By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas Outdoors

My niece raises and sells project pigs to kids for their 4H fair projects, and after seeing pictures of some of the kids at various county fairs with pigs purchased from her, and after reminiscing about some of the fond memories that brought back of my own county fair experiences when I was a kid, this story came to mind.

We grew up on an Ohio farm about ten miles from the nearest large town, and our farm set at the end of a gravel lane nearly one-tenth of a mile long. Though we weren’t quite in the middle of nowhere, we could see it from our front porch. There was always livestock of some variety around because we five kids were all active in 4-H and FFA. One of the resident animals was a big, red Duroc boar hog named Charlie. Even though Charlie, at over four hundred pounds, was just a big pussycat, that’s still a lot of pussycat, so Charlie came and went pretty much as he pleased. This was before the days of one-piece fence panels, and woven wire fence was barely a challenge to him. We soon learned that the rule of thumb was, if Charlie could get his nose through something, the rest of him would soon follow! We tried electric fence with equal results. If he got as much as a snout hair under the electric wire before he felt the jolt, it just incited him to continue forward taking several feet of the electric fence with him. The bottom line here is that Charlie pretty much had the run of the place and ruled the roost. As I remember, the reason we put up with him was because he didn’t root or tear things up like you’d expect a four-hundred-pound hog to do, and since our place sat so far from the road, and Charlie being a hog and all, he evidently didn’t have the ambition or drive to navigate his big carcass clear to the road and get into any trouble there either. He’d get out in the morning, graze around the barnyard and loll in the shade all day, then find his way back in again at night; quite unusual to say the least. All he seemed to require of us was his feed at night and a good belly scratch each time we passed him.

Mom had an upholstery shop built onto our house, and did a goodly amount of business, so there was a lot of traffic in-and-out of our long lane. Evidently, enough of her customers were from surrounding farming communities that if Charlie happened to be wandering about, they paid him no mind. Even the UPS drivers had learned to ignore Charlie when he greeted them from the middle of the drive. Occasionally, however, she’d get a visiting salesman from one of her fabric companies out of state, and these guys usually came straight from the “big city.” One particular day, while working away in her shop, she suddenly heard a vehicle horn blaring from the driveway. Looking out the window, she saw one of the big city salesmen sitting in his van in front of her shop, one hand smashing the horn button as he peered frightfully out the driver’s side window. “Odd,” she thought. But even stranger was the fact that the whole van was rocking and wobbling as if being shaken by an earthquake.

This is probably as good a place as any to stop the story and tell you a little bit about our mom. Mom was about as big around as a minute and weighted about as much. She was a small spitfire of a lady who always had a cup of coal-black coffee in her hand (probably explaining her feistiness.) She loved nothing more than creating elegant pieces of furniture for people in her upholstery shop, but all the while remained as common as a dandelion. She loved to laugh and joke and would rather listen to the rock and roll songs my buddies and I played than anything.

So there sat the big-city salesman with an expression on his face like his whole life was passing before him, his eyes as big as hubcaps, in his van that was rocking and reeling like one of those old coin operated kiddy rides in front of the grocery store. Mom walked into the yard to unravel the mystery, and as she rounded the front of the van, there were all four hundred pounds of Charlie gleefully scratching himself on the front bumper! I’d love to have heard the conversation around the water cooler the next day that salesman was back at his company. “Come on guys, I’m serious! I really was trapped in my van in the middle of nowhere by Hogzilla! It was a huge, beastly red thing that weighed fifteen hundred pounds and could look through the windshield right into my eyes! If you don’t believe me, go look at the red hair on the bumper.”

Now, knowing my mother, that salesman sat there for a while longer; not on purpose mind you, but because it would’ve been tough for her to chase away a four-hundred-pound hog and roll with laughter at the same time. So goes the story of Charlie and the salesman. I don’t remember what ever happened to Charlie, but he probably died of old age as he may have even been too tough for sausage. I used to scoff when people would get all misty-eyed over memories, but danged if that doesn’t happen easier to me the older I get...Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas OutdoorsMy niece raises and sells project pigs to kids for their 4H fair projects, and after seeing pictures of some of the kids at various county fairs with pigs purchased from her, and after reminiscing about some of the fond memories that brought back of my own county fair experiences when I was a kid, this story came to mind.We grew up on an Ohio farm about ten miles from the nearest large town, and our farm set at the end of a gravel lane nearly one-tenth of a mile long. Though we weren’t quite in the middle of nowhere, we could see it from our front porch. There was always livestock of some variety around because we five kids were all active in 4-H and FFA. One of the resident animals was a big, red Duroc boar hog named Charlie. Even though Charlie, at over four hundred pounds, was just a big pussycat, that’s still a lot of pussycat, so Charlie came and went pretty much as he pleased. This was before the days of one-piece fence panels, and woven wire fence was barely a challenge to him. We soon learned that the rule of thumb was, if Charlie could get his nose through something, the rest of him would soon follow! We tried electric fence with equal results. If he got as much as a snout hair under the electric wire before he felt the jolt, it just incited him to continue forward taking several feet of the electric fence with him. The bottom line here is that Charlie pretty much had the run of the place and ruled the roost. As I remember, the reason we put up with him was because he didn’t root or tear things up like you’d expect a four-hundred-pound hog to do, and since our place sat so far from the road, and Charlie being a hog and all, he evidently didn’t have the ambition or drive to navigate his big carcass clear to the road and get into any trouble there either. He’d get out in the morning, graze around the barnyard and loll in the shade all day, then find his way back in again at night; quite unusual to say the least. All he seemed to require of us was his feed at night and a good belly scratch each time we passed him.Mom had an upholstery shop built onto our house, and did a goodly amount of business, so there was a lot of traffic in-and-out of our long lane. Evidently, enough of her customers were from surrounding farming communities that if Charlie happened to be wandering about, they paid him no mind. Even the UPS drivers had learned to ignore Charlie when he greeted them from the middle of the drive. Occasionally, however, she’d get a visiting salesman from one of her fabric companies out of state, and these guys usually came straight from the “big city.” One particular day, while working away in her shop, she suddenly heard a vehicle horn blaring from the driveway. Looking out the window, she saw one of the big city salesmen sitting in his van in front of her shop, one hand smashing the horn button as he peered frightfully out the driver’s side window. “Odd,” she thought. But even stranger was the fact that the whole van was rocking and wobbling as if being shaken by an earthquake.This is probably as good a place as any to stop the story and tell you a little bit about our mom. Mom was about as big around as a minute and weighted about as much. She was a small spitfire of a lady who always had a cup of coal-black coffee in her hand (probably explaining her feistiness.) She loved nothing more than creating elegant pieces of furniture for people in her upholstery shop, but all the while remained as common as a dandelion. She loved to laugh and joke and would rather listen to the rock and roll songs my buddies and I played than anything.So there sat the big-city salesman with an expression on his face like his whole life was passing before him, his eyes as big as hubcaps, in his van that was rocking and reeling like one of those old coin operated kiddy rides in front of the grocery store. Mom walked into the yard to unravel the mystery, and as she rounded the front of the van, there were all four hundred pounds of Charlie gleefully scratching himself on the front bumper! I’d love to have heard the conversation around the water cooler the next day that salesman was back at his company. “Come on guys, I’m serious! I really was trapped in my van in the middle of nowhere by Hogzilla! It was a huge, beastly red thing that weighed fifteen hundred pounds and could look through the windshield right into my eyes! If you don’t believe me, go look at the red hair on the bumper.”Now, knowing my mother, that salesman sat there for a while longer; not on purpose mind you, but because it would’ve been tough for her to chase away a four-hundred-pound hog and roll with laughter at the same time. So goes the story of Charlie and the salesman. I don’t remember what ever happened to Charlie, but he probably died of old age as he may have even been too tough for sausage. I used to scoff when people would get all misty-eyed over memories, but danged if that doesn’t happen easier to me the older I get...Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Charlie and the salesman

Graham County resident, Dani Roeder is looking forward to the Nicodemus Township History Trail Bike Tour scheduled for October 12, 2024.&nbsp; Dani will be serving as a volunteer at the second SAG (Support and Gear) station.

No stranger to volunteering, Dani served as a volunteer First Responder on the Graham County Fire Department for over 15 years.&nbsp; Similar to many western Kansas residents, Dani is an avid outdoor enthusiast and knows the importance of proper nutrition and hydration while participating in outdoor activities.&nbsp; Dani will bring this knowledge while staffing one of four SAG stops providing plenty of high caloric snacks and electrolyte replacement fluids. Dani is also aware of the need to practice good hygiene and will be encouraging hand sanitizing prior to allriders eating or drinking at the rest stops.

Ms. Roeder shared that she is very excited to be a part of this inaugural event showcasing the various historical signs of these early residents of western Kansas. The historical signs will describe and provide information as to the development and what happened in the Nicodemus Township and surrounding areas.&nbsp; Topics of the signs include numerous schools, churches, mercantile business, sporting events and multiple cemeteries.&nbsp; Aside from the historical significance of the ride, Dani would like to encourage others to participate by listing the amenities included:&nbsp; the option of a short (21 mile) which will hit 11 historical signs or the long (33 mile) ride which will include all 14 signs.&nbsp; Participants will receive a cool T-Shirt, meal, live music and a viewing of the documentary “Ellis Trail To Nicodemus”.&nbsp; Other benefits include the beautiful Nicodemus historic scenery, exercise and of course, the companionship of other participants.&nbsp;&nbsp; Dani said, stop to take a break and she will be happy to hang out with you.

To learn more about the ride and our history follow us on Facebook.&nbsp; Interested riders should register via the Nicodemus Historical Society’s website at:&nbsp; nicodemushistoricalsociety.org .&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723742940224.png" alt="(Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROBIN HARDMANGraham County resident, Dani Roeder is looking forward to the Nicodemus Township History Trail Bike Tour scheduled for October 12, 2024.&nbsp; Dani will be serving as a volunteer at the second SAG (Support and Gear) station.No stranger to volunteering, Dani served as a volunteer First Responder on the Graham County Fire Department for over 15 years.&nbsp; Similar to many western Kansas residents, Dani is an avid outdoor enthusiast and knows the importance of proper nutrition and hydration while participating in outdoor activities.&nbsp; Dani will bring this knowledge while staffing one of four SAG stops providing plenty of high caloric snacks and electrolyte replacement fluids. Dani is also aware of the need to practice good hygiene and will be encouraging hand sanitizing prior to allriders eating or drinking at the rest stops.Ms. Roeder shared that she is very excited to be a part of this inaugural event showcasing the various historical signs of these early residents of western Kansas. The historical signs will describe and provide information as to the development and what happened in the Nicodemus Township and surrounding areas.&nbsp; Topics of the signs include numerous schools, churches, mercantile business, sporting events and multiple cemeteries.&nbsp; Aside from the historical significance of the ride, Dani would like to encourage others to participate by listing the amenities included:&nbsp; the option of a short (21 mile) which will hit 11 historical signs or the long (33 mile) ride which will include all 14 signs.&nbsp; Participants will receive a cool T-Shirt, meal, live music and a viewing of the documentary “Ellis Trail To Nicodemus”.&nbsp; Other benefits include the beautiful Nicodemus historic scenery, exercise and of course, the companionship of other participants.&nbsp;&nbsp; Dani said, stop to take a break and she will be happy to hang out with you.To learn more about the ride and our history follow us on Facebook.&nbsp; Interested riders should register via the Nicodemus Historical Society’s website at:&nbsp; nicodemushistoricalsociety.org .&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nicodemus Township History Trail Bike Tour Interview Series: Dani Roeder

By BILL FIANDER Insight Kansas

Citius, Altius, Fortius.&nbsp;The original Olympic motto – translated to Faster, Higher, Stronger. – was never in more splendid display as the past few weeks in Paris. If the Olympic spirit was a religion, the athletes were its evangelists.Time after time, we were moved by sheer will or talent. A strangely inspired connection to people we didn’t know yesterday but who we scream at to go faster, higher, or stronger today.&nbsp;Maybe because Olympic ideals represent the best of our democratic ideals. Regardless of circumstances one is born into, or obscurity toiled in, the liberties and rights we share when fused with self-determination and love of something allows anyone to catch their dreams in a bottle. Sport or otherwise. Podium or not. A Jeffersonian meritocracy.&nbsp;Which made me ponder another representation of democracy. What if Kansas politics and government were in the Olympics? For aren’t they us too? Shouldn’t we be shrieking at our TV screens for them to go faster, higher, stronger? What would that look like?

A few years ago, the Olympics added “together” to the end of their motto. For you only move faster, or climb higher, or become stronger, in solidarity. Like an Olympic&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/31/sport/north-south-korea-selfie-paris-olympics-spt/index.html">North Korean and South Korean selfie</a>, will Kansas politics come together to show their best?

Bill Fiander is a lecturer at Washburn University specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government. He is the former planning and development director for the City of Topeka.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708024541249.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BILL FIANDER Insight KansasCitius, Altius, Fortius.&nbsp;The original Olympic motto – translated to Faster, Higher, Stronger. – was never in more splendid display as the past few weeks in Paris. If the Olympic spirit was a religion, the athletes were its evangelists.Time after time, we were moved by sheer will or talent. A strangely inspired connection to people we didn’t know yesterday but who we scream at to go faster, higher, or stronger today.&nbsp;Maybe because Olympic ideals represent the best of our democratic ideals. Regardless of circumstances one is born into, or obscurity toiled in, the liberties and rights we share when fused with self-determination and love of something allows anyone to catch their dreams in a bottle. Sport or otherwise. Podium or not. A Jeffersonian meritocracy.&nbsp;Which made me ponder another representation of democracy. What if Kansas politics and government were in the Olympics? For aren’t they us too? Shouldn’t we be shrieking at our TV screens for them to go faster, higher, stronger? What would that look like?<ul>
 <li>The Governor’s “Pommel-Horse Guys”&nbsp;- One of Team USA’s biggest cult heroes is the paragon of pommel-horse, Stephen Nedoroscik. The bespectacled Clark Kent of gymnasts who removes his glasses to compete helped end the men’s team medal drought by specializing in one event. A hired gun so good he can literally feel his way through a routine. Conversely, a nearsighted part-time&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/07/30/kansas-legislatures-committee-to-study-options-for-changing-state-budget-process/">legislative branch may step outside their Team Kansas lane</a>&nbsp;this fall to create their own proposed statewide budget which is an event traditionally (and statutorily) reserved for the professionally trained full-time “pommel-horse guys” in the Governor’s executive branch.&nbsp;</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>“Ollie and Big Air” Legislators&nbsp;– In 2024, Kansas only saw two of its 165 legislators celebrate&nbsp;<a href="https://stateaffairs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/backofbook_12823.pdf">birthdays</a>&nbsp;with Gen Z vintage; a disconnect of young voices in lawmaking when 20-29 years is 14% of the state’s population and only 1% of the Legislature. But that number could double in November. Both Angel Roeser R-Manhattan and Alexis Simmons D-Topeka entertain very competitive chances to win their House seats and be synonymous with the youngest podium at the Olympics:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/08/06/olympic-medalists-at-womens-park-skateboarding-are-14-15-and-16/">women’s skateboarding (14-16 years)</a>. How about some Vans under the dome?</li><li>“Uncontested” is still the G.O.A.T.&nbsp;– Team USA saw their share of expected iconic dominance from swimming’s Katie Ledecky to gymnastics’ Simone Biles. But none can wear the G.O.A.T. necklace quite like “Uncontested”. This month, 80% of the Board of Education, 69% of both House and Senate, and 50% of Congressional races had&nbsp;<a href="https://ent.sos.ks.gov/Uncontested.html">NO opponents</a>! Likewise,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/12/kansas-primary-voters-were-smarter-than-megadonors-expected-but-too-many-stayed-home/?emci=501d6f34-4558-ef11-991a-6045bddbfc4b&amp;emdi=c6d8fa42-8958-ef11-991a-6045bddbfc4b&amp;ceid=125005">37% of November's Legislative races are unopposed</a>. As we painfully know when “Uncontested” enters a race, it's lights out 100% of the time for opponents. And change.</li><li>Comeback Kids&nbsp;– Nobody loves an epic comeback like America. And darned if we didn’t get two. USA’s Cole Hocker’s 1,500m and Kansas City’s Quincy Hall’s 400m? No. Independence’s Derek Schmidt and Baldwin City’s Nancy Boyda in the 2nd&nbsp;Congressional District. Democrat Boyda, seeking a return to the seat she held 15 years ago vs Schmidt, the former Republican Governor nominee, will need to dig deeper than a possessed&nbsp;<a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/S3vIeSmorzg?si=_doyBkqNGkLWAsmX">Hocker</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/3wZL_QMtqNw?si=0yXUJJK396TH6AAe">Hall</a>&nbsp;for her storybook ending in this gerrymandered district.</li>
 </ul>A few years ago, the Olympics added “together” to the end of their motto. For you only move faster, or climb higher, or become stronger, in solidarity. Like an Olympic&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/31/sport/north-south-korea-selfie-paris-olympics-spt/index.html">North Korean and South Korean selfie</a>, will Kansas politics come together to show their best?Bill Fiander is a lecturer at Washburn University specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government. He is the former planning and development director for the City of Topeka.

INSIGHT KANSAS:  If Kansas politics were in the Olympics

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

Variety selection is one of the most important decisions that a grower can make to ensure success on their farm. Now is the time when wheat producers across Kansas are reviewing yield data and making decisions about the varieties they will plant in the fall. Although yield is always a top priority, disease, and insect resistance, along with appropriate agronomic traits, can buffer against crop losses. In addition, genetic resistance to diseases and insect pests can be the most effective, economical, and environmentally sound method for control.

The Kansas Wheat Variety Guide 2024 (formerly called Wheat Variety Disease and Insect Ratings), from K-State Research and Extension, has now been released for this year. Agronomic characteristics, disease, and pest resistance information are included, as well as profiles that highlight some more common or new varieties for the state of Kansas.

Ratings in this publication represent results from field and greenhouse evaluations by public and private wheat researchers at multiple locations over multiple years.

A few other resources available to assist farmers with wheat variety selection is the Kansas Wheat Variety Performance Tests that are conducted around the state at K-State Experiment Stations and in other locations. These variety performance tests are replicated, each variety is randomly planted in four different locations in the field to increase accuracy of the yield data. That information along with all the other resources referenced in this article can be accessed from our Cottonwood Extension District web site at www.cottonwood.ksu.edu click onto the Crops and Livestock tab and look under Hot Topics for any of these resources.

The Colorado Wheat Trials Database decision tool provides complete access to variety information and data from university variety trials in Colorado and several other Great Plains states including Kansas. The database also includes private company trial data (Limagrain Cereal Seeds, Syngenta-Agripro). The database may be used to find up-to-date wheat variety information, display data from individual trial locations, generate summaries across multiple trial locations and years, and generate head-to-head comparisons for varieties of interest. It is an easy tool to use and very helpful!

Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681266655144.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictVariety selection is one of the most important decisions that a grower can make to ensure success on their farm. Now is the time when wheat producers across Kansas are reviewing yield data and making decisions about the varieties they will plant in the fall. Although yield is always a top priority, disease, and insect resistance, along with appropriate agronomic traits, can buffer against crop losses. In addition, genetic resistance to diseases and insect pests can be the most effective, economical, and environmentally sound method for control.The Kansas Wheat Variety Guide 2024 (formerly called Wheat Variety Disease and Insect Ratings), from K-State Research and Extension, has now been released for this year. Agronomic characteristics, disease, and pest resistance information are included, as well as profiles that highlight some more common or new varieties for the state of Kansas.Ratings in this publication represent results from field and greenhouse evaluations by public and private wheat researchers at multiple locations over multiple years.A few other resources available to assist farmers with wheat variety selection is the Kansas Wheat Variety Performance Tests that are conducted around the state at K-State Experiment Stations and in other locations. These variety performance tests are replicated, each variety is randomly planted in four different locations in the field to increase accuracy of the yield data. That information along with all the other resources referenced in this article can be accessed from our Cottonwood Extension District web site at www.cottonwood.ksu.edu click onto the Crops and Livestock tab and look under Hot Topics for any of these resources.The Colorado Wheat Trials Database decision tool provides complete access to variety information and data from university variety trials in Colorado and several other Great Plains states including Kansas. The database also includes private company trial data (Limagrain Cereal Seeds, Syngenta-Agripro). The database may be used to find up-to-date wheat variety information, display data from individual trial locations, generate summaries across multiple trial locations and years, and generate head-to-head comparisons for varieties of interest. It is an easy tool to use and very helpful!Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Kansas Wheat Variety Guide 2024 is now available

— Raj Gopaldas MD FACS , Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon&nbsp;

“No matter how thin the pancake is, there’s always two sides to it.” I am a cardiothoracic surgeon at HaysMed and have been practicing here for more than a year. I was on family vacation for a couple of weeks and recently returned only to note the buzz and media attention surrounding HaysMed. Eventually I read the articles and didn’t think much of it until I noticed that several patients decided to seek care for their heart conditions elsewhere. Therefore, I felt compelled to write this letter to you.&nbsp;

To provide some background, I have been practicing cardiothoracic surgery for almost 15 years. Last summer, I was asked to provide temporary coverage for cardiothoracic surgery services (heart and lung surgery ) at the DeBakey Heart Institute in HaysMed.

At that time, I lived in Michigan and the travel to Hays was certainly neither easy nor fun. Given the location of Hays in a rural part of Kansas, I had some reservations about the place.

But when I showed up here, I realized that I was wrong and maybe negatively prejudiced. When I performed my first heart surgery here, I was rather pleasantly surprised with the caliber of the open heart surgery team, the ICU nurses, the cardiac catheterization lab team and the Cardiac Anesthesiologists - Drs. Pham and Kreisler.

I was puzzled because I didn’t expect that a hospital located almost in the middle of nowhere would have a great team with a positive attitude and sincere dedication. But clearly, something was lacking – a consistent heart surgeon. But why?&nbsp;

So here is a little perspective for the community at large to understand. There are currently about 300 job openings in hospitals across the country for a full-time heart surgeon. There are only about 20 to 30 heart surgeons&nbsp; graduating in the country that maybe competent and confident to perform heart surgeries independently.

Almost every hospital in a major city is looking for a heart surgeon today. The average age of the cardiac surgeon in the United States is about 60 years old, and there are approximately 60 to 70 of them retiring every year.

This has resulted in a dire shortage of heart surgeons and, therefore, plenty of opportunities for practicing heart surgeons to pick a job anywhere they like. For hospitals located in rural communities such as Hays, it’s an even bigger struggle because many families, including mine, would not want to move to small communities but rather seek the conveniences that the bigger cities have to offer.&nbsp;

Furthermore, let me share my first hand experience at one of my previous jobs as a full-time heart surgeon.

At one of my prior employments elsewhere, I experienced on a first-hand basis an utter lack of competence, responsibility and accountability in the realm of heart surgery - Yes, in the United States - which is NOT a third world country.

My two associates at that time were trained at Mayo Clinic, and we were a complement of three highly trained heart surgeons. We had to on a day-to-day basis endure inexperienced ICU nurses, hospital-wide inefficiencies, grossly incompetent scrub technicians in the operating room, lack of any cardiac surgery PA to assist us, and above all we had to perform the majority of heart surgeries without a qualified cardiac anesthesiologist - something which is NOT THE STANDARD OF CARE in this millennium.

Between dealing with nurses connecting cardiac catheters backwards, nurses providing anesthesia for majority of the heart surgery procedure with almost no anesthesiologist supervision, administration pressuring us to do high risk and minimally invasive surgeries and heart surgery patients complaining that the ICU was like a frat house at the wee hours of the night ( I can go on and on) - we had enough!

And so I parted ways with a hospital system that was purportedly financially strong. Despite lucrative contracts, my two colleague surgeons departed as well in a short span of time, leaving the hospital with almost no permanent heart surgeons, leading the hospital to almost shut down all the cardiac surgeries

Why? Because - no surgeon or physician would or should practice in an environment that jeopardizes the safety and well being of the patient.&nbsp;

And then I come to HaysMed - and lo and behold, I notice that during the entire heart surgery - the cardiac anesthesiologist physicians are performing all the anesthesia duties and watching over these patients like a hawk, there are two highly seasoned circulating nurses in the operating room on every surgery and two scrub techs on every case, a cardiac surgery PA assisting on most of the surgeries and a perfusionist trained from the renowned Texas Heart Institute who runs the heart-lung machine.

Furthermore, the patients are co-managed in the ICU by two highly experienced pulmonary critical care physicians, Drs. Tangel and Biring, along with an entire team of hospitalists. Thus, I learned, “Never judge a book by its cover.”&nbsp;

As time went on, I realized that the DeBakey Heart Institute had even more to offer - the cath lab nurses were like a band of brothers/sisters, the ICU nurses were quite competent and dedicated despite some of them being only two years out from graduation, the clinic staff and nurses ran logistics like a well-oiled machine and the cardiology nurse practitioners were quite skilled and diligent.

The vetting process that this hospital has before allowing any ICU to take care of our cardiac surgery patients is rather stringent and thorough, which is clearly reflected in the way they care for our very sick patients. 

Above all, the cardiologists are highly compassionate and competent. Between Drs. Crawley, Gleed, Wagle - I don’t know if I can pick one over the other. The three interventional cardiologists - Drs. Janif, Sedhadri and Okuhara are technically superb.

Dr. Seshadri built the TAVR program here and many of our rural patients have benefitted tremendously from this procedure. Dr. Crawley has been a strong leader for the specialty, and Dr. Janif was a doyen in the field for this community.

It became evident that the Debakey Heart Institute was in need of a consistent heart surgeon, and, above all, the community at large needed it. Many patients had to travel hundreds of miles to seek open heart surgery due to the lack of a consistent heart surgeon.

I could see the staff in the operating rooms and ICU longing to have a strong heart surgery program. And so I was faced with this difficult decision - how do I commit more to this place?

Given our previous negative experience at a hospital in a midsize town, my family was clearly unwilling to move to any small city. But there had to be a way and a door opened when Dr. Roberto Cervera decided to be the other surgeon to partner with me and HaysMed in the winter of last year. 

Dr. Cervera and I trained together at Texas Heart Institute/Baylor College of Medicine in Houston almost 15 years ago. We decided to split the time at Hays between us so that the hospital would have a full complement of heart and lung surgery services 24/7 at any point in time. This would also allow us to alternate our time with our families.&nbsp;

Through 2024, our program has advanced significantly. The collaboration between cardiology, vascular surgery and cardiac surgery has been at its best. Dr. Seshadri and I performed the first transcatheter implantation of the mitral valve here.

Drs. Cervera and Seshadri performed the first detour procedure - a minimally invasive procedure for rerouting blood. We also started the minimally invasive heart valve program here and have recently performed in our community the first mitral valve surgery through keyhole incisions without cracking the patients breast bone unlike conventional open heart surgery.

Dr. Gleed has performed numerous minimally invasive watchman procedures and ablations for atrial fibrillation. The DeBakey Heart Institute has been firing on all cylinders.

I can say confidently that the patients have been receiving utmost care for their heart conditions from our physicians, practitioners and staff with compassion, empathy and dedication. And then when I see the news article and the opinions on social media that seemingly portrays our hospital in different light, I am rather disappointed.&nbsp;

We live in a world where everyone is entitled to an opinion that is promulgated by the power of social media.

Sure - anyone can have an opinion. Einstein had an opinion, so did President Reagan, so did President Lincoln, so do our next door neighbors. Even an inmate in prison has an opinion.

The question is: can I trust that opinion ? Is that opinion just speculative or it based on facts or is it complimented with foundational knowledge? Let us not forget that in the previous century, the opinions of a handful of prejudiced people with extreme ideologies led to two world wars and the deaths of millions of innocent humans. Opinions have consequences. 

This is why I am compelled to write this letter to you. I had come to notice that patients who need cardiac care are now canceling their appointments/ procedures and seeking care elsewhere. Now they will be traveling a couple of hundred miles to other hospitals. In circumstances where these heart patients need urgent care, this could be rather detrimental and unsafe to their health.

They will be seeking care from physicians they have never met before and there will be a break in the continuity of their care - something that has been known to be detrimental to better clinical outcomes.

The Debakey Heart Institute has been delivering the best care for its patients all throughout, and it is rather unfair that these patients are now going to suffer and be collateral damage of what I perceive to be a “social media lynching” of one of the best community hospitals I have worked at. Why do these patients have to face the consequences and suffer?&nbsp;

I’m not contesting the opinions of a urologist or a dermatologist or whoever it might be. It is not my place and I certainly am not privy to what had happened - so I am not in a position to judge or opine. 

Every hospital has its challenges and difficulties, which have been aggravated since COVID. But I feel it is important for the community at large to understand that these generalized opinions have nothing to do with the DeBakey Heart Institute at HaysMed in any form.

I have worked at a few hospitals in my career, and I have covered emergency cardiac surgery services at other hospitals in Kansas, Colorado, Michigan, and Minnesota. I could pen volumes about how some of these places shouldn’t be even performing heart surgery in the United States.

Furthermore, I would like to caution that the opinion of a physician who has not been in practice every day for several months or that of a physician whose area of practice is primarily restricted to outpatients simply cannot be extrapolated in general terms- it would be rather preposterous to correlate this with the performance of high-level inpatient services.

When a patient undergoes heart surgery or a cardiology procedure, their care in the hospital is resource intensive. Majority of patients undergoing these procedures at the DeBakey Heart Institute have done well given their risks and comorbidities.

For example, when I perform a heart surgery, there is a battalion of people involved in the care of the patient ranging from the cardiac anesthesiologist, the cardiologist, the hospitalist, the pulmonologist and critical care physicians, the circulating nurses in the operating room, the Perfusionist, Scrub Techs, the ICU nurses, the lab technicians, the respiratory therapist, the physical therapist and the social workers.

All these people have put their blood, sweat and soul every day in taking care of these very sick patients who undergo heart surgery and cardiac procedures.

Our former patients will speak to the level of care they have received at our facility here in Hays, Kansas. Clearly these staff at the hospital didn’t come from thin air - someone hired them here and who is that “someone?"

I feel that it is a disservice to these highly dedicated staff and physicians when an opinion rendered by a physician who doesn’t even witness or use these intensive services at the hospital on a day-to-day basis goes viral on social media and negatively impacts the community as well as the staff that serves the community.

This has real consequences. If patients choose not to seek their cardiac care here, our procedural volumes will decrease - which means more physicians would leave and consequently staff will leave as well. 

Reimbursements to hospitals are dictated by insurance companies who for the most part do not differentiate between competent and incompetent care - all get paid the same.

The community deserves a good hospital, and HaysMed is a good hospital. Is it perfect ? - maybe it is or may be it is not, but no hospital I have worked at is perfect by any stretch of the imagination! But compared to few of the other hospitals I have worked it, HaysMed is staffed with sincere, competent and compassionate people and delivers good clinical services. These staff take pride in their work to serve this community - they certainly deserve credit and appreciation.&nbsp;

On a closing note - while many have harnessed the power of social media and press to express opinions and concerns whether it is right or wrong or true or untrue - I would like to use this opportunity to ask the community at large to help us.

We are constantly faced with shortage of blood and especially blood products such as platelets, which some of the sick patients are in dire need of.

Sometimes, we have to cancel procedures due to the lack of these blood products in our region. Donating blood helps us tremendously- but more importantly you are helping a fellow citizen.

So if you can find a nearby blood bank or a hospital and donate blood, it would be for a noble cause. Let us live with integrity, compassion and empathy.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694017880043.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>— Raj Gopaldas MD FACS , Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon&nbsp;“No matter how thin the pancake is, there’s always two sides to it.” I am a cardiothoracic surgeon at HaysMed and have been practicing here for more than a year. I was on family vacation for a couple of weeks and recently returned only to note the buzz and media attention surrounding HaysMed. Eventually I read the articles and didn’t think much of it until I noticed that several patients decided to seek care for their heart conditions elsewhere. Therefore, I felt compelled to write this letter to you.&nbsp;To provide some background, I have been practicing cardiothoracic surgery for almost 15 years. Last summer, I was asked to provide temporary coverage for cardiothoracic surgery services (heart and lung surgery ) at the DeBakey Heart Institute in HaysMed.At that time, I lived in Michigan and the travel to Hays was certainly neither easy nor fun. Given the location of Hays in a rural part of Kansas, I had some reservations about the place.But when I showed up here, I realized that I was wrong and maybe negatively prejudiced. When I performed my first heart surgery here, I was rather pleasantly surprised with the caliber of the open heart surgery team, the ICU nurses, the cardiac catheterization lab team and the Cardiac Anesthesiologists - Drs. Pham and Kreisler.I was puzzled because I didn’t expect that a hospital located almost in the middle of nowhere would have a great team with a positive attitude and sincere dedication. But clearly, something was lacking – a consistent heart surgeon. But why?&nbsp;So here is a little perspective for the community at large to understand. There are currently about 300 job openings in hospitals across the country for a full-time heart surgeon. There are only about 20 to 30 heart surgeons&nbsp; graduating in the country that maybe competent and confident to perform heart surgeries independently.Almost every hospital in a major city is looking for a heart surgeon today. The average age of the cardiac surgeon in the United States is about 60 years old, and there are approximately 60 to 70 of them retiring every year.This has resulted in a dire shortage of heart surgeons and, therefore, plenty of opportunities for practicing heart surgeons to pick a job anywhere they like. For hospitals located in rural communities such as Hays, it’s an even bigger struggle because many families, including mine, would not want to move to small communities but rather seek the conveniences that the bigger cities have to offer.&nbsp;Furthermore, let me share my first hand experience at one of my previous jobs as a full-time heart surgeon.At one of my prior employments elsewhere, I experienced on a first-hand basis an utter lack of competence, responsibility and accountability in the realm of heart surgery - Yes, in the United States - which is NOT a third world country.My two associates at that time were trained at Mayo Clinic, and we were a complement of three highly trained heart surgeons. We had to on a day-to-day basis endure inexperienced ICU nurses, hospital-wide inefficiencies, grossly incompetent scrub technicians in the operating room, lack of any cardiac surgery PA to assist us, and above all we had to perform the majority of heart surgeries without a qualified cardiac anesthesiologist - something which is NOT THE STANDARD OF CARE in this millennium.Between dealing with nurses connecting cardiac catheters backwards, nurses providing anesthesia for majority of the heart surgery procedure with almost no anesthesiologist supervision, administration pressuring us to do high risk and minimally invasive surgeries and heart surgery patients complaining that the ICU was like a frat house at the wee hours of the night ( I can go on and on) - we had enough!And so I parted ways with a hospital system that was purportedly financially strong. Despite lucrative contracts, my two colleague surgeons departed as well in a short span of time, leaving the hospital with almost no permanent heart surgeons, leading the hospital to almost shut down all the cardiac surgeriesWhy? Because - no surgeon or physician would or should practice in an environment that jeopardizes the safety and well being of the patient.&nbsp;And then I come to HaysMed - and lo and behold, I notice that during the entire heart surgery - the cardiac anesthesiologist physicians are performing all the anesthesia duties and watching over these patients like a hawk, there are two highly seasoned circulating nurses in the operating room on every surgery and two scrub techs on every case, a cardiac surgery PA assisting on most of the surgeries and a perfusionist trained from the renowned Texas Heart Institute who runs the heart-lung machine.Furthermore, the patients are co-managed in the ICU by two highly experienced pulmonary critical care physicians, Drs. Tangel and Biring, along with an entire team of hospitalists. Thus, I learned, “Never judge a book by its cover.”&nbsp;As time went on, I realized that the DeBakey Heart Institute had even more to offer - the cath lab nurses were like a band of brothers/sisters, the ICU nurses were quite competent and dedicated despite some of them being only two years out from graduation, the clinic staff and nurses ran logistics like a well-oiled machine and the cardiology nurse practitioners were quite skilled and diligent.The vetting process that this hospital has before allowing any ICU to take care of our cardiac surgery patients is rather stringent and thorough, which is clearly reflected in the way they care for our very sick patients. Above all, the cardiologists are highly compassionate and competent. Between Drs. Crawley, Gleed, Wagle - I don’t know if I can pick one over the other. The three interventional cardiologists - Drs. Janif, Sedhadri and Okuhara are technically superb.Dr. Seshadri built the TAVR program here and many of our rural patients have benefitted tremendously from this procedure. Dr. Crawley has been a strong leader for the specialty, and Dr. Janif was a doyen in the field for this community.It became evident that the Debakey Heart Institute was in need of a consistent heart surgeon, and, above all, the community at large needed it. Many patients had to travel hundreds of miles to seek open heart surgery due to the lack of a consistent heart surgeon.I could see the staff in the operating rooms and ICU longing to have a strong heart surgery program. And so I was faced with this difficult decision - how do I commit more to this place?Given our previous negative experience at a hospital in a midsize town, my family was clearly unwilling to move to any small city. But there had to be a way and a door opened when Dr. Roberto Cervera decided to be the other surgeon to partner with me and HaysMed in the winter of last year. Dr. Cervera and I trained together at Texas Heart Institute/Baylor College of Medicine in Houston almost 15 years ago. We decided to split the time at Hays between us so that the hospital would have a full complement of heart and lung surgery services 24/7 at any point in time. This would also allow us to alternate our time with our families.&nbsp;Through 2024, our program has advanced significantly. The collaboration between cardiology, vascular surgery and cardiac surgery has been at its best. Dr. Seshadri and I performed the first transcatheter implantation of the mitral valve here.Drs. Cervera and Seshadri performed the first detour procedure - a minimally invasive procedure for rerouting blood. We also started the minimally invasive heart valve program here and have recently performed in our community the first mitral valve surgery through keyhole incisions without cracking the patients breast bone unlike conventional open heart surgery.Dr. Gleed has performed numerous minimally invasive watchman procedures and ablations for atrial fibrillation. The DeBakey Heart Institute has been firing on all cylinders.I can say confidently that the patients have been receiving utmost care for their heart conditions from our physicians, practitioners and staff with compassion, empathy and dedication. And then when I see the news article and the opinions on social media that seemingly portrays our hospital in different light, I am rather disappointed.&nbsp;We live in a world where everyone is entitled to an opinion that is promulgated by the power of social media.Sure - anyone can have an opinion. Einstein had an opinion, so did President Reagan, so did President Lincoln, so do our next door neighbors. Even an inmate in prison has an opinion.The question is: can I trust that opinion ? Is that opinion just speculative or it based on facts or is it complimented with foundational knowledge? Let us not forget that in the previous century, the opinions of a handful of prejudiced people with extreme ideologies led to two world wars and the deaths of millions of innocent humans. Opinions have consequences. This is why I am compelled to write this letter to you. I had come to notice that patients who need cardiac care are now canceling their appointments/ procedures and seeking care elsewhere. Now they will be traveling a couple of hundred miles to other hospitals. In circumstances where these heart patients need urgent care, this could be rather detrimental and unsafe to their health.They will be seeking care from physicians they have never met before and there will be a break in the continuity of their care - something that has been known to be detrimental to better clinical outcomes.The Debakey Heart Institute has been delivering the best care for its patients all throughout, and it is rather unfair that these patients are now going to suffer and be collateral damage of what I perceive to be a “social media lynching” of one of the best community hospitals I have worked at. Why do these patients have to face the consequences and suffer?&nbsp;I’m not contesting the opinions of a urologist or a dermatologist or whoever it might be. It is not my place and I certainly am not privy to what had happened - so I am not in a position to judge or opine. Every hospital has its challenges and difficulties, which have been aggravated since COVID. But I feel it is important for the community at large to understand that these generalized opinions have nothing to do with the DeBakey Heart Institute at HaysMed in any form.I have worked at a few hospitals in my career, and I have covered emergency cardiac surgery services at other hospitals in Kansas, Colorado, Michigan, and Minnesota. I could pen volumes about how some of these places shouldn’t be even performing heart surgery in the United States.Furthermore, I would like to caution that the opinion of a physician who has not been in practice every day for several months or that of a physician whose area of practice is primarily restricted to outpatients simply cannot be extrapolated in general terms- it would be rather preposterous to correlate this with the performance of high-level inpatient services.When a patient undergoes heart surgery or a cardiology procedure, their care in the hospital is resource intensive. Majority of patients undergoing these procedures at the DeBakey Heart Institute have done well given their risks and comorbidities.For example, when I perform a heart surgery, there is a battalion of people involved in the care of the patient ranging from the cardiac anesthesiologist, the cardiologist, the hospitalist, the pulmonologist and critical care physicians, the circulating nurses in the operating room, the Perfusionist, Scrub Techs, the ICU nurses, the lab technicians, the respiratory therapist, the physical therapist and the social workers.All these people have put their blood, sweat and soul every day in taking care of these very sick patients who undergo heart surgery and cardiac procedures.Our former patients will speak to the level of care they have received at our facility here in Hays, Kansas. Clearly these staff at the hospital didn’t come from thin air - someone hired them here and who is that “someone?"I feel that it is a disservice to these highly dedicated staff and physicians when an opinion rendered by a physician who doesn’t even witness or use these intensive services at the hospital on a day-to-day basis goes viral on social media and negatively impacts the community as well as the staff that serves the community.This has real consequences. If patients choose not to seek their cardiac care here, our procedural volumes will decrease - which means more physicians would leave and consequently staff will leave as well. Reimbursements to hospitals are dictated by insurance companies who for the most part do not differentiate between competent and incompetent care - all get paid the same.The community deserves a good hospital, and HaysMed is a good hospital. Is it perfect ? - maybe it is or may be it is not, but no hospital I have worked at is perfect by any stretch of the imagination! But compared to few of the other hospitals I have worked it, HaysMed is staffed with sincere, competent and compassionate people and delivers good clinical services. These staff take pride in their work to serve this community - they certainly deserve credit and appreciation.&nbsp;On a closing note - while many have harnessed the power of social media and press to express opinions and concerns whether it is right or wrong or true or untrue - I would like to use this opportunity to ask the community at large to help us.We are constantly faced with shortage of blood and especially blood products such as platelets, which some of the sick patients are in dire need of.Sometimes, we have to cancel procedures due to the lack of these blood products in our region. Donating blood helps us tremendously- but more importantly you are helping a fellow citizen.So if you can find a nearby blood bank or a hospital and donate blood, it would be for a noble cause. Let us live with integrity, compassion and empathy.&nbsp;Life is precious, time is valuable!

LETTER: HaysMed heart surgeon praises hospital, staff

By TISA MASON Fort Hays State University President

At Fort Hays State University, our commitment to student success is not just a goal but a fundamental part of our identity. It is ingrained in our DNA and is a central focus of Goal Two: Student Success in our strategic plan. This goal is about creating opportunities for all students and empowering them to identify, evaluate, and achieve their goals as they become engaged global citizens. This commitment is a testament to our value for every student.

While we enthusiastically embraced delivering on this goal and relentlessly focused on nurturing our students to success, we had no idea that a global pandemic would change the nature of education and support.

Under the leadership of Dr. Andrew Feldstein, Assistant Provost of Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies, and Dr. Taylor Kriley, FHSU’s former Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, the Goal Two team demonstrated remarkable vision, adaptability, and commitment while overcoming previously unforeseen challenges. FHSU’s experience and unmatched strength in delivering high-quality online learning experiences proved essential in the innovations the Goal Two team delivered, including the creation of faculty and staff-led student care teams and new forms of outreach that kept our students enrolled, engaged, and learning throughout the pandemic and beyond.

The pandemic highlighted the disparities between on-campus and online student experiences, the need for data-driven decision-making, and a heightened focus on student engagement in virtual settings. The importance of support services and consistent course design took center stage, prompting a shift in focus towards identifying disparities, enhancing connections, and fortifying learning outcomes.

Another focal point was a review of our academic advising system. This thorough review and the subsequent adoption of a centralized advising model not only streamlined academic guidance but also paved the way for a new faculty mentoring plan, a beacon of support and mentorship for students inaugurated in the fall of 2024.

Our work in the advising area also led to technology enhancements and a better balance in advisory caseloads that provided optimal student support. Academic plans were revised, program changes were aligned, and general education requirements were updated to create deliberate pathways for students to navigate and excel in their chosen fields.

The transformation extended into the digital realm with the development of student success data analytics. The Goal Two team’s work will continue into the next strategic plan as we implement comprehensive data systems and explore innovative technologies, including generative AI, to enhance course delivery. This approach aims to create a rich feedback environment, enhancing students' academic progress and engagement.

FHSU’s commitment to fostering a culture of belonging was exemplified by cultivating regular and substantive interactions within and outside courses. The Tiger-2-Tiger Online Student Community, created in response to pandemic-driven student needs, flourished, fortifying peer connections and nurturing a sense of belonging. These initiatives, combined with tailored support and guidance, enhance students' academic progress and engagement, ensuring they can successfully navigate their educational journey across all delivery modes.

All our strategies and initiatives were designed to increase the persistence (year-to-year continuing enrollment) and graduation rates of all degree-seeking students by an average of 4 percentage points. While we await our final data, which will be available after the September census date, I am pleased to report that we will exceed our goals on both 4- and 6-year graduation rates. The student success strategies we developed align by design with the student success goals found in the Kansas Board of Regents' “Building a Future” strategic plan.

Provost Jill Arensdorf lauded the collaborative efforts from student services and academic units that significantly improved student persistence and graduation rates.

“We created a dynamic roadmap that we believe will guide our students to achieving their full potential as engaged global citizen leaders,” Dr. Arensdorf said. “The driving force of our efforts was a keen focus on improving the experience of our most vital stakeholders, our students. Looking back now, it is clear to see that our efforts united the FHSU community.”

Looking ahead to the next chapter in FHSU's strategic journey, the groundwork laid by the 2019-2024 plan positions the university well for continued success in helping our students unlock their untapped potential. I am proud of our work and look forward to sharing our progress and reflections on goal three, strategic growth, in my next column.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By TISA MASON Fort Hays State University PresidentAt Fort Hays State University, our commitment to student success is not just a goal but a fundamental part of our identity. It is ingrained in our DNA and is a central focus of Goal Two: Student Success in our strategic plan. This goal is about creating opportunities for all students and empowering them to identify, evaluate, and achieve their goals as they become engaged global citizens. This commitment is a testament to our value for every student.While we enthusiastically embraced delivering on this goal and relentlessly focused on nurturing our students to success, we had no idea that a global pandemic would change the nature of education and support.Under the leadership of Dr. Andrew Feldstein, Assistant Provost of Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies, and Dr. Taylor Kriley, FHSU’s former Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, the Goal Two team demonstrated remarkable vision, adaptability, and commitment while overcoming previously unforeseen challenges. FHSU’s experience and unmatched strength in delivering high-quality online learning experiences proved essential in the innovations the Goal Two team delivered, including the creation of faculty and staff-led student care teams and new forms of outreach that kept our students enrolled, engaged, and learning throughout the pandemic and beyond.The pandemic highlighted the disparities between on-campus and online student experiences, the need for data-driven decision-making, and a heightened focus on student engagement in virtual settings. The importance of support services and consistent course design took center stage, prompting a shift in focus towards identifying disparities, enhancing connections, and fortifying learning outcomes.Another focal point was a review of our academic advising system. This thorough review and the subsequent adoption of a centralized advising model not only streamlined academic guidance but also paved the way for a new faculty mentoring plan, a beacon of support and mentorship for students inaugurated in the fall of 2024.Our work in the advising area also led to technology enhancements and a better balance in advisory caseloads that provided optimal student support. Academic plans were revised, program changes were aligned, and general education requirements were updated to create deliberate pathways for students to navigate and excel in their chosen fields.The transformation extended into the digital realm with the development of student success data analytics. The Goal Two team’s work will continue into the next strategic plan as we implement comprehensive data systems and explore innovative technologies, including generative AI, to enhance course delivery. This approach aims to create a rich feedback environment, enhancing students' academic progress and engagement.FHSU’s commitment to fostering a culture of belonging was exemplified by cultivating regular and substantive interactions within and outside courses. The Tiger-2-Tiger Online Student Community, created in response to pandemic-driven student needs, flourished, fortifying peer connections and nurturing a sense of belonging. These initiatives, combined with tailored support and guidance, enhance students' academic progress and engagement, ensuring they can successfully navigate their educational journey across all delivery modes.All our strategies and initiatives were designed to increase the persistence (year-to-year continuing enrollment) and graduation rates of all degree-seeking students by an average of 4 percentage points. While we await our final data, which will be available after the September census date, I am pleased to report that we will exceed our goals on both 4- and 6-year graduation rates. The student success strategies we developed align by design with the student success goals found in the Kansas Board of Regents' “Building a Future” strategic plan.Provost Jill Arensdorf lauded the collaborative efforts from student services and academic units that significantly improved student persistence and graduation rates.“We created a dynamic roadmap that we believe will guide our students to achieving their full potential as engaged global citizen leaders,” Dr. Arensdorf said. “The driving force of our efforts was a keen focus on improving the experience of our most vital stakeholders, our students. Looking back now, it is clear to see that our efforts united the FHSU community.”Looking ahead to the next chapter in FHSU's strategic journey, the groundwork laid by the 2019-2024 plan positions the university well for continued success in helping our students unlock their untapped potential. I am proud of our work and look forward to sharing our progress and reflections on goal three, strategic growth, in my next column.

Heart of a Tiger: Celebrating success part 2

By MONIQUE KOERNER Cottonwood Extension District

We canned meat, lots and lots of meat! On August 7, 2024, the Cottonwood Extension District hosted a meat canning class held by K-State Research and Extension Specialist, Karen Blakeslee. We had 15 people attend from Ellis County and several of the surrounding counties, including Russell, Barton, and Ness counties. We canned chicken, beef, and hamburger that afternoon. Some of the attendees had canned before but many of them were new to canning meat. All attendees were able to take home at least one can of each meat.

I was intrigued by canning meat when I took a 3-day canning class that Karen offers specifically to agents. We were able to bring home the produce and meat canned and I found it so easy to put dinner on the table when the meat was ready to go! And the flavor of canned meat is amazing!

In addition to hands on meat canning, Karen spoke about best practices for safe food preservation, dehydration and freezing. Participants went home with lots of handouts and freebies from the Kansas Beef Council as well.

Many thanks to the First United Methodist Church for allowing us to hold programs in their wonderfully stocked kitchen!

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Karen speak, you are missing out. She is very knowledgeable about all things food preservation. If you are interested in other food preservation workshops, Karen is holding a pickling class in Salina on August 22 from 12-5PM. Check out our Facebook page for the details or go to Central Kansas District Facebook page.

If you are interested in learning more about food preservation, please contact Monique at moniquek@ksu.edu or visit the Cottonwood Extension District website at https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668522152076.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MONIQUE KOERNER Cottonwood Extension DistrictWe canned meat, lots and lots of meat! On August 7, 2024, the Cottonwood Extension District hosted a meat canning class held by K-State Research and Extension Specialist, Karen Blakeslee. We had 15 people attend from Ellis County and several of the surrounding counties, including Russell, Barton, and Ness counties. We canned chicken, beef, and hamburger that afternoon. Some of the attendees had canned before but many of them were new to canning meat. All attendees were able to take home at least one can of each meat.I was intrigued by canning meat when I took a 3-day canning class that Karen offers specifically to agents. We were able to bring home the produce and meat canned and I found it so easy to put dinner on the table when the meat was ready to go! And the flavor of canned meat is amazing!In addition to hands on meat canning, Karen spoke about best practices for safe food preservation, dehydration and freezing. Participants went home with lots of handouts and freebies from the Kansas Beef Council as well.Many thanks to the First United Methodist Church for allowing us to hold programs in their wonderfully stocked kitchen!If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Karen speak, you are missing out. She is very knowledgeable about all things food preservation. If you are interested in other food preservation workshops, Karen is holding a pickling class in Salina on August 22 from 12-5PM. Check out our Facebook page for the details or go to Central Kansas District Facebook page.If you are interested in learning more about food preservation, please contact Monique at moniquek@ksu.edu or visit the Cottonwood Extension District website at https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/

KOERNER: Food preservation, Meat!

In 1960, Dwight Eisenhower wrapped up his final term as U.S. President. That year marked the first televised presidential candidate debate between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy. The NFL added expansion teams in Dallas and Minneapolis/St. Paul. A Soviet missile shot down Gary Powers’ spy plane. Eisenhower signed the 1960 Civil Rights Act. On July 4th, the 1st 50-star U.S. flag debuted in Philadelphia. To Kill a Mockingbird was first published that fall. Castro’s Cuban government nationalized American and foreign property in Cuba. Such news kept Americans riveted to new black and white televisions as they kept up with a rapidly changing world. Surely, old-timers in Ellis experienced similar information overload as they watched their school system swiftly change.

During 1959, District 2 became Joint District Number 2 as a result of surrounding districts annexing to them. To handle increased class sizes, in 1960, the community passed a $524,000 bond election to fund an addition to the grade school. This bond would retire over a period of 15 years and require an additional 6.2 mill levy. Not only did class size increase, salaries did too. Teachers with degrees expected a base salary of $4,200 a year with a $700 head of household allowance.

In relatively short time, area residents celebrated the completion of the new addition to the grade school. During this time, teacher salaries continued to improve. The school board found itself juggling academic and extra-curricular needs along with solving transportation and cafeteria problems--additional responsibilities that increased the complexity of district management.

By 1966 the base teacher salary totaled over $5,000. Administrators not only dealt with growing expenses but also faced decisions regarding Beatle haircuts and bell-bottom trousers. As hair styles changed, the district received a new state mandated identity. Under unification, Joint District Number 2 became USD 388. Due to increasing responsibilities, the board voted to relieve the superintendent and principals of teaching duties so they could work as full-time administrators. In addition, these leaders saw the value of ongoing evaluations and teacher/principal conferences so the board voted to include them with administrative duties. With additional foresight, these elected public servants prepared for the future by establishing a special capital outlay fund of 4 mills “for a period of 5 years to provide a fund not to exceed $180,000 for construction, remodeling, etc.” That year’s general fund account totaled $353,498.50.

As Ellis Joint District Number 2 identity ended and the state mandated further change, the newly named USD 388 maintained its major strength—a legacy of strong academic standards that Ellis education system pioneers established. From the beginning, community and district committed to provide students with practical training to compete in the world. Unification and progress have not altered this mission. Ellis schools continue to produce students who are assets to a changing society.

This installment finalizes my research on Ellis schools. Barb Begler researched additional post-unification years. I hope that another scholar will pick up where Barb and I left off and continue the story of Ellis schools’ impact on local lives.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b0b48c41-ad35-4429-8c55-03418cbc6a27">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools — Part 15</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5409b3cf-6e6a-46ec-b37b-7cccdee1b5de">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools 1940 — Part 14</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b963889f-d6c4-4188-9855-e29e2883a26c">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools Part 13: 1935-1939</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/61399f29-0958-4290-85c4-6e96c610fc27">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools Part 12: 1927-1933</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0de30e1b-bb01-44e2-bbee-2534451ce51d">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part 11</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/7dbf4b2f-ff51-490e-96d4-527cf5ce1596">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part 10</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5d3b0050-884e-43a6-8da4-9419e81bbf3f">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part&nbsp;9</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6046ee3c-c6c2-4d3a-adf3-98084fcf506b">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part 8</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a410c8ea-2038-4aa9-bbac-4ba20e3dce59">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part&nbsp;7</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c4d25696-4e64-4f03-b53f-52322f5800a6">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part&nbsp;6</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d1be1bca-b1ce-4748-b41f-f04fdecdd0c9">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part&nbsp;5</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/31162282-e1ad-4458-94c1-4efa3642155e">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part 3</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4116f584-aca2-45ea-92ea-f4cb948ad1af">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part&nbsp;2</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/539bba70-e799-4512-9cf1-809101486476">Madroirn: The beginning of Ellis schools</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723218551985.jpeg" alt="Ellis School circa 1911-ish (courtesy Paul Kraus)" />
 <figcaption>Ellis School circa 1911-ish (courtesy Paul Kraus)</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINIn 1960, Dwight Eisenhower wrapped up his final term as U.S. President. That year marked the first televised presidential candidate debate between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy. The NFL added expansion teams in Dallas and Minneapolis/St. Paul. A Soviet missile shot down Gary Powers’ spy plane. Eisenhower signed the 1960 Civil Rights Act. On July 4th, the 1st 50-star U.S. flag debuted in Philadelphia. To Kill a Mockingbird was first published that fall. Castro’s Cuban government nationalized American and foreign property in Cuba. Such news kept Americans riveted to new black and white televisions as they kept up with a rapidly changing world. Surely, old-timers in Ellis experienced similar information overload as they watched their school system swiftly change.During 1959, District 2 became Joint District Number 2 as a result of surrounding districts annexing to them. To handle increased class sizes, in 1960, the community passed a $524,000 bond election to fund an addition to the grade school. This bond would retire over a period of 15 years and require an additional 6.2 mill levy. Not only did class size increase, salaries did too. Teachers with degrees expected a base salary of $4,200 a year with a $700 head of household allowance.In relatively short time, area residents celebrated the completion of the new addition to the grade school. During this time, teacher salaries continued to improve. The school board found itself juggling academic and extra-curricular needs along with solving transportation and cafeteria problems--additional responsibilities that increased the complexity of district management.By 1966 the base teacher salary totaled over $5,000. Administrators not only dealt with growing expenses but also faced decisions regarding Beatle haircuts and bell-bottom trousers. As hair styles changed, the district received a new state mandated identity. Under unification, Joint District Number 2 became USD 388. Due to increasing responsibilities, the board voted to relieve the superintendent and principals of teaching duties so they could work as full-time administrators. In addition, these leaders saw the value of ongoing evaluations and teacher/principal conferences so the board voted to include them with administrative duties. With additional foresight, these elected public servants prepared for the future by establishing a special capital outlay fund of 4 mills “for a period of 5 years to provide a fund not to exceed $180,000 for construction, remodeling, etc.” That year’s general fund account totaled $353,498.50.As Ellis Joint District Number 2 identity ended and the state mandated further change, the newly named USD 388 maintained its major strength—a legacy of strong academic standards that Ellis education system pioneers established. From the beginning, community and district committed to provide students with practical training to compete in the world. Unification and progress have not altered this mission. Ellis schools continue to produce students who are assets to a changing society.This installment finalizes my research on Ellis schools. Barb Begler researched additional post-unification years. I hope that another scholar will pick up where Barb and I left off and continue the story of Ellis schools’ impact on local lives.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b0b48c41-ad35-4429-8c55-03418cbc6a27">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools — Part 15</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5409b3cf-6e6a-46ec-b37b-7cccdee1b5de">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools 1940 — Part 14</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b963889f-d6c4-4188-9855-e29e2883a26c">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools Part 13: 1935-1939</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/61399f29-0958-4290-85c4-6e96c610fc27">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools Part 12: 1927-1933</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0de30e1b-bb01-44e2-bbee-2534451ce51d">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part 11</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/7dbf4b2f-ff51-490e-96d4-527cf5ce1596">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part 10</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5d3b0050-884e-43a6-8da4-9419e81bbf3f">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part&nbsp;9</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6046ee3c-c6c2-4d3a-adf3-98084fcf506b">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part 8</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a410c8ea-2038-4aa9-bbac-4ba20e3dce59">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part&nbsp;7</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c4d25696-4e64-4f03-b53f-52322f5800a6">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part&nbsp;6</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d1be1bca-b1ce-4748-b41f-f04fdecdd0c9">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part&nbsp;5</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/31162282-e1ad-4458-94c1-4efa3642155e">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part 3</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4116f584-aca2-45ea-92ea-f4cb948ad1af">Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part&nbsp;2</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/539bba70-e799-4512-9cf1-809101486476">Madroirn: The beginning of Ellis schools</a>

Madorin: History of Ellis Schools, part 16

By GEMA DE LAS HERAS Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Getting an urgent call from what sounds like your utility company might make you think: Did I forget to pay my bill? The caller says there’s a way to avoid shutoff and fees: they’ll send you a barcode by text or email so you can pay at a local retailer like Walgreens, CVS, or Walmart. Don’t. It’s all a lie. Wondering how to know it’s not a real utility company calling?

Scammers call unexpectedly and create a sense of urgency. But real utility companies don’t do that. Even if you owe money, they’ll work with you on a payment plan and won’t try to scare you into paying immediately — and they won’t send you a barcode and insist you take it to a store to pay.

Here’s how to deal with calls or messages that appear to come from your utility company:

Report utility company impersonators it to your utility company and to the FTC at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

By GEMA DE LAS HERAS Consumer Education Specialist, FTCGetting an urgent call from what sounds like your utility company might make you think: Did I forget to pay my bill? The caller says there’s a way to avoid shutoff and fees: they’ll send you a barcode by text or email so you can pay at a local retailer like Walgreens, CVS, or Walmart. Don’t. It’s all a lie. Wondering how to know it’s not a real utility company calling?Scammers call unexpectedly and create a sense of urgency. But real utility companies don’t do that. Even if you owe money, they’ll work with you on a payment plan and won’t try to scare you into paying immediately — and they won’t send you a barcode and insist you take it to a store to pay.Here’s how to deal with calls or messages that appear to come from your utility company:<ul>
 <li>Contact the utility company yourself.&nbsp;If you’re worried you might be behind on your bills, call the company using the number on your bill or the utility company’s website ― never the number the caller gave you, which will lead you back to the scammer.</li><li>Know only scammers demand you pay a certain way.&nbsp;Scammers ask you to pay in a way that makes it hard for you to get your money back —&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/you-wire-money">wiring money</a>, putting money on a&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/gift-card-scams">gift card</a>, using&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/mobile-payment-apps-how-avoid-scam-when-you-use-one">payment apps</a>,&nbsp;paying with a scannable barcode or&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/12/scammers-hide-harmful-links-qr-codes-steal-your-information">QR code</a>, or&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-cryptocurrency-and-scams">cryptocurrency</a>. Your utility company won’t demand you pay that way.</li><li>Act quickly if you suspect you paid a scammer.&nbsp;Contact the company you used to send the money and tell them it was fraud. Ask for their help to reverse the payment. You might be able to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed#Paid">recover some of your money</a>.</li>
 </ul>Report utility company impersonators it to your utility company and to the FTC at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

Got a barcode from your utility company to make a payment? That’s a scam

By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District

120/ 80. It’s the blood pressure number we all aim for, but what does the ratio stand for?

The top number, known as systole, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts, pumping blood to the body. The bottom number, diastole, measures the pressure in the arteries as the heart relaxes, filling with blood.

Blood pressure can vary from minute to minute with stress and sleep changes, and for some of us, white coat syndrome spikes blood pressure as we walk into the doctor’s office. While we know that keeping blood pressure in check is good, we may not fully understand why high blood pressure can put our health at risk.

High blood pressure is a condition that often goes unnoticed. With little to no symptoms, hypertension has coined the name, “the silent killer” because it can cause major damage to the heart, brain, eyes, and kidneys before it feels like anything is wrong. This is why regularly checking blood pressure and taking measures to reduce hypertension is vital! Watching alcohol consumption, cholesterol levels, and sodium intake can all make a difference.

If you want to take control of your blood pressure, form the habit of reducing sodium. The American Heart Association names six popular foods to watch for, known as The Salty Six:

· Bread and rolls – One slice of bread can contain as much as 230 milligrams of sodium.

· Cold cuts and cured meats – Deli or pre-packaged meats can have as much as 1,050 milligrams of sodium.

· Pizza – One slice can contain up to 760 milligrams.

· Poultry – Choose your chicken wisely, avoiding products enhanced with a sodium solution. Just 3 ounces of fast-food-style nuggets can contain almost 600 milligrams of sodium.

· Soup – One cup of canned chicken noodle soup can have up to 940 milligrams of sodium.

· Sandwiches – A sandwich can easily top 1,500 milligrams of sodium.

While the daily recommended sodium intake is 2,300 mg, it can be easy to overdo salt because it’s disguised in everyday foods. This is why it’s important to check nutrition labels for sodium content; you may be surprised to find sodium in foods that don’t taste salty! Choose “no salt added” and “low sodium” products and cook with plenty of herbs and spices.

If nutrition labels overwhelm you, simply swapping processed foods for fresh options can help. Fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium and high in nutrients.

Of course, reducing sodium isn’t the only way to improve blood pressure. Stress management, regular exercise, and avoiding tobacco products are just a few other lifestyle factors that can play a part. Incorporating these habit shifts can make the world of difference in your blood pressure and health for years to come.

Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697546908793.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District120/ 80. It’s the blood pressure number we all aim for, but what does the ratio stand for?The top number, known as systole, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts, pumping blood to the body. The bottom number, diastole, measures the pressure in the arteries as the heart relaxes, filling with blood.Blood pressure can vary from minute to minute with stress and sleep changes, and for some of us, white coat syndrome spikes blood pressure as we walk into the doctor’s office. While we know that keeping blood pressure in check is good, we may not fully understand why high blood pressure can put our health at risk.High blood pressure is a condition that often goes unnoticed. With little to no symptoms, hypertension has coined the name, “the silent killer” because it can cause major damage to the heart, brain, eyes, and kidneys before it feels like anything is wrong. This is why regularly checking blood pressure and taking measures to reduce hypertension is vital! Watching alcohol consumption, cholesterol levels, and sodium intake can all make a difference.If you want to take control of your blood pressure, form the habit of reducing sodium. The American Heart Association names six popular foods to watch for, known as The Salty Six:· Bread and rolls – One slice of bread can contain as much as 230 milligrams of sodium.· Cold cuts and cured meats – Deli or pre-packaged meats can have as much as 1,050 milligrams of sodium.· Pizza – One slice can contain up to 760 milligrams.· Poultry – Choose your chicken wisely, avoiding products enhanced with a sodium solution. Just 3 ounces of fast-food-style nuggets can contain almost 600 milligrams of sodium.· Soup – One cup of canned chicken noodle soup can have up to 940 milligrams of sodium.· Sandwiches – A sandwich can easily top 1,500 milligrams of sodium.While the daily recommended sodium intake is 2,300 mg, it can be easy to overdo salt because it’s disguised in everyday foods. This is why it’s important to check nutrition labels for sodium content; you may be surprised to find sodium in foods that don’t taste salty! Choose “no salt added” and “low sodium” products and cook with plenty of herbs and spices.If nutrition labels overwhelm you, simply swapping processed foods for fresh options can help. Fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium and high in nutrients.Of course, reducing sodium isn’t the only way to improve blood pressure. Stress management, regular exercise, and avoiding tobacco products are just a few other lifestyle factors that can play a part. Incorporating these habit shifts can make the world of difference in your blood pressure and health for years to come.Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

WINKEL: The salty six and blood pressure

By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension District

I don’t know about you but this summer has flown by!

When our kids were small, transitioning back from long days of farm life to the much more structured pace of school was often a challenge. While they certainly had early mornings and a multitude of responsibilities for the farm, it was much different getting up and ready for the school bus every day.

I usually tried to start a few weeks ahead of time with slowly adjusting bedtime schedules. As an off-the-farm working mom, it was often stressful and I regularly worried that I had everything prepared!

Things that helped us were a white-board calendar the size of the freezer door. Each family member had their own color of dry erase marker and it made schedules a little more manageable. We also kept a grocery list on the refrigerator door and each family member was expected to add items they needed for every day or wanted for lunches.

Speaking of lunches, we had one pretty picky eater and our plan was that the kids had to check the next day’s lunch menu and had to eat at least three items on the menu including the main dish or they had to pack their lunch! Yes, I checked their lunch to make sure it wasn’t just cookies and chips! They usually did a pretty good job of packing a mostly balanced meal that they would actually eat.

I was never very good about laying out clothes the night before – I can’t manage that for myself as an adult! While I do appreciate that this habit can definitely make mornings smoother, I am still a work in progress. Keeping up on laundry was always a challenge, especially with farm dirt and working full-time, so we tried to have a schedule of washing a load a day. It sure helped when the kids were old enough to help which meant 7 or 8 was helping to fold and definitely putting their own things away. By 10 or 12, they helped with hanging things up or putting them in the dryer.

Both kids are good cooks and those skills started at an early age. Knowing the basics of food preparation allowed them to get ingredients together or begin thawing meat for a meal by the time they were in middle school.

All of those things didn’t guarantee smooth evenings especially with homework. Their normal station was in the kitchen so we could talk about

assignments and their day while I made dinner and they worked on homework. It was a good way to practice conversation and have a small window into their fun, frustrations, and feelings. These days, I miss those moments but our daughter often calls on her way home from work in Kansas City and we chat while I start dinner!

Nothing of these ideas are rocket science but I hope you will look for ways to connect with your kids in car or in the kitchen.

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!

Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668179500533.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension DistrictI don’t know about you but this summer has flown by!When our kids were small, transitioning back from long days of farm life to the much more structured pace of school was often a challenge. While they certainly had early mornings and a multitude of responsibilities for the farm, it was much different getting up and ready for the school bus every day.I usually tried to start a few weeks ahead of time with slowly adjusting bedtime schedules. As an off-the-farm working mom, it was often stressful and I regularly worried that I had everything prepared!Things that helped us were a white-board calendar the size of the freezer door. Each family member had their own color of dry erase marker and it made schedules a little more manageable. We also kept a grocery list on the refrigerator door and each family member was expected to add items they needed for every day or wanted for lunches.Speaking of lunches, we had one pretty picky eater and our plan was that the kids had to check the next day’s lunch menu and had to eat at least three items on the menu including the main dish or they had to pack their lunch! Yes, I checked their lunch to make sure it wasn’t just cookies and chips! They usually did a pretty good job of packing a mostly balanced meal that they would actually eat.I was never very good about laying out clothes the night before – I can’t manage that for myself as an adult! While I do appreciate that this habit can definitely make mornings smoother, I am still a work in progress. Keeping up on laundry was always a challenge, especially with farm dirt and working full-time, so we tried to have a schedule of washing a load a day. It sure helped when the kids were old enough to help which meant 7 or 8 was helping to fold and definitely putting their own things away. By 10 or 12, they helped with hanging things up or putting them in the dryer.Both kids are good cooks and those skills started at an early age. Knowing the basics of food preparation allowed them to get ingredients together or begin thawing meat for a meal by the time they were in middle school.All of those things didn’t guarantee smooth evenings especially with homework. Their normal station was in the kitchen so we could talk aboutassignments and their day while I made dinner and they worked on homework. It was a good way to practice conversation and have a small window into their fun, frustrations, and feelings. These days, I miss those moments but our daughter often calls on her way home from work in Kansas City and we chat while I start dinner!Nothing of these ideas are rocket science but I hope you will look for ways to connect with your kids in car or in the kitchen.Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

BERAN: Back to school

I heard years ago, from a family member living in Florida, that feral chickens were actually a problem there. I didn’t want to believe that, till I read a news story about it, and now recently it was reported on the news again.

The story told about free-roaming feral chickens in Key West Florida. It said “With the population getting out of hand, city commissioners are taking action – not by hunting down the fixings for a massive tailgate party, but by going after their human enablers.” The article went on to tell how fat the chickens were from the popcorn, French-fries and bird food they were fed by tourists. One man whose street had been invaded by the chickens, said “The population has literally exploded; they’re being fed, and when you ask anybody to stop feeding them, it’s like you’re asking them for their firstborn.” When I think of feral wildlife, I imagine destructive feral hogs that wreak havoc in the south, pythons devouring native species in the Everglades, or wild dogs in Australia; you know, beasts that cannot be controlled with a pellet gun and an old-fashioned chicken catcher, but not feral chickens.

This is ridiculous! Why would your solution be to fine those feeding the chickens and not just get rid of the chickens? I have a couple suggested ways of doing that. There have to be chicken farms / ranches in Florida that would love to be given more free egg-layers, so send the city councilmen out at night to collect them from their roosts and simply relocate them.

The second is more of a culinary solution. I would build a fleet of those little carts like the hot dog venders use in New York City. Each would be complete with a Coleman camp stove and a big fiberglass sprayer tank for clean water (this will require cleaning all the herbicide from your tank first.) Your only other investments would be a large frying pan, a couple utensils, a supply of seasonings and condiments, a fifty-pound sack of cracked corn once a week and perhaps a bicycle with which to tow the rig around. Oh, and one of those old-fashioned chicken catchers you can fashion from a piece of heavy fencing wire will also serve you well.

Find a neighborhood with feral chicken problems and get your rig set up early in the morning when the chickens first begin to scratch around. Scatter a little cracked corn around your cart, then simply stand and wait with the chicken

catcher behind your back. As yardbirds get within reach, lash out with the catcher and snatch them up by the leg. Spin around in place, clean and pluck them into a trash container hidden under the counter (after all, you don’t want to offend the customers,) now quickly rinse them, cut them up, bread the pieces and chunk them into your skillet full of lard already smoking over the Coleman, and viola; fried feral fowl! A cooler full of ice might also prove handy on busy days so you can catch several birds at once; otherwise simply catch them as needed.

Don’t be afraid to vary your offering either. For example, Kentucky Fried has Original and Extra Crispy; you can offer both Safe and Extra Risky. Use your imagination when naming your business too, as the more exotic the name, the more attention you’ll grab. Names like Freddy’s Fried Feral Fowl or Bob’s Broasted Banties will certainly suck in the patrons.

Folks, the words “feral” and “chicken” should not go together. Notice this has never been a problem here in the Midwest, where we like our fried chicken and have the common sense to solve problems like this logically… Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas OutdoorsI heard years ago, from a family member living in Florida, that feral chickens were actually a problem there. I didn’t want to believe that, till I read a news story about it, and now recently it was reported on the news again.The story told about free-roaming feral chickens in Key West Florida. It said “With the population getting out of hand, city commissioners are taking action – not by hunting down the fixings for a massive tailgate party, but by going after their human enablers.” The article went on to tell how fat the chickens were from the popcorn, French-fries and bird food they were fed by tourists. One man whose street had been invaded by the chickens, said “The population has literally exploded; they’re being fed, and when you ask anybody to stop feeding them, it’s like you’re asking them for their firstborn.” When I think of feral wildlife, I imagine destructive feral hogs that wreak havoc in the south, pythons devouring native species in the Everglades, or wild dogs in Australia; you know, beasts that cannot be controlled with a pellet gun and an old-fashioned chicken catcher, but not feral chickens.This is ridiculous! Why would your solution be to fine those feeding the chickens and not just get rid of the chickens? I have a couple suggested ways of doing that. There have to be chicken farms / ranches in Florida that would love to be given more free egg-layers, so send the city councilmen out at night to collect them from their roosts and simply relocate them.The second is more of a culinary solution. I would build a fleet of those little carts like the hot dog venders use in New York City. Each would be complete with a Coleman camp stove and a big fiberglass sprayer tank for clean water (this will require cleaning all the herbicide from your tank first.) Your only other investments would be a large frying pan, a couple utensils, a supply of seasonings and condiments, a fifty-pound sack of cracked corn once a week and perhaps a bicycle with which to tow the rig around. Oh, and one of those old-fashioned chicken catchers you can fashion from a piece of heavy fencing wire will also serve you well.Find a neighborhood with feral chicken problems and get your rig set up early in the morning when the chickens first begin to scratch around. Scatter a little cracked corn around your cart, then simply stand and wait with the chickencatcher behind your back. As yardbirds get within reach, lash out with the catcher and snatch them up by the leg. Spin around in place, clean and pluck them into a trash container hidden under the counter (after all, you don’t want to offend the customers,) now quickly rinse them, cut them up, bread the pieces and chunk them into your skillet full of lard already smoking over the Coleman, and viola; fried feral fowl! A cooler full of ice might also prove handy on busy days so you can catch several birds at once; otherwise simply catch them as needed.Don’t be afraid to vary your offering either. For example, Kentucky Fried has Original and Extra Crispy; you can offer both Safe and Extra Risky. Use your imagination when naming your business too, as the more exotic the name, the more attention you’ll grab. Names like Freddy’s Fried Feral Fowl or Bob’s Broasted Banties will certainly suck in the patrons.Folks, the words “feral” and “chicken” should not go together. Notice this has never been a problem here in the Midwest, where we like our fried chicken and have the common sense to solve problems like this logically… Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Feral Chickens…Seriously?

By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Insight Kansas

In 2021, in the aftermath of unfounded accusations of election fraud, the Kansas legislature passed a series of laws making it harder for citizens to vote. One bill, HB 2183, included a false representation provision, which made it a felony for an individual to “represent oneself as an election official” or “engage in conduct that gives the appearance of being an election official”.

This bill effectively limited voter registration drives in the state.

From the beginning, this bill sparked great concern among nonpartisan voter advocacy organizations — like the League of Women Voters who challenged the bill in court — as it relies on individual understanding (or misunderstanding).

For example, if a group was running a voter registration drive at a local farmer’s market, even if they did nothing to indicate they were an election official, one person’s misunderstanding that the group was representing such an official could result in felony charges.

Clearly, this law is overly broad and incredibly vague.

The Kansas Supreme Court agreed, concluding that the law criminalizes “honest speech” that may be protected as political speech under the Kansas Bill of Rights. The Court ruled that the law would be blocked until further court hearings could take place and their language seemed to indicate that the law very likely violates the state constitution.

This is a huge win for voter advocacy groups across the state.

Laws that suppress voter registration make it harder for eligible Kansans to participate in elections. which undermines free and fair access to the ballot box.

These strict voting rules also make voting disproportionately difficult for communities of color and other marginalized groups — the poor, the less educated, those who have criminal records — and those who are new to the voting process like young people and new immigrants.&nbsp;One pillar of democracy is the holding of free and fair elections that allow voters to choose their representatives. But voter suppression laws shift that power and allow for representatives to choose their voters by creating more barriers to the ballot box, especially among underrepresented groups.

Voter registration drives are democracy in action, and I can’t wait to see them return in full force this fall.

You may even catch me at my local farmer’s market or walking around WSU’s campus wearing the “ask me how to register to vote” t-shirt I bought to celebrate the Court’s ruling.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694699489540.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Insight KansasIn 2021, in the aftermath of unfounded accusations of election fraud, the Kansas legislature passed a series of laws making it harder for citizens to vote. One bill, HB 2183, included a false representation provision, which made it a felony for an individual to “represent oneself as an election official” or “engage in conduct that gives the appearance of being an election official”.This bill effectively limited voter registration drives in the state.From the beginning, this bill sparked great concern among nonpartisan voter advocacy organizations — like the League of Women Voters who challenged the bill in court — as it relies on individual understanding (or misunderstanding).For example, if a group was running a voter registration drive at a local farmer’s market, even if they did nothing to indicate they were an election official, one person’s misunderstanding that the group was representing such an official could result in felony charges.Clearly, this law is overly broad and incredibly vague.The Kansas Supreme Court agreed, concluding that the law criminalizes “honest speech” that may be protected as political speech under the Kansas Bill of Rights. The Court ruled that the law would be blocked until further court hearings could take place and their language seemed to indicate that the law very likely violates the state constitution.This is a huge win for voter advocacy groups across the state.It’s also a huge win for democracy.Laws that suppress voter registration make it harder for eligible Kansans to participate in elections. which undermines free and fair access to the ballot box.These strict voting rules also make voting disproportionately difficult for communities of color and other marginalized groups — the poor, the less educated, those who have criminal records — and those who are new to the voting process like young people and new immigrants.&nbsp;One pillar of democracy is the holding of free and fair elections that allow voters to choose their representatives. But voter suppression laws shift that power and allow for representatives to choose their voters by creating more barriers to the ballot box, especially among underrepresented groups.Voter registration drives are democracy in action, and I can’t wait to see them return in full force this fall.You may even catch me at my local farmer’s market or walking around WSU’s campus wearing the “ask me how to register to vote” t-shirt I bought to celebrate the Court’s ruling.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Overturned voting law a victory for voter registration drives, democracy

As physicians and advanced practice providers at Hays Medical Center, we are disheartened by the recent social media activity that has tried to diminish our reputation as a leading provider of rural health care.

We are a team, and together, we pride ourselves in the care we provide for our patients. Our hard work and dedication are the core of who we are. Our team, in conjunction with the hard work of our associates and the trust of our community, has built an organization we are proud of.

Despite the negative comments and discussions unfolding in the public spotlight, we remain committed to the health of this community and do not condone the ongoing criticism of our facility.

Our goals and vision are unwavering, and we remain focused on the health of each other, our patients, our families and our community. We promise to continue working together every day on behalf OF YOU—our patients.

— Kayla Gray, DO, chief of staff Keith Green, MD, chair of surgery Patricia Crawley, MD, chair of medicine Brittney Stewart, PA, chair of advanced practice provider council Ernesto Lopez-Corona, MD, prior chief of staff Oluwaseun Akinbo, MD, chief designate

As physicians and advanced practice providers at Hays Medical Center, we are disheartened by the recent social media activity that has tried to diminish our reputation as a leading provider of rural health care.We are a team, and together, we pride ourselves in the care we provide for our patients. Our hard work and dedication are the core of who we are. Our team, in conjunction with the hard work of our associates and the trust of our community, has built an organization we are proud of.Despite the negative comments and discussions unfolding in the public spotlight, we remain committed to the health of this community and do not condone the ongoing criticism of our facility.Our goals and vision are unwavering, and we remain focused on the health of each other, our patients, our families and our community. We promise to continue working together every day on behalf OF YOU—our patients.— Kayla Gray, DO, chief of staff Keith Green, MD, chair of surgery Patricia Crawley, MD, chair of medicine Brittney Stewart, PA, chair of advanced practice provider council Ernesto Lopez-Corona, MD, prior chief of staff Oluwaseun Akinbo, MD, chief designate