By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau The big story in agriculture today is how carbon is going to be the next cash crop for farmers and ranchers. There are lots of headlines about how changing agricultural practices can remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the soil. While the science is sound, farming practices are just one component in the complex process of accumulation of carbon in the soil. Precipitation, soil type, carbon already present and other variables all factor into just how much of the element can be sequestered underground. What’s grabbing attention is there’s a nascent market blooming where private companies are paying real money to farmers and ranchers who can document increasing stores of carbon in their soils. The idea is the ag producers get some money for changing their practices while the private companies count the sequestered carbon against their own emissions.

There’s a variety of reasons why companies are at the forefront of creating this market, but the primary driver is capitalism. Environmentally conscious customers and investors are demanding goods and services that have less impact on the land, air and water. Companies are responding to these signals by turning to the original conservationists — farmers and ranchers — to lessen the environmental impact of modern life. The public at large is just now discovering what crop and livestock growers have understood for decades — capitalism and conservation are complimentary and not mutually exclusive. Farmers and ranchers understand today’s investments in healthy soil, pristine air and crystal-clear water will pay dividends for generations to come. Farmers and ranchers today are using technology and innovative practices to produce more than ever while using fewer resources. U.S. agriculture would have needed nearly 100 million more acres 30 years ago to match today’s production levels. This is especially true of livestock, which receive a lot of attention for greenhouse gases expelled yet contribute just 4 percent — and falling — of overall emissions. The dairy industry is producing 48 percent more milk with per-unit emissions down 26 percent. Pork production has soared 80 percent while the per-unit emissions have declined by 20 percent. Beef production is up 18 percent and emissions down 8 percent. These efficiencies are driven by simple economics. Livestock emissions are falling because inputs like land and feed are expensive, so producers have a natural incentive to make the most of their resources. In short, market forces are working as they should, and U.S. agriculture is lessening its environmental footprint in addition to offsetting the carbon emissions from other industries. For the most part, this has happened in the absence of government mandates, but that’s not to say government policy doesn’t have a role in further reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. No, the government shouldn’t tell farmers and ranchers how to do their jobs, but policy makers can certainly craft incentive-based programs to speed the adoption of practices that enhance production and profitability on farms and ranches. Legislators also can reduce regulatory barriers in state and federal programs and fund basic research that will help farmers and ranchers achieve greater efficiencies and further enhance the sustainability of their operations. While the government can help facilitate the pace of adoption on proven practices, it should also recognize what works in one field isn’t always the prescription for the next. We have to trust farmers and ranchers, with decades and generations of land management experience, know the capacity of their ground. They’re proven innovators and problem solvers in their own right. And they’re just as invested as the rest of us in successful and sustainable conservation all while continuing to provide a safe, affordable and ample supply of food for a growing population.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574694551876.png" alt="Greg Doering" />
 <figcaption>Greg Doering</figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau The big story in agriculture today is how carbon is going to be the next cash crop for farmers and ranchers. There are lots of headlines about how changing agricultural practices can remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the soil. While the science is sound, farming practices are just one component in the complex process of accumulation of carbon in the soil. Precipitation, soil type, carbon already present and other variables all factor into just how much of the element can be sequestered underground. What’s grabbing attention is there’s a nascent market blooming where private companies are paying real money to farmers and ranchers who can document increasing stores of carbon in their soils. The idea is the ag producers get some money for changing their practices while the private companies count the sequestered carbon against their own emissions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>There’s a variety of reasons why companies are at the forefront of creating this market, but the primary driver is capitalism. Environmentally conscious customers and investors are demanding goods and services that have less impact on the land, air and water. Companies are responding to these signals by turning to the original conservationists — farmers and ranchers — to lessen the environmental impact of modern life. The public at large is just now discovering what crop and livestock growers have understood for decades — capitalism and conservation are complimentary and not mutually exclusive. Farmers and ranchers understand today’s investments in healthy soil, pristine air and crystal-clear water will pay dividends for generations to come. Farmers and ranchers today are using technology and innovative practices to produce more than ever while using fewer resources. U.S. agriculture would have needed nearly 100 million more acres 30 years ago to match today’s production levels. This is especially true of livestock, which receive a lot of attention for greenhouse gases expelled yet contribute just 4 percent — and falling — of overall emissions. The dairy industry is producing 48 percent more milk with per-unit emissions down 26 percent. Pork production has soared 80 percent while the per-unit emissions have declined by 20 percent. Beef production is up 18 percent and emissions down 8 percent. These efficiencies are driven by simple economics. Livestock emissions are falling because inputs like land and feed are expensive, so producers have a natural incentive to make the most of their resources. In short, market forces are working as they should, and U.S. agriculture is lessening its environmental footprint in addition to offsetting the carbon emissions from other industries. For the most part, this has happened in the absence of government mandates, but that’s not to say government policy doesn’t have a role in further reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. No, the government shouldn’t tell farmers and ranchers how to do their jobs, but policy makers can certainly craft incentive-based programs to speed the adoption of practices that enhance production and profitability on farms and ranches. Legislators also can reduce regulatory barriers in state and federal programs and fund basic research that will help farmers and ranchers achieve greater efficiencies and further enhance the sustainability of their operations. While the government can help facilitate the pace of adoption on proven practices, it should also recognize what works in one field isn’t always the prescription for the next. We have to trust farmers and ranchers, with decades and generations of land management experience, know the capacity of their ground. They’re proven innovators and problem solvers in their own right. And they’re just as invested as the rest of us in successful and sustainable conservation all while continuing to provide a safe, affordable and ample supply of food for a growing population."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Capitalism and conservation

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

“Giving back.” The term is frequently used, but what does it mean in practice? Today we’ll meet a family-owned pharmacy where the people have a longtime commitment to giving back to their rural community.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Heather Johnson is the CEO of S&amp;S Drug, a family-owned pharmacy in downtown Beloit. S&amp;S Drug has served north-central Kansas for more than 100 years. In 1986, Max and Michele Heidrick purchased the drugstore, and it has been in their family ever since. Their daughter Heather grew up in the business.&nbsp;

Heather went to Kansas State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and later got a master’s in special ed. She married Jim Johnson, who had grown up in neighboring Jewell County and earned a degree in agribusiness. After graduation, they moved to Norton, where Heather taught and Jim worked in a bank until he went to law school at the University of Kansas. In 2005, they moved back to Beloit, where Jim joined the law practice of attorney Curt Frasier. In 2007, Heather took a position as bookkeeper at her family’s business, S&amp;S Drug. Heather and Jim also had three children.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Over the years, my dad and I have kind of switched roles,” Heather said. “Now I’m doing the management, and he’s enjoyed becoming a professional grandpa,” she said with a smile.&nbsp;

S&amp;S Drug has two businesses, a full-service pharmacy and a home-health supply store.&nbsp;&nbsp;The businesses are located across the street from each other in downtown Beloit.&nbsp;

As a businessperson, community member, and mother of three, Heather felt strongly about enhancing the quality of life in the community. “I focused on things I enjoyed as a young child,” Heather said. “I wanted those same opportunities for my kids and their friends.”&nbsp;

This was based on values that Heather had learned from her parents, who had also been deeply involved in the community. “That’s how we were raised,” she said. “My mom and dad were doers.”&nbsp;

As a result, S&amp;S Drug has been a longtime sponsor of community and youth activities in Beloit. S&amp;S Drug and the Heidrick and Johnson families are involved in supporting lots of different activities for virtually every major holiday.&nbsp;

They helped organize and sponsor the Easter egg hunt, for example, where as many as 600 children participate, and everyone gets a prize. At Christmastime, they help sponsor the annual visit by Santa Claus to downtown Beloit, complete with crafts and cookies. The list goes on and on.&nbsp;

“When we first moved back (to Beloit), there were Fourth of July fireworks at Waconda Lake,” Heather said. When funding ran low and the organizers got tired, the fireworks were discontinued. “North-central Kansas went a year without fireworks, and we felt that had to change,” Heather said. Her family solicited funds, and more than $10,000 was raised to bring back the annual fireworks display. As of 2021, the local chamber now operates the fireworks show.&nbsp;

“When my kids were little, I took them to the Beloit city pool,” Heather said. “It had been built in the 1940s and was leaking and costing the city a lot of money.” She saw the need, set up a committee, researched the topic and led a drive to fund a new aquatic center. Voters approved a sales tax increase for the project. Beloit became one of the first rural Kansas communities to construct a large water park.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It’s been a great draw,” Heather said. “There was a village here that helped raise me and my siblings. Someone needs to carry on those traditions.”&nbsp;

That type of commitment to community is vital in rural places such as Beloit, population 3,835 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information about the community, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.beloitks.org/">www.beloitks.org</a>.&nbsp;

“Giving back.” It’s more than a concept for Heather Johnson of S&amp;S Drug, who is making a difference by enhancing the quality of life in her community. She not only moved back, she is giving back.&nbsp;

And there’s more. The second element of this story has to do with COVID-19. We’ll learn about that next week.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1625060936385.png" alt="From left, Jay Heidrick, Heather Johnson, Joe Heidrick, Michele Heidrick, Max Heidrick, Missy Heidrick" />
 <figcaption>From left, Jay Heidrick, Heather Johnson, Joe Heidrick, Michele Heidrick, Max Heidrick, Missy Heidrick</figcaption>
 </figure>BY RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;“Giving back.” The term is frequently used, but what does it mean in practice? Today we’ll meet a family-owned pharmacy where the people have a longtime commitment to giving back to their rural community.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Heather Johnson is the CEO of S&amp;S Drug, a family-owned pharmacy in downtown Beloit. S&amp;S Drug has served north-central Kansas for more than 100 years. In 1986, Max and Michele Heidrick purchased the drugstore, and it has been in their family ever since. Their daughter Heather grew up in the business.&nbsp;Heather went to Kansas State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and later got a master’s in special ed. She married Jim Johnson, who had grown up in neighboring Jewell County and earned a degree in agribusiness. After graduation, they moved to Norton, where Heather taught and Jim worked in a bank until he went to law school at the University of Kansas. In 2005, they moved back to Beloit, where Jim joined the law practice of attorney Curt Frasier. In 2007, Heather took a position as bookkeeper at her family’s business, S&amp;S Drug. Heather and Jim also had three children.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Over the years, my dad and I have kind of switched roles,” Heather said. “Now I’m doing the management, and he’s enjoyed becoming a professional grandpa,” she said with a smile.&nbsp;S&amp;S Drug has two businesses, a full-service pharmacy and a home-health supply store.&nbsp;&nbsp;The businesses are located across the street from each other in downtown Beloit.&nbsp;As a businessperson, community member, and mother of three, Heather felt strongly about enhancing the quality of life in the community. “I focused on things I enjoyed as a young child,” Heather said. “I wanted those same opportunities for my kids and their friends.”&nbsp;This was based on values that Heather had learned from her parents, who had also been deeply involved in the community. “That’s how we were raised,” she said. “My mom and dad were doers.”&nbsp;As a result, S&amp;S Drug has been a longtime sponsor of community and youth activities in Beloit. S&amp;S Drug and the Heidrick and Johnson families are involved in supporting lots of different activities for virtually every major holiday.&nbsp;They helped organize and sponsor the Easter egg hunt, for example, where as many as 600 children participate, and everyone gets a prize. At Christmastime, they help sponsor the annual visit by Santa Claus to downtown Beloit, complete with crafts and cookies. The list goes on and on.&nbsp;“When we first moved back (to Beloit), there were Fourth of July fireworks at Waconda Lake,” Heather said. When funding ran low and the organizers got tired, the fireworks were discontinued. “North-central Kansas went a year without fireworks, and we felt that had to change,” Heather said. Her family solicited funds, and more than $10,000 was raised to bring back the annual fireworks display. As of 2021, the local chamber now operates the fireworks show.&nbsp;“When my kids were little, I took them to the Beloit city pool,” Heather said. “It had been built in the 1940s and was leaking and costing the city a lot of money.” She saw the need, set up a committee, researched the topic and led a drive to fund a new aquatic center. Voters approved a sales tax increase for the project. Beloit became one of the first rural Kansas communities to construct a large water park.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It’s been a great draw,” Heather said. “There was a village here that helped raise me and my siblings. Someone needs to carry on those traditions.”&nbsp;That type of commitment to community is vital in rural places such as Beloit, population 3,835 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information about the community, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.beloitks.org/">www.beloitks.org</a>.&nbsp;“Giving back.” It’s more than a concept for Heather Johnson of S&amp;S Drug, who is making a difference by enhancing the quality of life in her community. She not only moved back, she is giving back.&nbsp;And there’s more. The second element of this story has to do with COVID-19. We’ll learn about that next week.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Heather Johnson, S&S Drug, Part 1 

"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." — John Adams

Sometimes, the simplest story is the best one.&nbsp; With the COVID-19 pandemic, two fact-based stories stand out. First, getting vaccinated is the best thing you can do for yourself, your family, and your community. The evidence is overwhelming, whether we’re talking about rates of infection, hospitalization, or death.&nbsp; With more than two billion doses administered around the world, vaccination stands as a historic, unqualified success,

In Kansas, with our great variation among counties in vaccination levels, we have &nbsp;every reason to think that those counties with higher rates will experience fewer new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.&nbsp;

Thanks to the research done by KU scholars Donna Ginther and Carlos Zambrana we do have solid evidence that another tactic – wearing masks—makes a big difference on containing spread, seriousness, and deadliness of COVID-19. That’s the second major COVID story, a straightforward social science narrative of how well-informed policies can produce positive results.

When Governor Laura Kelly announced a mask mandate, taking effect in July 2020, just fifteen counties, mostly large ones, complied.&nbsp; Conversely, 68 counties never adopted any mask requirement.&nbsp; Such a stark division established ideal conditions for a natural experiment. That is, we can compare how counties with a mask mandate fared during the pandemic as opposed to those who never imposed such a policy.

Veteran researchers Ginther and Zambrama are not epidemiologists; rather, Ginther is a distinguished professor of economics and the head of KU’s multi-disciplinary Institute for Policy and Social Research. Their work is straightforward analysis of basic data, with a single, clear policy difference. Moreover, the mask/no-mask dichotomy almost certainly underestimates the impact of mask-wearing, given its focus on overall county policy, not the actual wearing of masks.

When the mask mandate took effect, COVID-19 rates were three times higher in mask counties; in less than four months this trend reversed, with cases twice as high in no mask counties. Similar reversals occurred for both COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. The simple mandating of mask-wearing significantly affected rates of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

By the July 3 start of Governor Laura Kelly’s mask mandate, the medical/scientific consensus was clear that this policy would slow the spread of COVID-19. But many politicians, in and out of Kansas, battled the mandate and politicized the policy.

They were wrong. Governor Kelly and her advisors were right. The study concludes that the mask mandate saved at least 500 lives in Kansas. Following the known facts proved the better policy.

OK, you might say, in this limited study, good policy proved a better choice. But so what?&nbsp; Well, here’s what, on two major issues.

First, Medicaid expansion, with its natural experiment between states that did and didn’t expand.&nbsp; As of 2018, the expansion states experienced at least 19,000 fewer premature deaths than they would have without expansion, and medical debt dropped almost $1500 per person.

Second, climate change.&nbsp; Thousands of studies form a consensus on the immense fiscal and health benefits of aggressively combatting climate change. It’s difficult for a single state to do much, but as a society the facts demand that we act.

Science is powerful. And per John Adams, “Facts are stubborn things.”

Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574348610067.jpeg" alt="Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." — John AdamsSometimes, the simplest story is the best one.&nbsp; With the COVID-19 pandemic, two fact-based stories stand out. First, getting vaccinated is the best thing you can do for yourself, your family, and your community. The evidence is overwhelming, whether we’re talking about rates of infection, hospitalization, or death.&nbsp; With more than two billion doses administered around the world, vaccination stands as a historic, unqualified success,In Kansas, with our great variation among counties in vaccination levels, we have &nbsp;every reason to think that those counties with higher rates will experience fewer new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.&nbsp;Thanks to the research done by KU scholars Donna Ginther and Carlos Zambrana we do have solid evidence that another tactic – wearing masks—makes a big difference on containing spread, seriousness, and deadliness of COVID-19. That’s the second major COVID story, a straightforward social science narrative of how well-informed policies can produce positive results.When Governor Laura Kelly announced a mask mandate, taking effect in July 2020, just fifteen counties, mostly large ones, complied.&nbsp; Conversely, 68 counties never adopted any mask requirement.&nbsp; Such a stark division established ideal conditions for a natural experiment. That is, we can compare how counties with a mask mandate fared during the pandemic as opposed to those who never imposed such a policy.Veteran researchers Ginther and Zambrama are not epidemiologists; rather, Ginther is a distinguished professor of economics and the head of KU’s multi-disciplinary Institute for Policy and Social Research. Their work is straightforward analysis of basic data, with a single, clear policy difference. Moreover, the mask/no-mask dichotomy almost certainly underestimates the impact of mask-wearing, given its focus on overall county policy, not the actual wearing of masks.When the mask mandate took effect, COVID-19 rates were three times higher in mask counties; in less than four months this trend reversed, with cases twice as high in no mask counties. Similar reversals occurred for both COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. The simple mandating of mask-wearing significantly affected rates of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.By the July 3 start of Governor Laura Kelly’s mask mandate, the medical/scientific consensus was clear that this policy would slow the spread of COVID-19. But many politicians, in and out of Kansas, battled the mandate and politicized the policy.They were wrong. Governor Kelly and her advisors were right. The study concludes that the mask mandate saved at least 500 lives in Kansas. Following the known facts proved the better policy.OK, you might say, in this limited study, good policy proved a better choice. But so what?&nbsp; Well, here’s what, on two major issues.First, Medicaid expansion, with its natural experiment between states that did and didn’t expand.&nbsp; As of 2018, the expansion states experienced at least 19,000 fewer premature deaths than they would have without expansion, and medical debt dropped almost $1500 per person.Second, climate change.&nbsp; Thousands of studies form a consensus on the immense fiscal and health benefits of aggressively combatting climate change. It’s difficult for a single state to do much, but as a society the facts demand that we act.Science is powerful. And per John Adams, “Facts are stubborn things.”Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Kansas.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Facts and policies

Well, after such a pleasant cool spring, here we go again with summer in Kansas. This week’s column is a concoction of different subjects, all having something to do with summer and the temperature. The internet teems with one-liners about most everything imaginable, and here are a few I came up with about the heat.&nbsp;

It’s so hot that I bought a cup of coffee at McDonalds and poured it over my lap to cool off.

It’s so hot that beer guts and big butts no longer keep people from wearing shorts.

It’s so hot that CRP now stands for Crispy Rotational Pasture.

&nbsp;it’s so hot that congress actually had to take their hands out of OUR pockets to fan themselves.

And my personal favorite; It’s so hot that the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism will be offering a new big game hunting license this year; it will be good for 1 camel, either sex! &nbsp;

And speaking of how hot it is, I ran across something I thought to be straight from the “old wives’ tales” folder, but it was splashed all over the internet, so maybe I was wrong again. It seems that in the late 1800’s, AE Dolbear a professor at Tuft’s college near Boston first noted a relationship between air temperature and the rate at which crickets chirp. In 1887 he published the first equation, known as Dolbear’s Law, which can be used to determine the approximate temperature in Fahrenheit based on the number of times a cricket chirps in one minute. Be advised; be very careful here because the equation is slightly different depending on whether you are listening to a common Field Cricket, a Snowy Tree Cricket or a Common True Katydid. For your average run-of-the-mill Field Cricket, the equation goes something like this; subtract 40 from the number of chirps per minute, then add 50 and divide by 4 to get the approximate temperature. (T = 50+ (N-40) / 4) There actually is some science behind this. Since crickets are cold-blooded, they chirp faster as they get warmer.&nbsp; I’ll bet his research took forever as people probably kept smashing his test subjects. Like I said, I found this all over the internet and each source swore there is something to the theory, so test it out and let me know the results. If I get enough feedback, I’ll publish it in a future column.&nbsp; I absolutely hate this heat and I seriously doubt there’s a cricket alive that can chirp enough times in 1 minute to even come close to calculating our temperatures of late.&nbsp;

Every few years, the men’s fellowship group at my church has a fish fry, and we always end the evening by telling our best outdoor related stories. The best story is selected by the group and retold to end the evening.&nbsp; This story was the winner at the last fish fry. It took place while setting bank lines for flathead catfish somewhere on a river here in Kansas. Two buddies had numerous lines set and had checked them several times during the night. Bank lines are heavy cord tied to a tree limb or something else along the river bank that will flex when a big fish is hooked and begins to tug and tussle. They are usually baited with live fish of some sort, often a bluegill or a goldfish. It was the last check of the lines early in the morning just before they would pull them for the day. As the two approached one particular line, a ruckus erupted on the bank; there was a blue heron hooked on the line! Herons feed by swallowing small fish headfirst, and this one had evidently swallowed the fish used for bait on that particular line, meaning the large hook was now several inches down the throat of a very big unhappy bird. Now a blue heron may look tall and spindly, but I have little doubt that one hooked on a fishing line would be a lesson in bronco-bustin’ trying to free it. With the thrashing beast bulldogged and wrapped up in the arms of the storyteller, they could see by the bulge on the outside of the heron’s throat where the hook was wedged. With the point of his knife, his buddy made a small hole where the hook appeared lodged, cut the line and pulled the rig, hook first out through the hole in the heron’s throat. And once again, the victim flew away and lived happily ever after. 

Everyone in attendance that night knew that “Thou shalt not lie” is amongst the Ten Commandments, but as far as I know, nowhere in the Ten Commandments does it state “Thou shalt not embellish!” 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>Well, after such a pleasant cool spring, here we go again with summer in Kansas. This week’s column is a concoction of different subjects, all having something to do with summer and the temperature. The internet teems with one-liners about most everything imaginable, and here are a few I came up with about the heat.&nbsp;It’s so hot that I bought a cup of coffee at McDonalds and poured it over my lap to cool off.It’s so hot that beer guts and big butts no longer keep people from wearing shorts.It’s so hot that CRP now stands for Crispy Rotational Pasture.&nbsp;it’s so hot that congress actually had to take their hands out of OUR pockets to fan themselves.And my personal favorite; It’s so hot that the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism will be offering a new big game hunting license this year; it will be good for 1 camel, either sex! &nbsp;And speaking of how hot it is, I ran across something I thought to be straight from the “old wives’ tales” folder, but it was splashed all over the internet, so maybe I was wrong again. It seems that in the late 1800’s, AE Dolbear a professor at Tuft’s college near Boston first noted a relationship between air temperature and the rate at which crickets chirp. In 1887 he published the first equation, known as Dolbear’s Law, which can be used to determine the approximate temperature in Fahrenheit based on the number of times a cricket chirps in one minute. Be advised; be very careful here because the equation is slightly different depending on whether you are listening to a common Field Cricket, a Snowy Tree Cricket or a Common True Katydid. For your average run-of-the-mill Field Cricket, the equation goes something like this; subtract 40 from the number of chirps per minute, then add 50 and divide by 4 to get the approximate temperature. (T = 50+ (N-40) / 4) There actually is some science behind this. Since crickets are cold-blooded, they chirp faster as they get warmer.&nbsp; I’ll bet his research took forever as people probably kept smashing his test subjects. Like I said, I found this all over the internet and each source swore there is something to the theory, so test it out and let me know the results. If I get enough feedback, I’ll publish it in a future column.&nbsp; I absolutely hate this heat and I seriously doubt there’s a cricket alive that can chirp enough times in 1 minute to even come close to calculating our temperatures of late.&nbsp;Every few years, the men’s fellowship group at my church has a fish fry, and we always end the evening by telling our best outdoor related stories. The best story is selected by the group and retold to end the evening.&nbsp; This story was the winner at the last fish fry. It took place while setting bank lines for flathead catfish somewhere on a river here in Kansas. Two buddies had numerous lines set and had checked them several times during the night. Bank lines are heavy cord tied to a tree limb or something else along the river bank that will flex when a big fish is hooked and begins to tug and tussle. They are usually baited with live fish of some sort, often a bluegill or a goldfish. It was the last check of the lines early in the morning just before they would pull them for the day. As the two approached one particular line, a ruckus erupted on the bank; there was a blue heron hooked on the line! Herons feed by swallowing small fish headfirst, and this one had evidently swallowed the fish used for bait on that particular line, meaning the large hook was now several inches down the throat of a very big unhappy bird. Now a blue heron may look tall and spindly, but I have little doubt that one hooked on a fishing line would be a lesson in bronco-bustin’ trying to free it. With the thrashing beast bulldogged and wrapped up in the arms of the storyteller, they could see by the bulge on the outside of the heron’s throat where the hook was wedged. With the point of his knife, his buddy made a small hole where the hook appeared lodged, cut the line and pulled the rig, hook first out through the hole in the heron’s throat. And once again, the victim flew away and lived happily ever after. Everyone in attendance that night knew that “Thou shalt not lie” is amongst the Ten Commandments, but as far as I know, nowhere in the Ten Commandments does it state “Thou shalt not embellish!” Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: It’s too hot … again

Fort Hays State University exists to improve lives. I see this statement in action. Every. Single. Day. I love learning about each individual life in our mosaic of impact – individuals such as new alumnus Anthony Ventura.

Anthony, a May graduate, is a truly incredible person who will indeed make a difference in our world. He graduated in three years with a Bachelor of Science in Biology (health profession) and a minor in chemistry. He speaks two languages proficiently, a third with working proficiency, and a fourth with elementary proficiency.

Anthony is clearly ambitious. His life philosophy of “work smart and harder” has successfully guided him. His favorite quote: “Let him who would move the world first move himself.” (Socrates)&nbsp;

Anthony was born in the Philippines, grew up in Los Angeles, California, then moved to Plainville, Kansas, when he was 13. After graduating from Plainville High School in 2018, he came to FHSU to participate in collegiate athletics on the Tiger track and field team.

Many of our student-athletes take athletics seriously at a young age, and many are inspired by their fathers. Anthony was no different. His dad was a collegiate athlete and later became a doctor.

“I am very thankful to God and my family,” Anthony said. “My mom, stepdad, late father, and sisters are a big part of my life that I truly value. My role models are my mom, stepdad, and late father, who gave me a lot of wisdom and discipline. Most importantly, they showed me love.”

While Anthony came to FHSU to compete in track, he soon found so many other opportunities to pursue. And pursue them he did.

Participation in the Kansas Startup competition – an event designed for entrepreneurs to meet, share ideas, and launch new businesses – exposed Anthony to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. His team won the 2020 Kansas Startup with the creation of a mental health app and was a finalist for this spring’s Faulkner Challenge, a business plan competition. The Faulkner Challenge also enabled Anthony to establish professional connections that will help in his graduate study and the professional life that awaits him.&nbsp; &nbsp;

“My passion for entrepreneurship is rooted in the idea of innovating and helping others,” he said. “Entrepreneurship shows a metaphorical brick wall of challenges. That brick wall has pushed me to be creative and learn to move forward.”

One of the many things Anthony values about FHSU is the opportunity for meaningful undergraduate research. Anthony credits Dr. Nicholas Stewart as a scholar-mentor who helped him conduct genetic research that is being reviewed by the Genome Education Project for publication.

During the pandemic, Anthony wanted to find a way to improve mental and physical health on campus. So, he founded the American Healthy Heart student organization at FHSU to advance mental and physical health among students with underlying health challenges. The group considers the definition of “heart” to include a holistic and integrative approach.

Club members enjoyed hearing from a wide variety of speakers, including Charles Camarda, an American engineer and a NASA astronaut. Anthony has a growing interest in space and the sustainability of the earth, and he thoroughly enjoyed hearing Camarda speak about the Columbia disaster, life in space, and what awaits in our exploration of Mars.&nbsp;

While completing a bachelor’s degree in three years, serving on the Student Government Association, and participating in numerous campus organizations, Anthony also served as the music coordinator for Harvest Christian Church. Additionally, he worked at Hays Medical Center as a telemetry technician and coded app games for the digital Apple App Store.&nbsp;

It’s no wonder this very talented, hard-working, ambitious, young man was trying to decide which graduate program to enter – Boston University, MIT, Columbia, or the University of Oklahoma – and which program to study (business, biology, or engineering). Ultimately, he chose Oklahoma, where he can combine a dual program of Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Industrial and System Engineering.

Anthony fully embraces his mantra, “Be fearless,” while chasing his goals. But I have no doubt this Tiger will succeed and make a lasting impact on his community – and our world.

<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>Fort Hays State University exists to improve lives. I see this statement in action. Every. Single. Day. I love learning about each individual life in our mosaic of impact – individuals such as new alumnus Anthony Ventura.Anthony, a May graduate, is a truly incredible person who will indeed make a difference in our world. He graduated in three years with a Bachelor of Science in Biology (health profession) and a minor in chemistry. He speaks two languages proficiently, a third with working proficiency, and a fourth with elementary proficiency.Anthony is clearly ambitious. His life philosophy of “work smart and harder” has successfully guided him. His favorite quote: “Let him who would move the world first move himself.” (Socrates)&nbsp;Anthony was born in the Philippines, grew up in Los Angeles, California, then moved to Plainville, Kansas, when he was 13. After graduating from Plainville High School in 2018, he came to FHSU to participate in collegiate athletics on the Tiger track and field team.Many of our student-athletes take athletics seriously at a young age, and many are inspired by their fathers. Anthony was no different. His dad was a collegiate athlete and later became a doctor.“I am very thankful to God and my family,” Anthony said. “My mom, stepdad, late father, and sisters are a big part of my life that I truly value. My role models are my mom, stepdad, and late father, who gave me a lot of wisdom and discipline. Most importantly, they showed me love.”While Anthony came to FHSU to compete in track, he soon found so many other opportunities to pursue. And pursue them he did.Participation in the Kansas Startup competition – an event designed for entrepreneurs to meet, share ideas, and launch new businesses – exposed Anthony to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. His team won the 2020 Kansas Startup with the creation of a mental health app and was a finalist for this spring’s Faulkner Challenge, a business plan competition. The Faulkner Challenge also enabled Anthony to establish professional connections that will help in his graduate study and the professional life that awaits him.&nbsp; &nbsp;“My passion for entrepreneurship is rooted in the idea of innovating and helping others,” he said. “Entrepreneurship shows a metaphorical brick wall of challenges. That brick wall has pushed me to be creative and learn to move forward.”One of the many things Anthony values about FHSU is the opportunity for meaningful undergraduate research. Anthony credits Dr. Nicholas Stewart as a scholar-mentor who helped him conduct genetic research that is being reviewed by the Genome Education Project for publication.During the pandemic, Anthony wanted to find a way to improve mental and physical health on campus. So, he founded the American Healthy Heart student organization at FHSU to advance mental and physical health among students with underlying health challenges. The group considers the definition of “heart” to include a holistic and integrative approach.Club members enjoyed hearing from a wide variety of speakers, including Charles Camarda, an American engineer and a NASA astronaut. Anthony has a growing interest in space and the sustainability of the earth, and he thoroughly enjoyed hearing Camarda speak about the Columbia disaster, life in space, and what awaits in our exploration of Mars.&nbsp;While completing a bachelor’s degree in three years, serving on the Student Government Association, and participating in numerous campus organizations, Anthony also served as the music coordinator for Harvest Christian Church. Additionally, he worked at Hays Medical Center as a telemetry technician and coded app games for the digital Apple App Store.&nbsp;It’s no wonder this very talented, hard-working, ambitious, young man was trying to decide which graduate program to enter – Boston University, MIT, Columbia, or the University of Oklahoma – and which program to study (business, biology, or engineering). Ultimately, he chose Oklahoma, where he can combine a dual program of Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Industrial and System Engineering.Anthony fully embraces his mantra, “Be fearless,” while chasing his goals. But I have no doubt this Tiger will succeed and make a lasting impact on his community – and our world.

MASON: Ventura took full advantage of FHSU opportunities

By DALE YOUNKER Natural Resources Conservation Service

One thing about living in Kansas is if you don’t like to current weather, don’t worry, because it will change to the other extreme, and sometimes that can happen quickly. Just a couple of weeks ago we were struggling to get fall crops planted because of the wet conditions. Now we are hoping that the hot and dry conditions we are currently experiencing isn’t a trend that will last through the summer. Thankfully, we do have some decent sub-soil moisture conditions that will keep the fall crops going through this dry period.

Given the current dry conditions you may think that the last thing I would be wanting to talk about is planting cover crops. But cover crops can provide as many benefits, especially in fallow systems where there will not be a cash crop planted until next spring. These cropping systems only capture and store about 15 to 25% of the moisture received during the fallow period and the rest is just lost to evaporation, runoff and deep percolation.

Cover crops will use some soil moisture like any other living growing plant, including weeds. But a cover crop, that is properly designed with the right species in the mix, and planted and terminated timely, can mitigate the soil moisture losses during the fallow period. So, when the rains do come, we can capture and store more water in the soil then we would of without the cover crop.

I typically I like to get a cover crop established in wheat stubble within a day or two after harvest. It’s been my experience that there is usually enough moisture near the soil surface for the seeds to germinate and emerge because the soil surface is shaded by the mature wheat. But once the wheat is harvested the moisture evaporates quickly. Another option is to delay the cover crop planting later into the summer after a rain or two. Typically, a flush of weeds and volunteer wheat has come up by that time, which can be terminated before planting to cover crop.

I would stick with predominately low water use species in the mix. Millets work well in this situation. They are shallow rooted and grow and mature quickly and very drought tolerant once established. Seed costs is reasonable because the seed is small and just a few pounds is all that is needed in a mix. Because of the small seed size planting depth should be no more then about an inch deep. I would also add a small amount deep rooted species like sunflowers turnips or radishes. They can really help with breaking compaction layers that almost all cropped fields have. 

Some of these species can also be great habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators. Adding a legume, like sunn hemp can also be beneficial in the mix if allowed to grow long enough the nodulate and fix nitrogen. If the planting is delayed until mid-August,&nbsp;oats could be added to the mix. Oats really help feed the soil biology that is critical to building and maintaining soil aggregates, which in turn increases soil porosity.

Most summer planted cover mixes will frost terminate once temperatures get cold enough in the fall. But if dry conditions persist through late summer it may be appropriate to terminate the cover early so it doesn’t continue to use moisture that may be needed for the next cash crop. This is really a judgement call based on current conditions at the time and long-term weather forecasts.

If you used an herbicide in the growing wheat herbicide carryover could be a concern. Many post wheat herbicides provide long term residual weed control and have long plant back restrictions. These herbicides could inhibit the germination and growth of many cover crop species. Always check your herbicide label and if in doubt consult with your supplier or crop advisor.

The Risk Management Agency (RMA) has recently adjusted the crop insurance provisions regarding cover crops and termination guidelines, easing many of the prior restrictions. I would suggest that you contact your crop insurance agent before planting the cover crop to make sure you are meeting all the insurance requirements.

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

Dale Younker is a soil health specialist with the&nbsp; USDA 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 ServiceOne thing about living in Kansas is if you don’t like to current weather, don’t worry, because it will change to the other extreme, and sometimes that can happen quickly. Just a couple of weeks ago we were struggling to get fall crops planted because of the wet conditions. Now we are hoping that the hot and dry conditions we are currently experiencing isn’t a trend that will last through the summer. Thankfully, we do have some decent sub-soil moisture conditions that will keep the fall crops going through this dry period.Given the current dry conditions you may think that the last thing I would be wanting to talk about is planting cover crops. But cover crops can provide as many benefits, especially in fallow systems where there will not be a cash crop planted until next spring. These cropping systems only capture and store about 15 to 25% of the moisture received during the fallow period and the rest is just lost to evaporation, runoff and deep percolation.Cover crops will use some soil moisture like any other living growing plant, including weeds. But a cover crop, that is properly designed with the right species in the mix, and planted and terminated timely, can mitigate the soil moisture losses during the fallow period. So, when the rains do come, we can capture and store more water in the soil then we would of without the cover crop.I typically I like to get a cover crop established in wheat stubble within a day or two after harvest. It’s been my experience that there is usually enough moisture near the soil surface for the seeds to germinate and emerge because the soil surface is shaded by the mature wheat. But once the wheat is harvested the moisture evaporates quickly. Another option is to delay the cover crop planting later into the summer after a rain or two. Typically, a flush of weeds and volunteer wheat has come up by that time, which can be terminated before planting to cover crop.I would stick with predominately low water use species in the mix. Millets work well in this situation. They are shallow rooted and grow and mature quickly and very drought tolerant once established. Seed costs is reasonable because the seed is small and just a few pounds is all that is needed in a mix. Because of the small seed size planting depth should be no more then about an inch deep. I would also add a small amount deep rooted species like sunflowers turnips or radishes. They can really help with breaking compaction layers that almost all cropped fields have. Some of these species can also be great habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators. Adding a legume, like sunn hemp can also be beneficial in the mix if allowed to grow long enough the nodulate and fix nitrogen. If the planting is delayed until mid-August,&nbsp;oats could be added to the mix. Oats really help feed the soil biology that is critical to building and maintaining soil aggregates, which in turn increases soil porosity.Most summer planted cover mixes will frost terminate once temperatures get cold enough in the fall. But if dry conditions persist through late summer it may be appropriate to terminate the cover early so it doesn’t continue to use moisture that may be needed for the next cash crop. This is really a judgement call based on current conditions at the time and long-term weather forecasts.If you used an herbicide in the growing wheat herbicide carryover could be a concern. Many post wheat herbicides provide long term residual weed control and have long plant back restrictions. These herbicides could inhibit the germination and growth of many cover crop species. Always check your herbicide label and if in doubt consult with your supplier or crop advisor.The Risk Management Agency (RMA) has recently adjusted the crop insurance provisions regarding cover crops and termination guidelines, easing many of the prior restrictions. I would suggest that you contact your crop insurance agent before planting the cover crop to make sure you are meeting all the insurance requirements.For more information about soil health practices you can contact me at&nbsp;dale.younker@ks.usda.gov&nbsp;or any local NRCS office.Dale Younker is a soil health specialist with the&nbsp; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jetmore.

YOUNKER: Planting a summer cover crop in wheat stubble

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer It’s wheat harvest time in central Kansas! I always know harvest will arrive, but it also always seems to sneak up on me. This year it seems to have snuck up a bit more than usual as we are still catching up from dealing with our wicked weather from a month ago. &nbsp; We are still replanting fields damaged by hail or flooded by rain. Our days leading up to this year’s harvest have included the regular preparation for summer and harvest, as well as a lot of unanticipated extras.&nbsp; &nbsp; Extra time has been needed in the fields replanting, spraying and cultivating while also dealing with insurance claims, adjustors, contractors, windshield repairs, dent repairs and a roofing crew. There’s definitely been a lot of those unexpected extras this year leading up to summer harvest.&nbsp; &nbsp; Thankfully, we have wonderful helpers who have been able to assist with the needed annual tasks that must be done prior to and during harvest. From preparing irrigation, laying pipe, servicing the tractors, trucks and combines, helping with irrigation repairs, cutting wheat and delivering the grain, we have a great group of people helping us. &nbsp; I realized a few days ago this is the first year in a very long time that I do not have a personal helper of my own this summer. Normally I would have a teenage girl helping me with the kids and household chores during the summer months. I called these helpers my “right-hand gals” because the job wasn’t just babysitting. &nbsp; In the past, I’d be able to leave the kids with my helper when I’d need to quickly drive out to a field to shuttle equipment or crew members to another location. Sometimes I would need to drive to another town to get machine parts. It was wonderful to have a helper who I could leave in charge of the house and kids to be able to complete all the necessary and unscheduled tasks associated with summer and harvest. &nbsp; My helper’s main role was to keep the day moving forward whether I was at home with the kids or not. At times, the job would require prepping food or baking cookies for our harvest crew. Sometimes it entailed loading and unloading the dishwasher or the laundry. Sometimes it meant reading books to the kids, making sure they were put down for their scheduled naps or lifeguarding when the kids would take an afternoon dip in our stock tank pool. &nbsp; Having a “right-hand gal” helped keep the kids rested and on a schedule. Summer on the farm and wheat harvest is incredibly exciting to participate in, but it’s also tiring for everyone involved. Between the hot, dry winds constantly blowing, and the long days and nights of work, it’s understandable why adults might — on occasion — get cranky. I’m sure one can imagine how the intense harvest schedule would affect a child if not properly rested!&nbsp; &nbsp; But as in all of life, this year I am reminded that seasons continually change, and my right-hand gals are grown and gone. My son has transitioned to helping more on the farm this summer. He’s now shadowing his daddy and grandpa, helping the men service machines by handing them tools, riding in the combine and helping with irrigation. I no longer fill a sippy cup and strap him into his car seat. Instead, he fills his own water jug daily and is doing his part helping with summer tasks on the farm under the supervision of some pretty patient people. &nbsp; My daughter is now another little helper. She’s transitioned to helping with laundry and baking cookies with her grandma. Now, whenever I have to jump in a vehicle to complete a pressing task, my little assistant is usually with me. Most of the time she’s happy to tag along as long as she has a book or two with her. But sometimes when the day gets tough, the immediate playing of a requested soundtrack and the promise of a frozen drink or popsicle usually helps.&nbsp; Yes, I’ve always been aware and thankful for the wonderful help we have especially during the summer months. This year, I have become acutely more aware of the blessing of helpers — both big and small.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer It’s wheat harvest time in central Kansas! I always know harvest will arrive, but it also always seems to sneak up on me. This year it seems to have snuck up a bit more than usual as we are still catching up from dealing with our wicked weather from a month ago. &nbsp; We are still replanting fields damaged by hail or flooded by rain. Our days leading up to this year’s harvest have included the regular preparation for summer and harvest, as well as a lot of unanticipated extras.&nbsp; &nbsp; Extra time has been needed in the fields replanting, spraying and cultivating while also dealing with insurance claims, adjustors, contractors, windshield repairs, dent repairs and a roofing crew. There’s definitely been a lot of those unexpected extras this year leading up to summer harvest.&nbsp; &nbsp; Thankfully, we have wonderful helpers who have been able to assist with the needed annual tasks that must be done prior to and during harvest. From preparing irrigation, laying pipe, servicing the tractors, trucks and combines, helping with irrigation repairs, cutting wheat and delivering the grain, we have a great group of people helping us. &nbsp; I realized a few days ago this is the first year in a very long time that I do not have a personal helper of my own this summer. Normally I would have a teenage girl helping me with the kids and household chores during the summer months. I called these helpers my “right-hand gals” because the job wasn’t just babysitting. &nbsp; In the past, I’d be able to leave the kids with my helper when I’d need to quickly drive out to a field to shuttle equipment or crew members to another location. Sometimes I would need to drive to another town to get machine parts. It was wonderful to have a helper who I could leave in charge of the house and kids to be able to complete all the necessary and unscheduled tasks associated with summer and harvest. &nbsp; My helper’s main role was to keep the day moving forward whether I was at home with the kids or not. At times, the job would require prepping food or baking cookies for our harvest crew. Sometimes it entailed loading and unloading the dishwasher or the laundry. Sometimes it meant reading books to the kids, making sure they were put down for their scheduled naps or lifeguarding when the kids would take an afternoon dip in our stock tank pool. &nbsp; Having a “right-hand gal” helped keep the kids rested and on a schedule. Summer on the farm and wheat harvest is incredibly exciting to participate in, but it’s also tiring for everyone involved. Between the hot, dry winds constantly blowing, and the long days and nights of work, it’s understandable why adults might — on occasion — get cranky. I’m sure one can imagine how the intense harvest schedule would affect a child if not properly rested!&nbsp; &nbsp; But as in all of life, this year I am reminded that seasons continually change, and my right-hand gals are grown and gone. My son has transitioned to helping more on the farm this summer. He’s now shadowing his daddy and grandpa, helping the men service machines by handing them tools, riding in the combine and helping with irrigation. I no longer fill a sippy cup and strap him into his car seat. Instead, he fills his own water jug daily and is doing his part helping with summer tasks on the farm under the supervision of some pretty patient people. &nbsp; My daughter is now another little helper. She’s transitioned to helping with laundry and baking cookies with her grandma. Now, whenever I have to jump in a vehicle to complete a pressing task, my little assistant is usually with me. Most of the time she’s happy to tag along as long as she has a book or two with her. But sometimes when the day gets tough, the immediate playing of a requested soundtrack and the promise of a frozen drink or popsicle usually helps.&nbsp; Yes, I’ve always been aware and thankful for the wonderful help we have especially during the summer months. This year, I have become acutely more aware of the blessing of helpers — both big and small."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Helpers big and small

By EDWARD CROSS Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association

July is a special month for many Americans.&nbsp; Most of us will eagerly take a break from our busy summer schedules to once again celebrate Independence Day.&nbsp; There will be much fanfare with fireworks, parades, picnics, and other patriotic events celebrating our country’s independence from Great Britain in 1776.&nbsp; But when the festivities have ended, only a few will have reflected upon the true meaning of independence and the role it has played in shaping our nation’s character.

Our founding fathers made it clear in the Declaration of Independence that all men were entitled to certain unalienable rights.&nbsp; Among those rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.&nbsp; It is easy to take for granted those rights and freedoms we share as Americans.&nbsp; However, it is important that we understand and appreciate the hard work and sacrifice that our forefathers made in order for us to enjoy the luxury of freedom.&nbsp; Freedom and independence are cornerstones in the foundation of our country’s heritage.&nbsp; The independent ideology of the American people is a fundamental element of our society and a key to our nation’s prosperity.&nbsp; We must protect that independence at all cost.

One important freedom we must protect is our free enterprise system.&nbsp; American business, and certainly the oil and gas industry, was founded upon the ideology of independence and free-market principles.&nbsp; Those principles allow business to be governed by the laws of supply and demand without government interference and excessive regulation.&nbsp; The dynamic free market has led to innovation and wealth creation, and has established an economic environment where hard work is rewarded.

But now, it seems free-market capitalism and independence is under attack.&nbsp; Environmental activists work to obstruct energy development and infrastructure projects, reducing our energy options under a false belief that oil and natural gas production and use are incompatible with environmental progress. &nbsp;

The U.S. continues on a path toward one of the greatest self-inflicted wounds in history.&nbsp; President Biden has adopted liberal climate change priorities calling for an end to fossil fuel production and use and a restoration of the failed energy policies of the Obama-era.&nbsp; Biden’s anti-fossil fuel barrage will have no effect on the climate as global demand for fossil fuels will continue to increase for decades no matter what the U.S. does.&nbsp; Meantime, Russia, China, and Iran will take advantage of America’s astonishing fossil-fuel retreat.

The Biden Administration’s energy policy errors are oblivious to the needs of low-income families who would be hurt the most by these misguided energy policies.&nbsp; Biden’s plans are out-of-touch with working people and the economy. &nbsp;

What Biden’s anti-energy agenda combined with climate proposals like the Green New Deal do is concentrate more power in the hands of the federal government and central planners, which at the end of the day, is what they want.&nbsp; We should use our energy abundance to lift people up, which is a different philosophy than a zero-emissions world.&nbsp;

Contrary to claims from environmental activists, cutting U.S. oil and natural gas production would not magically reduce world energy demand.&nbsp; But it could raise costs significantly for American families and manufacturers, profoundly damage the U.S. economy, diminish our geopolitical influence and severely weaken our energy security.&nbsp; That’s where environmental activists strategies lead, and it is not a path most Americans want to take.

In his 1946 Independence Day speech, John F. Kennedy said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”&nbsp; Those words were never so true.&nbsp; Being mindful of the erosion of our independence and free-market system by misguided environmental activist ideologies cannot be over emphasized.&nbsp; We must, now more than ever, remain steadfast in our resolve to protect and preserve the precious independence that has molded our nation’s character.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584027001010.png" alt="Edward Cross is president of the&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association." />
 <figcaption>Edward Cross is president of the&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association.</figcaption>
 </figure>By EDWARD CROSS Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas AssociationJuly is a special month for many Americans.&nbsp; Most of us will eagerly take a break from our busy summer schedules to once again celebrate Independence Day.&nbsp; There will be much fanfare with fireworks, parades, picnics, and other patriotic events celebrating our country’s independence from Great Britain in 1776.&nbsp; But when the festivities have ended, only a few will have reflected upon the true meaning of independence and the role it has played in shaping our nation’s character.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Our founding fathers made it clear in the Declaration of Independence that all men were entitled to certain unalienable rights.&nbsp; Among those rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.&nbsp; It is easy to take for granted those rights and freedoms we share as Americans.&nbsp; However, it is important that we understand and appreciate the hard work and sacrifice that our forefathers made in order for us to enjoy the luxury of freedom.&nbsp; Freedom and independence are cornerstones in the foundation of our country’s heritage.&nbsp; The independent ideology of the American people is a fundamental element of our society and a key to our nation’s prosperity.&nbsp; We must protect that independence at all cost.One important freedom we must protect is our free enterprise system.&nbsp; American business, and certainly the oil and gas industry, was founded upon the ideology of independence and free-market principles.&nbsp; Those principles allow business to be governed by the laws of supply and demand without government interference and excessive regulation.&nbsp; The dynamic free market has led to innovation and wealth creation, and has established an economic environment where hard work is rewarded.But now, it seems free-market capitalism and independence is under attack.&nbsp; Environmental activists work to obstruct energy development and infrastructure projects, reducing our energy options under a false belief that oil and natural gas production and use are incompatible with environmental progress. &nbsp;The U.S. continues on a path toward one of the greatest self-inflicted wounds in history.&nbsp; President Biden has adopted liberal climate change priorities calling for an end to fossil fuel production and use and a restoration of the failed energy policies of the Obama-era.&nbsp; Biden’s anti-fossil fuel barrage will have no effect on the climate as global demand for fossil fuels will continue to increase for decades no matter what the U.S. does.&nbsp; Meantime, Russia, China, and Iran will take advantage of America’s astonishing fossil-fuel retreat.The Biden Administration’s energy policy errors are oblivious to the needs of low-income families who would be hurt the most by these misguided energy policies.&nbsp; Biden’s plans are out-of-touch with working people and the economy. &nbsp;What Biden’s anti-energy agenda combined with climate proposals like the Green New Deal do is concentrate more power in the hands of the federal government and central planners, which at the end of the day, is what they want.&nbsp; We should use our energy abundance to lift people up, which is a different philosophy than a zero-emissions world.&nbsp;Contrary to claims from environmental activists, cutting U.S. oil and natural gas production would not magically reduce world energy demand.&nbsp; But it could raise costs significantly for American families and manufacturers, profoundly damage the U.S. economy, diminish our geopolitical influence and severely weaken our energy security.&nbsp; That’s where environmental activists strategies lead, and it is not a path most Americans want to take.In his 1946 Independence Day speech, John F. Kennedy said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”&nbsp; Those words were never so true.&nbsp; Being mindful of the erosion of our independence and free-market system by misguided environmental activist ideologies cannot be over emphasized.&nbsp; We must, now more than ever, remain steadfast in our resolve to protect and preserve the precious independence that has molded our nation’s character.

CROSS: Protecting our independence

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

A little spark can get a fire going – or in this case, it might help get entrepreneurship going. I’m referring to an organization named Spark which serves as a hub for resources to support entrepreneurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sarah Siders is executive director of Spark.&nbsp;A Kansas State University graduate in social work, she left Manhattan briefly and planned to work overseas but came back a year later.&nbsp;She got married, went to graduate school for clinical social work with the goal of becoming a therapist, and then worked in the mental health department at Fort Riley’s Irwin Army Community Hospital.&nbsp;She and her husband also serve as a co-pastors of a Manhattan-based church, The Well.&nbsp;After nine years in the mental health field, she opened her own business.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;“When I started my own counseling and coaching practice, I found I loved the business side of things,” Sarah said.&nbsp;She joined the organizing team of the 1 Million Cups entrepreneurship organization, worked closely with some of the original founders of the Manhattan co-working space called The Fellow, and wrote for Manhattan Business News.&nbsp;In 2019, colleagues encouraged her to run for Manhattan City Commission, which she did but was not elected.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;“Five days after the election, a member of the organizing team recruited me to help develop a new entrepreneurship nonprofit organization in Manhattan called Spark,” Sarah said.&nbsp;In the first few months, Sarah developed Spark's branding and took the lead on the proposal securing the bulk of Spark's funding.&nbsp;In July 2020, Sarah was selected as executive director and the organization earned 501(c)3 status.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Spark has “a vision to connect, resource, and successfully launch entrepreneurs and promote a dynamic and inclusive culture of entrepreneurship and innovation in the greater Manhattan region.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We spent the first six months doing a lot of listening to what business groups and resources were already doing,” Sarah said.&nbsp;“Everything we do is through collaboration and partnerships.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Spark is sponsored by Kansas State University Innovation Partners, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Gas Service, and a private donor. It partners with the Small Business Development Center, K-State Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship, Network Kansas, Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills, Pottawatomie County Economic Development, K-State Research and Extension - Riley County, and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We want to serve as a hub where entrepreneurs can connect with resources to support them,” Sarah said.&nbsp;

She believes everyone has a role. “We are all part of the entrepreneurial network, whether you’re an investor, entrepreneur or business owner, service provider, or buying local,” she said. “That’s why we call it an entrepreneurial ecosystem, we’re all connected.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

She encouraged everyone to go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sparkmhk.com/">www.sparkmhk.com</a>&nbsp;for more information and to share resources, contacts and events.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Spark logo is carefully and intentionally designed.&nbsp;“It is all lowercase letters, because a spark starts small,” Sarah said.&nbsp;The logo also has different shades of color.&nbsp;“It starts with the light of a bright idea and progressively moves to the deep dark red of established growth,” she said.&nbsp;“As we go forward, we’ll be targeting industry-specific innovation that our region is uniquely designed to support.”&nbsp;

Spark continues to support 1 Million Cups, an area pitch competition called Startup MHK, and is currently offering an entrepreneurship business basics class.&nbsp;“We’re based in Manhattan, but we want to support people across the region,” Sarah said.&nbsp;For example, she told about a business which she had worked with in the rural community of St. Marys, population 2,627 people.&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We need investors to help provide the resources to support entrepreneurs,” Sarah said.&nbsp;“We encourage those who are in the pre-venture or early stages of starting a business to contact us.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“We want to tell the story that greater Manhattan is a great place to start and grow a business,” Sarah said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A little spark can get a fire going, and this Spark organization is helping entrepreneurs get going too.&nbsp;We salute Sarah Siders and all those involved with Spark for making a difference with support for small businesses.&nbsp;I hope the results will ignite a flame of entrepreneurship.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624454890978.png" alt="Siders" />
 <figcaption>Siders</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural DevelopmentA little spark can get a fire going – or in this case, it might help get entrepreneurship going. I’m referring to an organization named Spark which serves as a hub for resources to support entrepreneurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sarah Siders is executive director of Spark.&nbsp;A Kansas State University graduate in social work, she left Manhattan briefly and planned to work overseas but came back a year later.&nbsp;She got married, went to graduate school for clinical social work with the goal of becoming a therapist, and then worked in the mental health department at Fort Riley’s Irwin Army Community Hospital.&nbsp;She and her husband also serve as a co-pastors of a Manhattan-based church, The Well.&nbsp;After nine years in the mental health field, she opened her own business.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“When I started my own counseling and coaching practice, I found I loved the business side of things,” Sarah said.&nbsp;She joined the organizing team of the 1 Million Cups entrepreneurship organization, worked closely with some of the original founders of the Manhattan co-working space called The Fellow, and wrote for Manhattan Business News.&nbsp;In 2019, colleagues encouraged her to run for Manhattan City Commission, which she did but was not elected.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Five days after the election, a member of the organizing team recruited me to help develop a new entrepreneurship nonprofit organization in Manhattan called Spark,” Sarah said.&nbsp;In the first few months, Sarah developed Spark's branding and took the lead on the proposal securing the bulk of Spark's funding.&nbsp;In July 2020, Sarah was selected as executive director and the organization earned 501(c)3 status.&nbsp;&nbsp;Spark has “a vision to connect, resource, and successfully launch entrepreneurs and promote a dynamic and inclusive culture of entrepreneurship and innovation in the greater Manhattan region.”&nbsp;&nbsp;“We spent the first six months doing a lot of listening to what business groups and resources were already doing,” Sarah said.&nbsp;“Everything we do is through collaboration and partnerships.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Spark is sponsored by Kansas State University Innovation Partners, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Gas Service, and a private donor. It partners with the Small Business Development Center, K-State Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship, Network Kansas, Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills, Pottawatomie County Economic Development, K-State Research and Extension - Riley County, and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We want to serve as a hub where entrepreneurs can connect with resources to support them,” Sarah said.&nbsp;She believes everyone has a role. “We are all part of the entrepreneurial network, whether you’re an investor, entrepreneur or business owner, service provider, or buying local,” she said. “That’s why we call it an entrepreneurial ecosystem, we’re all connected.”&nbsp;&nbsp;She encouraged everyone to go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sparkmhk.com/">www.sparkmhk.com</a>&nbsp;for more information and to share resources, contacts and events.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Spark logo is carefully and intentionally designed.&nbsp;“It is all lowercase letters, because a spark starts small,” Sarah said.&nbsp;The logo also has different shades of color.&nbsp;“It starts with the light of a bright idea and progressively moves to the deep dark red of established growth,” she said.&nbsp;“As we go forward, we’ll be targeting industry-specific innovation that our region is uniquely designed to support.”&nbsp;Spark continues to support 1 Million Cups, an area pitch competition called Startup MHK, and is currently offering an entrepreneurship business basics class.&nbsp;“We’re based in Manhattan, but we want to support people across the region,” Sarah said.&nbsp;For example, she told about a business which she had worked with in the rural community of St. Marys, population 2,627 people.&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We need investors to help provide the resources to support entrepreneurs,” Sarah said.&nbsp;“We encourage those who are in the pre-venture or early stages of starting a business to contact us.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We want to tell the story that greater Manhattan is a great place to start and grow a business,” Sarah said.&nbsp;&nbsp;A little spark can get a fire going, and this Spark organization is helping entrepreneurs get going too.&nbsp;We salute Sarah Siders and all those involved with Spark for making a difference with support for small businesses.&nbsp;I hope the results will ignite a flame of entrepreneurship.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Sarah Siders, Spark 

&nbsp;It is almost time to redistrict Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;This means using 2020 Census data to create new districts for the Kansas House, Kansas Senate, and U.S. Congress.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ten years ago, the process was a mess.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unfortunately, no reforms were put in place afterwards.&nbsp;&nbsp;The detailed Census data will be ready later this year--but will lawmakers be ready?

In 2012, Kansas won the dubious distinction of being the last state in the U.S. to complete its Congressional districts.&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite having only four to draw, the Kansas Legislature could not agree on a map, forcing the federal courts to intervene and draw the districts themselves.&nbsp;&nbsp;By contrast, California’s nonpartisan citizens commissions had already completed their first set of districts drawn under a new system championed by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger--53 U.S. House Districts, plus the ones for both houses of the state General Assembly.

What was the problem here?&nbsp;&nbsp;First, Kansas has an archaic system in which the state legislature draws the maps with no oversight except the Governor’s veto.&nbsp;&nbsp;Not only do they draw the Congressional districts, they also draw the ones for the statehouse itself--a classic “fox guarding the chicken house” scenario.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas’ Legislature is only in session for about four months per year (January-April) meaning that this will require either a special session or doing it at the last minute.&nbsp;&nbsp;By early 2022, many other states will have already finalized their districts.

Many states do this better.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Iowa, a bipartisan commission draws the districts.&nbsp;&nbsp;The commission has an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, they cannot look at political data, and they cannot split counties on the Congressional map. Also, the state legislature cannot redraw their maps.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Missouri, the General Assembly redraws Congressional districts, but a balanced, bipartisan commission redraws the ones for the General Assembly itself.&nbsp;&nbsp;As in Iowa, that commission has an equal number of appointments from Democrats and Republicans.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Missouri, ties are broken by a three-judge panel.&nbsp;&nbsp;Missouri also has its veto session in October, which makes this a good time to schedule a special session at about the same time to begin the redistricting process.&nbsp;&nbsp;By contrast, Kansas’ veto session is immediately after the regular session and is popularly referred to as the “wrap up session” instead.

In 2012, Kansas legislators deadlocked because they were worried about moving Manhattan from the 2nd to the “Big First” district.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lawmakers did not want firebrand Congressman Tim Huelskamp responsible for federal funding to the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) project, which brought substantial money and jobs into Manhattan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Manhattan got moved anyway, but by the Courts, not the Legislature.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hueslkamp and former 2nd District Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins are no longer in office, but the Court-drawn districts remain.

With no reforms to the redistricting process, Kansas may face another mess.&nbsp;&nbsp;To be fair, legislative committees will of course have hearings around the state and review many drafts, but the maps may still end up getting finalized at the last minute, on the floors of the house and senate.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, partisan Republican influencers from out of state may force Kansas Republicans to ram through Congressional maps splitting up the state in weird ways, particularly Johnson County.&nbsp;&nbsp;This would be an attempt to remove Democratic Congresswoman Sharice Davids from office.&nbsp;&nbsp;Democrats gerrymander too, but that does not make it right.

Voters need to hold Kansas politicians accountable during this next round of redistricting.&nbsp;&nbsp;Not only that, the process itself needs to be reformed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579108824567.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;It is almost time to redistrict Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;This means using 2020 Census data to create new districts for the Kansas House, Kansas Senate, and U.S. Congress.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ten years ago, the process was a mess.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unfortunately, no reforms were put in place afterwards.&nbsp;&nbsp;The detailed Census data will be ready later this year--but will lawmakers be ready?In 2012, Kansas won the dubious distinction of being the last state in the U.S. to complete its Congressional districts.&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite having only four to draw, the Kansas Legislature could not agree on a map, forcing the federal courts to intervene and draw the districts themselves.&nbsp;&nbsp;By contrast, California’s nonpartisan citizens commissions had already completed their first set of districts drawn under a new system championed by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger--53 U.S. House Districts, plus the ones for both houses of the state General Assembly.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>What was the problem here?&nbsp;&nbsp;First, Kansas has an archaic system in which the state legislature draws the maps with no oversight except the Governor’s veto.&nbsp;&nbsp;Not only do they draw the Congressional districts, they also draw the ones for the statehouse itself--a classic “fox guarding the chicken house” scenario.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas’ Legislature is only in session for about four months per year (January-April) meaning that this will require either a special session or doing it at the last minute.&nbsp;&nbsp;By early 2022, many other states will have already finalized their districts.Many states do this better.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Iowa, a bipartisan commission draws the districts.&nbsp;&nbsp;The commission has an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, they cannot look at political data, and they cannot split counties on the Congressional map. Also, the state legislature cannot redraw their maps.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Missouri, the General Assembly redraws Congressional districts, but a balanced, bipartisan commission redraws the ones for the General Assembly itself.&nbsp;&nbsp;As in Iowa, that commission has an equal number of appointments from Democrats and Republicans.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Missouri, ties are broken by a three-judge panel.&nbsp;&nbsp;Missouri also has its veto session in October, which makes this a good time to schedule a special session at about the same time to begin the redistricting process.&nbsp;&nbsp;By contrast, Kansas’ veto session is immediately after the regular session and is popularly referred to as the “wrap up session” instead.In 2012, Kansas legislators deadlocked because they were worried about moving Manhattan from the 2nd to the “Big First” district.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lawmakers did not want firebrand Congressman Tim Huelskamp responsible for federal funding to the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) project, which brought substantial money and jobs into Manhattan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Manhattan got moved anyway, but by the Courts, not the Legislature.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hueslkamp and former 2nd District Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins are no longer in office, but the Court-drawn districts remain.With no reforms to the redistricting process, Kansas may face another mess.&nbsp;&nbsp;To be fair, legislative committees will of course have hearings around the state and review many drafts, but the maps may still end up getting finalized at the last minute, on the floors of the house and senate.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, partisan Republican influencers from out of state may force Kansas Republicans to ram through Congressional maps splitting up the state in weird ways, particularly Johnson County.&nbsp;&nbsp;This would be an attempt to remove Democratic Congresswoman Sharice Davids from office.&nbsp;&nbsp;Democrats gerrymander too, but that does not make it right.Voters need to hold Kansas politicians accountable during this next round of redistricting.&nbsp;&nbsp;Not only that, the process itself needs to be reformed.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Time to reform redistricting process

Wheat farmers adore the hot dry weather during wheat harvest, as it dries the crop and allows for harvesting without worrying about wet spots in fields. But, along with extended periods of hot dry weather often come blue-green algae blooms at lake and reservoirs.&nbsp; I know all you K State fans love your “Royal Purple”, and KU fans adore your red and blue, and those colors are just the ticket to adorn T shirts, umbrellas and ball caps in support of your chosen team. But when the waters of your favorite lake take on those same colors, lookout!&nbsp;

Welcome to algae bloom season again in Kansas. This period of summer runs from May through October, the months sporting the longest days of sunlight and the warmest water temperatures, and unfortunately this time frame also encompasses the three holidays when our lakes are used the most, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Blue-Green Algae are bacteria with a scientific name as long as a yardstick, that exist naturally in rivers, lakes and ponds and all aquatic ecosystems here in Kansas. When certain conditions align, such as exceptionally high nutrient content in the water, and long hot days with lots of sunlight, those bacteria can reproduce more rapidly than usual, causing a dense growth of algae known as “a bloom.” Some algae blooms are harmless, but when the blooming organisms contain toxins, noxious chemicals or pathogens in levels harmful to humans and animals, it is declared to be a “Harmful Algae Bloom,” and warnings or advisories are issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, (KDHE.) These blue-green algae blooms can be blue, bright green, brown or even red, and may look like foam or a thick frothy slurry. Some blooms, however may not even affect the appearance of the water.&nbsp;

When KDHE receives notice from anyone that a harmful algae bloom is noticed or suspected, they take water samples at the most frequently used locations at the site, such as swim beaches and boat docks. The samples are analyzed, and according to the density of the algae found, either a Public Health Watch or a Public Health Warning is issued for that water impoundment.&nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A Public Health Watch

There are no current public health watches for any Kansas lakes.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Public Health Watches are currently in effect at the following lakes; Big Hill Lake in Labette County, Milford Lake Zone “C” in Geary County and South Lake in Johnson County. Public Health Warnings are currently in effect at Big Eleven Lake in Wyandotte County, Jerry Ivey Pond in Saline County, Keith Sebelius Reservoir in Norton County, both Marion County Lake and Marion County Reservoir in Marion County, Melvern Outlet Pond in Osage County and Webster Reservoir in Rooks County. Keep abreast of current algae watches and warnings on www.ksoutdoors.com.&nbsp;

Health effects can occur when surface scum or water containing high levels of blue-green algal toxins are swallowed or have contact with exposed skin, or when airborne droplets containing toxins are inhaled while swimming, boating or skiing. Most people report the effects as “allergic” type reactions like intestinal or respiratory problems or skin irritations. Animal reactions may range from general weakness and lethargy, to vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing or even convulsion. Algae blooms don’t usually envelope an entire lake, so places can still be found to fish on lakes under blue-green algae watches and warnings, and according to the folks in-the-know at the Kansas Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, fish caught from affected lakes can still be safely eaten, just wash the meat thoroughly.&nbsp; My friend used to say “Everybody always tells me – Cheer up, things could be worse. So, I cheered up, and sure enough – things got worse!” Sorry to say that health warnings at area lakes because of toxic algae blooms will probably get more numerous before they get better. I guess your options are to sell the boat, skis and fishing poles, or just drive a little farther to a lake where no warnings exist, and continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>Wheat farmers adore the hot dry weather during wheat harvest, as it dries the crop and allows for harvesting without worrying about wet spots in fields. But, along with extended periods of hot dry weather often come blue-green algae blooms at lake and reservoirs.&nbsp; I know all you K State fans love your “Royal Purple”, and KU fans adore your red and blue, and those colors are just the ticket to adorn T shirts, umbrellas and ball caps in support of your chosen team. But when the waters of your favorite lake take on those same colors, lookout!&nbsp;Welcome to algae bloom season again in Kansas. This period of summer runs from May through October, the months sporting the longest days of sunlight and the warmest water temperatures, and unfortunately this time frame also encompasses the three holidays when our lakes are used the most, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Blue-Green Algae are bacteria with a scientific name as long as a yardstick, that exist naturally in rivers, lakes and ponds and all aquatic ecosystems here in Kansas. When certain conditions align, such as exceptionally high nutrient content in the water, and long hot days with lots of sunlight, those bacteria can reproduce more rapidly than usual, causing a dense growth of algae known as “a bloom.” Some algae blooms are harmless, but when the blooming organisms contain toxins, noxious chemicals or pathogens in levels harmful to humans and animals, it is declared to be a “Harmful Algae Bloom,” and warnings or advisories are issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, (KDHE.) These blue-green algae blooms can be blue, bright green, brown or even red, and may look like foam or a thick frothy slurry. Some blooms, however may not even affect the appearance of the water.&nbsp;When KDHE receives notice from anyone that a harmful algae bloom is noticed or suspected, they take water samples at the most frequently used locations at the site, such as swim beaches and boat docks. The samples are analyzed, and according to the density of the algae found, either a Public Health Watch or a Public Health Warning is issued for that water impoundment.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A Public Health Watch<ul>
 <li>Notifies the public that a hazardous condition MAY exist</li><li>Signs MAY be posted at all public access locations</li><li>Water MAY be unsafe for humans/animals</li><li>Contact with the water is discouraged&nbsp; &nbsp;</li>
 </ul>There are no current public health watches for any Kansas lakes.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;A Public Health Warning<ul>
 <li>Notifies the public that condition ARE unsafe</li><li>Signs WILL be posted at public access locations</li><li>Contact with the water SHOULD NOT OCCUR</li>
 </ul>Public Health Watches are currently in effect at the following lakes; Big Hill Lake in Labette County, Milford Lake Zone “C” in Geary County and South Lake in Johnson County. Public Health Warnings are currently in effect at Big Eleven Lake in Wyandotte County, Jerry Ivey Pond in Saline County, Keith Sebelius Reservoir in Norton County, both Marion County Lake and Marion County Reservoir in Marion County, Melvern Outlet Pond in Osage County and Webster Reservoir in Rooks County. Keep abreast of current algae watches and warnings on www.ksoutdoors.com.&nbsp;Health effects can occur when surface scum or water containing high levels of blue-green algal toxins are swallowed or have contact with exposed skin, or when airborne droplets containing toxins are inhaled while swimming, boating or skiing. Most people report the effects as “allergic” type reactions like intestinal or respiratory problems or skin irritations. Animal reactions may range from general weakness and lethargy, to vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing or even convulsion. Algae blooms don’t usually envelope an entire lake, so places can still be found to fish on lakes under blue-green algae watches and warnings, and according to the folks in-the-know at the Kansas Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, fish caught from affected lakes can still be safely eaten, just wash the meat thoroughly.&nbsp; My friend used to say “Everybody always tells me – Cheer up, things could be worse. So, I cheered up, and sure enough – things got worse!” Sorry to say that health warnings at area lakes because of toxic algae blooms will probably get more numerous before they get better. I guess your options are to sell the boat, skis and fishing poles, or just drive a little farther to a lake where no warnings exist, and continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Oh, that bloomin’ algae!

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher This is the season of busy here in the ag world. It seems as though we are simultaneously in wheat harvest, crop planting, haying and there are always things to do with the livestock. There are never enough hours in the day to get things done, and we catch ourselves working long hours at a frenetic pace. Then you add in what we do in agriculture can be incredibly dangerous, and we are often alone. The bottom line is farming and ranching is always dangerous, but right now it is exceedingly dangerous. Believe me I am preaching to the choir, and I speak from experience. A couple of years ago I was unhooking the rake from the tractor, I knew the jack was not good, and I knew the rake was on a slight incline. Despite knowing all of that, I still pulled the hitch pin without any thought of where my feet were or what could happen. The pin was in a bind, and I got closer to give it a better yank. I admit it, I was in a hurry and more than a little annoyed the pin was not coming out easy. In any case, I set my shoulders and gave the hitch pin an extra hard pull. It came and what happened next was a blur. The rake rolled back, the jack gave out and everything fell straight down. Straight down on my foot. I was stunned at first and then I realized the rake was on my foot. I could not move my foot and had to have dad come over with another jack. Actually, it was on my boot and near my foot. It did not take too long to get the rake off, and I assessed the situation. It had sliced through the leather toe of my boot, which I am fairly sure is tougher than my foot. Then it hit me, just how close I had come to losing at least part of my foot and just how lucky I was to not be alone that day. Another inch or two and my life would have changed forever. I bet my story is not unique, and I would guess all of us in agriculture have similar stories of near misses and many of us were not so lucky. What is the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic accident? The answer is luck. What can we do to make sure we are not in that situation? The answer is to slow down and realize that the more we hurry and the more corners we cut the more dangerous this job gets. Throw in the long hours and stress and it is a dangerous combination, but one that can be avoided. Please, in this time of busy be careful and cautious;’ go the extra mile and slow down. Remember, those of us in agriculture account for less than 2 percent of the population, we cannot afford to lose anyone.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576508626397.png" alt="Glenn Brunkow" />
 <figcaption>Glenn Brunkow</figcaption>
 </figure>By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher This is the season of busy here in the ag world. It seems as though we are simultaneously in wheat harvest, crop planting, haying and there are always things to do with the livestock. There are never enough hours in the day to get things done, and we catch ourselves working long hours at a frenetic pace. Then you add in what we do in agriculture can be incredibly dangerous, and we are often alone. The bottom line is farming and ranching is always dangerous, but right now it is exceedingly dangerous. Believe me I am preaching to the choir, and I speak from experience. A couple of years ago I was unhooking the rake from the tractor, I knew the jack was not good, and I knew the rake was on a slight incline. Despite knowing all of that, I still pulled the hitch pin without any thought of where my feet were or what could happen. The pin was in a bind, and I got closer to give it a better yank. I admit it, I was in a hurry and more than a little annoyed the pin was not coming out easy. In any case, I set my shoulders and gave the hitch pin an extra hard pull. It came and what happened next was a blur. The rake rolled back, the jack gave out and everything fell straight down. Straight down on my foot. I was stunned at first and then I realized the rake was on my foot. I could not move my foot and had to have dad come over with another jack. Actually, it was on my boot and near my foot. It did not take too long to get the rake off, and I assessed the situation. It had sliced through the leather toe of my boot, which I am fairly sure is tougher than my foot. Then it hit me, just how close I had come to losing at least part of my foot and just how lucky I was to not be alone that day. Another inch or two and my life would have changed forever. I bet my story is not unique, and I would guess all of us in agriculture have similar stories of near misses and many of us were not so lucky. What is the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic accident? The answer is luck. What can we do to make sure we are not in that situation? The answer is to slow down and realize that the more we hurry and the more corners we cut the more dangerous this job gets. Throw in the long hours and stress and it is a dangerous combination, but one that can be avoided. Please, in this time of busy be careful and cautious;’ go the extra mile and slow down. Remember, those of us in agriculture account for less than 2 percent of the population, we cannot afford to lose anyone."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Avoiding catastrophe

By C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/21/kansas-should-celebrate-the-legacy-of-jon-reed-sims-son-of-smith-center/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Jon Reed Sims was born in Smith Center, Kansas, in May 1947. When he died, in July 1984, it made news in San Francisco.

A newspaper there showed 
then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein giving Sims a key to the city. The caption 
said he was “a favorite” of the woman who is now a long-serving U.S. 
senator.

“He Spawned a World of Music; Jon Sims is Dead at Age 37,” read the headline.

Sims was one of the early 
casualties of AIDS. But before he died far too young, he created 
something that lives on — loudly, joyfully and powerfully.

In 1978, Sims founded the <a href="https://www.sfgmc.org/our-story">San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus</a> and the <a href="https://www.sflgfb.org/about/who-we-are/">San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band</a>, igniting an international cultural phenomenon: there are now <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gay_men%27s_choruses">gay men’s choruses</a> and bands <a href="https://www.lgba.org/directory/#!directory/map">throughout the world</a>.

A few years ago, wanting to know more about this son of Smith Center who’s <a href="http://sfbaytimes.com/jon-reed-sims-historic-piano-comes-home/">revered in San Francisco</a>
 but forgotten in Kansas, I tracked down his sister, Judith Sims 
Billings, who lives in Nebraska. She sent me a history she’d written for
 the San Francisco Bay Times, a gay newspaper.

Sims was born on a farm 
near Lebanon and the family later moved to a farm closer to Smith 
Center. Jon started taking piano lessons when he was 6, and named his 
4-H livestock after composers.

“The fact that he was 
practically the only male in the county who took sewing and cooking in 
4-H didn’t seem to bother Jon, and Mother just acted like it was the 
most normal thing,” Billings wrote. “Our parents encouraged us to do 
anything we wanted to, seeing no real boundaries. Jon won first place at
 the Kansas State Fair for his sugar cookies.”

He took up the cornet to 
play in the Smith Center High School band, then learned to play the tuba
 because the band needed one and ultimately found his “calling” with the
 French horn.

“Jon was kind and 
considerate of everyone and always spoke to and helped these older women
 he’d met through our grandmothers,” Billings recalled. “This was the 
same generation of women who taught him to knit and crochet when he was 
in grade school.”

Sims started college at 
Fort Hays State University, then transferred to Wichita State University
 to study French horn and composition.

“He was a very flamboyant drum major at both universities,” Billings wrote.

Her brother went on to 
grad school at Indiana University, then taught junior high music in 
Chicago before moving to San Francisco.

“It was a time of Anita 
Bryant and much prejudice towards the community,” she wrote. “Jon told 
me he was not interested in making a political statement — he just 
wanted to get people together to have fun making music.”

But for oppressed communities, <a href="http://sfbaytimes.com/beat-goes-san-francisco-lesbian-gay-freedom-bands-40th-anniversary/">having fun and making music is inherently political</a>.

The morning of June 25, 1978, Sims blew a whistle, threw his drum 
major’s mace in the air and literally kicked off the Band with a leap. 
Seventy musicians in red visors, white tees and blue jeans followed him 
onto Market Street playing “California, Here I Come!” A roar rose up 
from the crowd as they passed. The crowd knew a radical act when they 
saw one. Sims and the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Marching Band &amp; 
Twirling Corps stepped out of the closet and into a tableau of Americana
 to march down “Main Street” for their city’s parade.&nbsp;&nbsp;– San Francisco Bay Times

Sims didn’t come out to 
the family until after their mother died in 1975, Billings wrote: “We 
are not sure if she knew, but Mother always said, ‘Jon marches to a 
different drummer.’ ”

Billings said her family 
was always proud of Sims, “but none of us realized the impact he would 
have. I continue to be amazed and proud of the impact of his vision.”

It’s hard to think about 
Sims without thinking of another gay Kansan who made an indelible mark 
on the world. Gilbert Baker, who designed the rainbow flag, was born in 
Chanute and grew up in Parsons. He got the hell out as soon as he could.
 In recent years, his classmates in the Parsons High School class of 
1969 have <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2020-06-06/rainbow-flags-creator-didnt-celebrate-his-home-state-but-some-kansans-are-keeping-his-memory-alive">worked to memorialize his legacy</a>.

I took a Pride Month drive
 out to Smith Center, where the woman who answered the phone at the high
 school contacted someone whose dad graduated with Sims in the class of 
1965.

Mike Isom spent his career as a history teacher and guidance counselor in nearby Kensington.

Looking through old 
annuals, Isom pointed out every photo of the young handsome Sims in the 
1965 Centrian: Sims in the band, the chorus, the boys’ octet, the glee 
club, the horn trio, the mixed ensemble, the all-school play, the 
yearbook staff, the national honor society, the service organizations.

“He was accepted,” Isom said of Sims.

Though they ran in 
different crowds, Isom described Sims as happy and carefree, remembering
 how, one night, 14 people crammed into Sims’ big car — “I think it was a
 1949 Plymouth or something like that,” Isom said — to get into the 
drive-in movie on dollar night.

“There might have been 
other people who thought he might be gay — I may use that term now, but 
not back then we wouldn’t use it,” Isom said, noting that the meanings 
of words had changed over the years. “And we just thought it was strange
 that he liked to hang around the girls. But he was musically inclined.”

Based on the “prophesies” 
students wrote to imagine their futures, Sims was self-aware enough to 
make a joke about what his future held:

Isom didn’t remember how he heard about Sims’ founding of the gay men’s chorus.

“I thought that was an accomplishment,” he said. “And I had heard that he was sort of big in the movement out there.”

Isom said he didn’t know how much support there’d be for a plaque or some other kind of memorial to Sims.

“I would assume that if 
people knew his accomplishments, they might be willing to do that,” he 
said. “And also, there are people that would be totally against — you 
know what I’m saying?”

He was saying that this part of Kansas is mighty conservative.

But LGBTQ people do live 
in Smith Center, just like we live everywhere. Knowing they’re in a 
place that produced someone who made such a great contribution to our 
culture might brighten their world a bit.

Besides, there already is a
 memorial to Sims. It’s a headstone at the Fairview Cemetery, alongside 
his mother Marie Belle and his father Delmar, who died in 1980.

On the hot afternoon I 
paid my respects, the only sounds were the wind and a couple of lonesome
 meadowlarks. It felt too quiet a resting place for someone who spent 
his life making big, beautiful music.

But maybe it’s quiet 
enough for Jon Reed Sims’ spirit to hear all the joyful sounds he 
brought to life, still reverberating out in the world.

C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624281785064.jpeg" alt="Jon Reed Sims is in the back row, seventh from the right, in Smith Center High School's class of 1965. Mike Isom is in the third row, sixth from the left. (C.J. Janovy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Jon Reed Sims is in the back row, seventh from the right, in Smith Center High School's class of 1965. Mike Isom is in the third row, sixth from the left. (C.J. Janovy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/21/kansas-should-celebrate-the-legacy-of-jon-reed-sims-son-of-smith-center/">Kansas Reflector</a>Jon Reed Sims was born in Smith Center, Kansas, in May 1947. When he died, in July 1984, it made news in San Francisco.A newspaper there showed 
then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein giving Sims a key to the city. The caption 
said he was “a favorite” of the woman who is now a long-serving U.S. 
senator.“He Spawned a World of Music; Jon Sims is Dead at Age 37,” read the headline.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Sims was one of the early 
casualties of AIDS. But before he died far too young, he created 
something that lives on — loudly, joyfully and powerfully.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624281852167.jpeg" alt="Jon Reed Sims’ death in 1984 made news in San Francisco." />
 <figcaption>Jon Reed Sims’ death in 1984 made news in San Francisco.</figcaption>
 </figure>In 1978, Sims founded the <a href="https://www.sfgmc.org/our-story">San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus</a> and the <a href="https://www.sflgfb.org/about/who-we-are/">San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band</a>, igniting an international cultural phenomenon: there are now <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gay_men%27s_choruses">gay men’s choruses</a> and bands <a href="https://www.lgba.org/directory/#!directory/map">throughout the world</a>.A few years ago, wanting to know more about this son of Smith Center who’s <a href="http://sfbaytimes.com/jon-reed-sims-historic-piano-comes-home/">revered in San Francisco</a>
 but forgotten in Kansas, I tracked down his sister, Judith Sims 
Billings, who lives in Nebraska. She sent me a history she’d written for
 the San Francisco Bay Times, a gay newspaper.Sims was born on a farm 
near Lebanon and the family later moved to a farm closer to Smith 
Center. Jon started taking piano lessons when he was 6, and named his 
4-H livestock after composers.“The fact that he was 
practically the only male in the county who took sewing and cooking in 
4-H didn’t seem to bother Jon, and Mother just acted like it was the 
most normal thing,” Billings wrote. “Our parents encouraged us to do 
anything we wanted to, seeing no real boundaries. Jon won first place at
 the Kansas State Fair for his sugar cookies.”He took up the cornet to 
play in the Smith Center High School band, then learned to play the tuba
 because the band needed one and ultimately found his “calling” with the
 French horn.“Jon was kind and 
considerate of everyone and always spoke to and helped these older women
 he’d met through our grandmothers,” Billings recalled. “This was the 
same generation of women who taught him to knit and crochet when he was 
in grade school.”Sims started college at 
Fort Hays State University, then transferred to Wichita State University
 to study French horn and composition.“He was a very flamboyant drum major at both universities,” Billings wrote.Her brother went on to 
grad school at Indiana University, then taught junior high music in 
Chicago before moving to San Francisco.“It was a time of Anita 
Bryant and much prejudice towards the community,” she wrote. “Jon told 
me he was not interested in making a political statement — he just 
wanted to get people together to have fun making music.”But for oppressed communities, <a href="http://sfbaytimes.com/beat-goes-san-francisco-lesbian-gay-freedom-bands-40th-anniversary/">having fun and making music is inherently political</a>.The morning of June 25, 1978, Sims blew a whistle, threw his drum 
major’s mace in the air and literally kicked off the Band with a leap. 
Seventy musicians in red visors, white tees and blue jeans followed him 
onto Market Street playing “California, Here I Come!” A roar rose up 
from the crowd as they passed. The crowd knew a radical act when they 
saw one. Sims and the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Marching Band &amp; 
Twirling Corps stepped out of the closet and into a tableau of Americana
 to march down “Main Street” for their city’s parade.&nbsp;&nbsp;– San Francisco Bay TimesSims didn’t come out to 
the family until after their mother died in 1975, Billings wrote: “We 
are not sure if she knew, but Mother always said, ‘Jon marches to a 
different drummer.’ ”Billings said her family 
was always proud of Sims, “but none of us realized the impact he would 
have. I continue to be amazed and proud of the impact of his vision.”It’s hard to think about 
Sims without thinking of another gay Kansan who made an indelible mark 
on the world. Gilbert Baker, who designed the rainbow flag, was born in 
Chanute and grew up in Parsons. He got the hell out as soon as he could.
 In recent years, his classmates in the Parsons High School class of 
1969 have <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2020-06-06/rainbow-flags-creator-didnt-celebrate-his-home-state-but-some-kansans-are-keeping-his-memory-alive">worked to memorialize his legacy</a>.I took a Pride Month drive
 out to Smith Center, where the woman who answered the phone at the high
 school contacted someone whose dad graduated with Sims in the class of 
1965.Mike Isom spent his career as a history teacher and guidance counselor in nearby Kensington.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624281899284.jpeg" alt="Jon Reed Sims’ senior picture in the 1965 Smith Center Centrian. (C.J. Janovy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Jon Reed Sims’ senior picture in the 1965 Smith Center Centrian. (C.J. Janovy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Looking through old 
annuals, Isom pointed out every photo of the young handsome Sims in the 
1965 Centrian: Sims in the band, the chorus, the boys’ octet, the glee 
club, the horn trio, the mixed ensemble, the all-school play, the 
yearbook staff, the national honor society, the service organizations.“He was accepted,” Isom said of Sims.Though they ran in 
different crowds, Isom described Sims as happy and carefree, remembering
 how, one night, 14 people crammed into Sims’ big car — “I think it was a
 1949 Plymouth or something like that,” Isom said — to get into the 
drive-in movie on dollar night.“There might have been 
other people who thought he might be gay — I may use that term now, but 
not back then we wouldn’t use it,” Isom said, noting that the meanings 
of words had changed over the years. “And we just thought it was strange
 that he liked to hang around the girls. But he was musically inclined.”Based on the “prophesies” 
students wrote to imagine their futures, Sims was self-aware enough to 
make a joke about what his future held:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624281939133.jpeg" alt="Students at Smith Center High School wrote “Prophecies” about their future for the 1965 annual, The Centrian. Jon Reed Sims appeared to make a self-aware joke. (C.J. Janovy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Students at Smith Center High School wrote “Prophecies” about their future for the 1965 annual, The Centrian. Jon Reed Sims appeared to make a self-aware joke. (C.J. Janovy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Isom didn’t remember how he heard about Sims’ founding of the gay men’s chorus.“I thought that was an accomplishment,” he said. “And I had heard that he was sort of big in the movement out there.”Isom said he didn’t know how much support there’d be for a plaque or some other kind of memorial to Sims.“I would assume that if 
people knew his accomplishments, they might be willing to do that,” he 
said. “And also, there are people that would be totally against — you 
know what I’m saying?”He was saying that this part of Kansas is mighty conservative.But LGBTQ people do live 
in Smith Center, just like we live everywhere. Knowing they’re in a 
place that produced someone who made such a great contribution to our 
culture might brighten their world a bit.Besides, there already is a
 memorial to Sims. It’s a headstone at the Fairview Cemetery, alongside 
his mother Marie Belle and his father Delmar, who died in 1980.On the hot afternoon I 
paid my respects, the only sounds were the wind and a couple of lonesome
 meadowlarks. It felt too quiet a resting place for someone who spent 
his life making big, beautiful music.But maybe it’s quiet 
enough for Jon Reed Sims’ spirit to hear all the joyful sounds he 
brought to life, still reverberating out in the world.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624281969989.jpeg" alt="Jon Reed Sims’ headstone is in Fairview Cemetery at Smith Center, Kansas. (C.J. Janovy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Jon Reed Sims’ headstone is in Fairview Cemetery at Smith Center, Kansas. (C.J. Janovy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

JANOVY: Kan. should celebrate the legacy of Sims, son of Smith Center

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

There’s a fever which has begun in a Kansas community. Don’t worry, this is a good kind of fever. It is what one artist described as “mural fever,” where a community put up a mural and that led to another mural and then another. These murals have improved the downtown appearance and sparked new interest in the community.&nbsp;

Brett Hubka is community bank president in Clay Center, president of the Clay Center Rotary Club, and the person who launched the initial idea for a mural in his community.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brett has rural roots, having grown up in Medicine Lodge. His mother is from the rural community of Sharon, population 158 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

Brett attended Kansas State University, where he met his future wife who is from Oberlin. They married and moved to Oklahoma where she attended optometry school. She joined a practice in Clay Center where Brett came to work in the bank. “Rural Kansas is important to us,” Brett said. “This is where we want to raise our kids.” Brett’s parents, Mike and Elene Hubka, are educators who now live in Manhattan.&nbsp;

After moving to Clay Center in 2015, Brett was elected president of the local Rotary club in 2020. “Every president does a community project. I tried to figure out what to do,” Brett said. He remembered that, a few years ago, a K-State architecture and design student team had proposed a downtown Clay Center plan which included a mural on one downtown building. The idea appealed to Brett, and he proposed to his Rotary club that they put up a mural. Just one.&nbsp;

Another Rotarian, Kyle Bauer, suggested that the club put up one mural and be open to putting up more, depending on the interest. He and others told Brett that money would come if the idea was a good one. Sure enough, the idea took off. Brett asked a cross-section of people from the community to serve on a seven-person mural committee.&nbsp;

The local community foundation, an affiliate of the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, was having a community-donation match day and invited them to participate. Brett said with a smile, “I wanted our project to be at the top of the list alphabetically so I thought it should start with the letter ‘A.’” The committee named the project “A Mural Movement.” It generated $15,000 in donations.&nbsp;

Because Clay Center is located on K-15 highway, the first mural design was a collection of Kansas license plates placed together and painted to resemble a giant K-15 highway sign. Another early mural resembled a giant postcard with the message “Greetings from Clay Center.”&nbsp;

“The project snowballed from there,” Brett said. “We fell in love with it and the artists fell in love with being here,” he said. People in the community donated additional funds.&nbsp;&nbsp;“That one mural turned into a dozen within 11 months,” Brett said. There have now been 215 donations amounting to $147,000 to support the murals. Thirteen different artists have been involved.&nbsp;

Most of the murals are in downtown and more are under way. A huge mural is planned to go on two sides of the Key Feeds building. The themes of the murals range from books at the library to cute puppies to a tribute to first responders to Farm to Table.&nbsp;&nbsp;One, a tribute to veterans, depicts the flag-raising at Iwo Jima and extends to an actual flag flying at the top of the building.&nbsp;

“We put QR codes by the murals where people could scan and get more information, and those have been scanned hundreds of times,” Brett said. Social media posts have received thousands of views. “Our artists call it ‘mural fever,’” he said.&nbsp;

“We have a lot to offer in Clay Center, and this gives people a reason to stop,” Brett said.&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://qrco.de/bc3VAy">A Mural Movement Experience</a>&nbsp;for an interactive map of all the murals, social media links, a donation page and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A fever has popped up in this rural community. Fortunately, it is a fever of interest in these community murals. We commend Brett Hubka and all the volunteers and donors who have made a difference by brightening the community for visitors and residents. I hope this fever spreads.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623850290271.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;There’s a fever which has begun in a Kansas community. Don’t worry, this is a good kind of fever. It is what one artist described as “mural fever,” where a community put up a mural and that led to another mural and then another. These murals have improved the downtown appearance and sparked new interest in the community.&nbsp;Brett Hubka is community bank president in Clay Center, president of the Clay Center Rotary Club, and the person who launched the initial idea for a mural in his community.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brett has rural roots, having grown up in Medicine Lodge. His mother is from the rural community of Sharon, population 158 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;Brett attended Kansas State University, where he met his future wife who is from Oberlin. They married and moved to Oklahoma where she attended optometry school. She joined a practice in Clay Center where Brett came to work in the bank. “Rural Kansas is important to us,” Brett said. “This is where we want to raise our kids.” Brett’s parents, Mike and Elene Hubka, are educators who now live in Manhattan.&nbsp;After moving to Clay Center in 2015, Brett was elected president of the local Rotary club in 2020. “Every president does a community project. I tried to figure out what to do,” Brett said. He remembered that, a few years ago, a K-State architecture and design student team had proposed a downtown Clay Center plan which included a mural on one downtown building. The idea appealed to Brett, and he proposed to his Rotary club that they put up a mural. Just one.&nbsp;Another Rotarian, Kyle Bauer, suggested that the club put up one mural and be open to putting up more, depending on the interest. He and others told Brett that money would come if the idea was a good one. Sure enough, the idea took off. Brett asked a cross-section of people from the community to serve on a seven-person mural committee.&nbsp;The local community foundation, an affiliate of the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, was having a community-donation match day and invited them to participate. Brett said with a smile, “I wanted our project to be at the top of the list alphabetically so I thought it should start with the letter ‘A.’” The committee named the project “A Mural Movement.” It generated $15,000 in donations.&nbsp;Because Clay Center is located on K-15 highway, the first mural design was a collection of Kansas license plates placed together and painted to resemble a giant K-15 highway sign. Another early mural resembled a giant postcard with the message “Greetings from Clay Center.”&nbsp;“The project snowballed from there,” Brett said. “We fell in love with it and the artists fell in love with being here,” he said. People in the community donated additional funds.&nbsp;&nbsp;“That one mural turned into a dozen within 11 months,” Brett said. There have now been 215 donations amounting to $147,000 to support the murals. Thirteen different artists have been involved.&nbsp;Most of the murals are in downtown and more are under way. A huge mural is planned to go on two sides of the Key Feeds building. The themes of the murals range from books at the library to cute puppies to a tribute to first responders to Farm to Table.&nbsp;&nbsp;One, a tribute to veterans, depicts the flag-raising at Iwo Jima and extends to an actual flag flying at the top of the building.&nbsp;“We put QR codes by the murals where people could scan and get more information, and those have been scanned hundreds of times,” Brett said. Social media posts have received thousands of views. “Our artists call it ‘mural fever,’” he said.&nbsp;“We have a lot to offer in Clay Center, and this gives people a reason to stop,” Brett said.&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://qrco.de/bc3VAy">A Mural Movement Experience</a>&nbsp;for an interactive map of all the murals, social media links, a donation page and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;A fever has popped up in this rural community. Fortunately, it is a fever of interest in these community murals. We commend Brett Hubka and all the volunteers and donors who have made a difference by brightening the community for visitors and residents. I hope this fever spreads.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Brett Hubka, A Mural Movement 

Initial state-level data from the 2020 Census are out. What do these numbers show for Kansas and why do they matter?&nbsp;

The U.S. population grew 7.4 percent from 2010 to 2020, the second lowest growth rate in history. That stemmed from declining birth rates and an aging population, increased deaths, and declining immigration despite growing diversity.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Like most Midwestern states, Kansas had sluggish population growth. It grew only 3 percent and added just 77,000 residents.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas grew more robustly in previous decades. However, per Census estimates, after 2010 its growth withered to practically zero by 2017 before stabilizing. Sam Brownback’s vision of an economic conservatism that would attract right-leaning migrants to Kansas didn’t work.&nbsp;

Like other states, numbers vary by county. Per 2019 Census estimates, only 15 Kansas counties grew last decade. Mostly, these were the Kansas City metro, Wichita and its eastern suburbs, the Manhattan area, Lawrence, and Hays. Basically, suburbia and college towns.&nbsp;

The other 90 counties lost people. Thirteen lost 10 percent or more of their residents. Southeast Kansas and rural Central to Western Kansas shrunk most.&nbsp;

First, Kansas could lose a U.S. House district in 2030. Kansas last lost a seat in 1990, diminishing its federal representation and Electoral College influence. Of 435 House seats, 385 are given to states using a formula that prioritizes them on population. Kansas’s fourth seat fell in priority to 392 of 435 this Census. Stagnant growth jeopardizes that seat.&nbsp;

Second, in the Kansas legislature, rural communities will lose representation to urban communities. Southeast Kansas, for example, likely lost population equivalent to roughly one state senate district. The region’s districts will grow larger, possibly costing a regional politician their gig in Topeka and diminishing the area’s political influence.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Third, there’s power politics. America’s growing suburbs are generally getting more Democratic. Suburban economies are outperforming rural economics on attracting higher income, higher education middle class workers—the type of voter who today is trending Democratic. Even in “red states,” most high growth communities attracting residents from out-of-state are getting significantly “bluer.” That changes their local politics, often in ways that conservatives dislike.&nbsp;

Conservatives are responding with “big government conservatism”—meaning limiting local control over policymaking and centralizing authority in state governments where conservatives often have more power. In various states, conservatives are taking away local decision-making over things like community budgets, economic development, wage policies, schools, election administration, policing, zoning, health ordinances, and non-discrimination ordinances. Kansas has seen echoes of this in various policy areas.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575644168170.png" alt="Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas. " />
 <figcaption>Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas. </figcaption>
 </figure>Initial state-level data from the 2020 Census are out. What do these numbers show for Kansas and why do they matter?&nbsp;The U.S. population grew 7.4 percent from 2010 to 2020, the second lowest growth rate in history. That stemmed from declining birth rates and an aging population, increased deaths, and declining immigration despite growing diversity.&nbsp;&nbsp;Like most Midwestern states, Kansas had sluggish population growth. It grew only 3 percent and added just 77,000 residents.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas grew more robustly in previous decades. However, per Census estimates, after 2010 its growth withered to practically zero by 2017 before stabilizing. Sam Brownback’s vision of an economic conservatism that would attract right-leaning migrants to Kansas didn’t work.&nbsp;Like other states, numbers vary by county. Per 2019 Census estimates, only 15 Kansas counties grew last decade. Mostly, these were the Kansas City metro, Wichita and its eastern suburbs, the Manhattan area, Lawrence, and Hays. Basically, suburbia and college towns.&nbsp;The other 90 counties lost people. Thirteen lost 10 percent or more of their residents. Southeast Kansas and rural Central to Western Kansas shrunk most.&nbsp;Why does this matter?&nbsp;First, Kansas could lose a U.S. House district in 2030. Kansas last lost a seat in 1990, diminishing its federal representation and Electoral College influence. Of 435 House seats, 385 are given to states using a formula that prioritizes them on population. Kansas’s fourth seat fell in priority to 392 of 435 this Census. Stagnant growth jeopardizes that seat.&nbsp;Second, in the Kansas legislature, rural communities will lose representation to urban communities. Southeast Kansas, for example, likely lost population equivalent to roughly one state senate district. The region’s districts will grow larger, possibly costing a regional politician their gig in Topeka and diminishing the area’s political influence.&nbsp;&nbsp;Third, there’s power politics. America’s growing suburbs are generally getting more Democratic. Suburban economies are outperforming rural economics on attracting higher income, higher education middle class workers—the type of voter who today is trending Democratic. Even in “red states,” most high growth communities attracting residents from out-of-state are getting significantly “bluer.” That changes their local politics, often in ways that conservatives dislike.&nbsp;Conservatives are responding with “big government conservatism”—meaning limiting local control over policymaking and centralizing authority in state governments where conservatives often have more power. In various states, conservatives are taking away local decision-making over things like community budgets, economic development, wage policies, schools, election administration, policing, zoning, health ordinances, and non-discrimination ordinances. Kansas has seen echoes of this in various policy areas.&nbsp;Big government conservatism grows conservative power, a clear political win. However, this gives local communities less control over things like schools. Or libraries, parks, and recreation centers funded by local taxes. Or even how they grow.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas’s growth is highly dependent on a small number of urbanized, often less conservative communities. Their ability to independently manage and maintain their own growth to attract the type of American who is more geographically mobile in today’s economy is critical for all of Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unless Kansas improbably figures out how to attain growth rates like Colorado or Utah, its challenges are twofold. Can state policy help shrinking and aging communities, especially rural ones, thrive and hopefully stabilize? And can state policy help our few growing counties keep growing, even if that means letting them govern themselves?&nbsp;Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.&nbsp;

Opinion