For me, this year in particular signals surges of hopefulness and confidence in our students and the future of Fort Hays State University. That confidence is fueled by the resiliency of our students and the determination of our hardworking faculty and staff.&nbsp;

Every day I look out the front window of the president’s residence, and I’m hopeful as I see the activity of our campus, the beauty of our grounds, and the promise of the Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success. Everything we do at FHSU is ultimately about student success; that is what drives us.&nbsp;

“One of the many benefits of our Center for Student Success was the idea of not only creating efficiencies by moving multiple offices in one location, but re-thinking how those services were provided,” said Dr. Joey Linn, vice president for Student Affairs. “We have streamlined student support services in such a way that makes it very easy for students to receive multiple facets of assistance – all in one convenient location, connected to the Memorial Union.”

The vision of the three-level center was purposeful and strategic. The first floor concentrates on inclusive academic support, such as free tutoring, professional advising, and career services.&nbsp;

Also on the first floor is a student welcome center for prospective students – the heartbeat of our on-campus strategic enrollment plan. The second floor features student organizations and campus activities, ensuring all students understand the importance of student engagement, whether on campus or online.

“Many universities across the country have created success centers. Most have concentrated on academic support resources and student involvement opportunities,” Dr. Linn said. “What sets our center apart, and makes it truly forward-thinking, is the integration of health and wellness services on the third floor."

The third floor of the success center connects all areas of student health – mind, body, and soul.&nbsp; From supportive counseling services and accessibility services, to convenient and affordable medical services, all focuses on the students’ well-being.

As we transition to a new semester, among our new staff on campus is Dr. Jeff Curtis, medical director of the Health and Wellness Center. Although new in this role, Dr. Curtis is not new to Tiger Nation. He is an alumnus of FHSU and can be seen frequently on campus at sporting events and a myriad of other activities. He currently serves on the executive committee of the FHSU Foundation. He is also well known to the community, having served as a cardiologist and director of cardiology services at Hays Medical Center.

The hiring of Dr. Curtis is strategic. It is one of the many deliberate decisions we are making that fills me with that hopefulness and confidence. He not only brings a valuable skill set to the position but also a philosophy that is congruent with the mission of the Student Success Center.

Gina Smith, director of health and wellness, adds, “Our floor is ideal for meeting the physical and mental health needs of FHSU students. We can easily communicate and collaborate between counseling and health staff to address the comprehensive needs of our students in a timely manner. I look forward to working with Hays Medical Center to bring specialists to the Health and Wellness Services office and to implement programming such as cooking nutritious meals on a limited budget and time-efficient ways to manage stress for a healthy lifestyle.”

Will Stutterheim, assistant director of health and wellness, shared, “we are very excited to have someone of Dr. Curtis’ caliber join our team. His connections with HaysMed are invaluable in helping us work collaboratively to provide the best care for our students. He has had many years of practice and has seen countless innovations in his time as a provider working in Kansas.”

“Our current space provides us the opportunity to have a specialist or a visiting provider,” Will added. “With Dr. Curtis’ connections to other providers and agencies in town, there is a real opportunity to expand services based on the needs of our students.”

As we strategically think about how we can better serve our students in the future, staff members are exploring the expansion of services and rethinking how to best care for our students. I look forward to learning more about new programming and potential new partnerships with local agencies.&nbsp;

Dr. Curtis said, “the integration of student physical and mental health services in a collaborative fashion in a single student-centered location, was a draw for me to consider this position.”

“Students are much more likely to succeed academically and socially if they are physically and mentally fit,” he said. “I can’t think of a better reason to come out of retirement. It is a great opportunity to serve our students and to give back to my alma mater.”&nbsp;

This center, and the focus of the staff who work there, truly encapsulates how student success and the culture of care is at the heart of this great university.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>For me, this year in particular signals surges of hopefulness and confidence in our students and the future of Fort Hays State University. That confidence is fueled by the resiliency of our students and the determination of our hardworking faculty and staff.&nbsp;Every day I look out the front window of the president’s residence, and I’m hopeful as I see the activity of our campus, the beauty of our grounds, and the promise of the Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success. Everything we do at FHSU is ultimately about student success; that is what drives us.&nbsp;“One of the many benefits of our Center for Student Success was the idea of not only creating efficiencies by moving multiple offices in one location, but re-thinking how those services were provided,” said Dr. Joey Linn, vice president for Student Affairs. “We have streamlined student support services in such a way that makes it very easy for students to receive multiple facets of assistance – all in one convenient location, connected to the Memorial Union.”The vision of the three-level center was purposeful and strategic. The first floor concentrates on inclusive academic support, such as free tutoring, professional advising, and career services.&nbsp;Also on the first floor is a student welcome center for prospective students – the heartbeat of our on-campus strategic enrollment plan. The second floor features student organizations and campus activities, ensuring all students understand the importance of student engagement, whether on campus or online.“Many universities across the country have created success centers. Most have concentrated on academic support resources and student involvement opportunities,” Dr. Linn said. “What sets our center apart, and makes it truly forward-thinking, is the integration of health and wellness services on the third floor."The third floor of the success center connects all areas of student health – mind, body, and soul.&nbsp; From supportive counseling services and accessibility services, to convenient and affordable medical services, all focuses on the students’ well-being.As we transition to a new semester, among our new staff on campus is Dr. Jeff Curtis, medical director of the Health and Wellness Center. Although new in this role, Dr. Curtis is not new to Tiger Nation. He is an alumnus of FHSU and can be seen frequently on campus at sporting events and a myriad of other activities. He currently serves on the executive committee of the FHSU Foundation. He is also well known to the community, having served as a cardiologist and director of cardiology services at Hays Medical Center.The hiring of Dr. Curtis is strategic. It is one of the many deliberate decisions we are making that fills me with that hopefulness and confidence. He not only brings a valuable skill set to the position but also a philosophy that is congruent with the mission of the Student Success Center.Gina Smith, director of health and wellness, adds, “Our floor is ideal for meeting the physical and mental health needs of FHSU students. We can easily communicate and collaborate between counseling and health staff to address the comprehensive needs of our students in a timely manner. I look forward to working with Hays Medical Center to bring specialists to the Health and Wellness Services office and to implement programming such as cooking nutritious meals on a limited budget and time-efficient ways to manage stress for a healthy lifestyle.”Will Stutterheim, assistant director of health and wellness, shared, “we are very excited to have someone of Dr. Curtis’ caliber join our team. His connections with HaysMed are invaluable in helping us work collaboratively to provide the best care for our students. He has had many years of practice and has seen countless innovations in his time as a provider working in Kansas.”“Our current space provides us the opportunity to have a specialist or a visiting provider,” Will added. “With Dr. Curtis’ connections to other providers and agencies in town, there is a real opportunity to expand services based on the needs of our students.”As we strategically think about how we can better serve our students in the future, staff members are exploring the expansion of services and rethinking how to best care for our students. I look forward to learning more about new programming and potential new partnerships with local agencies.&nbsp;Dr. Curtis said, “the integration of student physical and mental health services in a collaborative fashion in a single student-centered location, was a draw for me to consider this position.”“Students are much more likely to succeed academically and socially if they are physically and mentally fit,” he said. “I can’t think of a better reason to come out of retirement. It is a great opportunity to serve our students and to give back to my alma mater.”&nbsp;This center, and the focus of the staff who work there, truly encapsulates how student success and the culture of care is at the heart of this great university.

MASON: A promising year ahead at Fort Hays State

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer January generally means implementing warmer socks, warmer drinks and warmer meals on our farm. The days require additional layers of work clothes while we load our stored grain into trucks headed to feed yards, mills or ethanol plants. Breakfast at our table is now enjoyed with the addition of warm mugs of hot cocoa before the kids have to bundle up to catch their bus for school. Meals are planned to intentionally utilize the oven to warm the kitchen while also making food that will warm bellies. &nbsp; It’s no secret I’m not a fan of winter. The colder and darker days do not make me favor this season in the slightest. In fact, if I had a choice, I’d spend my winter days as far south as possible. &nbsp; The extra layers, constant chill and seemingly dreary days do not bode well with me. They never have, and I suspect they never will. Perhaps it’s because I was a beach and desert dweller in my childhood. Perhaps it’s the many memories from the early days of my marriage of cold, newborn calves being brought inside the house to get warmed up and healthy. Perhaps it’s the idea that my children can’t enjoy recess outside due to the windchill. Whatever the reason, winter will always rank last for me. &nbsp; Yes, the chill of winter has set in. And with that, I’m constantly on the lookout for reminders to help me adjust my attitude and warm my spirit during this time of the year.&nbsp; &nbsp; During my daily walk to check the mail, I look forward to opening the box to discover a new catalog highlighting seeds and gardening essentials. It’s a reminder that spring planting is near, and I have the opportunity to plan for a future harvest of homegrown goodies during these cold days. &nbsp; The beautifully made quilts and blankets I have been gifted over time have now been brought out of storage and added to the backs of our sitting chairs or spread over beds. All too often these handmade treasures seem too heavy or too hot during the rest of the year, but now are a perfect addition. These items not only offer warmth while I read in the evenings or snuggle in at night; they also warm my heart as I remember those who made these precious gifts. &nbsp; Since the winter’s cold pushes my kids and husband into the house sooner in the evenings, I have the opportunity to enjoy more of their company. Whether it’s to play a game together, facilitate a science experiment or crafting session, or simply sitting together to enjoy a movie, I know once the days get longer and warmer this time will become less frequent. Having my little family together is something I cherish during the cold, dark winter months.&nbsp; &nbsp; Yes, even in the depths of winter, there are reminders of warmth all around. You just have to recognize them when you experience them.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer January generally means implementing warmer socks, warmer drinks and warmer meals on our farm. The days require additional layers of work clothes while we load our stored grain into trucks headed to feed yards, mills or ethanol plants. Breakfast at our table is now enjoyed with the addition of warm mugs of hot cocoa before the kids have to bundle up to catch their bus for school. Meals are planned to intentionally utilize the oven to warm the kitchen while also making food that will warm bellies. &nbsp; It’s no secret I’m not a fan of winter. The colder and darker days do not make me favor this season in the slightest. In fact, if I had a choice, I’d spend my winter days as far south as possible. &nbsp; The extra layers, constant chill and seemingly dreary days do not bode well with me. They never have, and I suspect they never will. Perhaps it’s because I was a beach and desert dweller in my childhood. Perhaps it’s the many memories from the early days of my marriage of cold, newborn calves being brought inside the house to get warmed up and healthy. Perhaps it’s the idea that my children can’t enjoy recess outside due to the windchill. Whatever the reason, winter will always rank last for me. &nbsp; Yes, the chill of winter has set in. And with that, I’m constantly on the lookout for reminders to help me adjust my attitude and warm my spirit during this time of the year.&nbsp; &nbsp; During my daily walk to check the mail, I look forward to opening the box to discover a new catalog highlighting seeds and gardening essentials. It’s a reminder that spring planting is near, and I have the opportunity to plan for a future harvest of homegrown goodies during these cold days. &nbsp; The beautifully made quilts and blankets I have been gifted over time have now been brought out of storage and added to the backs of our sitting chairs or spread over beds. All too often these handmade treasures seem too heavy or too hot during the rest of the year, but now are a perfect addition. These items not only offer warmth while I read in the evenings or snuggle in at night; they also warm my heart as I remember those who made these precious gifts. &nbsp; Since the winter’s cold pushes my kids and husband into the house sooner in the evenings, I have the opportunity to enjoy more of their company. Whether it’s to play a game together, facilitate a science experiment or crafting session, or simply sitting together to enjoy a movie, I know once the days get longer and warmer this time will become less frequent. Having my little family together is something I cherish during the cold, dark winter months.&nbsp; &nbsp; Yes, even in the depths of winter, there are reminders of warmth all around. You just have to recognize them when you experience them."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: Warm reminders

My wife and I own a small catering business. We have a few big corporations as clients, and our company has been very successful over the last two or three years. Now, we are planning to build a house. I was wondering what you think about how much should be spent on the land itself versus the construction of the actual house.&nbsp;

When the whole thing is done, the payment you end up with shouldn’t be more than 25% of your take-home pay on a 15-year, fixed-rate loan. The ratio of land to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/mortgage-calculator">house</a>&nbsp;can vary, and that part’s up to you. If you’re buying a big piece of land, you’re probably going to have a higher ratio of land cost to home cost than if you bought a simple lot and put a really nice home there.

Generally, a standard subdivision lot is going to be around 20% of the total price. If you spend $100,000 on the lot, you’ll end up with a total project cost of about a half-million. Now, keep in mind that’s just a fairly standard ratio. It’s not a rule.

The only rule here is my rule about mortgage payments. Again, no more than 25% of your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/guide-to-budgeting">take-home pay</a>&nbsp;on a fixed-rate, 15-year note. Otherwise, you can end up house poor. And when you’re house poor, it takes away your ability to save, build wealth, and give.

Having a big house and a lot of land is cool if you can afford it, Lee. But it’s not worth it if it’s financially stressful and prevents you from living your best life!

*&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host ofThe 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="Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,My wife and I own a small catering business. We have a few big corporations as clients, and our company has been very successful over the last two or three years. Now, we are planning to build a house. I was wondering what you think about how much should be spent on the land itself versus the construction of the actual house.&nbsp;LeeDear Lee,When the whole thing is done, the payment you end up with shouldn’t be more than 25% of your take-home pay on a 15-year, fixed-rate loan. The ratio of land to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/mortgage-calculator">house</a>&nbsp;can vary, and that part’s up to you. If you’re buying a big piece of land, you’re probably going to have a higher ratio of land cost to home cost than if you bought a simple lot and put a really nice home there.Generally, a standard subdivision lot is going to be around 20% of the total price. If you spend $100,000 on the lot, you’ll end up with a total project cost of about a half-million. Now, keep in mind that’s just a fairly standard ratio. It’s not a rule.The only rule here is my rule about mortgage payments. Again, no more than 25% of your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/guide-to-budgeting">take-home pay</a>&nbsp;on a fixed-rate, 15-year note. Otherwise, you can end up house poor. And when you’re house poor, it takes away your ability to save, build wealth, and give.Having a big house and a lot of land is cool if you can afford it, Lee. But it’s not worth it if it’s financially stressful and prevents you from living your best life!— Dave*&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host ofThe 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: How much dirt, and how much house?

2022 Senate Scene – Week 1 and 2

TOPEKA - As we get settled into the first and second week of the 2022 legislative session, most of our work is concentrated in committees where bills are being prioritized and vetted. The Senate has 19 standing committees which cover many different topics, including education, agriculture, judiciary, budget and utilities—to name a few.&nbsp; Once a committee completes hearings and votes on a bill, if passed, it will then make its way to the Senate floor and the full body will begin to debate and vote on the measure. Floor debates and votes will begin in the coming weeks. If you’re interested in tracking our work, you can follow us at our website at&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFJOLxmvcn9GmLmACkPZbxMCH8a9zXNkiD1EVgLLAQsAwZitpKf2khnVK0mX6afJLmB2EKV17zX7f7tcasgCeiEQ==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://www.kslegislature.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;A daily calendar is available as well as directions on how to view committee work live-time and view archive past committee and floor action.&nbsp;

My committees remain the same as last year - the Ethics, Elections and Local Government committee is now two committees renamed Transparency and Ethics and Local Government.&nbsp; I will Chair Transparency and Ethics and will serve as the Vice-Chair of Local Government.&nbsp; I continue to serve on the Transportation, Judiciary and Utility committees and remain on the Historical Preservation Committee.&nbsp; I was also assigned to a new committee, the Joint Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, January 11th, Governor Kelly delivered her State of the State address in the House Chambers. Her address is the starting point for the budget process in Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations and sets the tone for the upcoming session.&nbsp; Both committees are currently reviewing her budget proposals for 2022.&nbsp;Currently, the state is sitting on a surplus of nearly $3.0 billion, which makes this year’s budget process a unique one. &nbsp;While the election year will make it tempting to spend the money, Republicans are committed to being fiscally responsible, which means using one-time revenue for one-time expenses, paying off debt and responsible tax reductions aimed at helping Kansas families and boosting the Kansas economy.

House Bill 2477 (<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2477/" target="_blank">HB 2477</a>) -&nbsp;legislation crafted to codify two executive orders to address health care staffing shortages within Kansas. It accomplishes this by temporarily deregulating several provisions of Kansas law, including:

*Allowing nursing staff with an inactive or lapsed license to provide medical services appropriate to their education.

*Providing the ability for students who are enrolled in programs to become healthcare professionals, as well as military members who are also emergency medical personnel to volunteer at healthcare facilities

*Allows Physician Assistants, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nurse Anesthetists, Registered Professional Nurses and Licensed Pharmacists to provide additional services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

*Health care providers in other states would be able to practice in Kansas.

The bill sunsets the provisions in January of 2023, which will allow the legislature to look at the matter again in one year.&nbsp; HB 2477 passed the Senate 36-2. The House then immediately concurred on the legislation, sending it to the governor, who then immediately signed the legislation.

Senate Bill 318 – (<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb318/" target="_blank">SB 318</a>)&nbsp;introduced by Senator Billinger, Senator Tyson and myself will aid property owners whose property is destroyed by natural disasters.&nbsp; It was written and pre-filed to address the recent fires in Ellis, Osborne, Rooks and Russell counties to provide sales tax relief for new fencing which will be needed after the fires on December 15th.&nbsp;

*It expands the ability of county commissions to abate property taxes on certain types of real property destroyed or substantially destroyed by natural disasters.

*It creates a sales tax exemption for purchases necessary to reconstruct, repair, or replace a fence used to enclose agricultural land that was damaged or destroyed by wildfire, flood, tornado, or other natural disaster occurring on or after January 1, 2021.

The bill was amended in the Senate Committee of the Whole to, beginning July 1, 2022, exempt from sales tax all sales of tangible personal property and services necessary to construct, reconstruct, repair or replace any fence used to enclose agricultural land.&nbsp;&nbsp; SB 318 passed the Senate 35-0.

Before the session is complete, the legislature must pass new maps for Congress, the State Senate, the State House, and the State Board of Education.&nbsp; The maps are treated like typical legislative bills, which means they must be passed by both chambers and be signed into law by the governor – or, if the governor vetoes the bill containing the map(s), the legislature can override her veto with a 2/3 majority in both chambers.

The Senate Redistricting Committee, chaired by Senate Vice President Rick Wilborn, had its first meeting of the 2022 legislative session on Wednesday, January 12th.&nbsp; Chairman Wilborn discussed the 14 in-person tours and numerous virtual tours that the legislature hosted throughout the late summer and fall, where we received incredible input from people from every corner of our great state.&nbsp; The committee also adopted its rules and guidelines for the mapping process.

On Friday, the Kansas Senate passed the “Ad Astra 2” map, a Congressional Map that is primarily based upon suggestions received on the in-person and virtual listening tours. The same map was also introduced in the House Redistricting Committee.

*The map only splits four counties. Pawnee, Douglas, Jackson and Wyandotte are the only split counties on the new map. Both Douglas and Wyandotte are primarily divided along natural and geographic barriers such as highways and rivers.

*The First District contains both University of Kansas and Kansas State University, which have aligned goals, returning them to the same Congressional district.

*The Second District includes several military installations, including Ft. Riley, Ft. Leavenworth, Forbes Field, and the Kansas National Guard.

*The Third District keeps Johnson County together, blending the Kansas City suburbs with nearby bedroom communities.

*The Fourth District includes Wichita and surrounding communities.

*Indian Reservations are kept wholly within Congressional districts.

American Legion Girl and Boy State

The annual programs will return this year and are taking applications for the leadership programs.&nbsp; Girl State will be held June 12-17th&nbsp;at the University of Kansas and Boys State June 5-11th&nbsp;at Kansas State University.&nbsp; Both programs focus on “learning by doing” and is political exercise that simulate elections, political parties and government at the state, county, and local levels.&nbsp; Girl State applicants will need to have completed their junior year and Boy State applicants will need to have completed their sophomore year.&nbsp; 

For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ksgirlsstate.org/" target="_blank">www.ksgirlsstate.org</a>&nbsp;or email&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:secretaryksgirlsstate@gmail.com" target="_blank">secretaryksgirlsstate@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;with a deadline of May 30th.&nbsp; Boy State information -&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info.1937@ksbstate.org" target="_blank">info.1937@ksbstate.org</a>&nbsp;or call 785 550-6492 with a deadline of March 31st, 2022.

You can view video streaming of both chambers via the Kansas Legislature YouTube page. In addition, many committees are now audio streamed and can also be viewed on the Kansas Legislature YouTube page. The Kansas Legislature website is easy to use with Senate and House calendars and journals as well as the rosters of both chambers. Here are the relevant links:

Website:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFJOLxmvcn9GmLmACkPZbxMCH8a9zXNkiD1EVgLLAQsAwZitpKf2khnVK0mX6afJLmB2EKV17zX7f7tcasgCeiEQ==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://www.kslegislature.org</a>

YouTube Streaming:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHF34R6w-q9Yyc4qETkM4i0oK77_HAcUcgnTEzGR0bc3XlkSfwIv7NNomoykZXxAe6JYkaUz8mVZZ4=&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2CZj9O0</a>

Committee Hearings:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFxPF3ofZot5nNQg29dl4IyyVwRxdehplaQI7UbFxYaMuHnBMclSTctfgUBGJFJhfBo5ERAz73sU3LnGPhP0mE6TsXQN3ZnpUtIzuCJEE31Q7s8BoUqzHzoE_0wonREwYfL5UydW56Tj2K886u6fhh9w==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/</a>

My office remains in the same suite, 223E (East wing second floor) next to the cage elevator.&nbsp; Randi Walters who has worked in the Capitol for 19 years as an assistant and a committee assistant is in our office.

As session progresses, not every bill introduced will make it to the governor’s desk, but that doesn’t mean opinions, facts and testimony wasn’t heard. Your participation in the state legislature is vital. As we continue to weed through the different bills, I hope to hear from you. I want to know how legislation will impact you and our district, or the ideas you have to improve a bill.&nbsp; A personal email with your thoughts is the best way to reach us as we sit in committees for most of the day and seldom get to stay at our desks for long periods.&nbsp;

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/2020/2/1580853658061.jpeg" alt="Sen. Elaine Bowers , R-Concordia, 36th Dist.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Elaine Bowers , R-Concordia, 36th Dist.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>2022 Senate Scene – Week 1 and 2Senate HighlightsTOPEKA - As we get settled into the first and second week of the 2022 legislative session, most of our work is concentrated in committees where bills are being prioritized and vetted. The Senate has 19 standing committees which cover many different topics, including education, agriculture, judiciary, budget and utilities—to name a few.&nbsp; Once a committee completes hearings and votes on a bill, if passed, it will then make its way to the Senate floor and the full body will begin to debate and vote on the measure. Floor debates and votes will begin in the coming weeks. If you’re interested in tracking our work, you can follow us at our website at&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFJOLxmvcn9GmLmACkPZbxMCH8a9zXNkiD1EVgLLAQsAwZitpKf2khnVK0mX6afJLmB2EKV17zX7f7tcasgCeiEQ==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://www.kslegislature.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;A daily calendar is available as well as directions on how to view committee work live-time and view archive past committee and floor action.&nbsp;Committee AssignmentsMy committees remain the same as last year - the Ethics, Elections and Local Government committee is now two committees renamed Transparency and Ethics and Local Government.&nbsp; I will Chair Transparency and Ethics and will serve as the Vice-Chair of Local Government.&nbsp; I continue to serve on the Transportation, Judiciary and Utility committees and remain on the Historical Preservation Committee.&nbsp; I was also assigned to a new committee, the Joint Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight.&nbsp;<a>State of the State</a>On Tuesday, January 11th, Governor Kelly delivered her State of the State address in the House Chambers. Her address is the starting point for the budget process in Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations and sets the tone for the upcoming session.&nbsp; Both committees are currently reviewing her budget proposals for 2022.&nbsp;Currently, the state is sitting on a surplus of nearly $3.0 billion, which makes this year’s budget process a unique one. &nbsp;While the election year will make it tempting to spend the money, Republicans are committed to being fiscally responsible, which means using one-time revenue for one-time expenses, paying off debt and responsible tax reductions aimed at helping Kansas families and boosting the Kansas economy.Senate Floor ActionHouse Bill 2477 (<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2477/" target="_blank">HB 2477</a>) -&nbsp;legislation crafted to codify two executive orders to address health care staffing shortages within Kansas. It accomplishes this by temporarily deregulating several provisions of Kansas law, including:*Allowing nursing staff with an inactive or lapsed license to provide medical services appropriate to their education.*Providing the ability for students who are enrolled in programs to become healthcare professionals, as well as military members who are also emergency medical personnel to volunteer at healthcare facilities*Allows Physician Assistants, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nurse Anesthetists, Registered Professional Nurses and Licensed Pharmacists to provide additional services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic*Health care providers in other states would be able to practice in Kansas.The bill sunsets the provisions in January of 2023, which will allow the legislature to look at the matter again in one year.&nbsp; HB 2477 passed the Senate 36-2. The House then immediately concurred on the legislation, sending it to the governor, who then immediately signed the legislation.Senate Bill 318 – (<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb318/" target="_blank">SB 318</a>)&nbsp;introduced by Senator Billinger, Senator Tyson and myself will aid property owners whose property is destroyed by natural disasters.&nbsp; It was written and pre-filed to address the recent fires in Ellis, Osborne, Rooks and Russell counties to provide sales tax relief for new fencing which will be needed after the fires on December 15th.&nbsp; The bill does so in two ways:*It expands the ability of county commissions to abate property taxes on certain types of real property destroyed or substantially destroyed by natural disasters.*It creates a sales tax exemption for purchases necessary to reconstruct, repair, or replace a fence used to enclose agricultural land that was damaged or destroyed by wildfire, flood, tornado, or other natural disaster occurring on or after January 1, 2021.The bill was amended in the Senate Committee of the Whole to, beginning July 1, 2022, exempt from sales tax all sales of tangible personal property and services necessary to construct, reconstruct, repair or replace any fence used to enclose agricultural land.&nbsp;&nbsp; SB 318 passed the Senate 35-0.Redistricting processBefore the session is complete, the legislature must pass new maps for Congress, the State Senate, the State House, and the State Board of Education.&nbsp; The maps are treated like typical legislative bills, which means they must be passed by both chambers and be signed into law by the governor – or, if the governor vetoes the bill containing the map(s), the legislature can override her veto with a 2/3 majority in both chambers.The Senate Redistricting Committee, chaired by Senate Vice President Rick Wilborn, had its first meeting of the 2022 legislative session on Wednesday, January 12th.&nbsp; Chairman Wilborn discussed the 14 in-person tours and numerous virtual tours that the legislature hosted throughout the late summer and fall, where we received incredible input from people from every corner of our great state.&nbsp; The committee also adopted its rules and guidelines for the mapping process.On Friday, the Kansas Senate passed the “Ad Astra 2” map, a Congressional Map that is primarily based upon suggestions received on the in-person and virtual listening tours. The same map was also introduced in the House Redistricting Committee.Highlights of the map include:*The map only splits four counties. Pawnee, Douglas, Jackson and Wyandotte are the only split counties on the new map. Both Douglas and Wyandotte are primarily divided along natural and geographic barriers such as highways and rivers.*The First District contains both University of Kansas and Kansas State University, which have aligned goals, returning them to the same Congressional district.*The Second District includes several military installations, including Ft. Riley, Ft. Leavenworth, Forbes Field, and the Kansas National Guard.*The Third District keeps Johnson County together, blending the Kansas City suburbs with nearby bedroom communities.*The Fourth District includes Wichita and surrounding communities.*Indian Reservations are kept wholly within Congressional districts.American Legion Girl and Boy StateThe annual programs will return this year and are taking applications for the leadership programs.&nbsp; Girl State will be held June 12-17th&nbsp;at the University of Kansas and Boys State June 5-11th&nbsp;at Kansas State University.&nbsp; Both programs focus on “learning by doing” and is political exercise that simulate elections, political parties and government at the state, county, and local levels.&nbsp; Girl State applicants will need to have completed their junior year and Boy State applicants will need to have completed their sophomore year.&nbsp; For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ksgirlsstate.org/" target="_blank">www.ksgirlsstate.org</a>&nbsp;or email&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:secretaryksgirlsstate@gmail.com" target="_blank">secretaryksgirlsstate@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;with a deadline of May 30th.&nbsp; Boy State information -&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info.1937@ksbstate.org" target="_blank">info.1937@ksbstate.org</a>&nbsp;or call 785 550-6492 with a deadline of March 31st, 2022.Following the Kansas LegislatureYou can view video streaming of both chambers via the Kansas Legislature YouTube page. In addition, many committees are now audio streamed and can also be viewed on the Kansas Legislature YouTube page. The Kansas Legislature website is easy to use with Senate and House calendars and journals as well as the rosters of both chambers. Here are the relevant links:Website:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFJOLxmvcn9GmLmACkPZbxMCH8a9zXNkiD1EVgLLAQsAwZitpKf2khnVK0mX6afJLmB2EKV17zX7f7tcasgCeiEQ==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://www.kslegislature.org</a>YouTube Streaming:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHF34R6w-q9Yyc4qETkM4i0oK77_HAcUcgnTEzGR0bc3XlkSfwIv7NNomoykZXxAe6JYkaUz8mVZZ4=&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2CZj9O0</a>Committee Hearings:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFxPF3ofZot5nNQg29dl4IyyVwRxdehplaQI7UbFxYaMuHnBMclSTctfgUBGJFJhfBo5ERAz73sU3LnGPhP0mE6TsXQN3ZnpUtIzuCJEE31Q7s8BoUqzHzoE_0wonREwYfL5UydW56Tj2K886u6fhh9w==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/</a>Office InformationMy office remains in the same suite, 223E (East wing second floor) next to the cage elevator.&nbsp; Randi Walters who has worked in the Capitol for 19 years as an assistant and a committee assistant is in our office.As session progresses, not every bill introduced will make it to the governor’s desk, but that doesn’t mean opinions, facts and testimony wasn’t heard. Your participation in the state legislature is vital. As we continue to weed through the different bills, I hope to hear from you. I want to know how legislation will impact you and our district, or the ideas you have to improve a bill.&nbsp; A personal email with your thoughts is the best way to reach us as we sit in committees for most of the day and seldom get to stay at our desks for long periods.&nbsp;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 Weeks 1 and 2

TOPEKA - The 2022 legislative session began Monday, January 10 and senators immediately began work on a host of issues. 

The major requirements for this session are to complete the redistricting process and pass a budget. One of the first bills the Senate worked on was SB 318 which would aid property owners whose property was destroyed by natural disasters. The bill does so in two ways: It creates a sales tax exemption for purchases necessary to reconstruct, repair or replace a fence used to enclose agricultural land that was damaged or destroyed by wildfire, flood, tornado, or other natural disaster occurring on or after January 1, 2021. It expands the ability of county commissions to abate property taxes on certain types of real property destroyed or substantially destroyed by natural disasters. This bill was amended to include, beginning July 1, 2022, exempt from sales tax all sales of tangible personal property and services necessary to construct, reconstruct, repair or replace any fence used to enclose agricultural land.

Health care worker shortages continue to plague the country with shortages among nurses and other health care workers. In the ultimate twist of logic, some are even asking workers who test positive to come back to work, while unvaccinated who test negative will be laid off.&nbsp; Last year health care providers were heros and this year they are losing their jobs because of vaccination status. Kansas Senate adopted HB2477 which was crafted to address health care staffing shortages within Kansas. This bill temporarily deregulates several provisions of Kansas law and will now allow nursing staff with an inactive or lapsed license to provide medical services appropriate to their education, allow physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse anesthetists, registered professional nurses and licensed pharmacists to provide addition services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp; Also, health care providers in other states would be able to practice in Kansas. This bill will sunset in January 2023.

On Wednesday, the governor introduced her budget which outlined ways to spend taxpayer money for the fiscal year. Included in her budget were her well-known proposal to eliminate the food sales tax, which she vetoed two years ago. The governor also proposed a $250 tax rebate to Kansans, a 5% pay increase for state employees, Medicaid expansion and money for renovation of the Docking office building in Topeka, remodeling a building for the Division of Emergency Management and constructing a new armory for the National Guard in Hays.

The state is sitting on a surplus of nearly $3 billion, which makes this year’s budget process a unique one. While the election year will make it tempting to spend the money, Republicans are committed to being fiscally responsible, which means using one-time revenue for one-time expenses, paying off debt and responsible tax reductions to help Kansas families and boost Kansas economy and continue to stabilize KPERS.

Despite repeated promises from the Biden Administration that the record inflation will soon reverse, it appears that the problem is going to get worse before it gets better. This week the government announced that the inflation rate, as per its Consumer Price index, has reached 7%, the highest it’s been since 1982. The consumer price index only tells us about the past. The future is all about the Producer Price index, which measures the costs to make things.

If you are interested in following the legislature you can connect to the following links:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A">Kansas Legislature YouTube</a>&nbsp;- Here you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings.

<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20220124/-1/14088?viewMode=1#handoutFile_">Kansas Legislature Audio</a> - Here you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or access prior committee meetings.

Kansas Legislature website-&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org-/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills and past sessions.

Middle school (12 years of age or older) and high school students are invited to come to our Kansas State Capitol, to be my sponsored Senate Page for a day. The dates available are February 7 and 21 as well as March 7 and 14. There are openings for 4 pages on each day. Please contact my office, if you know a student who may have an interest in being a Senate Page.

I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th&nbsp;Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your questions and concerns, my office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka stop by my office at 545-S.

Rick Billingr, R-Goodland, is the 40th district senator which includes:

* Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton,
Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace Counties *Phillips County:
Cities: Logan, Long Island, Prairie View, Speed; Townships: Beaver, Belmont,
Dayton, Granite, Logan, Long Island, Mound, Plainview, Prairie View,
Solomon(part) and Towanda&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610490291573.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Billingr, R-Goodland, 40th District" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billingr, R-Goodland, 40th District</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA - The 2022 legislative session began Monday, January 10 and senators immediately began work on a host of issues. The major requirements for this session are to complete the redistricting process and pass a budget. One of the first bills the Senate worked on was SB 318 which would aid property owners whose property was destroyed by natural disasters. The bill does so in two ways: It creates a sales tax exemption for purchases necessary to reconstruct, repair or replace a fence used to enclose agricultural land that was damaged or destroyed by wildfire, flood, tornado, or other natural disaster occurring on or after January 1, 2021. It expands the ability of county commissions to abate property taxes on certain types of real property destroyed or substantially destroyed by natural disasters. This bill was amended to include, beginning July 1, 2022, exempt from sales tax all sales of tangible personal property and services necessary to construct, reconstruct, repair or replace any fence used to enclose agricultural land.Health care worker shortages continue to plague the country with shortages among nurses and other health care workers. In the ultimate twist of logic, some are even asking workers who test positive to come back to work, while unvaccinated who test negative will be laid off.&nbsp; Last year health care providers were heros and this year they are losing their jobs because of vaccination status. Kansas Senate adopted HB2477 which was crafted to address health care staffing shortages within Kansas. This bill temporarily deregulates several provisions of Kansas law and will now allow nursing staff with an inactive or lapsed license to provide medical services appropriate to their education, allow physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse anesthetists, registered professional nurses and licensed pharmacists to provide addition services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp; Also, health care providers in other states would be able to practice in Kansas. This bill will sunset in January 2023.On Wednesday, the governor introduced her budget which outlined ways to spend taxpayer money for the fiscal year. Included in her budget were her well-known proposal to eliminate the food sales tax, which she vetoed two years ago. The governor also proposed a $250 tax rebate to Kansans, a 5% pay increase for state employees, Medicaid expansion and money for renovation of the Docking office building in Topeka, remodeling a building for the Division of Emergency Management and constructing a new armory for the National Guard in Hays.The state is sitting on a surplus of nearly $3 billion, which makes this year’s budget process a unique one. While the election year will make it tempting to spend the money, Republicans are committed to being fiscally responsible, which means using one-time revenue for one-time expenses, paying off debt and responsible tax reductions to help Kansas families and boost Kansas economy and continue to stabilize KPERS.Despite repeated promises from the Biden Administration that the record inflation will soon reverse, it appears that the problem is going to get worse before it gets better. This week the government announced that the inflation rate, as per its Consumer Price index, has reached 7%, the highest it’s been since 1982. The consumer price index only tells us about the past. The future is all about the Producer Price index, which measures the costs to make things.If you are interested in following the legislature you can connect to the following links:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A">Kansas Legislature YouTube</a>&nbsp;- Here you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings.<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20220124/-1/14088?viewMode=1#handoutFile_">Kansas Legislature Audio</a> - Here you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or access prior committee meetings.Kansas Legislature website-&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org-/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills and past sessions.Middle school (12 years of age or older) and high school students are invited to come to our Kansas State Capitol, to be my sponsored Senate Page for a day. The dates available are February 7 and 21 as well as March 7 and 14. There are openings for 4 pages on each day. Please contact my office, if you know a student who may have an interest in being a Senate Page.I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th&nbsp;Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your questions and concerns, my office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka stop by my office at 545-S.Rick Billingr, R-Goodland, is the 40th district senator which includes:* Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton,
Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace Counties *Phillips County:
Cities: Logan, Long Island, Prairie View, Speed; Townships: Beaver, Belmont,
Dayton, Granite, Logan, Long Island, Mound, Plainview, Prairie View,
Solomon(part) and Towanda&nbsp;

BILLINGER: Senate update, Jan. 24, 2022

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

A century of sausage-making. That sounds like a lot of work, and a lot of tasty food. Today we’ll learn the remarkable story of a family-owned meat business that had its beginnings 100 years ago. Now, another young family is taking the business to the next level.&nbsp;

Adam and Ashley Comeau are the owners of Brant’s Market in Lucas and Plainville.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ashley grew up at the nearby rural community of Zurich, population 99 people. She went to Fort Hays State and then earned her law degree at Washburn Law School.&nbsp;

Adam is the son of Plainville entrepreneur Chuck Comeau who we have previously profiled. Adam graduated from the University of Kansas and earned an associate’s degree in paramedicine at Barton County Community College. He met and married Ashley. They moved back to Plainville where Adam works for Ellis County EMS and Ashley is a practicing attorney.&nbsp;

In 2018, they heard disturbing news: Brant’s Market in Lucas was going to close. This meat market had a rich history.&nbsp;

In 1922, James and Marie Brant purchased the meat shop in Lucas and renamed it Brant’s Meat Market. It was a full-service butcher shop that became especially famous for James’s recipes from Czechoslovakia, such as&nbsp;jaternice, ring bologna, and sausage.&nbsp;

James’ sons George and Frank learned these recipes and continued the family business. George’s son Doug became the third generation in the business, later assisted by daughter Stephanie.&nbsp;

By 2018, the required paperwork and regulations had grown to the point that Doug wanted to retire. He never listed the store for sale but announced that it would close.&nbsp;

“We had gone to Brant’s many times,” Ashley said. They loved the products and hated to see the community lose such a long-standing business. They reached out to Doug and eventually purchased the business.&nbsp;

“The Brants really care for the community and they didn’t want the business to leave town,” Adam said. Doug passed along the old family recipes and helped Ashley and Adam get started.&nbsp;

Brant’s Market is located in Lucas, the grassroots art capitol of Kansas. “People came to Lucas to see the Garden of Eden or the Grassroots Art Center, but they came back to go to Brant’s,” Adam said.&nbsp;

In fact, the sausage and bologna sold out every week in Lucas, so the Comeaus saw the opportunity to expand. In late 2018, they bought a building in downtown Plainville to serve as a production facility and second retail store.&nbsp;

After a year of renovation, they opened the second store in February 2020 – just in time for the pandemic. The Comeaus pivoted to online and curbside service. They re-opened the store as conditions allowed. When the pandemic caused reduced product in larger stores, local people had reason to go to local outlets such as Brant’s.&nbsp;

“We bring in whole loins from federally inspected plants,” Ashley said. Adam has learned the process of handcrafting the finished product from there.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The classic sausage and other ethnic recipes made by the Brant family continue to be a hit. Ashley and Adam have also enhanced their online presence, which has had a significant impact.&nbsp;

Today, Brant’s Market has had its products go coast-to-coast and beyond. Brant’s was named by the Kansas Department of Commerce as a merit award winner in 2019 and was selected by the Kansas Sampler Foundation as one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas Commerce.&nbsp;

“Rooks County Economic Development and Russell County Economic Development have been great to work with,” Ashley said. “Also, a shout-out to NetWork Kansas which supported us with an E-community loan.”&nbsp;

“It’s definitely hard work, but there’s a lot of opportunities in rural Kansas,” Ashley said. “If a business has been around for nearly 100 years, it deserves to stay open.”&nbsp;

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

A century of sausage-making. That’s a remarkable achievement, and it’s wonderful to see a young couple carry on this tradition. We commend Ashley and Adam Comeau for making a difference with their entrepreneurship and commitment. They are beginning the next century of sausage – and of service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642602415626.png" alt="Adam and Ashley Comeau" />
 <figcaption>Adam and Ashley Comeau</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;A century of sausage-making. That sounds like a lot of work, and a lot of tasty food. Today we’ll learn the remarkable story of a family-owned meat business that had its beginnings 100 years ago. Now, another young family is taking the business to the next level.&nbsp;Adam and Ashley Comeau are the owners of Brant’s Market in Lucas and Plainville.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ashley grew up at the nearby rural community of Zurich, population 99 people. She went to Fort Hays State and then earned her law degree at Washburn Law School.&nbsp;Adam is the son of Plainville entrepreneur Chuck Comeau who we have previously profiled. Adam graduated from the University of Kansas and earned an associate’s degree in paramedicine at Barton County Community College. He met and married Ashley. They moved back to Plainville where Adam works for Ellis County EMS and Ashley is a practicing attorney.&nbsp;In 2018, they heard disturbing news: Brant’s Market in Lucas was going to close. This meat market had a rich history.&nbsp;In 1922, James and Marie Brant purchased the meat shop in Lucas and renamed it Brant’s Meat Market. It was a full-service butcher shop that became especially famous for James’s recipes from Czechoslovakia, such as&nbsp;jaternice, ring bologna, and sausage.&nbsp;James’ sons George and Frank learned these recipes and continued the family business. George’s son Doug became the third generation in the business, later assisted by daughter Stephanie.&nbsp;By 2018, the required paperwork and regulations had grown to the point that Doug wanted to retire. He never listed the store for sale but announced that it would close.&nbsp;“We had gone to Brant’s many times,” Ashley said. They loved the products and hated to see the community lose such a long-standing business. They reached out to Doug and eventually purchased the business.&nbsp;“The Brants really care for the community and they didn’t want the business to leave town,” Adam said. Doug passed along the old family recipes and helped Ashley and Adam get started.&nbsp;Brant’s Market is located in Lucas, the grassroots art capitol of Kansas. “People came to Lucas to see the Garden of Eden or the Grassroots Art Center, but they came back to go to Brant’s,” Adam said.&nbsp;In fact, the sausage and bologna sold out every week in Lucas, so the Comeaus saw the opportunity to expand. In late 2018, they bought a building in downtown Plainville to serve as a production facility and second retail store.&nbsp;After a year of renovation, they opened the second store in February 2020 – just in time for the pandemic. The Comeaus pivoted to online and curbside service. They re-opened the store as conditions allowed. When the pandemic caused reduced product in larger stores, local people had reason to go to local outlets such as Brant’s.&nbsp;“We bring in whole loins from federally inspected plants,” Ashley said. Adam has learned the process of handcrafting the finished product from there.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The classic sausage and other ethnic recipes made by the Brant family continue to be a hit. Ashley and Adam have also enhanced their online presence, which has had a significant impact.&nbsp;Today, Brant’s Market has had its products go coast-to-coast and beyond. Brant’s was named by the Kansas Department of Commerce as a merit award winner in 2019 and was selected by the Kansas Sampler Foundation as one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas Commerce.&nbsp;“Rooks County Economic Development and Russell County Economic Development have been great to work with,” Ashley said. “Also, a shout-out to NetWork Kansas which supported us with an E-community loan.”&nbsp;“It’s definitely hard work, but there’s a lot of opportunities in rural Kansas,” Ashley said. “If a business has been around for nearly 100 years, it deserves to stay open.”&nbsp;For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.brantsmarket.com/">www.brantsmarket.com</a>.&nbsp;A century of sausage-making. That’s a remarkable achievement, and it’s wonderful to see a young couple carry on this tradition. We commend Ashley and Adam Comeau for making a difference with their entrepreneurship and commitment. They are beginning the next century of sausage – and of service.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Ashley and Adam Comeau, Brant’s Market 

When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was the promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. // It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note in so far as her citizens of color are concerned. —&nbsp;Martin Luther King Jr., “March on Washington” (1963)

The fierce urgency of today’s now means we must let go our unresolvable, circular arguments about Critical Race Theory.

As in other states, the Kansas Legislature and many local school boards want to ban “CRT” in the K-12 classroom. The outrage probably stems from a negative reaction to&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones’&nbsp;1619 project, an in-depth exploration of slavery’s role in settling what became the United States. While “CRT” as such is rarely taught in K-12 schools, it has certainly influenced projects like 1619, which do indeed come with lesson plans for the lower grades. This is controversial, but legislators’ responses have been truly alarming. For example, Iowa’s new law prohibits teaching anything that makes anyone “feel discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress” because of one’s race or sex. This will likely prove impossible to enforce and a legal mess. No matter — similar legislation is probably coming here in Kansas.

Slaves did much of the labor building the early United States, while the Native Americans lucky enough to survive at all were displaced from their land, heritage, and livelihoods. These are historical facts, not a theory. Yet Dr. King still offers us hope. What he did so well is to extract the&nbsp;promise&nbsp;of the Constitution and the Declaration-- the&nbsp;belief&nbsp;that we are all equal—from the difficult history. The founders who set these words to paper did not live up to that ideal themselves. Some owned slaves, while others profited from the slave trade. Too often, we try to excuse away these actions by minimizing them, like when Southerners called slavery a “peculiar institution.” Dr. King pivoted away from this. Instead, he sought to restore a promise, calling upon us all to pay that promissory note. King celebrated the&nbsp;idea&nbsp;of America, while making redemption the business of all Americans. He called this work “the fierce urgency of now.”

If conservatives will still answer Dr. King’s call, they must confront the depth of American racism, past and present, including today’s troubling rise of the so-called “alt-right.” If progressives are to do the same, they must avoid treating King’s words as mere platitudes. To understand Dr. King is to see him as he was-- a Baptist preacher, steeped in centuries of Christian and Jewish theology. Many of today’s young progressives have turned away from religion. This is for understandable reasons, but unfortunately, it makes it much harder to understand Dr. King’s message as something besides a poster caption.

Our own time brings unique challenges, but our history offers hope. Never mind Critical Race Theory — America still has a promise to redeem.

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>When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was the promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. // It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note in so far as her citizens of color are concerned. —&nbsp;Martin Luther King Jr., “March on Washington” (1963)The fierce urgency of today’s now means we must let go our unresolvable, circular arguments about Critical Race Theory.As in other states, the Kansas Legislature and many local school boards want to ban “CRT” in the K-12 classroom. The outrage probably stems from a negative reaction to&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones’&nbsp;1619 project, an in-depth exploration of slavery’s role in settling what became the United States. While “CRT” as such is rarely taught in K-12 schools, it has certainly influenced projects like 1619, which do indeed come with lesson plans for the lower grades. This is controversial, but legislators’ responses have been truly alarming. For example, Iowa’s new law prohibits teaching anything that makes anyone “feel discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress” because of one’s race or sex. This will likely prove impossible to enforce and a legal mess. No matter — similar legislation is probably coming here in Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Slaves did much of the labor building the early United States, while the Native Americans lucky enough to survive at all were displaced from their land, heritage, and livelihoods. These are historical facts, not a theory. Yet Dr. King still offers us hope. What he did so well is to extract the&nbsp;promise&nbsp;of the Constitution and the Declaration-- the&nbsp;belief&nbsp;that we are all equal—from the difficult history. The founders who set these words to paper did not live up to that ideal themselves. Some owned slaves, while others profited from the slave trade. Too often, we try to excuse away these actions by minimizing them, like when Southerners called slavery a “peculiar institution.” Dr. King pivoted away from this. Instead, he sought to restore a promise, calling upon us all to pay that promissory note. King celebrated the&nbsp;idea&nbsp;of America, while making redemption the business of all Americans. He called this work “the fierce urgency of now.”If conservatives will still answer Dr. King’s call, they must confront the depth of American racism, past and present, including today’s troubling rise of the so-called “alt-right.” If progressives are to do the same, they must avoid treating King’s words as mere platitudes. To understand Dr. King is to see him as he was-- a Baptist preacher, steeped in centuries of Christian and Jewish theology. Many of today’s young progressives have turned away from religion. This is for understandable reasons, but unfortunately, it makes it much harder to understand Dr. King’s message as something besides a poster caption.Our own time brings unique challenges, but our history offers hope. Never mind Critical Race Theory — America still has a promise to redeem.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: The critical promise of redemption

Years ago, shortly after I’d first moved to Kansas, I stored my boat for the winter in an airy old shed at my dad’s farm. To help keep it clean inside and to keep out the moisture, I wrapped it with a tarp. When I pulled it out the following spring, I found corn stalks, milo stalks, (some with heads still attached) and wads of various other crop residue stuffed into every imaginable nook and cranny inside the boat. Dad took one look at the mess and nonchalantly mused “Packrats huh.” I think I replied “Pack what?”&nbsp;

I don’t know about present day, but as a kid growing up in Ohio, we knew nothing of packrats. But in this part of the country, they seem to have been the bane of every farmer and rancher for generations. They build nests around the bases of trees and in old farm machinery in tree rows, and also under the hoods or inside of any vehicles they can get into. That in itself is bad enough, but they also have a love for electrical wiring and seem to feel it’s their life’s purpose to chew any and all they can reach, often causing hundreds of dollars worth of damage and requiring extensive repairs.&nbsp;

Also known as eastern wood rats, packrats get that nickname because of their habit of “collecting” interesting and often shiny objects and storing them in their nests. Some years ago, Joyce and I stumbled upon a packrat “commune” a few miles away. There were dozens of nests four or five feet off the ground in scrubby thorn trees in the midst of a low swampy thicket. I picked up a good sturdy stick and began poking and tearing apart nests to see what I could find. What looked like a slipshod, willy-nilly mess of bark and limbs on the outside became a snug almost cocoon-like nest lined with fur, grass and even tufts of wool on the inside. In the nests I found yellow plastic trash bag ties, pieces of a plastic 1-gallon anti-freeze container (which I spotted nearby,) freshly chewed sticks, fresh green plant leaves, a large bone of some description and what appeared to be coyote droppings, but no shiny trinkets of any sort.&nbsp; Evidently those particular pack rats were of a more frugal persuasion and no longer saw the value of wasting time collecting shiny baubles. Or maybe they just don’t want to lug them up the tree.

A couple years ago, a local farmer whose land I trap for coyotes called me about exterminating some packrats that had become a problem. They had gotten into a small barn and built a nest under the hood of an old classic grain truck he still liked to use, causing it to catch fire in the driveway. The last straw was when they recently chewed wires under the hood of his semi tractor parked in the farmyard, making expensive repairs necessary. I had never dealt with packrats, so I contacted two trapper friends who both do nuisance control trapping. The first friend runs a large pest control company with his family; his advice was to forget trapping them and use potent poison bait he recommended. The second friend, who has been my coyote trapping mentor whenever I need advice, told me that in his experience, poisoned bait just ends up carried back to packrat nests as nesting material, so he gave me suggestions for trapping them using sardines for bait. He said packrats love sardines and find the shiny lid of the can attractive. 

I had the traps and not the poison, so I built small enclosures (cubbies) from empty one-gallon tin cans with the labels removed to make them shiny, and from short pieces of galvanized furnace pipe. I stapled small pieces of 2x4 in one end of each furnace pipe so the rats could only gain entry from one end and fastened a short piece of old vinyl flooring on the end of each to hold a weight. I smashed the one-gallon tin cans partially shut and fastened a 2x4 down one side to keep the can from rolling around. One small jaw trap was fastened to each cubby. In the small barn I placed 3 cubbies and baited them with sardines of different varieties and with peanut butter which I also read to be good packrat bait. There was a long notch cut out of the foundation in the back of the barn that was obviously letting the rats in, but I left it open to start. In another big shed I placed two more cubbies with the same baits and weighted them all down with bricks.

The next morning two possums awaited me in the barn and had pulled the traps and cubbies around, entangling them in stuff setting along the wall, but nothing was caught in the shed. I partially blocked the notch in the barn foundation to exclude any animal bigger than a rat, but caught nothing more all week. The owner then called me and said he was ready to order some of the bait recommended by my other friend.&nbsp;

A tree row a couple hundred yards long runs just behind all his buildings, and like most tree rows here in Kansas, is full of dandy places for packrat nests. I’m afraid that like coyotes, roaches and possums, packrats are here to stay and will still be here when mankind is long gone. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>Years ago, shortly after I’d first moved to Kansas, I stored my boat for the winter in an airy old shed at my dad’s farm. To help keep it clean inside and to keep out the moisture, I wrapped it with a tarp. When I pulled it out the following spring, I found corn stalks, milo stalks, (some with heads still attached) and wads of various other crop residue stuffed into every imaginable nook and cranny inside the boat. Dad took one look at the mess and nonchalantly mused “Packrats huh.” I think I replied “Pack what?”&nbsp;I don’t know about present day, but as a kid growing up in Ohio, we knew nothing of packrats. But in this part of the country, they seem to have been the bane of every farmer and rancher for generations. They build nests around the bases of trees and in old farm machinery in tree rows, and also under the hoods or inside of any vehicles they can get into. That in itself is bad enough, but they also have a love for electrical wiring and seem to feel it’s their life’s purpose to chew any and all they can reach, often causing hundreds of dollars worth of damage and requiring extensive repairs.&nbsp;Also known as eastern wood rats, packrats get that nickname because of their habit of “collecting” interesting and often shiny objects and storing them in their nests. Some years ago, Joyce and I stumbled upon a packrat “commune” a few miles away. There were dozens of nests four or five feet off the ground in scrubby thorn trees in the midst of a low swampy thicket. I picked up a good sturdy stick and began poking and tearing apart nests to see what I could find. What looked like a slipshod, willy-nilly mess of bark and limbs on the outside became a snug almost cocoon-like nest lined with fur, grass and even tufts of wool on the inside. In the nests I found yellow plastic trash bag ties, pieces of a plastic 1-gallon anti-freeze container (which I spotted nearby,) freshly chewed sticks, fresh green plant leaves, a large bone of some description and what appeared to be coyote droppings, but no shiny trinkets of any sort.&nbsp; Evidently those particular pack rats were of a more frugal persuasion and no longer saw the value of wasting time collecting shiny baubles. Or maybe they just don’t want to lug them up the tree.A couple years ago, a local farmer whose land I trap for coyotes called me about exterminating some packrats that had become a problem. They had gotten into a small barn and built a nest under the hood of an old classic grain truck he still liked to use, causing it to catch fire in the driveway. The last straw was when they recently chewed wires under the hood of his semi tractor parked in the farmyard, making expensive repairs necessary. I had never dealt with packrats, so I contacted two trapper friends who both do nuisance control trapping. The first friend runs a large pest control company with his family; his advice was to forget trapping them and use potent poison bait he recommended. The second friend, who has been my coyote trapping mentor whenever I need advice, told me that in his experience, poisoned bait just ends up carried back to packrat nests as nesting material, so he gave me suggestions for trapping them using sardines for bait. He said packrats love sardines and find the shiny lid of the can attractive. I had the traps and not the poison, so I built small enclosures (cubbies) from empty one-gallon tin cans with the labels removed to make them shiny, and from short pieces of galvanized furnace pipe. I stapled small pieces of 2x4 in one end of each furnace pipe so the rats could only gain entry from one end and fastened a short piece of old vinyl flooring on the end of each to hold a weight. I smashed the one-gallon tin cans partially shut and fastened a 2x4 down one side to keep the can from rolling around. One small jaw trap was fastened to each cubby. In the small barn I placed 3 cubbies and baited them with sardines of different varieties and with peanut butter which I also read to be good packrat bait. There was a long notch cut out of the foundation in the back of the barn that was obviously letting the rats in, but I left it open to start. In another big shed I placed two more cubbies with the same baits and weighted them all down with bricks.The next morning two possums awaited me in the barn and had pulled the traps and cubbies around, entangling them in stuff setting along the wall, but nothing was caught in the shed. I partially blocked the notch in the barn foundation to exclude any animal bigger than a rat, but caught nothing more all week. The owner then called me and said he was ready to order some of the bait recommended by my other friend.&nbsp;A tree row a couple hundred yards long runs just behind all his buildings, and like most tree rows here in Kansas, is full of dandy places for packrat nests. I’m afraid that like coyotes, roaches and possums, packrats are here to stay and will still be here when mankind is long gone. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: What’s in your hedgerow?

This past December, devastating fires swept through the state of Kansas, most namely the four-county fire that affected many in the 109th Kansas House district. Governor Kelly issued a disaster declaration prior to the wildfires which allowed the state of Kansas to partner with the U.S. government to assist those in need. On December 20, the Adjunct General for the state of Kansas briefed the Legislative Budget Committee that the state has been in direct contact with Federal Emergency Management Assistance (FEMA), and that the damage threshold from the wildfires had been exceeded.

After the fires destroyed property, livestock, and livelihoods of many in the district,36th Dist. Senator Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, and I toured the devastating results of the fire and met with many on how the state of Kansas can assist. The discussions that Senator Bowers and I had with those affected prompted both of us to introduce similar legislation in both chambers prior to the beginning of the legislative session to assist those in need.

In years prior, the state of Kansas has initiated a sales tax exemption for the farmers and ranchers that lost fencing due to wildfires. The four-county fire alone generated a loss of nearly 5,000 miles of destroyed fencing.

House Bill 2464 and Senate Bill 318 were introduced to allow for the sales tax exemption of fencing materials that were lost due to a wildfire; however, it would ensure that this provision would not expire, which had occurred in the past. I testified in favor of House Bill 2464 in the House Tax Committee. On Tuesday, January 18, 2022, the committee passed House Bill 2464 for debate on floor of the House. Then on Thursday, January 20, 2022, the Senate passed Senate Bill 318.

Governor Kelly’s State of the State Speech

On Tuesday, January 11, 2022, Governor Kelly presented her State of the State Speech to a Joint Session of the Kansas Legislature. The Governor released her objectives for the coming year, especially regarding the state budget and taxation.

The following morning, the House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means committees were briefed by the Director of Budget on the specifics of the Governor’s budget details. Some of the details enveloped with the Governor’s budget included tax relief in the form of sales tax reduction to zero on food sales and a tax filer rebate, one-time investments, dissolution of creative accounting tactics, and increased spending for education, public safety, mental health,&nbsp;and a five percent pay increase for state employees. We will be analyzing the Governor’s budget during the next few months.

In addition to the introduction of House Bill 2464 that I introduced prior to the beginning of the 2022 Legislative Session, there were many other bills introduced during our first two weeks. Listed below are the details of those bills:

* House Bill 2482 would discontinue the sales tax exemption for vehicles purchased through leasing or for rental purposes;

* House Bill 2479 makes it unlawful to capture or possess the Ornate Box Turtle;

* House Bill 2480 relates to the financing of public water supply projects;

* House Bill 2484 provides for a zero percent state sales tax rate on food and food ingredients. This bill would also allow for cities and counties to levy a sales tax rate. This is the proposal that Governor Kelly mentioned in her State of the State speech.

* House Bill 2477 codifies the Executive Orders by Governor Kelly which extends renewal deadlines for any occupational or professional license, certificate, or registration. This bill was necessary to address the Executive Orders and to protect our healthcare professionals and adult care homes. This bill passed the House Floor on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 106-5. I voted “yes.”

We also have in the respective committees the bills that were introduced during the 2021 Legislative Session that we may still consider. The Appropriations Committee currently has about twenty of those bills.

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

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

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633970422056.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th District&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th District&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Wildfire AssistanceThis past December, devastating fires swept through the state of Kansas, most namely the four-county fire that affected many in the 109th Kansas House district. Governor Kelly issued a disaster declaration prior to the wildfires which allowed the state of Kansas to partner with the U.S. government to assist those in need. On December 20, the Adjunct General for the state of Kansas briefed the Legislative Budget Committee that the state has been in direct contact with Federal Emergency Management Assistance (FEMA), and that the damage threshold from the wildfires had been exceeded.After the fires destroyed property, livestock, and livelihoods of many in the district,36th Dist. Senator Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, and I toured the devastating results of the fire and met with many on how the state of Kansas can assist. The discussions that Senator Bowers and I had with those affected prompted both of us to introduce similar legislation in both chambers prior to the beginning of the legislative session to assist those in need.In years prior, the state of Kansas has initiated a sales tax exemption for the farmers and ranchers that lost fencing due to wildfires. The four-county fire alone generated a loss of nearly 5,000 miles of destroyed fencing.House Bill 2464 and Senate Bill 318 were introduced to allow for the sales tax exemption of fencing materials that were lost due to a wildfire; however, it would ensure that this provision would not expire, which had occurred in the past. I testified in favor of House Bill 2464 in the House Tax Committee. On Tuesday, January 18, 2022, the committee passed House Bill 2464 for debate on floor of the House. Then on Thursday, January 20, 2022, the Senate passed Senate Bill 318.Governor Kelly’s State of the State SpeechOn Tuesday, January 11, 2022, Governor Kelly presented her State of the State Speech to a Joint Session of the Kansas Legislature. The Governor released her objectives for the coming year, especially regarding the state budget and taxation.The following morning, the House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means committees were briefed by the Director of Budget on the specifics of the Governor’s budget details. Some of the details enveloped with the Governor’s budget included tax relief in the form of sales tax reduction to zero on food sales and a tax filer rebate, one-time investments, dissolution of creative accounting tactics, and increased spending for education, public safety, mental health,&nbsp;and a five percent pay increase for state employees. We will be analyzing the Governor’s budget during the next few months.Bills Introduced in the HouseIn addition to the introduction of House Bill 2464 that I introduced prior to the beginning of the 2022 Legislative Session, there were many other bills introduced during our first two weeks. Listed below are the details of those bills:* House Bill 2482 would discontinue the sales tax exemption for vehicles purchased through leasing or for rental purposes;* House Bill 2479 makes it unlawful to capture or possess the Ornate Box Turtle;* House Bill 2480 relates to the financing of public water supply projects;* House Bill 2484 provides for a zero percent state sales tax rate on food and food ingredients. This bill would also allow for cities and counties to levy a sales tax rate. This is the proposal that Governor Kelly mentioned in her State of the State speech.* House Bill 2477 codifies the Executive Orders by Governor Kelly which extends renewal deadlines for any occupational or professional license, certificate, or registration. This bill was necessary to address the Executive Orders and to protect our healthcare professionals and adult care homes. This bill passed the House Floor on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 106-5. I voted “yes.”We also have in the respective committees the bills that were introduced during the 2021 Legislative Session that we may still consider. The Appropriations Committee currently has about twenty of those bills.Contact InformationAnytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov. Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the Kansas House&nbsp;Appropriations Chairman and 109th District state representative which includes: * Osborne, Russell, and Smith Counties * Barton County: Cities:
Albert, Claflin, Galatia, Odin, Olmitz and Susank; Townships: Beaver, Cheyenne,
Clarence, Cleveland, Fairview, Grant, Independent, Logan, Union, Walnut and
Wheatland * Jewell County: Cities:Burr Oak, Esbon and Mankato; Townships:
Athens,Browns Creek, Burr Oak, Calvin, Center,Erving, Esbon, Harrison,
Highland, Holmwood, Ionia, Limestone, Odessa,Walnut and White Mound * Lincoln County: Cities: Lincoln Center(part) and Sylvan Grove; Townships: Battle Creek, Beaver(part), Cedron, Elkhorn(part), Golden Belt, Grant, Hanover, Highland, Indiana, Marion, Orange, Pleasant, Valley and Vesper * Rush County: Cities: Bison, Otis, Rush Center and Timken; Townships: Banner,Center,Garfield, Illinois, Lone Star, Pioneer and Pleasantdale

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home, Jan. 21, 2020

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

“LaSada.” That is said to be a Native American term for “place of peace.” It is also the name of a beautiful hunting lodge, shooting range and event venue located in rural Kansas.&nbsp;

Ethan and Morgan Jones are the owners of LaSada Lodge near Russell. Ethan grew up in Arkansas as an outdoorsman, hunting and fishing. He joined the Army and was stationed at Fort Riley. He later transitioned to the National Guard and studied Wildlife Outdoor Enterprise Management at Kansas State.&nbsp;

Morgan is originally from Colby and came to K-State where she earned a degree in journalism with a minor in business. One of her roommates was dating a soldier who introduced her to Ethan, and Morgan and Ethan ultimately married.&nbsp;

The young couple considered their future careers. “She wanted to have an events center, and I wanted to do something relating to hunting,” Ethan said. Then they learned about the LaSada Lodge near Russell.&nbsp;

LaSada Lodge has a rich history. It began as a dairy barn constructed in 1898 on a foundation of native limestone collected on the property. Years later, the barn was remodeled to become lodging for a hunting lodge. Previous owners named it LaSada, a “place of peace.”&nbsp;

In 2018, Morgan and Ethan purchased the LaSada Lodge. They remodeled and expanded the facility.&nbsp;

Today, LaSada Lodge offers guided hunting, a shooting range, an events center and more. Hunts are available for pheasant, quail, chukar, turkey, whitetail deer and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;The hunting services include guides, hunting dogs, game cleaning and dressing, and hearty homecooked meals. For shooting sports, the options include sporting clays, trap shooting and a rifle and pistol range.&nbsp;

LaSada Lodge recently added indoor/outdoor heated and cooled kennels for what is described as the pride of the lodge: Hunting dogs. The LaSada Lodge brochure states: “We maintain quality breeding practices by concentrating on superior genetics, champion bloodlines and top-notch nutrition.” LaSada uses English springers, German shorthaired pointers and Brittany spaniels.&nbsp;

It is possible for guests to board their dogs at the lodge as well. On occasion, LaSada will have puppies or fully trained dogs available for purchase.&nbsp;

The lodging consists of eight bedrooms; four are equipped with queen beds, two are double queen rooms, and two are queen plus twin rooms. Other amenities include a private dining area, kitchenette, wifi, hot tub, satellite television, shuffleboard, and a large outdoor deck.&nbsp;

The indoor event center and outdoor pavilion can accommodate large or small groups.&nbsp;&nbsp;The lodge hosts weddings, parties and all kinds of special events.&nbsp;

LaSada Lodge also offers getaway packages, including meals and hunting or shooting, such as the Shoot and Stay and the Birds and Blasts packages. There is also the romantic getaway package, including a bottle of sparkling wine and chocolate-dipped strawberries.&nbsp;

Guests have come to the LaSada Lodge from as far away as Florida and Maine. One guest wrote: “The hunting, food, dogs, and accommodations were top shelf. Everything exceeded my expectations by a wide margin. For me the biggest differentiator and what really set them apart was their hospitality. Ethan and Morgan along with everyone else made us feel like family.”&nbsp;

Another wrote:&nbsp;&nbsp;“Great way to spend a weekend! Sporting clays and shooting range are well-maintained and challenging, the lodge is updated, clean and comfortable, and the food is amazing!”&nbsp;

And another:&nbsp;&nbsp;“Whether you’re going to a hunting class, hunting event, day at the range, wedding, retreat…it’s worth it!”&nbsp;

LaSada Lodge is located only a half-dozen miles from Interstate 70. The lodge property is in a serene rural setting near the Smoky Hill River, approximately six miles southwest of the community of Russell, population 4,401 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

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

LaSada. It is a Native American term for place of peace, and it is also the name of this historic hunting lodge and event venue. We commend Ethan and Morgan Jones for making a difference with hospitality in a scenic rural setting. I’m glad LaSada Lodge is a peaceful and positive place.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641999015111.png" alt="Ethan and Morgan Jones / Courtesy&nbsp;Huck Boyd National Institute" />
 <figcaption>Ethan and Morgan Jones / Courtesy&nbsp;Huck Boyd National Institute</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;“LaSada.” That is said to be a Native American term for “place of peace.” It is also the name of a beautiful hunting lodge, shooting range and event venue located in rural Kansas.&nbsp;Ethan and Morgan Jones are the owners of LaSada Lodge near Russell. Ethan grew up in Arkansas as an outdoorsman, hunting and fishing. He joined the Army and was stationed at Fort Riley. He later transitioned to the National Guard and studied Wildlife Outdoor Enterprise Management at Kansas State.&nbsp;Morgan is originally from Colby and came to K-State where she earned a degree in journalism with a minor in business. One of her roommates was dating a soldier who introduced her to Ethan, and Morgan and Ethan ultimately married.&nbsp;The young couple considered their future careers. “She wanted to have an events center, and I wanted to do something relating to hunting,” Ethan said. Then they learned about the LaSada Lodge near Russell.&nbsp;LaSada Lodge has a rich history. It began as a dairy barn constructed in 1898 on a foundation of native limestone collected on the property. Years later, the barn was remodeled to become lodging for a hunting lodge. Previous owners named it LaSada, a “place of peace.”&nbsp;In 2018, Morgan and Ethan purchased the LaSada Lodge. They remodeled and expanded the facility.&nbsp;Today, LaSada Lodge offers guided hunting, a shooting range, an events center and more. Hunts are available for pheasant, quail, chukar, turkey, whitetail deer and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;The hunting services include guides, hunting dogs, game cleaning and dressing, and hearty homecooked meals. For shooting sports, the options include sporting clays, trap shooting and a rifle and pistol range.&nbsp;LaSada Lodge recently added indoor/outdoor heated and cooled kennels for what is described as the pride of the lodge: Hunting dogs. The LaSada Lodge brochure states: “We maintain quality breeding practices by concentrating on superior genetics, champion bloodlines and top-notch nutrition.” LaSada uses English springers, German shorthaired pointers and Brittany spaniels.&nbsp;It is possible for guests to board their dogs at the lodge as well. On occasion, LaSada will have puppies or fully trained dogs available for purchase.&nbsp;The lodging consists of eight bedrooms; four are equipped with queen beds, two are double queen rooms, and two are queen plus twin rooms. Other amenities include a private dining area, kitchenette, wifi, hot tub, satellite television, shuffleboard, and a large outdoor deck.&nbsp;The indoor event center and outdoor pavilion can accommodate large or small groups.&nbsp;&nbsp;The lodge hosts weddings, parties and all kinds of special events.&nbsp;LaSada Lodge also offers getaway packages, including meals and hunting or shooting, such as the Shoot and Stay and the Birds and Blasts packages. There is also the romantic getaway package, including a bottle of sparkling wine and chocolate-dipped strawberries.&nbsp;Guests have come to the LaSada Lodge from as far away as Florida and Maine. One guest wrote: “The hunting, food, dogs, and accommodations were top shelf. Everything exceeded my expectations by a wide margin. For me the biggest differentiator and what really set them apart was their hospitality. Ethan and Morgan along with everyone else made us feel like family.”&nbsp;Another wrote:&nbsp;&nbsp;“Great way to spend a weekend! Sporting clays and shooting range are well-maintained and challenging, the lodge is updated, clean and comfortable, and the food is amazing!”&nbsp;And another:&nbsp;&nbsp;“Whether you’re going to a hunting class, hunting event, day at the range, wedding, retreat…it’s worth it!”&nbsp;LaSada Lodge is located only a half-dozen miles from Interstate 70. The lodge property is in a serene rural setting near the Smoky Hill River, approximately six miles southwest of the community of Russell, population 4,401 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.lasadalodge.com/">www.lasadalodge.com</a>.&nbsp;LaSada. It is a Native American term for place of peace, and it is also the name of this historic hunting lodge and event venue. We commend Ethan and Morgan Jones for making a difference with hospitality in a scenic rural setting. I’m glad LaSada Lodge is a peaceful and positive place.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Ethan and Morgan Jones, LaSada Lodge 

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher This past week I returned from one of the best weeks of the year, the American Farm Bureau Convention and Annual Meeting. It is truly something I look forward to each year and a highlight on my calendar. My favorite thing about the meeting is people in agriculture from all across the United States come together to decide on how to tackle the toughest issues facing our industry. I always meet new and interesting people like the sweet potato farmer from Mississippi I got to eat lunch with on Sunday. Our crops may have been different, but we spoke one common language — agriculture. I really enjoy just hanging out in the hallways listening to everyone talk about the weather and what was going on at their farms and ranches. It is a time to renew old friendships like my good friend Ben from Georgia or my buddy Rick from Idaho. We see each other once a year, but it does not take long to catch up on our lives. I love listening to the different accents and ways of communicating. The American Farm Bureau is truly a big tent organization; the meeting brings in producers from all across the nation. All types of agriculture from vegetables to honey, row crops, cattle and everything in between. You will find some of the largest farmers and ranchers in the same room as producers with much smaller operations. The best part is that there is a seat at the table for everyone. I really enjoy the general sessions, and this year I attended some highly informative workshops. I also had the privilege of judging the Young Farmer and Ranchers Committee’s Excellence in Agriculture award. I have to say it was humbling to listen to all the great accomplishments of the applicants, the amount of work they have done is absolutely amazing. I am also sure the tours were fantastic but, in my mind, those great events were not the most important part of our week in Atlanta. The annual business meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation is what we all come for. When we take the ideas that started out at the grassroots level and were distilled and refined through the state and national process and make the final tweaks before we adopt them. This policy making process is the blueprint of what will happen for the next year, our playbook of how to guide legislators and regulators for the benefit of agriculture. This process is tough, and it can be contentious at times. When you have an organization as diverse as ours not everyone will agree on how things should be done. In the end, arguments are presented, and points are made. The voting delegates take the information provided to them and make decisions shaping ag policy for at least the next year if not longer. Almost as soon as the gavel sounds, members begin working on policy for next year and looking forward to another good week in January.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576508626397.png" alt="Glenn Brunkow" />
 <figcaption>Glenn Brunkow</figcaption>
 </figure>By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher This past week I returned from one of the best weeks of the year, the American Farm Bureau Convention and Annual Meeting. It is truly something I look forward to each year and a highlight on my calendar. My favorite thing about the meeting is people in agriculture from all across the United States come together to decide on how to tackle the toughest issues facing our industry. I always meet new and interesting people like the sweet potato farmer from Mississippi I got to eat lunch with on Sunday. Our crops may have been different, but we spoke one common language — agriculture. I really enjoy just hanging out in the hallways listening to everyone talk about the weather and what was going on at their farms and ranches. It is a time to renew old friendships like my good friend Ben from Georgia or my buddy Rick from Idaho. We see each other once a year, but it does not take long to catch up on our lives. I love listening to the different accents and ways of communicating. The American Farm Bureau is truly a big tent organization; the meeting brings in producers from all across the nation. All types of agriculture from vegetables to honey, row crops, cattle and everything in between. You will find some of the largest farmers and ranchers in the same room as producers with much smaller operations. The best part is that there is a seat at the table for everyone. I really enjoy the general sessions, and this year I attended some highly informative workshops. I also had the privilege of judging the Young Farmer and Ranchers Committee’s Excellence in Agriculture award. I have to say it was humbling to listen to all the great accomplishments of the applicants, the amount of work they have done is absolutely amazing. I am also sure the tours were fantastic but, in my mind, those great events were not the most important part of our week in Atlanta. The annual business meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation is what we all come for. When we take the ideas that started out at the grassroots level and were distilled and refined through the state and national process and make the final tweaks before we adopt them. This policy making process is the blueprint of what will happen for the next year, our playbook of how to guide legislators and regulators for the benefit of agriculture. This process is tough, and it can be contentious at times. When you have an organization as diverse as ours not everyone will agree on how things should be done. In the end, arguments are presented, and points are made. The voting delegates take the information provided to them and make decisions shaping ag policy for at least the next year if not longer. Almost as soon as the gavel sounds, members begin working on policy for next year and looking forward to another good week in January."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: Ag across America

Several years ago when I began trapping beavers, one particular bend in a stream taught me a valuable lesson about wildlife sign. It was along a rutted dirt road somewhere between the middle of nowhere and the end of the line where an old bridge spanned the stream as it meandered through a sand hills pasture thick with cedars. 

Cottonwoods of various sizes grew near the stream, and from the truck I could see that several of the bigger ones had been severely gnawed by beavers. The owner had told me of fresh beaver chewings along this creek, but I hadn’t expected the amount I was seeing. I donned chest waders and shoulder length gloves, and with traps and stakes in hand headed for the stream. In a sharp bend ahead of me a scraggly brushy tree had toppled from the high bank above and lay intact in a deep pool in the creek below. 

I was pretty sure its thick mass of roots sheltered a beaver den dug deeply into the mud beneath, because cleanly stripped sticks floated around the edges of the pool, and pine boughs lay on the banks nearby. The water around the uprooted tree was too deep to wade into, so I went a ways in both directions from the den, set four traps and headed home with visions of 4 beavers the next day. After all, given the amount of fresh sign, beavers had to be thick in this creek… or were they? Four days later, I had only1 large beaver to show for my enthusiasm. That year, I learned a valuable lesson about beaver trapping that I had long ago learned about hunting and trapping other species; the amount of sign left by our four- legged quarry isn’t always a true picture of the number of critters.

I remember another safari I once took after our only good tracking snow of that winter. I headed for the woods to see what the fresh snow could show me. My first stop was a 30 acre soybean stubble field nestled along the river and surrounded by hedge trees on all sides. There were quite literally thousands of deer tracks criss-crossing that field! It looked like an elementary school playground after recess. Now I know there are lots of deer there, but are there thousands? Look under any bridge that crosses a stream and you’ll find literally hundreds of raccoon tracks in the mud. There are lots of raccoons in this part of Kansas, but again, do hundreds visit that bridge? I’m learning that the same is true of signs left by beavers along any waterway. Severed branches floating everywhere and chewed &amp; toppled trees by the dozens do not mean dozens of beavers.&nbsp;

For starters, we need to consider that all mammals we hunt and trap have 4 legs, and 4 feet can leave a multitude of tracks in one night’s time. Secondly, animal’s lives revolve around survival, and a major part of that survival is foraging for food. Lots of steps are taken each night in pursuit of that, two- legged birds included. All of you who have watched deer browse or raccoons waddle along a stream know that they don’t stand in one place very long. Multiply that times eight hours or more and that’s a lot of tracks! If we were to freshly paint the floors and isles of our workplaces, or our kitchen floors near the refrigerator, then observe the number of shoe prints there at the end of an eight hour work shift, or the end of our day at home, we’d be amazed how many tracks just a few of us would make.&nbsp;

	In the end, this all amounts to a few animals leaving a multitude of life-signs of various kinds. When scouting there is no better find than tracks and other signs left by our four- legged quarry. And while it is true that the more tracks and other signs you see, the more animals there are using that particular area, we just need to consider all the above when estimating wildlife numbers. So to be on the conservative side, count the tracks and divide by four! Continue to Explore Kansas outdoors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>Several years ago when I began trapping beavers, one particular bend in a stream taught me a valuable lesson about wildlife sign. It was along a rutted dirt road somewhere between the middle of nowhere and the end of the line where an old bridge spanned the stream as it meandered through a sand hills pasture thick with cedars. Cottonwoods of various sizes grew near the stream, and from the truck I could see that several of the bigger ones had been severely gnawed by beavers. The owner had told me of fresh beaver chewings along this creek, but I hadn’t expected the amount I was seeing. I donned chest waders and shoulder length gloves, and with traps and stakes in hand headed for the stream. In a sharp bend ahead of me a scraggly brushy tree had toppled from the high bank above and lay intact in a deep pool in the creek below. I was pretty sure its thick mass of roots sheltered a beaver den dug deeply into the mud beneath, because cleanly stripped sticks floated around the edges of the pool, and pine boughs lay on the banks nearby. The water around the uprooted tree was too deep to wade into, so I went a ways in both directions from the den, set four traps and headed home with visions of 4 beavers the next day. After all, given the amount of fresh sign, beavers had to be thick in this creek… or were they? Four days later, I had only1 large beaver to show for my enthusiasm. That year, I learned a valuable lesson about beaver trapping that I had long ago learned about hunting and trapping other species; the amount of sign left by our four- legged quarry isn’t always a true picture of the number of critters.I remember another safari I once took after our only good tracking snow of that winter. I headed for the woods to see what the fresh snow could show me. My first stop was a 30 acre soybean stubble field nestled along the river and surrounded by hedge trees on all sides. There were quite literally thousands of deer tracks criss-crossing that field! It looked like an elementary school playground after recess. Now I know there are lots of deer there, but are there thousands? Look under any bridge that crosses a stream and you’ll find literally hundreds of raccoon tracks in the mud. There are lots of raccoons in this part of Kansas, but again, do hundreds visit that bridge? I’m learning that the same is true of signs left by beavers along any waterway. Severed branches floating everywhere and chewed &amp; toppled trees by the dozens do not mean dozens of beavers.&nbsp;For starters, we need to consider that all mammals we hunt and trap have 4 legs, and 4 feet can leave a multitude of tracks in one night’s time. Secondly, animal’s lives revolve around survival, and a major part of that survival is foraging for food. Lots of steps are taken each night in pursuit of that, two- legged birds included. All of you who have watched deer browse or raccoons waddle along a stream know that they don’t stand in one place very long. Multiply that times eight hours or more and that’s a lot of tracks! If we were to freshly paint the floors and isles of our workplaces, or our kitchen floors near the refrigerator, then observe the number of shoe prints there at the end of an eight hour work shift, or the end of our day at home, we’d be amazed how many tracks just a few of us would make.&nbsp;	In the end, this all amounts to a few animals leaving a multitude of life-signs of various kinds. When scouting there is no better find than tracks and other signs left by our four- legged quarry. And while it is true that the more tracks and other signs you see, the more animals there are using that particular area, we just need to consider all the above when estimating wildlife numbers. So to be on the conservative side, count the tracks and divide by four! Continue to Explore Kansas outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Count the tracks and divide by four

Our son is 13, and he has been doing some part-time work for a friend of the family. He makes $40 to $60 a week, and he would like to begin investing the majority of what he earns. Do you have a suggestion for a good place he could put his money?

Well, here’s the thing. At this point in his life, the goal of this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/daves-investing-philosophy">investment</a>&nbsp;isn’t wealth. Number one, it’s not a lot of money. Number two, well, it’s not a lot of money. The goal is to create knowledge, reward his interest in the subject and teach him how to handle his finances when he’s an adult.

I’ve got no problem with you helping him open checking or savings accounts at a local bank or credit union. There are lots of good lessons to be learned in reconciling a bank statement, and the value of spending, saving and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/give-a-little-until-you-can-give-a-lot">giving</a>. Then, you could get with a good financial pro, one with the heart of a teacher, and let him open a mutual fund for $50 a month with you as the custodian. He could learn about compound interest, how to calculate the value of his shares and other things, and all that would be a good learning exercise, too.&nbsp;

We did these things with our kids. But keep in mind that over the course of a year—and when you’re 13, that’s an eternity—there’s not going to be a lot of action on the investing side of things. It could be kind of boring for him at times. But he’s better off to learn now that good things don’t always come with flashing lights and whistles.

When it comes to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/how-to-build-wealth">wealth building</a>, things aren’t sexy. Slow and steady wins the race!&nbsp;

*&nbsp;<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,Our son is 13, and he has been doing some part-time work for a friend of the family. He makes $40 to $60 a week, and he would like to begin investing the majority of what he earns. Do you have a suggestion for a good place he could put his money?LindsayDear Lindsay,Well, here’s the thing. At this point in his life, the goal of this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/daves-investing-philosophy">investment</a>&nbsp;isn’t wealth. Number one, it’s not a lot of money. Number two, well, it’s not a lot of money. The goal is to create knowledge, reward his interest in the subject and teach him how to handle his finances when he’s an adult.I’ve got no problem with you helping him open checking or savings accounts at a local bank or credit union. There are lots of good lessons to be learned in reconciling a bank statement, and the value of spending, saving and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/give-a-little-until-you-can-give-a-lot">giving</a>. Then, you could get with a good financial pro, one with the heart of a teacher, and let him open a mutual fund for $50 a month with you as the custodian. He could learn about compound interest, how to calculate the value of his shares and other things, and all that would be a good learning exercise, too.&nbsp;We did these things with our kids. But keep in mind that over the course of a year—and when you’re 13, that’s an eternity—there’s not going to be a lot of action on the investing side of things. It could be kind of boring for him at times. But he’s better off to learn now that good things don’t always come with flashing lights and whistles.When it comes to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/how-to-build-wealth">wealth building</a>, things aren’t sexy. Slow and steady wins the race!&nbsp;— Dave*&nbsp;<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: Where should he park the money?

By BARB KALBACH <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/01/15/hold-biden-administration-to-its-promises-for-fairer-ag-markets/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>

Family farmers like me have been 
calling for years for aggressive federal action to break up monopolies 
and make markets more fair.

We know what happens when a handful of companies control livestock 
and meatpacking markets: farmers earn a shrinking share of the food 
dollar, farm income declines, and meatpackers earn huge profits. 
Meatpacking corporations then use those profits to gain more control 
over livestock production, either through direct ownership or through 
subcontractors, in a never-ending cycle of corporate concentration and 
consolidation.

Recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see President Biden announce a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/01/03/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-action-plan-for-a-fairer-more-competitive-and-more-resilient-meat-and-poultry-supply-chain/">new initiative</a>
 to address this problem, one of the biggest facing rural America today.
 The “Administration’s Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and 
More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain” includes commitments to 
strengthen antitrust enforcement, provide more resources for legal 
actions when meatpackers break the law, and financial resources for new 
independent meat processing capacity.

If these policies are implemented effectively, the outcome would be 
increased competition in the marketplace for farmers and protections for
 consumers from soaring meat prices.

The statistics that back up this experience nationally are both 
confirming and alarming. According to the White House, four corporations
 control 85% of the beef market, four packers control around 70% of pork
 processing, and four firms control 54% of the poultry market. The 
farmers’ share of the consumer dollar for cattle producers has declined 
from 60 cents of every dollar 50 years ago to about 39 cents today. 
During the same time period, hog farmers’ share has declined from 
between 40 and 60 cents down to about 19 cents.

On my family’s farm in Adair County, we have directly experienced 
that change in livestock industry structure. When my husband and I got 
married nearly 50 years ago, we raised cattle and hogs, as well as hay 
and pasture and oats. Today, we no longer produce livestock since it has
 become unprofitable, and we focus on corn and soybeans. This story is 
the same for hundreds of farm families here in Adair County, and for 
thousands of former livestock farmers throughout Iowa.

Rather than the diversified, more decentralized livestock production 
and processing system of the past, multinational corporate power is on 
full display here in Iowa. JBS, Smithfield, Tyson, Cargill, Marfrig 
(National Beef), and others operate both giant meat processing plants 
and livestock production factories in many parts of our state. It’s no 
surprise that concentrated production controlled by meatpacking 
corporations has also resulted in concentrated pollution to air and 
water from livestock and poultry manure.

In addition to squeezing family farmers to drive down their operating
 costs, corporate meatpackers are also currently ripping off consumers, 
attempting to blame “rising costs and inflation” for rising meat prices.
 The same White House report, however, states that the latest corporate 
profit reports document a 120% increase in gross profits and a 500% 
increase in net income by meatpacking corporations since before the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

I agree with President Biden’s analysis of the situation: “We’ve seen
 too many industries become dominated by a handful of large companies 
that control most of the business and most of the opportunities — 
raising prices and decreasing options for American families, while also 
squeezing out small businesses and entrepreneurs… When dominant 
middlemen control so much of the supply chain, they can increase their 
own profits at the expense of both farmers — who make less — and 
consumers, who pay more.”

I also agree that this initiative addresses some key needs, including
 a commitment to issue new, stronger rules under the Packers and 
Stockyards Act, investing millions in federal funding for new 
independent meat processing operations in small towns, and instituting 
additional transparency in livestock markets.

President Biden’s recent focus on corporate power in the livestock 
and meatpacking industry is one of those moments when a large group of 
organized people can make meaningful change. The truth is, we have a lot
 of work to do. We have to hold the president, Secretary of Agriculture 
Tom Vilsack and Attorney General Merrick Garland accountable for their 
promises.

We also need to push them to address factory farm pollution, as well 
as better pay and protections for meatpacking workers. We need to make 
sure that the meat processing funding truly goes to local, independent 
operations instead of becoming yet another corporate agribusiness slush 
fund.

What’s needed now is a strong push from farmers, consumer advocates, 
people concerned about corporate influence over our democracy, and 
citizens who want a more fair economy to pull together and make sure 
that the White House rhetoric is matched with administrative and 
congressional action.

The time is now for us to weigh in together and demand a government 
and an economy that works for people instead of multinational 
corporations. Let’s get to work!

Barb Kalbach is a fourth-generation family farmer registered nurse, and board member of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642441681557.png" alt="Workers in a pork processing plant, 2016. (Photo by USGAO/Wikipedia/Via News From the States)" />
 <figcaption>Workers in a pork processing plant, 2016. (Photo by USGAO/Wikipedia/Via News From the States)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BARB KALBACH <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/01/15/hold-biden-administration-to-its-promises-for-fairer-ag-markets/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>Family farmers like me have been 
calling for years for aggressive federal action to break up monopolies 
and make markets more fair.We know what happens when a handful of companies control livestock 
and meatpacking markets: farmers earn a shrinking share of the food 
dollar, farm income declines, and meatpackers earn huge profits. 
Meatpacking corporations then use those profits to gain more control 
over livestock production, either through direct ownership or through 
subcontractors, in a never-ending cycle of corporate concentration and 
consolidation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see President Biden announce a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/01/03/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-action-plan-for-a-fairer-more-competitive-and-more-resilient-meat-and-poultry-supply-chain/">new initiative</a>
 to address this problem, one of the biggest facing rural America today.
 The “Administration’s Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and 
More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain” includes commitments to 
strengthen antitrust enforcement, provide more resources for legal 
actions when meatpackers break the law, and financial resources for new 
independent meat processing capacity.If these policies are implemented effectively, the outcome would be 
increased competition in the marketplace for farmers and protections for
 consumers from soaring meat prices.The statistics that back up this experience nationally are both 
confirming and alarming. According to the White House, four corporations
 control 85% of the beef market, four packers control around 70% of pork
 processing, and four firms control 54% of the poultry market. The 
farmers’ share of the consumer dollar for cattle producers has declined 
from 60 cents of every dollar 50 years ago to about 39 cents today. 
During the same time period, hog farmers’ share has declined from 
between 40 and 60 cents down to about 19 cents.On my family’s farm in Adair County, we have directly experienced 
that change in livestock industry structure. When my husband and I got 
married nearly 50 years ago, we raised cattle and hogs, as well as hay 
and pasture and oats. Today, we no longer produce livestock since it has
 become unprofitable, and we focus on corn and soybeans. This story is 
the same for hundreds of farm families here in Adair County, and for 
thousands of former livestock farmers throughout Iowa.Rather than the diversified, more decentralized livestock production 
and processing system of the past, multinational corporate power is on 
full display here in Iowa. JBS, Smithfield, Tyson, Cargill, Marfrig 
(National Beef), and others operate both giant meat processing plants 
and livestock production factories in many parts of our state. It’s no 
surprise that concentrated production controlled by meatpacking 
corporations has also resulted in concentrated pollution to air and 
water from livestock and poultry manure.In addition to squeezing family farmers to drive down their operating
 costs, corporate meatpackers are also currently ripping off consumers, 
attempting to blame “rising costs and inflation” for rising meat prices.
 The same White House report, however, states that the latest corporate 
profit reports document a 120% increase in gross profits and a 500% 
increase in net income by meatpacking corporations since before the 
COVID-19 pandemic.I agree with President Biden’s analysis of the situation: “We’ve seen
 too many industries become dominated by a handful of large companies 
that control most of the business and most of the opportunities — 
raising prices and decreasing options for American families, while also 
squeezing out small businesses and entrepreneurs… When dominant 
middlemen control so much of the supply chain, they can increase their 
own profits at the expense of both farmers — who make less — and 
consumers, who pay more.”I also agree that this initiative addresses some key needs, including
 a commitment to issue new, stronger rules under the Packers and 
Stockyards Act, investing millions in federal funding for new 
independent meat processing operations in small towns, and instituting 
additional transparency in livestock markets.President Biden’s recent focus on corporate power in the livestock 
and meatpacking industry is one of those moments when a large group of 
organized people can make meaningful change. The truth is, we have a lot
 of work to do. We have to hold the president, Secretary of Agriculture 
Tom Vilsack and Attorney General Merrick Garland accountable for their 
promises.We also need to push them to address factory farm pollution, as well 
as better pay and protections for meatpacking workers. We need to make 
sure that the meat processing funding truly goes to local, independent 
operations instead of becoming yet another corporate agribusiness slush 
fund.What’s needed now is a strong push from farmers, consumer advocates, 
people concerned about corporate influence over our democracy, and 
citizens who want a more fair economy to pull together and make sure 
that the White House rhetoric is matched with administrative and 
congressional action.The time is now for us to weigh in together and demand a government 
and an economy that works for people instead of multinational 
corporations. Let’s get to work!Barb Kalbach is a fourth-generation family farmer registered nurse, and board member of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.

Opinion