A couple of weeks ago, I shared the educational program in Great Bend titled, “Diabetes: You are in Control.” The statistics are mind boggling. Diabetes is a common, costly, and serious disease. More than 34 million adults in the United States have diabetes, and one in five of them do not know they have the disease. A diagnosis of diabetes can be scary, but studies have shown that with healthful eating and modest regular physical activity, type 2 diabetes can be delayed, controlled and even prevented.

Dining with Diabetes is a K-State Research and Extension health and wellness program that consists of a series of four classes that include, learning, demonstrations, physical activity and tasting healthy foods. The program’s focus is to help individuals learn strategies to lessen the health risks of diabetes.

The program objectives of this on-line course include:

Dining with Diabetes is a national extension program provided to Kansans by K-State Research and Extension Family and Consumer Sciences professionals and community health partners. The program is a series of four 2-hour classes that are held once a week. Classes consist of a presentation on diabetes self-care or healthful food choices; a five to ten-minute low-impact physical activity; presentations on tasty, healthy familiar foods, sampling foods, and demonstrations of cooking techniques using artificial sweeteners, reduced-fat foods, herbs, and spices.&nbsp;

The program is designed for people with diabetes and their family members, caregivers, and support persons.

Since this is an online format, participants can enroll in a class that meets their scheduling needs even if the facilitator is located across the state. I noticed that there are classes set to begin in May and June. The cost of the course is $25.

The following link will take you to the classes that are available at this time. <a href="https://noncreditksu.catalog.instructure.com/browse/kstateglobalcampusnoncreditprograms/ksre-noncredit">https://noncreditksu.catalog.instructure.com/browse/kstateglobalcampusnoncreditprograms/ksre-noncredit</a>&nbsp;

Feel free to give me a call if you need assistance with signing up for this on-line course, or if you would like to receive a copy of the fact sheet, “Diabetes: You are in Control.”

Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593016082485.png" alt="Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>A couple of weeks ago, I shared the educational program in Great Bend titled, “Diabetes: You are in Control.” The statistics are mind boggling. Diabetes is a common, costly, and serious disease. More than 34 million adults in the United States have diabetes, and one in five of them do not know they have the disease. A diagnosis of diabetes can be scary, but studies have shown that with healthful eating and modest regular physical activity, type 2 diabetes can be delayed, controlled and even prevented.Dining with Diabetes is a K-State Research and Extension health and wellness program that consists of a series of four classes that include, learning, demonstrations, physical activity and tasting healthy foods. The program’s focus is to help individuals learn strategies to lessen the health risks of diabetes.The program objectives of this on-line course include:<ul>
 <li>Increase knowledge about healthy foods</li><li>Present healthy versions of familiar foods and taste testing of recipes</li><li>Demonstrate new cooking techniques</li><li>Provide basic information regarding diabetes and nutrition</li><li>Provide opportunities for sharing and learning from one another and from diabetes health professionals</li>
 </ul>Dining with Diabetes is a national extension program provided to Kansans by K-State Research and Extension Family and Consumer Sciences professionals and community health partners. The program is a series of four 2-hour classes that are held once a week. Classes consist of a presentation on diabetes self-care or healthful food choices; a five to ten-minute low-impact physical activity; presentations on tasty, healthy familiar foods, sampling foods, and demonstrations of cooking techniques using artificial sweeteners, reduced-fat foods, herbs, and spices.&nbsp;The program is designed for people with diabetes and their family members, caregivers, and support persons.Since this is an online format, participants can enroll in a class that meets their scheduling needs even if the facilitator is located across the state. I noticed that there are classes set to begin in May and June. The cost of the course is $25.The following link will take you to the classes that are available at this time. <a href="https://noncreditksu.catalog.instructure.com/browse/kstateglobalcampusnoncreditprograms/ksre-noncredit">https://noncreditksu.catalog.instructure.com/browse/kstateglobalcampusnoncreditprograms/ksre-noncredit</a>&nbsp;Feel free to give me a call if you need assistance with signing up for this on-line course, or if you would like to receive a copy of the fact sheet, “Diabetes: You are in Control.”Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

KRUG: Dining with diabetes online course available

Governor Laura Kelly just took an interesting tack on the Kansas Legislature’s bill prohibiting Transgender girls from competing in girls’ athletics.&nbsp; She calls it a job killer.&nbsp; Is she right?	

	Kelly noted that states like North Carolina have experienced companies moving out of,&nbsp; or refusing to relocate into their state due to discriminatory laws.&nbsp; Georgia’s restrictive new election laws have also generated calls for corporate boycotts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

	The Governor is alluding to an idea called the creative class, advanced in the early 2000s by urban studies professor Richard Florida.&nbsp; He argued that a new social class was beginning to shape American politics and society.&nbsp; They combine college education, professional aspirations, and socially-liberal values.&nbsp; The creative class questions traditional institutions.&nbsp; They are less likely to get married or go to church, for example. They also reinvented the workplace.&nbsp; Increasingly, in the professional world you are judged on what you accomplished, not where you worked, what schedule you kept, or how you dressed.&nbsp; Work facilities such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft headquarters incorporate coffee bars, gyms, outdoor recreational areas, and child care centers.&nbsp; Kansas City’s massive Cerner headquarters also has many of these.&nbsp; Long before the pandemic and Zoom, Florida envisioned more and more professionals working on laptops while sitting on park benches or in coffeehouses.&nbsp; 	

	According to Florida, this new creative class celebrates tolerance.&nbsp; Even those not directly affected still perceive a community hostile to its Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) neighbors as being equally hostile to the inventive, nontraditional new approaches to work, family and play embraced by creatives.&nbsp; It would also be unwelcome to their friends and family who are LGBT.&nbsp; Non-inclusive communities would be passed over by employers because they could not recruit their creative, often (but not always) college-educated employees to move there.&nbsp;&nbsp;

	A few years ago, Amazon announced after an intense competition that it was building a second headquarters in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC.&nbsp; Even with generous tax breaks, that area has a much higher cost of doing business than many other possible locations.&nbsp; However, it offered the right mix-- a transportation hub and a cosmopolitan metropolitan area attracting the creative class professionals that Amazon needs.

	In some ways, the theory appears to fit Kansas.&nbsp; This state’s highest-growth locations are suburbs such as Johnson County, along with the larger college towns, Lawrence and Manhattan.&nbsp; Responsible for 25% of the state’s GDP, JoCo is represented by Sharice Davids, who is lesbian, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, and the state’s only Congressional Democrat.&nbsp;&nbsp;

	Then again, Florida’s analysis has also faced withering criticism.&nbsp; Not all creative class workers are socially liberal.&nbsp; Also, workers still go where they can find jobs, particularly when jobs are scarce.&nbsp; There is also a cause-and-effect issue.&nbsp; Do more professionals make a place tolerant, or vice-versa?&nbsp; Finally, will creatives decide if they can live here based on the statewide environment, or that of specific communities like Lawrence?&nbsp; Consider Austin, Texas.&nbsp; Austin is one of the nation’s premier creative class hubs, attracting many people who disagree with Texas’ statewide political climate.

	To be clear: this “Trans ban” is a completely unneeded attack on the personhood of Trans girls.&nbsp; It mandates discrimination based on fearmongering and ignorance about science.&nbsp; It is a blatant, politicized attempt to drive a wedge between advocates for girls’ sports and advocates for Transgender rights.&nbsp; However, the Governor’s economic argument is not the strongest case against this bill.&nbsp; There are plenty of others.&nbsp; 

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579108824567.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>Governor Laura Kelly just took an interesting tack on the Kansas Legislature’s bill prohibiting Transgender girls from competing in girls’ athletics.&nbsp; She calls it a job killer.&nbsp; Is she right?		Kelly noted that states like North Carolina have experienced companies moving out of,&nbsp; or refusing to relocate into their state due to discriminatory laws.&nbsp; Georgia’s restrictive new election laws have also generated calls for corporate boycotts.&nbsp;&nbsp;	The Governor is alluding to an idea called the creative class, advanced in the early 2000s by urban studies professor Richard Florida.&nbsp; He argued that a new social class was beginning to shape American politics and society.&nbsp; They combine college education, professional aspirations, and socially-liberal values.&nbsp; The creative class questions traditional institutions.&nbsp; They are less likely to get married or go to church, for example. They also reinvented the workplace.&nbsp; Increasingly, in the professional world you are judged on what you accomplished, not where you worked, what schedule you kept, or how you dressed.&nbsp; Work facilities such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft headquarters incorporate coffee bars, gyms, outdoor recreational areas, and child care centers.&nbsp; Kansas City’s massive Cerner headquarters also has many of these.&nbsp; Long before the pandemic and Zoom, Florida envisioned more and more professionals working on laptops while sitting on park benches or in coffeehouses.&nbsp; 		According to Florida, this new creative class celebrates tolerance.&nbsp; Even those not directly affected still perceive a community hostile to its Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) neighbors as being equally hostile to the inventive, nontraditional new approaches to work, family and play embraced by creatives.&nbsp; It would also be unwelcome to their friends and family who are LGBT.&nbsp; Non-inclusive communities would be passed over by employers because they could not recruit their creative, often (but not always) college-educated employees to move there.&nbsp;&nbsp;	A few years ago, Amazon announced after an intense competition that it was building a second headquarters in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC.&nbsp; Even with generous tax breaks, that area has a much higher cost of doing business than many other possible locations.&nbsp; However, it offered the right mix-- a transportation hub and a cosmopolitan metropolitan area attracting the creative class professionals that Amazon needs.	In some ways, the theory appears to fit Kansas.&nbsp; This state’s highest-growth locations are suburbs such as Johnson County, along with the larger college towns, Lawrence and Manhattan.&nbsp; Responsible for 25% of the state’s GDP, JoCo is represented by Sharice Davids, who is lesbian, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, and the state’s only Congressional Democrat.&nbsp;&nbsp;	Then again, Florida’s analysis has also faced withering criticism.&nbsp; Not all creative class workers are socially liberal.&nbsp; Also, workers still go where they can find jobs, particularly when jobs are scarce.&nbsp; There is also a cause-and-effect issue.&nbsp; Do more professionals make a place tolerant, or vice-versa?&nbsp; Finally, will creatives decide if they can live here based on the statewide environment, or that of specific communities like Lawrence?&nbsp; Consider Austin, Texas.&nbsp; Austin is one of the nation’s premier creative class hubs, attracting many people who disagree with Texas’ statewide political climate.	To be clear: this “Trans ban” is a completely unneeded attack on the personhood of Trans girls.&nbsp; It mandates discrimination based on fearmongering and ignorance about science.&nbsp; It is a blatant, politicized attempt to drive a wedge between advocates for girls’ sports and advocates for Transgender rights.&nbsp; However, the Governor’s economic argument is not the strongest case against this bill.&nbsp; There are plenty of others.&nbsp; Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Is the trans ban a job killer?

Gen. Colin L. Powell will deliver the following remarks at the Freedom Forum’s <a href="https://www.freeexpressionawards.org/" target="_blank">2021 Free Expression Awards</a>
 celebration tonight, April 15, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Powell, former U.S. 
secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is the 
recipient of the event’s Global Freedom of Expression Leadership Award. 
His remarks have been edited for clarity and length.

Good evening everyone. It’s a great pleasure to be with you as you 
pay tribute to all of these wonderful people who have been involved in 
the work of your group and who also represent the kind of fantastic 
things that we have to say about what we are doing with respect to 
freedom of speech.

I have a deep sense of feeling for what you stand for. I have been an
 American in public life for going on 50 years. The first 35 of them 
were to be a soldier. One of the responsibilities I had was to defend 
the Constitution of the United States, to defend the United States of 
America.

One of the things I had to defend was not just fighting an enemy but 
dealing with another enemy that could come about: somebody trying to 
shut down freedom of speech. I believe the First Amendment, the first 
element of the Bill of Rights, is one of the most important elements of 
our Constitution and especially of all the amendments to the 
Constitution.

What do I mean? I was fighting for freedom of speech. I was serving 
my country for freedom of religion. I was doing everything I could to 
protect my country in every single way with respect to what we stand for
 — not just battles or armies but things, visions, what we’re doing here
 tonight.

In the military I would occasionally get into little fights with some
 members of the media. I like working with the media. I trust the media,
 and I hope the media trusts me.

But you have to understand this: I will help the media in every way 
to give them all the information I have and they need, with one 
exception. I also have to protect the soldiers of the United States of 
America. There’s always a bit of a conflict in how close we can come 
between these two objectives. My responsibility as a soldier and as a 
citizen is to tell the public, tell my fellow citizens, all I can as 
long as I’m not putting soldiers’ lives at risk.

The people I worked with in the Army were putting their lives at 
risk. I had to defend the rights that they had: the rights to come home 
safely … and to always believe in and get ready to fight for freedom of 
the press, freedom of religion, and all the other freedoms that line up 
in your wonderful organization and in our wonderful country.

So I want to thank all of you for coming together tonight to give 
awards to these individuals. I am especially honored and pleased that 
you would see me fit to give me an award of this kind.

But I want to tell you this: Many times people said, “Tell us more.” 
No. I will tell you what I can, but I will not give away things you 
should not have.

I’ve tried hard to always be honest with the public, to be honest 
with the press. The press is the public, the public is the press. That’s
 what we’re all about. I cannot imagine an America that does not believe
 in these values.

I cannot imagine that I fought for an America that did not realize 
what freedom of speech, freedom of religion and all the other freedoms 
are about. That’s the America I fought for. That’s the America I believe
 in. That’s the America so many Americans believe in.

We have to stand up against those Americans who see fit not to 
support us. This is what we do for a living. This is what I’m prepared 
to give my life for.

My right to speak out, your right to speak out, this is what the 
foundation’s all about, what you guys are all about. This is what makes 
your organization so impressive and so important to the nation. I also 
want to thank you again for what you have done to honor those of us who 
have received the honor.

I’m not sure I really deserve it compared to those members of the 
press, members of the media who have also put themselves in danger 
without being able to defend themselves. … We could not be the country 
we are if it wasn’t for those of you who … tell us the truth and fight 
against those who will not tell us the truth.

I’ve always tried to do it. I’ve gotten in trouble a few times in the
 military or even in civilian life, when I pushed back and said, “No. 
Won’t do it. Can’t do it.”

“Because I’m violating the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. But 
more importantly, I’m violating the people of the United States, who are
 expecting me to do it the way I’ve said I will do it, the way I’ve been
 told to do it by the Constitution, and the way I have been told to do 
it by every one of my fellow citizens.”

When I see something wrong, I will speak out about it. I’ve done that
 a number of times — with the flag, several times. Honor the flag. Honor
 what it stands for. But if you want to burn it, you have the freedom to
 do that. It is a piece of cloth that has been purchased by a civilian. 
That piece of cloth is owned by that civilian to use in whatever way 
that civilian wants. I hope he won’t (burn) it, but he has a right and 
the freedom to do it. Because he has that right and freedom, I have 
protected my rights and my freedoms.

It’s a great pleasure to be with you tonight to share this evening 
with all those who have been given honors, and to give my best wishes to
 the Freedom Forum. You are making a difference.

Tonight’s virtual<a href="https://www.freeexpressionawards.org/" target="_blank"> Free Expression Awards</a> ceremony is free and open to all. It begins at 7 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618493549258.png" alt="Gen. Colin Powell" />
 <figcaption>Gen. Colin Powell</figcaption>
 </figure>Gen. Colin L. Powell will deliver the following remarks at the Freedom Forum’s <a href="https://www.freeexpressionawards.org/" target="_blank">2021 Free Expression Awards</a>
 celebration tonight, April 15, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Powell, former U.S. 
secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is the 
recipient of the event’s Global Freedom of Expression Leadership Award. 
His remarks have been edited for clarity and length.Good evening everyone. It’s a great pleasure to be with you as you 
pay tribute to all of these wonderful people who have been involved in 
the work of your group and who also represent the kind of fantastic 
things that we have to say about what we are doing with respect to 
freedom of speech.I have a deep sense of feeling for what you stand for. I have been an
 American in public life for going on 50 years. The first 35 of them 
were to be a soldier. One of the responsibilities I had was to defend 
the Constitution of the United States, to defend the United States of 
America.One of the things I had to defend was not just fighting an enemy but 
dealing with another enemy that could come about: somebody trying to 
shut down freedom of speech. I believe the First Amendment, the first 
element of the Bill of Rights, is one of the most important elements of 
our Constitution and especially of all the amendments to the 
Constitution.What do I mean? I was fighting for freedom of speech. I was serving 
my country for freedom of religion. I was doing everything I could to 
protect my country in every single way with respect to what we stand for
 — not just battles or armies but things, visions, what we’re doing here
 tonight.In the military I would occasionally get into little fights with some
 members of the media. I like working with the media. I trust the media,
 and I hope the media trusts me.But you have to understand this: I will help the media in every way 
to give them all the information I have and they need, with one 
exception. I also have to protect the soldiers of the United States of 
America. There’s always a bit of a conflict in how close we can come 
between these two objectives. My responsibility as a soldier and as a 
citizen is to tell the public, tell my fellow citizens, all I can as 
long as I’m not putting soldiers’ lives at risk.The people I worked with in the Army were putting their lives at 
risk. I had to defend the rights that they had: the rights to come home 
safely … and to always believe in and get ready to fight for freedom of 
the press, freedom of religion, and all the other freedoms that line up 
in your wonderful organization and in our wonderful country.So I want to thank all of you for coming together tonight to give 
awards to these individuals. I am especially honored and pleased that 
you would see me fit to give me an award of this kind.But I want to tell you this: Many times people said, “Tell us more.” 
No. I will tell you what I can, but I will not give away things you 
should not have.I’ve tried hard to always be honest with the public, to be honest 
with the press. The press is the public, the public is the press. That’s
 what we’re all about. I cannot imagine an America that does not believe
 in these values.I cannot imagine that I fought for an America that did not realize 
what freedom of speech, freedom of religion and all the other freedoms 
are about. That’s the America I fought for. That’s the America I believe
 in. That’s the America so many Americans believe in.We have to stand up against those Americans who see fit not to 
support us. This is what we do for a living. This is what I’m prepared 
to give my life for.My right to speak out, your right to speak out, this is what the 
foundation’s all about, what you guys are all about. This is what makes 
your organization so impressive and so important to the nation. I also 
want to thank you again for what you have done to honor those of us who 
have received the honor.I’m not sure I really deserve it compared to those members of the 
press, members of the media who have also put themselves in danger 
without being able to defend themselves. … We could not be the country 
we are if it wasn’t for those of you who … tell us the truth and fight 
against those who will not tell us the truth.I’ve always tried to do it. I’ve gotten in trouble a few times in the
 military or even in civilian life, when I pushed back and said, “No. 
Won’t do it. Can’t do it.”“Why can’t you do it?”“Because I’m violating the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. But 
more importantly, I’m violating the people of the United States, who are
 expecting me to do it the way I’ve said I will do it, the way I’ve been
 told to do it by the Constitution, and the way I have been told to do 
it by every one of my fellow citizens.”When I see something wrong, I will speak out about it. I’ve done that
 a number of times — with the flag, several times. Honor the flag. Honor
 what it stands for. But if you want to burn it, you have the freedom to
 do that. It is a piece of cloth that has been purchased by a civilian. 
That piece of cloth is owned by that civilian to use in whatever way 
that civilian wants. I hope he won’t (burn) it, but he has a right and 
the freedom to do it. Because he has that right and freedom, I have 
protected my rights and my freedoms.It’s a great pleasure to be with you tonight to share this evening 
with all those who have been given honors, and to give my best wishes to
 the Freedom Forum. You are making a difference.Thank you.Tonight’s virtual<a href="https://www.freeexpressionawards.org/" target="_blank"> Free Expression Awards</a> ceremony is free and open to all. It begins at 7 p.m.

Powell defends First Amendment in Freedom Forum address

I turned onto the street that runs in front of our home in the quiet, sleepy, little town of Inman, KS. I hadn’t driven more than fifty feet, when out from between two neighbors’ houses trotted a canine that was not a dog. The long, bushy tail with a white tip held straight out behind as it sauntered across the street, gave it away as a red fox. I followed it as it crossed the grade school parking lot, walked across the front lawn of the school, then crossed the street into a neighboring yard, never spooked and merely strolling along.

A few years back, a pair of red foxes called Inman home for awhile until the den was found and everybody and their brother began showing up to sneak a peek, at which point the foxes moved on. I had heard some were again being seen around town, and was glad for the show. Red foxes live in many of our small Kansas towns, having found all they need there for good, safe lives away from marauding coyotes that will kill them given the chance.&nbsp;

One of my editors who runs a monthly outdoor page suggested I do a column entitled “When wild animals encroach on your yard and eat stuff they shouldn’t.” Welcome to spring in the Kansas outdoors when all the critters are on the prowl around chicken coops, corrals and even backyards looking for quick, easy meals to feed dens and nests full of youngins.’ This time of the year emboldens predators to hunt and prowl during the day when they would otherwise never think of it. &nbsp;

Like springtime on the farm, springtime in the wild is a season filled with babies everywhere. It is no coincidence that there is more prey available in the form of young, easily caught critters at this time each year, just exactly when every wild animal needs extra prey to feed its young.&nbsp; Isn’t it amazing how everything seems to come full circle back to the fact that God knew exactly what He was doing when he engineered the order of things! Even with the glut of easily caught “wild” lunches right now, predators are still opportunists at heart and will not think twice about grabbing a young farm animal or even cats, kittens and small dogs if given the chance. As spring turns into July and August, increased predation seen in the spring will slow again, but in the meantime, there are a few extra precautions that can be taken to at least make the opportunists think twice about grabbing’ something from the coop, corral or backyard.

Even though you can’t keep an eye on poultry and young farm animals 24/7, giving them a place under roof to spend the night will help dramatically. Giving poultry a place to spend the night behind a closed door is a good thing any time of the year. Remember, despite their willingness to prowl more during daylight right now, a predator’s favorite time to hunt is still after dark. Keeping the grass and weeds mowed and trees pruned around pens will help also, as removing any cover predators can use to sneak close to a barn, chicken house or yard will help deter their presence. Sadly, there’s not a lot that can be done in town to deter predators aside from keeping cats, dogs and chickens within a fenced yard or enclosure of some sort.

&nbsp;Playing a radio and keeping a couple lights lit in the barn where sheep and goats spend the night will sound like human activity to a predator and can help deter their presence. The most effective predator prevention is probably a good watch dog, even if it’s small.&nbsp; Dogs of any size make predators nervous, and even though any coyote, bobcat or raccoon worth its salt can easily overpower most small dogs especially if they catch them out in the open, a noisy little mutt relentlessly yapping away at them as they slink around the barn or sheep pen might at least make them question their plan, and will likely alert you in the process. Unfortunately, a yappy little dog will probably not work well in town, as it will probably keep you in hot water with the rest of the neighborhood.

Yup, its spring time in the Kansas outdoors again, and all the critters and predators have families to feed and might “Encroach on your yard and eat stuff they shouldn’t” as they follow their God-given instincts to protect and feed their young. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not condoning that, after all, I’m a coyote trapper. But I am saying that understanding why it happens helps me look at it from a slightly different perspective. …. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>I turned onto the street that runs in front of our home in the quiet, sleepy, little town of Inman, KS. I hadn’t driven more than fifty feet, when out from between two neighbors’ houses trotted a canine that was not a dog. The long, bushy tail with a white tip held straight out behind as it sauntered across the street, gave it away as a red fox. I followed it as it crossed the grade school parking lot, walked across the front lawn of the school, then crossed the street into a neighboring yard, never spooked and merely strolling along.A few years back, a pair of red foxes called Inman home for awhile until the den was found and everybody and their brother began showing up to sneak a peek, at which point the foxes moved on. I had heard some were again being seen around town, and was glad for the show. Red foxes live in many of our small Kansas towns, having found all they need there for good, safe lives away from marauding coyotes that will kill them given the chance.&nbsp;One of my editors who runs a monthly outdoor page suggested I do a column entitled “When wild animals encroach on your yard and eat stuff they shouldn’t.” Welcome to spring in the Kansas outdoors when all the critters are on the prowl around chicken coops, corrals and even backyards looking for quick, easy meals to feed dens and nests full of youngins.’ This time of the year emboldens predators to hunt and prowl during the day when they would otherwise never think of it. &nbsp;Like springtime on the farm, springtime in the wild is a season filled with babies everywhere. It is no coincidence that there is more prey available in the form of young, easily caught critters at this time each year, just exactly when every wild animal needs extra prey to feed its young.&nbsp; Isn’t it amazing how everything seems to come full circle back to the fact that God knew exactly what He was doing when he engineered the order of things! Even with the glut of easily caught “wild” lunches right now, predators are still opportunists at heart and will not think twice about grabbing a young farm animal or even cats, kittens and small dogs if given the chance. As spring turns into July and August, increased predation seen in the spring will slow again, but in the meantime, there are a few extra precautions that can be taken to at least make the opportunists think twice about grabbing’ something from the coop, corral or backyard.Even though you can’t keep an eye on poultry and young farm animals 24/7, giving them a place under roof to spend the night will help dramatically. Giving poultry a place to spend the night behind a closed door is a good thing any time of the year. Remember, despite their willingness to prowl more during daylight right now, a predator’s favorite time to hunt is still after dark. Keeping the grass and weeds mowed and trees pruned around pens will help also, as removing any cover predators can use to sneak close to a barn, chicken house or yard will help deter their presence. Sadly, there’s not a lot that can be done in town to deter predators aside from keeping cats, dogs and chickens within a fenced yard or enclosure of some sort.&nbsp;Playing a radio and keeping a couple lights lit in the barn where sheep and goats spend the night will sound like human activity to a predator and can help deter their presence. The most effective predator prevention is probably a good watch dog, even if it’s small.&nbsp; Dogs of any size make predators nervous, and even though any coyote, bobcat or raccoon worth its salt can easily overpower most small dogs especially if they catch them out in the open, a noisy little mutt relentlessly yapping away at them as they slink around the barn or sheep pen might at least make them question their plan, and will likely alert you in the process. Unfortunately, a yappy little dog will probably not work well in town, as it will probably keep you in hot water with the rest of the neighborhood.Yup, its spring time in the Kansas outdoors again, and all the critters and predators have families to feed and might “Encroach on your yard and eat stuff they shouldn’t” as they follow their God-given instincts to protect and feed their young. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not condoning that, after all, I’m a coyote trapper. But I am saying that understanding why it happens helps me look at it from a slightly different perspective. …. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com. &nbsp;

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Springtime wildlife sightings

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher It is springtime in the Flint Hills, and that means one thing: It’s pasture burning season. Those of us who are caretakers of the Flint Hills know fire is the most important tool we have to maintain the last large-scale vestige of warm-season tallgrass prairie. Without it, invasive shrubs and trees would take over and the Flint Hills prairie would be no more. However, in recent years burning has come under extra scrutiny from the EPA because of air quality issues in the large cities surrounding the Flint Hills. Pardon the pun, but we had a burning issue. Kansas Farm Bureau and other agriculture organizations worked with EPA, Kansas State University and others to build&nbsp;<a href="http://ksfire.org/">ksfire.org</a>, a website that helps producers understand where their smoke will go so they can time burns to lessen the impact on our city cousins. This voluntary collaboration is an example of how working with others can ensure we have all the tools we need to be good stewards of the natural resources we all value and rely on. In the end we have helped reduce the air quality problems with minimal impact to our essential operations. That is why Kansas Farm Bureau is so vital to all of us as ag producers, even if you are not a Flint Hills grazer and are not impacted by this issue, I can give several others that do have direct implications to your long-term sustainability as a farmer or rancher. Kansas Farm Bureau plays a critical role in the day-to-day operations of everyone in agriculture, and I can think of no more important reason that every farmer and rancher, or anyone involved in ag for that matter, should be a member of Kansas Farm Bureau. We are all busy with the day-to-day details of our farms and ranches, and we only get busier every day. The incredible staff of Kansas Farm Bureau are here every day watching out for the best interests of our members. As the largest general farm organization in Kansas and as a part of the American Farm Bureau Association, the largest general farm organization in the United States, we can work with other ag organizations, consumer groups and across the aisle with both parties to help build better and more workable solutions to protect our livelihoods. I am sure you know those of us involved in production agriculture are a very small minority, less than 2 percent of the population, and that is why we need the unified collective voice of Kansas Farm Bureau. If you are not a member, I promise it will be the best money you spend each year. If you are a member and you know of neighbors who are not, I challenge you to sit down with them and tell them we need them. Kansas Farm Bureau has a place and a need for everyone involved in agriculture. Because of Kansas Farm Bureau’s engagement, we still have the ability to use fire as a tool to keep our Flint Hills ecosystem healthy and viable. This was a victory for all of us in Kansas agriculture and, pardon the pun, is not blowing smoke.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576508626397.png" alt="Glenn Brunkow" />
 <figcaption>Glenn Brunkow</figcaption>
 </figure>By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher It is springtime in the Flint Hills, and that means one thing: It’s pasture burning season. Those of us who are caretakers of the Flint Hills know fire is the most important tool we have to maintain the last large-scale vestige of warm-season tallgrass prairie. Without it, invasive shrubs and trees would take over and the Flint Hills prairie would be no more. However, in recent years burning has come under extra scrutiny from the EPA because of air quality issues in the large cities surrounding the Flint Hills. Pardon the pun, but we had a burning issue. Kansas Farm Bureau and other agriculture organizations worked with EPA, Kansas State University and others to build&nbsp;<a href="http://ksfire.org/">ksfire.org</a>, a website that helps producers understand where their smoke will go so they can time burns to lessen the impact on our city cousins. This voluntary collaboration is an example of how working with others can ensure we have all the tools we need to be good stewards of the natural resources we all value and rely on. In the end we have helped reduce the air quality problems with minimal impact to our essential operations. That is why Kansas Farm Bureau is so vital to all of us as ag producers, even if you are not a Flint Hills grazer and are not impacted by this issue, I can give several others that do have direct implications to your long-term sustainability as a farmer or rancher. Kansas Farm Bureau plays a critical role in the day-to-day operations of everyone in agriculture, and I can think of no more important reason that every farmer and rancher, or anyone involved in ag for that matter, should be a member of Kansas Farm Bureau. We are all busy with the day-to-day details of our farms and ranches, and we only get busier every day. The incredible staff of Kansas Farm Bureau are here every day watching out for the best interests of our members. As the largest general farm organization in Kansas and as a part of the American Farm Bureau Association, the largest general farm organization in the United States, we can work with other ag organizations, consumer groups and across the aisle with both parties to help build better and more workable solutions to protect our livelihoods. I am sure you know those of us involved in production agriculture are a very small minority, less than 2 percent of the population, and that is why we need the unified collective voice of Kansas Farm Bureau. If you are not a member, I promise it will be the best money you spend each year. If you are a member and you know of neighbors who are not, I challenge you to sit down with them and tell them we need them. Kansas Farm Bureau has a place and a need for everyone involved in agriculture. Because of Kansas Farm Bureau’s engagement, we still have the ability to use fire as a tool to keep our Flint Hills ecosystem healthy and viable. This was a victory for all of us in Kansas agriculture and, pardon the pun, is not blowing smoke."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: Burning and other issues

Learning to identify poison ivy is vital if you wish to avoid the rash that accompanies exposure. &nbsp;Unfortunately, poison ivy can make identification difficult because it occurs in three forms: an erect woody shrub, a groundcover that creeps along the ground, and a woody vine that will climb trees.

When poison ivy climbs, it forms numerous aerial roots that give the vine the appearance of a fuzzy rope. The leaves of poison ivy also vary. Though the compound leaf always has three leaflets, the leaf margins may be toothed, incised, lobed, or smooth. The size of the leaves also can vary, although usually, the middle leaflet is larger than the other two. Also, the middle leaflet is the only one with a long stalk; the other two are closely attached to the petiole (leaf stem). The number of leaves gives rise to the saying: "Leaves of three, let it be!" Poison ivy is often confused with Virginia creeper or Woodbine. Each of these vines, however, has five leaflets rather than three. There are three methods commonly used to eradicate poison ivy. These include pulling or grubbing out the plants by hand, cutting off the vine, and then treating the cut stump or the regrowth, and spraying the plants directly. The method used depends somewhat on the plant's growth form. If the plant is growing as a groundcover, direct spray or grubbing the plant out is often used. If grubbing, wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt. The soil must be moist for grubbing to work well. Wash the clothes and yourself immediately after you finish. It might also be a good idea to rinse the washing machine. If the plant is in the shrub form, the direct spray is the most common control method. If the plant is a woody vine that has climbed a tree, the preferred method is to cut the plant off at the base and treat the sprouts after they emerge. Some triclopyr herbicides also have instructions on treating a freshly cut stump directly. Triclopyr (Brush-B-Gon Poison Ivy Killer, Brush Killer Stump Killer) is most often used for poison ivy control. Other Herbicides that can be used include glyphosate (Roundup, Killzall Weed and Grass Killer, Nutgrass, Poison Ivy, and VineKiller) or dicamba. Poison ivy is tough. Repeat applications may be necessary. Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580750915301.jpeg" alt="Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Learning to identify poison ivy is vital if you wish to avoid the rash that accompanies exposure. &nbsp;Unfortunately, poison ivy can make identification difficult because it occurs in three forms: an erect woody shrub, a groundcover that creeps along the ground, and a woody vine that will climb trees.When poison ivy climbs, it forms numerous aerial roots that give the vine the appearance of a fuzzy rope. The leaves of poison ivy also vary. Though the compound leaf always has three leaflets, the leaf margins may be toothed, incised, lobed, or smooth. The size of the leaves also can vary, although usually, the middle leaflet is larger than the other two. Also, the middle leaflet is the only one with a long stalk; the other two are closely attached to the petiole (leaf stem). The number of leaves gives rise to the saying: "Leaves of three, let it be!" Poison ivy is often confused with Virginia creeper or Woodbine. Each of these vines, however, has five leaflets rather than three. There are three methods commonly used to eradicate poison ivy. These include pulling or grubbing out the plants by hand, cutting off the vine, and then treating the cut stump or the regrowth, and spraying the plants directly. The method used depends somewhat on the plant's growth form. If the plant is growing as a groundcover, direct spray or grubbing the plant out is often used. If grubbing, wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt. The soil must be moist for grubbing to work well. Wash the clothes and yourself immediately after you finish. It might also be a good idea to rinse the washing machine. If the plant is in the shrub form, the direct spray is the most common control method. If the plant is a woody vine that has climbed a tree, the preferred method is to cut the plant off at the base and treat the sprouts after they emerge. Some triclopyr herbicides also have instructions on treating a freshly cut stump directly. Triclopyr (Brush-B-Gon Poison Ivy Killer, Brush Killer Stump Killer) is most often used for poison ivy control. Other Herbicides that can be used include glyphosate (Roundup, Killzall Weed and Grass Killer, Nutgrass, Poison Ivy, and VineKiller) or dicamba. Poison ivy is tough. Repeat applications may be necessary. Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

​FICK: Poison ivy identification and control

The legislature wrapped up its work for the regular session on April 9. Lawmakers will return to Topeka on May 3 for the veto session, at which time they will finalize the budget and consider any legislation vetoed by the governor during the April break. I hope to see many of you over the next couple of weeks in person on virtually.

Some 2021 Legislative Accomplishments:

The Value Them Both constitutional amendments will allow Kansas voters to determine whether Kansas will continue to be a pro-life state. This measure will be on the ballot in August 2022.

1) Mask mandates issued by the governor revoked, and authority given to local governments. 2) Property tax transparency; requires local governments to hold public hearings on tax increases and notify taxpayers of what taxes they will actually pay from various taxing entities. 3) Kansas Promise Scholarship Act - helps prepare Kansans for today’s workforce needs through targeted scholarships. &nbsp;4) Low-interest loan assistance for communities affected by the surge in natural gas prices during the winter cold snap. &nbsp;5) Economic Recovery Loan Deposit Program – a new resource for small businesses and ag producers that may have been financially impacted by the pandemic. 6) Business and healthcare COVID-related liability protections set in place.

1) Overhaul the administration’s unemployment system; set modernization requirements and oversight to ensure that hardworking Kansans can receive the assistance they need. &nbsp;2) Tax cuts for families and small businesses, including increasing the standard deduction for all Kansans. 3) Harsher penalties for criminals who stalk minors.

Unemployment Overhaul Legislation Sent to the Governor

As a reminder, the House previously passed HB 2196, which urge Governor Kelly to overhaul the Kansas Department of Labor’s (KDOL) unemployment system. It is widely known that KDOL has experienced ongoing issues in assisting Kansans who need immediate assistance. 

The goal of this bill is to remedy that, to make sure that the administration addresses the current problems and to guarantee the long-term stability of the state’s unemployment system. The main components of the bill include: A) Oversight and IT modernization B) Fraud immunity for Kansas businesses C) Rate table adjustments for employers.

This past week, House and Senate negotiators further amended the bill to increase the criminal punishment for fraudsters and prohibit unemployment modernization contracts from being entered into prior to review by the Unemployment Compensation Modernization and Improvement Council and the Legislative Coordinating Council. HB 2196 passed the House and Senate and is on its way to the governor’s desk for her consideration.

Budget Headed to the Governor, Consensus Revenue Estimates Later&nbsp;This Month

&nbsp;Last Friday, the House and Senate approved the conference committee report for House Bill 2007, which contains the budget for all state agencies minus K-12 education. K-12 funding will be determined when legislators return for the veto session.

Following Senate approval of the measure, the House voted 71-52 to send the bill to the governor for her consideration. It is likely there will be line-item vetoes for the House to consider overriding when the legislature returns on May 3.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, we will meet April 27 to begin work on the omnibus appropriations bill. 

The bill may contain positions from budget negotiations and earlier committee discussions, which deferred items to omnibus for consideration. 

The committee will be provided an update on the Consensus Revenue Estimates (CRE) and any possible Governor’s Budget Amendments (GBA). The estimates, a projection of SGF revenues, will be released on April 20 and will be a revision of the Fall 2020 estimates. A new SGF profile will be created, reflecting the new revenue estimates, along with approved expenditures from HB 2007. This profile is critical in balancing the state’s budget, protecting taxpayers, and planning for future needs.

If you would like to contact me: email is: ken.rahje@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at 785-302-8416. It is my honor to be your representative.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581437228209.jpeg" alt="Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist." />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>04-13-21Hello from Agra. The legislature wrapped up its work for the regular session on April 9. Lawmakers will return to Topeka on May 3 for the veto session, at which time they will finalize the budget and consider any legislation vetoed by the governor during the April break. I hope to see many of you over the next couple of weeks in person on virtually.Some 2021 Legislative Accomplishments: The Value Them Both constitutional amendments will allow Kansas voters to determine whether Kansas will continue to be a pro-life state. This measure will be on the ballot in August 2022.Bills passed and signed into law: 1) Mask mandates issued by the governor revoked, and authority given to local governments. 2) Property tax transparency; requires local governments to hold public hearings on tax increases and notify taxpayers of what taxes they will actually pay from various taxing entities. 3) Kansas Promise Scholarship Act - helps prepare Kansans for today’s workforce needs through targeted scholarships. &nbsp;4) Low-interest loan assistance for communities affected by the surge in natural gas prices during the winter cold snap. &nbsp;5) Economic Recovery Loan Deposit Program – a new resource for small businesses and ag producers that may have been financially impacted by the pandemic. 6) Business and healthcare COVID-related liability protections set in place.Bills awaiting action from the Governor: 1) Overhaul the administration’s unemployment system; set modernization requirements and oversight to ensure that hardworking Kansans can receive the assistance they need. &nbsp;2) Tax cuts for families and small businesses, including increasing the standard deduction for all Kansans. 3) Harsher penalties for criminals who stalk minors.Unemployment Overhaul Legislation Sent to the GovernorAs a reminder, the House previously passed HB 2196, which urge Governor Kelly to overhaul the Kansas Department of Labor’s (KDOL) unemployment system. It is widely known that KDOL has experienced ongoing issues in assisting Kansans who need immediate assistance. The goal of this bill is to remedy that, to make sure that the administration addresses the current problems and to guarantee the long-term stability of the state’s unemployment system. The main components of the bill include: A) Oversight and IT modernization B) Fraud immunity for Kansas businesses C) Rate table adjustments for employers.This past week, House and Senate negotiators further amended the bill to increase the criminal punishment for fraudsters and prohibit unemployment modernization contracts from being entered into prior to review by the Unemployment Compensation Modernization and Improvement Council and the Legislative Coordinating Council. HB 2196 passed the House and Senate and is on its way to the governor’s desk for her consideration.Budget Headed to the Governor, Consensus Revenue Estimates Later&nbsp;This Month&nbsp;Last Friday, the House and Senate approved the conference committee report for House Bill 2007, which contains the budget for all state agencies minus K-12 education. K-12 funding will be determined when legislators return for the veto session.Following Senate approval of the measure, the House voted 71-52 to send the bill to the governor for her consideration. It is likely there will be line-item vetoes for the House to consider overriding when the legislature returns on May 3.As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, we will meet April 27 to begin work on the omnibus appropriations bill. The bill may contain positions from budget negotiations and earlier committee discussions, which deferred items to omnibus for consideration. The committee will be provided an update on the Consensus Revenue Estimates (CRE) and any possible Governor’s Budget Amendments (GBA). The estimates, a projection of SGF revenues, will be released on April 20 and will be a revision of the Fall 2020 estimates. A new SGF profile will be created, reflecting the new revenue estimates, along with approved expenditures from HB 2007. This profile is critical in balancing the state’s budget, protecting taxpayers, and planning for future needs.If you would like to contact me: email is: ken.rahje@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at 785-302-8416. It is my honor to be your representative.Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist. House District 110 includes:&nbsp; Norton and Phillips Counties Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis and Schoenchen;&nbsp;Townships: Big Creek(part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Herzog(part),&nbsp;Lookout(part) and Wheatland(part) Graham County: City: Hill City;&nbsp;Townships: Hill City(part) and Nicodemus(part) Rooks County: Cities: Damar, Palco, Plainville,&nbsp;Stockton, Woodston and Zurich

RAHJES REPORT: April 13

Crude futures prices settled below $60 per barrel for five consecutive trading sessions last week. Friday's settlement price was $59.32 per barrel. Prices on the Nymex briefly topped $60 Monday, but by lunchtime the benchmark contract was going for $59.67 per barrel. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $49.50 per barrel after dropping a quarter per barrel on Friday. Current Kansas prices are about a dollar lower than at the first of the month, but are nearly $11 higher than at the beginning of the year. Triple-A says a jump in demand and tightening supplies prompted major fluctuations in gasoline prices. The national average on Thursday was down slightly to $2.87 per gallon. That's down slightly from last week, but up a dime from a month ago, and nearly a dollar more than a year ago. Changes in weekly statewide average prices ranged from an increase of 15 cents to a decrease of three cents. The average in Kansas jumped three cents to $2.68 per gallon Thursday. Your 15-gallon fill-up will cost you nearly $19 more than last year at this time, but only a dime more than last week. Oilfield services employment has a long way to go to return to pre-pandemic levels, but last month's numbers are a good start. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and analysis by the Energy Workforce and Technology Council, that sector notched upwards of 102,000 pandemic-related job losses. World Oil dot com reports improvements in the fourth quarter of last year were followed by cuts in December, January and February. But the government says the sector added more than 23,000 jobs in March. Baker Hughes reported 432 active drilling rigs across the country last week, an increase of two gas rigs. The count in Oklahoma was up one for the week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports seven active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, up two for the week, and 12 west of Wichita, which is down one. The inactive count across Kansas reached 145, adding ten more cold-stacked rigs to that list. Since last year, 45 rigs have gone out of state or "gone to rust." The total number of rigs in Kansas, both available and inactive, dropped from 238 a year ago to 193 last week. Of 17 new drilling permits in Kansas last week, 12 are west of Wichita and five are in the eastern half of the state. Our cumulative tally shows 212 new drilling permits so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports nine newly completed wells across the state last week, two of them east of Wichita and seven in Western Kansas. That's 187 completions so far this year. Domestic crude inventories dropped last week by 3.5 million barrels. The US Energy Information Administration said stockpiles are just over 498 million barrels, or about 3% over the five-year seasonal average. Crude production in the US increased last week by more than 100,000 barrels per day. EIA says output for the week ending April 2 averaged nearly 10.9 million barrels per day. That's down from 12.4 million barrels per day a year ago. The government reported U.S. crude imports increased more than 100,000 barrels per day to 6.3 million. EIA said the four-week average is down about five percent from a year ago. Weekly oil-by-rail traffic declined last week by 291 carloads from the week before, to 10,403 tanker cars. The Association of America Railroads reports the year-over-year decline dropped to one tenth of one percent, the smallest such comparison in recent memory. The AAR reports a 14 percent increase in total monthly rail traffic in the U.S. in March compared to a year ago. But the trade group cautions that for some cargo categories, the changes from last year are inflated because of the widespread shutdowns last year at this time. In March 2021, oil-by-rail deliveries were down 5,073 carloads, or 8.5 percent. One of the biggest players in the Bakken is selling a big piece of the play. Hess Corporation will unload more than 78,000 acres in North Dakota to Enerplus Corporation in a deal worth $312 million, which they expect to close next month. The property is in the southernmost part of the Hess portfolio and is not connected to the pipeline and processing infrastructure of Hess Midstream. CEO John Hess says they were not planning any more drilling in the parcel for at least five years. Net production from this acreage averaged 4,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the first quarter of 2021.&nbsp; Several large oil-patch companies are going Green, even as economists warn of the impact. North America's biggest oil pipeline company is now seeking Canadian tax incentives similar to those available in the US, in an effort to become competitive in hydrogen production and renewable electricity. Enbridge last year became the first North American industry player to set a goal of eliminating all net emissions from its operations by the year 2050. Two of Canada's biggest producers are hyping their new emissions goals. But, Canadian Natural Resources and Cenovus Energy both said Tuesday they will not pivot away from their core businesses.&nbsp; A new report suggests Canada's pursuit of aggressive climate targets could cost three out of every four Canadian oil-and-gas workers their jobs. The report by TD Economics estimates that in less than thirty years, up to 450,000 of Canada’s current 600,000 direct and indirect oil and gas jobs could become casualties of falling demand, without some kind of worker-transition plan in place.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY JOHN P. TRETBARCrude futures prices settled below $60 per barrel for five consecutive trading sessions last week. Friday's settlement price was $59.32 per barrel. Prices on the Nymex briefly topped $60 Monday, but by lunchtime the benchmark contract was going for $59.67 per barrel. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $49.50 per barrel after dropping a quarter per barrel on Friday. Current Kansas prices are about a dollar lower than at the first of the month, but are nearly $11 higher than at the beginning of the year. Triple-A says a jump in demand and tightening supplies prompted major fluctuations in gasoline prices. The national average on Thursday was down slightly to $2.87 per gallon. That's down slightly from last week, but up a dime from a month ago, and nearly a dollar more than a year ago. Changes in weekly statewide average prices ranged from an increase of 15 cents to a decrease of three cents. The average in Kansas jumped three cents to $2.68 per gallon Thursday. Your 15-gallon fill-up will cost you nearly $19 more than last year at this time, but only a dime more than last week. Oilfield services employment has a long way to go to return to pre-pandemic levels, but last month's numbers are a good start. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and analysis by the Energy Workforce and Technology Council, that sector notched upwards of 102,000 pandemic-related job losses. World Oil dot com reports improvements in the fourth quarter of last year were followed by cuts in December, January and February. But the government says the sector added more than 23,000 jobs in March. Baker Hughes reported 432 active drilling rigs across the country last week, an increase of two gas rigs. The count in Oklahoma was up one for the week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports seven active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, up two for the week, and 12 west of Wichita, which is down one. The inactive count across Kansas reached 145, adding ten more cold-stacked rigs to that list. Since last year, 45 rigs have gone out of state or "gone to rust." The total number of rigs in Kansas, both available and inactive, dropped from 238 a year ago to 193 last week. Of 17 new drilling permits in Kansas last week, 12 are west of Wichita and five are in the eastern half of the state. Our cumulative tally shows 212 new drilling permits so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports nine newly completed wells across the state last week, two of them east of Wichita and seven in Western Kansas. That's 187 completions so far this year. Domestic crude inventories dropped last week by 3.5 million barrels. The US Energy Information Administration said stockpiles are just over 498 million barrels, or about 3% over the five-year seasonal average. Crude production in the US increased last week by more than 100,000 barrels per day. EIA says output for the week ending April 2 averaged nearly 10.9 million barrels per day. That's down from 12.4 million barrels per day a year ago. The government reported U.S. crude imports increased more than 100,000 barrels per day to 6.3 million. EIA said the four-week average is down about five percent from a year ago. Weekly oil-by-rail traffic declined last week by 291 carloads from the week before, to 10,403 tanker cars. The Association of America Railroads reports the year-over-year decline dropped to one tenth of one percent, the smallest such comparison in recent memory. The AAR reports a 14 percent increase in total monthly rail traffic in the U.S. in March compared to a year ago. But the trade group cautions that for some cargo categories, the changes from last year are inflated because of the widespread shutdowns last year at this time. In March 2021, oil-by-rail deliveries were down 5,073 carloads, or 8.5 percent. One of the biggest players in the Bakken is selling a big piece of the play. Hess Corporation will unload more than 78,000 acres in North Dakota to Enerplus Corporation in a deal worth $312 million, which they expect to close next month. The property is in the southernmost part of the Hess portfolio and is not connected to the pipeline and processing infrastructure of Hess Midstream. CEO John Hess says they were not planning any more drilling in the parcel for at least five years. Net production from this acreage averaged 4,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the first quarter of 2021.&nbsp; Several large oil-patch companies are going Green, even as economists warn of the impact. North America's biggest oil pipeline company is now seeking Canadian tax incentives similar to those available in the US, in an effort to become competitive in hydrogen production and renewable electricity. Enbridge last year became the first North American industry player to set a goal of eliminating all net emissions from its operations by the year 2050. Two of Canada's biggest producers are hyping their new emissions goals. But, Canadian Natural Resources and Cenovus Energy both said Tuesday they will not pivot away from their core businesses.&nbsp; A new report suggests Canada's pursuit of aggressive climate targets could cost three out of every four Canadian oil-and-gas workers their jobs. The report by TD Economics estimates that in less than thirty years, up to 450,000 of Canada’s current 600,000 direct and indirect oil and gas jobs could become casualties of falling demand, without some kind of worker-transition plan in place.

News From the Oil Patch: Government reports uptick in oilfield service jobs

SENATE HIGHLIGHTS -&nbsp;WEEKLY OVERVIEWS

This week was the last week of legislative activity before VETO session.&nbsp; Late Friday afternoon, the Senate gaveled out for adjournment and will reconvene on May 3 for VETO Session.&nbsp; The Senate voted on numerous conference committee reports and also debated bills on the Senate Floor the last few short weeks.&nbsp; A conference committee is a small, bipartisan, and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House and Senate’s version of a similar bill.&nbsp; Once the conference committee reaches a compromise, the negotiated bill is sent to both the House and Senate for a final vote before advancing to the governor’s desk.&nbsp;

The Senate voted to confirm ten appointments: Daniel Klucas to the Office of the State Securities Commissioner; Amber Shultz, new Secretary of Labor; Steven Anderson, Office of Inspector General; Rebecca Dickinson, Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board; Sheryl Gilchrist and Tom Phillips to the State Civil Service Board; Brandon Jones, Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission; Suchitra Padmanabhan, Kansas Development Finance Authority; Mark Uhlig, University of Kansas Hospital Authority; and Kristen Wheeler to the State Board of Tax Appeals.&nbsp;&nbsp;

SB 50&nbsp;- Marketplace Facilitators and Income Tax Deductions and Exemptions.&nbsp; It would&nbsp; require the collection and remittance of taxes by marketplace facilitators.&nbsp; The bill also amends income tax law regarding fraudulent unemployment benefits, itemized and standard deductions, business income related to 2017 federal legislation, corporation return filing, net operating losses, and the business expensing deduction.

HB 2332 &amp; S Sub for HB 2183 –&nbsp;would require any third-party who sends out advance voting applications to identify who they are, who the head of their organization is, and a clear statement indicating it is not mailed from the government.&nbsp; It would also prevent the Governor, the Executive Branch, and the Judicial Branch from altering election laws, as occurred last year.&nbsp; It also broadened the definition of election tampering.

HB 2039&nbsp;- Civics Education bill - would require, beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, students enrolled in an accredited public, private, or parochial high school to pass a civics test, or series of tests, as part of the Kansas required courses of instruction for graduation.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2074/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2074</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;Technology Enabled Fiduciary Financial Institutions (TEFFI) - Fiduciary Financial Institutions Act (Act), Kansas trusts will be established by investors across the United States to hold their alternative asset investments with the goal to provide cash flow to Kansas “economic growth zones,” which largely overlap Rural Opportunity Zones.

SB 199&nbsp;would amend law in the Insurance Code governing specially designed policies and short-term policies to update references to short-term limited duration up to a maximum policy period of 36 months total in duration.&nbsp; <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb100/" target="_blank">SB 100</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;would amend a statute requiring suspension of a driver’s license for driving when the person’s driving privileges are canceled, suspended, or revoked, a provision requiring the Division of Vehicles to extend a period of suspension or revocation an additional 90 days.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb265/" target="_blank">SB 265</a>&nbsp;would authorize the Governor’s allotment for the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) Death and Disability Program and institute a moratorium on all payments made by KPERS employers for Fiscal Year 2021.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb304/" target="_blank">SB 304</a>&nbsp;would remove the expiration date of May 1, 2021, contained in the COVID-19 Contact Tracing Privacy Act.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2064/" target="_blank">HB 2064</a>&nbsp;would amend provisions in the Kansas Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) Act relating to participating members’ election and extension of their DROP periods.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2077/" target="_blank">HB 2077</a>&nbsp;would amend law related to the Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission and the Kansas Closed Case Task Force.&nbsp;

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2079/" target="_blank">HB 2079</a>&nbsp;would transfer certain duties from the Secretary of State to the Attorney General. It would also amend statutes to transfer responsibility for administering the Safe at Home program from the Secretary of State to the Attorney General.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2085/" target="_blank">HB 2085</a>&nbsp;would create the Students’ Right to Know Act. It would require the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) to ensure the distribution, electronic or otherwise, of certain information to all students in grades 7 through 12.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2101/" target="_blank">HB 2101</a>&nbsp;extend the current transfer of the first $10.5 million credited to the Expanded Lottery Act Revenues Fund (ELARF) from ELARF to the Kangrow engineering fund - KU, the Kan-grow engineering fund - KSU, and the Kan-grow engineering fund - WSU with each such engineering fund.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2106/" target="_blank">HB 2106</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;expends the dates when corporate tax returns are required to be filed.&nbsp; It would clarify that victims of identity theft would not owe Kansas individual income tax on any compensation that was fraudulently obtained by another.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2114/" target="_blank">HB 2114</a>&nbsp;would establish the Kansas Senior Care Task Force.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2121/" target="_blank">HB 2121</a>&nbsp;would amend the penalties for the crime of mistreatment of a dependent adult or elder person, define the term “absconds from supervision,” and amend law regarding sureties and delivery of a person arrested.&nbsp; The bill would amend the crime of mistreatment of a dependent adult or elder person to raise the penalty.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2136/" target="_blank">HB 2136</a>&nbsp;would amend several provisions in the Insurance Code pertaining to service contracts, surplus lines insurance, the Standard Nonforfeiture Law for Individual Deferred Annuities, the Utilization Review Organization Act and oversight of utilization review organizations, and risk retention groups.&nbsp;

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2158/" target="_blank">&nbsp;2158</a>&nbsp;would amend provisions in the statute governing the State Child Death Review Board regarding confidentiality of information acquired by and records of the Board.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2196/" target="_blank">S Sub HB 2196</a>&nbsp;would create the Unemployment Compensation Modernization and&nbsp;Improvement Council; require the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) to modernize its information technology (IT) infrastructure.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2201/" target="_blank">S Sub HB 2201</a>&nbsp;would authorize the Secretary of Transportation to let construction any modernization or expansion project under the Eisenhower Program that would utilize federal stimulus funds.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2208/" target="_blank">S Sub HB 2208</a>&nbsp;would enact the Rural Emergency Hospital Act and create a category of licensure to enable certain Kansas hospitals to receive federal health care reimbursement as rural emergency hospitals.&nbsp; The bill would require benefits coverage for services provided by rural emergency hospitals if covered when performed by a general hospital or critical access hospital. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2244/" target="_blank">HB 2244</a>&nbsp;would amend the Commercial Industrial Hemp Act to transfer registration and regulation of industrial hemp processors currently regulated by the Kansas Department of Agriculture to the State Fire Marshal.&nbsp; It would also amend law regarding the disposal of industrial hemp; unlawful marketing, selling, or distributing hemp products without registration or license; and create an exception for transportation of industrial hemp between producers and processors.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2247/" target="_blank">HB 2247</a>&nbsp;designates several highways and bridges across Kansas as memorial highways and bridges, naming them after certain individuals who served Kansas in distinguished ways, including veterans and former elected officials.&nbsp; This bill includes Marshall County US Hwy&nbsp;77 as the CPL Allen E. Oatney and SP4 Gene A. Myers memorial highway.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2379/" target="_blank">HB 2379</a>&nbsp;would enact the Peer-to-Peer (or P2P) Vehicle Sharing Program Act, which would allow the authorized use of a shared vehicle by an individual other than the shared vehicle’s owner through a P2P program.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2390/" target="_blank">HB 2390</a>&nbsp;would amend the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) to make certain temporary exceptions in current law permanent.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2391/" target="_blank">HB 2391</a>&nbsp;would revise and update certain provisions pertaining to business and other related filings and repeal obsolete laws, related to the Secretary of State. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb283/" target="_blank">SB 283</a>&nbsp;extends several provisions of law related to COVID-19, extending provisions regarding Telemedicine, Temporary Licensure, and Immunity.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2021/" target="_blank">HB 2021</a>&nbsp;would authorize the Kansas Development Finance Authority (KDFA), on and after July 1, 2021, to issue bonds, not to exceed $10.5 million, for the purpose of financing the construction of a state veterans home facility located in northeast Kansas.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2143/" target="_blank">HB 2143</a>&nbsp;would extend the sunset on an exclusion of motor vehicle manufacturer rebates from the selling price for sales tax purposes to June 30, 2024.&nbsp; It would also exempt the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation of Kansas and Multi Community Diversified Services from paying sales tax on purchases related to the building, maintenance, and enlargement of facilities.&nbsp; Also, the bill would increase, as of January 1, 2022, the threshold filing amounts for retailers to submit sales taxes to the Department of Revenue - from $400 to $15,000 for annual filings and $4,000 to $25,000 for quarterly filings.&nbsp; Retailers with annual liability in excess of $25,000 would be required to file and remit sales tax on a monthly basis.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2245/" target="_blank">HB 2245</a>&nbsp;authorizes the Division of Vehicles of the Department of Revenue to collect emergency contact information and would provide for the use of such information by law enforcement agencies. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2104/" target="_blank">S Sub SB 2104</a>&nbsp;would amend law related to the list of eligible county appraisers, the qualifications of county and district appraisers, appraisal standards, Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA) administration and membership, property valuation appeals, judicial review of property tax disputes, BOTA membership and school district budget certification. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb124/" target="_blank">SB 124</a>&nbsp;reauthorizes and amends several provisions related to the STAR Bonds program.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2238/" target="_blank">HB 2238</a>&nbsp;would remove a $500,000 limit on gifts school districts, governing bodies of cities, or both jointly are able to accept for the express purpose of the construction or furnishing of a library.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2295/" target="_blank">HB 2295</a>&nbsp;would exempt municipal motor grader vehicles from requirements of the Kansas Uniform Commercial Drivers’ License Act. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb181/" target="_blank">SB 181</a>&nbsp;would create the Elevator Safety Act. It would establish requirements for licensure of elevator contractors, mechanics, and inspectors; require elevators to be certified as having been annually inspected; establish the Elevator Safety Advisory Board.&nbsp;

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb290/" target="_blank">SB 290</a>&nbsp;would amend coverage requirements specified in the Health Care Provider Insurance Availability Act (HCPIAA) for all new and renewal professional liability insurance policies for defined health care providers.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2134/" target="_blank">HB 2134</a>&nbsp;would codify the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Credit for Reinsurance Model Regulation into statute and amend the Kansas credit for reinsurance statute.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2165/" target="_blank">HB 2165</a>&nbsp;would define all vehicles more than 35 years old as an antique vehicle.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2167/" target="_blank">HB 2167</a>&nbsp;would add two exceptions to law requiring a license plate to be attached to the rear of a motor vehicle. The bill would allow concrete mixer trucks the option to display a license plate on the front of the vehicle rather than on the rear of the vehicle and would require a dump truck with a gross weight of 26,000 pounds or more to display a license plate on the front of the vehicle.&nbsp; The requirement for a dump truck to display a license plate on the front of the vehicle would not apply to a vehicle registered as a farm truck.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2203/" target="_blank">HB 2203</a>&nbsp;would establish the Asbestos Remediation Fund.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2218/" target="_blank">HB 2218</a>&nbsp;would amend law governing the implementation and administration of the State Health Care Benefits Program.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb172/" target="_blank">SB 172</a>&nbsp;would protect critical infrastructure in Kansas. It would amend the Kansas Criminal Code regarding crimes involving property by establishing four new crimes: trespassing on a critical infrastructure facility, aggravated trespassing and criminal damage to a CIF. The bill would also allow a judge to order restitution for property damage.

HCR 5015 -&nbsp;- A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the United States Congress to reject legislation to federalize elections in the United States of America.

HB 2224&nbsp;would expand the definition of "infectious disease" in certain statutes related to crimes in which bodily fluids may have been transmitted from one person to another.

S Sub HB2138&nbsp;would make changes to the Kansas Liquor Control Act and Club and Drinking Establishment Act concerning suspending, canceling, or revoking certain liquor licenses; days and times of sale of liquor and cereal malt beverage (CMB); and refillable and sealable containers of liquor and CMB.

Sub HB 2089&nbsp;would create law related to firearm safety education programs conducted in public school districts.

HB 2408&nbsp;would authorize and direct the Kansas Historical Society (KSHS) to convey by quitclaim deed, a parcel of land in Doniphan County to the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska.

HB 2405&nbsp;would authorize the Kansas Development Finance Authority (KDFA) to issue bonds, in one or more series, in an amount not to exceed $500 million, plus all amounts required to pay the costs of issuance. Proceeds from those bonds must be applied to the unfunded actuarial pension liability of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS).

HB 2401&nbsp;would authorize the Secretary of Corrections to enter into agreements for public-private partnerships for projects for new or renovated buildings at correctional institutions.

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

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORTS AND ACTION BY THE GOVERNOR&nbsp;

Numerous conference committee reports – the blended House and Senate versions of bills – from the last week are being processed and sent to the governor’s office.&nbsp; Within ten days after passage, a bill must be signed by the presiding officers of each chamber, the chief clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate, and be presented to the governor for approval.&nbsp; The governor has ten days after receipt of the bill to act on it.&nbsp; If the governor does not act on it during the ten-day period, the bill automatically becomes law without the governor’s signature.&nbsp; Most bills passed by the Legislature are approved by the governor.&nbsp; However, the governor may veto a bill by refusing to sign it and returning it to the chamber in which the bill originated, together with a statement of the reasons for the veto.&nbsp; In appropriation bills only, the governor may veto some items (line-item) and approve the others by signing the bill.&nbsp; However, should the governor veto a bill, the Legislature, by a two-thirds vote in both chambers, may override (overturn) the governor's veto and the bill will be enacted into law without the governor’s signature.&nbsp; Once the bill becomes a law, whether by the governor’s approval or a legislative override, it is filed with the secretary of state.

Please email me at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 785 243-3325x2 at my office in Concordia with questions or concerns during the break.

Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785-296-7389</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>

Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Kansas District senator.&nbsp;The 36th District includes&nbsp;Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties.

BOWERS: Senate Scene, Weeks 12 & 13

Last week was primarily spent with the House and Senate committee leadership meeting to negotiate on the differences from the bills that passed each chamber.&nbsp; Once the conference committee report is agreed upon, the report then goes for a vote from the House and Senate, and, if passed by both chambers, the report then goes to the Governor for her signature or veto.&nbsp; There were many items that these conference committees discussed, including the budget for the state of Kansas.&nbsp;

In April, the Consensus Revenue Group will meet to adjust the projected revenues for the state of Kansas for the current and next fiscal year.&nbsp; There will be a reanalysis of these projections in November 2021.

The state of Kansas has experienced a rebounding economy even through the COVID-19 pandemic, with the state exceeding the revenue expectations each month, with the exception of May 2020, during the pandemic.&nbsp; The revenues for March 2021 were actually $52 million above the stated projections.

It is imperative that we pass much of the legislation that is still pending before we break for our first adjournment. This allows for Governor Kelly to consider each piece of legislation that has passed the Legislature.&nbsp; She will then decide to sign the legislation, let it become law without her signature, or veto it.

The Legislature will reconvene on May 3, which is commonly referred to as Veto-Session.&nbsp; This is when we will consider legislation that was vetoed by the Governor and, also, legislation that we still need to consider before we adjourn for Sine Die, the official end of the legislative session.

The House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means met to discuss and deliberate on the state budget for fiscal years 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.&nbsp; The negotiators for each chamber are the chairmen, vice-chairs and ranking minority member.&nbsp; We did decide that there were some items that we need to discuss later, which is referred to as omnibus.&nbsp; One of those items were pay increases for state employees, including the Judicial Branch.&nbsp;

We did agree on increases to our nursing care facilities because of the pandemic, increase for the provider reimbursement rates for the Community Based Services Intellectual Developmental Disability waiver, reinstated the funding for the Excel in Career Technical Education Tuition Fund, and provided funding for our local health departments and for community-based primary care grants.&nbsp; The conference committee report passed both chambers on Friday.

There were numerous bills, now in the form of conference committee reports that were negotiated between the House and the Senate.&nbsp; We also debated two bills on the House floor and here are the details of those bills.

House Substitute for Senate Bill 91 will exempt any business that accepts a student in a work-based learning program from certain claims arising from a student’s negligence as a result of participating in the program at the business or work site.&nbsp; Also, except for incidents arising from gross negligence or willful misconduct, a student’s school district would be solely responsible for civil liberty for these claims.&nbsp; This bill passed the House, 123-0.

The other bill that we debated on Thursday was House Bill 2366.&nbsp; This bill would require prosecutors to disclose their intent to introduce testimony from a jailhouse witness and to forward related information to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.&nbsp; This bill also passed the House, 123-0.

The Legislature will be on break for approximately three weeks.&nbsp;

On April 20, we will be receiving revised estimates for our revenue projections.&nbsp; On April 27, the House Appropriations committee will address budgetary items that we have decided to discuss prior to Veto-Session.&nbsp; The Veto-Session begins when we return on May 3.

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&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">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&nbsp;<a href="mailto:troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov" target="_blank">troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.

Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020/s/pdf/district_maps/district_map_h_109.pdf">109th Kansas House District</a>&nbsp;state representative and chairman of the Appropriations Committee.&nbsp;

The 109th District includes&nbsp;Osborne, Russell, and Smith counties, and portions of Barton, Jewell, Lincoln and Rush counties.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577788173848.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>April 12, 2021First AdjournmentLast week was primarily spent with the House and Senate committee leadership meeting to negotiate on the differences from the bills that passed each chamber.&nbsp; Once the conference committee report is agreed upon, the report then goes for a vote from the House and Senate, and, if passed by both chambers, the report then goes to the Governor for her signature or veto.&nbsp; There were many items that these conference committees discussed, including the budget for the state of Kansas.&nbsp;In April, the Consensus Revenue Group will meet to adjust the projected revenues for the state of Kansas for the current and next fiscal year.&nbsp; There will be a reanalysis of these projections in November 2021.The state of Kansas has experienced a rebounding economy even through the COVID-19 pandemic, with the state exceeding the revenue expectations each month, with the exception of May 2020, during the pandemic.&nbsp; The revenues for March 2021 were actually $52 million above the stated projections.It is imperative that we pass much of the legislation that is still pending before we break for our first adjournment. This allows for Governor Kelly to consider each piece of legislation that has passed the Legislature.&nbsp; She will then decide to sign the legislation, let it become law without her signature, or veto it.The Legislature will reconvene on May 3, which is commonly referred to as Veto-Session.&nbsp; This is when we will consider legislation that was vetoed by the Governor and, also, legislation that we still need to consider before we adjourn for Sine Die, the official end of the legislative session.Budget Bill Reaches CompromiseThe House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means met to discuss and deliberate on the state budget for fiscal years 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.&nbsp; The negotiators for each chamber are the chairmen, vice-chairs and ranking minority member.&nbsp; We did decide that there were some items that we need to discuss later, which is referred to as omnibus.&nbsp; One of those items were pay increases for state employees, including the Judicial Branch.&nbsp;We did agree on increases to our nursing care facilities because of the pandemic, increase for the provider reimbursement rates for the Community Based Services Intellectual Developmental Disability waiver, reinstated the funding for the Excel in Career Technical Education Tuition Fund, and provided funding for our local health departments and for community-based primary care grants.&nbsp; The conference committee report passed both chambers on Friday.<a>Bills Passed the House</a>There were numerous bills, now in the form of conference committee reports that were negotiated between the House and the Senate.&nbsp; We also debated two bills on the House floor and here are the details of those bills.House Substitute for Senate Bill 91 will exempt any business that accepts a student in a work-based learning program from certain claims arising from a student’s negligence as a result of participating in the program at the business or work site.&nbsp; Also, except for incidents arising from gross negligence or willful misconduct, a student’s school district would be solely responsible for civil liberty for these claims.&nbsp; This bill passed the House, 123-0.The other bill that we debated on Thursday was House Bill 2366.&nbsp; This bill would require prosecutors to disclose their intent to introduce testimony from a jailhouse witness and to forward related information to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.&nbsp; This bill also passed the House, 123-0.The Legislature will be on break for approximately three weeks.&nbsp;On April 20, we will be receiving revised estimates for our revenue projections.&nbsp; On April 27, the House Appropriations committee will address budgetary items that we have decided to discuss prior to Veto-Session.&nbsp; The Veto-Session begins when we return on May 3.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&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">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&nbsp;<a href="mailto:troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov" target="_blank">troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020/s/pdf/district_maps/district_map_h_109.pdf">109th Kansas House District</a>&nbsp;state representative and chairman of the Appropriations Committee.&nbsp;The 109th District includes&nbsp;Osborne, Russell, and Smith counties, and portions of Barton, Jewell, Lincoln and Rush counties.&nbsp;

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home, April 12

Hazardous Occupations Safety Training in Agriculture

K-State Research &amp; Extension will be offering a Hazardous Occupation Safety Training for Agriculture or Tractor and Farm Safety Course for youth on Saturday, April 24, in two locations — WaKeeney and Norton. At both locations it will be held at the 4-H Building on the fairgrounds, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Local K-State Research &amp; Extension Agents will teach this basic course covering farm and machinery safety, including proper tractor operation and maintenance, grain safety, implement use safety, livestock safety and more.&nbsp; The United States Department of Labor requires youth 14 – 15 years of age attend this safety training in order to work on a farm for someone other than their parents.&nbsp;

The course is free to attend, thanks to our sponsor People’s State Bank. RSVP is requested by April 21. Contact one of the following Extension Offices in Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Phillips, Rooks, Sheridan, or Trego County by Tuesday, April 21, to register for the Hazardous Occupations Safety Training in Agriculture course on April 24th.&nbsp;

Stacy Campbell is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578070283981.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hazardous Occupations Safety Training in AgricultureK-State Research &amp; Extension will be offering a Hazardous Occupation Safety Training for Agriculture or Tractor and Farm Safety Course for youth on Saturday, April 24, in two locations — WaKeeney and Norton. At both locations it will be held at the 4-H Building on the fairgrounds, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Local K-State Research &amp; Extension Agents will teach this basic course covering farm and machinery safety, including proper tractor operation and maintenance, grain safety, implement use safety, livestock safety and more.&nbsp; The United States Department of Labor requires youth 14 – 15 years of age attend this safety training in order to work on a farm for someone other than their parents.&nbsp;The course is free to attend, thanks to our sponsor People’s State Bank. RSVP is requested by April 21. Contact one of the following Extension Offices in Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Phillips, Rooks, Sheridan, or Trego County by Tuesday, April 21, to register for the Hazardous Occupations Safety Training in Agriculture course on April 24th.&nbsp;Stacy Campbell is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension.&nbsp;

CAMPBELL: Youth farm safety course upcoming

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

Point, counterpoint. That sounds like a debate, but in this case, it uses a term that describes a project that is bringing multiple perspectives together to honor the Flint Hills of Kansas.&nbsp;

Renowned musician Dr. Susan Mayo and multiple county partners have launched a project called Flint Hills Counterpoint.&nbsp;

Susan is originally from Arizona. After studying music in college in California and while performing professionally, she went to Wichita State University to participate in the special music-education program. She later earned a doctorate in cello performance at the University of Kansas and plays cello in the Wichita Symphony.&nbsp;

“We were looking for a place in the country,” Susan said. She and her husband bought 14 acres north of Peabody that serve as home base for her music and composing career. In addition to classical music, she is part of alternative music ensembles that have performed around the world – in places such as Scotland, France and Croatia.&nbsp;

Susan is chair of the Historic Sunflower Theatre Foundation that is working to restore a historic theater in downtown Peabody. She is also a faculty member at Friends University in Wichita and is music director for both the Symphony in the Flint Hills fall event called Woodfest as well as Prairie Muses, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing the arts to rural audiences. While serving as a Tallgrass Artist-in-Residence in 2018, Susan met renowned filmmaker Cyan Meeks and they embarked on several collaborations.&nbsp;

“I’d been running around the country, but I wanted to do something more locally,” Susan said. She has helped launch a new initiative called Flint Hills Counterpoint. “This is a place-making project involving arts and ecology.” The goal is to “celebrate and explore the unique ecosystem of Marion County through the arts.”&nbsp;

Susan’s 14 acres have become what she terms Counterpoint Home Base. She is working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Kansas Forest Service on a conservation and restoration plan for her 14 acres, but that is just the beginning.&nbsp;

The project is described on Facebook as a “collaboration with the communities of rural Marion County, Kansas, to investigate and engage the last remaining vestiges of the Tallgrass Prairie in North America – through art, creative documentary methods and conservation.”&nbsp;For example, filmmaker Cyan Meeks is working on a documentary about the land reclamation project. It is called Reclamation Meridian.&nbsp;

In mid-April, the group is conducting a Musical Bike Adventure Ride in Marion County.&nbsp;&nbsp;Bicyclists can follow a cross-county route that will include stops where musicians will be performing. Musicians include singer/songwriter Aaron Waddle and Pretend Friend, a bluegrass roots band from Wichita. Bike riders have the choice of a 15- or 30-mile route. Surfaces include gravel, dirt and some pavement. This will be a chance to get good exercise and see some beautiful countryside, along with enjoying excellent music.&nbsp;

Flint Hills Counterpoint is sponsored by the&nbsp;National Endowment for the Arts, the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, Prairie Muses, Chamber Music at the Barn, the Kansas Forest Service, and the NRCS. It is supported locally by the county commissioners, the K-State Research and Extension Chisholm Trail District serving Marion County, and other partners.&nbsp;

“This is such a great county, and Peabody is such a great little town,” Susan said.&nbsp;

You can learn more about Dr. Mayo on&nbsp;<a href="https://susanmayo.squarespace.com/">her website</a>&nbsp;and find out more about Flint Hills Counterpoint on&nbsp;<a href="https://flinthillscounterpoint.org/">its website</a>. For more details about the bike ride, go to Facebook and search for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/159208099308733">Flint Hills Counterpoint Musical Adventure Bike Ride</a>.&nbsp;

This is a remarkable project to be found near a rural community like Peabody, population 1,083 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

Point, counterpoint. Dr. Susan Mayo points out that the definition of counterpoint is “the art or technique of setting, writing, or playing a melody or melodies in conjunction with another, according to fixed rules.” In this case, her Flint Hills Counterpoint is making a difference by combining melodies of music with the art of nature, all while promoting her home county. I think she makes a great point.&nbsp;

And there’s more. What is the historic Sunflower Theatre? We’ll learn about that next week.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617802310872.png" alt="Dr. Susan Mayo" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Susan Mayo</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;Point, counterpoint. That sounds like a debate, but in this case, it uses a term that describes a project that is bringing multiple perspectives together to honor the Flint Hills of Kansas.&nbsp;Renowned musician Dr. Susan Mayo and multiple county partners have launched a project called Flint Hills Counterpoint.&nbsp;Susan is originally from Arizona. After studying music in college in California and while performing professionally, she went to Wichita State University to participate in the special music-education program. She later earned a doctorate in cello performance at the University of Kansas and plays cello in the Wichita Symphony.&nbsp;“We were looking for a place in the country,” Susan said. She and her husband bought 14 acres north of Peabody that serve as home base for her music and composing career. In addition to classical music, she is part of alternative music ensembles that have performed around the world – in places such as Scotland, France and Croatia.&nbsp;Susan is chair of the Historic Sunflower Theatre Foundation that is working to restore a historic theater in downtown Peabody. She is also a faculty member at Friends University in Wichita and is music director for both the Symphony in the Flint Hills fall event called Woodfest as well as Prairie Muses, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing the arts to rural audiences. While serving as a Tallgrass Artist-in-Residence in 2018, Susan met renowned filmmaker Cyan Meeks and they embarked on several collaborations.&nbsp;“I’d been running around the country, but I wanted to do something more locally,” Susan said. She has helped launch a new initiative called Flint Hills Counterpoint. “This is a place-making project involving arts and ecology.” The goal is to “celebrate and explore the unique ecosystem of Marion County through the arts.”&nbsp;Susan’s 14 acres have become what she terms Counterpoint Home Base. She is working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Kansas Forest Service on a conservation and restoration plan for her 14 acres, but that is just the beginning.&nbsp;The project is described on Facebook as a “collaboration with the communities of rural Marion County, Kansas, to investigate and engage the last remaining vestiges of the Tallgrass Prairie in North America – through art, creative documentary methods and conservation.”&nbsp;For example, filmmaker Cyan Meeks is working on a documentary about the land reclamation project. It is called Reclamation Meridian.&nbsp;In mid-April, the group is conducting a Musical Bike Adventure Ride in Marion County.&nbsp;&nbsp;Bicyclists can follow a cross-county route that will include stops where musicians will be performing. Musicians include singer/songwriter Aaron Waddle and Pretend Friend, a bluegrass roots band from Wichita. Bike riders have the choice of a 15- or 30-mile route. Surfaces include gravel, dirt and some pavement. This will be a chance to get good exercise and see some beautiful countryside, along with enjoying excellent music.&nbsp;Flint Hills Counterpoint is sponsored by the&nbsp;National Endowment for the Arts, the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, Prairie Muses, Chamber Music at the Barn, the Kansas Forest Service, and the NRCS. It is supported locally by the county commissioners, the K-State Research and Extension Chisholm Trail District serving Marion County, and other partners.&nbsp;“This is such a great county, and Peabody is such a great little town,” Susan said.&nbsp;You can learn more about Dr. Mayo on&nbsp;<a href="https://susanmayo.squarespace.com/">her website</a>&nbsp;and find out more about Flint Hills Counterpoint on&nbsp;<a href="https://flinthillscounterpoint.org/">its website</a>. For more details about the bike ride, go to Facebook and search for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/159208099308733">Flint Hills Counterpoint Musical Adventure Bike Ride</a>.&nbsp;This is a remarkable project to be found near a rural community like Peabody, population 1,083 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;Point, counterpoint. Dr. Susan Mayo points out that the definition of counterpoint is “the art or technique of setting, writing, or playing a melody or melodies in conjunction with another, according to fixed rules.” In this case, her Flint Hills Counterpoint is making a difference by combining melodies of music with the art of nature, all while promoting her home county. I think she makes a great point.&nbsp;And there’s more. What is the historic Sunflower Theatre? We’ll learn about that next week.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Susan Mayo, Flint Hills Counterpoint 

You might have heard about “ballot harvesting” recently. Kansas politicians are trying to restrict the practice, and some have linked it to baseless suggestions of election fraud in our state.&nbsp;

Ballot harvesting is a political spin term that some consultant probably made loads of money to invent because it sounds suspicious and scary. It refers to when a voter completes their absentee ballot and gives it to another person to return on their behalf. You might more accurately call it “ballot collection” or even “help turning in your ballot.”&nbsp;

The sick, elderly, or disabled are more likely to rely on others to return their ballot. Imagine you are the caregiver for an elderly parent who uses a walker. Your parent requests and completes a mail ballot. You take that ballot to the mailbox, post office, or ballot drop box for them. You are a ballot “harvester.”&nbsp;

Ballot collection is more common in rural areas, like western Kansas, where mailboxes are often centrally located away from homes. On some large Native American reservations, voters may need to travel hours on unpaved roads to access mail services, causing accusations of discrimination given the unequal impact of ballot collection restrictions on rural minority communities.&nbsp;

Nationwide, campaigns and both parties have long engaged in ballot collection, sometimes sending staffers door-to-door to collect absentee ballots from known supporters who have not yet returned them. Interest groups, civic groups, and churches, especially White Evangelical churches, do it in voter mobilization drives.&nbsp;

Most states regulate ballot collection. Some only allow certain types of people to return ballots for others. Alabama totally bans the practice. Kansas voters may designate someone in writing to return their ballot. That designee must also sign a statement that they did not exercise undue influence on the voter they are helping.&nbsp;

Kansas conservatives want to modify those rules. One bill proposed earlier this year made it a felony for anyone but family or caretakers to deliver another person’s ballot. So, if your friend breaks their leg and you sympathetically offer to take their mail — including their ballot — to the mailbox for them, that bill could arguably have made you a felon.&nbsp;

Another conservative-backed proposal would limit to five the number of ballots that one person can deliver. By capping ballots, this bill targets groups — campaigns, churches, civic organizations — engaged in turnout efforts, potentially criminalizing their activities. Still, groups could simply recruit more volunteers to skirt the cap.&nbsp;

Let’s be clear about a few things. First, voters should only give their ballots to people they trust. Second, opponents of increased regulation on ballot collection are not saying that there should be no regulation. Third, some voters genuinely need help returning their ballots, and ballot collection done by individuals or groups can be a lifeline for them.&nbsp;

Lawmakers should walk the line between reality and the allure of strategically exaggerated victimhood fantasies. Overwhelmingly, ballot collection is not linked to fraud. Though isolated cases always exist, like the Republican operative in North Carolina whose large-scale ballot fraud operation forced a redo in a congressional race.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If lawmakers restrict ballot collection on the false pretense of cleaner elections, they should at least weigh the costs to voters and avoid turning Kansas into Alabama, where innocently helping neighbors can make you a criminal.&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575644168170.png" alt="Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>You might have heard about “ballot harvesting” recently. Kansas politicians are trying to restrict the practice, and some have linked it to baseless suggestions of election fraud in our state.&nbsp;What is ballot harvesting anyway?&nbsp;Ballot harvesting is a political spin term that some consultant probably made loads of money to invent because it sounds suspicious and scary. It refers to when a voter completes their absentee ballot and gives it to another person to return on their behalf. You might more accurately call it “ballot collection” or even “help turning in your ballot.”&nbsp;Who does this?&nbsp;The sick, elderly, or disabled are more likely to rely on others to return their ballot. Imagine you are the caregiver for an elderly parent who uses a walker. Your parent requests and completes a mail ballot. You take that ballot to the mailbox, post office, or ballot drop box for them. You are a ballot “harvester.”&nbsp;Ballot collection is more common in rural areas, like western Kansas, where mailboxes are often centrally located away from homes. On some large Native American reservations, voters may need to travel hours on unpaved roads to access mail services, causing accusations of discrimination given the unequal impact of ballot collection restrictions on rural minority communities.&nbsp;Nationwide, campaigns and both parties have long engaged in ballot collection, sometimes sending staffers door-to-door to collect absentee ballots from known supporters who have not yet returned them. Interest groups, civic groups, and churches, especially White Evangelical churches, do it in voter mobilization drives.&nbsp;Most states regulate ballot collection. Some only allow certain types of people to return ballots for others. Alabama totally bans the practice. Kansas voters may designate someone in writing to return their ballot. That designee must also sign a statement that they did not exercise undue influence on the voter they are helping.&nbsp;Kansas conservatives want to modify those rules. One bill proposed earlier this year made it a felony for anyone but family or caretakers to deliver another person’s ballot. So, if your friend breaks their leg and you sympathetically offer to take their mail — including their ballot — to the mailbox for them, that bill could arguably have made you a felon.&nbsp;Another conservative-backed proposal would limit to five the number of ballots that one person can deliver. By capping ballots, this bill targets groups — campaigns, churches, civic organizations — engaged in turnout efforts, potentially criminalizing their activities. Still, groups could simply recruit more volunteers to skirt the cap.&nbsp;Let’s be clear about a few things. First, voters should only give their ballots to people they trust. Second, opponents of increased regulation on ballot collection are not saying that there should be no regulation. Third, some voters genuinely need help returning their ballots, and ballot collection done by individuals or groups can be a lifeline for them.&nbsp;Lawmakers should walk the line between reality and the allure of strategically exaggerated victimhood fantasies. Overwhelmingly, ballot collection is not linked to fraud. Though isolated cases always exist, like the Republican operative in North Carolina whose large-scale ballot fraud operation forced a redo in a congressional race.&nbsp;&nbsp;If lawmakers restrict ballot collection on the false pretense of cleaner elections, they should at least weigh the costs to voters and avoid turning Kansas into Alabama, where innocently helping neighbors can make you a criminal.&nbsp;Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.

INSIGHT KANSAS: When should helping others vote be a crime? 

Visit the pages for Research and Scholarly Activities on our Fort Hays State University website, and you will find numerous opportunities to learn about scholarly research and creative work. At Fort Hays State, even undergrad students can participate in groundbreaking research activities. Research opportunities like the ones our students have are often reserved for upperclassmen and sometimes not accessible until grad school.

One of my favorite events for all students, faculty, and staff each year is the John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activities Day, and the 2021 SACAD is quickly approaching.

This annual celebration of scholarly research and creative activities showcases on-campus and virtual undergraduate, graduate, Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science, faculty, and staff research and creative works. This year’s virtual program will be held on April 12-16, 2021. We will showcase student and faculty research, scholarship, and creative works at <a href="http://symposium.foragerone.com/fhsuscad">symposium.foragerone.com/fhsuscad</a> – so please join us!

While our faculty and graduate research are always impressive, near and dear to my heart is undergraduate research, something I really value. There are several things I value about undergraduate research.

First, it is an excellent example of how we embrace our mission as a learning organization. A learning organization, according to Peter Senge, centers around people working together to enhance their capabilities to create results they deeply care about.

“People working together” on research and creative activity at FHSU is the second thing I value about SACAD. For our purposes, people working together means that faculty and students join forces around shared interests and curiosity. Faculty mentor our students through a process of learning and creativity that awakens confidence and new skills in our students. Faculty are very engaged in this process that fuels their passion for both their teaching and for scholarly and creative inquiry.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="FHSU President Tisa Mason" />
 <figcaption>FHSU President Tisa Mason</figcaption>
 </figure>Visit the pages for Research and Scholarly Activities on our Fort Hays State University website, and you will find numerous opportunities to learn about scholarly research and creative work. At Fort Hays State, even undergrad students can participate in groundbreaking research activities. Research opportunities like the ones our students have are often reserved for upperclassmen and sometimes not accessible until grad school.One of my favorite events for all students, faculty, and staff each year is the John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activities Day, and the 2021 SACAD is quickly approaching.This annual celebration of scholarly research and creative activities showcases on-campus and virtual undergraduate, graduate, Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science, faculty, and staff research and creative works. This year’s virtual program will be held on April 12-16, 2021. We will showcase student and faculty research, scholarship, and creative works at <a href="http://symposium.foragerone.com/fhsuscad">symposium.foragerone.com/fhsuscad</a> – so please join us!While our faculty and graduate research are always impressive, near and dear to my heart is undergraduate research, something I really value. There are several things I value about undergraduate research.First, it is an excellent example of how we embrace our mission as a learning organization. A learning organization, according to Peter Senge, centers around people working together to enhance their capabilities to create results they deeply care about.“People working together” on research and creative activity at FHSU is the second thing I value about SACAD. For our purposes, people working together means that faculty and students join forces around shared interests and curiosity. Faculty mentor our students through a process of learning and creativity that awakens confidence and new skills in our students. Faculty are very engaged in this process that fuels their passion for both their teaching and for scholarly and creative inquiry.&nbsp;“I am always amazed at the high quality and creativity that is showcased at this event,” said Leslie Paige, director of the Office of Scholarships and Sponsored Projects at FHSU. “This is an opportunity for our students to present work that they are passionate about without worrying about the expenses associated with travel.”Intellectual curiosity: check. Genuine relationships formed around common interests: check. Students feeling they matter, and they are learning: check!&nbsp;Another thing I love about this program is that it builds off of the latter part of the definition: to enhance their capabilities to create results they care about. That is what makes these student-faculty relationships so powerful. Both the mentor and mentee care about the research they are generating, and both are learning about content and process. Our students build confidence in their research as well as their presentation skills by participating in scholarly and creative research. They are in a personal transformation process – like a cocoon becoming a butterfly. New doors will be opened to them and they will leave this university a much different person than the one who arrived.“I think educating the general public about the criminal justice system is important, especially in today's climate, and my poster is specific to the juvenile justice system, which is something the general public is not super familiar with,” said Beatrice Walsh, a senior from Thornton, Colo., who is majoring in criminal justice.&nbsp;Walsh stated that creating a poster helped her learn more about why she chose her career field. “Laying out the problems within the juvenile justice system, as well as understanding what some of these kids go through in and out of the court system, allows us to understand how we can try to help them, and that is what I want to do, help,” she said.I appreciate the fact that there are opportunities for our students to participate in undergraduate research or creative activity in virtually every department. This highly enriching activity is inclusive of all academic areas and all students. I am amazed each year when I visit the presentations and see such a diverse set of activities – from art to science to business. This just reinforces our laser-focused identity as an incubator of academic and artistic discovery. &nbsp;Finally, I must mention how much I appreciate that the Scholarship Environment Committee, which sponsors SACAD, named this program after professor of geosciences, Dr. John Heinrichs (1957-2014). I had the opportunity to work closely with John when I served as Vice President for Student Affairs. I know first-hand how passionate he was about teaching and research. Indeed, that passion was contagious. John saw hope and dignity in every student who walked through our door, regardless of ACT score or other “standard indicators” of a student’s propensity to succeed. He believed. He mentored. He inspired. He was a living testament to our ethic of care and resilience. Dr. John Heinrichs was a popular teacher, an internationally renowned scientist, and an esteemed colleague who had a tremendous impact on Fort Hays State University – and I believe he still does.Corrected 1 p.m. April 26 to correct the title of Dr. John Heinrichs.

Opinion