By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancher

It’s beginning to look and feel a lot like spring around our central Kansas farm. The cattle pastures have been burned and fresh grass is now growing in preparation for summer grazing. There’s been increased talk of where we will be planting our crops that will be harvested later in the fall. We’ve finished up servicing our planter and have made room in our shed for the seed order that we anticipate arriving in a few days. Soon, the corn will go into the ground, followed by the popcorn, soybeans and, finally, sorghum. Like clockwork, it’s an annual process that is guaranteed to take place on the farm.

After many cold and dreary days of rain and snow drizzle, the sun is also more present, which is helping the wheat fields transform into a beautiful and vibrant green. The daffodils are making their yearly appearance, and some of my fruit trees have also begun to flower. 

My apricot trees are always the first to bud and blossom every spring. More often than not, a late freeze will zap the blossoms, and I mourn the loss of the promise of fresh, sweet apricots in the summer. 

Last year I celebrated the beauty of the apricot blossoms in the early days of the pandemic. My kids had just started their remote learning, which would last the rest of the school year, and I was working fulltime from home. On my 30-second “commute” from my office in our shop down to the house, I celebrated the sight of the apricot blossoms and the hope it provided me for later in the summer. A few days later, a freeze destroyed all hope. As dramatic as it sounds, it was very 2020.

A few days ago, as I drove into our yard, I couldn’t help but notice that one of my apricot trees has, like clockwork, once again begun to bud and blossom. The beautifully arranged dots of pink flowers set against the warm browns of the tree bark are always a sight I look forward to seeing following a cold and gray winter. As I approached the tree to get a better look at the tiny, beautiful flowers, I began to hear a small humming sound. 

As I got closer, the humming turned into a collective buzz, and I soon realized that the fruit tree was occupied by thousands of busy honeybees collecting nectar and pollen. As I stood beneath a branch to witness the flying workers hurriedly move from flower to flower, the hope of a sweet summer once again entered my mind. While I briefly reminded myself of last year’s brutal disappointment, I allowed the steady buzz of the working honeybees to convince me that there is still a chance that this year’s outcome will be different and that there is still a chance that this summer will welcome something sweet.

While there are many days still ahead before I can guarantee a fruit crop, the presence of the honeybees have at least convinced me that this year’s outcome looks much more promising than last year’s. And for that I am thankful.

"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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancherIt’s beginning to look and feel a lot like spring around our central Kansas farm. The cattle pastures have been burned and fresh grass is now growing in preparation for summer grazing. There’s been increased talk of where we will be planting our crops that will be harvested later in the fall. We’ve finished up servicing our planter and have made room in our shed for the seed order that we anticipate arriving in a few days. Soon, the corn will go into the ground, followed by the popcorn, soybeans and, finally, sorghum. Like clockwork, it’s an annual process that is guaranteed to take place on the farm.After many cold and dreary days of rain and snow drizzle, the sun is also more present, which is helping the wheat fields transform into a beautiful and vibrant green. The daffodils are making their yearly appearance, and some of my fruit trees have also begun to flower. My apricot trees are always the first to bud and blossom every spring. More often than not, a late freeze will zap the blossoms, and I mourn the loss of the promise of fresh, sweet apricots in the summer. Last year I celebrated the beauty of the apricot blossoms in the early days of the pandemic. My kids had just started their remote learning, which would last the rest of the school year, and I was working fulltime from home. On my 30-second “commute” from my office in our shop down to the house, I celebrated the sight of the apricot blossoms and the hope it provided me for later in the summer. A few days later, a freeze destroyed all hope. As dramatic as it sounds, it was very 2020.A few days ago, as I drove into our yard, I couldn’t help but notice that one of my apricot trees has, like clockwork, once again begun to bud and blossom. The beautifully arranged dots of pink flowers set against the warm browns of the tree bark are always a sight I look forward to seeing following a cold and gray winter. As I approached the tree to get a better look at the tiny, beautiful flowers, I began to hear a small humming sound. As I got closer, the humming turned into a collective buzz, and I soon realized that the fruit tree was occupied by thousands of busy honeybees collecting nectar and pollen. As I stood beneath a branch to witness the flying workers hurriedly move from flower to flower, the hope of a sweet summer once again entered my mind. While I briefly reminded myself of last year’s brutal disappointment, I allowed the steady buzz of the working honeybees to convince me that there is still a chance that this year’s outcome will be different and that there is still a chance that this summer will welcome something sweet.While there are many days still ahead before I can guarantee a fruit crop, the presence of the honeybees have at least convinced me that this year’s outcome looks much more promising than last year’s. And for that I am thankful.What a difference a year can make."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.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Blooms of promise

We often are asked whether it is good to mow lower in the spring. The answer is yes and no. It doesn’t hurt to mow lower than normal the first mowing or two. 

As a matter of fact, it can actually speed green-up by removing old, dead grass and allowing the soil to warm up more quickly. &nbsp;But the mowing height should be raised to normal after the first or second cutting to discourage crabgrass and encourage deep rooting. Crabgrass seed must have light to germinate, and a high mowing height will help shade the soil. &nbsp;Also, root depth and mowing height are related on upright growing grasses such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass — the higher the height of cut, the deeper the root system. A deeper root system means a more drought-resistant turf. So, how low should you go on the first cutting? On tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass, you can mow as low as 1 to 1½ inches. Be careful you don't go so low that you scalp the turf. &nbsp; After that, raise the mowing height for Kentucky bluegrass to 2 to 3 inches but 3 to 3½ inches for tall fescue. 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>We often are asked whether it is good to mow lower in the spring. The answer is yes and no. It doesn’t hurt to mow lower than normal the first mowing or two. As a matter of fact, it can actually speed green-up by removing old, dead grass and allowing the soil to warm up more quickly. &nbsp;But the mowing height should be raised to normal after the first or second cutting to discourage crabgrass and encourage deep rooting. Crabgrass seed must have light to germinate, and a high mowing height will help shade the soil. &nbsp;Also, root depth and mowing height are related on upright growing grasses such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass — the higher the height of cut, the deeper the root system. A deeper root system means a more drought-resistant turf. So, how low should you go on the first cutting? On tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass, you can mow as low as 1 to 1½ inches. Be careful you don't go so low that you scalp the turf. &nbsp; After that, raise the mowing height for Kentucky bluegrass to 2 to 3 inches but 3 to 3½ inches for tall fescue. 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: How low should you go?

Tugboat captains blared their horns Monday as that huge container ship blocking 10 percent of the world's sea commerce was finally re-floated, six days after wedging itself into the mud along the Suez Canal. But, as so often happens, there are those on the internet who are not happy with the end of their memes. On Twitter, "PUT IT BACK" has become a trending topic in the United States. 

Heavy dirt-movers and multiple tugboats were aided by high tides, high winds, and a full moon Sunday night and Monday morning, as the EVERGIVEN finally regained buoyancy and was able to resume it's course northward through the Suez Canal. Now the ship's owners, its insurers, and its lawyers are bracing for a raft of lawsuits. There were over 300 ships waiting in line to use the canal on Sunday. Analysts say that backlog could be with us for days if not weeks. The traffic jam delayed billions of dollars in trade every day, causing some big problems for regional hot spots Syria and Lebanon, where fuel shortages have already prompted rationing and blackouts.

Kansas Crude prices during the month of March have been up and down, between a low of $48 a barrel and a high of $56.25.  But Kansas Common starts this week at $51.25, which is just 25 cents more than the price at the start of the month.

Oil-by-rail shipments across the U.S. showed another weekly increase. Operators moved 11,639 petroleum tanker cars during the week ending March 20, up 260 cars from the week before. That's down nearly 4 percent from a year ago, marking the smallest year-over-year decline since since January. 

Baker Hughes on Friday reported 417 active drilling rigs across the country, an increase six oil rigs. The count in Texas was up three for the week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reported a 40% drop in its weekly Rig Count in Kansas. There's one active drilling rig in the eastern half of the state, down five from the week before. In Western Kansas, there are 11 active rigs, down three.

Regulators okayed 33 new drilling permits last week across Kansas, 26 of them east of Wichita and seven in Western Kansas. That's 188 new permits so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 26 newly-completed wells across the state, all of them in Western Kansas, including two in Barton County. That's 159 completed wells so far this year, compared to more than 300 by the end of the first quarter last year, as prices plunged and operators began shutting down production.

The Kansas Geological Society earlier this year recognized and named four new oil and gas fields in Kansas. One of them is the Kay field in Ellis County, targeting the Lansing-Kansas City formation. The Kay#1 well is operated by TDI Incorporated.

The government reported the fifth consecutive weekly increase in U.S. crude-oil inventories. The Energy Information Administration reports stockpiles of over 502 million barrels last week, up by nearly two million barrels. That's about six percent above the five-year seasonal average.

The government reports an increase in weekly U.S. crude-oil production of 94,000 barrels per day compared to the week before. EIA reports an average of 10.86 million barrels per day for the week ending March 19.  A year ago this week, domestic output was just shy of 13 million barrels per day.

The four-week average for U.S. crude imports remains about 13 percent less than reports from the same four weeks last year. EIA reports average imports last week were up 41,000 barrels per day over the week before at 5.9 million barrels per day. 

A huge railroad merger should make it easier to move Canadian crude to the Gulf Coast, and refined products from there into Mexico. Canadian Pacific Railway is buying Kansas City Southern. The $25 BILLION stock-and-cash deal would create the Calgary-based "Canadian Pacific Kansas City," which is touted as the first rail network connecting the US, Mexico and Canada. The integrated company would boast 20,000 miles of rail network stretching from the Alberta oil sands through central Mexico. The merged railroad would represent the smallest of the six major freight haulers in the United States. Reaction has been mixed. The Premier of Alberta Province said the deal was a win for crude oil export capacity from Western Canada following the cancellation of the Keystone pipeline expansion project. But some longtime crude-by-rail exporters don't expect it will make much difference, with most oil-by-rail in the region already shipping via the new company's biggest competitor, Canadian National Railway.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARTugboat captains blared their horns Monday as that huge container ship blocking 10 percent of the world's sea commerce was finally re-floated, six days after wedging itself into the mud along the Suez Canal. But, as so often happens, there are those on the internet who are not happy with the end of their memes. On Twitter, "PUT IT BACK" has become a trending topic in the United States. Heavy dirt-movers and multiple tugboats were aided by high tides, high winds, and a full moon Sunday night and Monday morning, as the EVERGIVEN finally regained buoyancy and was able to resume it's course northward through the Suez Canal. Now the ship's owners, its insurers, and its lawyers are bracing for a raft of lawsuits. There were over 300 ships waiting in line to use the canal on Sunday. Analysts say that backlog could be with us for days if not weeks. The traffic jam delayed billions of dollars in trade every day, causing some big problems for regional hot spots Syria and Lebanon, where fuel shortages have already prompted rationing and blackouts.Kansas Crude prices during the month of March have been up and down, between a low of $48 a barrel and a high of $56.25. But Kansas Common starts this week at $51.25, which is just 25 cents more than the price at the start of the month.Oil-by-rail shipments across the U.S. showed another weekly increase. Operators moved 11,639 petroleum tanker cars during the week ending March 20, up 260 cars from the week before. That's down nearly 4 percent from a year ago, marking the smallest year-over-year decline since since January. Baker Hughes on Friday reported 417 active drilling rigs across the country, an increase six oil rigs. The count in Texas was up three for the week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reported a 40% drop in its weekly Rig Count in Kansas. There's one active drilling rig in the eastern half of the state, down five from the week before. In Western Kansas, there are 11 active rigs, down three.Regulators okayed 33 new drilling permits last week across Kansas, 26 of them east of Wichita and seven in Western Kansas. That's 188 new permits so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 26 newly-completed wells across the state, all of them in Western Kansas, including two in Barton County. That's 159 completed wells so far this year, compared to more than 300 by the end of the first quarter last year, as prices plunged and operators began shutting down production.The Kansas Geological Society earlier this year recognized and named four new oil and gas fields in Kansas. One of them is the Kay field in Ellis County, targeting the Lansing-Kansas City formation. The Kay#1 well is operated by TDI Incorporated.The government reported the fifth consecutive weekly increase in U.S. crude-oil inventories. The Energy Information Administration reports stockpiles of over 502 million barrels last week, up by nearly two million barrels. That's about six percent above the five-year seasonal average.The government reports an increase in weekly U.S. crude-oil production of 94,000 barrels per day compared to the week before. EIA reports an average of 10.86 million barrels per day for the week ending March 19. A year ago this week, domestic output was just shy of 13 million barrels per day.The four-week average for U.S. crude imports remains about 13 percent less than reports from the same four weeks last year. EIA reports average imports last week were up 41,000 barrels per day over the week before at 5.9 million barrels per day. A huge railroad merger should make it easier to move Canadian crude to the Gulf Coast, and refined products from there into Mexico. Canadian Pacific Railway is buying Kansas City Southern. The $25 BILLION stock-and-cash deal would create the Calgary-based "Canadian Pacific Kansas City," which is touted as the first rail network connecting the US, Mexico and Canada. The integrated company would boast 20,000 miles of rail network stretching from the Alberta oil sands through central Mexico. The merged railroad would represent the smallest of the six major freight haulers in the United States. Reaction has been mixed. The Premier of Alberta Province said the deal was a win for crude oil export capacity from Western Canada following the cancellation of the Keystone pipeline expansion project. But some longtime crude-by-rail exporters don't expect it will make much difference, with most oil-by-rail in the region already shipping via the new company's biggest competitor, Canadian National Railway.

News From the Oil Patch: Ship freed; internet demands 'PUT IT BACK'

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

Would you like to hear a yarn? Today, we’ll meet a Kansas family that has established a farm of specialty animals producing fiber that can be woven into yarn and other products.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Collen and Mike McGee are the owners of Rowantree Farm near Abilene. Collen grew up in Washington state, served in the military, and joined the civil service after military retirement. Then she met and married Mike, who also served in the Army.&nbsp;

“In 2014, Fort Riley called,” Collen said. She had the opportunity to join the public affairs office, and Mike had the opportunity to be a counselor at Fort Riley, so they drove to Kansas. “Our first stop was at Milford Lake,” Collen recalled. “We said, ‘Yes, we could live here.’”&nbsp;

Collen and Mike decided they wanted a more rural lifestyle, so they found a place to live outside of Abilene. It had a building and livestock pens where they began their farm. The McGees named their farm Rowantree Farm, which is a play on Collen’s maiden name of Roundtree.&nbsp;

“We wanted animals that fit our size and age,” Collen said. In other words, they wanted animals that had value but were smaller and more manageable than big cows, for example. Specifically, they are raising Pygora and Cashmere goats and Babydoll Southdown sheep that produce high quality fiber. They also raise chickens and eggs.&nbsp;

Pygoras are sometimes called “the versatile goat with the luxurious coat.” Pygora goats are a cross between pygmy goats and angora goats. They are specifically bred to produce fine cashmere fiber for hand spinning.&nbsp;

Southdown sheep originated in the South “Downs” of Sussex County, England, and came to the United States in 1803. Through the years, they were bred for larger size and meat production. Babydoll Southdowns are the small-framed, diminutive version of the breed that resemble the original sheep from old England. These sheep will be 18 to 24 inches tall when full grown. Babydoll wool blends especially well with Pygora and cashmere fibers.&nbsp;

“My mom had owned a yarn shop in Washington state after my dad retired,” Collen said. Producing fiber allowed Collen to reconnect with these roots.&nbsp;

“There is a resurgence in fiber arts,” Collen said. “Gen Xers and Millennials want to be makers of real things.” Collen and Mike shear their sheep and goats to harvest the fiber for processing and use. “My husband started playing with it and found he liked it too,” Collen said. “He’s now the dye guy.”&nbsp;

The McGees sell yarn, eggs, fiber for spinning, drop spindles and&nbsp;needle felting kits. In non-pandemic times, they host school tours and daycare groups at the farm. They are also working on opening their own fiber mill and on-farm store. “There’s room in the industry for another mill, because there are six- to nine-month delays in getting fiber processed,” Collen said. Rowantree Farm is a member of the&nbsp;<a href="https://fromthelandofkansas.com/">From the Land of Kansas</a>&nbsp;program sponsored by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;

In January 2021, Collen helped start a Kansas Fiber Producers Association that meets as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/232962661716906">Facebook group</a>. This umbrella group is composed of producers who harvest fiber from a variety of animals such as sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas and rabbits.&nbsp;

In early May, the group is planning its first-ever Homestead Hop for people to visit various farms and see local, small producers. For more information, watch for upcoming posts about the Homestead Hop on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/232962661716906">Facebook Group’s page</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/therowantreefarm/">Rowantree Farm page on Facebook</a>.&nbsp;

Rowantree Farm is located out in the country, situated between the rural communities of Abilene, population 6,844 people; Buckeye, population 413; and Detroit, population 178 people. Now, that’s rural. For more information, go to the&nbsp;<a href="https://rowantreefarm.business.site/">Rowantree Farm website</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The story of the McGees is not just any yarn. It is the true story of a couple who started their own farm to grow fiber which could become spun into actual yarn. Now they are adding value by reaching out to other fiber producers and starting a mini-mill of their own. We commend Collen and Mike McGee of Rowantree Farm for making a difference with their fiber farm and fiber arts. I’m glad that they can weave these ideas together.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616591087695.png" alt="Collen and Mike McGee" />
 <figcaption>Collen and Mike McGee</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;Would you like to hear a yarn? Today, we’ll meet a Kansas family that has established a farm of specialty animals producing fiber that can be woven into yarn and other products.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Collen and Mike McGee are the owners of Rowantree Farm near Abilene. Collen grew up in Washington state, served in the military, and joined the civil service after military retirement. Then she met and married Mike, who also served in the Army.&nbsp;“In 2014, Fort Riley called,” Collen said. She had the opportunity to join the public affairs office, and Mike had the opportunity to be a counselor at Fort Riley, so they drove to Kansas. “Our first stop was at Milford Lake,” Collen recalled. “We said, ‘Yes, we could live here.’”&nbsp;Collen and Mike decided they wanted a more rural lifestyle, so they found a place to live outside of Abilene. It had a building and livestock pens where they began their farm. The McGees named their farm Rowantree Farm, which is a play on Collen’s maiden name of Roundtree.&nbsp;“We wanted animals that fit our size and age,” Collen said. In other words, they wanted animals that had value but were smaller and more manageable than big cows, for example. Specifically, they are raising Pygora and Cashmere goats and Babydoll Southdown sheep that produce high quality fiber. They also raise chickens and eggs.&nbsp;Pygoras are sometimes called “the versatile goat with the luxurious coat.” Pygora goats are a cross between pygmy goats and angora goats. They are specifically bred to produce fine cashmere fiber for hand spinning.&nbsp;Southdown sheep originated in the South “Downs” of Sussex County, England, and came to the United States in 1803. Through the years, they were bred for larger size and meat production. Babydoll Southdowns are the small-framed, diminutive version of the breed that resemble the original sheep from old England. These sheep will be 18 to 24 inches tall when full grown. Babydoll wool blends especially well with Pygora and cashmere fibers.&nbsp;“My mom had owned a yarn shop in Washington state after my dad retired,” Collen said. Producing fiber allowed Collen to reconnect with these roots.&nbsp;“There is a resurgence in fiber arts,” Collen said. “Gen Xers and Millennials want to be makers of real things.” Collen and Mike shear their sheep and goats to harvest the fiber for processing and use. “My husband started playing with it and found he liked it too,” Collen said. “He’s now the dye guy.”&nbsp;The McGees sell yarn, eggs, fiber for spinning, drop spindles and&nbsp;needle felting kits. In non-pandemic times, they host school tours and daycare groups at the farm. They are also working on opening their own fiber mill and on-farm store. “There’s room in the industry for another mill, because there are six- to nine-month delays in getting fiber processed,” Collen said. Rowantree Farm is a member of the&nbsp;<a href="https://fromthelandofkansas.com/">From the Land of Kansas</a>&nbsp;program sponsored by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;In January 2021, Collen helped start a Kansas Fiber Producers Association that meets as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/232962661716906">Facebook group</a>. This umbrella group is composed of producers who harvest fiber from a variety of animals such as sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas and rabbits.&nbsp;In early May, the group is planning its first-ever Homestead Hop for people to visit various farms and see local, small producers. For more information, watch for upcoming posts about the Homestead Hop on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/232962661716906">Facebook Group’s page</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/therowantreefarm/">Rowantree Farm page on Facebook</a>.&nbsp;Rowantree Farm is located out in the country, situated between the rural communities of Abilene, population 6,844 people; Buckeye, population 413; and Detroit, population 178 people. Now, that’s rural. For more information, go to the&nbsp;<a href="https://rowantreefarm.business.site/">Rowantree Farm website</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;The story of the McGees is not just any yarn. It is the true story of a couple who started their own farm to grow fiber which could become spun into actual yarn. Now they are adding value by reaching out to other fiber producers and starting a mini-mill of their own. We commend Collen and Mike McGee of Rowantree Farm for making a difference with their fiber farm and fiber arts. I’m glad that they can weave these ideas together.

Now That’s Rural: Collen and Mike McGee, Rowantree Farm 

House Budget Passes Appropriations Committee

Late last week, the House Appropriations Committee finalized our budget bill and passed it for debate on the House floor.&nbsp; Substitute for House Bill 2397 includes adjusted funding for the current fiscal year of 2021 and the complete funding for fiscal year 2022.

The adjusted fiscal year 2021 budget totals $19.9 billion, including $8 billion from the State General Fund.&nbsp; Some of the areas that we addressed beyond the Governor’s recommended budget are providing an increase for the daily reimbursement rate for nursing care facilities and increasing the provider reimbursement rates for the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Intellectual/Developmental Disability waiver.&nbsp;

We also included $7.4 million for the Judicial Branch due to the loss of docket fees this past year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The adjustments that we made in the fiscal year 2022 budget were deleting the reamoritization of the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System, which was an amount that we needed to add back in since the Governor proposed this measure, however, it did not pass the Legislature.&nbsp;

We also included $10 million to the Board of Regents who will then distribute those funds to the public universities in Kansas for reimbursements for tuition to students if they were enrolled in an in-person class that went virtual.&nbsp;&nbsp; We also provided $3 million for the Senior Care Act services, which was allotted by the Governor in 2021.&nbsp;

We have not debated the bill yet on the House Floor, although, I contend that we will have that debate next week.

The House Federal and State Affairs committee on Wednesday, passed out of their committee the House version allowing for the legalization of sports wagering in the state of Kansas.&nbsp; This bill would allow for sports wagering to be administered through the Kansas Lottery, where the Senate version has it at the state-owned casinos.&nbsp; There was much discussion on the reduction of the current tax rate for the slot machines that are allowed at the racing facilities in the state of Kansas, however, in this bill the current tax rate remains at 38%.&nbsp;

The one addition that would affect the racing facilities would be the facility in the Wichita area.&nbsp; An amendment was passed to allow Sedgwick county to have a revote on allowing for slot machines at parimutuel facility. In the House bill, there is also the inclusion on ILottery.&nbsp; This bill now awaits debate on the House Floor.

The House has spent much of our time this week passing bills out of our committees since the last day to meet for committees is Friday, March 26.&nbsp; We also debated numerous bills on the House Floor and will continue to debate bills in the House Chamber everyday next week.&nbsp; Here are some of the bills that we debated this week:

House Bill 2406 would allow for cities and counties the option of expanding or restricting retail sales of alcoholic liquor and cereal malt beverages.&nbsp; This bill also changes the restricted hours for Sunday liquor sales to 9 am to 8 pm.&nbsp; The bill also eliminates the restriction of sales on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.&nbsp; The bill passed the House, 80-42.

House Substitute for Senate Bill 63 enacts the “Back to School Act” which requires school districts to provide a full-time, in-person attendance option for all students beginning March 31, 2021.&nbsp; This bill passed, 77-46.

The next bill was Senate Bill 24, which would create the Kansas Energy Choice Act.&nbsp; This act would prohibit a municipality from taking any action that would limit a customer’s uses of a service from a public utility based upon the source of energy to be delivered to the customer.&nbsp; This bill passed the House, 93-29.

For these three bills, I voted, “yes” on all three.

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." />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>March 26, 2021House Budget Passes Appropriations CommitteeLate last week, the House Appropriations Committee finalized our budget bill and passed it for debate on the House floor.&nbsp; Substitute for House Bill 2397 includes adjusted funding for the current fiscal year of 2021 and the complete funding for fiscal year 2022.The adjusted fiscal year 2021 budget totals $19.9 billion, including $8 billion from the State General Fund.&nbsp; Some of the areas that we addressed beyond the Governor’s recommended budget are providing an increase for the daily reimbursement rate for nursing care facilities and increasing the provider reimbursement rates for the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Intellectual/Developmental Disability waiver.&nbsp;We also included $7.4 million for the Judicial Branch due to the loss of docket fees this past year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.The adjustments that we made in the fiscal year 2022 budget were deleting the reamoritization of the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System, which was an amount that we needed to add back in since the Governor proposed this measure, however, it did not pass the Legislature.&nbsp;We also included $10 million to the Board of Regents who will then distribute those funds to the public universities in Kansas for reimbursements for tuition to students if they were enrolled in an in-person class that went virtual.&nbsp;&nbsp; We also provided $3 million for the Senior Care Act services, which was allotted by the Governor in 2021.&nbsp;We have not debated the bill yet on the House Floor, although, I contend that we will have that debate next week.Sports Wagering and Gaming BillThe House Federal and State Affairs committee on Wednesday, passed out of their committee the House version allowing for the legalization of sports wagering in the state of Kansas.&nbsp; This bill would allow for sports wagering to be administered through the Kansas Lottery, where the Senate version has it at the state-owned casinos.&nbsp; There was much discussion on the reduction of the current tax rate for the slot machines that are allowed at the racing facilities in the state of Kansas, however, in this bill the current tax rate remains at 38%.&nbsp;The one addition that would affect the racing facilities would be the facility in the Wichita area.&nbsp; An amendment was passed to allow Sedgwick county to have a revote on allowing for slot machines at parimutuel facility. In the House bill, there is also the inclusion on ILottery.&nbsp; This bill now awaits debate on the House Floor.<a>Bills Passed the House</a>The House has spent much of our time this week passing bills out of our committees since the last day to meet for committees is Friday, March 26.&nbsp; We also debated numerous bills on the House Floor and will continue to debate bills in the House Chamber everyday next week.&nbsp; Here are some of the bills that we debated this week:House Bill 2406 would allow for cities and counties the option of expanding or restricting retail sales of alcoholic liquor and cereal malt beverages.&nbsp; This bill also changes the restricted hours for Sunday liquor sales to 9 am to 8 pm.&nbsp; The bill also eliminates the restriction of sales on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.&nbsp; The bill passed the House, 80-42.House Substitute for Senate Bill 63 enacts the “Back to School Act” which requires school districts to provide a full-time, in-person attendance option for all students beginning March 31, 2021.&nbsp; This bill passed, 77-46.The next bill was Senate Bill 24, which would create the Kansas Energy Choice Act.&nbsp; This act would prohibit a municipality from taking any action that would limit a customer’s uses of a service from a public utility based upon the source of energy to be delivered to the customer.&nbsp; This bill passed the House, 93-29.For these three bills, I voted, “yes” on all three.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, March 26

Last week, the Kansas legislature adopted a slightly modified version of the Back to School Act. The bill will require public schools in Kansas to offer a full-time in-person learning option beginning on March 31st and covers the remainder of the current school year. Many school districts have resumed in-person learning since the legislation was introduced. Governor Kelly has indicated she will sign the legislation.

In a unanimous vote, the Senate passed HB2071, which would amend the definition of the crime of stalking to include intentionally engaging in a course of conduct targeted at a specific child under the age of 14. The crime would occur when a reasonable person, in the circumstances of the targeted child or an immediate family member of such child, feared for such child’s safety. The penalty for the new provision would be a severity 7, person felony for a first conviction and a severity level 4, person felony for a second or subsequent conviction. The Johnson County District Attorney testified that the bill closes a loophole that was identified in a recently publicized case in Johnson County.

This week SB24 is being sent to the governor for signature after the House passed the Energy Choice Act which the Senate passed in February. “The freedom of energy choice is being undermined in many areas around the country, with governments seeking to limit or prohibit the use of natural gas. This poses a growing threat to the 870,000 households in Kansas who use natural gas and rely on it to heat their homes and water, cook meals for their families and many other uses,” said Senator Thompson.

SB40 has been signed by the governor. This bill will reform the Kansas Emergency Management Act. The bill has a number of provisions important to preserving the liberty and freedom of Kansans, including:

* Ends all COVID-19 related statewide mandates, including the mask mandate, on March 31. * Proper checks and balances for any order issued by the governor. * Prohibits the governor from closing businesses, civil organizations, and churches. * Protects 2nd Amendment rights. * Establishes due process rights for Kansans aggrieved by an order. * Ensures the buck stops with elected officials at the state and local level. * Preserves local control of schools.

The Senate confirmed the appointments of Jacy Hurst and Lesley Isherwood to the Kansas Court of Appeals. Jacy Hurst will be the first woman of color in the Court of Appeal’s. Jacy lives in Lawrence, KS and is a partner in the law firm Kutak Rock LLP in Kansas City, Missouri. Lesley Isherwood is a resident of Wichita, KS, and a Senior Assistant District Attorney in Sedgwick County.

It is an honor and pleasure to serve the 40th Senate District of Kansas. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail at rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov. You may also call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399, or my cell number is 785 899-4700.

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

The 40th Senate District includes Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins,&nbsp;Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties, and a portion of Phillips County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604611883673.png" alt="Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>March 29, 2021Last week, the Kansas legislature adopted a slightly modified version of the Back to School Act. The bill will require public schools in Kansas to offer a full-time in-person learning option beginning on March 31st and covers the remainder of the current school year. Many school districts have resumed in-person learning since the legislation was introduced. Governor Kelly has indicated she will sign the legislation.In a unanimous vote, the Senate passed HB2071, which would amend the definition of the crime of stalking to include intentionally engaging in a course of conduct targeted at a specific child under the age of 14. The crime would occur when a reasonable person, in the circumstances of the targeted child or an immediate family member of such child, feared for such child’s safety. The penalty for the new provision would be a severity 7, person felony for a first conviction and a severity level 4, person felony for a second or subsequent conviction. The Johnson County District Attorney testified that the bill closes a loophole that was identified in a recently publicized case in Johnson County.This week SB24 is being sent to the governor for signature after the House passed the Energy Choice Act which the Senate passed in February. “The freedom of energy choice is being undermined in many areas around the country, with governments seeking to limit or prohibit the use of natural gas. This poses a growing threat to the 870,000 households in Kansas who use natural gas and rely on it to heat their homes and water, cook meals for their families and many other uses,” said Senator Thompson.SB40 has been signed by the governor. This bill will reform the Kansas Emergency Management Act. The bill has a number of provisions important to preserving the liberty and freedom of Kansans, including: * Ends all COVID-19 related statewide mandates, including the mask mandate, on March 31. * Proper checks and balances for any order issued by the governor. * Prohibits the governor from closing businesses, civil organizations, and churches. * Protects 2nd Amendment rights. * Establishes due process rights for Kansans aggrieved by an order. * Ensures the buck stops with elected officials at the state and local level. * Preserves local control of schools.The Senate confirmed the appointments of Jacy Hurst and Lesley Isherwood to the Kansas Court of Appeals. Jacy Hurst will be the first woman of color in the Court of Appeal’s. Jacy lives in Lawrence, KS and is a partner in the law firm Kutak Rock LLP in Kansas City, Missouri. Lesley Isherwood is a resident of Wichita, KS, and a Senior Assistant District Attorney in Sedgwick County.It is an honor and pleasure to serve the 40th Senate District of Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail at rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov. You may also call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399, or my cell number is 785 899-4700.Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is state senator of the Kansas 40th Dist.The 40th Senate District includes Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins,&nbsp;Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties, and a portion of Phillips County.

BILLINGER: Senate Update, March 29

We have lived in our house for over 20 years.&nbsp; When we moved in my three sons were 15, 13, and 11.&nbsp; The neighbors across the street have a very large front yard.&nbsp; It did not take long before that yard was a football, basketball, or whatever else field for the Clinkscales boys.&nbsp; They would get a game going with each other, and soon friends would join in.&nbsp;

We have all grown older. The boys’ lives have taken them to different locations through different events of life, some good, and some not so good. &nbsp;

Maintaining their relationship with each other is very important to me.&nbsp; I know it is so easy to let events and changes in life work as “permission” to lose contact. &nbsp;

As a result, once a year my sons and I have a “boys’ trip,” without spouses or children.&nbsp; It is short, usually a long weekend, but it is a time for just us to be together. &nbsp;

I meet with families almost daily.&nbsp; Most of them are dealing with chronic illnesses or aging issues.&nbsp; One significant consideration is their support system and family dynamics.&nbsp; Both could be a real problem.&nbsp; The children may have drifted apart from each other as well as their parents, not only physically but emotionally, and have differing opinions about priorities for their parents.

This has been worsened by the pandemic.&nbsp; Families have curtailed or eliminated visits with each other.&nbsp; Family relationships may have lapsed or gone cold.&nbsp; I hear more and more, “I haven’t seen my brother or my sister since….” or “my parents,” or “my children.”&nbsp; &nbsp;

Life has a way of encouraging us to drift apart.&nbsp; Just as I have continued to work at practicing law to be a good lawyer, we have to “practice” to be good family members.&nbsp; That may mean overlooking differences, and searching for likenesses and love.

So, we do a boys’ trip every year.&nbsp; My hope is that long after I can’t do the boys’ trip, my sons will continue their relationships as best friends, despite their differences and life’s bumps along the way.&nbsp; I know they will have to work at being best friends, but it is worth the effort.

And by the way, if you come by our house while my sons are in town, there is likelihood you will find them in the neighbors’ yard playing football (with a new team member, Alex, my three year old grandson).&nbsp; It warms my heart to see that. &nbsp;

My hope for you is that you will work at staying best friends with your family.&nbsp; Those are irreplaceable relationships. &nbsp;

Randy Clinkscales of Clinkscales Elder Law Practice, PA, Hays, 
Kansas, is an elder care attorney, practicing in western Kansas. To 
contact him, please send an email to randy@clinkscaleslaw.com. 
Disclaimer: The information in the column is for general information 
purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is different 
and outcomes depend on the fact of each case and the then applicable 
law. For specific questions, you should contact a qualified attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578498921842.png" alt="Randy Clinkscales" />
 <figcaption>Randy Clinkscales</figcaption>
 </figure>We have lived in our house for over 20 years.&nbsp; When we moved in my three sons were 15, 13, and 11.&nbsp; The neighbors across the street have a very large front yard.&nbsp; It did not take long before that yard was a football, basketball, or whatever else field for the Clinkscales boys.&nbsp; They would get a game going with each other, and soon friends would join in.&nbsp;We have all grown older. The boys’ lives have taken them to different locations through different events of life, some good, and some not so good. &nbsp;Maintaining their relationship with each other is very important to me.&nbsp; I know it is so easy to let events and changes in life work as “permission” to lose contact. &nbsp;As a result, once a year my sons and I have a “boys’ trip,” without spouses or children.&nbsp; It is short, usually a long weekend, but it is a time for just us to be together. &nbsp;I meet with families almost daily.&nbsp; Most of them are dealing with chronic illnesses or aging issues.&nbsp; One significant consideration is their support system and family dynamics.&nbsp; Both could be a real problem.&nbsp; The children may have drifted apart from each other as well as their parents, not only physically but emotionally, and have differing opinions about priorities for their parents.This has been worsened by the pandemic.&nbsp; Families have curtailed or eliminated visits with each other.&nbsp; Family relationships may have lapsed or gone cold.&nbsp; I hear more and more, “I haven’t seen my brother or my sister since….” or “my parents,” or “my children.”&nbsp; &nbsp;Life has a way of encouraging us to drift apart.&nbsp; Just as I have continued to work at practicing law to be a good lawyer, we have to “practice” to be good family members.&nbsp; That may mean overlooking differences, and searching for likenesses and love.So, we do a boys’ trip every year.&nbsp; My hope is that long after I can’t do the boys’ trip, my sons will continue their relationships as best friends, despite their differences and life’s bumps along the way.&nbsp; I know they will have to work at being best friends, but it is worth the effort.And by the way, if you come by our house while my sons are in town, there is likelihood you will find them in the neighbors’ yard playing football (with a new team member, Alex, my three year old grandson).&nbsp; It warms my heart to see that. &nbsp;My hope for you is that you will work at staying best friends with your family.&nbsp; Those are irreplaceable relationships. &nbsp;Randy Clinkscales of Clinkscales Elder Law Practice, PA, Hays, 
Kansas, is an elder care attorney, practicing in western Kansas. To 
contact him, please send an email to randy@clinkscaleslaw.com. 
Disclaimer: The information in the column is for general information 
purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is different 
and outcomes depend on the fact of each case and the then applicable 
law. For specific questions, you should contact a qualified attorney.

CLINKSCALES: Remaining best friends

Too often caregivers neglect their own health and well-being and put their own needs “on the back burner”. The first chapter of The Caregiver Helpbook is about taking care of yourself. Additional chapters will help the caregiver set goals, make a plan and problem solve.&nbsp;

If you are a caregiver, consider joining an upcoming virtual class to be offered for six consecutive Mondays, April 5th through May 10th from 1:30 to 3 pm. The class does cost $5 but it includes a 230-page Caregiver Helpbook that will be very helpful to family members. The class size is limited, so don’t delay signing up. The link to register for the class is: <a href="https://bit.ly/2WsKkcFe">https://bit.ly/2WsKkcF</a> or you can call the Ford County Extension Office at 620-227-4542. If you know a caregiver who could benefit from this class, please share the information with them.&nbsp;

The Powerful Tools for Caregivers class is designed to help family caregivers take care of themselves while caring for a relative or friend. The class will provide tools to:

The class is only being offered virtually on Zoom at this time. But don’t let that turn you away. If you have never used Zoom, I would be glad to set up a zoom link with you so you can practice before the class starts. Don’t hesitate to give me a call if you have questions about the Powerful Tools for Caregivers class.&nbsp;

Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp; She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at <a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588274071306.jpeg" alt="Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>Too often caregivers neglect their own health and well-being and put their own needs “on the back burner”. The first chapter of The Caregiver Helpbook is about taking care of yourself. Additional chapters will help the caregiver set goals, make a plan and problem solve.&nbsp;If you are a caregiver, consider joining an upcoming virtual class to be offered for six consecutive Mondays, April 5th through May 10th from 1:30 to 3 pm. The class does cost $5 but it includes a 230-page Caregiver Helpbook that will be very helpful to family members. The class size is limited, so don’t delay signing up. The link to register for the class is: <a href="https://bit.ly/2WsKkcFe">https://bit.ly/2WsKkcF</a> or you can call the Ford County Extension Office at 620-227-4542. If you know a caregiver who could benefit from this class, please share the information with them.&nbsp;The Powerful Tools for Caregivers class is designed to help family caregivers take care of themselves while caring for a relative or friend. The class will provide tools to:<ul>
 <li>Help you reduce stress</li><li>Communicate effectively</li><li>Take care of yourself</li><li>Reduce guilt, anger and depression</li><li>Help you relax</li><li>Make tough decisions</li><li>Set goals and problem solve.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>The class is only being offered virtually on Zoom at this time. But don’t let that turn you away. If you have never used Zoom, I would be glad to set up a zoom link with you so you can practice before the class starts. Don’t hesitate to give me a call if you have questions about the Powerful Tools for Caregivers class.&nbsp;	Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp; She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at <a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

UNRUH: Powerful tools for caregivers

Senate Committees continued to review bills which have been sent over from the House and we had two days of General Orders last week in the Senate. As we work though committee bills on the floor, we will also begin to have Conference Committee reports to vote on as well. A Conference Committee is a small, bipartisan and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House’s and Senate’s version of a similar bill. Once the Conference Committee comes to a compromise, the committee’s version of the bill will be sent to both the House and the Senate for a final vote, before advancing the bill to the Governor’s desk.

GOVERNOR SIGNS REPUBLICAN SOLUTION REFORMING KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT – KEMA

Last week, the governor signed SB 40 which contains a number of provisions including ending all COVID-19 related statewide mandates, including the mask mandate, on March 31. It prohibits the governor from closing businesses, civil organizations, and churches. It protects 2nd Amendment rights and establishes due process rights for Kansans aggrieved by an issued order and preserves local control of schools and elected officials at the state and local level.

The Senate confirmed the appointments of Jacy Hurst
and Lesley Isherwood to the Kansas Court of Appeals.&nbsp;

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2008/">HB 2008</a> would
authorize the Attorney General to coordinate training regarding missing and
murdered indigenous persons for law enforcement agencies throughout Kansas.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2014/">HB 2014</a> permits
military surplus vehicles to register with the division of vehicles for road
use. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2321/">HB 2321</a> would require
certain electric utilities to take steps before exercising eminent domain to
acquire an interest in land related to the construction of an “urban electric
transmission line.” 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2022/">HB 2022</a> would amend
law concerning the filing of complaints and investigations pertaining to
abandoned wells and for plugging abandoned wells.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb2/">SB 2</a> would amend
law related to the consumption of alcohol on the grounds of the Kansas State
Fair and collection of associated liquor taxes, allowing for the consumption of
alcohol at the State Fair in more situations. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2102/">S Sub 2102</a>
would update
Kansas Egg Law regarding repackaged eggs. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2137/">HB 2137</a> would expand
the categories of alcoholic liquor licensees who can sell cereal malt beverage (CMB)
and would allow temporary permit holders to sell CMB along with alcoholic
liquor in common consumption areas. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2172/">HB 2172</a> would amend
the Kansas Water Appropriation Act by expanding the opportunity for the establishment
of multi-year flex accounts (MYFAs) for groundwater water rights to water right
holders who did not have water use between 2000 and 2009. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2178/">HB 2178</a> would vacate
lots dedicated for a college and a park in the original town plat of the City
of Americus.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2270/">HB 2270</a> would place a
limit of $100,000 on deposits into the State General Fund (SGF) each fiscal
year from moneys from a levy placed on each fire insurance company doing
business in Kansas for the purpose of maintaining the Office of State Fire
Marshal.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb99/">H Sub SB 99</a>
would amend law regarding vehicle dealer license requirements &amp; vehicle
display shows. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2007/">HB 2007</a>
would update statutes related to the regulatory authority of the Kansas
Corporation Commission
(KCC) with regard to motor carriers. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2026/">HB 2026</a> would
establish a certified drug treatment program for certain persons who have entered
into a diversion agreement pursuant to a memorandum of understanding. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2071/">HB 2071</a> would amend
the definition of the crime of stalking to include intentionally engaging in a
course of conduct targeted at a specific child under the age of 14. The penalty
for the new provision would be a severity level 7, person felony for a first
conviction and a severity level 4, person felony for a second or subsequent
conviction. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2126/">HB 2126</a> would amend
the COVID-19 Response and Reopening for Business Liability Protection Act by
replacing the definition of “adult care facility” with the following definition
of “covered facility”. The bill would replace an affirmative defense available
for an adult care facility in a civil action for damages, administrative fines,
or penalties for a COVID19 claim with immunity from liability for a covered
facility in a civil action for damages for a COVID-19 claim.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2155/">HB 2155</a> would replace
and update current law regarding soil, water pollutant releases &amp; cleanup. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2166/">Sub HB 2166</a> would add
several types of license plates, add reporting requirements for organizations sponsoring
distinctive license plates, would amend requirements for distinctive license
plate development, distinctive license plates, and personalized license plate backgrounds. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2243/">HB 2243</a> would change
the frequency of the actuarial experience and cost study performed by the Board
of Trustees of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) from once
every three years to once every four years. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2252/">S Sub HB 2252</a> would amend
and create law related to fulfillment house licenses, farm winery licenses,
electronic submission of records by special order shipping license holders,
residency requirements for certain liquor licenses, and licenses that can be
held by an alcoholic liquor manufacturer. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2298/">HB 2298</a> would provide
that a plaintiff may serve a defendant by paying a fee to the Secretary and
providing to the Secretary a copy of the summons, petition, and order, and the
last known address, residence, or place of abode for each defendant. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb77/">SB 77</a> would enact
the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb145/">SB 145</a> would
authorize the Secretary of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to purchase a portion of
land in Kingman County. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb158/">SB 158</a> would
prohibit a person providing towing services from towing a vehicle to a location
outside of Kansas without the consent of the driver or owner of the vehicle, or
the insurance company processing a claim with respect to the vehicle or
an agent of an insurance company. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2070/">HB 2070</a>
would allow
private, not-for-profit postsecondary educational institutions in Kansas to
collect a surcharge on credit card payments.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2072/">S Sub HB 2072</a> would create
the Utility Financing and Securitization Act (UFSA), which would allow for the
securitization of utility assets to recover energy transition costs for
electric public utilities whose retail rates are subject to the Kansas
Corporation Commission (KCC). 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2104/">S Sub HB 2104</a> would
reauthorize the statewide school finance levy and amend law related to the list
of eligible county appraisers, appraisal standards, Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA)
administration, 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/hb2112/">HB 2112</a> would revise
the Self-service Storage Act as it pertains to liability claims and the
contents of storage agreements. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2145/">HB 2145</a> would exempt
from the definition of “public utility” the marketing and sale of electricity
purchased through a retail electric supplier for electric vehicles.&nbsp;

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2254/">HB 2254</a> would increase
the monetary cap on irrevocable prearranged funeral agreements, contracts, or
plans, on and after July 1, 2021, to $10,000.

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

The Department of Labor testified along others in the Senate Commerce Committee specifically on the problem with fraudulent claims in the state. Kansas is not alone - in fact all 50 states are affected. Many people are unaware a claim has been made on their behalf until they receive a notice from KDOL in the mail or their employer does. If this happens - immediately&nbsp;
















go to <a href="https://www.fraudreport.ks.gov/?fbclid=IwAR0axIk1afiBbpdrEDa1Lajy5-9XBZI4dgglsWgwfpEfQ9sCzBm62VTHtZg" target="_blank">https://www.fraudreport.ks.gov</a>&nbsp;and report the fraudulent&nbsp;claim.&nbsp;You will receive a confirmation email with a police report case number. This number is an official law enforcement case number. You will NOT have to alert another law enforcement agency. Additional steps to take – Contact the Federal Trade Commission at <a href="http://www.identitytheft.gov">www.identitytheft.gov</a>.

Place a fraud alert on your credit record with one of the three credit bureaus:

Equifax 1 (866) 349-5191 Experian 1 (888) 397-3742 TransUnion 1 (800) 680-7289

Remember to contact your financial providers (banks, credit card companies, etc.) to flag irregular transactions and check your Social Security earnings statements online to make sure your reported wages are correct at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount?fbclid=IwAR2O4G2WUZ1oxXQiUhTiGDSq9PoACchvaKEGmv6-tF3NcxsDQ7MYKXE8Y7o" target="_blank">www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A">Kansas Legislature YouTube</a> – Here you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings. <a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/">Kansas Legislature Audio</a> – Here you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or access prior committee meetings, as well. Kansas Legislature website – <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a> - has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessions.

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

Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.

Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580853658061.jpeg" alt="Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist." />
 <figcaption>Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>2021 SENATE SCENE WEEK 11SENATE HIGHLIGHTSSenate Committees continued to review bills which have been sent over from the House and we had two days of General Orders last week in the Senate. As we work though committee bills on the floor, we will also begin to have Conference Committee reports to vote on as well. A Conference Committee is a small, bipartisan and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House’s and Senate’s version of a similar bill. Once the Conference Committee comes to a compromise, the committee’s version of the bill will be sent to both the House and the Senate for a final vote, before advancing the bill to the Governor’s desk.GOVERNOR SIGNS REPUBLICAN SOLUTION REFORMING KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT – KEMALast week, the governor signed SB 40 which contains a number of provisions including ending all COVID-19 related statewide mandates, including the mask mandate, on March 31. It prohibits the governor from closing businesses, civil organizations, and churches. It protects 2nd Amendment rights and establishes due process rights for Kansans aggrieved by an issued order and preserves local control of schools and elected officials at the state and local level.SENATE FLOOR ACTIONThe Senate confirmed the appointments of Jacy Hurst
and Lesley Isherwood to the Kansas Court of Appeals.&nbsp; <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2008/">HB 2008</a> would
authorize the Attorney General to coordinate training regarding missing and
murdered indigenous persons for law enforcement agencies throughout Kansas.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2014/">HB 2014</a> permits
military surplus vehicles to register with the division of vehicles for road
use. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2321/">HB 2321</a> would require
certain electric utilities to take steps before exercising eminent domain to
acquire an interest in land related to the construction of an “urban electric
transmission line.” 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2022/">HB 2022</a> would amend
law concerning the filing of complaints and investigations pertaining to
abandoned wells and for plugging abandoned wells.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb2/">SB 2</a> would amend
law related to the consumption of alcohol on the grounds of the Kansas State
Fair and collection of associated liquor taxes, allowing for the consumption of
alcohol at the State Fair in more situations. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2102/">S Sub 2102</a>
would update
Kansas Egg Law regarding repackaged eggs. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2137/">HB 2137</a> would expand
the categories of alcoholic liquor licensees who can sell cereal malt beverage (CMB)
and would allow temporary permit holders to sell CMB along with alcoholic
liquor in common consumption areas. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2172/">HB 2172</a> would amend
the Kansas Water Appropriation Act by expanding the opportunity for the establishment
of multi-year flex accounts (MYFAs) for groundwater water rights to water right
holders who did not have water use between 2000 and 2009. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2178/">HB 2178</a> would vacate
lots dedicated for a college and a park in the original town plat of the City
of Americus.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2270/">HB 2270</a> would place a
limit of $100,000 on deposits into the State General Fund (SGF) each fiscal
year from moneys from a levy placed on each fire insurance company doing
business in Kansas for the purpose of maintaining the Office of State Fire
Marshal.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb99/">H Sub SB 99</a>
would amend law regarding vehicle dealer license requirements &amp; vehicle
display shows. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2007/">HB 2007</a>
would update statutes related to the regulatory authority of the Kansas
Corporation Commission
(KCC) with regard to motor carriers. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2026/">HB 2026</a> would
establish a certified drug treatment program for certain persons who have entered
into a diversion agreement pursuant to a memorandum of understanding. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2071/">HB 2071</a> would amend
the definition of the crime of stalking to include intentionally engaging in a
course of conduct targeted at a specific child under the age of 14. The penalty
for the new provision would be a severity level 7, person felony for a first
conviction and a severity level 4, person felony for a second or subsequent
conviction. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2126/">HB 2126</a> would amend
the COVID-19 Response and Reopening for Business Liability Protection Act by
replacing the definition of “adult care facility” with the following definition
of “covered facility”. The bill would replace an affirmative defense available
for an adult care facility in a civil action for damages, administrative fines,
or penalties for a COVID19 claim with immunity from liability for a covered
facility in a civil action for damages for a COVID-19 claim.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2155/">HB 2155</a> would replace
and update current law regarding soil, water pollutant releases &amp; cleanup. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2166/">Sub HB 2166</a> would add
several types of license plates, add reporting requirements for organizations sponsoring
distinctive license plates, would amend requirements for distinctive license
plate development, distinctive license plates, and personalized license plate backgrounds. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2243/">HB 2243</a> would change
the frequency of the actuarial experience and cost study performed by the Board
of Trustees of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) from once
every three years to once every four years. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2252/">S Sub HB 2252</a> would amend
and create law related to fulfillment house licenses, farm winery licenses,
electronic submission of records by special order shipping license holders,
residency requirements for certain liquor licenses, and licenses that can be
held by an alcoholic liquor manufacturer. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2298/">HB 2298</a> would provide
that a plaintiff may serve a defendant by paying a fee to the Secretary and
providing to the Secretary a copy of the summons, petition, and order, and the
last known address, residence, or place of abode for each defendant. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb77/">SB 77</a> would enact
the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb145/">SB 145</a> would
authorize the Secretary of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to purchase a portion of
land in Kingman County. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb158/">SB 158</a> would
prohibit a person providing towing services from towing a vehicle to a location
outside of Kansas without the consent of the driver or owner of the vehicle, or
the insurance company processing a claim with respect to the vehicle or
an agent of an insurance company. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2070/">HB 2070</a>
would allow
private, not-for-profit postsecondary educational institutions in Kansas to
collect a surcharge on credit card payments. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2072/">S Sub HB 2072</a> would create
the Utility Financing and Securitization Act (UFSA), which would allow for the
securitization of utility assets to recover energy transition costs for
electric public utilities whose retail rates are subject to the Kansas
Corporation Commission (KCC). 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2104/">S Sub HB 2104</a> would
reauthorize the statewide school finance levy and amend law related to the list
of eligible county appraisers, appraisal standards, Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA)
administration, 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/hb2112/">HB 2112</a> would revise
the Self-service Storage Act as it pertains to liability claims and the
contents of storage agreements. 
<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2145/">HB 2145</a> would exempt
from the definition of “public utility” the marketing and sale of electricity
purchased through a retail electric supplier for electric vehicles.&nbsp; <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2254/">HB 2254</a> would increase
the monetary cap on irrevocable prearranged funeral agreements, contracts, or
plans, on and after July 1, 2021, to $10,000.Full texts of the bills and
supplemental notes as well as the Final Action vote on these measures can be
found at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org">www.kslegislature.org</a>.&nbsp;
UNEMPLOYMENT AND FRAUD IN KANSASThe Department of Labor testified along others in the Senate Commerce Committee specifically on the problem with fraudulent claims in the state. Kansas is not alone - in fact all 50 states are affected. Many people are unaware a claim has been made on their behalf until they receive a notice from KDOL in the mail or their employer does. If this happens - immediately&nbsp;
















go to <a href="https://www.fraudreport.ks.gov/?fbclid=IwAR0axIk1afiBbpdrEDa1Lajy5-9XBZI4dgglsWgwfpEfQ9sCzBm62VTHtZg" target="_blank">https://www.fraudreport.ks.gov</a>&nbsp;and report the fraudulent&nbsp;claim.&nbsp;You will receive a confirmation email with a police report case number. This number is an official law enforcement case number. You will NOT have to alert another law enforcement agency. Additional steps to take – Contact the Federal Trade Commission at <a href="http://www.identitytheft.gov">www.identitytheft.gov</a>.Place a fraud alert on your credit record with one of the three credit bureaus:Equifax 1 (866) 349-5191 Experian 1 (888) 397-3742 TransUnion 1 (800) 680-7289 Remember to contact your financial providers (banks, credit card companies, etc.) to flag irregular transactions and check your Social Security earnings statements online to make sure your reported wages are correct at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount?fbclid=IwAR2O4G2WUZ1oxXQiUhTiGDSq9PoACchvaKEGmv6-tF3NcxsDQ7MYKXE8Y7o" target="_blank">www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A">Kansas Legislature YouTube</a> – Here you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings. <a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/">Kansas Legislature Audio</a> – Here you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or access prior committee meetings, as well. Kansas Legislature website – <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a> - has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessions.THANK YOU FOR ENGAGINGThank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.Thank you for the honor of serving you.Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-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 Week 11

Last month, I had a visitor to my office here at Friends University in Wichita. I knew who he was — he’s written and called me before — but this was the first time we’d met in person. It was a pleasure to talk with him, even though he was there to let me know how wrong he thought I was.&nbsp;

He is, you see, a reader of these columns, and was a strong supporter of President Trump. I wasn’t, and in writing about Kansas politics had said so, multiple times. That was fine with him; as a well-read fellow, he was no more surprised to see a professor of political science advocate for policies that most Republicans like himself disagree with than anyone else would be to see an oil company president advocate for policies that most Democrats disagree with.

Moreover, as a life-long gay Christian in conservative Kansas, he was thoroughly familiar what it means to be a minority, and to hold an unpopular point of view. So he didn’t come by the office to correct or challenge or convert me. Rather, he just wanted me to see things from his perspective. The resulting conversation was a real delight.

This is a too-rare thing in American politics today, Kansas politics included, for many reasons. Demographic and socio-economic changes have led to the conceptual (and sometimes literal) segregation of people with differences in opinion: between red states and blue states, and between rural areas and urban ones. Developments in campaign finance, election rules, and party structures have all encouraged&nbsp; politicians to maximize the differences built into our two-party system, with the result that the demonization of those you disagree with has been normalized.

Most of all, social media technologies make it easy for us to express ourselves anonymously and vindictively. So when I say I enjoyed being able to sit with a reader of my columns, to calmly consider our disagreements and reflect upon the words we use to express them, I’m not kidding.

A little more than a year ago, I was invited by Insight Kansas to start writing columns on public affairs in our state. As someone who studies and teaches about politics, and as someone who has newspapers and opinion-writing and blogging in his blood (my wife and I met while working at our campus newspaper), writing short essays like this one is nothing new. But I’ve appreciated the new audience which that invitation has given me — and that includes readers who take the time to reach out, whether by phone or e-mail or in person, and actually want to talk. Not to change minds, necessarily, but to fully express themselves, rather than sticking with cheap shots on Facebook or snarky memes on Twitter (which, yes, I’m sometimes guilty of too).

I don’t mean to sugar-coat civic life. We are all — as Kansans and Americans — going through some profound shifts in our thinking, and the fights over those shifting priorities — regarding race, education, gender, economics, the climate, and more — are fierce. I don’t know what things will look like when we get through to the other side of those fights, or if we ever will. Still, I’m grateful to be able to observe and write about it all, and for those who take democracy seriously enough to want to talk about what they’ve read, and keep the conversation going. And to the extent that anyone who has read this column to the end is one of them: my thanks to you as well.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox runs the history and politics major and the Honors program at Friends University in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583339056495.jpeg" alt="Dr. Russell Arben Fox runs the history and politics major and the Honors program at Friends University in Wichita." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Russell Arben Fox runs the history and politics major and the Honors program at Friends University in Wichita.</figcaption>
 </figure>Last month, I had a visitor to my office here at Friends University in Wichita. I knew who he was — he’s written and called me before — but this was the first time we’d met in person. It was a pleasure to talk with him, even though he was there to let me know how wrong he thought I was.&nbsp;He is, you see, a reader of these columns, and was a strong supporter of President Trump. I wasn’t, and in writing about Kansas politics had said so, multiple times. That was fine with him; as a well-read fellow, he was no more surprised to see a professor of political science advocate for policies that most Republicans like himself disagree with than anyone else would be to see an oil company president advocate for policies that most Democrats disagree with.Moreover, as a life-long gay Christian in conservative Kansas, he was thoroughly familiar what it means to be a minority, and to hold an unpopular point of view. So he didn’t come by the office to correct or challenge or convert me. Rather, he just wanted me to see things from his perspective. The resulting conversation was a real delight.This is a too-rare thing in American politics today, Kansas politics included, for many reasons. Demographic and socio-economic changes have led to the conceptual (and sometimes literal) segregation of people with differences in opinion: between red states and blue states, and between rural areas and urban ones. Developments in campaign finance, election rules, and party structures have all encouraged&nbsp; politicians to maximize the differences built into our two-party system, with the result that the demonization of those you disagree with has been normalized.Most of all, social media technologies make it easy for us to express ourselves anonymously and vindictively. So when I say I enjoyed being able to sit with a reader of my columns, to calmly consider our disagreements and reflect upon the words we use to express them, I’m not kidding.A little more than a year ago, I was invited by Insight Kansas to start writing columns on public affairs in our state. As someone who studies and teaches about politics, and as someone who has newspapers and opinion-writing and blogging in his blood (my wife and I met while working at our campus newspaper), writing short essays like this one is nothing new. But I’ve appreciated the new audience which that invitation has given me — and that includes readers who take the time to reach out, whether by phone or e-mail or in person, and actually want to talk. Not to change minds, necessarily, but to fully express themselves, rather than sticking with cheap shots on Facebook or snarky memes on Twitter (which, yes, I’m sometimes guilty of too).I don’t mean to sugar-coat civic life. We are all — as Kansans and Americans — going through some profound shifts in our thinking, and the fights over those shifting priorities — regarding race, education, gender, economics, the climate, and more — are fierce. I don’t know what things will look like when we get through to the other side of those fights, or if we ever will. Still, I’m grateful to be able to observe and write about it all, and for those who take democracy seriously enough to want to talk about what they’ve read, and keep the conversation going. And to the extent that anyone who has read this column to the end is one of them: my thanks to you as well.Dr. Russell Arben Fox runs the history and politics major and the Honors program at Friends University in Wichita.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Appreciating the conversations beyond the page

By DALE YOUNKER Natural Resources Conservation Service

In western Kansas, our dryland cropping systems tend to have long fallow periods between cash crops. The original reason behind these systems is to basically “bank” moisture in the soil profile for the next crop, thus reducing the risk of a failure. This seems to make sense in a semi-arid area that receives an average of 15 to 22 inches of rainfall annually. In dry years this could be the difference of having a crop or not.

One of the issues with these systems is that they are not very efficient at capturing and storing soil moisture during those fallow periods. Depending on how much tillage is done around 70 to 85% of the moisture is lost from runoff, evaporation and in some cases deep percolation below the crop’s root zone. In other words, if you receive 16 inches of moisture during a fallow period at best you are only gaining about 2.5 to 5 inches of additional moisture depending on how much tillage is used in the system. 

In a dry year that little bit of extra moisture might be difference from a failed crop and a decent crop. But in average or wet years we are greatly under utilizing the moisture Mother Nature has provided us.

Another concern with these systems is that for extended periods the soil surface is nearly bare and vulnerable to both wind and water erosion. And it doesn’t make much difference whether it is a tillage or no-till system. No-till fields, without cover on the soil surface, can blow and wash away just as easily as a tilled field. With every erosion event the soil becomes more degraded and less productive.

So, the question becomes can we utilize all of that lost moisture in a more positive way. I believe that we can. One way is just to intensify the cropping system with less fallow and more cash and/or cover crops. I think this has real merit in those 18 to 22-inch rainfall areas and possibly further north and west where our evaporation rates are less due to the cooler climate and higher elevations. 

This doesn’t have to be an all or none scenario and should be flexible. As an example, if in the spring after a fall harvested crop there is a good soil moisture profile and the long- term weather forecast is favorable I would plant another fall harvested crop rather than fallow those acres. If soil moisture is a little iffy but the weather forecast is neutral, I would lean towards planting a cover crop that can be terminated if conditions turn dry.

In the drier areas of the state just using cover crops to bridge that time between the cash crops may be a better option. This would provide a lot more flexibility than trying to incorporate more cash crops because you don’t need to worry about getting a crop to maturity so you can harvest it. 

You can always terminate a cover crop early if conditions become dry. Or, if conditions are extremely dry and the weather forecast is unfavorable when a cover crop needs to be planted you may decide not to plant it, at least for that season.

At the end of the day the one question that you really need to ask is will changing my current system be more profitable for my operation? Can I get enough economic gain from that extra cash or cover crop to make it worthwhile. And just don’t look at it from the short term but also consider long-term costs&nbsp;and benefits. If there is a lot of soil erosion with your current system eventually it will cost more money to maintain the productively of those fields.

Cover crops are not a silver bullet that will fix all soil health issues. They are just another tool in the toolbox that may work for some producers but not for others. There are other soil health practices, like nutrient management, no-till, crop rotation and others that may be a better fit for some producers.

If you are new to using cover crops, I suggest that you start small and experiment to figure out what might work for you before implementing it on a large scale. Seek out others in your area that are using cover crops and ask what they are doing to make it work for them. 

For more information about soil health practices you can contact me at dale.younker@ks.usda.gov or any local NRCS office.

Dale Younker is a soil health specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jetmore.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593956642758.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DALE YOUNKER Natural Resources Conservation Service In western Kansas, our dryland cropping systems tend to have long fallow periods between cash crops. The original reason behind these systems is to basically “bank” moisture in the soil profile for the next crop, thus reducing the risk of a failure. This seems to make sense in a semi-arid area that receives an average of 15 to 22 inches of rainfall annually. In dry years this could be the difference of having a crop or not.One of the issues with these systems is that they are not very efficient at capturing and storing soil moisture during those fallow periods. Depending on how much tillage is done around 70 to 85% of the moisture is lost from runoff, evaporation and in some cases deep percolation below the crop’s root zone. In other words, if you receive 16 inches of moisture during a fallow period at best you are only gaining about 2.5 to 5 inches of additional moisture depending on how much tillage is used in the system. In a dry year that little bit of extra moisture might be difference from a failed crop and a decent crop. But in average or wet years we are greatly under utilizing the moisture Mother Nature has provided us.Another concern with these systems is that for extended periods the soil surface is nearly bare and vulnerable to both wind and water erosion. And it doesn’t make much difference whether it is a tillage or no-till system. No-till fields, without cover on the soil surface, can blow and wash away just as easily as a tilled field. With every erosion event the soil becomes more degraded and less productive.So, the question becomes can we utilize all of that lost moisture in a more positive way. I believe that we can. One way is just to intensify the cropping system with less fallow and more cash and/or cover crops. I think this has real merit in those 18 to 22-inch rainfall areas and possibly further north and west where our evaporation rates are less due to the cooler climate and higher elevations. This doesn’t have to be an all or none scenario and should be flexible. As an example, if in the spring after a fall harvested crop there is a good soil moisture profile and the long- term weather forecast is favorable I would plant another fall harvested crop rather than fallow those acres. If soil moisture is a little iffy but the weather forecast is neutral, I would lean towards planting a cover crop that can be terminated if conditions turn dry.In the drier areas of the state just using cover crops to bridge that time between the cash crops may be a better option. This would provide a lot more flexibility than trying to incorporate more cash crops because you don’t need to worry about getting a crop to maturity so you can harvest it. You can always terminate a cover crop early if conditions become dry. Or, if conditions are extremely dry and the weather forecast is unfavorable when a cover crop needs to be planted you may decide not to plant it, at least for that season.At the end of the day the one question that you really need to ask is will changing my current system be more profitable for my operation? Can I get enough economic gain from that extra cash or cover crop to make it worthwhile. And just don’t look at it from the short term but also consider long-term costs&nbsp;and benefits. If there is a lot of soil erosion with your current system eventually it will cost more money to maintain the productively of those fields.Cover crops are not a silver bullet that will fix all soil health issues. They are just another tool in the toolbox that may work for some producers but not for others. There are other soil health practices, like nutrient management, no-till, crop rotation and others that may be a better fit for some producers.If you are new to using cover crops, I suggest that you start small and experiment to figure out what might work for you before implementing it on a large scale. Seek out others in your area that are using cover crops and ask what they are doing to make it work for them. For more information about soil health practices you can contact me at dale.younker@ks.usda.gov or any local NRCS office.Dale Younker is a soil health specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jetmore.

YOUNKER: Cover crops in western Kansas cropping systems

At Fort Hays State University, we love talking about why we are a great value: quality and affordability. Strategic decisions and investment drive our ability to keep tuition low while continuously enhancing our quality. Our investors include state legislators, the federal government, our local community, and our very generous philanthropists.&nbsp;

Philanthropists include alumni, friends, businesses, and non-profit foundations. These philanthropists fuel our success in big ways from buildings, to scholarships, to internships, and so much more.&nbsp;

Among our many investors – heroes really – is the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation, a foundation named after two caring and hard-working people who believed passionately in making a difference in the lives of others. Our community, hospital, university, alumni, and students have been longtime benefactors of the Schmidts’ generosity. That kindness has provided many opportunities designed to unleash the potential of others, and in doing so, has positively changed lives.

I am excited to share a new initiative – another opportunity to unleash untapped potential by changing the trajectory of young lives through higher education – the Schmidt Foundation Scholars program. Beginning this fall, the Schmidt Foundation will provide scholarships to five incoming freshmen that will cover 30 hours of tuition and fees for fall and spring courses, books, room, and board – in other words, they are full-ride scholarships. They also are renewable for three additional years for a total of four years.

This is a life-changing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Now that is impact!

During the fall 2021 semester, five FHSU freshmen will become the Schmidt Foundation Scholars program's inaugural class. And in 2021, an additional five Tigers from the incoming freshman class will also have the opportunity to receive this prestigious scholarship and join the expanding community of Schmidt Foundation Scholars. More information about the scholarship, including the application – which is due April 1 –&nbsp; is at https://fhsu.edu/schmidtfoundation.

A special thank you to our partner – Gary Shorman, president of the Schmidt Foundation – for the vision and compassion behind this wonderful opportunity. I love the way the program requires each student to dedicate themselves to study and service as they discover their talents and nurture their dreams. I also admire a great deal of emphasis that is placed on building intentional relationships that engage the scholars, build self-confidence, and cultivate an ethic of care focused on attending generously to each other’s needs. Schmidt Foundation Scholars will enjoy an abundance of opportunities to maximize individual growth and learning, and by doing so, they will pay their experiences forward. What a great way to honor the generous philanthropy of Bob and Pat Schmidt.

I am so grateful for all of our investors who join us in driving our mission to provide accessible, quality education, and I cannot wait to meet our first Schmidt Foundation Scholars, learn about their hopes and dreams, and watch them blaze their new path in our world.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure> At Fort Hays State University, we love talking about why we are a great value: quality and affordability. Strategic decisions and investment drive our ability to keep tuition low while continuously enhancing our quality. Our investors include state legislators, the federal government, our local community, and our very generous philanthropists.&nbsp;Philanthropists include alumni, friends, businesses, and non-profit foundations. These philanthropists fuel our success in big ways from buildings, to scholarships, to internships, and so much more.&nbsp;Among our many investors – heroes really – is the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation, a foundation named after two caring and hard-working people who believed passionately in making a difference in the lives of others. Our community, hospital, university, alumni, and students have been longtime benefactors of the Schmidts’ generosity. That kindness has provided many opportunities designed to unleash the potential of others, and in doing so, has positively changed lives.I am excited to share a new initiative – another opportunity to unleash untapped potential by changing the trajectory of young lives through higher education – the Schmidt Foundation Scholars program. Beginning this fall, the Schmidt Foundation will provide scholarships to five incoming freshmen that will cover 30 hours of tuition and fees for fall and spring courses, books, room, and board – in other words, they are full-ride scholarships. They also are renewable for three additional years for a total of four years.This is a life-changing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Now that is impact!During the fall 2021 semester, five FHSU freshmen will become the Schmidt Foundation Scholars program's inaugural class. And in 2021, an additional five Tigers from the incoming freshman class will also have the opportunity to receive this prestigious scholarship and join the expanding community of Schmidt Foundation Scholars. More information about the scholarship, including the application – which is due April 1 –&nbsp; is at https://fhsu.edu/schmidtfoundation.A special thank you to our partner – Gary Shorman, president of the Schmidt Foundation – for the vision and compassion behind this wonderful opportunity. I love the way the program requires each student to dedicate themselves to study and service as they discover their talents and nurture their dreams. I also admire a great deal of emphasis that is placed on building intentional relationships that engage the scholars, build self-confidence, and cultivate an ethic of care focused on attending generously to each other’s needs. Schmidt Foundation Scholars will enjoy an abundance of opportunities to maximize individual growth and learning, and by doing so, they will pay their experiences forward. What a great way to honor the generous philanthropy of Bob and Pat Schmidt.I am so grateful for all of our investors who join us in driving our mission to provide accessible, quality education, and I cannot wait to meet our first Schmidt Foundation Scholars, learn about their hopes and dreams, and watch them blaze their new path in our world.&nbsp;

MASON: Schmidt Foundation fuels dreams of FHSU scholars

Political pundits and Republican leaders talk incessantly about how the pendulum will swing in the next two elections as the Republican Party retakes congress and the presidency.&nbsp; I beg to differ.&nbsp; We are not in a time of politics as usual.&nbsp; What is taking place is unprecedented in American history.&nbsp; We currently have the most non-stop radical agendas ever in our history coming from the Democrat Party.&nbsp; And, with control of our three branches of government this party is not about to give up their power and control moving forward.&nbsp; In a recent letter to the editor, I made my case that we could be on our way to being a third world country with a one political party government.&nbsp; Yes, a Democrat Party socialistic government.&nbsp; My main contention in the&nbsp; previous letter about Democrat's control was that the last two elections were stolen and the highest court in the land completely turned its back on constitutional lawsuits that had enormous proof of voter fraud. I also pointed out that all the illegals Biden is inviting to come from South America could end up having foreigners determine who gets elected in the U.S.&nbsp; That's three good arguments for Dems having control in this country in perpetuity.&nbsp; But there's even more to support my case and why I write a second letter about this issue. With nothing stopping them, Dems clearly showed their hand they are all about stealing elections by an "in your face"&nbsp; HR 1.&nbsp; That bill, passed in the House recently, would allow voter fraud to occur ten times more then during the last elections.&nbsp; It clearly destroys any semblance of integrity when voting.&nbsp; Truth be known, I hope and pray that I am wrong and the pendulum does swing back to conservative government.&nbsp; But, if HR 1 passes in the Senate, there's no hope for Republicans to win anymore elections.&nbsp; We can kiss our democratic republic goodbye and our constitution to go along with it.&nbsp;&nbsp; Yes, Dems will soon attempt to change our sacred document, maybe even eliminate it. Eliminating the constitutional electoral college and going to a popular vote would give sole responsibility for election results to a handful of large liberal Democrat voting cities. Adding two more entities as states, namely D.C. and Puerto Rico, would help win elections for Dems as well.&nbsp; The plans to take over America appear to have no end. We do not have a free press.&nbsp; Media and the Democrat Party are connected at the hip. The two together control the narrative and therefore control what more than half the country thinks&nbsp; Our 2020 presidential election was a vote in large part based on emotion and not facts, nor based on party platforms or agendas. It was all about hating Trump thus voting for Biden.&nbsp; Besides Big Tech Media doing its propagandizing, something else is taking place to prove we are on a path to totalitarianism.&nbsp; Many forces are aligned with the Democrat Party to silence conservatives, and readers need to be know this is not conspiracy talk.&nbsp; It's all about a complete transformation of our culture, and also everybody's way of thinking.&nbsp;&nbsp; Details of this takeover as per the last paragraph should shock every patriotic American to the core, but best be left for some other writing.&nbsp; My entire writing should be a wake up call because its all insanity! As a conservative Republican, however, I'm not jumping ship.&nbsp; As a Christian, I will pray for miracles to bring us back to what made us the best country in the world in the first place.&nbsp; It's all on the line.&nbsp;

Les Knoll, Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Political pundits and Republican leaders talk incessantly about how the pendulum will swing in the next two elections as the Republican Party retakes congress and the presidency.&nbsp; I beg to differ.&nbsp; We are not in a time of politics as usual.&nbsp; What is taking place is unprecedented in American history.&nbsp; We currently have the most non-stop radical agendas ever in our history coming from the Democrat Party.&nbsp; And, with control of our three branches of government this party is not about to give up their power and control moving forward.&nbsp; In a recent letter to the editor, I made my case that we could be on our way to being a third world country with a one political party government.&nbsp; Yes, a Democrat Party socialistic government.&nbsp; My main contention in the&nbsp; previous letter about Democrat's control was that the last two elections were stolen and the highest court in the land completely turned its back on constitutional lawsuits that had enormous proof of voter fraud. I also pointed out that all the illegals Biden is inviting to come from South America could end up having foreigners determine who gets elected in the U.S.&nbsp; That's three good arguments for Dems having control in this country in perpetuity.&nbsp; But there's even more to support my case and why I write a second letter about this issue. With nothing stopping them, Dems clearly showed their hand they are all about stealing elections by an "in your face"&nbsp; HR 1.&nbsp; That bill, passed in the House recently, would allow voter fraud to occur ten times more then during the last elections.&nbsp; It clearly destroys any semblance of integrity when voting.&nbsp; Truth be known, I hope and pray that I am wrong and the pendulum does swing back to conservative government.&nbsp; But, if HR 1 passes in the Senate, there's no hope for Republicans to win anymore elections.&nbsp; We can kiss our democratic republic goodbye and our constitution to go along with it.&nbsp;&nbsp; Yes, Dems will soon attempt to change our sacred document, maybe even eliminate it. Eliminating the constitutional electoral college and going to a popular vote would give sole responsibility for election results to a handful of large liberal Democrat voting cities. Adding two more entities as states, namely D.C. and Puerto Rico, would help win elections for Dems as well.&nbsp; The plans to take over America appear to have no end. We do not have a free press.&nbsp; Media and the Democrat Party are connected at the hip. The two together control the narrative and therefore control what more than half the country thinks&nbsp; Our 2020 presidential election was a vote in large part based on emotion and not facts, nor based on party platforms or agendas. It was all about hating Trump thus voting for Biden.&nbsp; Besides Big Tech Media doing its propagandizing, something else is taking place to prove we are on a path to totalitarianism.&nbsp; Many forces are aligned with the Democrat Party to silence conservatives, and readers need to be know this is not conspiracy talk.&nbsp; It's all about a complete transformation of our culture, and also everybody's way of thinking.&nbsp;&nbsp; Details of this takeover as per the last paragraph should shock every patriotic American to the core, but best be left for some other writing.&nbsp; My entire writing should be a wake up call because its all insanity! As a conservative Republican, however, I'm not jumping ship.&nbsp; As a Christian, I will pray for miracles to bring us back to what made us the best country in the world in the first place.&nbsp; It's all on the line.&nbsp;Les Knoll, Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.

LETTER: Is America in freefall to socialism?

By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher

When I lived in the city, spring was not my favorite season.

Summer is filled with warm sunny days inspiring vacations or breaks from reality that provide much needed rest and relaxation. Fall’s brisk days and chilly nights are the perfect setting for football games, spooky fun and feasting at Thanksgiving. Winter has some big headliners with the holiday season up front and enough predictability in cold weather that people either embrace it as a wonderland or avoid it at all costs.

But spring always felt like it sneaks up on you with its beginning somewhere between the appearance of a groundhog, leprechaun and the Easter Bunny. It is often the muddy aftermath of a fading winter wonderland. It matches fall’s temperatures but not its ambiance. Then before you know it, summer is creeping in to outshine it with its unofficial launch party on Memorial Day.

Since moving back to a farm, my perspective has shifted, and spring feels completely different in this more flattering light.

Spring sneaking up doesn’t seems so bad when you realize that practically overnight a dull brown, lifeless field turns into lush green, thriving wheat. New baby calves and lambs can be seen frolicking through mud puddles and exploring the world around them. Instead of holding a welcome party for summer, we hope for rain on Memorial Day to water the crops and maybe give us a little break between planting and harvest.

It is a time of new life and growth. Hidden flower bulbs make it feel like the earth is awakening with their colorful appearance. Buds forming on trees and bushes begin to flower in a beautiful promise of the fruit they will bear. The air comes alive with the sounds of wildlife and insects returning to their natural patterns.

The freshness of spring brings an enthusiasm for hard work. Gardeners who spent the winter dreaming cannot wait to dig in and begin new projects. Farmers filled with belief work long into the night planting the seeds that will eventually make harvest possible. Warmer days instinctually make people want to it throw open the windows and clean away the staleness of the past.

Staleness of the past has accumulated over this past year. We have been stuck in our homes with little escape during the pandemic that monopolized our minds, altered our lives and sapped much of our energy.

The first day of spring this year caught me by surprise like always, but this year’s surprise felt sweeter. It made it real that it has been a year since we first went into lockdown. A year of social distancing, mask wearing and unthinkable loss for our country. A year of rapid development and deployment of a vaccine that is helping to curb our infection rates. The arrival of spring feels like the fresh start we have been desperately waiting for.

Spring has brought with it a lightness of spirit that makes it feel OK to dream again. That someday soon we will be able to ditch the masks, hug our loved ones and make real live plans.

Take advantage of this uniquely momentous spring to clear away the staleness of the past, plant seeds of hope for the future, and embrace a new life and the growth all around you.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575406519723.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancherWhen I lived in the city, spring was not my favorite season.Summer is filled with warm sunny days inspiring vacations or breaks from reality that provide much needed rest and relaxation. Fall’s brisk days and chilly nights are the perfect setting for football games, spooky fun and feasting at Thanksgiving. Winter has some big headliners with the holiday season up front and enough predictability in cold weather that people either embrace it as a wonderland or avoid it at all costs.But spring always felt like it sneaks up on you with its beginning somewhere between the appearance of a groundhog, leprechaun and the Easter Bunny. It is often the muddy aftermath of a fading winter wonderland. It matches fall’s temperatures but not its ambiance. Then before you know it, summer is creeping in to outshine it with its unofficial launch party on Memorial Day.Since moving back to a farm, my perspective has shifted, and spring feels completely different in this more flattering light.Spring sneaking up doesn’t seems so bad when you realize that practically overnight a dull brown, lifeless field turns into lush green, thriving wheat. New baby calves and lambs can be seen frolicking through mud puddles and exploring the world around them. Instead of holding a welcome party for summer, we hope for rain on Memorial Day to water the crops and maybe give us a little break between planting and harvest.It is a time of new life and growth. Hidden flower bulbs make it feel like the earth is awakening with their colorful appearance. Buds forming on trees and bushes begin to flower in a beautiful promise of the fruit they will bear. The air comes alive with the sounds of wildlife and insects returning to their natural patterns.The freshness of spring brings an enthusiasm for hard work. Gardeners who spent the winter dreaming cannot wait to dig in and begin new projects. Farmers filled with belief work long into the night planting the seeds that will eventually make harvest possible. Warmer days instinctually make people want to it throw open the windows and clean away the staleness of the past.Staleness of the past has accumulated over this past year. We have been stuck in our homes with little escape during the pandemic that monopolized our minds, altered our lives and sapped much of our energy.The first day of spring this year caught me by surprise like always, but this year’s surprise felt sweeter. It made it real that it has been a year since we first went into lockdown. A year of social distancing, mask wearing and unthinkable loss for our country. A year of rapid development and deployment of a vaccine that is helping to curb our infection rates. The arrival of spring feels like the fresh start we have been desperately waiting for.Spring has brought with it a lightness of spirit that makes it feel OK to dream again. That someday soon we will be able to ditch the masks, hug our loved ones and make real live plans.Take advantage of this uniquely momentous spring to clear away the staleness of the past, plant seeds of hope for the future, and embrace a new life and the growth all around you."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.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: A spring like no other

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

If you missed any of the one hour long “Crop Talk” webinars that K-State Research &amp; Extension agents hosted for growers in the Northwest and North Central regions of Kansas. They were all recorded with the presenters slides available as well.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.northwest.k-state.edu/events/crop-talk-series/index.html">https://www.northwest.k-state.edu/events/crop-talk-series/index.html</a>&nbsp;

Topics that were covered each week starting February 2 – March 9th were:&nbsp;

Soil Fertility Questions from Growers for the 2021 Season

Weed Management and that Pesky Palmer Amaranth (pigweed)

Corn Insect Resistance: Rootworm and Western Bean Cutworm

Grain Sorghum Weed Control: Start Clean, Stay Clean

Sorghum Insects: Aphids, Headworms and Chinch Bugs.. Oh My!

As we entering spring and the growing season another resource available to growers, consultants, industry agronomists and field sales people is the K-State Agronomy eUpdate. It is an electronic newsletter that comes out every week on Thursday. It is packed with timely and brief information, relevant to crop production management and efficiency. You can subscribe to the K-State Agronomy eUpdate newsletter at <a href="https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/index_new_prep.php">https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/index_new_prep.php</a>&nbsp;

K-State Research &amp; Extension does not and cannot share our newsletter mailing list to anyone.&nbsp;

If you ever have any questions that we can help you with, please give your local County or District Extension Office a call.&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. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or calling 785-628-9430, if after hours please leave a voice-mail for a return call.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616090358892.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictIf you missed any of the one hour long “Crop Talk” webinars that K-State Research &amp; Extension agents hosted for growers in the Northwest and North Central regions of Kansas. They were all recorded with the presenters slides available as well.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.northwest.k-state.edu/events/crop-talk-series/index.html">https://www.northwest.k-state.edu/events/crop-talk-series/index.html</a>&nbsp;Topics that were covered each week starting February 2 – March 9th were:&nbsp;Soil Fertility Questions from Growers for the 2021 SeasonWeed Management and that Pesky Palmer Amaranth (pigweed)Corn Insect Resistance: Rootworm and Western Bean CutwormGrain Sorghum Weed Control: Start Clean, Stay CleanSorghum Insects: Aphids, Headworms and Chinch Bugs.. Oh My!Alfalfa Management and Weevil UpdateDryland Corn DynamicsAs we entering spring and the growing season another resource available to growers, consultants, industry agronomists and field sales people is the K-State Agronomy eUpdate. It is an electronic newsletter that comes out every week on Thursday. It is packed with timely and brief information, relevant to crop production management and efficiency. You can subscribe to the K-State Agronomy eUpdate newsletter at <a href="https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/index_new_prep.php">https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/index_new_prep.php</a>&nbsp;K-State Research &amp; Extension does not and cannot share our newsletter mailing list to anyone.&nbsp;If you ever have any questions that we can help you with, please give your local County or District Extension Office a call.&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. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or calling 785-628-9430, if after hours please leave a voice-mail for a return call.&nbsp;

CAMPBELL: Virtual Crop Talk webinars available online

Crude futures prices on Friday climbed to a settlement above $61, but that still marked the largest weekly loss since October. U.S. crude prices were down slightly in midday trading Monday. At CHS in McPherson, crude prices are up a dollar fifty a barrel. Kansas Common crude starts the week at $51.75 per barrel. That's up from $51 at the first of the month, and a full $13 a barrel higher than at the first of the year. Two weeks of declining gasoline stockpiles pumped up national pump prices by 40 cents since the winter storm hit Texas. Triple-A reports Americans are paying an average of 14% more to fill up compared to February. EIA says gasoline inventories are now increasing, but stockpiles are about four percent below the five-year average for this time of year. The national average pump price for regular gasoline is just over $2.88, more than seventy cents higher than a year ago. The average across Kansas is $2.67 a gallon. Filling up a 15-gallon tank will cost you two dollars more than last week, six dollars more than last month, and 12 dollars more than a year ago at this time. The Rig Count in Kansas was up slightly, adding one rig west of Wichita last week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports operators about to spud a new well in Ellis County. Drilling is underway at one lease in Stafford County and one in Russell County.&nbsp; Baker Hughes reported 411 active drilling rigs across the US Friday. That's an increase of nine oil rigs including seven new entries in New Mexico. Regulators gave their okay to 12 new drilling permits across Kansas last week, four of them east of Wichita and eight in the western half of the state, including one new permit in Barton County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas reported 12 newly-completed wells for the week ending March 18. Five are east of Wichita and seven are in Western Kansas, including one each in Barton and Stafford counties. The government reports U.S. crude production last week was up 1,000 barrels per day over the week before at 10.86 million barrels per day. A year ago this week, operators pumped more than 13 million barrels per day. The Energy Information Administration reports U.S. crude-oil inventories jumped nearly two-and-a-half million barrels last week, topping 500 million barrels for the first time this year. Imports were down 332,000 barrels per day to 5.3 million. The four-week average is down nearly 14% from the same four weeks a year ago. Oil-by-rail shipments in the United States continue to grow, but still lag behind totals from a year ago. According to the Association of American Railroads, operators shipped 11,379 tanker cars of petroleum and petroleum product by rail during the week ending March 13. That's an increase of 877 cars from the week before, but the total remains about 14% behind last year.&nbsp; In Canada, oil-by-rail traffic increased by about a thousand rail cars week-over-week, but remain about 17% behind the totals from a year ago. Every two years the Legislative Assembly in North Dakota must approve state spending. As you might expect, predicting income two years in advance is a tall order for a budget that relies largely on oil and gas revenue. In the last two years, we've seen prices above $70 and below zero. On Monday, the lawmakers announced their best guess, marking an increase in expectations, based on an optimistic view of stable oil prices and production. It marks an increase of $95 million from their starting point in July.&nbsp; New data from an oil-and-gas watchdog in New Mexico show the state had fewer spills from the oil and gas industry last year than in years past, but greater emissions. According to the Carlsbad Current Argus newspaper, last year continued a string of annual declines in oil and wastewater spills reaching the lowest total since 2013. But the report suggests methane emissions were the highest since they began tracking them in 2013. The world's largest oil company saw profits tumble last year. Saudi Aramco reported earnings of $49 BILLION in 2020, which is down 44% from the $88 BILLION they reported the year before. The state-owned company's CEO described last year as one of the most challenging years in history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARCrude futures prices on Friday climbed to a settlement above $61, but that still marked the largest weekly loss since October. U.S. crude prices were down slightly in midday trading Monday. At CHS in McPherson, crude prices are up a dollar fifty a barrel. Kansas Common crude starts the week at $51.75 per barrel. That's up from $51 at the first of the month, and a full $13 a barrel higher than at the first of the year. Two weeks of declining gasoline stockpiles pumped up national pump prices by 40 cents since the winter storm hit Texas. Triple-A reports Americans are paying an average of 14% more to fill up compared to February. EIA says gasoline inventories are now increasing, but stockpiles are about four percent below the five-year average for this time of year. The national average pump price for regular gasoline is just over $2.88, more than seventy cents higher than a year ago. The average across Kansas is $2.67 a gallon. Filling up a 15-gallon tank will cost you two dollars more than last week, six dollars more than last month, and 12 dollars more than a year ago at this time. The Rig Count in Kansas was up slightly, adding one rig west of Wichita last week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports operators about to spud a new well in Ellis County. Drilling is underway at one lease in Stafford County and one in Russell County.&nbsp; Baker Hughes reported 411 active drilling rigs across the US Friday. That's an increase of nine oil rigs including seven new entries in New Mexico. Regulators gave their okay to 12 new drilling permits across Kansas last week, four of them east of Wichita and eight in the western half of the state, including one new permit in Barton County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas reported 12 newly-completed wells for the week ending March 18. Five are east of Wichita and seven are in Western Kansas, including one each in Barton and Stafford counties. The government reports U.S. crude production last week was up 1,000 barrels per day over the week before at 10.86 million barrels per day. A year ago this week, operators pumped more than 13 million barrels per day. The Energy Information Administration reports U.S. crude-oil inventories jumped nearly two-and-a-half million barrels last week, topping 500 million barrels for the first time this year. Imports were down 332,000 barrels per day to 5.3 million. The four-week average is down nearly 14% from the same four weeks a year ago. Oil-by-rail shipments in the United States continue to grow, but still lag behind totals from a year ago. According to the Association of American Railroads, operators shipped 11,379 tanker cars of petroleum and petroleum product by rail during the week ending March 13. That's an increase of 877 cars from the week before, but the total remains about 14% behind last year.&nbsp; In Canada, oil-by-rail traffic increased by about a thousand rail cars week-over-week, but remain about 17% behind the totals from a year ago. Every two years the Legislative Assembly in North Dakota must approve state spending. As you might expect, predicting income two years in advance is a tall order for a budget that relies largely on oil and gas revenue. In the last two years, we've seen prices above $70 and below zero. On Monday, the lawmakers announced their best guess, marking an increase in expectations, based on an optimistic view of stable oil prices and production. It marks an increase of $95 million from their starting point in July.&nbsp; New data from an oil-and-gas watchdog in New Mexico show the state had fewer spills from the oil and gas industry last year than in years past, but greater emissions. According to the Carlsbad Current Argus newspaper, last year continued a string of annual declines in oil and wastewater spills reaching the lowest total since 2013. But the report suggests methane emissions were the highest since they began tracking them in 2013. The world's largest oil company saw profits tumble last year. Saudi Aramco reported earnings of $49 BILLION in 2020, which is down 44% from the $88 BILLION they reported the year before. The state-owned company's CEO described last year as one of the most challenging years in history.

News From the Oil Patch: Crude prices mark largest weekly loss since Oct.

Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) Last week, both the House and Senate advanced Senate Bill 40. The House voted 118-5 and the Senate followed with a 31-8 vote. The bill addresses the COVID-19 pandemic, while also addressing future emergencies and disasters.

In current law, executive orders issued by the governor during the COVID-19 emergency must be reviewed by the State Finance Council—the council that Governor Kelly chairs. 

SB 40 would require the Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC), a council made up of legislators exclusively, to review these orders. These executive orders must be reviewed within 24 hours and may be revoked. This adds accountability and inserts extra layers of checks and balances. 

In addition, all the governor’s current executive orders will be revoked on March 31, 2021, including the mask mandate. 

The governor would still be restricted from limiting the gathering or movement of Kansans attending religious, civic, business, and commercial activity. She also would not be able to restrict the sale and ownership of firearms and ammunition. The bill would also allow the Legislature or the LCC to revoke health orders issued by the Secretary of Health and Environment.

<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>03-22-21Hello from Topeka. Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) Last week, both the House and Senate advanced Senate Bill 40. The House voted 118-5 and the Senate followed with a 31-8 vote. The bill addresses the COVID-19 pandemic, while also addressing future emergencies and disasters.In current law, executive orders issued by the governor during the COVID-19 emergency must be reviewed by the State Finance Council—the council that Governor Kelly chairs. SB 40 would require the Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC), a council made up of legislators exclusively, to review these orders. These executive orders must be reviewed within 24 hours and may be revoked. This adds accountability and inserts extra layers of checks and balances. In addition, all the governor’s current executive orders will be revoked on March 31, 2021, including the mask mandate. The governor would still be restricted from limiting the gathering or movement of Kansans attending religious, civic, business, and commercial activity. She also would not be able to restrict the sale and ownership of firearms and ammunition. The bill would also allow the Legislature or the LCC to revoke health orders issued by the Secretary of Health and Environment.The COVID-19 emergency disaster declaration is extended only through May 28, 2021 with some&nbsp;caveats. Previously, the State Finance Council was able to extend disaster declarations. This bill&nbsp;moves that authority to the LCC, ensuring additional legislative oversight over disaster&nbsp;declarations. During this specific disaster emergency, the governor would not have the ability to&nbsp;unilaterally close schools. Only local school boards would have that authority to take action that&nbsp;includes closing of any school or authorizing any form of attendance other than full-time, in&nbsp;person instruction. The governor would also not be able to unilaterally close businesses.&nbsp;Lastly, if individuals been aggrieved by an executive order, a school board’s decision, or a&nbsp;municipality, can request a formal hearing. A board would be required to conduct a hearing within&nbsp;72 hours. A civil action suit could be filed in a local district court or in the Shawnee County&nbsp;District Court as well. SB 40 was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support by the House and Senate, and has been sent to the governor’s desk, who has until April 4th to act on the bill.House Formally Opposes “Packing” the U.S. Supreme Court Our Founding Fathers did not include any provision in the U.S. Constitution that speaks to the composition of the U.S. Supreme Court. As such, over time, Congress has increased and decreased the membership of the court from as few as five and as many as ten. While Congress and former presidents have made efforts to “pack” the Court, the size of the Court has not changed since 1869—one chief justice and eight associate justices.Late last week, the House adopted HCR 5013, which formally urges Congress to adopt the “Keep&nbsp;Nine” constitutional amendment. If adopted, this amendment would codify in the U.S. Constitution&nbsp;that the Court would be composed of nine justices, effectively preventing Congress or the&nbsp;President of the United States from undermining the independence of the Court. Upon approval&nbsp;from the Senate, a formal letter will be sent to Congress expressing Kansas’ opposition to court&nbsp;packing.House Approves Kansas Promise Scholarship Act On Tuesday, the House passed House Bill 2287. Known as the Kansas Promise Scholarship Act, this legislation is designed to help get Kansans back to work and help build the workforce needed to further boost our state’s economic recovery. HB 2287 will provide scholarships to Kansas high school graduates who agree to complete a certificate or two-year program in one of 10 high-demand areas. The program may be completed at a community college, technical school, or trade school. The high-demand areas will be determined in consultation with employers and the Department of Commerce. Last year, Governor Kelly vetoed the bill that contained the Promise&nbsp;Scholarship Act. Due to the onset of the pandemic at that time, the Legislature was unable to&nbsp;pursue an override of the veto. The bill passed 115-9.If you would like to contact me: my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My phone number is (785) 296- 7463 and email is: ken.rahje@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416. When you call or write you might hear from Terry Bernatis, my assistant during the session.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

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