Dear Members of the Kansas Board of Regents,

We, the undersigned distinguished professors from Kansas Board of Regents universities, strongly urge the immediate rescinding of the KBOR’s new termination policy. We applaud Allison Garrett (Emporia State), Tisa A. Mason (Fort Hays State), Richard Myers (Kansas State), Steven A. Scott (Pittsburg State), and Richard Muma (Wichita State) for refusing to use the policy. It is harmful to our individual campuses and to the Regents system as a whole.

As Regent Shane Bangerter notes, these are indeed “extreme times.” The chronic underfunding of Kansas higher education has become suddenly acute. However, Regents universities already have a policy crafted specifically to address such extremity--declaring financial exigency allows universities to downsize in the face of financial emergency. In consultation with KBOR, each campus has already developed, via shared governance, the necessary procedures: these should be implemented if a campus determines that they are needed. Best practices for university management require transparency and proper procedure.&nbsp;

To jettison best practices with this substitute policy not only reveals a lack of respect for each campus’ system of shared governance, it threatens long-term damage to the missions of each institution. It undermines the purpose of tenure, which is to allow faculty to pursue their scholarship without fear of repercussions. Academic freedom is the foundation upon which we build discovery, robust research, scholarship and creative activities. It also fosters an environment essential to recruiting and retaining excellent faculty in the future. Finally, the new policy undermines the morale of current staff and faculty at precisely the time when each campus needs extraordinary effort and resilience from them.&nbsp;

Perry Alexander, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, KU

K. Christopher Beard, Ecology &amp; Evolutionary Biology, KU

James D. Bever, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, KU

Frank Blecha, Anatomy and Physiology, K-State

George R. Bousfield, Biological Sciences, WSU

Yolanda Broyles-Gonzalez, American Ethnic Studies, K-State

M.M. Chengappa, Veterinary Medicine, K-State

C. Lewis Cocke, Emeritus, Physics, K-State

David Darwin, Civil, Environmental &amp; Architectural Engineering, KU

Jolynn A. Dowling, School of Nursing, WSU

Michael S. Engel, Ecology &amp; Evolutionary Biology, KU

Charles Epp, Public Affairs and Administration, KU

Victor S. Frost, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, KU

Robert Goldstein, Department of Geology, KU

Dale Herspring, Emeritus, Political Science, K-State

Stephen Higgs, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, K-State

Duy H. Hua, Department of Chemistry, K-State

Hartmut Jaeschke, Pharmacology, Toxicology &amp; Therapeutics, KUMC

Michael Kanost, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, K-State

Barbara A. Kerr, Educational Psychology, KU

Kimberly Kirkpatrick, Psychological Sciences, K-State

Phillip E. Klebba, Biochemistry &amp; Molecular Biophysics, K-State

Susan Lunte, Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, KU

Richard Marston, Emeritus, Geography, K-State

Subbaratnam Muthukrishnan, Emeritus, Biochemistry &amp; Molecular Biophysics, K-State

TG Nagaraja, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, K-State

Randolph J. Nudo, Rehabilitation Medicine, KUMC

Rosemary O’Leary, School of Public Affairs and Administration, KU

Anil Pahwa, Electrical and Computer Engineering, K-State

A. Townsend Peterson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, KU

William D. Picking, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, KU

David C. Poole, Kinesiology, Anatomy and Physiology, K-State

Harald E.L. Prins, Emeritus, Anthropology, K-State

Mabel L. Rice, Child Language Doctoral Program, KU

Dan Rockhill, Architecture &amp; Design, KU

Robert Rohrschneider, Political Science, KU

Chistophe Royon, Physics and Astronomy, KU

Christian Schoneich, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, KU

James E. Sherow, Emeritus, History, K-State

Paulette Spencer, Mechanical Engineering, KU

Sandra M. Stith, Emeritus, Applied Human Sciences, K-State

Xiuzhi Susan Sun, Grain Science and Industry, K-State

Karan S. Surana, Mechanical Engineering, KU

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Members of the Kansas Board of Regents,We, the undersigned distinguished professors from Kansas Board of Regents universities, strongly urge the immediate rescinding of the KBOR’s new termination policy. We applaud Allison Garrett (Emporia State), Tisa A. Mason (Fort Hays State), Richard Myers (Kansas State), Steven A. Scott (Pittsburg State), and Richard Muma (Wichita State) for refusing to use the policy. It is harmful to our individual campuses and to the Regents system as a whole.As Regent Shane Bangerter notes, these are indeed “extreme times.” The chronic underfunding of Kansas higher education has become suddenly acute. However, Regents universities already have a policy crafted specifically to address such extremity--declaring financial exigency allows universities to downsize in the face of financial emergency. In consultation with KBOR, each campus has already developed, via shared governance, the necessary procedures: these should be implemented if a campus determines that they are needed. Best practices for university management require transparency and proper procedure.&nbsp;To jettison best practices with this substitute policy not only reveals a lack of respect for each campus’ system of shared governance, it threatens long-term damage to the missions of each institution. It undermines the purpose of tenure, which is to allow faculty to pursue their scholarship without fear of repercussions. Academic freedom is the foundation upon which we build discovery, robust research, scholarship and creative activities. It also fosters an environment essential to recruiting and retaining excellent faculty in the future. Finally, the new policy undermines the morale of current staff and faculty at precisely the time when each campus needs extraordinary effort and resilience from them.&nbsp;Sincerely yours,Christer B. Aakeröy, Chemistry, K-StateChristine Aikens, Chemistry, K-StatePerry Alexander, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, KUBeth Bailey, History, KUWilliam A. Barnett, Economics, KUThomas J. Barstow, Kinesiology, K-StateAlice Bean, Physics and Astronomy, KUK. Christopher Beard, Ecology &amp; Evolutionary Biology, KUItzhak Ben-Itzhak, Physics, K-StateJames D. Bever, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, KURaj Bhala, School of Law, KUMonica Biernat, Psychology, KUJohn Blair, Division of Biology, K-StateFrank Blecha, Anatomy and Physiology, K-StateGeorge R. Bousfield, Biological Sciences, WSUNyla Branscombe, Psychology, KUYolanda Broyles-Gonzalez, American Ethnic Studies, K-StateJoyce Castle, Music, KUM.M. Chengappa, Veterinary Medicine, K-StateC. Lewis Cocke, Emeritus, Physics, K-StateBernard Cornet, Economics, KUDavid Darwin, Civil, Environmental &amp; Architectural Engineering, KULynne Davis, Music, WSUElizabeth Dodd, English, K-StateWalter Dodds, Biology, K-StateJolynn A. Dowling, School of Nursing, WSUMichael S. Engel, Ecology &amp; Evolutionary Biology, KUCharles Epp, Public Affairs and Administration, KUDavid Farber, History, KUVictor S. Frost, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, KURandall Fuller, English, KUKeith Gido, Biology, K-StateBikram S. Gill, Plant Pathology, K-StateRichard Godbeer, History, KURobert Goldstein, Department of Geology, KUWayne Everett Goins, Music, K-StateJohn W. Head, Law, KUAnne D. Hedeman, Art History, KUDale Herspring, Emeritus, Political Science, K-StateStephen Higgs, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, K-StateDuy H. Hua, Department of Chemistry, K-StateAndrew C. Isenberg, History, KURyszard Jankowiak, Chemistry, K-StateHartmut Jaeschke, Pharmacology, Toxicology &amp; Therapeutics, KUMCMichael Kanost, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, K-StateBarbara A. Kerr, Educational Psychology, KUM.B. Kirkham, Agronomy, K-StateKimberly Kirkpatrick, Psychological Sciences, K-StatePhillip E. Klebba, Biochemistry &amp; Molecular Biophysics, K-StateJohn F. Leslie, Plant Pathology, K-StateRichard E. Levy, Law, KUSusan Lunte, Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, KURolfe Mandel, Anthropology, KURichard Marston, Emeritus, Geography, K-StateSubbaratnam Muthukrishnan, Emeritus, Biochemistry &amp; Molecular Biophysics, K-StateTG Nagaraja, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, K-StateJoane Nagel, Sociology, KUPhilip Nel, English, K-StateDavid Nualart, Mathematics, KURandolph J. Nudo, Rehabilitation Medicine, KUMCBerl Oakley, Molecular Biosciences, KURosemary O’Leary, School of Public Affairs and Administration, KUDennis H. O’Rourke, Anthropology, KUAnil Pahwa, Electrical and Computer Engineering, K-StateA. Townsend Peterson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, KUWilliam D. Picking, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, KUDavid C. Poole, Kinesiology, Anatomy and Physiology, K-StateP.V. Vara Prasad, Agronomy, K-StateHarald E.L. Prins, Emeritus, Anthropology, K-StateBharat Ratra, Physics, K-StateCharles W. Rice, Agronomy, K-StateMabel L. Rice, Child Language Doctoral Program, KUDan Rockhill, Architecture &amp; Design, KUDavid Roediger, American Studies, KURobert Rohrschneider, Political Science, KUChistophe Royon, Physics and Astronomy, KUChristian Schoneich, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, KUPaul Selden, Emeritus, Geology, KUPrakash P. Shenoy, Business, KUJames E. Sherow, Emeritus, History, K-StateTom Skrtic, Special Education, KUC. Michael Smith, Entomology, K-StateYan Soibelman, Mathematics, K-StateSteven A. Soper, Chemistry, KUChristopher Sorensen, Physics, K-StatePaulette Spencer, Mechanical Engineering, KUBrian S. Spooner, Biology, K-StateS. G. Sterrett, Philosophy, WSUSandra M. Stith, Emeritus, Applied Human Sciences, K-StateXiuzhi Susan Sun, Grain Science and Industry, K-StateKaran S. Surana, Mechanical Engineering, KUUwe Thumm, Physics, K-StateBarbara Valent, Plant Pathology, K-StateJ. Douglas Walker, Geology, KUStephen Ware, Law, KUSteven F. Warren, Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences and Disorders, KURobert Warrior, American Studies and English, KUMary A. Waters, English, WSURuth Welti, Biology, K-StateRobert E. Weems, Jr., Business History, WSUYong Zhao, Education, KUKun Yan Zhu, Entomology, K-StateDean Zollman, Emeritus, Physics, K-State

LETTER: Kan. professors critical of new termination policy

Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $42.50 per barrel. That's unchanged on the week and nearly four dollars higher than the price posted January 1. Kansas daily crude prices have stayed above $42 since January 8th, topping $43 on six of those days. The average price for the month of January was over $42 per barrel for the first time in a year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says U.S. crude oil output in November increased by more than 10 million barrels over the month before. Kansas output reached 2.19 million barrels, or just over 73,000 barrels per day. That's also slightly higher than the month before. Intent to drill notices filed in the State of Kansas continued to decline last year. There were just 51 intents filed in December, bringing the annual total for 2020 to 560 intents, according to the Kansas Corporation Commission. That's less than half the total from the year before, which was down a third from the year before that.&nbsp; Baker Hughes reported 384 active drilling rigs this week, an increase of six oil rigs. The count in Texas was up seven, while New Mexico was down three rigs for the week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reported an increase in its weekly Rig Count in Kansas. There are eight active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, up four for the week, while the count west of Wichita was up one at eight active drilling rigs. Kansas regulators approved 36 new drilling permits last week, five of them in Western Kansas, including one in Stafford County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 20 newly-completed wells for the week across Kansas. There were 16 east of Wichita and four in Western Kansas, including one in Stafford County. Operators have completed 55 wells across the state so far this year. The government says it's weekly tally of U.S. crude inventories dropped by nearly ten million barrels, but remained about five percent above the five-year average for this time of year. The Energy Information Administration says stockpiles dropped to just under 477 million barrels. EIA reported a decline in U.S. crude-oil imports of one million barrels per day.&nbsp; Over the past four weeks, imports averaged 13.9% less than the same four-week period last year. U.S. crude production last week was down 97,000 barrels per day, dropping below 11 million barrels per day for the first time since last November. Oil-by-rail shipments reached another one-year high last week, with 12,522 tanker cars hauling petroleum products, according to the Association of American Railroads.&nbsp; The running total for the year is down 11% from a year ago. The Biden administration's moratorium of oil and gas leasing on federal public land faced an immediate legal attack from an energy industry group said to represent 200 oil and gas companies. Western Energy Alliance filed a petition in U.S. court in Wyoming, asserting the suspension of leases is "unsupported and unnecessary," and represents an overreach by the government. The alliance asserts that the president doesn't have the authority to ban leasing on public lands. They claim the suspension will cost tens of thousands if not millions of jobs. The oil and gas industry in Texas paid out nearly $14 billion in taxes and royalties last year despite the pandemic. The Texas Oil and Gas Association says the total was lower than the record-high $16.3 billion in taxes and royalties paid in fiscal year 2019, when oil and natural gas production in the Lone Star State surged to records. &nbsp; A new study is prompting some energy producers to rethink proposed flaring regs in the Lone Star State. Research from the energy analysts at Rystad Energy suggests that requiring oil and gas companies to capture 98% of the natural gas produced in Texas could yield more than $440 million in additional revenue in just the next four years. For the third year in a row, lawmakers in New Mexico introduced a measure to block the process that helped make the state the number-three crude-oil producer in the U.S.&nbsp; A ban on fracking was first introduced back in 2019, and a legislative audit from that year found the idea could lead to a $3.5 billion loss in revenue. Opponents assert the move would kill some jobs, and send others across the state line into Texas. The bill's sponsor tells the Carlsbad Current Argus that the measure would not impact any current or ongoing fracking operations, but was meant to give the state some breathing room in addressing the practice’s impact on water and air quality. A Canadian trade group is predicting a slow rebound for that country's oil patch. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers expects capital investment in oil and gas to increase 14% this year, to more than 21 billion U.S. dollars. The group projects spending will remain below pre-pandemic levels, and will be less than one-third of the industry's peak investment year back in 2014.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARKansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $42.50 per barrel. That's unchanged on the week and nearly four dollars higher than the price posted January 1. Kansas daily crude prices have stayed above $42 since January 8th, topping $43 on six of those days. The average price for the month of January was over $42 per barrel for the first time in a year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says U.S. crude oil output in November increased by more than 10 million barrels over the month before. Kansas output reached 2.19 million barrels, or just over 73,000 barrels per day. That's also slightly higher than the month before. Intent to drill notices filed in the State of Kansas continued to decline last year. There were just 51 intents filed in December, bringing the annual total for 2020 to 560 intents, according to the Kansas Corporation Commission. That's less than half the total from the year before, which was down a third from the year before that.&nbsp; Baker Hughes reported 384 active drilling rigs this week, an increase of six oil rigs. The count in Texas was up seven, while New Mexico was down three rigs for the week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reported an increase in its weekly Rig Count in Kansas. There are eight active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, up four for the week, while the count west of Wichita was up one at eight active drilling rigs. Kansas regulators approved 36 new drilling permits last week, five of them in Western Kansas, including one in Stafford County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 20 newly-completed wells for the week across Kansas. There were 16 east of Wichita and four in Western Kansas, including one in Stafford County. Operators have completed 55 wells across the state so far this year. The government says it's weekly tally of U.S. crude inventories dropped by nearly ten million barrels, but remained about five percent above the five-year average for this time of year. The Energy Information Administration says stockpiles dropped to just under 477 million barrels. EIA reported a decline in U.S. crude-oil imports of one million barrels per day.&nbsp; Over the past four weeks, imports averaged 13.9% less than the same four-week period last year. U.S. crude production last week was down 97,000 barrels per day, dropping below 11 million barrels per day for the first time since last November. Oil-by-rail shipments reached another one-year high last week, with 12,522 tanker cars hauling petroleum products, according to the Association of American Railroads.&nbsp; The running total for the year is down 11% from a year ago. The Biden administration's moratorium of oil and gas leasing on federal public land faced an immediate legal attack from an energy industry group said to represent 200 oil and gas companies. Western Energy Alliance filed a petition in U.S. court in Wyoming, asserting the suspension of leases is "unsupported and unnecessary," and represents an overreach by the government. The alliance asserts that the president doesn't have the authority to ban leasing on public lands. They claim the suspension will cost tens of thousands if not millions of jobs. The oil and gas industry in Texas paid out nearly $14 billion in taxes and royalties last year despite the pandemic. The Texas Oil and Gas Association says the total was lower than the record-high $16.3 billion in taxes and royalties paid in fiscal year 2019, when oil and natural gas production in the Lone Star State surged to records. &nbsp; A new study is prompting some energy producers to rethink proposed flaring regs in the Lone Star State. Research from the energy analysts at Rystad Energy suggests that requiring oil and gas companies to capture 98% of the natural gas produced in Texas could yield more than $440 million in additional revenue in just the next four years. For the third year in a row, lawmakers in New Mexico introduced a measure to block the process that helped make the state the number-three crude-oil producer in the U.S.&nbsp; A ban on fracking was first introduced back in 2019, and a legislative audit from that year found the idea could lead to a $3.5 billion loss in revenue. Opponents assert the move would kill some jobs, and send others across the state line into Texas. The bill's sponsor tells the Carlsbad Current Argus that the measure would not impact any current or ongoing fracking operations, but was meant to give the state some breathing room in addressing the practice’s impact on water and air quality. A Canadian trade group is predicting a slow rebound for that country's oil patch. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers expects capital investment in oil and gas to increase 14% this year, to more than 21 billion U.S. dollars. The group projects spending will remain below pre-pandemic levels, and will be less than one-third of the industry's peak investment year back in 2014.

News From the Oil Patch: Kan. intent-to-drill notices continue to plummet

During one of our training zooms we were asked “What do our young people need from adults?” The list to choose from included: structure, empathy, rules and consequences, curiosity/learning, someone to listen and a couple of other answers? The presenter reminded us there was no incorrect answer. The majority of the participants on the zoom responded that young people need curiosity/learning and someone to listen. Over the last ten months I have heard many discussions of what is needed to help our kids build resiliency skills and it is difficult to pinpoint just one thing.

One source that I encourage parents to search for is “Family Engagement 4H1749F” a publication from Michigan State University. The first activity in the booklet is “Building Encouragement”. The author shares “Social emotional health is a critical component of health development for young children. Social emotional development includes the ability to identify and label or name emotions, and find appropriate ways to express or manage those emotions.”

There are many things that your child does well each day. Recognize the good things that they do and point out what exactly they did right. For example: “I noticed that you hung up your coat and put your boots away!” Look the child in the eye and talk to them on their level. Compliment them often and encourage them often. Be careful about trying to teach them a lesson. “I noticed you helped your brother but you did not put your shoes away like I asked”. Avoid the “but”! The author of “Building Encouragement” suggests, “You helped your brother find his shoes. Let’s see if we can find yours together.”&nbsp;

Parenting is one of the most difficult jobs I ever got myself into! I feel like I am still learning and my youngest is now 25 years old. I know that our children still need encouragement. Start when they are young and build a relationship with them so they know they can come to you no matter what the situation is. Every child has their strengths. Work to build on those strengths and over time they will build the resilience to face what the world throws at them.&nbsp;

This sounds easy and I realize it is not so simple. Parents need support, so find a group of strong parents who will support you in this very important job. Encourage each other and build each other up so you are prepared for your parenting challenges.&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588274071306.jpeg" alt="Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>During one of our training zooms we were asked “What do our young people need from adults?” The list to choose from included: structure, empathy, rules and consequences, curiosity/learning, someone to listen and a couple of other answers? The presenter reminded us there was no incorrect answer. The majority of the participants on the zoom responded that young people need curiosity/learning and someone to listen. Over the last ten months I have heard many discussions of what is needed to help our kids build resiliency skills and it is difficult to pinpoint just one thing.One source that I encourage parents to search for is “Family Engagement 4H1749F” a publication from Michigan State University. The first activity in the booklet is “Building Encouragement”. The author shares “Social emotional health is a critical component of health development for young children. Social emotional development includes the ability to identify and label or name emotions, and find appropriate ways to express or manage those emotions.”There are many things that your child does well each day. Recognize the good things that they do and point out what exactly they did right. For example: “I noticed that you hung up your coat and put your boots away!” Look the child in the eye and talk to them on their level. Compliment them often and encourage them often. Be careful about trying to teach them a lesson. “I noticed you helped your brother but you did not put your shoes away like I asked”. Avoid the “but”! The author of “Building Encouragement” suggests, “You helped your brother find his shoes. Let’s see if we can find yours together.”&nbsp;Parenting is one of the most difficult jobs I ever got myself into! I feel like I am still learning and my youngest is now 25 years old. I know that our children still need encouragement. Start when they are young and build a relationship with them so they know they can come to you no matter what the situation is. Every child has their strengths. Work to build on those strengths and over time they will build the resilience to face what the world throws at them.&nbsp;This sounds easy and I realize it is not so simple. Parents need support, so find a group of strong parents who will support you in this very important job. Encourage each other and build each other up so you are prepared for your parenting challenges.&nbsp;	Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp; She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at <a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

UNRUH: Be an encourager

Wednesday morning, the House Appropriations Committee held a briefing from the Department of Labor regarding current unemployment and fraud issues. After this committee meeting and the discussion, Governor Kelly admitted that the unemployment program has been overrun by fraud and that is currently distracting the department to process legitimate unemployment claims. Currently, Kansas is experiencing the second most fraudulent unemployment claims in the nation, only behind the state of Illinois.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started last year, the unemployment trust fund for the state of Kansas had a balance in excess of $1 billion. Now that same trust fund has an approximate balance between $300 million, with some stating that anywhere from $300 to $400 million may have been paid out in fraudulent claims.

There are two types of employers in Kansas; reimbursement employers and trust fund employers. Schools, public universities and not for profits are reimbursement employers. The state pays their claims and then sends them a statement to get paid back. The first quarterly statements have begun going out and in one Topeka school district there were $775,000 in fraudulent claims that the state had paid out. With federal reimbursement applied, that school district will still owe the state nearly $400,000 for claims that never should have been paid and that the school district never authorized to be paid.

A bill was introduced on Wednesday to further investigate the fraud within the Department of Labor. The Appropriations Committee will have a hearing (this) week.

(Last) week we had an informational update in the Appropriations Committee by the Kansas Lottery and the Kansas Gaming and Racing Commission. They had indicated to the committee that revenues for both the lottery and the state-owned casinos were lower in 2020 from the revenues received in 2019. The difference for the lottery was almost $21 million and for the casinos, they experienced a difference of nearly $77 million, or an 18.7% difference. Both had stated that the COVID-19 pandemic was a root cause for the reduced revenues. The Kansas Lottery did mention that in 2021, they will be placing more vending lottery machines in businesses to generate more revenue. The lottery currently has 200 vending machines in businesses across the state and is anticipating placing 70 more.

Bills Passed the House; Kansas Day

On Thursday, January 28, the Kansas House of Representatives debated and voted on three bills, all of which were issues that were addressed last session, however, were never debated due to COVID-19.

The first bill was House Bill 2022, which I introduced in the Appropriations Committee. This bill combines the two funds regarding oil and gas well plugging into only one fund. It also clarifies for the Kansas Corporation Commission on who is a responsible party if an oil or gas well needs to be plugged.

The second bill was House Bill 2026 and this bill creates a drug abuse treatment program for people on diversion and allows county attorneys to enter into agreements with court services and community corrections for supervision.

The final bill was House Bill 2008 which, when implemented by the Kansas Attorney General, would coordinate training for law enforcement agencies regarding missing and murdered indigenous people. Those in favor of the bill are hoping that this will address the high rates of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls across America. All of these bills passed out of the House, 123-0.

On this day (Jan. 29) in 1861, the state of Kansas became the 34th state in the union. Although this year is different, we all need to celebrate the birthhood of our great state.

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

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

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

Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the 109th Kansas House District state representative and chairman of the Appropriations Committee.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577788173848.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>January 29, 2021Department of Labor FraudWednesday morning, the House Appropriations Committee held a briefing from the Department of Labor regarding current unemployment and fraud issues. After this committee meeting and the discussion, Governor Kelly admitted that the unemployment program has been overrun by fraud and that is currently distracting the department to process legitimate unemployment claims. Currently, Kansas is experiencing the second most fraudulent unemployment claims in the nation, only behind the state of Illinois.When the COVID-19 pandemic started last year, the unemployment trust fund for the state of Kansas had a balance in excess of $1 billion. Now that same trust fund has an approximate balance between $300 million, with some stating that anywhere from $300 to $400 million may have been paid out in fraudulent claims.There are two types of employers in Kansas; reimbursement employers and trust fund employers. Schools, public universities and not for profits are reimbursement employers. The state pays their claims and then sends them a statement to get paid back. The first quarterly statements have begun going out and in one Topeka school district there were $775,000 in fraudulent claims that the state had paid out. With federal reimbursement applied, that school district will still owe the state nearly $400,000 for claims that never should have been paid and that the school district never authorized to be paid.A bill was introduced on Wednesday to further investigate the fraud within the Department of Labor. The Appropriations Committee will have a hearing (this) week.Kansas Lottery and Gaming(Last) week we had an informational update in the Appropriations Committee by the Kansas Lottery and the Kansas Gaming and Racing Commission. They had indicated to the committee that revenues for both the lottery and the state-owned casinos were lower in 2020 from the revenues received in 2019. The difference for the lottery was almost $21 million and for the casinos, they experienced a difference of nearly $77 million, or an 18.7% difference. Both had stated that the COVID-19 pandemic was a root cause for the reduced revenues. The Kansas Lottery did mention that in 2021, they will be placing more vending lottery machines in businesses to generate more revenue. The lottery currently has 200 vending machines in businesses across the state and is anticipating placing 70 more.Bills Passed the House; Kansas DayOn Thursday, January 28, the Kansas House of Representatives debated and voted on three bills, all of which were issues that were addressed last session, however, were never debated due to COVID-19.The first bill was House Bill 2022, which I introduced in the Appropriations Committee. This bill combines the two funds regarding oil and gas well plugging into only one fund. It also clarifies for the Kansas Corporation Commission on who is a responsible party if an oil or gas well needs to be plugged.The second bill was House Bill 2026 and this bill creates a drug abuse treatment program for people on diversion and allows county attorneys to enter into agreements with court services and community corrections for supervision.The final bill was House Bill 2008 which, when implemented by the Kansas Attorney General, would coordinate training for law enforcement agencies regarding missing and murdered indigenous people. Those in favor of the bill are hoping that this will address the high rates of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls across America. All of these bills passed out of the House, 123-0.On this day (Jan. 29) in 1861, the state of Kansas became the 34th state in the union. Although this year is different, we all need to celebrate the birthhood of our great state.Contact InformationAnytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov. Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the 109th Kansas House District state representative and chairman of the Appropriations Committee.&nbsp;

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home, Jan. 29

This week, the Senate standing committees continued to hold hearings and bring forward legislation. The Ways and Means Committee is starting to work the budget bill with subcommittee meetings to report to the full committee in a few weeks. The Senate will be returning to General Orders where we will see the first committee bills to have a vote from the entire Senate.

With a vote of 28-11, the Kansas Senate passed the Value Them Both Amendment to reverse the Supreme Court ruling (6-1) from Hodes &amp; Nauser v Schmidt. 

HCR 5003 would amend the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the State of Kansas by adding a new section regarding the regulation of abortion. It states that nothing in the state constitution requires the government to fund abortion and does not create or secure a right to abortion. 

HCR 5003 does not ban abortion as it is federal law. It also provides that the people of Kansas through their elected state legislators may pass law regarding abortion and these laws would remain subject to the United States Constitution protection of an individual’s right to abortion. 

A “yes” vote on the ballot for the Value Them Both Constitutional Amendment keeps regulations and laws already in place and approved by voters on the books basically returning us to 1972 after the Roe v. Wade ruling. Four key regulations that have received bipartisan support throughout the legislature since 1972 – Women’s Right to Know &amp; 24 hours waiting periods (1997), parental notification (2011), clinic licensing laws (clinic inspections-2011) and no taxpayer funding of abortions (2013). 

I voted yes. I believe it is important that women are given the most basic information about their doctor; that minor children are not left to make important decisions on their own; that women can know that they will enter a clean, safe facility; that Kansas will not be forced to pay for abortions and people have the right to regulate the abortion industry through the legislative process. 

Kansas is not alone in amending their Constitution - six other states have already passed similar amendments and other states are considering amendments this session. 

Last week, the House of Representatives adopted the amendment by a vote of 86-38. As HCR 5003 was adopted in both chambers, then it will now appear on the primary election ballot held in August 2022.

On Monday, Governor Kelly signed SB 14 into law, which continued the protections within the Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) as adopted in the Special Session in June of 2020, which were set to expire on January 26th. It extends the limitations on the governor’s executive powers until March 31st, thus maintaining and strengthening the protections for Kansas families and businesses. 

As a result of the bill being signed into law, Kansas businesses now have the assurance of knowing they will remain open. In addition, critical provisions ensuring local control over decision-making remain on the books. 

The quick work on the legislation will now allow the Kansas Legislature the time necessary to take a deeper dive into the many statutes surrounding the Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) and craft legislation that will address the myriad of issues within it on a long-term basis. While KEMA was largely designed to deal with localized disasters such as floods and tornadoes, this time will allow the legislature to ensure our laws envision similar statewide situations, such as pandemics, in the future.

Secretary of State Scott Schwab updated the committee on the 2020 elections and results across the state. The November 3rd general election saw historic turnout, despite the Coronavirus pandemic. In the 2020 general election, 1,375,125 votes were cast, meaning 70.9% of Kansas voters participated. There were 1,938,560 registered voters prior to the 2020 general election. For reference, roughly 1,225,667 registered voters or 67.4% participated in the 2016 general election. There were 459,229 advance mail ballots, 371,854 advance in-person ballots and 544,042 in-person ballots cast on election day November 3rd, 2020.

Last year (2020) was the first year for post-election audits occurring in major, statewide election. In presidential election years, state law (KS 25-309) requires counties to audit one federal race, one state legislative race and one county race. The Secretary of State office selects races to be audited by Kansas counties following each candidate election. The office must transmit audit orders to each county no later than 24 hours after the close of polls on election day. The audit process went well across the state. Each county audited at least 1% of precincts within their county and three races. All 105 counties matched exactly to the unofficial election night returns or were able to explain discrepancies of one or two votes. Discrepancies center around manual review determining voter intent was different than the machine count due to odd marking of the ballot or the voter marking the oval too lightly for the machine to read. The Secretary reported all 105 counties in Kansas successfully completed their post-election audits from the November general election. All votes were accounted for and foul play, of any kind was not found.

The Secretary also stated unlike many other states which struggled to implement mail balloting for the first time, Kansas’ election system has 25 years of experience with mail ballots and has developed the institutional knowledge, procedures, and infrastructure to securely process the anticipated increase in mail ballot use at the general election. The Kansas election system’s ability to handle the surge in mail ballots in the 2020 election demonstrated the election system’s capabilities.

The Department of Labor testified along others in the Senate Commerce Committee specifically on the problem with fraudulent claims in the state. Kansas is not alone - in fact all 50 states are affected however Governor Kelly called for the shutdown of the department’s processing system January 30th through February 2nd to allow for a new verification process and for the staff to catch up on claims waiting for processing.

Many people are unaware a claim has been made on their behalf until they receive a notice from KDOL in the mail or their employer does. If this happens - immediately go to https://www.fraudreport.ks.gov and report the fraudulent claim. You will receive a confirmation email with a police report case number. This number is an official law enforcement case number. You will NOT have to alert another law enforcement agency. Additional steps to take:

· Contact the Federal Trade Commission at <a href="https://www.identitytheft.gov/">www.identitytheft.gov</a>

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

· Contact your financial providers (banks, credit card companies, etc.) to flag irregular transactions.

· Check your Social Security earnings statements online to make sure your reported wages are correct at <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/">www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount</a>.

If you need additional help, please email my office or call and I will contact the Department of Labor to help with your case.

January 29 of 2021 marked the 160th anniversary of President James Buchanan signing a bill to make Kansas the 34th state of the United States of America. Kansas is full of rich history, beautiful scenes of nature, and notable landmarks. 

In Kansas Senate District 36, we have remarkable landmarks such as the Nazareth Motherhouse in Concordia, Rock City outside of Minneapolis, and the “Home on the Range Cabin” in Smith County, birthplace of our state song. 

“Home on the Range” was adopted by the Kansas State Legislature as the official state song on June 30, 1947. Along with our state song, Kansas has not one, but TWO official state marches, “The Kansas March” and “Here’s Kansas.”

 But while the marches are grand, nothing brings as much pride into the hearts of the residents of the Sunflower State as that of seeing our great flag dancing in the breeze. The flag was designed by Hazel Avery of Lincoln County in 1925. Directly in the center on the field of blue is the Great Seal of the State of Kansas with our motto arching near the top: “Ad Astra Per Aspera” to the stars through difficulties. The flag was modified in 1961 by a bill introduced by Senator Ross Doyen of Concordia to add the word “KANSAS”.

Kansas residents can access information on legislation, legislative procedure, state government, public policy issues and more by calling 1-800-432-3924. Calls are answered by experienced reference/research librarians at the State Library of Kansas and kept confidential. Lines are open weekdays 8AM-5PM. Callers can also leave brief messages to be delivered to legislators as well as request copies of bills, journals, and other legislative documents. Questions can also be left at infodesk@ks.gov on weekends and evenings. 

Kansans can now chat with a librarian in real-time through the library’s Ask A Librarian service found at: kslib.info/ask. You will have the option of installing a mobile app connecting users to all the State Library’s services, including chat, texting and email. Text questions to 785 256-0733. The State Library is located on the 3rd floor, north wing of the Capitol. Currently, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is temporarily closed to walk-in service.

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580853658061.jpeg" alt="Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Kansas Senate District" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Kansas Senate District</figcaption>
 </figure>February 1, 2021SENATE HAPPENINGSThis week, the Senate standing committees continued to hold hearings and bring forward legislation. The Ways and Means Committee is starting to work the budget bill with subcommittee meetings to report to the full committee in a few weeks. The Senate will be returning to General Orders where we will see the first committee bills to have a vote from the entire Senate.SENATE FLOOR ACTION – HCR 5003With a vote of 28-11, the Kansas Senate passed the Value Them Both Amendment to reverse the Supreme Court ruling (6-1) from Hodes &amp; Nauser v Schmidt. HCR 5003 would amend the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the State of Kansas by adding a new section regarding the regulation of abortion. It states that nothing in the state constitution requires the government to fund abortion and does not create or secure a right to abortion. HCR 5003 does not ban abortion as it is federal law. It also provides that the people of Kansas through their elected state legislators may pass law regarding abortion and these laws would remain subject to the United States Constitution protection of an individual’s right to abortion. A “yes” vote on the ballot for the Value Them Both Constitutional Amendment keeps regulations and laws already in place and approved by voters on the books basically returning us to 1972 after the Roe v. Wade ruling. Four key regulations that have received bipartisan support throughout the legislature since 1972 – Women’s Right to Know &amp; 24 hours waiting periods (1997), parental notification (2011), clinic licensing laws (clinic inspections-2011) and no taxpayer funding of abortions (2013). I voted yes. I believe it is important that women are given the most basic information about their doctor; that minor children are not left to make important decisions on their own; that women can know that they will enter a clean, safe facility; that Kansas will not be forced to pay for abortions and people have the right to regulate the abortion industry through the legislative process. Kansas is not alone in amending their Constitution - six other states have already passed similar amendments and other states are considering amendments this session. Last week, the House of Representatives adopted the amendment by a vote of 86-38. As HCR 5003 was adopted in both chambers, then it will now appear on the primary election ballot held in August 2022.GOVERNOR SIGNS SB 14 INTO LAW On Monday, Governor Kelly signed SB 14 into law, which continued the protections within the Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) as adopted in the Special Session in June of 2020, which were set to expire on January 26th. It extends the limitations on the governor’s executive powers until March 31st, thus maintaining and strengthening the protections for Kansas families and businesses. As a result of the bill being signed into law, Kansas businesses now have the assurance of knowing they will remain open. In addition, critical provisions ensuring local control over decision-making remain on the books. The quick work on the legislation will now allow the Kansas Legislature the time necessary to take a deeper dive into the many statutes surrounding the Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) and craft legislation that will address the myriad of issues within it on a long-term basis. While KEMA was largely designed to deal with localized disasters such as floods and tornadoes, this time will allow the legislature to ensure our laws envision similar statewide situations, such as pandemics, in the future.COMMITTEE WORKTRANSPARENCY AND ETHICSSecretary of State Scott Schwab updated the committee on the 2020 elections and results across the state. The November 3rd general election saw historic turnout, despite the Coronavirus pandemic. In the 2020 general election, 1,375,125 votes were cast, meaning 70.9% of Kansas voters participated. There were 1,938,560 registered voters prior to the 2020 general election. For reference, roughly 1,225,667 registered voters or 67.4% participated in the 2016 general election. There were 459,229 advance mail ballots, 371,854 advance in-person ballots and 544,042 in-person ballots cast on election day November 3rd, 2020.Last year (2020) was the first year for post-election audits occurring in major, statewide election. In presidential election years, state law (KS 25-309) requires counties to audit one federal race, one state legislative race and one county race. The Secretary of State office selects races to be audited by Kansas counties following each candidate election. The office must transmit audit orders to each county no later than 24 hours after the close of polls on election day. The audit process went well across the state. Each county audited at least 1% of precincts within their county and three races. All 105 counties matched exactly to the unofficial election night returns or were able to explain discrepancies of one or two votes. Discrepancies center around manual review determining voter intent was different than the machine count due to odd marking of the ballot or the voter marking the oval too lightly for the machine to read. The Secretary reported all 105 counties in Kansas successfully completed their post-election audits from the November general election. All votes were accounted for and foul play, of any kind was not found.The Secretary also stated unlike many other states which struggled to implement mail balloting for the first time, Kansas’ election system has 25 years of experience with mail ballots and has developed the institutional knowledge, procedures, and infrastructure to securely process the anticipated increase in mail ballot use at the general election. The Kansas election system’s ability to handle the surge in mail ballots in the 2020 election demonstrated the election system’s capabilities.UNEMPLOYMENT AND FRAUD IN KANSASThe Department of Labor testified along others in the Senate Commerce Committee specifically on the problem with fraudulent claims in the state. Kansas is not alone - in fact all 50 states are affected however Governor Kelly called for the shutdown of the department’s processing system January 30th through February 2nd to allow for a new verification process and for the staff to catch up on claims waiting for processing.Many people are unaware a claim has been made on their behalf until they receive a notice from KDOL in the mail or their employer does. If this happens - immediately go to https://www.fraudreport.ks.gov and report the fraudulent claim. You will receive a confirmation email with a police report case number. This number is an official law enforcement case number. You will NOT have to alert another law enforcement agency. Additional steps to take:· Contact the Federal Trade Commission at <a href="https://www.identitytheft.gov/">www.identitytheft.gov</a>· Place a fraud alert on your credit record with one of the three credit bureaus:Equifax 1 (866) 349-5191Experian 1 (888) 397-3742TransUnion 1 (800) 680-7289· Contact your financial providers (banks, credit card companies, etc.) to flag irregular transactions.· Check your Social Security earnings statements online to make sure your reported wages are correct at <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/">www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount</a>.If you need additional help, please email my office or call and I will contact the Department of Labor to help with your case.KANSAS DAYJanuary 29 of 2021 marked the 160th anniversary of President James Buchanan signing a bill to make Kansas the 34th state of the United States of America. Kansas is full of rich history, beautiful scenes of nature, and notable landmarks. In Kansas Senate District 36, we have remarkable landmarks such as the Nazareth Motherhouse in Concordia, Rock City outside of Minneapolis, and the “Home on the Range Cabin” in Smith County, birthplace of our state song. “Home on the Range” was adopted by the Kansas State Legislature as the official state song on June 30, 1947. Along with our state song, Kansas has not one, but TWO official state marches, “The Kansas March” and “Here’s Kansas.” But while the marches are grand, nothing brings as much pride into the hearts of the residents of the Sunflower State as that of seeing our great flag dancing in the breeze. The flag was designed by Hazel Avery of Lincoln County in 1925. Directly in the center on the field of blue is the Great Seal of the State of Kansas with our motto arching near the top: “Ad Astra Per Aspera” to the stars through difficulties. The flag was modified in 1961 by a bill introduced by Senator Ross Doyen of Concordia to add the word “KANSAS”.TOLL-FREE LEGISLATIVE HOTLINEKansas residents can access information on legislation, legislative procedure, state government, public policy issues and more by calling 1-800-432-3924. Calls are answered by experienced reference/research librarians at the State Library of Kansas and kept confidential. Lines are open weekdays 8AM-5PM. Callers can also leave brief messages to be delivered to legislators as well as request copies of bills, journals, and other legislative documents. Questions can also be left at infodesk@ks.gov on weekends and evenings. Kansans can now chat with a librarian in real-time through the library’s Ask A Librarian service found at: kslib.info/ask. You will have the option of installing a mobile app connecting users to all the State Library’s services, including chat, texting and email. Text questions to 785 256-0733. The State Library is located on the 3rd floor, north wing of the Capitol. Currently, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is temporarily closed to walk-in service.Thank you for the honor of serving you!Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785 296-7389</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Kansas District senator.&nbsp;The 36th District includes&nbsp;Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties.

BOWERS: Senate Scene Week 3

Hello from Topeka!&nbsp;We are already into week four of the Kansas Legislative session.

&nbsp;This past week, it surfaced that the state’s unemployment program has paid out an estimated $300 to $400 million in fraudulent claims. In fact, despite being a smaller population state, Kansas now ranks third in the nation for new unemployment claims, behind California and Illinois. Experts believe the spike in claims in Kansas is due to the fraudulent activity. As these fraudulent claims soared, Kansas families - some of whom applied for benefits months ago - have still been unable to receive their benefits.

Once pressed, Governor Kelly admitted that her administration’s program had been overrun with fraud. Unfortunately, they’ve allowed the problem to balloon to the point that they are shutting down the unemployment system to implement additional security measures. The system will be down, during which time Kansans will be unable to apply for benefits, from January 30 through 7 a.m. February 2.

One of the most frustrating aspects of this costly mistake is that the Legislature has been pushing the Kelly administration to take action for months. However, her administration has either been unable or unwilling to answer basic questions, such as how many fraudulent claims have been paid, how many dollars have been drained from the unemployment trust fund, or what steps will be taken to ensure that Kansas funds are not disbursed to criminal organizations running unemployment scams.

In addition to the urging of Legislature, the U.S. Department of Labor warned the Governor’s office months ago of the potential for fraudulent claims. Unfortunately, it does not appear that the Kelly administration took the preventive steps to counteract the threat.

What will this mean for Kansas businesses and our schools? Previously, the state’s unemployment trust fund had nearly $1 billion in reserves. The administration’s payout of fraudulent claims has more quickly spent down the trust fund. When the trust fund reserves are low, Kansas business owners are on the hook to refill it, meaning businesses are expected to see their premiums skyrocket to cover the fraudulent claims.

Kansas schools are also among those impacted by the Kelly administration’s payout of fraudulent claims. Our K-12 schools, state universities, and not-for-profit organizations handle their unemployment fund participation through reimbursement. This means the state pays their claims and then sends them a statement to reimburse the state. The Kelly administration has begun sending out first quarterly statements to reimbursement employers. One Topeka school district learned the state had paid out $775,000 in fraudulent claims under their name. With federal reimbursements applied, that school district will owe the state nearly $400,000 for claims that never should have been paid and that the school district never authorized to be paid.

What happens next? In response, House Republicans introduced legislation this past week to hold our schools, nonprofits and businesses harmless. They should not have to pay the price for these mistakes. The Legislature will also continue to press the administration for answers and for a plan of action to remedy fraud in the system.

The other big issue is vaccine distribution. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Kansas is again lagging behind in distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. On Tuesday, the CDC COVID Data Tracker ranked Kansas 47th in the nation, ahead of only Alabama, Idaho and Nevada.

Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment (KDHE), provided an update to legislative committees last week on the “find my vaccine” portion of the <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/">kansasvaccine.gov website</a>. He advised Kansans in Phase 2 who are interested in being vaccinated to start by checking with their local county health departments. Many county health departments have sign-up programs. He indicated the number of vaccine providers is growing and will include doctor’s offices, pharmacies and Methodist churches through United Methodist Health Ministry.

Dr. Norman also gave an update on allocation of the vaccine. Kansas is estimated to continue to receive approximately 45,000 doses each week, and there are 800,000 Kansans that fall into Phase 2. At a State Finance Council meeting on Wednesday, the Governor indicated Kansas’ allocated doses will be increasing by 16 percent for the next three weeks, which would increase the 45,000 doses figure. .

I have failed to mention my committee assignments this year: Chairperson of Committee on Agriculture, Member of Higher Education Budget and Member Committee on Appropriations. I am proud to lend my voice to the important issues that are being raised.

Because of COVID, we are not encouraging visitors to come to Topeka but if you would like to contact me my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My phone number is (785) 296- 7463 and email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416. When you call or write you might hear from Terry Bernatis, my assistant during the session.

It is my honor to be your representative.

Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the 110th District state representative.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581437228209.jpeg" alt="Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist." />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>Feb. 1, 2021Hello from Topeka!&nbsp;We are already into week four of the Kansas Legislative session. &nbsp;This past week, it surfaced that the state’s unemployment program has paid out an estimated $300 to $400 million in fraudulent claims. In fact, despite being a smaller population state, Kansas now ranks third in the nation for new unemployment claims, behind California and Illinois. Experts believe the spike in claims in Kansas is due to the fraudulent activity. As these fraudulent claims soared, Kansas families - some of whom applied for benefits months ago - have still been unable to receive their benefits.Once pressed, Governor Kelly admitted that her administration’s program had been overrun with fraud. Unfortunately, they’ve allowed the problem to balloon to the point that they are shutting down the unemployment system to implement additional security measures. The system will be down, during which time Kansans will be unable to apply for benefits, from January 30 through 7 a.m. February 2.One of the most frustrating aspects of this costly mistake is that the Legislature has been pushing the Kelly administration to take action for months. However, her administration has either been unable or unwilling to answer basic questions, such as how many fraudulent claims have been paid, how many dollars have been drained from the unemployment trust fund, or what steps will be taken to ensure that Kansas funds are not disbursed to criminal organizations running unemployment scams.In addition to the urging of Legislature, the U.S. Department of Labor warned the Governor’s office months ago of the potential for fraudulent claims. Unfortunately, it does not appear that the Kelly administration took the preventive steps to counteract the threat.What will this mean for Kansas businesses and our schools? Previously, the state’s unemployment trust fund had nearly $1 billion in reserves. The administration’s payout of fraudulent claims has more quickly spent down the trust fund. When the trust fund reserves are low, Kansas business owners are on the hook to refill it, meaning businesses are expected to see their premiums skyrocket to cover the fraudulent claims.Kansas schools are also among those impacted by the Kelly administration’s payout of fraudulent claims. Our K-12 schools, state universities, and not-for-profit organizations handle their unemployment fund participation through reimbursement. This means the state pays their claims and then sends them a statement to reimburse the state. The Kelly administration has begun sending out first quarterly statements to reimbursement employers. One Topeka school district learned the state had paid out $775,000 in fraudulent claims under their name. With federal reimbursements applied, that school district will owe the state nearly $400,000 for claims that never should have been paid and that the school district never authorized to be paid.What happens next? In response, House Republicans introduced legislation this past week to hold our schools, nonprofits and businesses harmless. They should not have to pay the price for these mistakes. The Legislature will also continue to press the administration for answers and for a plan of action to remedy fraud in the system.The other big issue is vaccine distribution. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Kansas is again lagging behind in distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. On Tuesday, the CDC COVID Data Tracker ranked Kansas 47th in the nation, ahead of only Alabama, Idaho and Nevada.Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment (KDHE), provided an update to legislative committees last week on the “find my vaccine” portion of the <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/">kansasvaccine.gov website</a>. He advised Kansans in Phase 2 who are interested in being vaccinated to start by checking with their local county health departments. Many county health departments have sign-up programs. He indicated the number of vaccine providers is growing and will include doctor’s offices, pharmacies and Methodist churches through United Methodist Health Ministry.Dr. Norman also gave an update on allocation of the vaccine. Kansas is estimated to continue to receive approximately 45,000 doses each week, and there are 800,000 Kansans that fall into Phase 2. At a State Finance Council meeting on Wednesday, the Governor indicated Kansas’ allocated doses will be increasing by 16 percent for the next three weeks, which would increase the 45,000 doses figure. .I have failed to mention my committee assignments this year: Chairperson of Committee on Agriculture, Member of Higher Education Budget and Member Committee on Appropriations. I am proud to lend my voice to the important issues that are being raised.Because of COVID, we are not encouraging visitors to come to Topeka but if you would like to contact me my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My phone number is (785) 296- 7463 and email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416. When you call or write you might hear from Terry Bernatis, my assistant during the session.It is my honor to be your representative.Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the 110th District state representative.

RAHJES REPORT: Feb. 1

Governor Kelly announced last Wednesday it will be necessary to shut down the processing system over the weekend for unemployment claims because of the thousands of fraudulent unemployment claims. This will mean some jobless workers will have payments delayed as the state installs new anti-fraud protections. 

The Governor said the unemployment system will go down at 2vp.m. Saturday and will go back up a 7 a.m. Tuesday. During this time the state will not pay benefits and will work to catch up on claims when the system is back up. 

It has been reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, as of January 6 Kansas received approximately 63,500 claims for unemployment benefits. This is the third highest number of any state, behind California and Illinois and ahead of Florida, New York, and Texas.&nbsp;

These numbers are a signal that Kansas is possibly seeing thousands more fraudulent claims a week than the roughly 2,300 a day that the state Department of Labor says it is stopping. 

The Governor’s announcement came shortly after GOP lawmakers said they will push to protect employers from being forced to cover the cost of fraudulent claims in ex-employees' names. They said the state Department of Labor does not have a handle on the problem and that they have not received enough data or answers.

Here is the link that individuals who receive a 1099 due to a fraudulent claim can go to and protest the 1099. If someone gets a 1099 for a fraudulent payment, they should protest it. They can do that&nbsp;starting Monday&nbsp;online at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fuiassistance.getkansasbenefits.gov%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7CWill.Lawrence%40ks.gov%7C0152567acdb84968761508d8c4a23b02%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637475548335546646%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=ThR8ukHuYCVst%2FHXWC13EpoohwN%2FA9fvNOw0Q%2FYy8hs%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://uiassistance.getkansasbenefits.gov/</a>, or by calling the dedicated line at&nbsp;

<a href="tel:785-575-1461" target="_blank">785-575-1461</a>. Once we receive the protest, a corrected 1099-G will be sent to the claimant and the IRS.&nbsp;

This past week the Senate passed the Value Them Both Amendment 28-11 and this amendment was passed out of the House last week. Voters will have the right to vote on this amendment to the Kansas constitution on the August 2022 ballot. 

The adoption of the Value Them Both Amendment was made possible by a wide coalition of groups and individuals, including Kansans for Life, the Kansas Catholic Conference, and the Family Policy Alliance of Kansas, among others. 

The Bill of Rights of the Kansas Constitution reads as follows: “All men are possessed of equal and inalienable natural rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The Value Them Both Amendment is necessary due to the April 26, 2019 decision by the Kansas Supreme Court which created an unlimited right to abortion in the 1859 Kansas Constitution, using the Kansas Bill of Rights as justification for their decision. 

Because of the Kansas Supreme Court’s ruling, existing bans on late-term and taxpayer-funded abortions are now in danger of being rendered unenforceable due to the strict scrutiny standard the court used. Furthermore, the ruling allows violent live dismemberment abortions to continue and threatens these lifesaving limits: Parental consent for minors seeking an abortion, Informed consent, alerting women to potential health risks, 24-hour waiting period, Abortion clinic sanitation and safety standards.

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

Please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov</a>. You may also call me with you questions or concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399 or my cell number is 785 899-4700.

Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is the 40th District senator.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610490291573.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. " />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. </figcaption>
 </figure>Feb. 1, 2021Governor Kelly announced last Wednesday it will be necessary to shut down the processing system over the weekend for unemployment claims because of the thousands of fraudulent unemployment claims. This will mean some jobless workers will have payments delayed as the state installs new anti-fraud protections. The Governor said the unemployment system will go down at 2vp.m. Saturday and will go back up a 7 a.m. Tuesday. During this time the state will not pay benefits and will work to catch up on claims when the system is back up. It has been reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, as of January 6 Kansas received approximately 63,500 claims for unemployment benefits. This is the third highest number of any state, behind California and Illinois and ahead of Florida, New York, and Texas.&nbsp;These numbers are a signal that Kansas is possibly seeing thousands more fraudulent claims a week than the roughly 2,300 a day that the state Department of Labor says it is stopping. The Governor’s announcement came shortly after GOP lawmakers said they will push to protect employers from being forced to cover the cost of fraudulent claims in ex-employees' names. They said the state Department of Labor does not have a handle on the problem and that they have not received enough data or answers.Here is the link that individuals who receive a 1099 due to a fraudulent claim can go to and protest the 1099. If someone gets a 1099 for a fraudulent payment, they should protest it. They can do that&nbsp;starting Monday&nbsp;online at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fuiassistance.getkansasbenefits.gov%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7CWill.Lawrence%40ks.gov%7C0152567acdb84968761508d8c4a23b02%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637475548335546646%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=ThR8ukHuYCVst%2FHXWC13EpoohwN%2FA9fvNOw0Q%2FYy8hs%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://uiassistance.getkansasbenefits.gov/</a>, or by calling the dedicated line at&nbsp;<a href="tel:785-575-1461" target="_blank">785-575-1461</a>. Once we receive the protest, a corrected 1099-G will be sent to the claimant and the IRS.&nbsp;This past week the Senate passed the Value Them Both Amendment 28-11 and this amendment was passed out of the House last week. Voters will have the right to vote on this amendment to the Kansas constitution on the August 2022 ballot. The adoption of the Value Them Both Amendment was made possible by a wide coalition of groups and individuals, including Kansans for Life, the Kansas Catholic Conference, and the Family Policy Alliance of Kansas, among others. The Bill of Rights of the Kansas Constitution reads as follows: “All men are possessed of equal and inalienable natural rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The Value Them Both Amendment is necessary due to the April 26, 2019 decision by the Kansas Supreme Court which created an unlimited right to abortion in the 1859 Kansas Constitution, using the Kansas Bill of Rights as justification for their decision. Because of the Kansas Supreme Court’s ruling, existing bans on late-term and taxpayer-funded abortions are now in danger of being rendered unenforceable due to the strict scrutiny standard the court used. Furthermore, the ruling allows violent live dismemberment abortions to continue and threatens these lifesaving limits: Parental consent for minors seeking an abortion, Informed consent, alerting women to potential health risks, 24-hour waiting period, Abortion clinic sanitation and safety standards.It is an honor and pleasure to serve the 40th&nbsp;Senate District of Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov</a>. You may also call me with you questions or concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399 or my cell number is 785 899-4700.Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is the 40th District senator.

BILLINGER: Senate Update, Feb. 1

The events of 2020 make it clear that violence, racism, vocal extremism and political polarization have risen to a breaking point.&nbsp; There are multiple currents of people moving within the American public who simply don’t understand the basics of civil society and democratic government.

Decades-long de-emphasis of civics instruction in schools across the nation and in Kansas isn’t by any stretch of the imagination a major cause of the summer riots or Capitol insurrection.&nbsp; But the current situation is a wake-up call bringing us back to the fundamental reason for public education.

The founding fathers supported public schools to develop an informed electorate whose votes would guarantee stability for the nation.&nbsp; Across many years, the centerpiece of teaching was preparation for citizenship.&nbsp; As public education evolved, civics classes, usually taught in middle school, were standard across the nation well past mid-20th&nbsp;Century.&nbsp;&nbsp;

These classes concentrated on three areas:&nbsp; 1) Fact-based knowledge of national and state history and government, 2) civic values such as voicing opinion while respecting different perspectives and 3) civic participation skills like voting, jury duty or peaceful demonstration for a cause.&nbsp;&nbsp;

What happened?&nbsp; Civics classes began to disappear, gradually pushed out by decisions to emphasize U. S. history and government in high school--courses that centered on facts and processes rather than citizenship as practice.&nbsp; Civics instruction was repurposed as part of social studies and taught across-the-curriculum.&nbsp; All teachers in all areas have guidelines from the Kansas State Department of Education for incorporating civics in their classes and many do so, for example the Wichita high school special education teacher who combines math with civics.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In Kansas, two recently introduced across-the-curriculum emphases--social-emotional learning (getting along with others) and service learning (participation in community organizations) contain elements of, but do not focus on, citizenship skills.

In 2018 according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 22 percent of American eighth grade students had a teacher whose primary responsibility was teaching civics and only about 25 percent of students scored at the “proficient” level for civics.&nbsp; Kansas scores basically followed the national norm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Among those calling for more emphasis on civics is chairman of the Kansas House Education Committee Steve Huebert who wants to require high school students to pass a citizenship test to graduate.&nbsp; The test would be similar to that given to immigrants applying for U. S. citizenship.&nbsp; It’s easy to understand Huebert’s motivation, but such a test can only measure content knowledge not important civic values and participation skills.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Why instruction in citizenship does not always find a place in our schools could be due to another challenge—public resistance to teaching anything connected to partisan politics.&nbsp; Researchers at Tufts University surveyed 700 teachers and found that more than 25 percent would expect criticism from parents or other adults if they taught about the election that took place that fall.&nbsp; This was in 2012.&nbsp; The partisan divide has widened since.

Are Kansans so fractured by politics that public schools can’t teach citizenship?&nbsp;&nbsp;

What’s important may not be a new test or course but simply giving wide public support to teachers for teaching citizenship.

The words of President Kennedy implored, “Ask not what your country can do for you.&nbsp; Ask what you can do for your country.”&nbsp; Kansas students need to learn more about what they can do for their country.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593719779701.jpeg" alt="Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education." />
 <figcaption>Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.</figcaption>
 </figure>The events of 2020 make it clear that violence, racism, vocal extremism and political polarization have risen to a breaking point.&nbsp; There are multiple currents of people moving within the American public who simply don’t understand the basics of civil society and democratic government.Decades-long de-emphasis of civics instruction in schools across the nation and in Kansas isn’t by any stretch of the imagination a major cause of the summer riots or Capitol insurrection.&nbsp; But the current situation is a wake-up call bringing us back to the fundamental reason for public education.The founding fathers supported public schools to develop an informed electorate whose votes would guarantee stability for the nation.&nbsp; Across many years, the centerpiece of teaching was preparation for citizenship.&nbsp; As public education evolved, civics classes, usually taught in middle school, were standard across the nation well past mid-20th&nbsp;Century.&nbsp;&nbsp;These classes concentrated on three areas:&nbsp; 1) Fact-based knowledge of national and state history and government, 2) civic values such as voicing opinion while respecting different perspectives and 3) civic participation skills like voting, jury duty or peaceful demonstration for a cause.&nbsp;&nbsp;What happened?&nbsp; Civics classes began to disappear, gradually pushed out by decisions to emphasize U. S. history and government in high school--courses that centered on facts and processes rather than citizenship as practice.&nbsp; Civics instruction was repurposed as part of social studies and taught across-the-curriculum.&nbsp; All teachers in all areas have guidelines from the Kansas State Department of Education for incorporating civics in their classes and many do so, for example the Wichita high school special education teacher who combines math with civics.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In Kansas, two recently introduced across-the-curriculum emphases--social-emotional learning (getting along with others) and service learning (participation in community organizations) contain elements of, but do not focus on, citizenship skills.In 2018 according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 22 percent of American eighth grade students had a teacher whose primary responsibility was teaching civics and only about 25 percent of students scored at the “proficient” level for civics.&nbsp; Kansas scores basically followed the national norm.&nbsp;&nbsp;Among those calling for more emphasis on civics is chairman of the Kansas House Education Committee Steve Huebert who wants to require high school students to pass a citizenship test to graduate.&nbsp; The test would be similar to that given to immigrants applying for U. S. citizenship.&nbsp; It’s easy to understand Huebert’s motivation, but such a test can only measure content knowledge not important civic values and participation skills.&nbsp;&nbsp;Why instruction in citizenship does not always find a place in our schools could be due to another challenge—public resistance to teaching anything connected to partisan politics.&nbsp; Researchers at Tufts University surveyed 700 teachers and found that more than 25 percent would expect criticism from parents or other adults if they taught about the election that took place that fall.&nbsp; This was in 2012.&nbsp; The partisan divide has widened since.Are Kansans so fractured by politics that public schools can’t teach citizenship?&nbsp;&nbsp;What’s important may not be a new test or course but simply giving wide public support to teachers for teaching citizenship.The words of President Kennedy implored, “Ask not what your country can do for you.&nbsp; Ask what you can do for your country.”&nbsp; Kansas students need to learn more about what they can do for their country.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Can civics education be revived?

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

What was in your school classroom? I remember desks in straight rows, colorful posters on the wall, and a big blackboard up front. Today we’ll meet a school that has such classrooms, but also non-traditional places of learning such as a working barn and a downtown business. These innovative projects are being implemented by a school district in rural Kansas.&nbsp;

Joel Lovesee is superintendent of USD 205, which includes the Bluestem schools in Leon, Kansas. Joel grew up in Kinsley and went to Fort Hays State University where he met his wife Sonya. He became a teacher and later a school administrator. In 2008, he and his family moved to Leon where he became school principal. He was promoted to superintendent in 2013.&nbsp;

He takes an innovative approach to school leadership.&nbsp;

“My dad owned some pizza restaurants in Kinsley and nearby towns,” Joel said. “I saw how small business worked and thought our school should have an entrepreneurship program.”&nbsp;

One year he got the school to give a grant to the business class for a project. The students bought a couple of candy machines and, in four months, repaid their loan and made a profit.&nbsp;

A couple of elementary school teachers in the district took an interest in the Ag in the Classroom program, which helps teachers integrate information about agriculture into their educational programming. Fourth grade teachers Barb McCaffree and Angie Greene took this on as a project at Bluestem Elementary School and got a positive response to their efforts to improve ag literacy.&nbsp;

“My philosophy is, ‘surround yourself with good people and get out of the way,’” Joel said. When these teachers came to him and reported their success with the ag literacy program, they asked for a barn as a facility to do more hands-on experiential education.&nbsp;

“We brought in a 3D model to show the school board and explained the need,” Joel said.&nbsp;

The board and the community voted to pay for the building, which is a 30 x 40 foot climate-controlled structure with working space, livestock stalls and a fully equipped classroom. Today, every elementary school student in the school district goes through an agricultural education unit. “This has grown like gangbusters,” said school board member Becky Wolfe.&nbsp;

At Bluestem High School, an agricultural education class was started four years ago and has grown quickly. “FFA is now our largest club,” Joel said.&nbsp;

Joel continued to pursue an entrepreneurship-oriented initiative as well. After the town’s only grocery store closed, food access was identified as a critical need. Joel proposed the innovative idea of a school-operated retail store that could provide groceries and other products for the community. The district was able to acquire a storefront building downtown in 2019. K-State’s Rural Grocery Initiative helped support the effort.&nbsp;

In early 2020, the Bluestem Mercantile store opened in downtown Leon. “We want to provide a service and achieve the educational needs of our students,” Joel said. The shop class built tables for the store. Art club members made items to sell. The store is operated by the high school business class under adult supervision. Student workers must apply and go through a job interview process. “We’re teaching financial literacy,” Joel said. Business quadrupled shortly after the store first opened. “It’s not costing the school district anything,” Joel said.&nbsp;

Bluestem Mercantile offers school gear, items handmade by students, and grocery products. “The store is downtown across from the senior center and the café,” Joel said. “We have all these people from the community involved with us. It’s been the greatest deal.”&nbsp;

Are these innovations more practical to implement in a small school? “I don’t like the bureaucracy in the large schools,” Joel said. “I love small-town America.” Leon itself is a rural community of 704 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

Bluestem schools have plenty of classrooms, but they are also educating their students in innovative places such as an ag barn and a business downtown. We salute Joel Lovesee and the people of Bluestem School for making a difference with these new ways of education. They are doing so in innovative rooms and with a lot of class.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611757569088.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;What was in your school classroom? I remember desks in straight rows, colorful posters on the wall, and a big blackboard up front. Today we’ll meet a school that has such classrooms, but also non-traditional places of learning such as a working barn and a downtown business. These innovative projects are being implemented by a school district in rural Kansas.&nbsp;Joel Lovesee is superintendent of USD 205, which includes the Bluestem schools in Leon, Kansas. Joel grew up in Kinsley and went to Fort Hays State University where he met his wife Sonya. He became a teacher and later a school administrator. In 2008, he and his family moved to Leon where he became school principal. He was promoted to superintendent in 2013.&nbsp;He takes an innovative approach to school leadership.&nbsp;“My dad owned some pizza restaurants in Kinsley and nearby towns,” Joel said. “I saw how small business worked and thought our school should have an entrepreneurship program.”&nbsp;One year he got the school to give a grant to the business class for a project. The students bought a couple of candy machines and, in four months, repaid their loan and made a profit.&nbsp;A couple of elementary school teachers in the district took an interest in the Ag in the Classroom program, which helps teachers integrate information about agriculture into their educational programming. Fourth grade teachers Barb McCaffree and Angie Greene took this on as a project at Bluestem Elementary School and got a positive response to their efforts to improve ag literacy.&nbsp;“My philosophy is, ‘surround yourself with good people and get out of the way,’” Joel said. When these teachers came to him and reported their success with the ag literacy program, they asked for a barn as a facility to do more hands-on experiential education.&nbsp;“We brought in a 3D model to show the school board and explained the need,” Joel said.&nbsp;The board and the community voted to pay for the building, which is a 30 x 40 foot climate-controlled structure with working space, livestock stalls and a fully equipped classroom. Today, every elementary school student in the school district goes through an agricultural education unit. “This has grown like gangbusters,” said school board member Becky Wolfe.&nbsp;At Bluestem High School, an agricultural education class was started four years ago and has grown quickly. “FFA is now our largest club,” Joel said.&nbsp;Joel continued to pursue an entrepreneurship-oriented initiative as well. After the town’s only grocery store closed, food access was identified as a critical need. Joel proposed the innovative idea of a school-operated retail store that could provide groceries and other products for the community. The district was able to acquire a storefront building downtown in 2019. K-State’s Rural Grocery Initiative helped support the effort.&nbsp;In early 2020, the Bluestem Mercantile store opened in downtown Leon. “We want to provide a service and achieve the educational needs of our students,” Joel said. The shop class built tables for the store. Art club members made items to sell. The store is operated by the high school business class under adult supervision. Student workers must apply and go through a job interview process. “We’re teaching financial literacy,” Joel said. Business quadrupled shortly after the store first opened. “It’s not costing the school district anything,” Joel said.&nbsp;Bluestem Mercantile offers school gear, items handmade by students, and grocery products. “The store is downtown across from the senior center and the café,” Joel said. “We have all these people from the community involved with us. It’s been the greatest deal.”&nbsp;Are these innovations more practical to implement in a small school? “I don’t like the bureaucracy in the large schools,” Joel said. “I love small-town America.” Leon itself is a rural community of 704 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;Bluestem schools have plenty of classrooms, but they are also educating their students in innovative places such as an ag barn and a business downtown. We salute Joel Lovesee and the people of Bluestem School for making a difference with these new ways of education. They are doing so in innovative rooms and with a lot of class.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Joel Lovesee, Bluestem school 

Filled with anticipation for the new semester and re-energized after taking advantage of the privilege to rest and enjoy a long winter break, I find myself thinking about some of the people I admire and/or have gotten to know better this past year because of the pandemic. Here are just a few: our Hays city commissioners, our county health administrator and a group I refer to as our city rallying team.

Our city commissioners – Michael Berges, Sandy Jacobs, Ron Mellick, Shaun Musil and Mason Ruder – have always had important, and sometimes controversial, decisions to make, but who could have prepared for 2020? Just when the emotionally-charged debates over the roundabouts began to settle, along came the pandemic, and among the many critical decisions that had to be made was the mask ordinance.&nbsp;

Although I have attended city commission meetings in the past and interacted with commissioners at meetings and events, the pandemic provided me a different look at them as a leadership team. Here is what I learned. First and foremost, they are committed, hard-working people who have the courage to serve, listen and make tough decisions. Second, they are open-minded and willing to listen thoughtfully to a variety of perspectives. Several commissioners reached out to local and state leaders prior to the mask ordinance meeting to solicit different perspectives and to better understand emerging knowledge about the pandemic. Third, citizens were given the opportunity to speak at meetings and every voice was heard and respected. Fourth, when each commissioner voted, they stated their “whys.” The “whys” for each commissioner was different. Commissioners demonstrated the strength of their commitment to the people they serve by candidly disclosing their thoughts, each in their own style, with great passion. And finally, they did not vote the same. Watching our commissioners in action made me admire and respect them even more.

I have no evidence to back this up, but I believe among the most challenging jobs of 2020 was that of a county health administrator. I heard of several counties in Kansas that had difficulty hiring or keeping county health administrators during this pandemic. Hats off to Jason Kennedy, who continually showed up to meetings – night and day – presented data, developed protocols and kept our community informed. I imagine being in the public eye so much was indeed a big shift in his daily routine. Honestly, I did not know Jason until the pandemic (thrilled of course to learn he is a Fort Hays State grad), and I really valued his guidance as I made decisions for the university. I also think some of the hidden heroes of our times are the family members of those, like Jason, who serve the citizens of our community as public health administrators. I can only image the impact this pandemic had on the family life of these dedicated professionals.&nbsp;

My final shout out goes to the group I refer to as our city rallying team: Sara Bloom of the Downton Hays Development Corporation (DHDC), Melissa Dixon of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Sarah Wasinger of The Chamber in Hays, Kansas. They all approach each day with a “can-do attitude,” high energy and a remarkable capacity to reinvent, re-imagine and find solutions to complex challenges. Their resiliency throughout the pandemic was remarkable. Whenever something fell apart, they simply found new ways to put it&nbsp; back together again.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The DHDC, for instance, created the “Stronger Than Ever” gift card program that generated almost $50,000 in sales for 40 downtown businesses during the mandatory shutdown. Most of that money was raised in the first 48 hours of the campaign. Similarly, the Chamber sold $92,000 in Chamber Cheques (which support local shopping) in 2020, a six-year high for the program. The DHDC also secured more than $20,000 in donations in five weeks to turn the Downtown Pavilion into an ice-skating rink this winter so the community would have access to a fun and safe outdoor activity during the pandemic. I love how this community steps up. The generosity of the neighbors in our community never ceases to amaze me. &nbsp;

Creative efforts earned the DHDC two first-place Marketing Awards. March to Main went completely virtual but still highlighted the best parts of our community and engaged thousands of students. Dining with Downtown (a new event) created intimate dining experiences inside boutiques, art galleries, furniture stores and more, allowing participants to socially connect while physically distancing. It was so successful, DHDC plans to host two of these events in 2021.

One of the things I found beneficial as I navigated decisions for the university was meeting with my CEO colleagues who freely shared their thoughts, plans and lessons learned on their campuses and communities as they, like me, worked to create safe learning environments. While I engaged with my colleagues, our chamber provided similar opportunities for our community’s leaders and business professionals. Partnering with the FHSU Management Development Center, the chamber offered complimentary virtual lunch and learn sessions. In November, the Chamber acquired a Leadership Transformation Grant for 2021 from the Kansas Leadership Center, which provided 46 spots for participants to attend a workshop titled, “Your Leadership Edge, Lead for Change or Equip to Lead.” &nbsp;

Our Convention and Visitors Bureau has the unenviable task of creating new and compelling ways to bring visitors to our town. In a COVID-19 world, where travel, lodging, commerce and even basic human-to-human contact was so limited, how did the CVB respond to this unprecedented challenge? By adapting and reimagining their role. It pivoted to using the pandemic as an opportunity to focus on taking care of our community. In a normal year, the Welcome Center sells colorful Hays postcards to visitors in its welcome center. This year, the staff of the CVB printed positive messages on these cards and delivered several hundred of them to local assisted living facilities for their residents. They also partnered with FHSU’s College of Art and Design faculty to clean and restore 29 bronze markers on the Downtown Hays Historic Walking Tour. Now these markers are bright and readable. The CVB has plans to create a mobile version of the tour for visitors as well. Residents and visitors alike can also look forward to a CVB-designed driving tour of the iconic Pete Felten sculptures around Hays.

Remarkable leaders. A remarkable community. This is Hays, America.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575302014229.png" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>Filled with anticipation for the new semester and re-energized after taking advantage of the privilege to rest and enjoy a long winter break, I find myself thinking about some of the people I admire and/or have gotten to know better this past year because of the pandemic. Here are just a few: our Hays city commissioners, our county health administrator and a group I refer to as our city rallying team.Our city commissioners – Michael Berges, Sandy Jacobs, Ron Mellick, Shaun Musil and Mason Ruder – have always had important, and sometimes controversial, decisions to make, but who could have prepared for 2020? Just when the emotionally-charged debates over the roundabouts began to settle, along came the pandemic, and among the many critical decisions that had to be made was the mask ordinance.&nbsp;Although I have attended city commission meetings in the past and interacted with commissioners at meetings and events, the pandemic provided me a different look at them as a leadership team. Here is what I learned. First and foremost, they are committed, hard-working people who have the courage to serve, listen and make tough decisions. Second, they are open-minded and willing to listen thoughtfully to a variety of perspectives. Several commissioners reached out to local and state leaders prior to the mask ordinance meeting to solicit different perspectives and to better understand emerging knowledge about the pandemic. Third, citizens were given the opportunity to speak at meetings and every voice was heard and respected. Fourth, when each commissioner voted, they stated their “whys.” The “whys” for each commissioner was different. Commissioners demonstrated the strength of their commitment to the people they serve by candidly disclosing their thoughts, each in their own style, with great passion. And finally, they did not vote the same. Watching our commissioners in action made me admire and respect them even more.I have no evidence to back this up, but I believe among the most challenging jobs of 2020 was that of a county health administrator. I heard of several counties in Kansas that had difficulty hiring or keeping county health administrators during this pandemic. Hats off to Jason Kennedy, who continually showed up to meetings – night and day – presented data, developed protocols and kept our community informed. I imagine being in the public eye so much was indeed a big shift in his daily routine. Honestly, I did not know Jason until the pandemic (thrilled of course to learn he is a Fort Hays State grad), and I really valued his guidance as I made decisions for the university. I also think some of the hidden heroes of our times are the family members of those, like Jason, who serve the citizens of our community as public health administrators. I can only image the impact this pandemic had on the family life of these dedicated professionals.&nbsp;My final shout out goes to the group I refer to as our city rallying team: Sara Bloom of the Downton Hays Development Corporation (DHDC), Melissa Dixon of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Sarah Wasinger of The Chamber in Hays, Kansas. They all approach each day with a “can-do attitude,” high energy and a remarkable capacity to reinvent, re-imagine and find solutions to complex challenges. Their resiliency throughout the pandemic was remarkable. Whenever something fell apart, they simply found new ways to put it&nbsp; back together again.&nbsp; &nbsp;The DHDC, for instance, created the “Stronger Than Ever” gift card program that generated almost $50,000 in sales for 40 downtown businesses during the mandatory shutdown. Most of that money was raised in the first 48 hours of the campaign. Similarly, the Chamber sold $92,000 in Chamber Cheques (which support local shopping) in 2020, a six-year high for the program. The DHDC also secured more than $20,000 in donations in five weeks to turn the Downtown Pavilion into an ice-skating rink this winter so the community would have access to a fun and safe outdoor activity during the pandemic. I love how this community steps up. The generosity of the neighbors in our community never ceases to amaze me. &nbsp;Creative efforts earned the DHDC two first-place Marketing Awards. March to Main went completely virtual but still highlighted the best parts of our community and engaged thousands of students. Dining with Downtown (a new event) created intimate dining experiences inside boutiques, art galleries, furniture stores and more, allowing participants to socially connect while physically distancing. It was so successful, DHDC plans to host two of these events in 2021.One of the things I found beneficial as I navigated decisions for the university was meeting with my CEO colleagues who freely shared their thoughts, plans and lessons learned on their campuses and communities as they, like me, worked to create safe learning environments. While I engaged with my colleagues, our chamber provided similar opportunities for our community’s leaders and business professionals. Partnering with the FHSU Management Development Center, the chamber offered complimentary virtual lunch and learn sessions. In November, the Chamber acquired a Leadership Transformation Grant for 2021 from the Kansas Leadership Center, which provided 46 spots for participants to attend a workshop titled, “Your Leadership Edge, Lead for Change or Equip to Lead.” &nbsp;Our Convention and Visitors Bureau has the unenviable task of creating new and compelling ways to bring visitors to our town. In a COVID-19 world, where travel, lodging, commerce and even basic human-to-human contact was so limited, how did the CVB respond to this unprecedented challenge? By adapting and reimagining their role. It pivoted to using the pandemic as an opportunity to focus on taking care of our community. In a normal year, the Welcome Center sells colorful Hays postcards to visitors in its welcome center. This year, the staff of the CVB printed positive messages on these cards and delivered several hundred of them to local assisted living facilities for their residents. They also partnered with FHSU’s College of Art and Design faculty to clean and restore 29 bronze markers on the Downtown Hays Historic Walking Tour. Now these markers are bright and readable. The CVB has plans to create a mobile version of the tour for visitors as well. Residents and visitors alike can also look forward to a CVB-designed driving tour of the iconic Pete Felten sculptures around Hays.Remarkable leaders. A remarkable community. This is Hays, America.

MASON: Remarkable leaders, a remarkable community

BY JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher

Dreams have been on my mind lately. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of equality; our founding fathers’ dream of a government of, by, and for the people; and the dreams of little girls who want to grow up to be president of the United States of America.

Some dreams have a fairytale like quality where they feel grand, pure and wondrous. I think this comes from our habit of imagining the joy and pleasure that would result from a dream come true. In this euphoric idealization, so many of us forget to think about what it really takes to make dreams a reality.

Dr. King painted an eloquent and noble picture of a society that values equality, be he was not naïve. He fought discrimination, injustice and hatred in every step toward his dream. Our founding fathers built an experimental framework for government that would give the people unprecedented power and freedom, but they were not starry-eyed. They staked their lives and fortunes on this new government with no certainty that it would function. Vice President Kamala Harris was recently inaugurated into the highest office any female has ever held, but she is not without battle scars. She has labored to build a reputation of competence to overcome prejudices that exist around her race and gender.

Dreams are so much more than regular goals or accomplishments; they are built on hope and grow in the heart and mind of the dreamer. In fact, the definition of a dream is a cherished aspiration, ambition or ideal.

Earlier this month, I had a dream come true. I received the top recognition in the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers &amp; Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture competition. This is the equivalent of winning a national championship in sports except it was for my work as a Farm Bureau leader and overall advancement of the agriculture industry.

When most people learn of my achievement, they are not very interested in discussing the important impacts I have made in my industry and community or how humbled I am to have been recognized among a field of talented young agriculture leaders doing great things in their communities across the country. People instead want to talk about the new Ford truck I won as a prize because they imagine how great it would be for them to win a truck. I am grateful for the truck, but it was not the real motivation of my efforts.

That cherished nature in our dreams makes us particularly vulnerable to the effects of plagiarism and distortion to those dreams. We can all benefit from recognizing that we should not try to make someone else’s dream our own aspirations, ambitions or ideals.

As you encounter humans around you, keep in mind that their dreams are personal and valuable. Do not claim other’s causes unless you are committed to live for them in your life or assume that all dreams are made in your image. Conversely, you should applaud others who are achieving great things; they have worked hard joy is merited.

As for your own dreams, I urge you to pursue them courageously like the founding fathers, virtuously like Dr. King, tenaciously like Vice President Harris and with the unbridled hope that comes from the passion of our hearts. We all can’t wait to see you succeed.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575406519723.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>BY JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancherDreams have been on my mind lately. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of equality; our founding fathers’ dream of a government of, by, and for the people; and the dreams of little girls who want to grow up to be president of the United States of America.Some dreams have a fairytale like quality where they feel grand, pure and wondrous. I think this comes from our habit of imagining the joy and pleasure that would result from a dream come true. In this euphoric idealization, so many of us forget to think about what it really takes to make dreams a reality.Dr. King painted an eloquent and noble picture of a society that values equality, be he was not naïve. He fought discrimination, injustice and hatred in every step toward his dream. Our founding fathers built an experimental framework for government that would give the people unprecedented power and freedom, but they were not starry-eyed. They staked their lives and fortunes on this new government with no certainty that it would function. Vice President Kamala Harris was recently inaugurated into the highest office any female has ever held, but she is not without battle scars. She has labored to build a reputation of competence to overcome prejudices that exist around her race and gender.Dreams are so much more than regular goals or accomplishments; they are built on hope and grow in the heart and mind of the dreamer. In fact, the definition of a dream is a cherished aspiration, ambition or ideal.Earlier this month, I had a dream come true. I received the top recognition in the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers &amp; Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture competition. This is the equivalent of winning a national championship in sports except it was for my work as a Farm Bureau leader and overall advancement of the agriculture industry.When most people learn of my achievement, they are not very interested in discussing the important impacts I have made in my industry and community or how humbled I am to have been recognized among a field of talented young agriculture leaders doing great things in their communities across the country. People instead want to talk about the new Ford truck I won as a prize because they imagine how great it would be for them to win a truck. I am grateful for the truck, but it was not the real motivation of my efforts.That cherished nature in our dreams makes us particularly vulnerable to the effects of plagiarism and distortion to those dreams. We can all benefit from recognizing that we should not try to make someone else’s dream our own aspirations, ambitions or ideals.As you encounter humans around you, keep in mind that their dreams are personal and valuable. Do not claim other’s causes unless you are committed to live for them in your life or assume that all dreams are made in your image. Conversely, you should applaud others who are achieving great things; they have worked hard joy is merited.As for your own dreams, I urge you to pursue them courageously like the founding fathers, virtuously like Dr. King, tenaciously like Vice President Harris and with the unbridled hope that comes from the passion of our hearts. We all can’t wait to see you succeed."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Making dreams true

Severe winter weather is not only hard on people but can be a life and death struggle for birds. Though birds also require water and shelter, food is often the resource most lacking during cold weather. Many different bird food mixes are available because various species often prefer different grains. However, there is one seed that has more universal appeal than any other: black oil sunflower. If you are new to the bird-feeding game, make sure there is a high percentage of this seed in your mix. White proso millet is second in popularity and is the favorite of dark-eyed juncos and other sparrows as well as the red-winged blackbird. As you become more interested in bird feeding, you may want to use more than one feeder to attract specific species of birds. Following is a list of bird species with the grains they prefer.&nbsp;

• Cardinal, evening grosbeak, and most finch species – sunflower seeds, all types. • Rufous-sided towhee – white proso millet. • Dark-eyed junco – white and red proso millet, canary seed, finely cracked corn. • Many sparrow species – white and red proso millet. • Bluejay – peanut kernels and sunflower seeds of all types. • Chickadee and tufted titmouse – peanut kernels, oil (black), and black-striped sunflower seeds. • Red-breasted nuthatch – oil (black) and black-striped sunflower seeds. • Brown thrasher – hulled and black-striped sunflower seeds. • Red-winged blackbird – white and red proso millet plus German (golden) millet. • Mourning dove – oil (black) sunflower seeds, white and red proso plus German (golden)millet.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580750915301.jpeg" alt="Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>Severe winter weather is not only hard on people but can be a life and death struggle for birds. Though birds also require water and shelter, food is often the resource most lacking during cold weather. Many different bird food mixes are available because various species often prefer different grains. However, there is one seed that has more universal appeal than any other: black oil sunflower. If you are new to the bird-feeding game, make sure there is a high percentage of this seed in your mix. White proso millet is second in popularity and is the favorite of dark-eyed juncos and other sparrows as well as the red-winged blackbird. As you become more interested in bird feeding, you may want to use more than one feeder to attract specific species of birds. Following is a list of bird species with the grains they prefer.&nbsp;• Cardinal, evening grosbeak, and most finch species – sunflower seeds, all types. • Rufous-sided towhee – white proso millet. • Dark-eyed junco – white and red proso millet, canary seed, finely cracked corn. • Many sparrow species – white and red proso millet. • Bluejay – peanut kernels and sunflower seeds of all types. • Chickadee and tufted titmouse – peanut kernels, oil (black), and black-striped sunflower seeds. • Red-breasted nuthatch – oil (black) and black-striped sunflower seeds. • Brown thrasher – hulled and black-striped sunflower seeds. • Red-winged blackbird – white and red proso millet plus German (golden) millet. • Mourning dove – oil (black) sunflower seeds, white and red proso plus German (golden)millet.Extended cold periods can also make water unavailable. A heated birdbath can be a tremendous draw for birds during times when all other water is frozen. Energy use is usually less than what most people expect IF the heater has a built-in thermostat. If you would like more information, Chuck Otte, Agriculture Extension Agent for Geary County has a series of backyard birding guides at<a href="http://gearycountyextension.com/NRMW.htm">http://gearycountyextension.com/NRMW.htm</a> Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

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