This week in the House of Representatives we debated nearly forty bills before we adjourned for the midpoint of the session, commonly referred to as Turnaround. This is the time during session where we pass many bills out of the House and forward those bills to the Senate.

Here is a list of some of the bills that we debated this week in the House:

House Bill 2456 would establish the Kansas kids lifetime combination of hunting and fishing licenses. This bill passed 117 to 4 and I voted, “yes.”

House Concurrent Resolution 5022 proposes a constitutional amendment that would require a sheriff to be elected in each county. This resolution passed&nbsp;with a vote of 97-24. I voted, “yes.”

With cotton starting to be grown more in the state of Kansas, we needed to create the Kansas Cotton Boll Weevil program. The creation of the program is in House Bill 2559. It would levy an assessment on cotton produced in Kansas and it would also monitor and mitigate the risk of boll weevils. This bill passed the House, 83-37, and I voted, “yes.”

House Bill 2386 establishes requirements for the payment and reimbursement of dental services through a dental benefit plan. This bill passed the House with a vote of 118-3. I voted in favor of this bill.

We will return from Turnaround on March 1, 2022.

Due to the time that was spent on the House Floor debating bills, this week in Appropriations we only met on Monday morning. We did have the recommendations from the House Social Services Budget Committee regarding the budgets of the state hospitals for mental health and the state hospitals for intellectual disabilities.

When we return on Tuesday, March 2, we will continue to deliberate budgets for the state of Kansas budget. Those budgets that we will discuss are the Kansas Department of Revenue, Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Water Office. We will also hold hearings on House Bills 2588 and 2592 and these bills are the bills we will use when constructing the budget for the state of Kansas.

As I mentioned before, we debated nearly forty bills this week. Here are details of some of the other bills that we discussed:

House Bill 2595 makes certain antique vehicle titling procedures applicable to vehicles having a model year of 1960 or later instead of 1950 or later. This bill passed, 121-0.

House Bill 2574 establishes a time limitation for awarding compensation for mental health counseling and increases certain compensation amounts by the Crime Victims Compensation Board. This bill passed, 121-0.

House Bill 2567 overall decreases registration and title fees on vehicles for services performed by county treasurers. It also decreases certain fees with the Division of Vehicles. More importantly, which was added as an amendment, it eliminates the $4 Modernization Fee that one has been paying when titling their vehicle. This bill passed, 114-6.

House Bill 2594 exempts certain modifications that have been made to antique vehicles from vehicle identification number offenses, seizures and dispositions. The vehicle can be seized if the owner knows or has reason to know that the vehicle was stolen. This bill derives from a case where the Kansas Highway Patrol seized a 1959 Chevrolet Corvette from an innocent owner and they will not release the vehicle back to him. The bill passed the house, 120-0.

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

As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov. Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.

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

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

* Osborne, Russell, and Smith Counties * Barton County: Cities: Albert, Claflin, Galatia, Odin, Olmitz and Susank; Townships: Beaver, Cheyenne, Clarence, Cleveland, Fairview, Grant, Independent, Logan, Union, Walnut and Wheatland * Jewell County: Cities:Burr Oak, Esbon and Mankato; Townships: Athens,Browns Creek, Burr Oak, Calvin, Center,Erving, Esbon, Harrison, Highland, Holmwood, Ionia, Limestone, Odessa,Walnut and White Mound * Lincoln County: Cities: Lincoln Center(part) and Sylvan Grove; Townships: Battle Creek, Beaver(part), Cedron, Elkhorn(part), Golden Belt, Grant, Hanover, Highland, Indiana, Marion, Orange, Pleasant, Valley and Vesper * Rush County: Cities: Bison, Otis, Rush Center and Timken; Townships: Banner,Center,Garfield, Illinois, Lone Star, Pioneer and Pleasantdale

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633970422056.jpeg" alt="Troy L. Waymaster, State Representative, 109th Kansas House, R-Bunker Hill" />
 <figcaption>Troy L. Waymaster, State Representative, 109th Kansas House, R-Bunker Hill</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA February 25, 2022Floor Action in the HouseThis week in the House of Representatives we debated nearly forty bills before we adjourned for the midpoint of the session, commonly referred to as Turnaround. This is the time during session where we pass many bills out of the House and forward those bills to the Senate.Here is a list of some of the bills that we debated this week in the House:House Bill 2456 would establish the Kansas kids lifetime combination of hunting and fishing licenses. This bill passed 117 to 4 and I voted, “yes.”House Concurrent Resolution 5022 proposes a constitutional amendment that would require a sheriff to be elected in each county. This resolution passed&nbsp;with a vote of 97-24. I voted, “yes.”With cotton starting to be grown more in the state of Kansas, we needed to create the Kansas Cotton Boll Weevil program. The creation of the program is in House Bill 2559. It would levy an assessment on cotton produced in Kansas and it would also monitor and mitigate the risk of boll weevils. This bill passed the House, 83-37, and I voted, “yes.”House Bill 2386 establishes requirements for the payment and reimbursement of dental services through a dental benefit plan. This bill passed the House with a vote of 118-3. I voted in favor of this bill.We will return from Turnaround on March 1, 2022.Appropriations CommitteeDue to the time that was spent on the House Floor debating bills, this week in Appropriations we only met on Monday morning. We did have the recommendations from the House Social Services Budget Committee regarding the budgets of the state hospitals for mental health and the state hospitals for intellectual disabilities.When we return on Tuesday, March 2, we will continue to deliberate budgets for the state of Kansas budget. Those budgets that we will discuss are the Kansas Department of Revenue, Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Water Office. We will also hold hearings on House Bills 2588 and 2592 and these bills are the bills we will use when constructing the budget for the state of Kansas.Bills, Bills, and More BillsAs I mentioned before, we debated nearly forty bills this week. Here are details of some of the other bills that we discussed:House Bill 2595 makes certain antique vehicle titling procedures applicable to vehicles having a model year of 1960 or later instead of 1950 or later. This bill passed, 121-0.House Bill 2574 establishes a time limitation for awarding compensation for mental health counseling and increases certain compensation amounts by the Crime Victims Compensation Board. This bill passed, 121-0.House Bill 2567 overall decreases registration and title fees on vehicles for services performed by county treasurers. It also decreases certain fees with the Division of Vehicles. More importantly, which was added as an amendment, it eliminates the $4 Modernization Fee that one has been paying when titling their vehicle. This bill passed, 114-6.House Bill 2594 exempts certain modifications that have been made to antique vehicles from vehicle identification number offenses, seizures and dispositions. The vehicle can be seized if the owner knows or has reason to know that the vehicle was stolen. This bill derives from a case where the Kansas Highway Patrol seized a 1959 Chevrolet Corvette from an innocent owner and they will not release the vehicle back to him. The bill passed the house, 120-0.Contact InformationAnytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at www.kslegislature.org.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov. Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the Kansas House&nbsp;Appropriations Chairman and 109th District state representative which includes: * Osborne, Russell, and Smith Counties * Barton County: Cities: Albert, Claflin, Galatia, Odin, Olmitz and Susank; Townships: Beaver, Cheyenne, Clarence, Cleveland, Fairview, Grant, Independent, Logan, Union, Walnut and Wheatland * Jewell County: Cities:Burr Oak, Esbon and Mankato; Townships: Athens,Browns Creek, Burr Oak, Calvin, Center,Erving, Esbon, Harrison, Highland, Holmwood, Ionia, Limestone, Odessa,Walnut and White Mound * Lincoln County: Cities: Lincoln Center(part) and Sylvan Grove; Townships: Battle Creek, Beaver(part), Cedron, Elkhorn(part), Golden Belt, Grant, Hanover, Highland, Indiana, Marion, Orange, Pleasant, Valley and Vesper * Rush County: Cities: Bison, Otis, Rush Center and Timken; Townships: Banner,Center,Garfield, Illinois, Lone Star, Pioneer and Pleasantdale

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home, Feb. 25, 2022

By WILLIAM HAUK <a href="https://theconversation.com/americas-cost-of-defending-freedom-in-ukraine-higher-food-and-gas-prices-and-an-increased-risk-of-recession-177703">Courtesy of The Conversation</a>

Americans may be tempted to view the war in Ukraine as an unfortunate, but far away, crisis. As <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=B744wv0AAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao0">an economist</a>, I know the world is too connected for the U.S. to go unaffected.

On Feb. 22, 2022, President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/22/world/europe/biden-ukraine-speech-transcript.html">warned Americans</a> that a Russian invasion of Ukraine – and U.S. efforts to thwart or punish it – would come with a price tag.

“Defending freedom will have costs, for us as well and here at home,”
 Biden said. “We need to be honest about that.” His statement came one <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/23/world/russia-ukraine">day before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack</a> on targets throughout Ukraine, including western parts of the country.

Now that war has broken out, the biggest costs for the U.S. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/23/business/economy/russia-ukraine-global-us-economy.html">will likely be in higher prices</a> – on top of what is already the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/02/10/cpi-inflation-january/">fastest pace of inflation</a> in 40 years.

How much worse inflation could get will depend on how far Putin goes, the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/22/politics/biden-invasion-sanctions/index.html">severity of the sanctions</a>
 placed on Russia and how long the crisis lasts. Will Putin cut off oil 
or gas to Europe? Will the invasion thoroughly disrupt Ukraine’s ability
 to export food and other products to the rest of the world?

We do know that Russia is <a href="https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/RUS">one of the world’s biggest energy exporters</a> and <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/23/impact-of-russia-ukraine-on-supply-chains-food-metals-commodities.html">Ukraine’s nickname</a> is the “breadbasket of Europe.” And beyond that, the crisis has been rattling markets for months, <a href="https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/article/2022/01/21/awkward-standoff-ukraine">sending the price of oil and other commodities soaring</a>.

These higher prices will ripple through Europe, of course, but many 
other countries as well, including the U.S. – which will make the 
Federal Reserve’s job of fighting inflation a lot harder and pose a 
bigger threat to the economy.

The most obvious costs to Americans will be at the gas pump.

Russia produces <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/02/22/1081092765/oil-gas-prices-100-barrel-ukraine-russia">approximately 12% of the world’s oil</a> and 17% of its natural gas. That makes it the world’s <a href="https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/RUS">third-biggest producer of oil</a> and second-largest for gas. It’s also the biggest supplier of natural gas to Europe, which <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-the-us-find-enough-natural-gas-sources-to-neutralize-russias-energy-leverage-over-europe-175824">gets nearly half of its supply</a> from Russia.

The risk is that <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/02/energy-crisis-russia-gas/622884/">Russia might cut off gas or oil supplies</a> to Europe or other countries that issue sanctions or otherwise condemn its actions in Ukraine.

Europe may face the most immediate effects if some of Russia’s energy supplies are removed from the world market – which is <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-the-us-find-enough-natural-gas-sources-to-neutralize-russias-energy-leverage-over-europe-175824">why the U.S. has been trying to assure</a> its allies it can supply them with liquid natural gas to make up for any shortfall. But world petroleum markets <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2014.12.003">tend to be highly integrated</a>, so the U.S. won’t be immune.

The crisis has already driven up the price of oil to the <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DCOILWTICO">highest level since 2014</a>, when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, pushing up <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GASREGW">average gasoline prices in the U.S.</a> to over US$3.50 a gallon.

The most serious sanction implemented against Russia so far is Germany’s <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/germanys-scholz-halts-nord-stream-2-certification-2022-02-22/">freeze on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline</a>, which would have carried liquid natural gas from Russia to Western Europe while by-passing Ukraine.

A disruption in one regional market will eventually affect the world 
market. Since the invasion, crude prices have spiked above $100 and are 
likely to go even higher.

While Russia is a major producer of fuels, Ukraine is <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/23/impact-of-russia-ukraine-on-supply-chains-food-metals-commodities.html">a big exporter of food</a>.

Ukraine <a href="https://journalrecord.com/2022/02/22/usda-head-us-farmers-to-help-if-ukraine-exports-threatened/">produces 16% of the world’s corn</a> and 12% of its wheat, as well as being a significant exporter of barley and rye.

While many of Ukraine’s exports go to countries in Europe and Asia, agricultural products, much like oil, tend to trade on <a href="https://www.gtap.agecon.purdue.edu/resources/download/10576.pdf">increasingly integrated global markets</a>.
 Again, the implication for U.S. consumers is that while Europe might 
be affected more immediately in terms of shortages, prices will likely 
rise everywhere.

U.S. grocery prices <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">were up 7.4% in January</a>
 from a year earlier. Because demand for food is typically not very 
sensitive to changes in price – people need to eat no matter the expense
 – an increase in the cost of food production typically gets passed 
along to consumers.

The U.S. central bank <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/24/business/economy/fed-fomc-meeting-minutes-november-2021.html">is very worried about the pace of inflation</a>
 in the U.S. and plans to raise interest rates to fight it. What’s 
happening in Ukraine could complicate its plans. If the crisis in 
Ukraine adds to the upward pressure on prices, that can feed inflation 
and it could force the Fed to take more drastic measures.

Some economists believe the U.S. <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/russia-ukraine-puts-10-u-s-inflation-on-radar-as-blackrock-repeats-central-banks-may-have-to-live-with-inflation-11645565763">could soon see 10% inflation</a>
 – up from 7.5% now – in the case of a full-scale invasion, as we’re 
witnessing now. The U.S. hasn’t seen inflation that high since October 
1981.

If the Fed decides it has to act more forcefully to tame inflation, 
that would not only raise borrowing costs for companies and consumers – 
affecting everything from business loans to mortgages and student debt –
 but <a href="https://theconversation.com/feds-dilemma-inflation-is-healthy-for-the-economy-but-too-much-can-trigger-a-recession-118556">could put the economy at risk</a> of a recession.

At the same time, the crisis could have a moderating effect on 
interest rates. During times of crisis and uncertainty, investors often 
move their money into the safest assets they can find – in a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhm088">so-called flight to quality</a>.
 U.S. government bonds and other dollar-denominated assets are often 
considered the safest around, and increased demand for these assets 
could result in lower interest rates.

Ukrainians themselves will of course pay the steepest costs of the 
Russian invasion, in terms of loss of life, economic costs and 
potentially the loss of their government. But the conflict, though it 
may seem far away, will have an impact on people everywhere. And the hit
 to Americans’ pocketbooks may be nearer than you think. 

William Hauk is an associate economics professor at the University of South Carolina.

By WILLIAM HAUK <a href="https://theconversation.com/americas-cost-of-defending-freedom-in-ukraine-higher-food-and-gas-prices-and-an-increased-risk-of-recession-177703">Courtesy of The Conversation</a>Americans may be tempted to view the war in Ukraine as an unfortunate, but far away, crisis. As <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=B744wv0AAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao0">an economist</a>, I know the world is too connected for the U.S. to go unaffected. On Feb. 22, 2022, President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/22/world/europe/biden-ukraine-speech-transcript.html">warned Americans</a> that a Russian invasion of Ukraine – and U.S. efforts to thwart or punish it – would come with a price tag.“Defending freedom will have costs, for us as well and here at home,”
 Biden said. “We need to be honest about that.” His statement came one <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/23/world/russia-ukraine">day before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack</a> on targets throughout Ukraine, including western parts of the country.Now that war has broken out, the biggest costs for the U.S. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/23/business/economy/russia-ukraine-global-us-economy.html">will likely be in higher prices</a> – on top of what is already the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/02/10/cpi-inflation-january/">fastest pace of inflation</a> in 40 years. How much worse inflation could get will depend on how far Putin goes, the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/22/politics/biden-invasion-sanctions/index.html">severity of the sanctions</a>
 placed on Russia and how long the crisis lasts. Will Putin cut off oil 
or gas to Europe? Will the invasion thoroughly disrupt Ukraine’s ability
 to export food and other products to the rest of the world? We do know that Russia is <a href="https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/RUS">one of the world’s biggest energy exporters</a> and <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/23/impact-of-russia-ukraine-on-supply-chains-food-metals-commodities.html">Ukraine’s nickname</a> is the “breadbasket of Europe.” And beyond that, the crisis has been rattling markets for months, <a href="https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/article/2022/01/21/awkward-standoff-ukraine">sending the price of oil and other commodities soaring</a>. These higher prices will ripple through Europe, of course, but many 
other countries as well, including the U.S. – which will make the 
Federal Reserve’s job of fighting inflation a lot harder and pose a 
bigger threat to the economy.<h2>Pain at the pump</h2>The most obvious costs to Americans will be at the gas pump.Russia produces <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/02/22/1081092765/oil-gas-prices-100-barrel-ukraine-russia">approximately 12% of the world’s oil</a> and 17% of its natural gas. That makes it the world’s <a href="https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/RUS">third-biggest producer of oil</a> and second-largest for gas. It’s also the biggest supplier of natural gas to Europe, which <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-the-us-find-enough-natural-gas-sources-to-neutralize-russias-energy-leverage-over-europe-175824">gets nearly half of its supply</a> from Russia. The risk is that <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/02/energy-crisis-russia-gas/622884/">Russia might cut off gas or oil supplies</a> to Europe or other countries that issue sanctions or otherwise condemn its actions in Ukraine. Europe may face the most immediate effects if some of Russia’s energy supplies are removed from the world market – which is <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-the-us-find-enough-natural-gas-sources-to-neutralize-russias-energy-leverage-over-europe-175824">why the U.S. has been trying to assure</a> its allies it can supply them with liquid natural gas to make up for any shortfall. But world petroleum markets <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2014.12.003">tend to be highly integrated</a>, so the U.S. won’t be immune.The crisis has already driven up the price of oil to the <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DCOILWTICO">highest level since 2014</a>, when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, pushing up <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GASREGW">average gasoline prices in the U.S.</a> to over US$3.50 a gallon.The most serious sanction implemented against Russia so far is Germany’s <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/germanys-scholz-halts-nord-stream-2-certification-2022-02-22/">freeze on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline</a>, which would have carried liquid natural gas from Russia to Western Europe while by-passing Ukraine. A disruption in one regional market will eventually affect the world 
market. Since the invasion, crude prices have spiked above $100 and are 
likely to go even higher.<h2>Higher prices at the supermarket</h2>While Russia is a major producer of fuels, Ukraine is <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/23/impact-of-russia-ukraine-on-supply-chains-food-metals-commodities.html">a big exporter of food</a>.Ukraine <a href="https://journalrecord.com/2022/02/22/usda-head-us-farmers-to-help-if-ukraine-exports-threatened/">produces 16% of the world’s corn</a> and 12% of its wheat, as well as being a significant exporter of barley and rye. While many of Ukraine’s exports go to countries in Europe and Asia, agricultural products, much like oil, tend to trade on <a href="https://www.gtap.agecon.purdue.edu/resources/download/10576.pdf">increasingly integrated global markets</a>.
 Again, the implication for U.S. consumers is that while Europe might 
be affected more immediately in terms of shortages, prices will likely 
rise everywhere. U.S. grocery prices <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">were up 7.4% in January</a>
 from a year earlier. Because demand for food is typically not very 
sensitive to changes in price – people need to eat no matter the expense
 – an increase in the cost of food production typically gets passed 
along to consumers.<h2>The bigger risk to the US economy</h2>That brings us to the Federal Reserve. The U.S. central bank <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/24/business/economy/fed-fomc-meeting-minutes-november-2021.html">is very worried about the pace of inflation</a>
 in the U.S. and plans to raise interest rates to fight it. What’s 
happening in Ukraine could complicate its plans. If the crisis in 
Ukraine adds to the upward pressure on prices, that can feed inflation 
and it could force the Fed to take more drastic measures.Some economists believe the U.S. <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/russia-ukraine-puts-10-u-s-inflation-on-radar-as-blackrock-repeats-central-banks-may-have-to-live-with-inflation-11645565763">could soon see 10% inflation</a>
 – up from 7.5% now – in the case of a full-scale invasion, as we’re 
witnessing now. The U.S. hasn’t seen inflation that high since October 
1981. If the Fed decides it has to act more forcefully to tame inflation, 
that would not only raise borrowing costs for companies and consumers – 
affecting everything from business loans to mortgages and student debt –
 but <a href="https://theconversation.com/feds-dilemma-inflation-is-healthy-for-the-economy-but-too-much-can-trigger-a-recession-118556">could put the economy at risk</a> of a recession. At the same time, the crisis could have a moderating effect on 
interest rates. During times of crisis and uncertainty, investors often 
move their money into the safest assets they can find – in a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhm088">so-called flight to quality</a>.
 U.S. government bonds and other dollar-denominated assets are often 
considered the safest around, and increased demand for these assets 
could result in lower interest rates. Ukrainians themselves will of course pay the steepest costs of the 
Russian invasion, in terms of loss of life, economic costs and 
potentially the loss of their government. But the conflict, though it 
may seem far away, will have an impact on people everywhere. And the hit
 to Americans’ pocketbooks may be nearer than you think. William Hauk is an associate economics professor at the University of South Carolina.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

ANALYSIS: Ukraine invasion could lead to higher food, gas prices, risk of recession

One of the powerful reminders of the university’s unique relationship with our hometown is found in the spirit and energy on display every Friday in the restaurants, shops, and offices in Hays, America. The Tiger Gear on Friday (TGOF) tradition is an ongoing celebration of the innovative, determined, and caring people that make Tiger Nation unique. It was established as Tiger Gold on Friday in 2014 and reintroduced in 2019 as Tiger Gear&nbsp;on Friday. The change was made to expand the number of ways the folks could demonstrate their Tiger pride.

TGOF has always been a highly visible and unifying movement in Hays. According to&nbsp;Downtown Hays Development Corporation&nbsp;Director Sara Bloom:&nbsp;“We see an incredible benefit&nbsp;of&nbsp;the TGOF program. Not only does it help highlight the opportunities, shops, and restaurants downtown to those on campus, it’s a way for us to show FHSU faculty, staff, and students how truly valued they are. Hays thrives because of the impact&nbsp;Fort Hays State&nbsp;has on our community. Campus life brings new momentum and excitement to Hays. Being a TGOF partner lets us say thank you in a small way for that impact and the university’s contribution to our quality of place.”

On a Friday morning earlier this month, at a “Chamber Chat” event at a packed Professor’s&nbsp;Classic&nbsp;Sandwich&nbsp;Shop&nbsp;&amp; More&nbsp;in Hays, Hays Chamber President Sarah&nbsp;Wasinger&nbsp;and the university’s TGOF Steering Committee Chair Scott Cason introduced a new TGOF engagement program that is now open to TGOF community partners. The&nbsp;TGOF Partner-of-the-Year&nbsp;contest will be an annual competition where TGOF Community Partners&nbsp;can win&nbsp;a tremendous prize package. Those prizes&nbsp;include a TGOF-sponsored Chamber Chat for their organization;&nbsp;up to 20 tickets and special recognition at a 2022 Tiger football game;&nbsp;a photoshoot with the university mascot, Victor E. Tiger;&nbsp;and an extensive TGOF prize package branded merchandise.&nbsp;

To earn TGOF Partner-of-the-Year honors, the winning community partner will document their efforts to promote Tiger Nation spirit in any combination of the following ways:

•Tiger spirit on display in social media postings (a minimum of four)•Members of your group “getting caught” wearing Tiger gear in town by a TGOF Community Outreach Committee member•Purchasing TGOF or FHSU branded apparel for your organization from the&nbsp;<a href="https://victoreapparelandgiftco.myresero.com/">Victor E. Apparel and Gift Company</a>&nbsp;shop at FHSU•&nbsp;Sharing images of “Tigerized” work on home spaces on social media or via a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/tgof-partners/partner-of-the-year-self-report">web form</a>&nbsp;on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/">TGOF website</a>

This tremendous energy in the community doesn’t exist by accident. It is the direct result of the energetic work of the TGOF Community Outreach Sub-Committee. Led by Brittney Squire,outreach services specialist&nbsp;at FHSU’s&nbsp;Forsyth Library,&nbsp;the group works to expand the reach and impact of TGOF.&nbsp;Comprising that group are several FHSU&nbsp;staff&nbsp;members, a student government leader, and representatives from TGOF’s four “Premier Partners”&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Chamber in Hays, The Downtown Hays Development Corporation, the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Grow Hays.

If your organization isn’t a TGOF Community Partner yet, I encourage you to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/tgof-partners/">sign up today</a>. It costs nothing to join, and when you&nbsp;do, you’ll get a welcome kit and recognition on FHSU’s social media channels. Some of our partners offer Friday discounts for those who enter their&nbsp;stores wearing Tiger&nbsp;gear. Other community organizations join as “Spirit&nbsp;Partners”&nbsp;and participate in Friday celebrations simply by wearing their Tiger gear, putting up posters in their spaces, and posting photos on social media.&nbsp;

Hays, America is a great town and a great college town because of the caring people who chose to live and work here.

For&nbsp;me, and I think&nbsp;for&nbsp;many of my FHSU colleagues who didn’t grow up in Hays, I believe we are here because we found the best balance of professional opportunity, fellowship, a shared calling to serve our community, and the infectious civic pride on display in the TGOF movement.We came here and stayed because we found our home in Hays, America.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the powerful reminders of the university’s unique relationship with our hometown is found in the spirit and energy on display every Friday in the restaurants, shops, and offices in Hays, America. The Tiger Gear on Friday (TGOF) tradition is an ongoing celebration of the innovative, determined, and caring people that make Tiger Nation unique. It was established as Tiger Gold on Friday in 2014 and reintroduced in 2019 as Tiger Gear&nbsp;on Friday. The change was made to expand the number of ways the folks could demonstrate their Tiger pride.TGOF has always been a highly visible and unifying movement in Hays. According to&nbsp;Downtown Hays Development Corporation&nbsp;Director Sara Bloom:&nbsp;“We see an incredible benefit&nbsp;of&nbsp;the TGOF program. Not only does it help highlight the opportunities, shops, and restaurants downtown to those on campus, it’s a way for us to show FHSU faculty, staff, and students how truly valued they are. Hays thrives because of the impact&nbsp;Fort Hays State&nbsp;has on our community. Campus life brings new momentum and excitement to Hays. Being a TGOF partner lets us say thank you in a small way for that impact and the university’s contribution to our quality of place.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645646830108.png" alt="TGOF Logo Black.png" />
 <figcaption>TGOF Logo Black.png</figcaption>
 </figure>On a Friday morning earlier this month, at a “Chamber Chat” event at a packed Professor’s&nbsp;Classic&nbsp;Sandwich&nbsp;Shop&nbsp;&amp; More&nbsp;in Hays, Hays Chamber President Sarah&nbsp;Wasinger&nbsp;and the university’s TGOF Steering Committee Chair Scott Cason introduced a new TGOF engagement program that is now open to TGOF community partners. The&nbsp;TGOF Partner-of-the-Year&nbsp;contest will be an annual competition where TGOF Community Partners&nbsp;can win&nbsp;a tremendous prize package. Those prizes&nbsp;include a TGOF-sponsored Chamber Chat for their organization;&nbsp;up to 20 tickets and special recognition at a 2022 Tiger football game;&nbsp;a photoshoot with the university mascot, Victor E. Tiger;&nbsp;and an extensive TGOF prize package branded merchandise.&nbsp;To earn TGOF Partner-of-the-Year honors, the winning community partner will document their efforts to promote Tiger Nation spirit in any combination of the following ways:•Tiger spirit on display in social media postings (a minimum of four)•Members of your group “getting caught” wearing Tiger gear in town by a TGOF Community Outreach Committee member•Purchasing TGOF or FHSU branded apparel for your organization from the&nbsp;<a href="https://victoreapparelandgiftco.myresero.com/">Victor E. Apparel and Gift Company</a>&nbsp;shop at FHSU•&nbsp;Sharing images of “Tigerized” work on home spaces on social media or via a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/tgof-partners/partner-of-the-year-self-report">web form</a>&nbsp;on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/">TGOF website</a>This tremendous energy in the community doesn’t exist by accident. It is the direct result of the energetic work of the TGOF Community Outreach Sub-Committee. Led by Brittney Squire,outreach services specialist&nbsp;at FHSU’s&nbsp;Forsyth Library,&nbsp;the group works to expand the reach and impact of TGOF.&nbsp;Comprising that group are several FHSU&nbsp;staff&nbsp;members, a student government leader, and representatives from TGOF’s four “Premier Partners”&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Chamber in Hays, The Downtown Hays Development Corporation, the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Grow Hays.If your organization isn’t a TGOF Community Partner yet, I encourage you to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/tgof-partners/">sign up today</a>. It costs nothing to join, and when you&nbsp;do, you’ll get a welcome kit and recognition on FHSU’s social media channels. Some of our partners offer Friday discounts for those who enter their&nbsp;stores wearing Tiger&nbsp;gear. Other community organizations join as “Spirit&nbsp;Partners”&nbsp;and participate in Friday celebrations simply by wearing their Tiger gear, putting up posters in their spaces, and posting photos on social media.&nbsp;Hays, America is a great town and a great college town because of the caring people who chose to live and work here.For&nbsp;me, and I think&nbsp;for&nbsp;many of my FHSU colleagues who didn’t grow up in Hays, I believe we are here because we found the best balance of professional opportunity, fellowship, a shared calling to serve our community, and the infectious civic pride on display in the TGOF movement.We came here and stayed because we found our home in Hays, America.&nbsp;

MASON: Introducing a new way to celebrate your Tiger spirit 

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer We have officially entered the countdown to spring break mindset in our household. The recent winter blasts that have netted a few snow days for the kids are no longer acceptable for my children. They are ready for an extended, week-long break from school. And in their eyes, it can’t get here soon enough! &nbsp; They ask me daily how many more days until their beloved break begins. They have been constantly discussing in detail the grand plans they have for their week-long hiatus from all school responsibilities. My daughter is already planning out her wardrobe of sundresses, sandals and swimsuits, while my son is brainstorming plans for an adventure course he plans to build in our pasture.&nbsp; &nbsp; We have less than a month until my two can experience the “freedom” that they have been dreaming of daily, and there is no denying that their anticipation is showing loud and clear. &nbsp; When I asked my third-grader why he’s so adamant about aggressively marking each day off the giant calendar that hangs in our mudroom, his response surprised me. &nbsp; “Mom, the closer we get to spring break means the closer we are to summer break,” he told me. &nbsp; “And once it’s Summer Break, I can spend all of my time on the farm,” he added. &nbsp; I immediately made a mental note to increase the amount of chores for my boy this summer to ensure he will look forward to returning to school in the fall. &nbsp; For me, our children’s spring break is the final visible block on our family’s calendar of calmness prior to the start of an incredibly busy season on our farm. &nbsp; Aside from the expected spring sports practices and games that will begin occupying time slots during my evenings and weekends following spring break, the overall pace within our household will dramatically shift as well. &nbsp; Our winter evenings together at the dinner table will transition to meals hurriedly prepared and delivered out to fields while we plant our crops for next fall’s harvest. &nbsp; I’ll increase my audiobook consumption while navigating the dirt roads to deliver seed and equipment while the kids attend their final months of school. &nbsp; My visits to the local tractor dealership will become more frequent as I anticipate making many trips into town for parts as well. &nbsp; Secretly, I hope it takes a while for spring break to arrive this year. I want to soak up the calmness of the current season that we’re in. Unfortunately, I think I’m outnumbered in our house, and these next few weeks will quickly pass and usher in another season on the farm.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer We have officially entered the countdown to spring break mindset in our household. The recent winter blasts that have netted a few snow days for the kids are no longer acceptable for my children. They are ready for an extended, week-long break from school. And in their eyes, it can’t get here soon enough! &nbsp; They ask me daily how many more days until their beloved break begins. They have been constantly discussing in detail the grand plans they have for their week-long hiatus from all school responsibilities. My daughter is already planning out her wardrobe of sundresses, sandals and swimsuits, while my son is brainstorming plans for an adventure course he plans to build in our pasture.&nbsp; &nbsp; We have less than a month until my two can experience the “freedom” that they have been dreaming of daily, and there is no denying that their anticipation is showing loud and clear. &nbsp; When I asked my third-grader why he’s so adamant about aggressively marking each day off the giant calendar that hangs in our mudroom, his response surprised me. &nbsp; “Mom, the closer we get to spring break means the closer we are to summer break,” he told me. &nbsp; “And once it’s Summer Break, I can spend all of my time on the farm,” he added. &nbsp; I immediately made a mental note to increase the amount of chores for my boy this summer to ensure he will look forward to returning to school in the fall. &nbsp; For me, our children’s spring break is the final visible block on our family’s calendar of calmness prior to the start of an incredibly busy season on our farm. &nbsp; Aside from the expected spring sports practices and games that will begin occupying time slots during my evenings and weekends following spring break, the overall pace within our household will dramatically shift as well. &nbsp; Our winter evenings together at the dinner table will transition to meals hurriedly prepared and delivered out to fields while we plant our crops for next fall’s harvest. &nbsp; I’ll increase my audiobook consumption while navigating the dirt roads to deliver seed and equipment while the kids attend their final months of school. &nbsp; My visits to the local tractor dealership will become more frequent as I anticipate making many trips into town for parts as well. &nbsp; Secretly, I hope it takes a while for spring break to arrive this year. I want to soak up the calmness of the current season that we’re in. Unfortunately, I think I’m outnumbered in our house, and these next few weeks will quickly pass and usher in another season on the farm."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Spring break secrets

By DEREK SCHMIDT Kansas Attorney General

America faces a crisis at our southwest border.

During 2021, authorities encountered about two million migrants at the border, up from fewer than 550,000 the year before, not counting those who eluded detection. That wave of humanity has overwhelmed border security, and that's a problem for Kansas.

Last month, I traveled to Texas to meet with Governor Greg Abbott and other Texas officials to see the border crisis myself. During a two-day summit with other state attorneys general, we saw:

• The unfinished border wall, riddled with incomplete segments shockingly easy to walk through and around. Taxpayers have bought steel to build more, but it sits rusting in piles because the Biden administration will neither install it nor allow Texas to.

• Front-line federal agents just trying to do their jobs. Unfortunately, our interaction with federal agents was limited because the evening before our arrival, their superiors in Washington abruptly canceled our briefings without explanation.

• Dedicated Texas officers enforcing state laws near the unsecured border. They know the reality on the ground. They showed us which houses and other structures on the Mexican side are owned and used by the cartels and explained how cartels pay spotters – often children – to sit along the Rio Grande and report the location of patrol boats so smugglers know when the coast is clear.

In our proud nation of immigrants, emotional immigration politics too often obscure this tragic truth: There are more crime victims in Kansas today because the federal government is failing on border security.&nbsp;

During my time as attorney general, our office successfully prosecuted an illegal alien in southeast Kansas who shot an Oklahoma police officer, kidnapped a Kansas motorist, invaded a Kansas residence, and attempted to murder a Kansas officer. In north-central Kansas, we prosecuted an illegal alien for sex crimes against a young child. And we prosecuted an illegal alien in Southwest Kansas for murder.

After the Kansas Supreme Court incorrectly ruled that federal law shielded certain illegal aliens from state identity theft laws, we appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. I argued that case myself, and we won.

These crimes are among many committed in Kansas by people here illegally. Much violent crime here is connected to the smuggling of drugs and people across the border. Deported criminals too often easily return to Kansas and commit new crimes. The Kansas Department of Corrections recently reported 246 inmates in Kansas prisons are subject to possible deportation upon release; county jails and federal prisons hold more.

Weak federal policy invites border chaos, and drug cartels and other criminal organizations use that chaos as cover to extend their operations in the United States, including Kansas. A bad situation has grown worse in the past year.

That’s why I’ve sued the Biden administration to do its job, such as reinstating the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” Migrant Protection Protocols. But the Biden administration has responded weakly even after a court order. Ultimately, we need new leadership to prioritize border security.

Until that day comes, our best available option is to cooperate with requests from Texas for assistance. We should help Texas identify, intercept and stop trans-border violence and criminal activity before it reaches Kansas because Texas still stands between us and the border. Our families and communities will be safer for it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583409290272.jpeg" alt="Derek Schmidt" />
 <figcaption>Derek Schmidt</figcaption>
 </figure>By DEREK SCHMIDT Kansas Attorney GeneralAmerica faces a crisis at our southwest border.During 2021, authorities encountered about two million migrants at the border, up from fewer than 550,000 the year before, not counting those who eluded detection. That wave of humanity has overwhelmed border security, and that's a problem for Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Last month, I traveled to Texas to meet with Governor Greg Abbott and other Texas officials to see the border crisis myself. During a two-day summit with other state attorneys general, we saw:• The unfinished border wall, riddled with incomplete segments shockingly easy to walk through and around. Taxpayers have bought steel to build more, but it sits rusting in piles because the Biden administration will neither install it nor allow Texas to.• Front-line federal agents just trying to do their jobs. Unfortunately, our interaction with federal agents was limited because the evening before our arrival, their superiors in Washington abruptly canceled our briefings without explanation.• Dedicated Texas officers enforcing state laws near the unsecured border. They know the reality on the ground. They showed us which houses and other structures on the Mexican side are owned and used by the cartels and explained how cartels pay spotters – often children – to sit along the Rio Grande and report the location of patrol boats so smugglers know when the coast is clear.In our proud nation of immigrants, emotional immigration politics too often obscure this tragic truth: There are more crime victims in Kansas today because the federal government is failing on border security.&nbsp;During my time as attorney general, our office successfully prosecuted an illegal alien in southeast Kansas who shot an Oklahoma police officer, kidnapped a Kansas motorist, invaded a Kansas residence, and attempted to murder a Kansas officer. In north-central Kansas, we prosecuted an illegal alien for sex crimes against a young child. And we prosecuted an illegal alien in Southwest Kansas for murder.After the Kansas Supreme Court incorrectly ruled that federal law shielded certain illegal aliens from state identity theft laws, we appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. I argued that case myself, and we won.These crimes are among many committed in Kansas by people here illegally. Much violent crime here is connected to the smuggling of drugs and people across the border. Deported criminals too often easily return to Kansas and commit new crimes. The Kansas Department of Corrections recently reported 246 inmates in Kansas prisons are subject to possible deportation upon release; county jails and federal prisons hold more.Weak federal policy invites border chaos, and drug cartels and other criminal organizations use that chaos as cover to extend their operations in the United States, including Kansas. A bad situation has grown worse in the past year.That’s why I’ve sued the Biden administration to do its job, such as reinstating the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” Migrant Protection Protocols. But the Biden administration has responded weakly even after a court order. Ultimately, we need new leadership to prioritize border security.Until that day comes, our best available option is to cooperate with requests from Texas for assistance. We should help Texas identify, intercept and stop trans-border violence and criminal activity before it reaches Kansas because Texas still stands between us and the border. Our families and communities will be safer for it.

OPINION: What I saw at the border and why it matters

I’m really telling my age here, but I can remember walking up the road with my dad to a couple ponds near our place when I was just a pup. We had a couple cane poles, each with a hook, sinker and bobber and a can of nightcrawlers for bait. We would sit there on the bank and catch largemouth bass and bullheads, usually taking home a bass or two for mom to fry. 

Next came a cheap fiberglass rod with a Johnson reel when I was in&nbsp;grade school. The neighbor kids and I would load up our bikes with rods &amp; reels and worms for bait and pedal to an old mill on the river a couple miles away where we’d fish in the calm back-waters near the old mill building, rarely even getting bites, let alone catching fish. If I happened to get to visit my grandparents in the nearby town, I’d get leftover dough from the bakery downtown, then walk to the park and fish with doughballs in a weed-infested pond there. Then, in junior high, my other grandpa would take my cousin and I to Michigan each summer, towing his wooden boat and motor behind his pickup and camper. We would fish for Rock bass, using nightcrawlers for bait.&nbsp;Not many fish were caught on any of these early fishing excursions, which relied on our knowledge and skills to put fish in the skillet.

Fast forward to a trip to Lake Fork, Texas ten years ago to visit friends. They took us fishing late in the afternoon, setting “waypoints” with the GPS feature on their high-dollar trolling rig&nbsp;as wedodged&nbsp;submerged stumps all the way across the lake. Later that night, well after dark, that GPS system guided us back to the dock, dodging all those same stumps in the pitch-black darkness, without our friend ever having to touch the boat steering wheel.

On an early-spring fishing trip last year to Kanapolis, another friend spent fifteen minutes(unsuccessfully)&nbsp;trying to teach me how to use his new sonar. On a monitor next to my seat, I could watch my jig descend to the bottom, and see it twitch and dance each time I “jigged” the rod tip up-and-down. I never really got the hang of using it, but I could see everything around us on the lake bottom, leaving me wondering “Just when is an advancement too advanced?”

Kansas Deppartment of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Fisheries staff pondered the same question, “When is an advancement too&nbsp;advanced”&nbsp;as they considered the implications of the latest advancement in fish location&nbsp;technology&nbsp;called Live-Imaging Sonar, LIS for short. LIS is sonar that shows anglers fish and structure around and below their&nbsp;boat, usually with great clarity. LIS has fishermen choosing sides; some see it as&nbsp;a great&nbsp;addition, helping to guarantee a better fishing experience. Others see it as more of an ethical dilemma, blurring the lines of fair chase.&nbsp;KDWP sought to&nbsp;understand the impact of LIS on Kansas sportfishing, but no data was available to examine, so they decided to create their own study.

In early December, 2021, 32 fishermen, comprised of KDWP Fisheries and Wildlife employees, and people from Kansas State University,&nbsp;participated in a two-week experiment at Cedar Bluff Reservoir. Anglers were randomly partnered up&nbsp;and instructed to fish for&nbsp;winter crappie for&nbsp;seven hours on either the north or south side of the lake, and to fish either with or without the aid of LIS. The next day, they all switched sides of the lake and swapped use of the&nbsp;equipment. For data purposes, this resulted in sixteen controlled samples to examine. KDWP says the results were “unexpected.” I’m not sure what that means or what they expected to find, but here&nbsp;were&nbsp;the results:

•Anglers not using the new LIS sonar averaged 6.3 crappie per day, while anglers using the new LIS averaged 7.3 crappie per day.•Addinginto the studyall other species of fish caught, fishermen not using LIS averaged catching 12.9 fish per day, compared to an average of 14.4 fish per day by anglers using LIS.•Fishermen using the LIS caught crappie SLIGHTLY larger (less than one-half inch difference.)

More experienced fishermen and anglers already proficient in using Live-Imaging Sonar were not considered in this study, and the study concentrated on crappie, but overall, the data collected demonstrated that while the use of LSI by the casual weekend angler might SLIGHTLY improve the number and size of crappie caught, the difference was statistically minimal.

I’m certain LIS was what my friend tried to teach me to use at Kanapolis, and I’m also sure I have other friends who already have it on their boats or soon will have. Mind you, I’m not against technology and advancements in outdoor equipment, but let’s not allow them to water-down the reason we hunt and fish to begin with, and that is to 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>I’m really telling my age here, but I can remember walking up the road with my dad to a couple ponds near our place when I was just a pup. We had a couple cane poles, each with a hook, sinker and bobber and a can of nightcrawlers for bait. We would sit there on the bank and catch largemouth bass and bullheads, usually taking home a bass or two for mom to fry. Next came a cheap fiberglass rod with a Johnson reel when I was in&nbsp;grade school. The neighbor kids and I would load up our bikes with rods &amp; reels and worms for bait and pedal to an old mill on the river a couple miles away where we’d fish in the calm back-waters near the old mill building, rarely even getting bites, let alone catching fish. If I happened to get to visit my grandparents in the nearby town, I’d get leftover dough from the bakery downtown, then walk to the park and fish with doughballs in a weed-infested pond there. Then, in junior high, my other grandpa would take my cousin and I to Michigan each summer, towing his wooden boat and motor behind his pickup and camper. We would fish for Rock bass, using nightcrawlers for bait.&nbsp;Not many fish were caught on any of these early fishing excursions, which relied on our knowledge and skills to put fish in the skillet.Fast forward to a trip to Lake Fork, Texas ten years ago to visit friends. They took us fishing late in the afternoon, setting “waypoints” with the GPS feature on their high-dollar trolling rig&nbsp;as wedodged&nbsp;submerged stumps all the way across the lake. Later that night, well after dark, that GPS system guided us back to the dock, dodging all those same stumps in the pitch-black darkness, without our friend ever having to touch the boat steering wheel.On an early-spring fishing trip last year to Kanapolis, another friend spent fifteen minutes(unsuccessfully)&nbsp;trying to teach me how to use his new sonar. On a monitor next to my seat, I could watch my jig descend to the bottom, and see it twitch and dance each time I “jigged” the rod tip up-and-down. I never really got the hang of using it, but I could see everything around us on the lake bottom, leaving me wondering “Just when is an advancement too advanced?”Kansas Deppartment of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Fisheries staff pondered the same question, “When is an advancement too&nbsp;advanced”&nbsp;as they considered the implications of the latest advancement in fish location&nbsp;technology&nbsp;called Live-Imaging Sonar, LIS for short. LIS is sonar that shows anglers fish and structure around and below their&nbsp;boat, usually with great clarity. LIS has fishermen choosing sides; some see it as&nbsp;a great&nbsp;addition, helping to guarantee a better fishing experience. Others see it as more of an ethical dilemma, blurring the lines of fair chase.&nbsp;KDWP sought to&nbsp;understand the impact of LIS on Kansas sportfishing, but no data was available to examine, so they decided to create their own study.In early December, 2021, 32 fishermen, comprised of KDWP Fisheries and Wildlife employees, and people from Kansas State University,&nbsp;participated in a two-week experiment at Cedar Bluff Reservoir. Anglers were randomly partnered up&nbsp;and instructed to fish for&nbsp;winter crappie for&nbsp;seven hours on either the north or south side of the lake, and to fish either with or without the aid of LIS. The next day, they all switched sides of the lake and swapped use of the&nbsp;equipment. For data purposes, this resulted in sixteen controlled samples to examine. KDWP says the results were “unexpected.” I’m not sure what that means or what they expected to find, but here&nbsp;were&nbsp;the results:•Anglers not using the new LIS sonar averaged 6.3 crappie per day, while anglers using the new LIS averaged 7.3 crappie per day.•Addinginto the studyall other species of fish caught, fishermen not using LIS averaged catching 12.9 fish per day, compared to an average of 14.4 fish per day by anglers using LIS.•Fishermen using the LIS caught crappie SLIGHTLY larger (less than one-half inch difference.)More experienced fishermen and anglers already proficient in using Live-Imaging Sonar were not considered in this study, and the study concentrated on crappie, but overall, the data collected demonstrated that while the use of LSI by the casual weekend angler might SLIGHTLY improve the number and size of crappie caught, the difference was statistically minimal.I’m certain LIS was what my friend tried to teach me to use at Kanapolis, and I’m also sure I have other friends who already have it on their boats or soon will have. Mind you, I’m not against technology and advancements in outdoor equipment, but let’s not allow them to water-down the reason we hunt and fish to begin with, and that is to continue to explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Fishing advances

<a href="https://theconversation.com">By NAOMI SCHALIT</a> <a href="https://www.penncapital-star.com/commentary/crisis-in-ukraine-how-did-it-happen-where-is-it-going-five-essential-reads-analysis/">Courtesy the Pennsylvania Capital-Star</a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/21/russia-ukraine-updates/">a provocative address that could be construed as a pretext to war</a>,
 claimed on Feb. 21, 2022, that all of Ukraine belongs to Russia and 
formally recognized the independence of two breakaway regions in Ukraine
 that are largely controlled by Moscow-backed separatists. His 
government then <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/21/world/ukraine-russia-putin-biden/moscow-orders-troops-to-ukraines-breakaway-regions-for-peacekeeping-functions">ordered troops</a> to those regions.

The U.S. and European countries were quick to respond, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/21/russia-ukraine-updates/#link-NSM6BHMVH5E2TOF7HE5XXONOBA">the Biden Administration announcing</a>
 that it “will prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. 
persons to, from, or in” the two regions, known since 2014 as the 
Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.

The European Union’s executive branch leader, Ursula von der Leyen, 
condemned Putin’s action as a “blatant violation of international law.” 
And NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, “I condemn Russia’s decision to 
extend recognition to the self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ 
and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic.’”

To help readers understand the background of these developments, here
 are five stories The Conversation has published about the 
centuries-long bad blood between Ukraine and Russia, manifested in 
everything from religion to political ideology.

1. Why Putin struggles to accept Ukrainian sovereignty

Putin’s announcement that Russia would recognize the independence of 
the two Ukrainian territories is a reflection of his view that Ukraine 
is part of Russia’s once-great empire, which at one time ranged from 
current-day Poland to the Russian Far East.

The Russian president is not alone in that view. Two scholars, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacob-lassin-1300277">Jacob Lassin</a> of Arizona State University and <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-channell-justice-1300279">Emily Channell-Justice</a> of Harvard University, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-putin-has-such-a-hard-time-accepting-ukrainian-sovereignty-174029">write that “for centuries, within the Russian Empire, Ukraine was known as ‘Malorossiya’ or ‘Little Russia.’</a> The use of this term strengthened the idea that Ukraine was a junior member of the empire.”

Czarist policies from the 18th century forward, write Lassin and 
Channel-Justice, “suppressed the use of the Ukrainian language and 
culture. The intention of these policies was to establish a dominant 
Russia and later strip Ukraine of an identity as an independent, 
sovereign nation.”

2. The Soviet era added to resentment toward Russia

Lassin and Channel-Justice also write about how <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/famine-subjugation-and-nuclear-fallout-how-soviet-experience-helped-sow-resentment-among-ukrainians-toward-russia-175500">the shared history of Ukraine and Russia has bred ill will</a> among Ukrainians towards Russia.

Among the many historical grievances: The Soviet Union’s collectivist
 plans helped wreck the once-famed Ukrainian agricultural sector, 
leading to a widespread famine in 1932 and 1933, known as the Holodomor.

“Research estimates that some 3 million to 4 million Ukrainians died 
of the famine, around 13% of the population, though the true figure is 
impossible to establish because of Soviet efforts to hide the famine and
 its toll,” write Lassin and Channel-Justice. Soviet leader Josef Stalin
 prevented Ukrainian farmers from traveling in search of food, and 
severely punished anyone who took produce from collective farms, which 
made the famine much worse for Ukrainians. “As such, some scholars call 
the famine a genocide,” they write.

After Putin’s announcement, the Biden administration said it would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/02/21/statement-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-on-russian-announcement-on-eastern-ukraine/">impose economic sanctions</a>
 on those doing business in the eastern Ukraine provinces declared 
independent by Russia. Biden has also declared that “severe economic 
consequences” would follow a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

But it may be hard to get allied countries in Europe to go along with such sanctions, writes <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-haddad-1313544">Ryan Haddad of the University of Maryland</a>. The reason: <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-russia-hooked-europe-on-its-oil-and-gas-and-overcame-us-efforts-to-prevent-energy-dependence-on-moscow-174518">the dependence of many European countries on Russian energy</a>.

Russia has a long history of using energy to divide the U.S. and 
Europe, and Haddad writes that “Russian [natural] gas exports to Europe 
reached a record level in 2021. … Europe got a glimpse of the potential 
consequences of this dependence in December 2021, when Russia reduced 
its gas exports to Europe as the crisis involving Ukraine was heating 
up.”

4. Russia has been at war with Ukraine for years – in cyberspace

As the world awaits the possible start of war between Russia and Ukraine, scholar <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/maggie-smith-1312550">Maggie Smith at the United States Military Academy at West Point</a> says that <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/russia-has-been-at-war-with-ukraine-for-years-in-cyberspace-176221">Russia has been attacking Ukrainian government operations and infrastructure for years</a> via cyberspace.

“Russia has interfered in Ukrainian elections, targeted its power 
grid, defaced its government websites and spread disinformation,” writes
 Smith. “Strategically, Russian cyber operations are designed to 
undermine the Ukrainian government and private sector organizations. 
Tactically, the operations aim to influence, scare and subdue the 
population.”

All of those actions, writes Smith, “destabilize Ukraine’s political environment.”

To understand the present, it helps to understand the past. The 
tensions between Russia and Ukraine are not just political in nature. <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-church-conflict-in-ukraine-reflects-historic-russian-ukrainian-tensions-175818">They’re also religious</a>, writes Arizona State University scholar <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/j-eugene-clay-1311417">J. Eugene Clay</a>.

“Two different Orthodox churches claim to be the one true Ukrainian 
Orthodox Church for the Ukrainian people,” writes Clay. “The two 
churches offer strikingly different visions of the relationship between 
the Ukrainian and the Russian peoples.”

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate stresses “the 
powerful bonds that link the peoples of Ukraine and Russia.” The 
Orthodox Church of Ukraine, on the other hand, was formally recognized 
in January 2019 and is “the culmination of decades of efforts by 
Ukrainian believers who wanted their own national church, free from any 
foreign religious authority.”

The two churches, writes Clay, reflect a fundamental question: Are Ukrainians and Russians one people or two separate nations?

This analysis was compiled and edited by Naomi Schalit, Senior Editor, Politics + Society, for <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/ukraine-crisis-putin-recognizes-breakaway-regions-biden-orders-limited-sanctions-5-essential-reads-177508">The Conversation</a>, where it first appeared.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645557931664.jpg" alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin / Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Russian President Vladimir Putin / Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://theconversation.com">By NAOMI SCHALIT</a> <a href="https://www.penncapital-star.com/commentary/crisis-in-ukraine-how-did-it-happen-where-is-it-going-five-essential-reads-analysis/">Courtesy the Pennsylvania Capital-Star</a>Russian President Vladimir Putin, in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/21/russia-ukraine-updates/">a provocative address that could be construed as a pretext to war</a>,
 claimed on Feb. 21, 2022, that all of Ukraine belongs to Russia and 
formally recognized the independence of two breakaway regions in Ukraine
 that are largely controlled by Moscow-backed separatists. His 
government then <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/21/world/ukraine-russia-putin-biden/moscow-orders-troops-to-ukraines-breakaway-regions-for-peacekeeping-functions">ordered troops</a> to those regions.The U.S. and European countries were quick to respond, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/21/russia-ukraine-updates/#link-NSM6BHMVH5E2TOF7HE5XXONOBA">the Biden Administration announcing</a>
 that it “will prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. 
persons to, from, or in” the two regions, known since 2014 as the 
Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645558110453.png" alt="Via Twitter" />
 <figcaption>Via Twitter</figcaption>
 </figure>The European Union’s executive branch leader, Ursula von der Leyen, 
condemned Putin’s action as a “blatant violation of international law.” 
And NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, “I condemn Russia’s decision to 
extend recognition to the self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ 
and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic.’”To help readers understand the background of these developments, here
 are five stories The Conversation has published about the 
centuries-long bad blood between Ukraine and Russia, manifested in 
everything from religion to political ideology.<h2>1. Why Putin struggles to accept Ukrainian sovereignty</h2>Putin’s announcement that Russia would recognize the independence of 
the two Ukrainian territories is a reflection of his view that Ukraine 
is part of Russia’s once-great empire, which at one time ranged from 
current-day Poland to the Russian Far East.The Russian president is not alone in that view. Two scholars, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacob-lassin-1300277">Jacob Lassin</a> of Arizona State University and <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-channell-justice-1300279">Emily Channell-Justice</a> of Harvard University, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-putin-has-such-a-hard-time-accepting-ukrainian-sovereignty-174029">write that “for centuries, within the Russian Empire, Ukraine was known as ‘Malorossiya’ or ‘Little Russia.’</a> The use of this term strengthened the idea that Ukraine was a junior member of the empire.”Czarist policies from the 18th century forward, write Lassin and 
Channel-Justice, “suppressed the use of the Ukrainian language and 
culture. The intention of these policies was to establish a dominant 
Russia and later strip Ukraine of an identity as an independent, 
sovereign nation.”<h2>2. The Soviet era added to resentment toward Russia</h2>Lassin and Channel-Justice also write about how <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/famine-subjugation-and-nuclear-fallout-how-soviet-experience-helped-sow-resentment-among-ukrainians-toward-russia-175500">the shared history of Ukraine and Russia has bred ill will</a> among Ukrainians towards Russia.Among the many historical grievances: The Soviet Union’s collectivist
 plans helped wreck the once-famed Ukrainian agricultural sector, 
leading to a widespread famine in 1932 and 1933, known as the Holodomor.“Research estimates that some 3 million to 4 million Ukrainians died 
of the famine, around 13% of the population, though the true figure is 
impossible to establish because of Soviet efforts to hide the famine and
 its toll,” write Lassin and Channel-Justice. Soviet leader Josef Stalin
 prevented Ukrainian farmers from traveling in search of food, and 
severely punished anyone who took produce from collective farms, which 
made the famine much worse for Ukrainians. “As such, some scholars call 
the famine a genocide,” they write.<h2>3. Putin’s strategic pipelines</h2>After Putin’s announcement, the Biden administration said it would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/02/21/statement-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-on-russian-announcement-on-eastern-ukraine/">impose economic sanctions</a>
 on those doing business in the eastern Ukraine provinces declared 
independent by Russia. Biden has also declared that “severe economic 
consequences” would follow a Russian invasion of Ukraine.But it may be hard to get allied countries in Europe to go along with such sanctions, writes <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-haddad-1313544">Ryan Haddad of the University of Maryland</a>. The reason: <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-russia-hooked-europe-on-its-oil-and-gas-and-overcame-us-efforts-to-prevent-energy-dependence-on-moscow-174518">the dependence of many European countries on Russian energy</a>.Russia has a long history of using energy to divide the U.S. and 
Europe, and Haddad writes that “Russian [natural] gas exports to Europe 
reached a record level in 2021. … Europe got a glimpse of the potential 
consequences of this dependence in December 2021, when Russia reduced 
its gas exports to Europe as the crisis involving Ukraine was heating 
up.”<h2>4. Russia has been at war with Ukraine for years – in cyberspace</h2>As the world awaits the possible start of war between Russia and Ukraine, scholar <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/maggie-smith-1312550">Maggie Smith at the United States Military Academy at West Point</a> says that <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/russia-has-been-at-war-with-ukraine-for-years-in-cyberspace-176221">Russia has been attacking Ukrainian government operations and infrastructure for years</a> via cyberspace.“Russia has interfered in Ukrainian elections, targeted its power 
grid, defaced its government websites and spread disinformation,” writes
 Smith. “Strategically, Russian cyber operations are designed to 
undermine the Ukrainian government and private sector organizations. 
Tactically, the operations aim to influence, scare and subdue the 
population.”All of those actions, writes Smith, “destabilize Ukraine’s political environment.”To understand the present, it helps to understand the past. The 
tensions between Russia and Ukraine are not just political in nature. <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-church-conflict-in-ukraine-reflects-historic-russian-ukrainian-tensions-175818">They’re also religious</a>, writes Arizona State University scholar <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/j-eugene-clay-1311417">J. Eugene Clay</a>.“Two different Orthodox churches claim to be the one true Ukrainian 
Orthodox Church for the Ukrainian people,” writes Clay. “The two 
churches offer strikingly different visions of the relationship between 
the Ukrainian and the Russian peoples.”The Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate stresses “the 
powerful bonds that link the peoples of Ukraine and Russia.” The 
Orthodox Church of Ukraine, on the other hand, was formally recognized 
in January 2019 and is “the culmination of decades of efforts by 
Ukrainian believers who wanted their own national church, free from any 
foreign religious authority.”The two churches, writes Clay, reflect a fundamental question: Are Ukrainians and Russians one people or two separate nations?This analysis was compiled and edited by Naomi Schalit, Senior Editor, Politics + Society, for <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/ukraine-crisis-putin-recognizes-breakaway-regions-biden-orders-limited-sanctions-5-essential-reads-177508">The Conversation</a>, where it first appeared.

ANALYSIS: How did Ukraine crisis happen? Where is it going? 

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

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

SB 200&nbsp;would amend the Pharmacy Act of the State of Kansas to include point-of-care testing for and treatment of certain health conditions. The bill would authorize a pharmacist to&nbsp;

test for influenzas, strep, and urinary tract infection.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 200 passed&nbsp;<a>the Senate&nbsp;</a>37-2.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb331/" target="_blank">SB 331</a>&nbsp;would amend the effective date specified in the Insurance Code for the risk-based capital (RBC) instructions to December 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 331 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;39-0.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb343/" target="_blank">SB 343</a>&nbsp;would replace statutory references to “hearing impairment” and similar terms with “hard of hearing,” “hearing loss,” or “deaf.”&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 343 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;39-0.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb377/" target="_blank">SB 377</a>&nbsp;would amend and enact law supplemental to the Captive Insurance Act to allow a&nbsp;

technology-enabled fiduciary financial institution (TEFFI) insurance company to operate as an authorized captive insurance company in Kansas.&nbsp;SB 377 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;36-3.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb12/" target="_blank">SB 12</a>&nbsp;would require the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) to collaborate&nbsp;with community partners and stakeholders to develop a plan for implementation for a set of performance-based contracts to provide an array of evidence-based prevention and early&nbsp;

intervention services for families at risk for an out-of-home placement, families that have a child in out-of-home care, and children who are awaiting adoption.&nbsp;SB 12 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;34-0. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb335/" target="_blank">SB 335</a>&nbsp;would exempt certain qualified trade, merchant, retail, and professional associations, and business leagues in the state that provide health benefits through a self-funded health plan subject to the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and not subject to the jurisdiction of the Kansas Insurance Department, from payment of the annual premium tax to the Kansas Insurance Department.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 335 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;34-0.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb392/" target="_blank">SB 392</a>&nbsp;would amend and repeal provisions in the Kansas Uniform Securities Act that require a transfer of unencumbered funds in excess of $50,000 to the State General Fund (SGF), from the Securities Act Fee Fund of the Kansas Insurance Department, on the last day of each fiscal year.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 392 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;34-0.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2262/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2262</a>&nbsp;would amend the Uniform Controlled Substances Act and allow for (FDA)-approved drug Epidiolex (an oral solution of pure plant derived cannabidiol) to mirror the federal de-scheduling of this drug.&nbsp; It would also amend the definition of “marijuana” to exempt FDA-approved drug products in the Act and in the definition sections of crimes involving controlled substances.&nbsp; S Sub for HB 2262 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;34-0.

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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GRANTS – Senate District #36

Governor Kelly announced 40 rural Kansas communities receiving more than $17.6 million in Community Block Grants.&nbsp; The awards are administered by Kansas Department of Commerce and granted from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s CDBG program.&nbsp; Ten cities in Senate District #36 received grants totaling&nbsp;$4,510,780.00.&nbsp; Three grants of $600,000 went to Marysville for their sewer treatment project, Lucas for a new water tower and water supply improvements and Mankato for their sewer treatment facility improvements.&nbsp; The City of Concordia received $560,000 for a new fire ladder truck.&nbsp; Cawker City received $454,250 for a new water tower.&nbsp; Miltonvale received $383,000 for their wastewater collection system and treatment facility improvement and Burr Oak received $330,000 for their improvement to their water system.&nbsp; Russell received $360,00 for street improvements.&nbsp; The city of Glasco received $323,530 for improvements to their lift station and sanitary sewer system.&nbsp; The city of Lincoln received $300,000 for housing rehabilitation and demolition.&nbsp; The Small Cities CDBG program is one of the Community Development Division’s primary tools in supporting the state’s small predominantly rural communities.&nbsp;

FIRST PAGES OF SESSION – February 15th

The Legislative Page program resumed this session as the Capitol is now open again to the public.&nbsp; Sara Lorenz from Concordia and Amber Kolle from Linn spent the day with us in the Capitol where they ran errands for the Senators, attended Committee hearings with me and toured the capitol.&nbsp;

The State of Kansas&nbsp;has over $400 million dollars in unclaimed property waiting for the rightful owner to find and claim.&nbsp; These holdings at the Treasurer’s office include bank accounts, cash, stocks, bonds, refunds (utilities), royalties, insurance proceeds and even safe deposit box contents.&nbsp;

To search for your name, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasstatetreasurer.com/" target="_blank">www.kansasstatetreasurer.com</a>&nbsp;and enter your name or business name to see if your name is on this list.&nbsp; Senate District #36 has over 4000 entries in the thirteen counties it covers.&nbsp; If you would like more personal assistance, call 800-432-0386, 785-296-4165 or our office at 785-296-7389.

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

Take an online tour of the magnificent Kansas State Capitol, floor by floor at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843" target="_blank">https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843</a>.&nbsp; The classically inspired building is an impressive public monument as well as the working offices for the governor and legislators. The building holds a dramatic array of art, architecture, and colorful Kansas history.&nbsp;

There are also 16 state-owned sites, administered by the Kansas Historical Society, explore different topics in our state’s fascinating history.&nbsp; Two of these sites in Senate District #36 are Hollenberg Pony Express Station in Hanover and Pawnee Indian Museum in Republic.&nbsp;

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

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

Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas which includes:

* Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell,&nbsp;Smith and Washington Counties * Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville;&nbsp;Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek,&nbsp;Herkimer, Logan, Marysville, Oketo, Walnut and Waterville * Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg;&nbsp;Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom,&nbsp;Glenwood, Greenwood, Kirwin, Phillipsburg, Plum,&nbsp;Rushville, Solomon(part), Sumner,&nbsp;Valley and Walnut

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644853578448.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA FEB. 22, 2022SENATE HIGHLIGHTSLast week marked the sixth week of session with the first half of the legislative session almost behind us.&nbsp; As we approach “turn-around” the Senate held floor debate on Tuesday and Thursday and worked bills which were sent out of committees to the full Senate.&nbsp; The bills voted on by the full Senate now cross over to the House of Representatives where the process starts over.&nbsp;FLOOR ACTION – BILLS VOTED ON AND PASSED OUT OF THE SENATESB 200&nbsp;would amend the Pharmacy Act of the State of Kansas to include point-of-care testing for and treatment of certain health conditions. The bill would authorize a pharmacist to&nbsp;

test for influenzas, strep, and urinary tract infection.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 200 passed&nbsp;<a>the Senate&nbsp;</a>37-2.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb331/" target="_blank">SB 331</a>&nbsp;would amend the effective date specified in the Insurance Code for the risk-based capital (RBC) instructions to December 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 331 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;39-0.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb343/" target="_blank">SB 343</a>&nbsp;would replace statutory references to “hearing impairment” and similar terms with “hard of hearing,” “hearing loss,” or “deaf.”&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 343 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;39-0.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb377/" target="_blank">SB 377</a>&nbsp;would amend and enact law supplemental to the Captive Insurance Act to allow a&nbsp;

technology-enabled fiduciary financial institution (TEFFI) insurance company to operate as an authorized captive insurance company in Kansas.&nbsp;SB 377 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;36-3.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb12/" target="_blank">SB 12</a>&nbsp;would require the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) to collaborate&nbsp;with community partners and stakeholders to develop a plan for implementation for a set of performance-based contracts to provide an array of evidence-based prevention and early&nbsp;

intervention services for families at risk for an out-of-home placement, families that have a child in out-of-home care, and children who are awaiting adoption.&nbsp;SB 12 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;34-0. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb335/" target="_blank">SB 335</a>&nbsp;would exempt certain qualified trade, merchant, retail, and professional associations, and business leagues in the state that provide health benefits through a self-funded health plan subject to the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and not subject to the jurisdiction of the Kansas Insurance Department, from payment of the annual premium tax to the Kansas Insurance Department.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 335 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;34-0.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb392/" target="_blank">SB 392</a>&nbsp;would amend and repeal provisions in the Kansas Uniform Securities Act that require a transfer of unencumbered funds in excess of $50,000 to the State General Fund (SGF), from the Securities Act Fee Fund of the Kansas Insurance Department, on the last day of each fiscal year.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 392 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;34-0.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2262/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2262</a>&nbsp;would amend the Uniform Controlled Substances Act and allow for (FDA)-approved drug Epidiolex (an oral solution of pure plant derived cannabidiol) to mirror the federal de-scheduling of this drug.&nbsp; It would also amend the definition of “marijuana” to exempt FDA-approved drug products in the Act and in the definition sections of crimes involving controlled substances.&nbsp; S Sub for HB 2262 passed&nbsp;the Senate&nbsp;34-0.Full texts of the bills and supplemental notes as well as the Final Action vote on these measures can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>.&nbsp;DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GRANTS – Senate District #36Governor Kelly announced 40 rural Kansas communities receiving more than $17.6 million in Community Block Grants.&nbsp; The awards are administered by Kansas Department of Commerce and granted from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s CDBG program.&nbsp; Ten cities in Senate District #36 received grants totaling&nbsp;$4,510,780.00.&nbsp; Three grants of $600,000 went to Marysville for their sewer treatment project, Lucas for a new water tower and water supply improvements and Mankato for their sewer treatment facility improvements.&nbsp; The City of Concordia received $560,000 for a new fire ladder truck.&nbsp; Cawker City received $454,250 for a new water tower.&nbsp; Miltonvale received $383,000 for their wastewater collection system and treatment facility improvement and Burr Oak received $330,000 for their improvement to their water system.&nbsp; Russell received $360,00 for street improvements.&nbsp; The city of Glasco received $323,530 for improvements to their lift station and sanitary sewer system.&nbsp; The city of Lincoln received $300,000 for housing rehabilitation and demolition.&nbsp; The Small Cities CDBG program is one of the Community Development Division’s primary tools in supporting the state’s small predominantly rural communities.&nbsp;FIRST PAGES OF SESSION – February 15thThe Legislative Page program resumed this session as the Capitol is now open again to the public.&nbsp; Sara Lorenz from Concordia and Amber Kolle from Linn spent the day with us in the Capitol where they ran errands for the Senators, attended Committee hearings with me and toured the capitol.&nbsp;UNCLAIMED PROPERTY IN KANSASThe State of Kansas&nbsp;has over $400 million dollars in unclaimed property waiting for the rightful owner to find and claim.&nbsp; These holdings at the Treasurer’s office include bank accounts, cash, stocks, bonds, refunds (utilities), royalties, insurance proceeds and even safe deposit box contents.&nbsp; To search for your name, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasstatetreasurer.com/" target="_blank">www.kansasstatetreasurer.com</a>&nbsp;and enter your name or business name to see if your name is on this list.&nbsp; Senate District #36 has over 4000 entries in the thirteen counties it covers.&nbsp; If you would like more personal assistance, call 800-432-0386, 785-296-4165 or our office at 785-296-7389.TOUR THE STATE CAPITOL AND STATE-OWNED HISTORICAL SITES FROM HOMETake an online tour of the magnificent Kansas State Capitol, floor by floor at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843" target="_blank">https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843</a>.&nbsp; The classically inspired building is an impressive public monument as well as the working offices for the governor and legislators. The building holds a dramatic array of art, architecture, and colorful Kansas history.&nbsp; There are also 16 state-owned sites, administered by the Kansas Historical Society, explore different topics in our state’s fascinating history.&nbsp; Two of these sites in Senate District #36 are Hollenberg Pony Express Station in Hanover and Pawnee Indian Museum in Republic.&nbsp;I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature.&nbsp; Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.Thank you for the honor of serving you!Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E 300 SW 10th St. <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a> 785-296-7389 <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas which includes:* Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell,&nbsp;Smith and Washington Counties * Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville;&nbsp;Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek,&nbsp;Herkimer, Logan, Marysville, Oketo, Walnut and Waterville * Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg;&nbsp;Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom,&nbsp;Glenwood, Greenwood, Kirwin, Phillipsburg, Plum,&nbsp;Rushville, Solomon(part), Sumner,&nbsp;Valley and Walnut

BOWERS: Senate Scene Week Six

Last week in the House of Representatives, we debated five bills and one resolution. All of the bills passed out of the House and will now go to the Senate. Here are some details of those bills and resolution.

On Tuesday, we debated three bills. The first two bills were in regards to financial institutions.

House Bill 2489 makes several changes to the Technology-enabled Fiduciary Financial Institutions Act and changes the definition of “financial institution” to require the reporting of abuse, extortion, or neglect of certain individuals by fiduciary financial institutions.

Senate Bill 337 retroactively codifies a conditional charter of Beneficient to a full fiduciary financial instituion as of Decemeber 31, 2021.

House Bill 2591 is a bill that I introduced which is clarifying language to allow for the combination of the two oil and gas abandoned well funds into only one fund. There was conflicting language that needed to be addressed.

House Bill 2560 would provide for the re-authorization of certain penalties and fees relating to the Pesticide and Fertilizer and Water Appropriations Programs with the Kansas Department of Agriculture. These penalties and fees are currently scheduled to sunset on July 1, 2023.

We have been working diligently in the House to debate many bills because at the conclusion of this week we will be at Turnaround, which is the halfway point of the 2022 Legislative Session.

The House Appropriations Committee is still diligently analyzing the budgets that are being reported from the budget committees. Some of the budgets that we were briefed on were the Department of Commerce, Department of Wildlife and Parks, Kansas State Fair, Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs, Board of Nursing, and the Kansas Highway Patrol.

On Thursday, we had an informational hearing with the university presidents for Washburn University, Fort Hays State University, Kansas State University, Emporia State University, Pittsburgh State University and the Chancellor for the University of Kansas. They described the initiatives for the next few years for their respective universities.

I have received many calls and emails last week regarding an education bill that had a hearing in the House K-12 Education Budget Committee. This particular bill is House Bill 2662 and it would establish the Parents’ Bill of Rights and Academic Transparency Act.

This act would do many different things, including that every parent in the state of Kansas would have the right to direct the upbringing, education, healthcare, and mental health of the parent’s child.

Each school district would be required to develop and adopt policies to guarantee a parent’s right to be involved in a child’s education. This policy would be developed in consultation with parents, teachers, and school administrators.

The school districts would also be required to establish an internet- based transparency tool, the “Parent Transparency Portal,” that is displayed on the district’s and each school’s website.

This bill also recommends parameters for a parental review of reading material that may be offered in the school library.

I have only touched on the highlights of the bill and in my opinion, this is big government oversight and would need many changes for me to support it. If you would like to read more of House Bill 2662, it can be found at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.

Anytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633970422056.jpeg" alt="Troy L. Waymaster, State Representative, 109th Kansas House, R-Bunker Hill" />
 <figcaption>Troy L. Waymaster, State Representative, 109th Kansas House, R-Bunker Hill</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA February 22, 2022 Floor Action in the HouseLast week in the House of Representatives, we debated five bills and one resolution. All of the bills passed out of the House and will now go to the Senate. Here are some details of those bills and resolution.On Tuesday, we debated three bills. The first two bills were in regards to financial institutions.House Bill 2489 makes several changes to the Technology-enabled Fiduciary Financial Institutions Act and changes the definition of “financial institution” to require the reporting of abuse, extortion, or neglect of certain individuals by fiduciary financial institutions.Senate Bill 337 retroactively codifies a conditional charter of Beneficient to a full fiduciary financial instituion as of Decemeber 31, 2021.House Bill 2591 is a bill that I introduced which is clarifying language to allow for the combination of the two oil and gas abandoned well funds into only one fund. There was conflicting language that needed to be addressed.House Bill 2560 would provide for the re-authorization of certain penalties and fees relating to the Pesticide and Fertilizer and Water Appropriations Programs with the Kansas Department of Agriculture. These penalties and fees are currently scheduled to sunset on July 1, 2023.We have been working diligently in the House to debate many bills because at the conclusion of this week we will be at Turnaround, which is the halfway point of the 2022 Legislative Session.Appropriations CommitteeThe House Appropriations Committee is still diligently analyzing the budgets that are being reported from the budget committees. Some of the budgets that we were briefed on were the Department of Commerce, Department of Wildlife and Parks, Kansas State Fair, Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs, Board of Nursing, and the Kansas Highway Patrol.On Thursday, we had an informational hearing with the university presidents for Washburn University, Fort Hays State University, Kansas State University, Emporia State University, Pittsburgh State University and the Chancellor for the University of Kansas. They described the initiatives for the next few years for their respective universities.House Bill 2662I have received many calls and emails last week regarding an education bill that had a hearing in the House K-12 Education Budget Committee. This particular bill is House Bill 2662 and it would establish the Parents’ Bill of Rights and Academic Transparency Act.This act would do many different things, including that every parent in the state of Kansas would have the right to direct the upbringing, education, healthcare, and mental health of the parent’s child.Each school district would be required to develop and adopt policies to guarantee a parent’s right to be involved in a child’s education. This policy would be developed in consultation with parents, teachers, and school administrators.The school districts would also be required to establish an internet- based transparency tool, the “Parent Transparency Portal,” that is displayed on the district’s and each school’s website.This bill also recommends parameters for a parental review of reading material that may be offered in the school library.I have only touched on the highlights of the bill and in my opinion, this is big government oversight and would need many changes for me to support it. If you would like to read more of House Bill 2662, it can be found at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.Contact InformationAnytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov. Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the Kansas House&nbsp;Appropriations Chairman and 109th District state representative which includes: * Osborne, Russell, and Smith Counties * Barton County: Cities: Albert, Claflin, Galatia, Odin, Olmitz and Susank; Townships: Beaver, Cheyenne, Clarence, Cleveland, Fairview, Grant, Independent, Logan, Union, Walnut and Wheatland * Jewell County: Cities:Burr Oak, Esbon and Mankato; Townships: Athens,Browns Creek, Burr Oak, Calvin, Center,Erving, Esbon, Harrison, Highland, Holmwood, Ionia, Limestone, Odessa,Walnut and White Mound * Lincoln County: Cities: Lincoln Center(part) and Sylvan Grove; Townships: Battle Creek, Beaver(part), Cedron, Elkhorn(part), Golden Belt, Grant, Hanover, Highland, Indiana, Marion, Orange, Pleasant, Valley and Vesper * Rush County: Cities: Bison, Otis, Rush Center and Timken; Townships: Banner,Center,Garfield, Illinois, Lone Star, Pioneer and Pleasantdale

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home, Feb. 22, 2022

By JANICE ELLIS <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/21/if-you-think-you-are-living-in-a-divided-america-its-nothing-new-opinion/">Courtesy the Missouri Independent</a>

We are the United States of America. At least, that is who we have always claimed to be.

Considering where we are today, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/06/19/public-highly-critical-of-state-of-political-discourse-in-the-u-s/">the state of our public discourse</a>, it begs the questions.

The brazen and hateful divisions playing out in almost every aspect of American life did not just suddenly come about.

Despite our fractured and factious states, we have always managed to 
rise above them, and preserve the things we hold in common and, 
therefore, keep America.

But why do we seem so far apart today, and will our pulling in opposite directions ultimately sink us?

No doubt we have been treading turbulent waters in major areas of American life.

Many of us <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nzz.ch/english/the-pandemic-fragmented-society-we-need-to-pull-together-ld.1666408">have become pandemic weary</a>
 during the last two years, having to endure social restrictions, 
unwelcome mandates, vaccine confusion, all levels of illness, loss of 
jobs and businesses, and, of course, more than 900,000 COVID deaths.

We could add that we are battered, tired and worn down by what seems to be entrenched <a target="_blank" href="https://time.com/6109579/state-capital-dysfunction-ohio/">partisan dysfunction in government</a> at nearly every level in a way we have not seen in recent history, with no apparent end in sight.

Then there is the age-old and endemic malady of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/30/fbi-says-hate-crimes-against-asian-and-black-people-rise-in-the-us.html">racial intolerance and racial violence</a>, occurring in the most unsuspecting places for reasons that remind us that we still have not found a lasting cure.

These health, political and social headwinds are further compounded 
by an economy that seems to defy stability and predictability, straining
 our ability to budget and meet today’s needs let alone plan for the 
future — fueling the separation and dog-eat-dog behavior among us.

But these conditions and forces weighing on us as Americans are not 
new. So, why does it seem the nation is in a more vulnerable state than 
ever?

While many of us may be experiencing some of these forces for the 
first time, we would do well to remember that many of our family 
members, and generations before us have gone through similar storms in 
this country, and some would argue even worse.

Previous generations suffered, died, but lived through a very virulent and deadly pandemic, the Spanish Flu of 1918, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2022/02/02/john-m-barry-what-we-can/">which we could learn from</a>.

Previous generations weathered the Great Depression, two World Wars, 
other foreign wars in Korea, Vietnam, Dessert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, the 
2008 economic collapse and now the still ongoing war against terrorism.

The nation survived the greatest divisive threat to its very existence of all, the Civil War.

No doubt, all Americans were not on one accord in how those 
challenges were handled. But there were enough Americans willing to put 
aside personal beliefs and differences, become united and pull together 
in the same direction. The nation prevailed.

Some disunity has always been with us and always will be. But we can 
continue to coexist amid our differences, and not only survive but 
thrive.

But where is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/2016/2/17/11030876/political-will-definition">our collective will</a> to continue to move America forward in the same direction as a nation?

Is our collective will just sick and tired, or is it drowning in a sea of self-destruction?

In today’s environment, it certainly seems hard to diagnose the state
 and condition of our collective will to work together to preserve and 
build upon what is good about America and the way of life it affords.

It certainly isn’t readily evident when we survey the discord occurring in most aspects of our public lives.

Even the things we seem to agree on, organize around and work 
together for are those things that further divide us into hard camps, 
pulling us in opposing directions. We are either pro or anti vaccine; 
pro or anti-immigration; pro reasonable gun control measures or anti-gun
 control; pro voter rights or pro voter suppression.

We don’t seem interested in finding common ground.

We cannot even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/07/22/americans-struggles-with-truth-accuracy-and-accountability/">agree upon what is truth and what is a lie</a>,
 and we have organized around one or the other. The greatest example 
today, of course, is the two camps that seem to be intransigent about 
the 2020 Presidential election, one believing it was fair, and the other
 believing it was fraudulent.

The discordant list goes on and in critical area that undermine the 
unity that is needed to help this nation survive many of its current 
challenges and achieve stability.

What <a target="_blank" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psych-unseen/201910/can-polarized-american-politics-find-the-middle-way">will it take</a> for us to realize that we are in this boat together and we need to rally around our collective wellbeing?

Certainly, not another foreign attack on our own soil like 9/11 or 
something worse to make us realize that we have come too far as a nation
 — through good times, bad times, terrible times, terrific times — to 
allow superficial, prideful, selfish, self-serving priorities to 
undermine the greater good.

Whether in marriage, friendship, or work, it is often difficult to 
remember the good when difficulties arise. We become too willing to 
disavow, dismantle, walk away, destroy something that is inherently 
good, worth saving and ultimately in our best interest.

This seems to be where we are as we have hit some strong gale winds blowing against the American way of life.

Are we going to do what we can to navigate the storms and not wade or
 sail in directions that could ultimately sink this great nation?

We seem to be rowing in opposite directions as we struggle to chart 
the future course for America. But at our core, we forget that we are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/supersurvivors/201804/are-there-really-two-americas">more together</a> than apart.

And when tested, as we are today — and as we have been in the past — 
it was our core and collective will that enabled us to rise from the 
muck and mire, and it kept us from drowning.

Will there be enough of us willing to get our bearing and row in the 
same direction, once again, to make sure America remains a safe harbor?

Janice Ellis has lived and worked in Missouri for more than three decades, analyzing educational, political, social and economic issues across race, ethnicity, age and socio-economic status. Her commentary has appeared in The Kansas City Star, community newspapers, on radio and now online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645472554759.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JANICE ELLIS <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/21/if-you-think-you-are-living-in-a-divided-america-its-nothing-new-opinion/">Courtesy the Missouri Independent</a>We are the United States of America. At least, that is who we have always claimed to be.But are we? Have we ever been?Considering where we are today, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/06/19/public-highly-critical-of-state-of-political-discourse-in-the-u-s/">the state of our public discourse</a>, it begs the questions.The brazen and hateful divisions playing out in almost every aspect of American life did not just suddenly come about.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Despite our fractured and factious states, we have always managed to 
rise above them, and preserve the things we hold in common and, 
therefore, keep America.But why do we seem so far apart today, and will our pulling in opposite directions ultimately sink us?No doubt we have been treading turbulent waters in major areas of American life.Many of us <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nzz.ch/english/the-pandemic-fragmented-society-we-need-to-pull-together-ld.1666408">have become pandemic weary</a>
 during the last two years, having to endure social restrictions, 
unwelcome mandates, vaccine confusion, all levels of illness, loss of 
jobs and businesses, and, of course, more than 900,000 COVID deaths.We could add that we are battered, tired and worn down by what seems to be entrenched <a target="_blank" href="https://time.com/6109579/state-capital-dysfunction-ohio/">partisan dysfunction in government</a> at nearly every level in a way we have not seen in recent history, with no apparent end in sight.Then there is the age-old and endemic malady of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/30/fbi-says-hate-crimes-against-asian-and-black-people-rise-in-the-us.html">racial intolerance and racial violence</a>, occurring in the most unsuspecting places for reasons that remind us that we still have not found a lasting cure.These health, political and social headwinds are further compounded 
by an economy that seems to defy stability and predictability, straining
 our ability to budget and meet today’s needs let alone plan for the 
future — fueling the separation and dog-eat-dog behavior among us.But these conditions and forces weighing on us as Americans are not 
new. So, why does it seem the nation is in a more vulnerable state than 
ever?<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645472616401.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>While many of us may be experiencing some of these forces for the 
first time, we would do well to remember that many of our family 
members, and generations before us have gone through similar storms in 
this country, and some would argue even worse.Previous generations suffered, died, but lived through a very virulent and deadly pandemic, the Spanish Flu of 1918, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2022/02/02/john-m-barry-what-we-can/">which we could learn from</a>.Previous generations weathered the Great Depression, two World Wars, 
other foreign wars in Korea, Vietnam, Dessert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, the 
2008 economic collapse and now the still ongoing war against terrorism.The nation survived the greatest divisive threat to its very existence of all, the Civil War.No doubt, all Americans were not on one accord in how those 
challenges were handled. But there were enough Americans willing to put 
aside personal beliefs and differences, become united and pull together 
in the same direction. The nation prevailed.Some disunity has always been with us and always will be. But we can 
continue to coexist amid our differences, and not only survive but 
thrive.But where is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/2016/2/17/11030876/political-will-definition">our collective will</a> to continue to move America forward in the same direction as a nation?Is our collective will just sick and tired, or is it drowning in a sea of self-destruction?In today’s environment, it certainly seems hard to diagnose the state
 and condition of our collective will to work together to preserve and 
build upon what is good about America and the way of life it affords.It certainly isn’t readily evident when we survey the discord occurring in most aspects of our public lives.Even the things we seem to agree on, organize around and work 
together for are those things that further divide us into hard camps, 
pulling us in opposing directions. We are either pro or anti vaccine; 
pro or anti-immigration; pro reasonable gun control measures or anti-gun
 control; pro voter rights or pro voter suppression.We don’t seem interested in finding common ground.We cannot even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/07/22/americans-struggles-with-truth-accuracy-and-accountability/">agree upon what is truth and what is a lie</a>,
 and we have organized around one or the other. The greatest example 
today, of course, is the two camps that seem to be intransigent about 
the 2020 Presidential election, one believing it was fair, and the other
 believing it was fraudulent.The discordant list goes on and in critical area that undermine the 
unity that is needed to help this nation survive many of its current 
challenges and achieve stability.What <a target="_blank" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psych-unseen/201910/can-polarized-american-politics-find-the-middle-way">will it take</a> for us to realize that we are in this boat together and we need to rally around our collective wellbeing?Certainly, not another foreign attack on our own soil like 9/11 or 
something worse to make us realize that we have come too far as a nation
 — through good times, bad times, terrible times, terrific times — to 
allow superficial, prideful, selfish, self-serving priorities to 
undermine the greater good.Whether in marriage, friendship, or work, it is often difficult to 
remember the good when difficulties arise. We become too willing to 
disavow, dismantle, walk away, destroy something that is inherently 
good, worth saving and ultimately in our best interest.This seems to be where we are as we have hit some strong gale winds blowing against the American way of life.Are we going to do what we can to navigate the storms and not wade or
 sail in directions that could ultimately sink this great nation?We seem to be rowing in opposite directions as we struggle to chart 
the future course for America. But at our core, we forget that we are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/supersurvivors/201804/are-there-really-two-americas">more together</a> than apart.And when tested, as we are today — and as we have been in the past — 
it was our core and collective will that enabled us to rise from the 
muck and mire, and it kept us from drowning.Will there be enough of us willing to get our bearing and row in the 
same direction, once again, to make sure America remains a safe harbor?Janice Ellis has lived and worked in Missouri for more than three decades, analyzing educational, political, social and economic issues across race, ethnicity, age and socio-economic status. Her commentary has appeared in The Kansas City Star, community newspapers, on radio and now online.&nbsp;

OPINION: If you think you are living in a divided America, it’s nothing new

United Women’s Empowerment&nbsp;(United WE), a nonprofit organization based in Kansas City, and the Institute for Policy and Social Research at the University of Kansas released a&nbsp;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/545815dce4b0d75692c341a8/t/61fa931d5cf4fa1101723fb5/1643811618520/StatusofWomeninKansas2021_1.26.22.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;earlier this month showing that gender inequality has grown in our state since 2016.&nbsp;

Women’s&nbsp;labor supply and&nbsp;employment&nbsp;has been hugely impacted&nbsp;by the COVID-19 pandemic&nbsp;over the past two years. Increased&nbsp;caregiving responsibilities&nbsp;and&nbsp;the closure of in-person schools and daycare centers&nbsp;have forced many women caregivers out of the labor force.&nbsp;

Additionally, women in Kansas are more likely to work in sectors that were subject to layoffs due to the pandemic.

<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>United Women’s Empowerment&nbsp;(United WE), a nonprofit organization based in Kansas City, and the Institute for Policy and Social Research at the University of Kansas released a&nbsp;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/545815dce4b0d75692c341a8/t/61fa931d5cf4fa1101723fb5/1643811618520/StatusofWomeninKansas2021_1.26.22.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;earlier this month showing that gender inequality has grown in our state since 2016.&nbsp;Women’s&nbsp;labor supply and&nbsp;employment&nbsp;has been hugely impacted&nbsp;by the COVID-19 pandemic&nbsp;over the past two years. Increased&nbsp;caregiving responsibilities&nbsp;and&nbsp;the closure of in-person schools and daycare centers&nbsp;have forced many women caregivers out of the labor force.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Additionally, women in Kansas are more likely to work in sectors that were subject to layoffs due to the pandemic.Nationally, current women’s employment numbers mirror those of 1987 according to the US Department of Labor — regressing 30 years of progress in the period since March 2020Furthermore, the gender pay gap has widened&nbsp;in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;over the past five years.&nbsp;According to the United WE&nbsp;and KU&nbsp;report, on average, Kansas women make 78 cents for&nbsp;every&nbsp;dollarKansas men make, though that gap varies across the state —&nbsp;in some rural areas it drops to 51 cents for every dollar.&nbsp;The national average is 82 cents per dollar.The result is a $11,000 difference in median earnings between women and men in Kansas.&nbsp;Furthermore,&nbsp;Kansas women earn less regardless of education level and location.Poverty disproportionately affects women and children because of women’s lower earnings&nbsp;and single-mother households.Kansas officials have lamented the state’s struggle to appeal to young people, a necessary demographic for&nbsp;the state’s economy.&nbsp;If the state wants to keep young people here and encourage others to make Kansas their home, it must address these issues.Young people are leaving Kansas in droves, especially the state’s rural areas.&nbsp;Last year a survey from the Kansas Sampler Foundation and the Kansas Office of Prosperity found that young people were leaving due to lack of childcare, internet access, and housing.&nbsp;The state’s resistance to&nbsp;change on social issues certainly&nbsp;hasn’t helped either.&nbsp;Access to childcare is a problem for both urban and rural Kansans. 104 of the state’s 105 counties have a higher demand for childcare than availability. The supply and demand issue raises childcare costs and prices many women out of the workforce.According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, childcare is affordable if it costs no more than 7% of a family’s income.However,&nbsp;in Kansas&nbsp;about 29% of a working mother’s salary is spent&nbsp;on&nbsp;childcare costs alone, making&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;childcare costs as a percentage of salary one of the highest in the country.Infant care costs&nbsp;in&nbsp;our state&nbsp;exceed the expense of full-time college tuition at a public university, and&nbsp;childcare costs for kids under the age of four are about equal to full-time public university tuition costs.&nbsp;The United WE and KU report&nbsp;highlights the economic research that indicates women are drawn into the labor force by higher wages and lower childcare costs. The report concludes “Kansas has the ingredients necessary to expand the economy, but alternative policies that facilitate the empowerment of Kansas women and the growth of the Kansas economy should be implemented.”Failure to do so will lead to continued&nbsp;declining&nbsp;population trends, inevitably&nbsp;worsening&nbsp;state budget&nbsp;problems&nbsp;and making&nbsp;it increasingly difficult for the state government to provide basic services, especially in rural areas.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD&nbsp;is an Assistant&nbsp;Professor of Political Science at&nbsp;Wichita State&nbsp;University.

Opinion