My wife and I both work, and we have been looking at level term life insurance policies. A friend says it would be a good idea for us to have accidental death and dismemberment insurance, too. Do you agree?

You both definitely need good level term life&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/insurance/coverage-checkup">insurance</a>&nbsp;policies. Stick with 15- to 20-year level term life insurance, and make sure that coverage is separate from anything provided by your employer.

Each one of you needs 10 to 12 times your yearly income wrapped up in a policy. If you make $50,000 a year, that means you need a policy with $500,000 to $600,000 worth of coverage. The idea of life insurance is to take the place of income. If you or your wife died, the other could invest the insurance money and replace that lost income.

You do not—I repeat,&nbsp;not—need accidental death and dismemberment (AD&amp;D) insurance.&nbsp;These policies&nbsp;are&nbsp;cheap, but they’re pretty much worthless because of the long list of conditions they&nbsp;won’t&nbsp;pay out for. Most pay out only a small portion in cases of dismemberment, and many won’t pay a death benefit if you die from a medical procedure, health-related issue or drug overdose. The devil’s in the details, and AD&amp;D policies are chock-full of them.&nbsp;

If you have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/insurance/disability-insurance">long-term disability insurance</a>&nbsp;in place, which is what I recommend, you can be covered for a substantial part of income lost due to an injury or disability. One study says 25% of today’s 20-year-olds will become disabled by age 67. In my mind, those odds are&nbsp;way&nbsp;too high for you to skimp on long-term disability insurance—especially when it’s very affordable in most cases. If you’re in your prime income-earning years, a permanent disability could derail your dreams of homeownership, paying for your kid’s college or having a dignified retirement.

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635524005597.png" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,My wife and I both work, and we have been looking at level term life insurance policies. A friend says it would be a good idea for us to have accidental death and dismemberment insurance, too. Do you agree?AidenDear Aiden,You both definitely need good level term life&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/insurance/coverage-checkup">insurance</a>&nbsp;policies. Stick with 15- to 20-year level term life insurance, and make sure that coverage is separate from anything provided by your employer.Each one of you needs 10 to 12 times your yearly income wrapped up in a policy. If you make $50,000 a year, that means you need a policy with $500,000 to $600,000 worth of coverage. The idea of life insurance is to take the place of income. If you or your wife died, the other could invest the insurance money and replace that lost income.You do not—I repeat,&nbsp;not—need accidental death and dismemberment (AD&amp;D) insurance.&nbsp;These policies&nbsp;are&nbsp;cheap, but they’re pretty much worthless because of the long list of conditions they&nbsp;won’t&nbsp;pay out for. Most pay out only a small portion in cases of dismemberment, and many won’t pay a death benefit if you die from a medical procedure, health-related issue or drug overdose. The devil’s in the details, and AD&amp;D policies are chock-full of them.&nbsp;If you have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/insurance/disability-insurance">long-term disability insurance</a>&nbsp;in place, which is what I recommend, you can be covered for a substantial part of income lost due to an injury or disability. One study says 25% of today’s 20-year-olds will become disabled by age 67. In my mind, those odds are&nbsp;way&nbsp;too high for you to skimp on long-term disability insurance—especially when it’s very affordable in most cases. If you’re in your prime income-earning years, a permanent disability could derail your dreams of homeownership, paying for your kid’s college or having a dignified retirement.I hope this helps, Aiden!— Dave<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: AD&D insurance? No, thank you

SENATE HIGHLIGHTS March 7, 2022 TOPEKA

Last week saw a lot of work done in committees. After the previous week's narrowing down of the myriad of legislation, lawmakers did some heavy rowing in committees. The topic of Ukraine was also discussed at the state level&nbsp; last week. The legislature is very fluid at this point and will continue to work on legislation in the committees and on the Senate Floor the next two weeks.

KPERS INVESTMENTS IN RUSSIA AND CHINA

Due to current events in Ukraine, KPERS Director Conroy reported how much of KPERS $26 billion is invested in Russia and China. The answer was $36 million (0.14%) invested in Russia and $140 million in China (0.5%) directly. As expected, some index funds KPERS is invested in have exposure to these two countries. Legislators looked at removing direct investments and changing index funds to limit exposure to these countries yet maintain a healthy diversification. Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Rogers also stated: “While I am only 1 of 9 trustees for the KPERS board, I am calling on my fellow KPERS trustees to continue to work to divest from Russian entities as soon as possible. I’m in full support of the financial sanctions placed against Russia –the aggressor in this escalating war.”

PAGES FOR THE SENATE – February 23rd

The page program resumed again this year as the Capitol is now open to the public. Bricen and Catelin Benyshek from Concordia; and Olivia Richardson and Leah Wertenberger from Marysville spent the day with us in the Capitol where they ran errands for the Senators, attended Committee hearings, had lunch with me, and toured the capitol.

Fold3 is an online resource from the State Library of Kansas for genealogists, historians, and veterans.

<a href="https://www.fold3.com/?signout-reason=institution-expired&amp;institution=KANSAS%20STATE%20LIBRARY%20-%20KANED">https://kslib.info/fold3</a> features collections of original military records, including stories, photos, and personal documents of those who served in the military. Many of the records come from the U.S. National Archives and the National Archive of the U.K. Content begins with the Revolutionary War and continues to the present. These records will help you discover and share stories about these everyday heroes, forgotten soldiers, and the families that supported them.

Online GED Practice Tests and learning at any age

The High School Equivalency Center is a center within LearningExpress Library, provided by the State Library of Kansas. Earning a high school equivalency credential can open the door to a more fulfilling job and better income. If you are preparing for the GED® test, HiSET® or TASC&nbsp;exams, the High School Equivalency Center's no-charge practice tests, tutorials, and e-books will help you reach your goal. Go to <a href="https://www.learningexpresshub.com/ProductEngine/LELIndex.html#/learningexpresslibrary/libraryhome?AuthToken=895C9A93-31CF-45C5-814C-A0788C14776D">https://kslib.info/LEL</a> and click on the tile for High School Equivalency Center. You can also find career preparations, student success skills and even learn computer and software basics at the Computer Skills Center. Questions: kslc@ks.gov.

WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE

Kansas Legislature YouTube –you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings. Kansas Legislature Audio – you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or ac<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">cess prior committee meetings, as well. Kansas Legislature website – www.kslegislature.org</a> - has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessions.

Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website to current committees and also past hearings. 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>SENATE HIGHLIGHTS March 7, 2022 TOPEKALast week saw a lot of work done in committees. After the previous week's narrowing down of the myriad of legislation, lawmakers did some heavy rowing in committees. The topic of Ukraine was also discussed at the state level&nbsp; last week. The legislature is very fluid at this point and will continue to work on legislation in the committees and on the Senate Floor the next two weeks.KPERS INVESTMENTS IN RUSSIA AND CHINADue to current events in Ukraine, KPERS Director Conroy reported how much of KPERS $26 billion is invested in Russia and China. The answer was $36 million (0.14%) invested in Russia and $140 million in China (0.5%) directly. As expected, some index funds KPERS is invested in have exposure to these two countries. Legislators looked at removing direct investments and changing index funds to limit exposure to these countries yet maintain a healthy diversification. Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Rogers also stated: “While I am only 1 of 9 trustees for the KPERS board, I am calling on my fellow KPERS trustees to continue to work to divest from Russian entities as soon as possible. I’m in full support of the financial sanctions placed against Russia –the aggressor in this escalating war.”PAGES FOR THE SENATE – February 23rdThe page program resumed again this year as the Capitol is now open to the public. Bricen and Catelin Benyshek from Concordia; and Olivia Richardson and Leah Wertenberger from Marysville spent the day with us in the Capitol where they ran errands for the Senators, attended Committee hearings, had lunch with me, and toured the capitol.FROM THE STATE LIBRARYOnline resource – Fold3Fold3 is an online resource from the State Library of Kansas for genealogists, historians, and veterans.<a href="https://www.fold3.com/?signout-reason=institution-expired&amp;institution=KANSAS%20STATE%20LIBRARY%20-%20KANED">https://kslib.info/fold3</a> features collections of original military records, including stories, photos, and personal documents of those who served in the military. Many of the records come from the U.S. National Archives and the National Archive of the U.K. Content begins with the Revolutionary War and continues to the present. These records will help you discover and share stories about these everyday heroes, forgotten soldiers, and the families that supported them.Online GED Practice Tests and learning at any ageThe High School Equivalency Center is a center within LearningExpress Library, provided by the State Library of Kansas. Earning a high school equivalency credential can open the door to a more fulfilling job and better income. If you are preparing for the GED® test, HiSET® or TASC&nbsp;exams, the High School Equivalency Center's no-charge practice tests, tutorials, and e-books will help you reach your goal. Go to <a href="https://www.learningexpresshub.com/ProductEngine/LELIndex.html#/learningexpresslibrary/libraryhome?AuthToken=895C9A93-31CF-45C5-814C-A0788C14776D">https://kslib.info/LEL</a> and click on the tile for High School Equivalency Center. You can also find career preparations, student success skills and even learn computer and software basics at the Computer Skills Center. Questions: kslc@ks.gov.WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE KANSAS LEGISLATUREKansas Legislature YouTube –you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings. Kansas Legislature Audio – you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or ac<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">cess prior committee meetings, as well. Kansas Legislature website – www.kslegislature.org</a> - has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessions.THANK YOU FOR ENGAGINGThank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website to current committees and also past hearings. 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 Eight

Ordinary life in the United States today is regularly shaped by all sorts of complicated corporate, governmental, and bureaucratic systems. Few like this, but fewer still are willing or able to reject the goods which systems of specialization provide. For some, the way to hold onto the ideal of ordinary citizens truly governing themselves despite this complexity, is “transparency.”

That “transparency” is a key component of modern democracy is undeniable. If the decision-making of those whom we elect stays invisible, it invites corruption and poisons our civic health. But like “democracy” itself, the concept of “transparency” can sometimes become a totem, a term used to advance a cause rather than a standard to assess what is actually taking place.

I think about this in connection with an education bill currently being debated in Topeka, titled in part the&nbsp;“Academic Transparency Act.” A recent defense of that bill by a couple of Kansas legislators strongly made the case that, as parents “have a right to know what their children are being taught” in public schools, it’s reasonable to require school districts to technologically guarantee “easy access to curricular materials that already should be available today,”&nbsp;concluding that “there are no enemies in transparency.” And in a sense, they’re absolutely right.

After all, no one likes being stuck in the bureaucratic darkness. When these legislators point out that “busy parents” often find the process of figuring out what is happening in their children’s classrooms “unclear, unfamiliar, and tedious,” anyone who has ever had to negotiate the complex systems around us (remember all the times you’ve longed to talk with a human being when calling about an insurance claim or a problem with your wireless plan) can surely sympathize.

And yet, the fact is that most teachers already bend over backwards to involve parents and help them through that process, with parent-teacher conferences, open houses, book fairs, and more. Given what is actually in the bill—requiring&nbsp;school districts to set up “transparency portals” to give parents online access to “each test, questionnaire, survey, or examination,” as well as explanations of the rationale behind each assignment, links to all the library materials used in any of the aforementioned assignments, and much more—it’s predictable that many see the bill as using “transparency” to express, instead, a simple distrust in educators themselves.

The bill won’t pass right now, thanks to strong Democratic opposition and dissents from some Republicans concerned about the intrusive governmental mandates it involves. But whether it dies or is snuck through as part of an appropriations bill, the complicated problem at its heart remains: in a world of busy specialization, it is unfortunately easy for a few people to embrace extreme accusations about what these legislators called “unhealthy ideas” in the public schools, and then turn to technological access instead of building trust as a solution.

Outside of a total embrace of home schooling, educators and parents will likely always see “the common good of the child”—as these legislators put it—somewhat differently, since their roles and responsibilities differ. That’s what life in a complex, pluralistic, specialized society unavoidably brings us. Technological transparency might smooth these frustrations, but given its costs, re-emphasizing instead the need for all to take the time to respectfully engage with one another, and trust in each others’ areas of concern and expertise, would surely be better.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583339056495.jpeg" alt="Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.</figcaption>
 </figure>Ordinary life in the United States today is regularly shaped by all sorts of complicated corporate, governmental, and bureaucratic systems. Few like this, but fewer still are willing or able to reject the goods which systems of specialization provide. For some, the way to hold onto the ideal of ordinary citizens truly governing themselves despite this complexity, is “transparency.”That “transparency” is a key component of modern democracy is undeniable. If the decision-making of those whom we elect stays invisible, it invites corruption and poisons our civic health. But like “democracy” itself, the concept of “transparency” can sometimes become a totem, a term used to advance a cause rather than a standard to assess what is actually taking place.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>I think about this in connection with an education bill currently being debated in Topeka, titled in part the&nbsp;“Academic Transparency Act.” A recent defense of that bill by a couple of Kansas legislators strongly made the case that, as parents “have a right to know what their children are being taught” in public schools, it’s reasonable to require school districts to technologically guarantee “easy access to curricular materials that already should be available today,”&nbsp;concluding that “there are no enemies in transparency.” And in a sense, they’re absolutely right.After all, no one likes being stuck in the bureaucratic darkness. When these legislators point out that “busy parents” often find the process of figuring out what is happening in their children’s classrooms “unclear, unfamiliar, and tedious,” anyone who has ever had to negotiate the complex systems around us (remember all the times you’ve longed to talk with a human being when calling about an insurance claim or a problem with your wireless plan) can surely sympathize.And yet, the fact is that most teachers already bend over backwards to involve parents and help them through that process, with parent-teacher conferences, open houses, book fairs, and more. Given what is actually in the bill—requiring&nbsp;school districts to set up “transparency portals” to give parents online access to “each test, questionnaire, survey, or examination,” as well as explanations of the rationale behind each assignment, links to all the library materials used in any of the aforementioned assignments, and much more—it’s predictable that many see the bill as using “transparency” to express, instead, a simple distrust in educators themselves.The bill won’t pass right now, thanks to strong Democratic opposition and dissents from some Republicans concerned about the intrusive governmental mandates it involves. But whether it dies or is snuck through as part of an appropriations bill, the complicated problem at its heart remains: in a world of busy specialization, it is unfortunately easy for a few people to embrace extreme accusations about what these legislators called “unhealthy ideas” in the public schools, and then turn to technological access instead of building trust as a solution.Outside of a total embrace of home schooling, educators and parents will likely always see “the common good of the child”—as these legislators put it—somewhat differently, since their roles and responsibilities differ. That’s what life in a complex, pluralistic, specialized society unavoidably brings us. Technological transparency might smooth these frustrations, but given its costs, re-emphasizing instead the need for all to take the time to respectfully engage with one another, and trust in each others’ areas of concern and expertise, would surely be better.Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.

INSIGHT KANSAS: On transparency and trust in Topeka

We’re trying to get control of our finances by 
living on a budget. We also have about $18,000 in debt we are trying to 
pay off. My husband brings home $3,400 a month, and I am currently 
taking care of our eight-month-old baby. We would like to have a date 
night once a month, and he thinks we should set aside $200 for this. 
Under the current circumstances, I feel like this is too much. What do 
you think?

If you’d 
told me you guys make $150,000 a year, I’d say go have a great time. But
 with your income, and a lot of debt on top, I’d put the brakes on that 
amount. It sounds like he’s looking for an outlet to unwind and have a 
little fun, without giving a lot of thought to the big picture. The good
 thing, though, is you’re&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/what-to-do-when-spouses-dont-agree-on-money" target="_blank">working&nbsp;together</a>&nbsp;and beginning to take this personal finance thing seriously.

My
 advice would be to lower the date night amount to about $50 right now. 
That’s plenty for a reasonable dinner and a babysitter for a couple of 
hours. You might not have to figure babysitting expenses into the 
equation at all if you have family or friends nearby.

Going out on a date doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money. Years ago, when my wife and I were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/money-myths-broke-people-believe" target="_blank">broke</a>,
 we did tons of stuff that didn’t cost a dime. Things like hiking and 
picnics are great ways to spend quality time together, while keeping 
your pocketbook in your pocket. Just be creative, talk about it&nbsp;together&nbsp;and make sure you find ways to have a little&nbsp;us&nbsp;time on a regular basis.

I think you’re right on this one, Carolyne!

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has
 appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox 
News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped 
people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their 
lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635524005597.png" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,We’re trying to get control of our finances by 
living on a budget. We also have about $18,000 in debt we are trying to 
pay off. My husband brings home $3,400 a month, and I am currently 
taking care of our eight-month-old baby. We would like to have a date 
night once a month, and he thinks we should set aside $200 for this. 
Under the current circumstances, I feel like this is too much. What do 
you think?CarolyneDear Carolyne,If you’d 
told me you guys make $150,000 a year, I’d say go have a great time. But
 with your income, and a lot of debt on top, I’d put the brakes on that 
amount. It sounds like he’s looking for an outlet to unwind and have a 
little fun, without giving a lot of thought to the big picture. The good
 thing, though, is you’re&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/what-to-do-when-spouses-dont-agree-on-money" target="_blank">working&nbsp;together</a>&nbsp;and beginning to take this personal finance thing seriously.My
 advice would be to lower the date night amount to about $50 right now. 
That’s plenty for a reasonable dinner and a babysitter for a couple of 
hours. You might not have to figure babysitting expenses into the 
equation at all if you have family or friends nearby.Going out on a date doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money. Years ago, when my wife and I were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/money-myths-broke-people-believe" target="_blank">broke</a>,
 we did tons of stuff that didn’t cost a dime. Things like hiking and 
picnics are great ways to spend quality time together, while keeping 
your pocketbook in your pocket. Just be creative, talk about it&nbsp;together&nbsp;and make sure you find ways to have a little&nbsp;us&nbsp;time on a regular basis.I think you’re right on this one, Carolyne!Dave<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has
 appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox 
News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped 
people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their 
lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: Date night can be inexpensive and fun

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

Would you like to go camping on a lakefront property? Then build yourself a lake next door.&nbsp;

That statement might sound overly simplistic, but today we’ll learn about a reservoir that was recently constructed in southwest Kansas. It is serving the outdoor recreation needs of thousands of people in Kansas and beyond.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Last week we met the Jantz family of MJE LLC, which is the company that constructed this project known as HorseThief Reservoir. Audrey Rupp is district manager for HorseThief Reservoir. Gene Webb is HorseThief’s historian.&nbsp;

Audrey grew up at Tribune, studied tourism and hospitality at Fort Hays State University and became manager at HorseThief in November 2021. Gene Webb is a lifelong resident of Hodgeman County where the lake is located.&nbsp;

“I’ve hunted and fished in this area since I was 12 years old,” Gene said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Now I’m 85.”&nbsp;

Gene served on the board of the HorseThief Reservoir Benefit District for many years.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The Corps of Engineers had been interested in the possibility of a dam here back in the 1930s,” Gene said.&nbsp;

In tight budget climates, how would such a project get accomplished? In more recent years, the Pawnee watershed district studied the issue and proposed going to the state to create a tax benefit district that could generate resources for reservoir construction.&nbsp;

“I was on an advisory committee to see if people were willing to support a sales tax to build the lake,” Gene said. In 2004, the proposal was put on the ballot in Hodgeman, Ford, Gray and Finney counties. The proposal passed by more than a 2-1 margin. The Pawnee Watershed District owns the land, which is leased to the HorseThief Benefit District.&nbsp;

In 2009, the 7,200 foot long dam was completed. The reservoir was constructed in a scenic area nine miles west of the rural community of Jetmore, population 770 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

The reservoir takes its name from a nearby canyon where the old-timers say horse thieves were hung back in frontier days. Here’s my advice:&nbsp;&nbsp;When you come to the reservoir today, bring your own horse….&nbsp;

HorseThief Reservoir is now the largest body of water in southwest Kansas, consisting of 450 acres of water in 1600 acres of prairie. “Everybody said (the lake) would never fill with water,” Audrey said, due to the fickle nature of western Kansas rainfall. “By spring 2010 it was filled to 50% and by July 2016 it was filled to capacity.”&nbsp;

In 2018, an estimated 100,000 visitors came to HorseThief Reservoir from many states.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We have 54 camping sites with utilities and primitive camping sites all over,” Audrey said.&nbsp;

There are boat docks, barbecue sites, horseshoe pits, frisbee golf, windsurfing, an archery range, swimming area, equestrian corrals, hiking and biking trails, a lodge, and a stage and open air pavilion which has hosted a red dirt music festival plus weddings and holiday parties.&nbsp;

There are also five yurts, which sounds like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. These are domelike structures for lodging. A reservoir visitor can opt for primitive camping or go for a yurt with the comforts of home.&nbsp;

A couple of the yurts are fully equipped with running water, refrigerator, stove, microwave, bathrooms, queen beds and more. This is for what some call Glamping – glamorous camping.&nbsp;

Walk-in hunting is allowed for deer, waterfowl, and upland birds. The lake is stocked with walleye, large mouth bass, channel cat, bluegill, sage eye and more. “I’m still an avid fisherman,” Gene said.&nbsp;

There are also special events such as Zombie paintball in the fall, plus a rooster roundup contest and more. “We have a friends group which holds fundraisers with the proceeds going to the reservoir,” Audrey said. “We are actively working on plans for further enhancements to get people here year-round.”&nbsp;

For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.horsethiefreservoir.com/">www.horsethiefreservoir.com</a>.&nbsp;

Would you like to go camping on a lakefront property? Then build a lake next door. We commend Audrey Rupp, Gene Webb and all those involved with HorseThief Reservoir for making a difference with this community enhancement in outdoor recreation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Let’s go to the lake!&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646233787488.png" alt="Courtesy K-State Research &amp; Extension" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy K-State Research &amp; Extension</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;&nbsp;Would you like to go camping on a lakefront property? Then build yourself a lake next door.&nbsp;That statement might sound overly simplistic, but today we’ll learn about a reservoir that was recently constructed in southwest Kansas. It is serving the outdoor recreation needs of thousands of people in Kansas and beyond.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Last week we met the Jantz family of MJE LLC, which is the company that constructed this project known as HorseThief Reservoir. Audrey Rupp is district manager for HorseThief Reservoir. Gene Webb is HorseThief’s historian.&nbsp;Audrey grew up at Tribune, studied tourism and hospitality at Fort Hays State University and became manager at HorseThief in November 2021. Gene Webb is a lifelong resident of Hodgeman County where the lake is located.&nbsp;“I’ve hunted and fished in this area since I was 12 years old,” Gene said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Now I’m 85.”&nbsp;Gene served on the board of the HorseThief Reservoir Benefit District for many years.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The Corps of Engineers had been interested in the possibility of a dam here back in the 1930s,” Gene said.&nbsp;In tight budget climates, how would such a project get accomplished? In more recent years, the Pawnee watershed district studied the issue and proposed going to the state to create a tax benefit district that could generate resources for reservoir construction.&nbsp;“I was on an advisory committee to see if people were willing to support a sales tax to build the lake,” Gene said. In 2004, the proposal was put on the ballot in Hodgeman, Ford, Gray and Finney counties. The proposal passed by more than a 2-1 margin. The Pawnee Watershed District owns the land, which is leased to the HorseThief Benefit District.&nbsp;In 2009, the 7,200 foot long dam was completed. The reservoir was constructed in a scenic area nine miles west of the rural community of Jetmore, population 770 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;The reservoir takes its name from a nearby canyon where the old-timers say horse thieves were hung back in frontier days. Here’s my advice:&nbsp;&nbsp;When you come to the reservoir today, bring your own horse….&nbsp;HorseThief Reservoir is now the largest body of water in southwest Kansas, consisting of 450 acres of water in 1600 acres of prairie. “Everybody said (the lake) would never fill with water,” Audrey said, due to the fickle nature of western Kansas rainfall. “By spring 2010 it was filled to 50% and by July 2016 it was filled to capacity.”&nbsp;In 2018, an estimated 100,000 visitors came to HorseThief Reservoir from many states.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We have 54 camping sites with utilities and primitive camping sites all over,” Audrey said.&nbsp;There are boat docks, barbecue sites, horseshoe pits, frisbee golf, windsurfing, an archery range, swimming area, equestrian corrals, hiking and biking trails, a lodge, and a stage and open air pavilion which has hosted a red dirt music festival plus weddings and holiday parties.&nbsp;There are also five yurts, which sounds like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. These are domelike structures for lodging. A reservoir visitor can opt for primitive camping or go for a yurt with the comforts of home.&nbsp;A couple of the yurts are fully equipped with running water, refrigerator, stove, microwave, bathrooms, queen beds and more. This is for what some call Glamping – glamorous camping.&nbsp;Walk-in hunting is allowed for deer, waterfowl, and upland birds. The lake is stocked with walleye, large mouth bass, channel cat, bluegill, sage eye and more. “I’m still an avid fisherman,” Gene said.&nbsp;There are also special events such as Zombie paintball in the fall, plus a rooster roundup contest and more. “We have a friends group which holds fundraisers with the proceeds going to the reservoir,” Audrey said. “We are actively working on plans for further enhancements to get people here year-round.”&nbsp;For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.horsethiefreservoir.com/">www.horsethiefreservoir.com</a>.&nbsp;Would you like to go camping on a lakefront property? Then build a lake next door. We commend Audrey Rupp, Gene Webb and all those involved with HorseThief Reservoir for making a difference with this community enhancement in outdoor recreation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Let’s go to the lake!&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Audrey Rupp, HorseThief Reservoir 

By EDWARD CROSS Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association

We all feel the effects of rising energy prices. &nbsp;The Russian invasion of Ukraine only adds to our energy concerns and heightens the importance of the role of U.S. energy policy.

European countries are starting to realize their fears about energy access and affordability with the breakout of conflict in Ukraine. &nbsp;Broadly similar to green new deal style policies, the European Union (EU) has been cutting off their own fossil fuel production and usage without a viable alternative to meet that baseline demand. &nbsp;With their domestic sources waning, Russia stepped in to meet that demand. &nbsp;Now that Russian supply is threatened, renewable sources are not able to meet demand and energy prices continue to increase sharply across the continent.

​The lesson learned from Europe is that renewable energy sources are not ready to meet national energy demand. &nbsp;Over-reliance on renewable energy and Russian gas has been a recipe for disaster for the EU. &nbsp;President Biden should heed this as a warning of what his energy agenda will bring if he continues his war on American oil and gas.

Americans had fairly stable energy prices in 2017-2019, and fairly low ones, in part due to the tremendous increase in energy production in the United States – both oil and natural gas. &nbsp;In 2018, the U.S. produced 95% of its domestic energy requirements, the largest share since 1967. &nbsp;Gas prices, the marker Americans watch almost to the exclusion of everything else, averaged $2.60/gal in 2019, 4% lower than in 2018.

Here’s a key point: &nbsp;when a country becomes the leading producer of&nbsp;oil&nbsp;and&nbsp;natural gas&nbsp;and has reduced&nbsp;CO2&nbsp;emissions by 70% in 10 years, it is clearly doing many things right.

The Biden Administration need look no further than their own actions to find the primary reason energy prices have escalated since he took office. &nbsp;First, a pipeline bringing oil from Canada to the U.S. was quickly cancelled. &nbsp;Then, new leasing for energy development on federal acreage was stopped. &nbsp;Added to that was a batch of proposed punitive, unnecessary, and burdensome regulations on oil and gas operations. &nbsp;These actions have severely hampered American oil and gas companies’ ability to adequately supply the market and have put American Energy Independence at risk. &nbsp;These are short-sighted energy policies that result in higher energy costs that disproportionately harm low-income groups.&nbsp;

U.S.&nbsp;energy&nbsp;policies that restrict domestic production force our country to seek relief from&nbsp;foreign suppliers of energy,&nbsp;undermining our energy independence. &nbsp;The problem is that when certain foreign governments control your energy, they have the power to use it for their own purposes, not yours. &nbsp;America should not be in the position of asking for foreign energy supplies, especially when we have abundant resources produced to standards that are among the highest in the world, right here at home.&nbsp;

Instead, we should be leading. &nbsp;Energy should be a bipartisan priority. &nbsp;Nothing is more essential to economic growth than reliable, affordable and abundant energy. &nbsp;To lose that advantage is not in anybody’s best interest. &nbsp; &nbsp;

John Kerry, President Biden’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, is concerned that the war in Ukraine will distract attention away from the ‘climate crisis’. &nbsp;Unserious statements like those coming from Kerry and others in the Biden Administration are creating a geopolitical power vacuum. &nbsp;We might not be serious, but our enemies are ruthlessly so. &nbsp;They raise a toast to our self-inflicted demise. &nbsp;We are left with a simple choice in the U.S.: get serious about our energy policy and preserve our place in the geopolitical order or be forced to stop play-acting as a superpower. &nbsp;

​It is time for President Biden to recognize the strategic importance of American energy production. &nbsp;He should abandon his&nbsp;quixotic&nbsp;energy strategy immediately. &nbsp;Senseless pandering to the green left has helped foster the very conditions that have given Vladimir Putin confidence that his war on Ukraine will be met with little resistance from the U.S.

​While claiming to fight to bring energy prices down, President Biden has made the wrong move at every turn. &nbsp;Nothing less than a total reversal of his approach is necessary. &nbsp;This is the signal that President Biden needs to send to the world to stop the decline of American energy security. &nbsp;Certain times require a re-evaluation of priorities and a reorganization of values. &nbsp;The global crisis that Putin has set in motion is such a moment. &nbsp;

Putin tends to lash out when energy prices are high. &nbsp;Lowering these costs will not be easy. &nbsp;It will take time. &nbsp;And the only effective means of lowering the price of energy is increasing its supply.&nbsp;

President Biden should embrace oil and gas exploration. &nbsp;If the U.S. is energy independent, then we don’t beg people in the Middle East or Russia to help us and Putin would not have the financial reserves to subsidize an invasion. &nbsp;America was energy independent just a few years ago. &nbsp;Biden should do everything&nbsp;he&nbsp;can to make us energy independent again.

​President Biden and all federal and state policymakers should prioritize advancing American energy leadership with policies that encourage development of responsibly produced energy here at home. &nbsp;These policies should recognize the volatile world we live in and the long-term impacts of returning to the days of foreign energy dependency.&nbsp;

Edward Cross is president of the&nbsp;Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584027001010.png" alt="Edward Cross is president of the&nbsp;Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association." />
 <figcaption>Edward Cross is president of the&nbsp;Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association.</figcaption>
 </figure>By EDWARD CROSS Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas AssociationWe all feel the effects of rising energy prices. &nbsp;The Russian invasion of Ukraine only adds to our energy concerns and heightens the importance of the role of U.S. energy policy.European countries are starting to realize their fears about energy access and affordability with the breakout of conflict in Ukraine. &nbsp;Broadly similar to green new deal style policies, the European Union (EU) has been cutting off their own fossil fuel production and usage without a viable alternative to meet that baseline demand. &nbsp;With their domestic sources waning, Russia stepped in to meet that demand. &nbsp;Now that Russian supply is threatened, renewable sources are not able to meet demand and energy prices continue to increase sharply across the continent.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>​The lesson learned from Europe is that renewable energy sources are not ready to meet national energy demand. &nbsp;Over-reliance on renewable energy and Russian gas has been a recipe for disaster for the EU. &nbsp;President Biden should heed this as a warning of what his energy agenda will bring if he continues his war on American oil and gas.Americans had fairly stable energy prices in 2017-2019, and fairly low ones, in part due to the tremendous increase in energy production in the United States – both oil and natural gas. &nbsp;In 2018, the U.S. produced 95% of its domestic energy requirements, the largest share since 1967. &nbsp;Gas prices, the marker Americans watch almost to the exclusion of everything else, averaged $2.60/gal in 2019, 4% lower than in 2018.Here’s a key point: &nbsp;when a country becomes the leading producer of&nbsp;oil&nbsp;and&nbsp;natural gas&nbsp;and has reduced&nbsp;CO2&nbsp;emissions by 70% in 10 years, it is clearly doing many things right.The Biden Administration need look no further than their own actions to find the primary reason energy prices have escalated since he took office. &nbsp;First, a pipeline bringing oil from Canada to the U.S. was quickly cancelled. &nbsp;Then, new leasing for energy development on federal acreage was stopped. &nbsp;Added to that was a batch of proposed punitive, unnecessary, and burdensome regulations on oil and gas operations. &nbsp;These actions have severely hampered American oil and gas companies’ ability to adequately supply the market and have put American Energy Independence at risk. &nbsp;These are short-sighted energy policies that result in higher energy costs that disproportionately harm low-income groups.&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;energy&nbsp;policies that restrict domestic production force our country to seek relief from&nbsp;foreign suppliers of energy,&nbsp;undermining our energy independence. &nbsp;The problem is that when certain foreign governments control your energy, they have the power to use it for their own purposes, not yours. &nbsp;America should not be in the position of asking for foreign energy supplies, especially when we have abundant resources produced to standards that are among the highest in the world, right here at home.&nbsp;Instead, we should be leading. &nbsp;Energy should be a bipartisan priority. &nbsp;Nothing is more essential to economic growth than reliable, affordable and abundant energy. &nbsp;To lose that advantage is not in anybody’s best interest. &nbsp; &nbsp;John Kerry, President Biden’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, is concerned that the war in Ukraine will distract attention away from the ‘climate crisis’. &nbsp;Unserious statements like those coming from Kerry and others in the Biden Administration are creating a geopolitical power vacuum. &nbsp;We might not be serious, but our enemies are ruthlessly so. &nbsp;They raise a toast to our self-inflicted demise. &nbsp;We are left with a simple choice in the U.S.: get serious about our energy policy and preserve our place in the geopolitical order or be forced to stop play-acting as a superpower. &nbsp;​It is time for President Biden to recognize the strategic importance of American energy production. &nbsp;He should abandon his&nbsp;quixotic&nbsp;energy strategy immediately. &nbsp;Senseless pandering to the green left has helped foster the very conditions that have given Vladimir Putin confidence that his war on Ukraine will be met with little resistance from the U.S.​While claiming to fight to bring energy prices down, President Biden has made the wrong move at every turn. &nbsp;Nothing less than a total reversal of his approach is necessary. &nbsp;This is the signal that President Biden needs to send to the world to stop the decline of American energy security. &nbsp;Certain times require a re-evaluation of priorities and a reorganization of values. &nbsp;The global crisis that Putin has set in motion is such a moment. &nbsp;Putin tends to lash out when energy prices are high. &nbsp;Lowering these costs will not be easy. &nbsp;It will take time. &nbsp;And the only effective means of lowering the price of energy is increasing its supply.&nbsp;President Biden should embrace oil and gas exploration. &nbsp;If the U.S. is energy independent, then we don’t beg people in the Middle East or Russia to help us and Putin would not have the financial reserves to subsidize an invasion. &nbsp;America was energy independent just a few years ago. &nbsp;Biden should do everything&nbsp;he&nbsp;can to make us energy independent again.​President Biden and all federal and state policymakers should prioritize advancing American energy leadership with policies that encourage development of responsibly produced energy here at home. &nbsp;These policies should recognize the volatile world we live in and the long-term impacts of returning to the days of foreign energy dependency.&nbsp;Edward Cross is president of the&nbsp;Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association.

CROSS: U.S. energy policy highlighted by Russian invasion of Ukraine

By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher History often repeats itself. This phrase used to seem like a cautionary warning but the last two years have transformed it to have a feeling more like a judgmental, “I told you so.” Events I had only read about in history books like a global pandemic, racial unrest as part of the fight for civil rights and the start of war in Europe are actually happening. Bad things happen in the world every day but this has felt heavier and closer. Six degrees of separation is a theory that any two people on earth can be connected to each other through the network connections of six or fewer people. This theory has been around since the 1920s and has shown up in pop culture as the subject of plays, movies and even a game featuring Kevin Bacon as the speculated most connected person in the entertainment industry. I have often thought that in the agriculture community we could cut the number of degrees in half. Maybe we are friendlier or there are just less of us, but I could give example after example of how small our world is and the interesting places I have meet people with whom I share a first or second social connection. For example, less than six months ago, I was traveling with Kansas Farm Bureau’s Casten Fellows program, learning about how farmers in the Baltic states have worked to build their businesses, infrastructure and knowledge over the last three decades after gaining independence from Russian occupation. Farmers we met on that trip have close family and friends who are in Ukraine and willing to fight for their freedom. That’s two degrees of separation for me. All of the people we met in the Baltics, who are thriving under their own sovereignty, know they will be a future target if the Ukraine falls to Russia. Then it would be just one degree of separation. That is why it feels so close. People I know or that know my connections are fighting a war. Not because they volunteered to help, but because invaders burst into their homes trying to rob them of their independence. Power, greed, hatred, disagreement and control are some of the most unfortunate motivators within human nature because they lead to separation, struggle and conflict. War is a dreadful and often repeated reality brought about by these motivators. With war just a degree or two away, the struggles and conflicts of our everyday lives seem to lessen a little in light of all the things we already have and the ways we universally alike. We all want to be safe, healthy, connected. War does none of these things but making new connections, sharing our lives and being good to each other reduces our degrees of separation and brings us all closer together. The world gets smaller and better with every connection we make. Hold your loved ones closer, reach out to friends and strangers to connect to the world around you, and continue to pray for the families in Ukraine and their connections all over the world.

"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/2019/12/1575406519723.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher History often repeats itself. This phrase used to seem like a cautionary warning but the last two years have transformed it to have a feeling more like a judgmental, “I told you so.” Events I had only read about in history books like a global pandemic, racial unrest as part of the fight for civil rights and the start of war in Europe are actually happening. Bad things happen in the world every day but this has felt heavier and closer. Six degrees of separation is a theory that any two people on earth can be connected to each other through the network connections of six or fewer people. This theory has been around since the 1920s and has shown up in pop culture as the subject of plays, movies and even a game featuring Kevin Bacon as the speculated most connected person in the entertainment industry. I have often thought that in the agriculture community we could cut the number of degrees in half. Maybe we are friendlier or there are just less of us, but I could give example after example of how small our world is and the interesting places I have meet people with whom I share a first or second social connection. For example, less than six months ago, I was traveling with Kansas Farm Bureau’s Casten Fellows program, learning about how farmers in the Baltic states have worked to build their businesses, infrastructure and knowledge over the last three decades after gaining independence from Russian occupation. Farmers we met on that trip have close family and friends who are in Ukraine and willing to fight for their freedom. That’s two degrees of separation for me. All of the people we met in the Baltics, who are thriving under their own sovereignty, know they will be a future target if the Ukraine falls to Russia. Then it would be just one degree of separation. That is why it feels so close. People I know or that know my connections are fighting a war. Not because they volunteered to help, but because invaders burst into their homes trying to rob them of their independence. Power, greed, hatred, disagreement and control are some of the most unfortunate motivators within human nature because they lead to separation, struggle and conflict. War is a dreadful and often repeated reality brought about by these motivators. With war just a degree or two away, the struggles and conflicts of our everyday lives seem to lessen a little in light of all the things we already have and the ways we universally alike. We all want to be safe, healthy, connected. War does none of these things but making new connections, sharing our lives and being good to each other reduces our degrees of separation and brings us all closer together. The world gets smaller and better with every connection we make. Hold your loved ones closer, reach out to friends and strangers to connect to the world around you, and continue to pray for the families in Ukraine and their connections all over the world."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: Degrees of separation

By DARRELL EHRLICK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/28/making-the-simple-impossible-we-dont-want-to-admit-the-real-worker-shortage-problem-opinion/">Courtesy Missouri Independent</a>

A week ago, I was talking to an 
educator whose job it is to run training programs for students and 
adults in higher education. She told me that around a dozen different 
companies and groups were sponsoring training courses for things like 
nursing assistants, medical workers, electricians and truck driving.

All of the courses were being underwritten by businesses and 
organizations in hopes of finding workers for jobs that are – and have 
been open – for some time. Classrooms were available. Instructors were 
ready. But only one class had enough students to hold the class.

Of all the things COVID-19 has taken from us – freedom to travel, a 
feeling of safety when going to the store – one of the most profound has
 been the change in workforce.

I asked, “So where are all those students and workers?”

“You’re the journalist. You tell me,” she replied.

The workers and students that seemed more plentiful before 2020 have 
disappeared. We could speculate that they’ve wandered off to other 
states, other areas, but we know other towns and states are struggling 
with the same workforce shortage. And the demand for housing has rarely 
been greater.

While the statistics look good on paper, the hidden truth behind 
those numbers is that those surveys include people who are actively 
looking for jobs or are in the workforce presently. What it doesn’t 
quite capture is the one statistic we need most: How many of the people 
have dropped out?

There are certainly a lot of practical questions that 
“non-participating” workers raise: How are they living? Where are they 
living? And what would make them come back?

Those aren’t the topic of this column, instead they are at the front 
of what journalists are trying to solve, discover and report.

Instead, I wonder if we’re overthinking the issue a bit.

The workforce shortage issue is being framed as an economic problem –
 employers can’t find enough workers and wages don’t seem to entice 
them.

Yet, maybe there are drivers of this wave of joblessness that we all 
know, but don’t really want to tackle. Maybe we just don’t like what the
 workforce shortage is telling us, and so we search for other more 
complex, nuanced interpretations.

As an observer and reporter, I think maybe the answer to the workforce shortage is a combination of time and fatigue.

American productivity, an actual calculation maintained by the government, shows that Americans have consistently been working&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/productivity#:~:text=Productivity%20in%20the%20United%20States,the%20first%20quarter%20of%201950.">harder and putting in more hours</a>&nbsp;while wages have&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/wage-stagnation-in-america#:~:text=U.S.%20workers%20have%20grappled%20with,compared%20to%20overall%20economic%20productivity.">remained stagnant</a>.
 In some cases, workers have been above 100 percent capacity, meaning 
they’re putting in more work and longer hours above what is expected in 
an effort to simply keep pace. In an effort to cling to good jobs, 
workers have been pushing themselves hard. In short, the economy was, to
 borrow a phrase, punching above its weight.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-prices-inflation-c1bfd93ed1719cf0135420f4fd0270f9">inflation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dailymontanan.com/2021/08/30/housing-prices-continue-climbing-in-urban-rural-montana/">housing prices</a>&nbsp;have
 continued to escalate faster than wages, meaning those already 
overworked workers are doing more, falling farther behind. And no one 
wants to worker harder to find themselves deeper in a hole.

And that leads me to time: While it seems like COVID has been one 
long episode of “Groundhog Day,” it’s now been more than two years since
 the disease has impacted the American economy and the country. While 
not an expansive amount of time, it’s enough for workers to change their
 habits, expectations and start over.

Maybe – just maybe – workers have downsized, found a new path, or 
readjusted to what they can or should expect. They’ve had plenty of time
 to think about working 40 to 80 hours per week and still not being able
 to afford housing or food. They may have decided: It’s just not worth 
it. Whether that means living with family or friends, living in a much 
smaller place, or finding a new career, people are fatigued and not 
going to back to how it was.

This also seems to be a crisis of mental health, hidden by the 
extreme consequences of COVID itself. We keep tabs on the 
hospitalizations and deaths, but calculating mental health problems is 
more nebulous. I suspect part of the key to the where-are-the-workers 
mystery could likely be told by mental health professionals. I would 
wager they’re seeing depression, burnout and anxiety from folks that 
might have otherwise never seen a counselor. One of the hidden costs of 
the virus has been the toll the disease has taken on the already 
frazzled worker.

Maybe we’re just making this whole situation too complex – as if 
there’s some undiscovered enclave of workers playing hide-and-seek. That
 would be an easy sort of problem to wrap your mind around.

Instead, after several years of reporting what is happening, a 
different narrative may be emerging, and it’s even more scary than the 
prospect of COVID itself. It’s what happens when the notion of the 
American Dream – a home, a career, a retirement – starts to evaporate.

When the American Dream ceases to become a vision that can be realized, people simply quit dreaming.

And if there’s nothing to work for, nothing to build toward, it would
 certainly stand to reason that there’d be a lot of empty classroom 
seats and a lot more “Help Wanted” signs.

Darrell Ehrlick is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Montanan, after leading his native state’s largest paper, The Billings Gazette. He is an award-winning journalist, author, historian and teacher, whose career has taken him to North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Utah, and Wyoming.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1646064416499.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By DARRELL EHRLICK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/28/making-the-simple-impossible-we-dont-want-to-admit-the-real-worker-shortage-problem-opinion/">Courtesy Missouri Independent</a>A week ago, I was talking to an 
educator whose job it is to run training programs for students and 
adults in higher education. She told me that around a dozen different 
companies and groups were sponsoring training courses for things like 
nursing assistants, medical workers, electricians and truck driving.All of the courses were being underwritten by businesses and 
organizations in hopes of finding workers for jobs that are – and have 
been open – for some time. Classrooms were available. Instructors were 
ready. But only one class had enough students to hold the class.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Of all the things COVID-19 has taken from us – freedom to travel, a 
feeling of safety when going to the store – one of the most profound has
 been the change in workforce.I asked, “So where are all those students and workers?”“You’re the journalist. You tell me,” she replied.The workers and students that seemed more plentiful before 2020 have 
disappeared. We could speculate that they’ve wandered off to other 
states, other areas, but we know other towns and states are struggling 
with the same workforce shortage. And the demand for housing has rarely 
been greater.While the statistics look good on paper, the hidden truth behind 
those numbers is that those surveys include people who are actively 
looking for jobs or are in the workforce presently. What it doesn’t 
quite capture is the one statistic we need most: How many of the people 
have dropped out?There are certainly a lot of practical questions that 
“non-participating” workers raise: How are they living? Where are they 
living? And what would make them come back?Those aren’t the topic of this column, instead they are at the front 
of what journalists are trying to solve, discover and report.Instead, I wonder if we’re overthinking the issue a bit.The workforce shortage issue is being framed as an economic problem –
 employers can’t find enough workers and wages don’t seem to entice 
them.Yet, maybe there are drivers of this wave of joblessness that we all 
know, but don’t really want to tackle. Maybe we just don’t like what the
 workforce shortage is telling us, and so we search for other more 
complex, nuanced interpretations.As an observer and reporter, I think maybe the answer to the workforce shortage is a combination of time and fatigue.American productivity, an actual calculation maintained by the government, shows that Americans have consistently been working&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/productivity#:~:text=Productivity%20in%20the%20United%20States,the%20first%20quarter%20of%201950.">harder and putting in more hours</a>&nbsp;while wages have&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/wage-stagnation-in-america#:~:text=U.S.%20workers%20have%20grappled%20with,compared%20to%20overall%20economic%20productivity.">remained stagnant</a>.
 In some cases, workers have been above 100 percent capacity, meaning 
they’re putting in more work and longer hours above what is expected in 
an effort to simply keep pace. In an effort to cling to good jobs, 
workers have been pushing themselves hard. In short, the economy was, to
 borrow a phrase, punching above its weight.Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-prices-inflation-c1bfd93ed1719cf0135420f4fd0270f9">inflation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dailymontanan.com/2021/08/30/housing-prices-continue-climbing-in-urban-rural-montana/">housing prices</a>&nbsp;have
 continued to escalate faster than wages, meaning those already 
overworked workers are doing more, falling farther behind. And no one 
wants to worker harder to find themselves deeper in a hole.And that leads me to time: While it seems like COVID has been one 
long episode of “Groundhog Day,” it’s now been more than two years since
 the disease has impacted the American economy and the country. While 
not an expansive amount of time, it’s enough for workers to change their
 habits, expectations and start over.Maybe – just maybe – workers have downsized, found a new path, or 
readjusted to what they can or should expect. They’ve had plenty of time
 to think about working 40 to 80 hours per week and still not being able
 to afford housing or food. They may have decided: It’s just not worth 
it. Whether that means living with family or friends, living in a much 
smaller place, or finding a new career, people are fatigued and not 
going to back to how it was.This also seems to be a crisis of mental health, hidden by the 
extreme consequences of COVID itself. We keep tabs on the 
hospitalizations and deaths, but calculating mental health problems is 
more nebulous. I suspect part of the key to the where-are-the-workers 
mystery could likely be told by mental health professionals. I would 
wager they’re seeing depression, burnout and anxiety from folks that 
might have otherwise never seen a counselor. One of the hidden costs of 
the virus has been the toll the disease has taken on the already 
frazzled worker.Maybe we’re just making this whole situation too complex – as if 
there’s some undiscovered enclave of workers playing hide-and-seek. That
 would be an easy sort of problem to wrap your mind around.Instead, after several years of reporting what is happening, a 
different narrative may be emerging, and it’s even more scary than the 
prospect of COVID itself. It’s what happens when the notion of the 
American Dream – a home, a career, a retirement – starts to evaporate.When the American Dream ceases to become a vision that can be realized, people simply quit dreaming.And if there’s nothing to work for, nothing to build toward, it would
 certainly stand to reason that there’d be a lot of empty classroom 
seats and a lot more “Help Wanted” signs.Darrell Ehrlick is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Montanan, after leading his native state’s largest paper, The Billings Gazette. He is an award-winning journalist, author, historian and teacher, whose career has taken him to North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Utah, and Wyoming.

OPINION: We don’t want to admit the real worker shortage problem

Friday marked a critical deadline known as “turnaround,” marking the official halfway point for the 2022 Legislative session. It was a busy week for the Senate, as we spent two full days debating and voting on and passing out over 30 bills ahead of the Turnaround deadline. After being on the floor all day Tuesday and Wednesday, the Legislature will break until March 1st to give clerical staff time to process the significant amount of paperwork resulting from this week. By “turnaround,” a bill, with few exceptions, must have passed its Chamber of origin in order to be considered by the other Chamber before session is over for the year. When the Senate returns on Tuesday, the legislature is scheduled to meet for another month before our April recess. We would then return for a brief period to consider any vetoes prior to final adjournment. The focus for the next month will be to consider bills passed by the House Chamber and bills exempt from the Turnaround deadline. Under legislative rules, most bills must be adopted by one chamber in order to be considered by the other chamber. The major items we must complete prior to adjournment are passing the budget as well as adoption of maps for the Kansas Legislature.

February 21st-23rd <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb421/">SB 421</a> legislation that would transfer $253.9 million from the State General Fund (SGF) directly to the Kansas Public Employees System (KPERS) Trust Fund to pay off outstanding accounts. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb443/">SB 443</a> which would appropriate $332.2 million from the State General Fund (SGF) to the Department of Administration in FY 2022 to pay off the remaining balance of two series of callable bonds ahead of the final maturity dates in FY 2035. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb368/">SB 368</a> which would amend the definition of “sexually violent crime” in the Kansas Offender Registration Act (KORA) to include the crimes of internet trading in child pornography and aggravated internet trading in child pornography. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb385/">SB 385</a> would amend the definition of “sex offender” in the Kansas Offender Registration Act to include any person who is convicted of breach of privacy by: Installing or using a concealed camcorder, motion picture camera, or photographic camera of any type to secretly videotape, film, photograph, or record, by electronic or other means. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb395/">SB 395</a> would prohibit KDWP employees who are authorized to enforce the laws of the State from conducting surveillance on private property unless authorized pursuant to a lawfully-issued warrant, court order, or subpoena, the U.S. Constitution, or an exception to the search warrant requirement. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb366/">SB 366 </a>would amend the definition of the crime of burglary by expanding the locations in which a person may not, without authority, enter or remain within any locked or secured portion of any dwelling or building. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb408/">SB 408</a> would amend the definition of the crime of theft to make theft of property that is mail of the value of less than $1,500 from three separate locations within a period of 72 hours. This bill is directed at “porch pirates” – stolen boxes delivered to your home. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb382/">SB 382</a> would amend the Real Estate Brokers’ and Salespersons’ License Act by requiring individuals and organizations dealing in assignable contracts for the purchase, sale, or option on real estate to be licensed by the Kansas Real Estate Commission. The Commission would also be authorized to issue cease and desist orders. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb150/">SB 150</a> addresses this by preserving free speech while defining and prohibiting certain deceptive lawsuit advertising practices and restricting the use or disclosure of protected health information to solicit individuals for legal services. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb493/">SB 493</a> which would prohibit municipalities from adopting or enforcing an ordinance, resolution, or regulation that restricts, taxes, prohibits, or regulates the use of auxiliary containers. The bill would define “auxiliary container” as a bag, cup, package, container, bottle, device, or other packaging. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb161/">SB 161</a> authorizes personal delivery devices to operate on any sidewalk, crosswalk, or public highway of any municipality. Operation on highways would be limited to gaining or regaining access to a sidewalk or crosswalk. SB 441 addresses when an accident occurs at a biological laboratory by enacting the Biological Laboratory Accident Transparency Act. The bill would require institutions and organizations to publicly report, in a summary format, any laboratory accident or near-miss event that occurs in any high-risk biological laboratory. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb446/">SB 446</a> would designate each of three bridges in Cherokee County as Veterans Memorial Bridges. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb451/">SB 451</a> would remove a requirement for which a Kansas resident must provide satisfactory proof that the person is at least 1/16 Indian by blood for purposes of receiving a free, permanent license to hunt, fish, and fur harvest. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb336/">SB 336</a> would amend certain investment limitation requirements to increase the permissible investment options in equity interests and preferred stock for Kansas-domiciled life insurance companies. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb348/">SB 348 </a>would exempt threading from the definition of cosmetology in law related to the licensure of cosmetologists. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb367/">SB 367</a> would require officers to file copies of receipts with the court when property is seized under a search warrant and providing requirements and procedures for destruction or disposition of dangerous drugs and return or disposition of weapons. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb373/">SB 373</a> would appropriate $500,000 from the State General Fund for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2022, to the University of Kansas Medical Center for use at the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb399/">SB 399</a> would amend the Health Care Provider Insurance Availability Act by adding maternity center to the definition of a health care provider. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb400/">Sub for SB 400</a> would amend the Kansas Uniform Trust Code to add to the list of trust matters that could be resolved by a nonjudicial settlement agreement, to increase the limit on the total value of a trust before a trustee could seek to terminate such trust as being non-economic, and to amend the definition of a “resident trust.” <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb405/">SB 405</a> would authorize and direct Kansas Historical Society (KSHS) to convey by quitclaim deed, a 0.52-acre parcel of land in Johnson County to the Shawnee Tribe. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb417/">SB 417</a> would establish new permit renewal fee limitations for solid waste disposal areas and solid waste processing facilities that are regulated by the federal standards for the disposal of coal combustion residuals. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb419/">SB 419</a> would allow the Secretary of Corrections, with the consent of the Director of Police Training of the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) to designate an employee of KDOC to attend KLETC. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb425/">SB 425 </a>would amend a law governing access, exchange, and disclosure of information in the Revised Kansas Code for Care of Children to require the Secretary for Children and Families to disclose confidential agency records to the law enforcement agency investigating the alleged or substantiated report or investigation of abuse or neglect. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb434/">SB 434</a> would amend a statute in the Kansas Open Records Act governing procedures for obtaining access to public records to require requests for records that contain captured license plate data. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb435/">SB 435</a> would expand law enforcement officers' jurisdiction to include situations when an illegal act is observed that the officer reasonably believes will jeopardize the safety of any person without immediate action. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb440/">SB 440</a> would authorize occupational therapists to provide limited services to patients without referral from a health care provider and amend the Occupational Therapy Practice Act. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb448/">SB 448</a> would amend the state Unfair Trade Practice Law to exempt additional practices from those practices considered to be unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the business of insurance that relate to unfair discrimination and rebates. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb450/">Sub for SB 450</a> would enact law and amend law relating to the sale of certain state real property, particularly in the area of state educational institutions under the Kansas Board of Regents and the disposition of proceeds from the sale of surplus real estate of state agencies. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb453/">SB 453</a> would amend statute concerning training for certified aides to work in adult care homes to allow licensed practical nurses to teach certain training courses. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb313/">SB 313</a> designates a portion of U.S. Highway 69 as the Senator Tom R. Van Sickle Memorial Highway. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb483/">SB 483</a> would increase criminal penalties for theft and criminal damage to property involving remote service units such as automated cash dispensing machines and automated teller machines. SB 215 would transfer the authority for postsecondary driver's education programs and driver training schools from the State Board of Regents to the Department of Revenue. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb457/">SB 457</a> would require a waiver of extradition proceedings as a condition of bond. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb141/">SB 141</a> would enact the Kansas Uniform Directed Trust Act (UDTA) to allow for the creation of directed trusts and amend provisions in the Kansas Uniform Trust Code (UTC) to reflect the enactment of the UDTA. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb362/">SB 362</a> would require local school boards to annually review state academic assessments and utilize such assessments and the school district’s building needs assessment when reviewing and approving the school district’s budget. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb34/">Sub for SB 34</a> promotes the principle of limited government by requiring all rules and regulations adopted under the Rules and Regulations Filing Act to be reviewed by agencies every five years, would establish reporting requirements for agencies.

A full description of each bill can be found at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a> as well as the Final Action vote on each measure.

The State of Kansas has over $400 million dollars in unclaimed property waiting for the rightful owner to find and claim. These holdings at the Treasurer’s office include bank accounts, cash, stocks, bonds, refunds (utilities), royalties, insurance proceeds and even safe deposit box contents. To search for your name, visit <a href="https://www.kansasstatetreasurer.com/up_search.php">www.kansasstatetreasurer.com</a> and enter your name or business name to see if your name is on this list. Senate District #36 has over 1,000 entries in the 13 counties it covers. If you would like more personal assistance, call 800-432-0386 or 785-296-4165.

Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. 

Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. For those who want to pursue a more in-depth analysis of bills, go to and pull up “Bills &amp; Laws,” then “Senate Bills,” before scrolling to the desired number and hitting “SN” (Supplemental Notes) for a general explanation which is written by the Legislative research and reviser staff. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website.

<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. 28, 2022 SENATE HIGHLIGHTSFriday marked a critical deadline known as “turnaround,” marking the official halfway point for the 2022 Legislative session. It was a busy week for the Senate, as we spent two full days debating and voting on and passing out over 30 bills ahead of the Turnaround deadline. After being on the floor all day Tuesday and Wednesday, the Legislature will break until March 1st to give clerical staff time to process the significant amount of paperwork resulting from this week. By “turnaround,” a bill, with few exceptions, must have passed its Chamber of origin in order to be considered by the other Chamber before session is over for the year. When the Senate returns on Tuesday, the legislature is scheduled to meet for another month before our April recess. We would then return for a brief period to consider any vetoes prior to final adjournment. The focus for the next month will be to consider bills passed by the House Chamber and bills exempt from the Turnaround deadline. Under legislative rules, most bills must be adopted by one chamber in order to be considered by the other chamber. The major items we must complete prior to adjournment are passing the budget as well as adoption of maps for the Kansas Legislature.FLOOR ACTION LAST WEEKFebruary 21st-23rd <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb421/">SB 421</a> legislation that would transfer $253.9 million from the State General Fund (SGF) directly to the Kansas Public Employees System (KPERS) Trust Fund to pay off outstanding accounts. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb443/">SB 443</a> which would appropriate $332.2 million from the State General Fund (SGF) to the Department of Administration in FY 2022 to pay off the remaining balance of two series of callable bonds ahead of the final maturity dates in FY 2035. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb368/">SB 368</a> which would amend the definition of “sexually violent crime” in the Kansas Offender Registration Act (KORA) to include the crimes of internet trading in child pornography and aggravated internet trading in child pornography. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb385/">SB 385</a> would amend the definition of “sex offender” in the Kansas Offender Registration Act to include any person who is convicted of breach of privacy by: Installing or using a concealed camcorder, motion picture camera, or photographic camera of any type to secretly videotape, film, photograph, or record, by electronic or other means. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb395/">SB 395</a> would prohibit KDWP employees who are authorized to enforce the laws of the State from conducting surveillance on private property unless authorized pursuant to a lawfully-issued warrant, court order, or subpoena, the U.S. Constitution, or an exception to the search warrant requirement. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb366/">SB 366 </a>would amend the definition of the crime of burglary by expanding the locations in which a person may not, without authority, enter or remain within any locked or secured portion of any dwelling or building. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb408/">SB 408</a> would amend the definition of the crime of theft to make theft of property that is mail of the value of less than $1,500 from three separate locations within a period of 72 hours. This bill is directed at “porch pirates” – stolen boxes delivered to your home. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb382/">SB 382</a> would amend the Real Estate Brokers’ and Salespersons’ License Act by requiring individuals and organizations dealing in assignable contracts for the purchase, sale, or option on real estate to be licensed by the Kansas Real Estate Commission. The Commission would also be authorized to issue cease and desist orders. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb150/">SB 150</a> addresses this by preserving free speech while defining and prohibiting certain deceptive lawsuit advertising practices and restricting the use or disclosure of protected health information to solicit individuals for legal services. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb493/">SB 493</a> which would prohibit municipalities from adopting or enforcing an ordinance, resolution, or regulation that restricts, taxes, prohibits, or regulates the use of auxiliary containers. The bill would define “auxiliary container” as a bag, cup, package, container, bottle, device, or other packaging. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb161/">SB 161</a> authorizes personal delivery devices to operate on any sidewalk, crosswalk, or public highway of any municipality. Operation on highways would be limited to gaining or regaining access to a sidewalk or crosswalk. SB 441 addresses when an accident occurs at a biological laboratory by enacting the Biological Laboratory Accident Transparency Act. The bill would require institutions and organizations to publicly report, in a summary format, any laboratory accident or near-miss event that occurs in any high-risk biological laboratory. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb446/">SB 446</a> would designate each of three bridges in Cherokee County as Veterans Memorial Bridges. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb451/">SB 451</a> would remove a requirement for which a Kansas resident must provide satisfactory proof that the person is at least 1/16 Indian by blood for purposes of receiving a free, permanent license to hunt, fish, and fur harvest. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb336/">SB 336</a> would amend certain investment limitation requirements to increase the permissible investment options in equity interests and preferred stock for Kansas-domiciled life insurance companies. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb348/">SB 348 </a>would exempt threading from the definition of cosmetology in law related to the licensure of cosmetologists. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb367/">SB 367</a> would require officers to file copies of receipts with the court when property is seized under a search warrant and providing requirements and procedures for destruction or disposition of dangerous drugs and return or disposition of weapons. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb373/">SB 373</a> would appropriate $500,000 from the State General Fund for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2022, to the University of Kansas Medical Center for use at the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb399/">SB 399</a> would amend the Health Care Provider Insurance Availability Act by adding maternity center to the definition of a health care provider. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb400/">Sub for SB 400</a> would amend the Kansas Uniform Trust Code to add to the list of trust matters that could be resolved by a nonjudicial settlement agreement, to increase the limit on the total value of a trust before a trustee could seek to terminate such trust as being non-economic, and to amend the definition of a “resident trust.” <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb405/">SB 405</a> would authorize and direct Kansas Historical Society (KSHS) to convey by quitclaim deed, a 0.52-acre parcel of land in Johnson County to the Shawnee Tribe. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb417/">SB 417</a> would establish new permit renewal fee limitations for solid waste disposal areas and solid waste processing facilities that are regulated by the federal standards for the disposal of coal combustion residuals. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb419/">SB 419</a> would allow the Secretary of Corrections, with the consent of the Director of Police Training of the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) to designate an employee of KDOC to attend KLETC. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb425/">SB 425 </a>would amend a law governing access, exchange, and disclosure of information in the Revised Kansas Code for Care of Children to require the Secretary for Children and Families to disclose confidential agency records to the law enforcement agency investigating the alleged or substantiated report or investigation of abuse or neglect. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb434/">SB 434</a> would amend a statute in the Kansas Open Records Act governing procedures for obtaining access to public records to require requests for records that contain captured license plate data. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb435/">SB 435</a> would expand law enforcement officers' jurisdiction to include situations when an illegal act is observed that the officer reasonably believes will jeopardize the safety of any person without immediate action. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb440/">SB 440</a> would authorize occupational therapists to provide limited services to patients without referral from a health care provider and amend the Occupational Therapy Practice Act. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb448/">SB 448</a> would amend the state Unfair Trade Practice Law to exempt additional practices from those practices considered to be unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the business of insurance that relate to unfair discrimination and rebates. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb450/">Sub for SB 450</a> would enact law and amend law relating to the sale of certain state real property, particularly in the area of state educational institutions under the Kansas Board of Regents and the disposition of proceeds from the sale of surplus real estate of state agencies. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb453/">SB 453</a> would amend statute concerning training for certified aides to work in adult care homes to allow licensed practical nurses to teach certain training courses. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb313/">SB 313</a> designates a portion of U.S. Highway 69 as the Senator Tom R. Van Sickle Memorial Highway. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb483/">SB 483</a> would increase criminal penalties for theft and criminal damage to property involving remote service units such as automated cash dispensing machines and automated teller machines. SB 215 would transfer the authority for postsecondary driver's education programs and driver training schools from the State Board of Regents to the Department of Revenue. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb457/">SB 457</a> would require a waiver of extradition proceedings as a condition of bond. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb141/">SB 141</a> would enact the Kansas Uniform Directed Trust Act (UDTA) to allow for the creation of directed trusts and amend provisions in the Kansas Uniform Trust Code (UTC) to reflect the enactment of the UDTA. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb362/">SB 362</a> would require local school boards to annually review state academic assessments and utilize such assessments and the school district’s building needs assessment when reviewing and approving the school district’s budget. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb34/">Sub for SB 34</a> promotes the principle of limited government by requiring all rules and regulations adopted under the Rules and Regulations Filing Act to be reviewed by agencies every five years, would establish reporting requirements for agencies.A full description of each bill can be found at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a> as well as the Final Action vote on each measure.UNCLAIMED PROPERTY IN KANSASThe State of Kansas has over $400 million dollars in unclaimed property waiting for the rightful owner to find and claim. These holdings at the Treasurer’s office include bank accounts, cash, stocks, bonds, refunds (utilities), royalties, insurance proceeds and even safe deposit box contents. To search for your name, visit <a href="https://www.kansasstatetreasurer.com/up_search.php">www.kansasstatetreasurer.com</a> and enter your name or business name to see if your name is on this list. Senate District #36 has over 1,000 entries in the 13 counties it covers. If you would like more personal assistance, call 800-432-0386 or 785-296-4165.THANK YOU FOR ENGAGINGThank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. For those who want to pursue a more in-depth analysis of bills, go to and pull up “Bills &amp; Laws,” then “Senate Bills,” before scrolling to the desired number and hitting “SN” (Supplemental Notes) for a general explanation which is written by the Legislative research and reviser staff. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website.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 Seven

We have reached the halfway point of the 2022 legislative session. I apologize for missing last week, it has been a very busy and I ran out of time before publication deadline. There has been a lot of speculation and discussion about HB 2531, the bill that deals with the use of country road right of ways for agricultural purposes. The bill did not get worked as more work is being done to add more clarification and is being sent back to committee then taken up by the full House. While there has been a lot of attention locally, the issue has statewide implications. 

Here as some of the things that happened last week:

Giving Power to the People, Not Unelected Bureaucrats

This past week the House reconsidered its action on HCR 5014. HCR 5014 places a constitutional amendment on the November 2022 ballot. The constitutional amendment will ensure legislative oversight of administrative rules and regulations. Following a bill becoming a law, often there are rules and regulations to be developed by state agencies. Unfortunately, executive branch bureaucrats often use the rules and regs process to essentially create their own law or circumvent the intent of the law that was passed. Passing a constitutional amendment would allow the Legislature to establish a procedure for revoking or suspending rules and regulations that are adopted by these agencies that do not meet with the intent of the law. The House approved the resolution with a two-thirds vote, 85-39. The resolution now goes to the Senate, where if two-thirds of their members adopt the resolution, it shall be placed on the November general election ballot.

Giving Power to the People in the Selection of County Sheriffs

The House passed HCR 5022, which is a constitutional amendment requiring that a sheriff be elected in each county. The resolution exempts a county if they abolished the office of sheriff prior to January 11, 2022. HCR 5022 also addresses how a sheriff is removed. Involuntary removal would only be through a recall election or a writ of quo warranto initiated by the Attorney General. The resolution met the two-thirds vote threshold, with a vote of 97-24, and now heads to the Senate for its consideration. If two-thirds of the Senate adopt the resolution, it will appear on the November general election ballot.

Looking ahead—The Second Half of the Session

With turnaround reached, House committees will begin working bills passed by the Senate. Budget committees are wrapping up recommendations to the Appropriations Committee, so it may finalize a budget bill by mid-March. Other big issues awaiting House action are stabilizing the KPERS system and addressing a comprehensive tax plan.

The redistricting process picks up after turnaround as well. The House will adopt a map of House districts to accommodate population changes and the Senate will do likewise. Both chambers will have the opportunity to review and approve the other chamber’s map. In addition, both chambers will approve a State Board of Education (SBOE) map, reflecting the changes approved in the Senate map, as each SBOE district will contain four Senate districts.

A couple of other bills of interest include HB 2456--establishing the Kansas kids lifetime combination hunting and fishing license. The bill passed 117-4. HB 2483--providing for the Daughters of the American Revolution distinctive license plate. The bill passed 105-16. HB 2567--increasing certain registration and title fees on vehicles for services performed by county treasurers and the division of vehicles and decreasing certain fees related to administrative costs and disposition of such fees. The bill passed 114-6-1.

In the agriculture committee: HB 2559--creating the Kansas cotton boll weevil program and requiring the program to levy an assessment upon Kansas produced cotton and monitor and mitigate the risk of boll weevils. The bill passed 83-37. HB 2563--concerning the Kansas seed law and the commercial industrial hemp act; relating to labeling; seeds treated with certain substances; definitions; labeling; unlawful actions; certain registrations; inspections; live plant dealers; and testing services. The bill passed 113-8. HB 2605--increasing the rural population requirement maximum for the veterinary training program for rural Kansas and creating a food animal percentage requirement that may be fulfilled in lieu thereof. The bill passed 115-6.

You can follow along on happenings in the legislature online at kslegislature.org and you can watch committee meetings and when the House and Senate are on the floor on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel. If you would like to contact me: my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My statehouse phone number is (785) 296-7463 and email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416.

Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist. House District 110 includes:&nbsp; Norton and Phillips Counties Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis and Schoenchen;&nbsp;Townships: Big Creek(part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Herzog(part),&nbsp;Lookout(part) and Wheatland(part) Graham County: City: Hill City;&nbsp;Townships: Hill City(part) and Nicodemus(part) Rooks County: Cities: Damar, Palco, Plainville,&nbsp;Stockton, Woodston and Zurich

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644854972078.jpeg" alt="State Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist." />
 <figcaption>State Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hello from Agra. We have reached the halfway point of the 2022 legislative session. I apologize for missing last week, it has been a very busy and I ran out of time before publication deadline. There has been a lot of speculation and discussion about HB 2531, the bill that deals with the use of country road right of ways for agricultural purposes. The bill did not get worked as more work is being done to add more clarification and is being sent back to committee then taken up by the full House. While there has been a lot of attention locally, the issue has statewide implications. Here as some of the things that happened last week:Giving Power to the People, Not Unelected BureaucratsThis past week the House reconsidered its action on HCR 5014. HCR 5014 places a constitutional amendment on the November 2022 ballot. The constitutional amendment will ensure legislative oversight of administrative rules and regulations. Following a bill becoming a law, often there are rules and regulations to be developed by state agencies. Unfortunately, executive branch bureaucrats often use the rules and regs process to essentially create their own law or circumvent the intent of the law that was passed. Passing a constitutional amendment would allow the Legislature to establish a procedure for revoking or suspending rules and regulations that are adopted by these agencies that do not meet with the intent of the law. The House approved the resolution with a two-thirds vote, 85-39. The resolution now goes to the Senate, where if two-thirds of their members adopt the resolution, it shall be placed on the November general election ballot.Giving Power to the People in the Selection of County SheriffsThe House passed HCR 5022, which is a constitutional amendment requiring that a sheriff be elected in each county. The resolution exempts a county if they abolished the office of sheriff prior to January 11, 2022. HCR 5022 also addresses how a sheriff is removed. Involuntary removal would only be through a recall election or a writ of quo warranto initiated by the Attorney General. The resolution met the two-thirds vote threshold, with a vote of 97-24, and now heads to the Senate for its consideration. If two-thirds of the Senate adopt the resolution, it will appear on the November general election ballot.Looking ahead—The Second Half of the SessionWith turnaround reached, House committees will begin working bills passed by the Senate. Budget committees are wrapping up recommendations to the Appropriations Committee, so it may finalize a budget bill by mid-March. Other big issues awaiting House action are stabilizing the KPERS system and addressing a comprehensive tax plan.The redistricting process picks up after turnaround as well. The House will adopt a map of House districts to accommodate population changes and the Senate will do likewise. Both chambers will have the opportunity to review and approve the other chamber’s map. In addition, both chambers will approve a State Board of Education (SBOE) map, reflecting the changes approved in the Senate map, as each SBOE district will contain four Senate districts.A couple of other bills of interest include HB 2456--establishing the Kansas kids lifetime combination hunting and fishing license. The bill passed 117-4. HB 2483--providing for the Daughters of the American Revolution distinctive license plate. The bill passed 105-16. HB 2567--increasing certain registration and title fees on vehicles for services performed by county treasurers and the division of vehicles and decreasing certain fees related to administrative costs and disposition of such fees. The bill passed 114-6-1.In the agriculture committee: HB 2559--creating the Kansas cotton boll weevil program and requiring the program to levy an assessment upon Kansas produced cotton and monitor and mitigate the risk of boll weevils. The bill passed 83-37. HB 2563--concerning the Kansas seed law and the commercial industrial hemp act; relating to labeling; seeds treated with certain substances; definitions; labeling; unlawful actions; certain registrations; inspections; live plant dealers; and testing services. The bill passed 113-8. HB 2605--increasing the rural population requirement maximum for the veterinary training program for rural Kansas and creating a food animal percentage requirement that may be fulfilled in lieu thereof. The bill passed 115-6.You can follow along on happenings in the legislature online at kslegislature.org and you can watch committee meetings and when the House and Senate are on the floor on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel. If you would like to contact me: my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My statehouse phone number is (785) 296-7463 and email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416.It is my honor to serve you.Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist. House District 110 includes:&nbsp; Norton and Phillips Counties Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis and Schoenchen;&nbsp;Townships: Big Creek(part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Herzog(part),&nbsp;Lookout(part) and Wheatland(part) Graham County: City: Hill City;&nbsp;Townships: Hill City(part) and Nicodemus(part) Rooks County: Cities: Damar, Palco, Plainville,&nbsp;Stockton, Woodston and Zurich

RAHJES REPORT: Feb. 28, 2022

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

“Moving heaven and earth.” That’s a saying to describe doing everything possible to make something happen.&nbsp;

Today we’ll meet a Kansas company which literally follows that philosophy. This company is an earth-moving business and much more.&nbsp;

Max Jantz founded Max Jantz Excavating in 1974 with a John Deere tractor, one pull-type earth scraper, and what he called “a love of the land.” The first work headquarters for the company was the old barn on the family place north of Montezuma, Kan.&nbsp;

Max primarily did dirt work for commercial and municipal projects. He sought opportunities throughout the Midwest to grow the operation by expanding his skills, crews and equipment fleet.&nbsp;

By 2001, Max had gone from a one-man operation to managing a staff of more than 40 employees and an equipment fleet of more than 130. At that time, a strategic decision was made to focus on the development of turn-key dairy and beef cattle feedyard facilities. The company also underwent a name change and became the more inclusive MJE LLC.&nbsp;

As the business continued to grow, Max’s son and daughter joined the company.&nbsp;&nbsp;Today, son Aaron Jantz is chief executive officer and daughter Heather Jantz is chief operating officer.&nbsp;

Aaron and his wife have two children, as do Heather and her husband Aaron Albers who is a project manager with the company. Megan Elsey is director of public relations.&nbsp;

The expertise that company employees gained in designing, building and installing livestock equipment created an opportunity to serve others as well. In 2018, MJE expanded into a second line of business, called MJE Livestock Equipment.&nbsp;&nbsp;]Having long ago outgrown the original barn, MJE constructed a multi-million dollar production facility in Montezuma.&nbsp;

One of MJE’s customers had experienced a bad situation when a storm came through and damaged multiple calf hutches, which are small shelters for young calves. In response, the MJE staff designed a calf hutch latch and tethering system that would win them an award.&nbsp;

In addition to the calf hutch latch system, MJE Livestock Equipment produces fencing panels, gates, feeders, waterers, mineral feeders, livestock handling equipment, and more. These products are manufactured at the company facility in Montezuma.&nbsp;

Heather and Aaron are very committed to their hometown of Montezuma. “They’re super community-driven,” Megan said. MJE staff helped initiate a Chamber of Commerce in Montezuma, and Megan Elsey is the chamber president. MJE helps sponsor various worthy projects, including the Young Guns Rodeo for children and youth up to 18 years old.&nbsp;

MJE also seeks to develop homegrown talent and create opportunities for local employment.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We bring out schools for tours,” Megan said. “We can arrange for (potential workers) to job shadow, and we’ll train on the job. We’re always looking for welders, fabricators, and truck drivers.”&nbsp;

Today, MJE LLC has grown to include more than 200 employees and more than 350 pieces of equipment. “We try to work within a 500-mile radius,” Megan said.&nbsp;

However, in 2010, Max and Heather traveled to China to help with feedyard construction. MJE’s expertise has helped design a feedyard in California, and the company was recently studied by another business in Argentina. MJE Livestock Equipment products have gone as far away as Italy.&nbsp;

One of the company’s very large earth-moving projects was the construction of HorseThief Reservoir in 2010.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It’s an impressive record for a business in a rural community such as Montezuma, population 975 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information on MJE, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mjellc.net/">www.mjellc.net</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;For information on the livestock equipment line, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mjelivestockequipment.com/">www.mjelivestockequipment.com</a>.&nbsp;

Moving heaven and earth. That saying means doing everything possible to make something happen. It applies to MJE LLC and the company’s philosophy of responding to customer needs.&nbsp;

We commend Max, Aaron and Heather Jantz and all the people of MJE for making a difference with their community service, entrepreneurship, and family-oriented business.&nbsp;&nbsp;From what I’ve seen, if there’s a project to be completed, MJE will move heaven and earth to get it done.&nbsp;

And there’s more.&nbsp;&nbsp;emember HorseThief Reservoir? We’ll learn more about that next week.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645627616720.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;“Moving heaven and earth.” That’s a saying to describe doing everything possible to make something happen.&nbsp;Today we’ll meet a Kansas company which literally follows that philosophy. This company is an earth-moving business and much more.&nbsp;Max Jantz founded Max Jantz Excavating in 1974 with a John Deere tractor, one pull-type earth scraper, and what he called “a love of the land.” The first work headquarters for the company was the old barn on the family place north of Montezuma, Kan.&nbsp;Max primarily did dirt work for commercial and municipal projects. He sought opportunities throughout the Midwest to grow the operation by expanding his skills, crews and equipment fleet.&nbsp;By 2001, Max had gone from a one-man operation to managing a staff of more than 40 employees and an equipment fleet of more than 130. At that time, a strategic decision was made to focus on the development of turn-key dairy and beef cattle feedyard facilities. The company also underwent a name change and became the more inclusive MJE LLC.&nbsp;As the business continued to grow, Max’s son and daughter joined the company.&nbsp;&nbsp;Today, son Aaron Jantz is chief executive officer and daughter Heather Jantz is chief operating officer.&nbsp;Aaron and his wife have two children, as do Heather and her husband Aaron Albers who is a project manager with the company. Megan Elsey is director of public relations.&nbsp;The expertise that company employees gained in designing, building and installing livestock equipment created an opportunity to serve others as well. In 2018, MJE expanded into a second line of business, called MJE Livestock Equipment.&nbsp;&nbsp;]Having long ago outgrown the original barn, MJE constructed a multi-million dollar production facility in Montezuma.&nbsp;One of MJE’s customers had experienced a bad situation when a storm came through and damaged multiple calf hutches, which are small shelters for young calves. In response, the MJE staff designed a calf hutch latch and tethering system that would win them an award.&nbsp;In addition to the calf hutch latch system, MJE Livestock Equipment produces fencing panels, gates, feeders, waterers, mineral feeders, livestock handling equipment, and more. These products are manufactured at the company facility in Montezuma.&nbsp;Heather and Aaron are very committed to their hometown of Montezuma. “They’re super community-driven,” Megan said. MJE staff helped initiate a Chamber of Commerce in Montezuma, and Megan Elsey is the chamber president. MJE helps sponsor various worthy projects, including the Young Guns Rodeo for children and youth up to 18 years old.&nbsp;MJE also seeks to develop homegrown talent and create opportunities for local employment.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We bring out schools for tours,” Megan said. “We can arrange for (potential workers) to job shadow, and we’ll train on the job. We’re always looking for welders, fabricators, and truck drivers.”&nbsp;Today, MJE LLC has grown to include more than 200 employees and more than 350 pieces of equipment. “We try to work within a 500-mile radius,” Megan said.&nbsp;However, in 2010, Max and Heather traveled to China to help with feedyard construction. MJE’s expertise has helped design a feedyard in California, and the company was recently studied by another business in Argentina. MJE Livestock Equipment products have gone as far away as Italy.&nbsp;One of the company’s very large earth-moving projects was the construction of HorseThief Reservoir in 2010.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s an impressive record for a business in a rural community such as Montezuma, population 975 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information on MJE, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mjellc.net/">www.mjellc.net</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;For information on the livestock equipment line, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mjelivestockequipment.com/">www.mjelivestockequipment.com</a>.&nbsp;Moving heaven and earth. That saying means doing everything possible to make something happen. It applies to MJE LLC and the company’s philosophy of responding to customer needs.&nbsp;We commend Max, Aaron and Heather Jantz and all the people of MJE for making a difference with their community service, entrepreneurship, and family-oriented business.&nbsp;&nbsp;From what I’ve seen, if there’s a project to be completed, MJE will move heaven and earth to get it done.&nbsp;And there’s more.&nbsp;&nbsp;emember HorseThief Reservoir? We’ll learn more about that next week.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Heather, Aaron Jantz - MJE 

	Kansas Democrats and many Republicans finally agree on something–but is it a good deal?&nbsp; The so-called APEX deal raises more questions than answers.

	With Governor Kelly’s support, Republican leaders in the Kansas Legislature rushed through the most generous tax package in the state’s history, offering a previously unheard-of $1 billion in tax incentives to an unnamed company, along with a cut in the state’s corporate tax rate.&nbsp; Supporters insist that the name of the company and the type of business must be kept secret to protect the deal, and that such protocols are standard with deals like this.&nbsp; One other state–possibly Oklahoma–remains as the other finalist.&nbsp; One unverified rumor suggests that the mystery company may be manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles. Some Republican legislators did vote no, but it still passed easily.&nbsp; Four thousand jobs are promised, along with additional jobs created by suppliers.

Tax-incentive-driven development projects seem too good to be true.&nbsp; Consider the approach known as tax increment financing, or TIF.&nbsp; State and local governments issue bonds to pay for the public works improvements required to lure in new economic development, such as roads, traffic signals, land excavation, and water drainage.&nbsp; The project is built, and the tax revenue generated at the site pays off the bonds.&nbsp; Once they are paid, revenues can be redirected into general revenues to fund public works, schools, police, fire protection, and so forth. The revenue used to pay these debts appears to be free money, generated by the development itself, which in turn was built because of the incentive package.&nbsp;&nbsp;

	If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.&nbsp; TIF is not the only tax incentive scheme used in these deals, but it is a good example of the problems that occur.&nbsp; First, many of these projects would have been built anyway. The hunger of state and local governments for big-ticket projects means that they get locked in an arms race to outbid each other:&nbsp; a race to the bottom.&nbsp; If they instead agreed not to outbid each other, then the projects would still be built, but the businesses building them would pay full tax revenue from day one, just like other, more-established businesses. &nbsp; 	

	Next comes the confusion between creating and relocating jobs.&nbsp; Even when economic benefits are reported, they are often due to jobs being relocated from one state or locality to another.&nbsp; The absurd “border war” luring KC-area businesses back and forth across the state line is a particularly ridiculous example of this dysfunction.&nbsp; Sometimes, they move only a few blocks.&nbsp; In the case of the APEX project, it has already been decided that it will be built, the only question is where. Is it worth $1 billion to insure that it is in Kansas instead of another, possibly neighboring state?

	Finally, taxpayers should ask who is on the hook if the project fails.&nbsp; In TIF and many other tax-incentive packages, the issuance of bonds or other government debt is involved.&nbsp; The debts must still be paid if the project is unsuccessful.&nbsp; In such an instance, who pays for it?

	This deal is certainly the apex of Kansas tax packages–but many questions remain for the state’s taxpayers.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639601062071.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>	Kansas Democrats and many Republicans finally agree on something–but is it a good deal?&nbsp; The so-called APEX deal raises more questions than answers.	With Governor Kelly’s support, Republican leaders in the Kansas Legislature rushed through the most generous tax package in the state’s history, offering a previously unheard-of $1 billion in tax incentives to an unnamed company, along with a cut in the state’s corporate tax rate.&nbsp; Supporters insist that the name of the company and the type of business must be kept secret to protect the deal, and that such protocols are standard with deals like this.&nbsp; One other state–possibly Oklahoma–remains as the other finalist.&nbsp; One unverified rumor suggests that the mystery company may be manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles. Some Republican legislators did vote no, but it still passed easily.&nbsp; Four thousand jobs are promised, along with additional jobs created by suppliers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tax-incentive-driven development projects seem too good to be true.&nbsp; Consider the approach known as tax increment financing, or TIF.&nbsp; State and local governments issue bonds to pay for the public works improvements required to lure in new economic development, such as roads, traffic signals, land excavation, and water drainage.&nbsp; The project is built, and the tax revenue generated at the site pays off the bonds.&nbsp; Once they are paid, revenues can be redirected into general revenues to fund public works, schools, police, fire protection, and so forth. The revenue used to pay these debts appears to be free money, generated by the development itself, which in turn was built because of the incentive package.&nbsp;&nbsp;	If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.&nbsp; TIF is not the only tax incentive scheme used in these deals, but it is a good example of the problems that occur.&nbsp; First, many of these projects would have been built anyway. The hunger of state and local governments for big-ticket projects means that they get locked in an arms race to outbid each other:&nbsp; a race to the bottom.&nbsp; If they instead agreed not to outbid each other, then the projects would still be built, but the businesses building them would pay full tax revenue from day one, just like other, more-established businesses. &nbsp; 		Next comes the confusion between creating and relocating jobs.&nbsp; Even when economic benefits are reported, they are often due to jobs being relocated from one state or locality to another.&nbsp; The absurd “border war” luring KC-area businesses back and forth across the state line is a particularly ridiculous example of this dysfunction.&nbsp; Sometimes, they move only a few blocks.&nbsp; In the case of the APEX project, it has already been decided that it will be built, the only question is where. Is it worth $1 billion to insure that it is in Kansas instead of another, possibly neighboring state?	Finally, taxpayers should ask who is on the hook if the project fails.&nbsp; In TIF and many other tax-incentive packages, the issuance of bonds or other government debt is involved.&nbsp; The debts must still be paid if the project is unsuccessful.&nbsp; In such an instance, who pays for it?	This deal is certainly the apex of Kansas tax packages–but many questions remain for the state’s taxpayers.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Hard questions about the APEX deal

By CLAY WIRESTONE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/24/derek-schmidt-salutes-black-history-while-seeking-to-stifle-black-kansas-voters/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

Derek Schmidt wants you to share in his excitement for Black History Month.

Why, on Sunday he <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/DerekSchmidtKS/status/1495521994997178372?s=20&amp;t=cyFCRhVCUo7qrtE9Z0Lpjw">tweeted the following</a>:
 “Nicodemus is the oldest and only remaining settlement of freed slaves 
west of the Mississippi. Now a National Historic Site in Graham County, 
it is well worth visiting during Black History Month – or any time.”

Meanwhile, he’s asking the Kansas 
Supreme Court to allow discrimination against Black Kansans in the 
redistricting process. He also called critical race theory — a concept 
not taught in a single K-12 classroom in Kansas — “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-06-11/the-controversy-over-critical-race-theory-creeps-into-kansas-schools">a radical new curriculum</a>.” Fake outrage about CRT has been used in the months since to target education about our nation’s racist past.

In other words, Schmidt cares about 
Black Kansans as long as they’re politically powerless and 
schoolchildren don’t learn about their struggles.

What a dilemma. On one hand, Schmidt 
wants to be seen as gubernatorial material, open and accepting to all 
Kansas. He showed up at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/13/kansas-lawmakers-officials-march-in-honor-of-martin-luther-king-jr-call-for-unity/">memorial walk</a> around the Capitol, a couple of rows behind his opponent in November, Gov. Laura Kelly.

Republicans in Kansas have made the 
calculation, however, that Black people threaten their ironclad hold of 
political power in Kansas. Thus they <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/18/kansas-republicans-introduce-map-to-divide-kc-metro-place-lawrence-in-1st-district/">brutally sliced</a>
 through Wyandotte County in their congressional redistricting map, 
dividing one of the state’s most diverse communities in a bid to thwart 
the reelection of Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids.

A map was drawn, then vetoed, and then the veto <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/09/kansas-house-completes-override-of-gov-kellys-veto-of-congressional-redistricting-map/">was overridden</a> after painful arm-twisting.

<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/14/voting-rights-groups-launch-court-battle-over-new-kansas-congressional-map/">Two lawsuits</a>
 challenging that map followed, both filed in Wyandotte County District 
Court rather than federal court. With the U.S. Supreme Court <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/07/us/politics/supreme-court-alabama-redistricting-congressional-map.html">ever more amenable</a> to gerrymandering, I suspect the plaintiffs saw the state court system as more hospitable to their case.

Schmidt raced to the Kansas Supreme Court <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/18/kansas-attorney-general-asks-high-court-to-block-redistricting-lawsuits/">with a galling request</a>. He wants the justices to declare they have no say in the situation.

“Plaintiffs’ political gerrymandering 
claim is not justiciable under the Kansas Constitution,” Schmidt wrote. 
“No judicially manageable standard for evaluating such claims exists, 
Kansas courts have not historically entertained such claims, and the 
Kansas Constitution has nothing at all to say about political 
gerrymandering.”

To summarize, the attorney general of 
the state of Kansas believes that state courts have no role in stopping 
obvious racially discriminatory gerrymandering. Kansas judges have no 
ability to make sure the voices of everyone counts equally at election 
time.

Schmidt’s supporters (and I assume he 
has some) will claim that he’s just doing his job as the state’s chief 
law enforcement officer. That was the defense back when he joined a 
multistate lawsuit <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/09/current-and-former-kansas-political-players-throw-support-behind-texas-election-lawsuit/">aimed at overturning</a> the 2020 election, and when he joined a lawsuit asking the U.S. Supreme Court to rule it legal to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2018-08-31/kansas-attorney-general-says-transgender-case-is-about-reducing-cost">fire transgender people</a>. He was merely looking for legal clarity.

Funny, isn’t it, how these searches 
for legal clarity seem to all benefit one party? Did you notice how they
 aid and abet discrimination and anti-democratic power grabs? It’s just 
peculiar.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/nico/index.htm">According to the National Park service</a>,
 Nicodemus was founded in 1877 by Black settlers leaving the 
post-Reconstruction South. Slavery had ended, but Jim Crow had arrived, 
and decades of struggle against segregation remained. Kansas offered a 
kind of rough-hewn opportunity.

“Established as an all-Black 
community, the founders of Nicodemus envisioned a town built on the 
ideals of independence and self-determination,” the park service writes.
 “The community experienced rapid social and economic growth in the 
early years and many speculated that Nicodemus would become a major stop
 for the railroad. It became clear by 1888, however, that the railroad 
and the predicted economic boom would not come.”

The great dream may have ended, but 
life went on. Black families established farms, and a few have persisted
 to the present day. The settlement celebrates a yearly homecoming. As 
of September, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-09-23/nicodemus-celebrates-heritage-with-143rd-homecoming">23 people still lived there</a>.

A cynic might say that’s an ideal town
 for Derek Schmidt to highlight during Black History Month. It has few 
residents and poses little political threat.

Yet the dream of Nicodemus — the dream of the “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/home/learn/historyculture/exodusters.htm">Exodusters</a>”
 who settled there — was to escape oppression. In the South, they faced 
barriers to voting and political participation set up by racist white 
people. Kansas and other western states offered an alternative.

Schmidt still has the opportunity to 
fulfill that dream. He could drop his petition to the Kansas Supreme 
Court. He could announce his opposition to the blatantly discriminatory 
congressional map. He could support teaching the actual, painful history
 of our country in public schools.&nbsp;

That would be a worthy tribute to Nicodemus.

Clay Wirestone has written columns and edited reporting for newsrooms in Kansas, New Hampshire, Florida and Pennsylvania. He has also fact checked politicians, researched for Larry the Cable Guy, and appeared in PolitiFact, Mental Floss, cnn.com and a host of other publications. Most recently, Clay spent nearly four years at the nonprofit Kansas Action for Children as communications director.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645737609229.png" alt="This historical image of Washington Street in Nicodemus showcases the community’s first stone church and Williams General Store. (Library of Congress)" />
 <figcaption>This historical image of Washington Street in Nicodemus showcases the community’s first stone church and Williams General Store. (Library of Congress)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CLAY WIRESTONE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/24/derek-schmidt-salutes-black-history-while-seeking-to-stifle-black-kansas-voters/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>Derek Schmidt wants you to share in his excitement for Black History Month.Why, on Sunday he <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/DerekSchmidtKS/status/1495521994997178372?s=20&amp;t=cyFCRhVCUo7qrtE9Z0Lpjw">tweeted the following</a>:
 “Nicodemus is the oldest and only remaining settlement of freed slaves 
west of the Mississippi. Now a National Historic Site in Graham County, 
it is well worth visiting during Black History Month – or any time.”Meanwhile, he’s asking the Kansas 
Supreme Court to allow discrimination against Black Kansans in the 
redistricting process. He also called critical race theory — a concept 
not taught in a single K-12 classroom in Kansas — “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-06-11/the-controversy-over-critical-race-theory-creeps-into-kansas-schools">a radical new curriculum</a>.” Fake outrage about CRT has been used in the months since to target education about our nation’s racist past.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In other words, Schmidt cares about 
Black Kansans as long as they’re politically powerless and 
schoolchildren don’t learn about their struggles.What a dilemma. On one hand, Schmidt 
wants to be seen as gubernatorial material, open and accepting to all 
Kansas. He showed up at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/13/kansas-lawmakers-officials-march-in-honor-of-martin-luther-king-jr-call-for-unity/">memorial walk</a> around the Capitol, a couple of rows behind his opponent in November, Gov. Laura Kelly.Republicans in Kansas have made the 
calculation, however, that Black people threaten their ironclad hold of 
political power in Kansas. Thus they <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/18/kansas-republicans-introduce-map-to-divide-kc-metro-place-lawrence-in-1st-district/">brutally sliced</a>
 through Wyandotte County in their congressional redistricting map, 
dividing one of the state’s most diverse communities in a bid to thwart 
the reelection of Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids.A map was drawn, then vetoed, and then the veto <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/09/kansas-house-completes-override-of-gov-kellys-veto-of-congressional-redistricting-map/">was overridden</a> after painful arm-twisting.<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/14/voting-rights-groups-launch-court-battle-over-new-kansas-congressional-map/">Two lawsuits</a>
 challenging that map followed, both filed in Wyandotte County District 
Court rather than federal court. With the U.S. Supreme Court <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/07/us/politics/supreme-court-alabama-redistricting-congressional-map.html">ever more amenable</a> to gerrymandering, I suspect the plaintiffs saw the state court system as more hospitable to their case.Schmidt raced to the Kansas Supreme Court <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/18/kansas-attorney-general-asks-high-court-to-block-redistricting-lawsuits/">with a galling request</a>. He wants the justices to declare they have no say in the situation.“Plaintiffs’ political gerrymandering 
claim is not justiciable under the Kansas Constitution,” Schmidt wrote. 
“No judicially manageable standard for evaluating such claims exists, 
Kansas courts have not historically entertained such claims, and the 
Kansas Constitution has nothing at all to say about political 
gerrymandering.”To summarize, the attorney general of 
the state of Kansas believes that state courts have no role in stopping 
obvious racially discriminatory gerrymandering. Kansas judges have no 
ability to make sure the voices of everyone counts equally at election 
time.Happy Black History Month!Schmidt’s supporters (and I assume he 
has some) will claim that he’s just doing his job as the state’s chief 
law enforcement officer. That was the defense back when he joined a 
multistate lawsuit <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/09/current-and-former-kansas-political-players-throw-support-behind-texas-election-lawsuit/">aimed at overturning</a> the 2020 election, and when he joined a lawsuit asking the U.S. Supreme Court to rule it legal to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2018-08-31/kansas-attorney-general-says-transgender-case-is-about-reducing-cost">fire transgender people</a>. He was merely looking for legal clarity.Funny, isn’t it, how these searches 
for legal clarity seem to all benefit one party? Did you notice how they
 aid and abet discrimination and anti-democratic power grabs? It’s just 
peculiar.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645737723599.jpeg" alt="The Welcome Center in Nicodemus, Kansas. (Submitted, courtesy Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Welcome Center in Nicodemus, Kansas. (Submitted, courtesy Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Let’s head back to Nicodemus.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/nico/index.htm">According to the National Park service</a>,
 Nicodemus was founded in 1877 by Black settlers leaving the 
post-Reconstruction South. Slavery had ended, but Jim Crow had arrived, 
and decades of struggle against segregation remained. Kansas offered a 
kind of rough-hewn opportunity.“Established as an all-Black 
community, the founders of Nicodemus envisioned a town built on the 
ideals of independence and self-determination,” the park service writes.
 “The community experienced rapid social and economic growth in the 
early years and many speculated that Nicodemus would become a major stop
 for the railroad. It became clear by 1888, however, that the railroad 
and the predicted economic boom would not come.”The great dream may have ended, but 
life went on. Black families established farms, and a few have persisted
 to the present day. The settlement celebrates a yearly homecoming. As 
of September, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-09-23/nicodemus-celebrates-heritage-with-143rd-homecoming">23 people still lived there</a>.A cynic might say that’s an ideal town
 for Derek Schmidt to highlight during Black History Month. It has few 
residents and poses little political threat.Yet the dream of Nicodemus — the dream of the “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/home/learn/historyculture/exodusters.htm">Exodusters</a>”
 who settled there — was to escape oppression. In the South, they faced 
barriers to voting and political participation set up by racist white 
people. Kansas and other western states offered an alternative.Schmidt still has the opportunity to 
fulfill that dream. He could drop his petition to the Kansas Supreme 
Court. He could announce his opposition to the blatantly discriminatory 
congressional map. He could support teaching the actual, painful history
 of our country in public schools.&nbsp;That would be a worthy tribute to Nicodemus.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645737832786.jpeg" alt="Clay Wirestone" />
 <figcaption>Clay Wirestone</figcaption>
 </figure>Clay Wirestone has written columns and edited reporting for newsrooms in Kansas, New Hampshire, Florida and Pennsylvania. He has also fact checked politicians, researched for Larry the Cable Guy, and appeared in PolitiFact, Mental Floss, cnn.com and a host of other publications. Most recently, Clay spent nearly four years at the nonprofit Kansas Action for Children as communications director.&nbsp;

OPINION: Schmidt salutes Black history while seeking to stifle Black voters

By DEREK SCHMIDT Kansas Attorney General

Every year during the first week of March the Federal Trade Commission observes National Consumer Protection Week. The Kansas Attorney General’s office with our&nbsp;In Your Corner Kansas&nbsp;campaign focuses year-round on protecting consumers from scams and rip-offs, but during this week in particular we remind Kansans to be diligent and to keep yourself and your personal information safe.

One of the ways we do that is to share some of the most common scams reported to our office over the past year. This year’s list is punctuated by the prominence of two classic scams that unfortunately have appeared on our lists all-too frequently over the past decade. These, of course, are those scams where crooks and fraudsters attempt to steal the finances and or identities of Kansans by offering unsolicited help in securing a government benefit or navigating bureaucratic red tape.

Here are the top five scams ranked in order&nbsp;for 2021 based on the number of complaints filed with our Consumer Protection Division, with the most-frequent listed first:

Consumers have reported receiving calls from insurance companies and government agencies offering to help them navigate the process to receive health care coverage. The callers say they need certain pieces of personal data, such as bank account information or Social Security numbers, to get you enrolled in a coverage plan. Or they will need the information because the insurance company no longer takes checks and needs to arrange for an automatic bank draft. Remember, never give your bank account information over the phone, because you don’t know who is on the other end of the line.

The scam artist may even “spoof” the caller ID so that it looks like it’s coming from a legitimate insurance company. Even if you think the call might be coming from your insurance company, it’s wise to tell them you’ll call back and hang up the phone. Then go look at your last bill and call the phone number printed on the statement. That way you’ll know you’re talking to your insurance company, not an imposter. Other scammers pretending to be from government health programs focusing on senior citizens are not trying to steal money but rather personal information that can be used to file for other government benefits, such as a false tax return. These government agencies will never ask you for personal information over the phone or by email. If Medicare or Medicaid really needs to get information from you, they will send you a letter requesting information. If you do receive a call, and think it might be from a legitimate agency, ask them to send you a letter detailing what information they need.

This one is a twist on the government imposter scam involving a robocall claiming to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) informing you that your benefits are about to end if you don’t take action. Rest assured, the real SSA will never call you to cut off your benefits and will never ask you to wire money, make payments via gift card, or send cash payments in order to continue your benefits. If you receive one of these calls, hang up. Do not “press 1,” or any other number the robocall asks you to press. Like with all robocall scams, these scammers are after information. If you press anything on your phone, that lets the scammer know they have reached a working number and you’ll get more calls. Our best advice on this or any other robocall scam is to not answer calls from numbers you do not know. If you do answer, once you know it’s not someone you know, just hang up.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583409290272.jpeg" alt="Kansas AG Derek Schmidt" />
 <figcaption>Kansas AG Derek Schmidt</figcaption>
 </figure>By DEREK SCHMIDT Kansas Attorney GeneralEvery year during the first week of March the Federal Trade Commission observes National Consumer Protection Week. The Kansas Attorney General’s office with our&nbsp;In Your Corner Kansas&nbsp;campaign focuses year-round on protecting consumers from scams and rip-offs, but during this week in particular we remind Kansans to be diligent and to keep yourself and your personal information safe.One of the ways we do that is to share some of the most common scams reported to our office over the past year. This year’s list is punctuated by the prominence of two classic scams that unfortunately have appeared on our lists all-too frequently over the past decade. These, of course, are those scams where crooks and fraudsters attempt to steal the finances and or identities of Kansans by offering unsolicited help in securing a government benefit or navigating bureaucratic red tape.Here are the top five scams ranked in order&nbsp;for 2021 based on the number of complaints filed with our Consumer Protection Division, with the most-frequent listed first:Medical Health Insurance ScamsConsumers have reported receiving calls from insurance companies and government agencies offering to help them navigate the process to receive health care coverage. The callers say they need certain pieces of personal data, such as bank account information or Social Security numbers, to get you enrolled in a coverage plan. Or they will need the information because the insurance company no longer takes checks and needs to arrange for an automatic bank draft. Remember, never give your bank account information over the phone, because you don’t know who is on the other end of the line.The scam artist may even “spoof” the caller ID so that it looks like it’s coming from a legitimate insurance company. Even if you think the call might be coming from your insurance company, it’s wise to tell them you’ll call back and hang up the phone. Then go look at your last bill and call the phone number printed on the statement. That way you’ll know you’re talking to your insurance company, not an imposter. Other scammers pretending to be from government health programs focusing on senior citizens are not trying to steal money but rather personal information that can be used to file for other government benefits, such as a false tax return. These government agencies will never ask you for personal information over the phone or by email. If Medicare or Medicaid really needs to get information from you, they will send you a letter requesting information. If you do receive a call, and think it might be from a legitimate agency, ask them to send you a letter detailing what information they need.Social Security ScamsThis one is a twist on the government imposter scam involving a robocall claiming to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) informing you that your benefits are about to end if you don’t take action. Rest assured, the real SSA will never call you to cut off your benefits and will never ask you to wire money, make payments via gift card, or send cash payments in order to continue your benefits. If you receive one of these calls, hang up. Do not “press 1,” or any other number the robocall asks you to press. Like with all robocall scams, these scammers are after information. If you press anything on your phone, that lets the scammer know they have reached a working number and you’ll get more calls. Our best advice on this or any other robocall scam is to not answer calls from numbers you do not know. If you do answer, once you know it’s not someone you know, just hang up.Computer Repair ScamsIn this scam, the caller claims to be from a well-known computer company telling you they’ve detected a virus on your computer and offers to help you remove it by connecting remotely to your computer. But instead of trying to fix it, the scam artist is actually trying to install a virus to give them access to all your files and your personal information saved on the computer. The scammer may also be trying to hack into your machine to use it to send out spam emails from your account, or even to take over the camera and microphone to spy on you and try to obtain additional personal information. If your computer really does have a problem, take it to a reputable, local computer repair shop or call your computer manufacturer’s customer service number directly. Never give a stranger access to your computer over the phone.Sweetheart ScamsThe scam works like this: An individual makes a connection online through a social media site with their victim. Often the scammers are targeting those individuals who are new singles or individuals who have recently lost a spouse or partner. The scammer cultivates a relationship and then begins making overtures about wanting to come to Kansas to see their new companion. As the scammers develop more trust and deeper connections, they begin asking for items from the victims, such as money for airline tickets to travel to Kansas, funds to pay for customs for items for the victim, or other sums of money related to travel plans. In reality, the gifts do not exist and the scammer has no intention of coming to Kansas, just gaining access to the victim’s money, and perhaps even personal information that could result in identity theft and other serious issues.Lottery ScamsWhether it’s a foreign lottery, sweepstakes or a government grant, scammers are still luring people to send money with the promise of a future “prize,” if only they will send in the money to pay for the taxes or processing fees now. We always remind consumers that the Kansas Lottery is the only legitimate, legally operating lottery in Kansas, and you should never have to pay money upfront to claim a prize.More information on how to protect yourself from these and other scams is available on our consumer protection website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.inyourcornerkansas.org/">www.InYourCornerKansas.org</a>&nbsp;or by calling our consumer protection hotline at (800) 432-2310.&nbsp;

Opinion