone, but especially the poor—&nbsp;and without Medicaid&nbsp;expansion, they suffer even more.

“Our current representative&nbsp;[Barb Wasinger]&nbsp;has chosen not to advocate for expansion and in fact has actively participated in blocking it. The time is now to have Medicaid expansion,”&nbsp;candidate Ed Hammond says.

Were he to be elected, another&nbsp;benefit would hit close to home:&nbsp;fair and equitable state funding for Fort Hays State University, which is a&nbsp;significant&nbsp;employer and economic force in the 111th&nbsp;District.&nbsp;As a former president of FHSU, Hammond would be&nbsp;a knowledgeable and effective advocate.&nbsp;During his campaign, he has outlined&nbsp;how&nbsp;the current state-funding model is outdated and costs FHSU&nbsp;$20&nbsp;million-30 million a year.You can believe that, if elected, he will fight for our university, and the economic and educational&nbsp;boon will benefit the entire district.

Hammond will also fight for full funding for special education and K-12 schools. The current legislature, of which the incumbent is a part, has essentially robbed Peter to pay Paul. They fully funded the&nbsp;operational&nbsp;side of school budgets but then&nbsp;shortchanged the&nbsp;educational&nbsp;side, leaving special education 20% short of its necessary funding.&nbsp;So where will that money come from?&nbsp;It&nbsp;must&nbsp;come from somewhere because schools are required by law to meet the needs of disabled students.&nbsp;Hammond points out that&nbsp;this shortfall “puts pressure on local school district mill levies&nbsp;—&nbsp;equivalent to 5 mills in Hays and 3.5 in Victoria.”

Regardless of your own political party,&nbsp;if you care about the economy, the health of&nbsp;our state’s&nbsp;most vulnerable&nbsp;citizens, and&nbsp;the education of our children&nbsp;and FHSU students, then Ed Hammond deserves your vote.&nbsp;When he was president, he led Fort Hays State University&nbsp;through periods of great innovation, expansion, and financial stability. Let’s have him do the same for the State of Kansas.

In these ridiculously partisan times,&nbsp;it may be a stretch to expect&nbsp;voters to look to the&nbsp;issues&nbsp;when&nbsp;checking a ballot&nbsp;box&nbsp;in the upcoming weeks, but that’s exactly what I’m&nbsp;asking&nbsp;you to do.And when you look&nbsp;closely&nbsp;at&nbsp;the key issues of the economy, healthcare,&nbsp;and education, you’re going to want to vote for Ed Hammond&nbsp;to represent the 111th&nbsp;District&nbsp;(including Hays and Victoria)&nbsp;in the Kansas Legislature.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Let’s start with the economy and healthcare together since they both&nbsp;are intertwined with the issue of Medicaid&nbsp;expansion. Five years ago, a bipartisan&nbsp;Kansas Legislature passed Medicaid&nbsp;expansion, but then-Governor Brownback vetoed it.Kansas legislators&nbsp;no doubt passed this measure&nbsp;because, quite frankly, it’s the right thing to do&nbsp;—&nbsp;and&nbsp;every surrounding state must agree:&nbsp;Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Colorado have all passed Medicaid&nbsp;expansion, and their residents benefit, while Kansas residents do not.&nbsp;And economists note that, because of the tax benefits,&nbsp;states&nbsp;that pass expansion&nbsp;either see&nbsp;no deficit&nbsp;in&nbsp;their bottom line&nbsp;or, in some cases, even see a positive economic impact.Without expansion, who&nbsp;even&nbsp;qualifies for Medicaid&nbsp;coverage in Kansas? Only the poorest of the poor.&nbsp;Currently,&nbsp;for a parent supporting two children,&nbsp;the salary cap&nbsp;for eligibility&nbsp;is a mere $8,500/year,&nbsp;and the wage cap is $4/hour.&nbsp;Yes, you read that right.&nbsp;It’s absurd and even negligent. This tough economy hurts&nbsp;everyone, but especially the poor—&nbsp;and without Medicaid&nbsp;expansion, they suffer even more.“Our current representative&nbsp;[Barb Wasinger]&nbsp;has chosen not to advocate for expansion and in fact has actively participated in blocking it. The time is now to have Medicaid expansion,”&nbsp;candidate Ed Hammond says.Were he to be elected, another&nbsp;benefit would hit close to home:&nbsp;fair and equitable state funding for Fort Hays State University, which is a&nbsp;significant&nbsp;employer and economic force in the 111th&nbsp;District.&nbsp;As a former president of FHSU, Hammond would be&nbsp;a knowledgeable and effective advocate.&nbsp;During his campaign, he has outlined&nbsp;how&nbsp;the current state-funding model is outdated and costs FHSU&nbsp;$20&nbsp;million-30 million a year.You can believe that, if elected, he will fight for our university, and the economic and educational&nbsp;boon will benefit the entire district.Hammond will also fight for full funding for special education and K-12 schools. The current legislature, of which the incumbent is a part, has essentially robbed Peter to pay Paul. They fully funded the&nbsp;operational&nbsp;side of school budgets but then&nbsp;shortchanged the&nbsp;educational&nbsp;side, leaving special education 20% short of its necessary funding.&nbsp;So where will that money come from?&nbsp;It&nbsp;must&nbsp;come from somewhere because schools are required by law to meet the needs of disabled students.&nbsp;Hammond points out that&nbsp;this shortfall “puts pressure on local school district mill levies&nbsp;—&nbsp;equivalent to 5 mills in Hays and 3.5 in Victoria.”Regardless of your own political party,&nbsp;if you care about the economy, the health of&nbsp;our state’s&nbsp;most vulnerable&nbsp;citizens, and&nbsp;the education of our children&nbsp;and FHSU students, then Ed Hammond deserves your vote.&nbsp;When he was president, he led Fort Hays State University&nbsp;through periods of great innovation, expansion, and financial stability. Let’s have him do the same for the State of Kansas.Cheryl Hofstetter Duffy, Hays

LETTER: Republican or Democrat, vote for Ed Hammond

In the Oct. 12 forum between Rep. Barb Wasinger and challenger Ed Hammond, Rep. Wasinger advocated for a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would give the Legislature the authority to revoke or suspend regulations adopted by state agencies.&nbsp; She said this amendment is meant to keep unelected bureaucrats from creating unnecessary or overreaching regulations.&nbsp; However, this amendment is an unnecessary power grab by the Legislature.

Remember, the executive branch agencies develop regulations based on laws passed by the Legislature.&nbsp; There is already a well-established process for developing regulations, which requires approvals from the Director of the Budget, Secretary of Administration, and the Attorney General, followed by public comment at a hearing.&nbsp; Rep. Wasinger’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and Regulations can also provide comments on proposed regulations, which have equal weight to those provided at the public hearing.&nbsp; This regulatory process is much more transparent than the Legislature’s and doesn’t involve the sneaky tactics of “Gut and Go” and votes after midnight, commonly used by the Legislature.

Rep. Wasinger’s example of regulations that went too far were new Workers Compensation regulations proposed by the Department of Labor.&nbsp; She asked the Attorney General to review them a second time, but didn’t say whether the regulations eventually were adopted.&nbsp; If they weren’t, that would show the current regulatory process worked and that the constitutional amendment is unnecessary.&nbsp; If they were, then shame on Attorney General Derek Schmidt for doing a poor job of reviewing them during the formal regulatory process.

The Legislature can already revoke regulations by passing laws, but this Constitutional amendment would just make it easier for them – no need to come up with the votes for a veto-proof majority if the Governor disagrees with them.

Giving the Legislature the power to revoke regulations by a simple majority would create regulatory uncertainty.&nbsp; What would happen if the Legislature revoked a regulation?&nbsp; The constitutional amendment on the ballot doesn’t address this.&nbsp; Would the previous regulation be in effect?&nbsp; Or, would there be no regulations in that area?&nbsp; If the latter, that could be dangerous and chaotic.

So, please vote no on this constitutional amendment.

In the Oct. 12 forum between Rep. Barb Wasinger and challenger Ed Hammond, Rep. Wasinger advocated for a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would give the Legislature the authority to revoke or suspend regulations adopted by state agencies.&nbsp; She said this amendment is meant to keep unelected bureaucrats from creating unnecessary or overreaching regulations.&nbsp; However, this amendment is an unnecessary power grab by the Legislature.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Remember, the executive branch agencies develop regulations based on laws passed by the Legislature.&nbsp; There is already a well-established process for developing regulations, which requires approvals from the Director of the Budget, Secretary of Administration, and the Attorney General, followed by public comment at a hearing.&nbsp; Rep. Wasinger’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and Regulations can also provide comments on proposed regulations, which have equal weight to those provided at the public hearing.&nbsp; This regulatory process is much more transparent than the Legislature’s and doesn’t involve the sneaky tactics of “Gut and Go” and votes after midnight, commonly used by the Legislature.Rep. Wasinger’s example of regulations that went too far were new Workers Compensation regulations proposed by the Department of Labor.&nbsp; She asked the Attorney General to review them a second time, but didn’t say whether the regulations eventually were adopted.&nbsp; If they weren’t, that would show the current regulatory process worked and that the constitutional amendment is unnecessary.&nbsp; If they were, then shame on Attorney General Derek Schmidt for doing a poor job of reviewing them during the formal regulatory process.The Legislature can already revoke regulations by passing laws, but this Constitutional amendment would just make it easier for them – no need to come up with the votes for a veto-proof majority if the Governor disagrees with them.Giving the Legislature the power to revoke regulations by a simple majority would create regulatory uncertainty.&nbsp; What would happen if the Legislature revoked a regulation?&nbsp; The constitutional amendment on the ballot doesn’t address this.&nbsp; Would the previous regulation be in effect?&nbsp; Or, would there be no regulations in that area?&nbsp; If the latter, that could be dangerous and chaotic.So, please vote no on this constitutional amendment.Helen Hands, Hays

LETTER: Amendment an unnecessary power grab by Legislature

Throwing money at a problem is not leadership or an answer.&nbsp;But State Representative Barb&nbsp;Wasinger’s&nbsp;democratic opponent thinks otherwise.

We have heard a lot from Ed Hammond over the last month. &nbsp;Unfortunately, even though he has said a lot,&nbsp;he hasn’t told us much about himself, his positions, or his beliefs. &nbsp;He has mostly spent his time telling us why his opponent is&nbsp;bad and&nbsp;wrong&nbsp;while&nbsp;not giving us much of an understanding of his ideas and solutions.

We know his position on education. &nbsp;He believes schools should have an open checkbook that allows them to spend as much money as needed to provide a good education. &nbsp;The problem is that Kansas’s checkbook is not limitless,&nbsp;and money doesn’t guarantee a good education. &nbsp;Barb knows we&nbsp;must&nbsp;ensure every dollar is spent wisely and gets to the teacher and the classroom. &nbsp;

Ed Hammond wants a blank check for public schools and universities without restrictions or guidance to ensure that money&nbsp;reaches&nbsp;the teachers, students, and classrooms.&nbsp;&nbsp;Funding is not the only problem with&nbsp;schools and&nbsp;special education. &nbsp;Does he have a plan on how he&nbsp;will&nbsp;help&nbsp;fix the existing system? &nbsp;If he does,&nbsp;it would be great to hear that plan. &nbsp;

Barb&nbsp;has been consistently&nbsp;pro-education, pro-student, and pro-teacher.&nbsp;She&nbsp;wants each young person in our state to&nbsp;receive&nbsp;a high-quality education. &nbsp;She wants to see every single student be&nbsp;prepared&nbsp;for&nbsp;success when they&nbsp;leave our schools. &nbsp;Money is part of that solution,&nbsp;but only if it is well spent&nbsp;with an understanding that it is not limitless. &nbsp;

We&nbsp;would like to hear where Ed stands on other issues that are very important to us too. &nbsp;Education is only part of the legislative agenda, and&nbsp;many other issues will be proposed and debated this year. &nbsp;I have even&nbsp;searched his website for answers to&nbsp;abortion and&nbsp;defunding the police, for example,&nbsp;and&nbsp;found none.&nbsp;These issues in my opinion need to be on the forefront of the debate.&nbsp;

Since&nbsp;education&nbsp;is&nbsp;the only topic that Ed wants to discuss, we would like to know how he will vote on these two issues which affect our schools and&nbsp;their&nbsp;athletic programs. &nbsp;This year we are excited to be celebrating&nbsp;fifty&nbsp;years since the&nbsp;historic&nbsp;passing&nbsp;of&nbsp;Title&nbsp;IX.&nbsp;Title IX&nbsp;has been&nbsp;an&nbsp;incredible&nbsp;game-changer&nbsp;for women’s athletics and activities. &nbsp;We&nbsp;would like to hear how he will continue to protect women’s athletics&nbsp;in our state. &nbsp;Will he ensure that females only have to compete against other females and that they will have privacy in their&nbsp;own&nbsp;locker rooms? &nbsp;Will he ensure that only other female athletes break the records they worked so hard to set? &nbsp;We would like to hear his view on this issue as it affects many of our daughters.

The other thing we would like to know is how he is going to vote in the upcoming vote on the KSHSAA Multiplier. Is he for punishing private schools&nbsp;(primarily catholic schools)&nbsp;by forcing them to play up a classification? &nbsp;The current proposal&nbsp;to&nbsp;be voted on in the Kansas legislature will force many private schools to play up a classification against much bigger schools. &nbsp;These schools are being punished for being successful against schools of a similar size.&nbsp;They are putting kids at risk in sports like football and wrestling by making them compete against much bigger schools.&nbsp;Public schools&nbsp;with the same success level&nbsp;against their similar-sized peers do not receive a bump. &nbsp;Why is one group of schools treated differently? &nbsp;The voters would like to hear how Ed Hammond will vote&nbsp;on&nbsp;this proposal as it affects our community and schools. &nbsp;

Ed Hammond states that K&nbsp;-&nbsp;12, Fort Hays State and&nbsp;HaysMed&nbsp;are the largest employers in the area, what he forgets to mention&nbsp;is&nbsp;they are all tax dollar funded and&nbsp;other than&nbsp;HaysMed&nbsp;they do not&nbsp;produce actual income. They take the wealth from the citizens in tax&nbsp;dollars,&nbsp;but&nbsp;no one has mentioned this.&nbsp;

Though I feel Medicaid expansion is important, if it wouldn’t have been for the unrelated abortion debate derailing the bipartisan effort in the 2022 session, it probably would have passed.

Although Kansas has not implemented the ACA’s Medicaid expansion, the state did implement the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-postpartum-coverage-extension-tracker/">American Rescue Plan&nbsp;provision</a>&nbsp;that allows states to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months (postpartum Medicaid coverage previously ended 60 days after the baby was born). In Kansas, the postpartum Medicaid coverage extension&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-kelly-announces-approved-expansion-of-medicaid-coverage-to-kansas-mothers-postpartum/">took effect in April 2022</a>.

These are just a few examples of the many things Ed has not told us about his beliefs and how he will vote on issues. &nbsp;If we elect someone to represent us, we need to know what&nbsp;they&nbsp;stand&nbsp;for and how&nbsp;they&nbsp;will represent us on all the issues&nbsp;and not just education.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Throwing money at a problem is not leadership or an answer.&nbsp;But State Representative Barb&nbsp;Wasinger’s&nbsp;democratic opponent thinks otherwise.We have heard a lot from Ed Hammond over the last month. &nbsp;Unfortunately, even though he has said a lot,&nbsp;he hasn’t told us much about himself, his positions, or his beliefs. &nbsp;He has mostly spent his time telling us why his opponent is&nbsp;bad and&nbsp;wrong&nbsp;while&nbsp;not giving us much of an understanding of his ideas and solutions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>We know his position on education. &nbsp;He believes schools should have an open checkbook that allows them to spend as much money as needed to provide a good education. &nbsp;The problem is that Kansas’s checkbook is not limitless,&nbsp;and money doesn’t guarantee a good education. &nbsp;Barb knows we&nbsp;must&nbsp;ensure every dollar is spent wisely and gets to the teacher and the classroom. &nbsp;Ed Hammond wants a blank check for public schools and universities without restrictions or guidance to ensure that money&nbsp;reaches&nbsp;the teachers, students, and classrooms.&nbsp;&nbsp;Funding is not the only problem with&nbsp;schools and&nbsp;special education. &nbsp;Does he have a plan on how he&nbsp;will&nbsp;help&nbsp;fix the existing system? &nbsp;If he does,&nbsp;it would be great to hear that plan. &nbsp;Barb&nbsp;has been consistently&nbsp;pro-education, pro-student, and pro-teacher.&nbsp;She&nbsp;wants each young person in our state to&nbsp;receive&nbsp;a high-quality education. &nbsp;She wants to see every single student be&nbsp;prepared&nbsp;for&nbsp;success when they&nbsp;leave our schools. &nbsp;Money is part of that solution,&nbsp;but only if it is well spent&nbsp;with an understanding that it is not limitless. &nbsp;We&nbsp;would like to hear where Ed stands on other issues that are very important to us too. &nbsp;Education is only part of the legislative agenda, and&nbsp;many other issues will be proposed and debated this year. &nbsp;I have even&nbsp;searched his website for answers to&nbsp;abortion and&nbsp;defunding the police, for example,&nbsp;and&nbsp;found none.&nbsp;These issues in my opinion need to be on the forefront of the debate.&nbsp;Since&nbsp;education&nbsp;is&nbsp;the only topic that Ed wants to discuss, we would like to know how he will vote on these two issues which affect our schools and&nbsp;their&nbsp;athletic programs. &nbsp;This year we are excited to be celebrating&nbsp;fifty&nbsp;years since the&nbsp;historic&nbsp;passing&nbsp;of&nbsp;Title&nbsp;IX.&nbsp;Title IX&nbsp;has been&nbsp;an&nbsp;incredible&nbsp;game-changer&nbsp;for women’s athletics and activities. &nbsp;We&nbsp;would like to hear how he will continue to protect women’s athletics&nbsp;in our state. &nbsp;Will he ensure that females only have to compete against other females and that they will have privacy in their&nbsp;own&nbsp;locker rooms? &nbsp;Will he ensure that only other female athletes break the records they worked so hard to set? &nbsp;We would like to hear his view on this issue as it affects many of our daughters.The other thing we would like to know is how he is going to vote in the upcoming vote on the KSHSAA Multiplier. Is he for punishing private schools&nbsp;(primarily catholic schools)&nbsp;by forcing them to play up a classification? &nbsp;The current proposal&nbsp;to&nbsp;be voted on in the Kansas legislature will force many private schools to play up a classification against much bigger schools. &nbsp;These schools are being punished for being successful against schools of a similar size.&nbsp;They are putting kids at risk in sports like football and wrestling by making them compete against much bigger schools.&nbsp;Public schools&nbsp;with the same success level&nbsp;against their similar-sized peers do not receive a bump. &nbsp;Why is one group of schools treated differently? &nbsp;The voters would like to hear how Ed Hammond will vote&nbsp;on&nbsp;this proposal as it affects our community and schools. &nbsp;Ed Hammond states that K&nbsp;-&nbsp;12, Fort Hays State and&nbsp;HaysMed&nbsp;are the largest employers in the area, what he forgets to mention&nbsp;is&nbsp;they are all tax dollar funded and&nbsp;other than&nbsp;HaysMed&nbsp;they do not&nbsp;produce actual income. They take the wealth from the citizens in tax&nbsp;dollars,&nbsp;but&nbsp;no one has mentioned this.&nbsp;Though I feel Medicaid expansion is important, if it wouldn’t have been for the unrelated abortion debate derailing the bipartisan effort in the 2022 session, it probably would have passed.Although Kansas has not implemented the ACA’s Medicaid expansion, the state did implement the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-postpartum-coverage-extension-tracker/">American Rescue Plan&nbsp;provision</a>&nbsp;that allows states to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months (postpartum Medicaid coverage previously ended 60 days after the baby was born). In Kansas, the postpartum Medicaid coverage extension&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-kelly-announces-approved-expansion-of-medicaid-coverage-to-kansas-mothers-postpartum/">took effect in April 2022</a>.These are just a few examples of the many things Ed has not told us about his beliefs and how he will vote on issues. &nbsp;If we elect someone to represent us, we need to know what&nbsp;they&nbsp;stand&nbsp;for and how&nbsp;they&nbsp;will represent us on all the issues&nbsp;and not just education.&nbsp;&nbsp;Joe Wilkerson , Catharine

LETTER: Education spending, Title IX and KSHSSA 

In this month's Hays Chamber&nbsp;of Commerce&nbsp;candidate forum, Democrat Ed Hammond&nbsp;brought up the issue of “dark money” being spent in the&nbsp;state&nbsp;representative race between&nbsp;incumbentState Representative Barb Wasinger and him. &nbsp;Dark money seems to be&nbsp;a&nbsp;big&nbsp;bugaboo for&nbsp;Democrat&nbsp;Hammond&nbsp;(Hammond was a registered Republican until May&nbsp;of this year when hea dmittedly approached the Democrat party&nbsp;&nbsp;to run for office).

A close second, however,&nbsp;is&nbsp;his&nbsp;disdain&nbsp;for the Kansas Chamber’s&nbsp;audacity to support&nbsp;various Kansas&nbsp;candidates&nbsp;with a campaign contribution. Apparently, giving the maximum dollar donation of $500 to candidates somehow&nbsp;beholdens&nbsp;them to vote for every issue the Kansas Chamber champions.

I was curious about his comments, so I decided to evaluate his claims.&nbsp;What I found&nbsp;truly illustrates&nbsp;the&nbsp;sort of&nbsp;blatant hypocrisy that&nbsp;has infiltrated our politics&nbsp;for far too long&nbsp;and eroded our trust&nbsp;in our institutions.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2020,&nbsp;Democrat Barbara Bollier,&nbsp;who ran against&nbsp;now&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, was the beneficiary of&nbsp;over&nbsp;$20 Million dollars of campaign contributions,&nbsp;the majority of which came&nbsp;from out-of-state contributors&nbsp;and&nbsp;Super PACs, exactly&nbsp;what Hammond&nbsp;would&nbsp;describe as dark money. &nbsp;This year, Democrat Governor Laura Kelly is the recipient of millions of dollars of out of state money and dark money campaign donations.&nbsp;I have yet to see any opposition to the dark money being spent on behalf of Democrat Kelly either.&nbsp;

Indeed,&nbsp;a quick review of Hammond’s own financial disclosures shows&nbsp;he&nbsp;has&nbsp;too&nbsp;taken&nbsp;PAC&nbsp;money. His disclosures&nbsp;also show he has taken money&nbsp;from&nbsp;representatives of the Kansas Medical Society,&nbsp;a proponent of Obamacare expansion, a program&nbsp;he is more than happy to vocally support.&nbsp;Hammond,&nbsp;local,&nbsp;state&nbsp;and national Democrats&nbsp;are apparently perfectly fine&nbsp;with taking the “right kind”&nbsp;money from&nbsp;PACs&nbsp;or special interests when&nbsp;it works in their&nbsp;favor but promote a&nbsp;narrative&nbsp;about how corrupt Republicans are for accepting similar contributions.

More interesting is Hammond’s incessant railing against the Kansas Chamber and its&nbsp;purported&nbsp;terrible influence on candidates he and other state and local Democrats oppose. &nbsp;You see, according to them, if a candidate takes a donation from the Kansas Chamber,&nbsp;that candidate is automatically considered corrupted and state representatives and senators who do so&nbsp;are&nbsp;deemed to be incapable of&nbsp;voting for an issue&nbsp;which in their view is&nbsp;in the best interests&nbsp;of the people they serve.

But here is the most interesting aspect of Hammond’s&nbsp;claims. &nbsp;He served on the Board of&nbsp;Directors of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce&nbsp;for&nbsp;a number of&nbsp;years.&nbsp;How&nbsp;is it&nbsp;acceptable to take a seat on the Kansas Chamber’s board,&nbsp;then&nbsp;turn around and bash it every chance he gets for being a bad influence on Kansas legislators?

I don’t know about everyone else, but&nbsp;from&nbsp;my perspective&nbsp;Democrat Hammond’s criticism of dark money and the Kansas Chamber rings hollow and represents the height of hypocrisy. &nbsp;I believe in our political system, and I believe we can do better. That is why I am voting for&nbsp;Representative Barb Wasinger.&nbsp;I believe our&nbsp;community&nbsp;needs someone who we know lives her values, says what she means, and is focused on real issues that Kansas voters care about.&nbsp;

In this month's Hays Chamber&nbsp;of Commerce&nbsp;candidate forum, Democrat Ed Hammond&nbsp;brought up the issue of “dark money” being spent in the&nbsp;state&nbsp;representative race between&nbsp;incumbentState Representative Barb Wasinger and him. &nbsp;Dark money seems to be&nbsp;a&nbsp;big&nbsp;bugaboo for&nbsp;Democrat&nbsp;Hammond&nbsp;(Hammond was a registered Republican until May&nbsp;of this year when hea dmittedly approached the Democrat party&nbsp;&nbsp;to run for office).A close second, however,&nbsp;is&nbsp;his&nbsp;disdain&nbsp;for the Kansas Chamber’s&nbsp;audacity to support&nbsp;various Kansas&nbsp;candidates&nbsp;with a campaign contribution. Apparently, giving the maximum dollar donation of $500 to candidates somehow&nbsp;beholdens&nbsp;them to vote for every issue the Kansas Chamber champions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>I was curious about his comments, so I decided to evaluate his claims.&nbsp;What I found&nbsp;truly illustrates&nbsp;the&nbsp;sort of&nbsp;blatant hypocrisy that&nbsp;has infiltrated our politics&nbsp;for far too long&nbsp;and eroded our trust&nbsp;in our institutions.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2020,&nbsp;Democrat Barbara Bollier,&nbsp;who ran against&nbsp;now&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, was the beneficiary of&nbsp;over&nbsp;$20 Million dollars of campaign contributions,&nbsp;the majority of which came&nbsp;from out-of-state contributors&nbsp;and&nbsp;Super PACs, exactly&nbsp;what Hammond&nbsp;would&nbsp;describe as dark money. &nbsp;This year, Democrat Governor Laura Kelly is the recipient of millions of dollars of out of state money and dark money campaign donations.&nbsp;I have yet to see any opposition to the dark money being spent on behalf of Democrat Kelly either.&nbsp;Indeed,&nbsp;a quick review of Hammond’s own financial disclosures shows&nbsp;he&nbsp;has&nbsp;too&nbsp;taken&nbsp;PAC&nbsp;money. His disclosures&nbsp;also show he has taken money&nbsp;from&nbsp;representatives of the Kansas Medical Society,&nbsp;a proponent of Obamacare expansion, a program&nbsp;he is more than happy to vocally support.&nbsp;Hammond,&nbsp;local,&nbsp;state&nbsp;and national Democrats&nbsp;are apparently perfectly fine&nbsp;with taking the “right kind”&nbsp;money from&nbsp;PACs&nbsp;or special interests when&nbsp;it works in their&nbsp;favor but promote a&nbsp;narrative&nbsp;about how corrupt Republicans are for accepting similar contributions.More interesting is Hammond’s incessant railing against the Kansas Chamber and its&nbsp;purported&nbsp;terrible influence on candidates he and other state and local Democrats oppose. &nbsp;You see, according to them, if a candidate takes a donation from the Kansas Chamber,&nbsp;that candidate is automatically considered corrupted and state representatives and senators who do so&nbsp;are&nbsp;deemed to be incapable of&nbsp;voting for an issue&nbsp;which in their view is&nbsp;in the best interests&nbsp;of the people they serve.But here is the most interesting aspect of Hammond’s&nbsp;claims. &nbsp;He served on the Board of&nbsp;Directors of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce&nbsp;for&nbsp;a number of&nbsp;years.&nbsp;How&nbsp;is it&nbsp;acceptable to take a seat on the Kansas Chamber’s board,&nbsp;then&nbsp;turn around and bash it every chance he gets for being a bad influence on Kansas legislators?I don’t know about everyone else, but&nbsp;from&nbsp;my perspective&nbsp;Democrat Hammond’s criticism of dark money and the Kansas Chamber rings hollow and represents the height of hypocrisy. &nbsp;I believe in our political system, and I believe we can do better. That is why I am voting for&nbsp;Representative Barb Wasinger.&nbsp;I believe our&nbsp;community&nbsp;needs someone who we know lives her values, says what she means, and is focused on real issues that Kansas voters care about.&nbsp;Chris McGowne, Hays

LETTER: The two faces of Ed Hammond

Abortion rights may not be on the ballot, but&nbsp;they&nbsp;will undoubtedly&nbsp;influence&nbsp;the&nbsp;November&nbsp;election.&nbsp;

You’ve probably heard a lot of people try to&nbsp;extrapolate&nbsp;from&nbsp;the August 2nd&nbsp;results to forecast&nbsp;what will happen on November 8th.&nbsp;

Doing so is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

November is a different election with different&nbsp;motivations&nbsp;for voter turnout. The question of abortion rights is not on the ballot for a direct democratic vote the way it was in August.

Between 20 and 30 percent of “No” voters in August were registered Republicans.&nbsp;On the issue of abortion alone, those Republicans voted that it should remain&nbsp;legal,&nbsp;but this issue isn’t a priority for many Republicans when there are other issues at play&nbsp;in the election.

In national polling, abortion is battling with inflation as the top political issue of the midterms.

In the polls, Republicans are more likely to say inflation is the most important issue, while Democrats and independents&nbsp;still seem to be mostly&nbsp;mobilized by&nbsp;abortion rights.

So, if the August results can’t tell us who will win the general election, what can they tell us?

Turnout is likely to remain higher than previous midterm elections and it is likely due to increased turnout among specific demographics of voters.

Women, especially young women, had a massive surge in turnout in August.

In the months leading up to the election, women made up&nbsp;a majority of&nbsp;first-time registered voters. Also, the number of women registering to vote increased about 35 percent over the summer&nbsp;compared to previous years. There was only a 9 percent increase among men.

Furthermore, women cast&nbsp;56 percent of all votes on the amendment.&nbsp;The&nbsp;12 point&nbsp;gender gap in turnout&nbsp;was&nbsp;larger than any recent election and more than double the 2018 gender gap.

Additionally,&nbsp;21 percent of all voters in August were young people — those under the age of 35. In the 2018 primary, only 14% of ballots were cast by this same age group.

Turnout among Latino voters was also higher than&nbsp;in&nbsp;any other midterm election. In fact, it was higher turnout than we’ve ever seen from Latino voters&nbsp;with the exception of&nbsp;the 2020 presidential election.

Now that these&nbsp;citizens have voted, many of them for the first time, they’re more likely to vote again in the future because with each election they become more familiar with the voting process.&nbsp;Familiarity&nbsp;makes it&nbsp;easier&nbsp;for voters&nbsp;to navigate an increasingly complex system.

In general, these turnout&nbsp;trends are good news&nbsp;for the Democratic Party, which&nbsp;holds&nbsp;a majority of&nbsp;women, young people, and Latino voters within its coalition.&nbsp;But it’s far from a guaranteed victory for any of the statewide Democrats on the ballot.

We will likely once again see elevated turnout from the most ardent pro-life voters. While abortion is not on the ballot, the six judicial retention elections could dramatically alter the makeup of the Kansas Supreme Court — the very court that made the decision, in&nbsp;Hodes and&nbsp;Nauser&nbsp;v. Kansas, that abortion rights are protected by the state constitution.&nbsp;

Pro-life&nbsp;activists&nbsp;are certainly motivated&nbsp;to mobilize&nbsp;their&nbsp;voters&nbsp;against retaining these justices. A new slate of justices could potentially overturn the decision on the&nbsp;Hodes&nbsp;case if they were politically inclined to do so.&nbsp;

There’s a lot we don’t know about what will happen in November. Many statewide races are too close to call. And analyzing the August 2nd&nbsp;results can set some general expectations, but it can’t give us the answers.

The results of the November 8th&nbsp;election are between Kansas voters and the ballot box.

Alexandra Middlewood, PhD&nbsp;is an Assistant&nbsp;Professor of Political Science at&nbsp;Wichita State&nbsp;University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633377761670.jpeg" alt="Alexandra Middlewood, PhD&nbsp;is an Assistant&nbsp;Professor of Political Science at&nbsp;Wichita State&nbsp;University." />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Middlewood, PhD&nbsp;is an Assistant&nbsp;Professor of Political Science at&nbsp;Wichita State&nbsp;University.</figcaption>
 </figure>Abortion rights may not be on the ballot, but&nbsp;they&nbsp;will undoubtedly&nbsp;influence&nbsp;the&nbsp;November&nbsp;election.&nbsp;You’ve probably heard a lot of people try to&nbsp;extrapolate&nbsp;from&nbsp;the August 2nd&nbsp;results to forecast&nbsp;what will happen on November 8th.&nbsp;Doing so is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.November is a different election with different&nbsp;motivations&nbsp;for voter turnout. The question of abortion rights is not on the ballot for a direct democratic vote the way it was in August.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Between 20 and 30 percent of “No” voters in August were registered Republicans.&nbsp;On the issue of abortion alone, those Republicans voted that it should remain&nbsp;legal,&nbsp;but this issue isn’t a priority for many Republicans when there are other issues at play&nbsp;in the election.In national polling, abortion is battling with inflation as the top political issue of the midterms.In the polls, Republicans are more likely to say inflation is the most important issue, while Democrats and independents&nbsp;still seem to be mostly&nbsp;mobilized by&nbsp;abortion rights.So, if the August results can’t tell us who will win the general election, what can they tell us?It’s mostly about voter turnout.Turnout is likely to remain higher than previous midterm elections and it is likely due to increased turnout among specific demographics of voters.Women, especially young women, had a massive surge in turnout in August.In the months leading up to the election, women made up&nbsp;a majority of&nbsp;first-time registered voters. Also, the number of women registering to vote increased about 35 percent over the summer&nbsp;compared to previous years. There was only a 9 percent increase among men.Furthermore, women cast&nbsp;56 percent of all votes on the amendment.&nbsp;The&nbsp;12 point&nbsp;gender gap in turnout&nbsp;was&nbsp;larger than any recent election and more than double the 2018 gender gap.Additionally,&nbsp;21 percent of all voters in August were young people — those under the age of 35. In the 2018 primary, only 14% of ballots were cast by this same age group.Turnout among Latino voters was also higher than&nbsp;in&nbsp;any other midterm election. In fact, it was higher turnout than we’ve ever seen from Latino voters&nbsp;with the exception of&nbsp;the 2020 presidential election.Now that these&nbsp;citizens have voted, many of them for the first time, they’re more likely to vote again in the future because with each election they become more familiar with the voting process.&nbsp;Familiarity&nbsp;makes it&nbsp;easier&nbsp;for voters&nbsp;to navigate an increasingly complex system.In general, these turnout&nbsp;trends are good news&nbsp;for the Democratic Party, which&nbsp;holds&nbsp;a majority of&nbsp;women, young people, and Latino voters within its coalition.&nbsp;But it’s far from a guaranteed victory for any of the statewide Democrats on the ballot.We will likely once again see elevated turnout from the most ardent pro-life voters. While abortion is not on the ballot, the six judicial retention elections could dramatically alter the makeup of the Kansas Supreme Court — the very court that made the decision, in&nbsp;Hodes and&nbsp;Nauser&nbsp;v. Kansas, that abortion rights are protected by the state constitution.&nbsp;Pro-life&nbsp;activists&nbsp;are certainly motivated&nbsp;to mobilize&nbsp;their&nbsp;voters&nbsp;against retaining these justices. A new slate of justices could potentially overturn the decision on the&nbsp;Hodes&nbsp;case if they were politically inclined to do so.&nbsp;There’s a lot we don’t know about what will happen in November. Many statewide races are too close to call. And analyzing the August 2nd&nbsp;results can set some general expectations, but it can’t give us the answers.The results of the November 8th&nbsp;election are between Kansas voters and the ballot box.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD&nbsp;is an Assistant&nbsp;Professor of Political Science at&nbsp;Wichita State&nbsp;University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Lessons learned from Aug. 2 voter turnout

With the upcoming election just around the corner, I wanted to take the time to reach out with some brief responses to what I see are the most common questions and topics I am asked about. The goal of this correspondence is in no way to be definitive answers nor full explanations of these complex issues; however, I hope this can give clarity and add to the conversation around these topics.

Why is it taking so long to remove sales tax on food?

The legislature had sent the Governor two bills that would have eliminated the sales tax on food in her first three years in office. Both of these bills had the sales tax of food being removed over several cuts over several years, not all at once. Had the governor not vetoed the elimination of sales tax each time, by this January the sales tax on food would have been completely eliminated. Furthermore, if the bill was not vetoed by the governor, the sales tax cuts would have already been made up and paid for with offsets from internet sales tax at this point. 

Now that it is an election year, it is no surprise to me that the governor has finally signed legislation to eliminate sales tax on food. Starting in January 2023 sales tax collected will be adjusted by 2.5%; however it will take several years until it is fully removed since we are only starting now due to the governor’s actions.

When will we get mental health back in western Kansas for our youth?

Over three years ago the governor closed the facility and beds available for youth mental health treatment in Hays. The governor claimed at the time that the facility was in violation of CMS rules. These are the rules and regulations over such a facility, one of these regulations refers to the concept of comingled beds. At a high level it means that one section must be dedicated acute treatment and another for residential treatment and that there can be no acute treatment in residential treatment and visa versa.

This facility had comingled beds from the day the facility was opened and operated for all these years with comingled beds. When we asked for a copy of the order from CMS to close this facility it was never produced. The closing of this facility was a choice, not an order from CMS. The legislature moved quickly after the facility was closed to get a new facility opened. Money was put in the budget three years ago to reopen this facility. Currently, children in need of mental health treatment in western Kansas and their families must travel to Wichita or Kansas City, in what is often an unimaginable burden. 

Thankfully, the new youth mental health facility in Hays is scheduled to open in early 2023. What has occurred here over the past few years is clear; The current administration failed to move quickly or even react to the swift steps the legislature took to ensure and clarify that the facility should never have been closed and we even passed funding for this new facility years ago.

Is the legislature fully funding K-12 education?

The legislature and the governor are funding K-12 education according to the settlement of the K-12 lawsuit. However, special education funding has not and continues to not be funded at proper levels at both the state and federal levels. Even though there is a court-ordered formula that adds millions of additional dollars each year, the percentages of state funding for&nbsp;special education have continued to fall behind.

 Since Governor Kelly has taken office the special education funding percentage has continued to decline. Governor Kelly has had four years to add funding to her budget for special education and chose not to add any additional money above the formula. It has not been important to her. When COVID hit the governor closed our schools and test scores have fallen and in addition to that some of the students have not returned to school. As an example, due to lower enrollments over nineteen schools have had their funding reduced thus far.

How bad was the unemployment fraud in Kansas?

During the pandemic when unemployment skyrocketed the Kansas Department of Labor was a failure. Rather than take responsibility for this problem Governor Kelly blamed the fraud and fraudulent payments on the computer system the state uses to administer the program as well as the prior administration. However, the computer system Kansas has is also the same system as other states who did not have the same problems Kansas had.

Since the onset of the pandemic Kansas has lost money ranging from $450 million to $750 million because of unemployment fraud. The state was quick to pay fraudulent claims even after legislators reported about the fraud going on in their communities. It is ironic that the state paid all these fraudulent claims when it was unable to process legitimate claims from Kansas unemployed taxpayers. It was beyond sad to hear story after story of good people of Kansans becoming destitute. Some Kansans unable to get services were evicted from their homes, living in tents, cars, and sheds… others were unable to feed their families. 

Adding insult to injury, innocent Kansans who had fraudulent claims made by bad actors under their name and social security number are now being asked by the state of Kansas to pay income tax on the money which was sent to someone who stole their identity!

There are many more questions, which I will address in a later editorial.

Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is state senator of the 40th District.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644852447177.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear constituents and people of Kansas,With the upcoming election just around the corner, I wanted to take the time to reach out with some brief responses to what I see are the most common questions and topics I am asked about. The goal of this correspondence is in no way to be definitive answers nor full explanations of these complex issues; however, I hope this can give clarity and add to the conversation around these topics.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Why is it taking so long to remove sales tax on food?The legislature had sent the Governor two bills that would have eliminated the sales tax on food in her first three years in office. Both of these bills had the sales tax of food being removed over several cuts over several years, not all at once. Had the governor not vetoed the elimination of sales tax each time, by this January the sales tax on food would have been completely eliminated. Furthermore, if the bill was not vetoed by the governor, the sales tax cuts would have already been made up and paid for with offsets from internet sales tax at this point. Now that it is an election year, it is no surprise to me that the governor has finally signed legislation to eliminate sales tax on food. Starting in January 2023 sales tax collected will be adjusted by 2.5%; however it will take several years until it is fully removed since we are only starting now due to the governor’s actions.When will we get mental health back in western Kansas for our youth?Over three years ago the governor closed the facility and beds available for youth mental health treatment in Hays. The governor claimed at the time that the facility was in violation of CMS rules. These are the rules and regulations over such a facility, one of these regulations refers to the concept of comingled beds. At a high level it means that one section must be dedicated acute treatment and another for residential treatment and that there can be no acute treatment in residential treatment and visa versa.This facility had comingled beds from the day the facility was opened and operated for all these years with comingled beds. When we asked for a copy of the order from CMS to close this facility it was never produced. The closing of this facility was a choice, not an order from CMS. The legislature moved quickly after the facility was closed to get a new facility opened. Money was put in the budget three years ago to reopen this facility. Currently, children in need of mental health treatment in western Kansas and their families must travel to Wichita or Kansas City, in what is often an unimaginable burden. Thankfully, the new youth mental health facility in Hays is scheduled to open in early 2023. What has occurred here over the past few years is clear; The current administration failed to move quickly or even react to the swift steps the legislature took to ensure and clarify that the facility should never have been closed and we even passed funding for this new facility years ago.Is the legislature fully funding K-12 education?The legislature and the governor are funding K-12 education according to the settlement of the K-12 lawsuit. However, special education funding has not and continues to not be funded at proper levels at both the state and federal levels. Even though there is a court-ordered formula that adds millions of additional dollars each year, the percentages of state funding for&nbsp;special education have continued to fall behind. Since Governor Kelly has taken office the special education funding percentage has continued to decline. Governor Kelly has had four years to add funding to her budget for special education and chose not to add any additional money above the formula. It has not been important to her. When COVID hit the governor closed our schools and test scores have fallen and in addition to that some of the students have not returned to school. As an example, due to lower enrollments over nineteen schools have had their funding reduced thus far.How bad was the unemployment fraud in Kansas?During the pandemic when unemployment skyrocketed the Kansas Department of Labor was a failure. Rather than take responsibility for this problem Governor Kelly blamed the fraud and fraudulent payments on the computer system the state uses to administer the program as well as the prior administration. However, the computer system Kansas has is also the same system as other states who did not have the same problems Kansas had.Since the onset of the pandemic Kansas has lost money ranging from $450 million to $750 million because of unemployment fraud. The state was quick to pay fraudulent claims even after legislators reported about the fraud going on in their communities. It is ironic that the state paid all these fraudulent claims when it was unable to process legitimate claims from Kansas unemployed taxpayers. It was beyond sad to hear story after story of good people of Kansans becoming destitute. Some Kansans unable to get services were evicted from their homes, living in tents, cars, and sheds… others were unable to feed their families. Adding insult to injury, innocent Kansans who had fraudulent claims made by bad actors under their name and social security number are now being asked by the state of Kansas to pay income tax on the money which was sent to someone who stole their identity!There are many more questions, which I will address in a later editorial.Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is state senator of the 40th District.

LETTER: Billinger critical of program delays, special ed cuts

This letter is in support of Dr. Edward H. Hammond for State Representative of the Kansas 111th&nbsp;House District.&nbsp; While I am not a resident of the 111th, I have direct knowledge of Dr. Hammond’s ability to lead as well as the relationships he forges to create organizational success.

From 2001 to 2005, I was a student at Fort Hays State University.&nbsp; During my 4 years of college I was active in the Student Government Association.&nbsp; From 2003-2005 I served as Student Body President.&nbsp; In that role I worked with Dr. Hammond very closely.&nbsp; I was always amazed at how interested he was in the student’s perspective on a myriad of issues facing the University.&nbsp; He was open to ideas and suggestions generated by students.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dr. Hammond is widely known as a great speaker.&nbsp; What he does not get sufficient credit for is being a great listener.&nbsp; Even as a student at FHSU, I always felt I had a voice with Dr. Hammond.&nbsp; That did not mean we would always agree.&nbsp; But he was always open to listening to ideas and ways to continually improve the university.&nbsp;

The Memorial Union renovation and Safe Ride are examples of student generated ideas that once presented to Dr. Hammond took shape.&nbsp; Often as students we were told by administrators and staff why our ideas would not work.&nbsp; It was Dr. Hammond learning about and promoting these initiatives that would result in positive changes happening.&nbsp; Dr. Hammond knew his primary constituency was the students at FHSU.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As President, Dr. Hammond championed the implementation of technology and had FHSU on the cutting edge.&nbsp; This was important for students going into the workforce.&nbsp; He pioneered international and online programs that not only expanded the reach of FHSU but created a level of financial security unmatched amongst the Kansas Regents Institutions.&nbsp; Part of the reason for these income generating programs was with an overall mission to keep higher education accessible and affordable to the citizens of Kansas.&nbsp; He coupled those efforts with low tuition and holding the line on student tuition and fee increases at levels regularly below any of our other Kansas Regents Institutions.&nbsp;

Through a focus on students – his constituents – Dr. Hammond found creative ways to collaborate with partners outside of FHSU to ensure growth and positive change.&nbsp; Partners were identified in the private sector, local and state governmental agencies and non-profit organizations to make FHSU, Hays and Kansas a better place.&nbsp; Many of Dr. Hammond’s ideas were non-traditional for an institution of higher education, but he never allowed himself to be constrained by the way things had always been done.&nbsp; He focused on the end goal, and he found a way to get it done.&nbsp; FHSU boasted of high demand from students and grew steadily while under Dr. Hammond’s leadership.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As I reflect about my experiences working with Dr. Hammond, and his long list of accomplishments on behalf of the University, I cannot help but believe that same kind of vision, creativity and fiscal responsibility will help him shine as a state legislator.&nbsp; He has a tremendous talent of identifying issues, seeing opportunity, creating action, and implementing a solution.&nbsp; He has shown his ability to steer an organization toward positive growth and change, while demonstrating the ability to simultaneously improve fiscal strength.

While I could go on about the positive traits Dr. Hammond embodies, his ability to problem solve, collaborate, and listen are what will make him a top shelf state legislator.&nbsp; We have seen him lead a sizeable organization with this kind of approach while at the helm of FHSU. Is that not what we all beg for in our elected officials?&nbsp; I am certain he will work to shape policy for the State of Kansas the same way he managed FHSU!&nbsp; The entire state will be indebted to the voters of the 111th&nbsp;for bringing such top-notch leadership to Topeka.&nbsp; I hope you will!

Sincerely, Mitchell D. Hall, Harper

This letter is in support of Dr. Edward H. Hammond for State Representative of the Kansas 111th&nbsp;House District.&nbsp; While I am not a resident of the 111th, I have direct knowledge of Dr. Hammond’s ability to lead as well as the relationships he forges to create organizational success.From 2001 to 2005, I was a student at Fort Hays State University.&nbsp; During my 4 years of college I was active in the Student Government Association.&nbsp; From 2003-2005 I served as Student Body President.&nbsp; In that role I worked with Dr. Hammond very closely.&nbsp; I was always amazed at how interested he was in the student’s perspective on a myriad of issues facing the University.&nbsp; He was open to ideas and suggestions generated by students.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Hammond is widely known as a great speaker.&nbsp; What he does not get sufficient credit for is being a great listener.&nbsp; Even as a student at FHSU, I always felt I had a voice with Dr. Hammond.&nbsp; That did not mean we would always agree.&nbsp; But he was always open to listening to ideas and ways to continually improve the university.&nbsp;The Memorial Union renovation and Safe Ride are examples of student generated ideas that once presented to Dr. Hammond took shape.&nbsp; Often as students we were told by administrators and staff why our ideas would not work.&nbsp; It was Dr. Hammond learning about and promoting these initiatives that would result in positive changes happening.&nbsp; Dr. Hammond knew his primary constituency was the students at FHSU.&nbsp;&nbsp;As President, Dr. Hammond championed the implementation of technology and had FHSU on the cutting edge.&nbsp; This was important for students going into the workforce.&nbsp; He pioneered international and online programs that not only expanded the reach of FHSU but created a level of financial security unmatched amongst the Kansas Regents Institutions.&nbsp; Part of the reason for these income generating programs was with an overall mission to keep higher education accessible and affordable to the citizens of Kansas.&nbsp; He coupled those efforts with low tuition and holding the line on student tuition and fee increases at levels regularly below any of our other Kansas Regents Institutions.&nbsp;Through a focus on students – his constituents – Dr. Hammond found creative ways to collaborate with partners outside of FHSU to ensure growth and positive change.&nbsp; Partners were identified in the private sector, local and state governmental agencies and non-profit organizations to make FHSU, Hays and Kansas a better place.&nbsp; Many of Dr. Hammond’s ideas were non-traditional for an institution of higher education, but he never allowed himself to be constrained by the way things had always been done.&nbsp; He focused on the end goal, and he found a way to get it done.&nbsp; FHSU boasted of high demand from students and grew steadily while under Dr. Hammond’s leadership.&nbsp;&nbsp;As I reflect about my experiences working with Dr. Hammond, and his long list of accomplishments on behalf of the University, I cannot help but believe that same kind of vision, creativity and fiscal responsibility will help him shine as a state legislator.&nbsp; He has a tremendous talent of identifying issues, seeing opportunity, creating action, and implementing a solution.&nbsp; He has shown his ability to steer an organization toward positive growth and change, while demonstrating the ability to simultaneously improve fiscal strength.While I could go on about the positive traits Dr. Hammond embodies, his ability to problem solve, collaborate, and listen are what will make him a top shelf state legislator.&nbsp; We have seen him lead a sizeable organization with this kind of approach while at the helm of FHSU. Is that not what we all beg for in our elected officials?&nbsp; I am certain he will work to shape policy for the State of Kansas the same way he managed FHSU!&nbsp; The entire state will be indebted to the voters of the 111th&nbsp;for bringing such top-notch leadership to Topeka.&nbsp; I hope you will!Sincerely, Mitchell D. Hall, Harper

LETTER: Former FHSU student supporting Hammond for 111th

The most recent letter from the incumbent representative for the 111th&nbsp;District of the Kansas House purports once again to separate fact from fiction. Once again, however, she uses&nbsp;misleading language&nbsp;and&nbsp;obfuscation&nbsp;to hide this&nbsp;fact:&nbsp;whatever interests she represents, they are not the interests of her district.

In the case of&nbsp;Medicaid&nbsp;expansion,&nbsp;almost her entire case&nbsp;is misleading.&nbsp;She begins by&nbsp;saying&nbsp;“I am not against the idea of Obamacare expansion,” which is&nbsp;a masterful exercise in misdirection but&nbsp;meaningless&nbsp;to the subject at hand.&nbsp;It confuses the issue and allows her to continue to hide her stance&nbsp;on it.

We are not talking about expanding Obamacare. We are talking about&nbsp;Medicaid expansion.&nbsp;We are also talking about a potential annual boost of $17.5 million to the district’s economy. My opponent has never – not once – talked about the economic&nbsp;aspect.&nbsp;She only talks about it costing too much.

Expansion&nbsp;would&nbsp;broaden&nbsp;Medicaid so that in Kansas, as in&nbsp;38&nbsp;other states, it is&nbsp;available to people above&nbsp;an&nbsp;extreme&nbsp;level of poverty.&nbsp;Under the current standard, an uninsured parent with two children who makes $4 an hour, or more than $8,500 a year, makes too much money to qualify.

She pretends that the only reason she has&nbsp;twice&nbsp;voted against it –&nbsp;she missed&nbsp;another vote&nbsp;– is because the measures did not meet&nbsp;her&nbsp;three conditions: a work requirement; adverse effects on the disabled; and a trigger if federal support falls below 90 percent of the cost of Medicaid&nbsp;expansion&nbsp;in the state.

Yet all&nbsp;of the proposals to expand Medicaid, which she voted against,&nbsp;met two of her three conditions. The one condition that wasn’t met? The work requirement.

The reason the work requirement was not included and has been ignored by other states that&nbsp;once&nbsp;included it, is because recent actions by U.S. Circuit Courts and the U.S. Supreme Court made work requirements useless. States that did establish&nbsp;such&nbsp;requirements have reversed course.

So the work requirement is essentially moot.&nbsp;She doesn’t know this, or doesn’t want you to know this.

Or, perhaps, it could also be the case that&nbsp;she&nbsp;just doesn’t care.&nbsp;Her&nbsp;special interest backers, such as the Kansas Chamber of Commerce,&nbsp;don’t want Medicaid expanded, so she&nbsp;won’t&nbsp;vote to expand.

The next&nbsp;issue&nbsp;is Fort Hays State University&nbsp;funding, and her supposed support for another of the largest economic engines&nbsp;in&nbsp;our district. Once again, her argument is misdirection. She cites&nbsp;a&nbsp;one-time&nbsp;expenditure of $5 million in Covid money – not state funding at all – to renovate Gross Memorial Coliseum.

What I have been talking about is basic state support for Fort Hays State University in the&nbsp;annual block grant, which&nbsp;is&nbsp;a major&nbsp;piece of the university’s budget. It is&nbsp;determined&nbsp;through a complicated formula.

My opponent misrepresents my position here just as she misrepresents&nbsp;her own.

According to the Kansas Board of Regents’ January 2022 State University Data Book,&nbsp;Fort Hays State’s FY 2020 grant was $39.43 million, after a&nbsp;calendar&nbsp;year in which&nbsp;FHSU served&nbsp;18,827 students. By contrast, Wichita State served 19,010, and its block grant was $85 million.

My position is that FHSU’s&nbsp;annual&nbsp;block grant – based on&nbsp;students served&nbsp;– should be somewhere between $20 million and $30 million more.

That would be fair and equitable,&nbsp;and that&nbsp;is what I will advocate in the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Legislature.

I am not, as my opponent likes to pretend, seeking the same block grant as Wichita State, which has costs that FHSU does not, including a highly regarded aviation program and&nbsp;a number of&nbsp;doctoral programs. I&nbsp;am not&nbsp;– NOT –&nbsp;seeking to cut WSU’s grant.

Fort Hays State’s&nbsp;block grant&nbsp;should&nbsp;be funded in an amount&nbsp;commensurate with our university’s value to the state&nbsp;and its citizens. That number is somewhere in the range of $20 million to $30 million more each year.

Here’s another fact: The only advocate on the ballot&nbsp;this year&nbsp;for the 111th&nbsp;District is me.&nbsp;

Dr. Ed Hammond, candidate for 111th Kansas House District

The most recent letter from the incumbent representative for the 111th&nbsp;District of the Kansas House purports once again to separate fact from fiction. Once again, however, she uses&nbsp;misleading language&nbsp;and&nbsp;obfuscation&nbsp;to hide this&nbsp;fact:&nbsp;whatever interests she represents, they are not the interests of her district.In the case of&nbsp;Medicaid&nbsp;expansion,&nbsp;almost her entire case&nbsp;is misleading.&nbsp;She begins by&nbsp;saying&nbsp;“I am not against the idea of Obamacare expansion,” which is&nbsp;a masterful exercise in misdirection but&nbsp;meaningless&nbsp;to the subject at hand.&nbsp;It confuses the issue and allows her to continue to hide her stance&nbsp;on it.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>We are not talking about expanding Obamacare. We are talking about&nbsp;Medicaid expansion.&nbsp;We are also talking about a potential annual boost of $17.5 million to the district’s economy. My opponent has never – not once – talked about the economic&nbsp;aspect.&nbsp;She only talks about it costing too much.Expansion&nbsp;would&nbsp;broaden&nbsp;Medicaid so that in Kansas, as in&nbsp;38&nbsp;other states, it is&nbsp;available to people above&nbsp;an&nbsp;extreme&nbsp;level of poverty.&nbsp;Under the current standard, an uninsured parent with two children who makes $4 an hour, or more than $8,500 a year, makes too much money to qualify.She pretends that the only reason she has&nbsp;twice&nbsp;voted against it –&nbsp;she missed&nbsp;another vote&nbsp;– is because the measures did not meet&nbsp;her&nbsp;three conditions: a work requirement; adverse effects on the disabled; and a trigger if federal support falls below 90 percent of the cost of Medicaid&nbsp;expansion&nbsp;in the state.Yet all&nbsp;of the proposals to expand Medicaid, which she voted against,&nbsp;met two of her three conditions. The one condition that wasn’t met? The work requirement.The reason the work requirement was not included and has been ignored by other states that&nbsp;once&nbsp;included it, is because recent actions by U.S. Circuit Courts and the U.S. Supreme Court made work requirements useless. States that did establish&nbsp;such&nbsp;requirements have reversed course.So the work requirement is essentially moot.&nbsp;She doesn’t know this, or doesn’t want you to know this.Or, perhaps, it could also be the case that&nbsp;she&nbsp;just doesn’t care.&nbsp;Her&nbsp;special interest backers, such as the Kansas Chamber of Commerce,&nbsp;don’t want Medicaid expanded, so she&nbsp;won’t&nbsp;vote to expand.The next&nbsp;issue&nbsp;is Fort Hays State University&nbsp;funding, and her supposed support for another of the largest economic engines&nbsp;in&nbsp;our district. Once again, her argument is misdirection. She cites&nbsp;a&nbsp;one-time&nbsp;expenditure of $5 million in Covid money – not state funding at all – to renovate Gross Memorial Coliseum.What I have been talking about is basic state support for Fort Hays State University in the&nbsp;annual block grant, which&nbsp;is&nbsp;a major&nbsp;piece of the university’s budget. It is&nbsp;determined&nbsp;through a complicated formula.My opponent misrepresents my position here just as she misrepresents&nbsp;her own.According to the Kansas Board of Regents’ January 2022 State University Data Book,&nbsp;Fort Hays State’s FY 2020 grant was $39.43 million, after a&nbsp;calendar&nbsp;year in which&nbsp;FHSU served&nbsp;18,827 students. By contrast, Wichita State served 19,010, and its block grant was $85 million.My position is that FHSU’s&nbsp;annual&nbsp;block grant – based on&nbsp;students served&nbsp;– should be somewhere between $20 million and $30 million more.That would be fair and equitable,&nbsp;and that&nbsp;is what I will advocate in the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Legislature.I am not, as my opponent likes to pretend, seeking the same block grant as Wichita State, which has costs that FHSU does not, including a highly regarded aviation program and&nbsp;a number of&nbsp;doctoral programs. I&nbsp;am not&nbsp;– NOT –&nbsp;seeking to cut WSU’s grant.Fort Hays State’s&nbsp;block grant&nbsp;should&nbsp;be funded in an amount&nbsp;commensurate with our university’s value to the state&nbsp;and its citizens. That number is somewhere in the range of $20 million to $30 million more each year.That is a fact.Here’s another fact: The only advocate on the ballot&nbsp;this year&nbsp;for the 111th&nbsp;District is me.&nbsp;On November 8, vote for Ed Hammond.Dr. Ed Hammond, candidate for 111th Kansas House District

LETTER: Truth still ugly, fiction still not fact

By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher This week in the grocery store, I was delighted to see the first fresh cranberries of the season. I bought a bag and will make cranberry bread with it soon. It might seem odd in Kansas but, for me, those cranberries are one of the surest signs of fall and a reminder of home. Where I grew up, cranberries are a big deal. My parents live in the Wisconsin county with the highest number of acres in cranberry production in the U.S., most of their neighbors grow them, and I even took cranberry science in high school. I love sharing fun facts about cranberries like they do not grow in water. The image you may be thinking of where people are in hip waders with water past their knees is actually during cranberry harvest. Since cranberries are buoyant, the beds where they grow are flooded to make removing berries from the vines with a beater and then collection at one end of the bed easier. Cranberry growers also use water to protect their crop. Harvest is typically from the end of September through October, when the nights are getting cold enough that the berries are at risk of frost damage. &nbsp;Growers have alarm systems to alert them of dangerous temperatures. When the alarms sound, they start their irrigation systems to coat the berries in water. As the water freezes a process called heat of fusion occurs and enough heat is given off to protect the crop. The cold is a necessary part of the fruit’s development as lower temperatures contribute to deepening the berry’s red color, which can bring a premium on the crop. There is something inspirational about the fact that the closer cranberries come to being destroyed, the more they increase in value. There are actually lots of plant equivalents to the saying “what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” Drought stressed wheat will have higher protein content. Giant Sequoia seeds can only germinate after a fire. Adversity is sometimes the most effective way for us to gain the character that we need to succeed in life. One particular memory from my childhood comes to my mind when I think about failure pushing us to be our best. When I was 11, I took tractor safety to get my permit so I could drive on public roads. Since I was a relatively inexperienced driver, my dad spent time with me practicing all the components of the test. My dad tried to be patient but to the delight of my older brothers, I was a natural at all the wrong moves, and I am sure my dad was embarrassed. Within the first 30 seconds of the test, I ran over a pole on the course, which gave me enough points that one more mistake would cause me to fail the test. However, I was determined to pass the test and prove to my brothers I could do it. I took a few breaths and proceeded through the course with as much skill and focus as an 11-year-old could muster. I didn’t make another mistake for the remainder of the test and received my certificate. That same lesson has repeated itself through my life dozens of times when I was on the verge of failure. In those moments, I learned important lessons in life and how capable I really am. We all could benefit from acting more like cranberries by realizing that the closer you get to failure, the bigger the reward will be.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575406519723.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher This week in the grocery store, I was delighted to see the first fresh cranberries of the season. I bought a bag and will make cranberry bread with it soon. It might seem odd in Kansas but, for me, those cranberries are one of the surest signs of fall and a reminder of home. Where I grew up, cranberries are a big deal. My parents live in the Wisconsin county with the highest number of acres in cranberry production in the U.S., most of their neighbors grow them, and I even took cranberry science in high school. I love sharing fun facts about cranberries like they do not grow in water. The image you may be thinking of where people are in hip waders with water past their knees is actually during cranberry harvest. Since cranberries are buoyant, the beds where they grow are flooded to make removing berries from the vines with a beater and then collection at one end of the bed easier. Cranberry growers also use water to protect their crop. Harvest is typically from the end of September through October, when the nights are getting cold enough that the berries are at risk of frost damage. &nbsp;Growers have alarm systems to alert them of dangerous temperatures. When the alarms sound, they start their irrigation systems to coat the berries in water. As the water freezes a process called heat of fusion occurs and enough heat is given off to protect the crop. The cold is a necessary part of the fruit’s development as lower temperatures contribute to deepening the berry’s red color, which can bring a premium on the crop. There is something inspirational about the fact that the closer cranberries come to being destroyed, the more they increase in value. There are actually lots of plant equivalents to the saying “what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” Drought stressed wheat will have higher protein content. Giant Sequoia seeds can only germinate after a fire. Adversity is sometimes the most effective way for us to gain the character that we need to succeed in life. One particular memory from my childhood comes to my mind when I think about failure pushing us to be our best. When I was 11, I took tractor safety to get my permit so I could drive on public roads. Since I was a relatively inexperienced driver, my dad spent time with me practicing all the components of the test. My dad tried to be patient but to the delight of my older brothers, I was a natural at all the wrong moves, and I am sure my dad was embarrassed. Within the first 30 seconds of the test, I ran over a pole on the course, which gave me enough points that one more mistake would cause me to fail the test. However, I was determined to pass the test and prove to my brothers I could do it. I took a few breaths and proceeded through the course with as much skill and focus as an 11-year-old could muster. I didn’t make another mistake for the remainder of the test and received my certificate. That same lesson has repeated itself through my life dozens of times when I was on the verge of failure. In those moments, I learned important lessons in life and how capable I really am. We all could benefit from acting more like cranberries by realizing that the closer you get to failure, the bigger the reward will be."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: Acting like cranberries

I have learned over the years leading up to an election not to believe everything I hear. There is so much “fake news” floating around that people start to believe it as the truth.

While getting involved in the race for the 111th District House seat, I started listening to the stance of each candidate and started to realize the “smoke” Barb Wasinger’s opponent was putting out.

One of my pet peeves in an election has been a candidate never having a job where they had to generate a dime of their own money. Taking taxpayer money and spending it is not the same as having to generate business and live within their own means.&nbsp;

I feel candidate Wasinger has tried to stay within the budgets of education and Medicare. What I am hearing from Mr. Hammond is Wasinger has been “anti-” this and that, but all I have heard from his stance is spend more taxpayer money.&nbsp;

With inflation at an all-time high and fuel prices going up, I feel the last thing Kansas’s need are more taxes and, with spending, comes higher taxes because all this has to be paid for somehow.

I have learned over the years leading up to an election not to believe everything I hear. There is so much “fake news” floating around that people start to believe it as the truth.While getting involved in the race for the 111th District House seat, I started listening to the stance of each candidate and started to realize the “smoke” Barb Wasinger’s opponent was putting out.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>One of my pet peeves in an election has been a candidate never having a job where they had to generate a dime of their own money. Taking taxpayer money and spending it is not the same as having to generate business and live within their own means.&nbsp;I feel candidate Wasinger has tried to stay within the budgets of education and Medicare. What I am hearing from Mr. Hammond is Wasinger has been “anti-” this and that, but all I have heard from his stance is spend more taxpayer money.&nbsp;With inflation at an all-time high and fuel prices going up, I feel the last thing Kansas’s need are more taxes and, with spending, comes higher taxes because all this has to be paid for somehow.Keep Kansas Great. Vote Barb Wasinger.Mike Doerfler, Hays

LETTER: Spending more taxpayer money not the answer for 111th

Just today at a 90th&nbsp;birthday celebration for a member of our community, some of us sat around a table discussing our tendencies to buy “stuff” at garage sales and auctions we really don’t need&nbsp;at the time. One guy surmised we&nbsp;really&nbsp;do that so that our kids have to deal with it when they settle our estate. Anyway, it made me think about the pool ladder I constantly move around outside my shed because I have no place to put it. Here’s how the story goes.

Several years back, on a nice&nbsp;fall&nbsp;morning,&nbsp;we happened to be in town&nbsp;and&nbsp;Joyce’s radar was actively seeking garage sale signs as we headed through town.&nbsp;We followed signs to a sale&nbsp;in a nice neighborhood&nbsp;a little off the beaten path,&nbsp;and in the yard sat one of those “u” shaped ladders used to get in-and-out of a raised swimming pool. It had my attention&nbsp;even though we had no pool,&nbsp;and for the&nbsp;four-dollar&nbsp;price tag I reasoned that certainly we could use it for something (you know how that goes; you never know when you might need it!) Evidently the owner was having a difficult time getting rid of it, so when she saw my interest,&nbsp;she immediately&nbsp;made her way over to me.&nbsp;She told&nbsp;me&nbsp;“We’re&nbsp;selling it because we built a deck around our pool and have no need of that ladder now, so if you want it,just take it;” …&nbsp;our kind of deal.

Fast forward&nbsp;a few weeks to a crisp winter morning during trapping season. As I remember, weather&nbsp;conditions&nbsp;were&nbsp;far from ideal with frozen ground most mornings and mud by evening,&nbsp;but&nbsp;I&nbsp;still&nbsp;wanted&nbsp;to try setting a few coyote traps. One spot I had&nbsp;near town&nbsp;was&nbsp;at the far edge of a pasture/hay field and&nbsp;was&nbsp;easy to drive to.&nbsp;It appeared the coyotes were coming from&nbsp;the adjoining wheat field, still owned by the same farmer, but&nbsp;getting in there&nbsp;was going to be&nbsp;a slight problem.&nbsp;The wheat field&nbsp;was&nbsp;a couple feet higher than the hayfield and fence surroundedthe entire field. Now I encounter lots of electric fence and barbwire also for that matter, but this was four strands of&nbsp;brand-new barbwire&nbsp;stretched tighter than grandma’s&nbsp;corset&nbsp;and fastened onto new “T” posts, the top strand catching my&nbsp;six-foot-three frame across the top of my chest&nbsp;because of the height difference of the two fields. In short, I wasn’t climbing that fence!&nbsp;

As I pondered how this was ever going to work, guess what popped into my&nbsp;mind…&nbsp;the pool ladder from the garage sale.&nbsp;I hauled it out there and lifted one end over onto the other side of the fence and viola; I could now scale the fence without permanent physical damage to certain&nbsp;anatomical extremities.&nbsp;I recall the top wire on the fence&nbsp;being&nbsp;just high enough that it made&nbsp;the ladder a little tipsy,but it will still worked&nbsp;just fine.

I’m sure some of us have sheds full of stuff we cabbaged-onto because “You&nbsp;just&nbsp;never know when you might need it,” and usually it turns out that you never do. This was one time,&nbsp;however,&nbsp;that&nbsp;one of those treasures actually filled a need, and to think it was free! It just doesn’t get much better than that….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>Just today at a 90th&nbsp;birthday celebration for a member of our community, some of us sat around a table discussing our tendencies to buy “stuff” at garage sales and auctions we really don’t need&nbsp;at the time. One guy surmised we&nbsp;really&nbsp;do that so that our kids have to deal with it when they settle our estate. Anyway, it made me think about the pool ladder I constantly move around outside my shed because I have no place to put it. Here’s how the story goes.Several years back, on a nice&nbsp;fall&nbsp;morning,&nbsp;we happened to be in town&nbsp;and&nbsp;Joyce’s radar was actively seeking garage sale signs as we headed through town.&nbsp;We followed signs to a sale&nbsp;in a nice neighborhood&nbsp;a little off the beaten path,&nbsp;and in the yard sat one of those “u” shaped ladders used to get in-and-out of a raised swimming pool. It had my attention&nbsp;even though we had no pool,&nbsp;and for the&nbsp;four-dollar&nbsp;price tag I reasoned that certainly we could use it for something (you know how that goes; you never know when you might need it!) Evidently the owner was having a difficult time getting rid of it, so when she saw my interest,&nbsp;she immediately&nbsp;made her way over to me.&nbsp;She told&nbsp;me&nbsp;“We’re&nbsp;selling it because we built a deck around our pool and have no need of that ladder now, so if you want it,just take it;” …&nbsp;our kind of deal.Fast forward&nbsp;a few weeks to a crisp winter morning during trapping season. As I remember, weather&nbsp;conditions&nbsp;were&nbsp;far from ideal with frozen ground most mornings and mud by evening,&nbsp;but&nbsp;I&nbsp;still&nbsp;wanted&nbsp;to try setting a few coyote traps. One spot I had&nbsp;near town&nbsp;was&nbsp;at the far edge of a pasture/hay field and&nbsp;was&nbsp;easy to drive to.&nbsp;It appeared the coyotes were coming from&nbsp;the adjoining wheat field, still owned by the same farmer, but&nbsp;getting in there&nbsp;was going to be&nbsp;a slight problem.&nbsp;The wheat field&nbsp;was&nbsp;a couple feet higher than the hayfield and fence surroundedthe entire field. Now I encounter lots of electric fence and barbwire also for that matter, but this was four strands of&nbsp;brand-new barbwire&nbsp;stretched tighter than grandma’s&nbsp;corset&nbsp;and fastened onto new “T” posts, the top strand catching my&nbsp;six-foot-three frame across the top of my chest&nbsp;because of the height difference of the two fields. In short, I wasn’t climbing that fence!&nbsp;As I pondered how this was ever going to work, guess what popped into my&nbsp;mind…&nbsp;the pool ladder from the garage sale.&nbsp;I hauled it out there and lifted one end over onto the other side of the fence and viola; I could now scale the fence without permanent physical damage to certain&nbsp;anatomical extremities.&nbsp;I recall the top wire on the fence&nbsp;being&nbsp;just high enough that it made&nbsp;the ladder a little tipsy,but it will still worked&nbsp;just fine.I’m sure some of us have sheds full of stuff we cabbaged-onto because “You&nbsp;just&nbsp;never know when you might need it,” and usually it turns out that you never do. This was one time,&nbsp;however,&nbsp;that&nbsp;one of those treasures actually filled a need, and to think it was free! It just doesn’t get much better than that….Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Never know when you might need it

My name is Jim Barrett. The purpose of this letter is to support Dr. Ed Hammond as the best
candidate for election to the Kansas House of Representatives from District 111. I was
employed by Fort Hays State University from the fall of 2007 until June of 2018. I taught in the
Advanced Education Programs Department for four years and served as the Chair of that
Department for my last seven years at FHSU. The last two of those years, Dr. Hammond served
as a half-time faculty member in that department.

Dr. Hammond obviously has many leadership qualities as demonstrated through the years of his
highly successful guidance of Fort Hays State University. I observed one quality that highly
impressed me that I believe makes him the best candidate for the 111th. Dr. Hammond had two
all-campus meetings each year when he would lay out the objectives for the year and provide
feedback on the progress toward those objectives. During those meetings, Dr. Hammond would
articulate the conditions in the United States, our region and Kansas in particular and link them
to what Fort Hays State University needed to do to continue to grow and be successful. That
ability to see the big picture as a framework through which to create a vision and direction for
the University was demonstrated yearly.


I am confident that Dr. Hammond will continue to analyze information from the US, Kansas, and
111th District, and use that to create a framework of advocacy that benefits all of the 111th as
well as Kansas. He is a skilled communicator, a tactful negotiator and someone who not only
knows what is right, but has the fortitude to use those skills and beliefs to work for what is right
for those he represents.


I am going to vote for Dr. Ed Hammond as representative for the 111th District and encourage
you to vote for him as well.


Dr. Jim Barrett, Professor Emeritus, Fort Hays State University

My name is Jim Barrett. The purpose of this letter is to support Dr. Ed Hammond as the best
candidate for election to the Kansas House of Representatives from District 111. I was
employed by Fort Hays State University from the fall of 2007 until June of 2018. I taught in the
Advanced Education Programs Department for four years and served as the Chair of that
Department for my last seven years at FHSU. The last two of those years, Dr. Hammond served
as a half-time faculty member in that department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Hammond obviously has many leadership qualities as demonstrated through the years of his
highly successful guidance of Fort Hays State University. I observed one quality that highly
impressed me that I believe makes him the best candidate for the 111th. Dr. Hammond had two
all-campus meetings each year when he would lay out the objectives for the year and provide
feedback on the progress toward those objectives. During those meetings, Dr. Hammond would
articulate the conditions in the United States, our region and Kansas in particular and link them
to what Fort Hays State University needed to do to continue to grow and be successful. That
ability to see the big picture as a framework through which to create a vision and direction for
the University was demonstrated yearly.
I am confident that Dr. Hammond will continue to analyze information from the US, Kansas, and
111th District, and use that to create a framework of advocacy that benefits all of the 111th as
well as Kansas. He is a skilled communicator, a tactful negotiator and someone who not only
knows what is right, but has the fortitude to use those skills and beliefs to work for what is right
for those he represents.
I am going to vote for Dr. Ed Hammond as representative for the 111th District and encourage
you to vote for him as well.
Dr. Jim Barrett, Professor Emeritus, Fort Hays State University

LETTER: Hammond's credentials make him best choice for 111th

A look at the annual Wild Game Feed at Cedar Bluff

Twenty-nine years ago,&nbsp;two of my husband’s hunting buddies hatched an&nbsp;idea to make room in their wild game freezers as hunting seasons&nbsp;peaked&nbsp;and enjoy family and friends&nbsp;at the same time. They called&nbsp;their brainstorm&nbsp;the Wild Game Feed and invited guests to bring wild game or side dishes to one of the cabins at Cedar Bluff on an early October Saturday. Thus began a tradition all of us look forward to every year.

Over three decades,&nbsp;some things stay the same and some change.&nbsp;We’ve said farewell to loved ones, so current game feeds offer opportunities to remember those who’ve passed and how much they loved these gatherings. To balance the losses, our kids have grown up, married, and now bring their&nbsp;spouses and&nbsp;youngsters&nbsp;who&nbsp;play&nbsp;the same made-up games their parents did as children. This year littles, some&nbsp;still in momma’s arms&nbsp;and others&nbsp;big enough to join dads and grandpas in deer stands,&nbsp;kept us on our toes watching them&nbsp;chase one another through tall grass.

The core group may have&nbsp;wrinkled and&nbsp;grayed, but their conversations still focus on the thing that brought them together in the first place—Kansas outdoors. Hunting, fishing, camping, boating, birding, metal detecting, gardening, and ranching&nbsp;topics&nbsp;weave in and out of conversations.&nbsp;Sit back,&nbsp;listen,&nbsp;and learn about reloading, choosing better camo&nbsp;and boots, preferred arrows and bows, the best bait to use at a particular fishing spot, where to see sandhill cranes or eagles, gardening techniques, who got a new metal detector and what they’re finding, and who’s the best jokester in the group.&nbsp;As stories follow one after another,&nbsp;worn out&nbsp;kids and grandkids pop onto soft&nbsp;laps&nbsp;while other&nbsp;zip&nbsp;by&nbsp;to&nbsp;remind us how glad we are that they&nbsp;happily play&nbsp;outdoors and make&nbsp;new friends.

Since it’s a wild game feed,&nbsp;methods&nbsp;to cook deer, elk, antelope, rabbit, turtle, snake, turkey, pheasant, duck, goose, dove, quail,&nbsp;and other&nbsp;critters&nbsp;turn into animated&nbsp;discussions. Over time, the cooks’&nbsp;skills &nbsp;evolved&nbsp;from basic grilling to gourmet dishes&nbsp;involving pasta, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh sage. I’ve never been fond of duck, but one of the original members has perfected his preparation and cooking&nbsp;so&nbsp;that his duck kebabs disappear as fast as he makes them. He’s also tweaked a twice baked deer steak that&nbsp;vanishes the minute he&nbsp;sets&nbsp;the serving dish on the&nbsp;crowded&nbsp;table. If you come late, you miss out. He’s secretive about his recipes but makes it clear preparing the game prior to cooking is&nbsp;key&nbsp;to his success. Several favorite cooks have mastered marinades that make&nbsp;spectacular&nbsp;dishes. A few years ago, a&nbsp;culinary magazine&nbsp;writer joined the festivities and put together an article&nbsp;featuring&nbsp;the Game Feed.&nbsp;

You can’t have dinner without dessert and this crowd makes sure those are memorable. We expect the best ever cowboy cookies, homemade pies from fresh-picked cherries, huckleberry cheese cake, huckleberry crunch, brownies, chocolate cakes,&nbsp;fruit&nbsp;cobblers, and more. The dessert table is a diabetic’s nightmare.

More than anything, this is a gathering of new and old friends who love the outdoors. They’ve found a way to celebrate their common passion that doesn’t require loved ones to dress in camo and sneak silently into a deer tree or goose blind before morning light. It’s become such a tradition that we leave saying,&nbsp;“See you next year.”&nbsp;Many thanks to Steve and Rick who started this.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A look at the annual Wild Game Feed at Cedar Bluff</h2>By KAREN MADORINTwenty-nine years ago,&nbsp;two of my husband’s hunting buddies hatched an&nbsp;idea to make room in their wild game freezers as hunting seasons&nbsp;peaked&nbsp;and enjoy family and friends&nbsp;at the same time. They called&nbsp;their brainstorm&nbsp;the Wild Game Feed and invited guests to bring wild game or side dishes to one of the cabins at Cedar Bluff on an early October Saturday. Thus began a tradition all of us look forward to every year.Over three decades,&nbsp;some things stay the same and some change.&nbsp;We’ve said farewell to loved ones, so current game feeds offer opportunities to remember those who’ve passed and how much they loved these gatherings. To balance the losses, our kids have grown up, married, and now bring their&nbsp;spouses and&nbsp;youngsters&nbsp;who&nbsp;play&nbsp;the same made-up games their parents did as children. This year littles, some&nbsp;still in momma’s arms&nbsp;and others&nbsp;big enough to join dads and grandpas in deer stands,&nbsp;kept us on our toes watching them&nbsp;chase one another through tall grass.The core group may have&nbsp;wrinkled and&nbsp;grayed, but their conversations still focus on the thing that brought them together in the first place—Kansas outdoors. Hunting, fishing, camping, boating, birding, metal detecting, gardening, and ranching&nbsp;topics&nbsp;weave in and out of conversations.&nbsp;Sit back,&nbsp;listen,&nbsp;and learn about reloading, choosing better camo&nbsp;and boots, preferred arrows and bows, the best bait to use at a particular fishing spot, where to see sandhill cranes or eagles, gardening techniques, who got a new metal detector and what they’re finding, and who’s the best jokester in the group.&nbsp;As stories follow one after another,&nbsp;worn out&nbsp;kids and grandkids pop onto soft&nbsp;laps&nbsp;while other&nbsp;zip&nbsp;by&nbsp;to&nbsp;remind us how glad we are that they&nbsp;happily play&nbsp;outdoors and make&nbsp;new friends.Since it’s a wild game feed,&nbsp;methods&nbsp;to cook deer, elk, antelope, rabbit, turtle, snake, turkey, pheasant, duck, goose, dove, quail,&nbsp;and other&nbsp;critters&nbsp;turn into animated&nbsp;discussions. Over time, the cooks’&nbsp;skills &nbsp;evolved&nbsp;from basic grilling to gourmet dishes&nbsp;involving pasta, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh sage. I’ve never been fond of duck, but one of the original members has perfected his preparation and cooking&nbsp;so&nbsp;that his duck kebabs disappear as fast as he makes them. He’s also tweaked a twice baked deer steak that&nbsp;vanishes the minute he&nbsp;sets&nbsp;the serving dish on the&nbsp;crowded&nbsp;table. If you come late, you miss out. He’s secretive about his recipes but makes it clear preparing the game prior to cooking is&nbsp;key&nbsp;to his success. Several favorite cooks have mastered marinades that make&nbsp;spectacular&nbsp;dishes. A few years ago, a&nbsp;culinary magazine&nbsp;writer joined the festivities and put together an article&nbsp;featuring&nbsp;the Game Feed.&nbsp;You can’t have dinner without dessert and this crowd makes sure those are memorable. We expect the best ever cowboy cookies, homemade pies from fresh-picked cherries, huckleberry cheese cake, huckleberry crunch, brownies, chocolate cakes,&nbsp;fruit&nbsp;cobblers, and more. The dessert table is a diabetic’s nightmare.More than anything, this is a gathering of new and old friends who love the outdoors. They’ve found a way to celebrate their common passion that doesn’t require loved ones to dress in camo and sneak silently into a deer tree or goose blind before morning light. It’s become such a tradition that we leave saying,&nbsp;“See you next year.”&nbsp;Many thanks to Steve and Rick who started this.Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and
 sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

MADORIN: A good idea gets better with time

When asked about K12 education in the last gubernatorial debate between Democrat Governor Laura Kelly and Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the responses zeroed in on “parents’ rights.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Schmidt announced, if elected, he would support a parents’ rights bill. Kelly opposed, having vetoed comparable legislation.

Both Schmidt and Kelly were following the lead of their national parties. Republicans made parental rights a talking point in the fall elections and introduced a Parents’ Bill of Rights in Congress. Democrats quickly voiced opposition.&nbsp;

Democrats criticize the bill as censorship and violation of civil rights. Republicans support it as information transparency and an opportunity to protect children from unsavory ideologies.&nbsp;

&nbsp;What does this mean for Kansas? Before it’s time to vote for governor, here’s a look at the national bill and the bill Kelly vetoed.

According to Peter Greene, a writer for Forbes who spent 39 years as a teacher, the national parents bill of rights lists five rights of parents—the right to know what’s being taught, the right to be heard, the right to see school budgets and spending, the right to protect their child’s privacy and the right to be updated on any violent activity at school.&nbsp;

The national bill is hard to argue with—but wait—it’s not so simple. Provisions of the bill have evolved.

According to the Kansas Legislative Research Department, the vetoed bill required the “board of education of each school district to develop and adopt policies to guarantee parents’ rights (to include) a parent’s ability to:&nbsp;

1)&nbsp; Be informed of and inspect any materials, activities, curriculum, syllabi, surveys, questionnaires, books, magazines, handouts, professional development and training materials, and other materials provided to the parent’s child.&nbsp;

2) Inspect and review all educational and health records of the parent’s child maintained by the school district.&nbsp;

3) Object to any learning material or activity based upon harm to the child or impairment of the parent’s firmly held beliefs, values, or principles and withdraw the parent’s child from said activity; and&nbsp;

4) Challenge the material or educational benefit of any book, magazine, or other material available to students in the school library, the successful result of which is to lead to the removal of the item from the school.”&nbsp;

Educators have pointed out that, although not in any one piece of legislation,&nbsp;parents already have the right to be heard, the right to know what’s being taught, the right to protect their child’s privacy, and the right to request opt-out of classes or services.&nbsp;

There is an enormous difference between parental rights for their child and parental control of a school. Currently, no one parent or interest group has the right to veto what is taught or remove books from all children in a school.&nbsp;

Further, the Kansas bill did not include school safety—point five of the national legislation. In a state where 25 percent of the population live in rural areas, preplanned law enforcement response to each school is vital, due to the distance tactical units often must travel to confront an armed intruder.&nbsp;

School shootings across the country and student behavior issues in several Kansas schools demand a scrutinized yearly review of school safety plans—a parental right that shouldn’t be controversial.

Although there will be no more formal debates in the governor’s race, voters can still contact the candidates’ campaigns about parents’ rights.

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>When asked about K12 education in the last gubernatorial debate between Democrat Governor Laura Kelly and Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the responses zeroed in on “parents’ rights.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Schmidt announced, if elected, he would support a parents’ rights bill. Kelly opposed, having vetoed comparable legislation.Both Schmidt and Kelly were following the lead of their national parties. Republicans made parental rights a talking point in the fall elections and introduced a Parents’ Bill of Rights in Congress. Democrats quickly voiced opposition.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Democrats criticize the bill as censorship and violation of civil rights. Republicans support it as information transparency and an opportunity to protect children from unsavory ideologies.&nbsp;&nbsp;What does this mean for Kansas? Before it’s time to vote for governor, here’s a look at the national bill and the bill Kelly vetoed.According to Peter Greene, a writer for Forbes who spent 39 years as a teacher, the national parents bill of rights lists five rights of parents—the right to know what’s being taught, the right to be heard, the right to see school budgets and spending, the right to protect their child’s privacy and the right to be updated on any violent activity at school.&nbsp;The national bill is hard to argue with—but wait—it’s not so simple. Provisions of the bill have evolved.According to the Kansas Legislative Research Department, the vetoed bill required the “board of education of each school district to develop and adopt policies to guarantee parents’ rights (to include) a parent’s ability to:&nbsp;1)&nbsp; Be informed of and inspect any materials, activities, curriculum, syllabi, surveys, questionnaires, books, magazines, handouts, professional development and training materials, and other materials provided to the parent’s child.&nbsp;2) Inspect and review all educational and health records of the parent’s child maintained by the school district.&nbsp;3) Object to any learning material or activity based upon harm to the child or impairment of the parent’s firmly held beliefs, values, or principles and withdraw the parent’s child from said activity; and&nbsp;4) Challenge the material or educational benefit of any book, magazine, or other material available to students in the school library, the successful result of which is to lead to the removal of the item from the school.”&nbsp;Educators have pointed out that, although not in any one piece of legislation,&nbsp;parents already have the right to be heard, the right to know what’s being taught, the right to protect their child’s privacy, and the right to request opt-out of classes or services.&nbsp;There is an enormous difference between parental rights for their child and parental control of a school. Currently, no one parent or interest group has the right to veto what is taught or remove books from all children in a school.&nbsp;Further, the Kansas bill did not include school safety—point five of the national legislation. In a state where 25 percent of the population live in rural areas, preplanned law enforcement response to each school is vital, due to the distance tactical units often must travel to confront an armed intruder.&nbsp;School shootings across the country and student behavior issues in several Kansas schools demand a scrutinized yearly review of school safety plans—a parental right that shouldn’t be controversial.Although there will be no more formal debates in the governor’s race, voters can still contact the candidates’ campaigns about parents’ rights.Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Parents’ Bill of Rights — right for Kansas or wrong?

Kansas farmers have always
endured - it is often one of the first things written in the story of who we
are. We built the farms, the towns, the economic power that brought the
railroads and we became stewards of this land. Kansas farmers have spent
generations knowing that we were keeping a promise to all those that came
before us and would come after us. We built Kansas and the cities sprung from
our success. 

Now though, that promise to the farm has become much harder to
keep even as our cities boom - and we can’t forget that it's the farmers that
put food on the table and over $8 billion in economic power to the state. 

We
have seen crises before in the farming community, the economic collapse that
nearly destroyed family farming, droughts, fires, and poor harvests - but we
are still here.

So now, why are we looking at our kids and the next generation
of farmers and asking ourselves if it is fair or worth it to ask them to keep
this promise? 

Market swings that drive up costs of fertilizers, fuel, equipment
and supplies, they all drive up the price of doing business - but these factors
pale in comparison to the costs facing young farmers. Crippling debt for
college when they pursue agriculture or related sciences and studies, housing
costs that are exponentially higher than what their parents faced, and a
business environment that requires infrastructure like high speed internet,
access to global markets, and understanding of global economic conditions.

 It's
hard to be a farmer but it doesn’t have to be this hard. 

It's time for the
politicians that are supposed to be representing our communities to do their
jobs. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665763423321.jpeg" alt="Lynn Rogers, Kansas State Treasurer" />
 <figcaption>Lynn Rogers, Kansas State Treasurer</figcaption>
 </figure>We can’t let this be how it ends. Kansas farmers have always
endured - it is often one of the first things written in the story of who we
are. We built the farms, the towns, the economic power that brought the
railroads and we became stewards of this land. Kansas farmers have spent
generations knowing that we were keeping a promise to all those that came
before us and would come after us. We built Kansas and the cities sprung from
our success. Now though, that promise to the farm has become much harder to
keep even as our cities boom - and we can’t forget that it's the farmers that
put food on the table and over $8 billion in economic power to the state. We
have seen crises before in the farming community, the economic collapse that
nearly destroyed family farming, droughts, fires, and poor harvests - but we
are still here.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>So now, why are we looking at our kids and the next generation
of farmers and asking ourselves if it is fair or worth it to ask them to keep
this promise? Market swings that drive up costs of fertilizers, fuel, equipment
and supplies, they all drive up the price of doing business - but these factors
pale in comparison to the costs facing young farmers. Crippling debt for
college when they pursue agriculture or related sciences and studies, housing
costs that are exponentially higher than what their parents faced, and a
business environment that requires infrastructure like high speed internet,
access to global markets, and understanding of global economic conditions. It's
hard to be a farmer but it doesn’t have to be this hard. It's time for the
politicians that are supposed to be representing our communities to do their
jobs. The solutions are simple, and some leaders in Kansas are focused on clean
simple solutions - but others are still spending way too much time telling us
who to be mad at instead of working for us, and that’s not how your government
should treat you. The Kansas House Democrats and Treasurer Lynn Rogers have
introduced a plan that helps fight back against the things drawing the next
generation of Kansas farmers away from the fields, by providing the family farm
with a tool to pay off the student loan debt that pushes these young farmers
away. One of the three provisions of the package is for a student loan
repayment program, or tuition reimbursement program. The family farm can now
offer to pay off the balance of student loans carried by your returning
graduate and receive a tax credit up to $5,250 from the state to balance the
burden. First, it just has to pass. This package is a path towards financial
freedom for the folks in your family who want to learn about agricultural and related
fields in school and come back to put that learning to use on the farm or
another agribusiness position, but don’t have the capital to handle the debt
trap that student loans can create. They have to work for it, as it’s the
family business offering the relief and receiving the credit from the state,
but it’s a path where their hard work can pay off big. Passing the farm to the
next generation is how we keep Kansas farmers feeding the country for
generations to come, but in order to do that we have to give our families
pathways that aren’t a handout, but are just a little easier for our kids to
work their way down towards financial freedom and education. So let’s work
together to carry the farm to the next generation. Let’s support this tax
package and create pathways that encourage our next generation of farmers to
find their homes in KansasDemocrat Lynn Rogers is the Kansas State Treasurer.&nbsp;He grew up on a large&nbsp;hog&nbsp;farm in rural Nebraska. Rogers&nbsp;is running for re-election in November.&nbsp;

Opinion