As we get settled into the first and second week of the 2021 legislative session, most of our work is concentrated in committees where bills are being prioritized and vetted. The Senate has 17 standing committees which cover many different topics, including education, agriculture, judiciary, budget and utilities—to name a few.&nbsp; Once a committee completes hearings and votes on a bill, if passed, it will then make its way to the Senate floor and the full body will begin to debate and vote on the measure. Floor debates and votes will begin in the coming weeks. 

If you’re interested in tracking our work, you can follow us at our website at&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFJOLxmvcn9GmLmACkPZbxMCH8a9zXNkiD1EVgLLAQsAwZitpKf2khnVK0mX6afJLmB2EKV17zX7f7tcasgCeiEQ==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://www.kslegislature.org</a>

My committees this year have changed a bit - the Ethics, Elections and Local Government committee is now two committees renamed Transparency and Ethics and Local Government.&nbsp; I will chair Transparency and Ethics and will serve as the Vice-Chair of Local Government.&nbsp; I continue to serve on the Transportation, Judiciary and Utility committees and remain on the Historical Preservation Committee.&nbsp; I was also assigned to a new committee, the Joint Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, January 13, Governor Kelly delivered her State of the State address virtually this year due to limited large group gatherings which has been the tradition in the House Chambers. Her address is the starting point for the budget process in Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations and sets the tone for the upcoming session.&nbsp; Both committees are currently reviewing her budget proposals for 2021.

Senate Bill 14&nbsp;– extending KEMA (Kansas Emergency Management Act) deadlines - many of the provisions in HB 2016 which the Kansas Legislature passed last June will expire on January 26, 2021.&nbsp; The dates were extended in SB 14 to March 31st&nbsp;to allow for additional hearings to look at the sections of the current law from last year.

Senate Bill 13&nbsp;- Truth in Taxation – this bill would repeal the property tax lid, establish notice and public hearing requirements for any taxing subdivision seeking to collect property taxes in excess of the subdivision's revenue-neutral rate, prohibit valuation increases resulting solely from normal maintenance of existing structures, and expand the allowed acceptance of partial payments or payment plans for property taxes.

Both bills were sent to the House for their consideration as a body.&nbsp;

State law in Kansas requires that certain appointments by the Governor or other state officials be confirmed by the Senate prior to the appointee exercising any power, duty, or function of the office. On Thursday, January 21st, the Senate confirmed twenty-nine individuals to boards or agency heads and one Judicial post.&nbsp; Irv Mitchell of Russell County and Leonard Wolfe of Marshall County were both confirmed to serve another term on the State Banking Board.&nbsp;

The Value Them Both Amendment to the Constitution, SCR 1602 &amp; HCR 5003, were introduced in both the House and Senate and have both been passed out of their respective committees.&nbsp; This is the legislative response to the recent ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court in Hodes &amp; Nauser v. Schmidt determining a woman has a constitutional right to an abortion.&nbsp; The proposed constitutional amendment allows elected officials regulation and oversight over abortions which has been the case for years.&nbsp; Some of these bills passed and signed by governors are parental consent for minors, 24 hour waiting period and clinic sanitation and safety standards. 

The amendment does not allow Kansas to over-rule federal law and will reinstate the role of the Legislature to regulate this industry like any other.&nbsp; The amendment will require a 2/3rd&nbsp;majority in each chamber to move forward and then the question will be placed on the ballot for the public to vote on in 2022.&nbsp;

Memorial Highway – Marshall County -SB19

Due to the shortened 2020 session, our Marshall County highway renaming bill failed to pass through the process to the Governor’s desk.&nbsp; I introduced a new bill in Senate Transportation committee – SB19 and a hearing will be scheduled next week.&nbsp; The bill will rename a five-mile portion of US Highway 77 from the western limit of the City of Blue Rapids to the eastern limit of the City of Waterville.&nbsp; This legislation would rename this highway section the “Corporal Allen Oatney and SP4 Gene Myers Memorial Highway.”&nbsp; This bill is in honor of Corporal Allen E. Oatney and Specialist Fourth Class Gene A. Myers, Waterville residents, who both were killed by hostile fire while serving their country during the Vietnam War.&nbsp; The memorial highway is a proposal from the American Legion Posts in Blue Rapids and Waterville.&nbsp; Funding for the project will be provided by Posts 169 &amp; 332 through private donations.&nbsp; After it passes out of the Senate, Representative Lisa Moser (House District will #106) will continue the process through the House of Representatives.&nbsp;

You can view video streaming of both chambers via the Kansas Legislature YouTube page. In addition, many committees are now audio streamed and can also be viewed on the Kansas Legislature YouTube page. The Kansas Legislature website is easy to use with Senate and House calendars and journals as well as the rosters of both chambers. 

Website:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFJOLxmvcn9GmLmACkPZbxMCH8a9zXNkiD1EVgLLAQsAwZitpKf2khnVK0mX6afJLmB2EKV17zX7f7tcasgCeiEQ==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://www.kslegislature.org</a>

YouTube Streaming:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHF34R6w-q9Yyc4qETkM4i0oK77_HAcUcgnTEzGR0bc3XlkSfwIv7NNomoykZXxAe6JYkaUz8mVZZ4=&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2CZj9O0</a>

Committee Hearings:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFxPF3ofZot5nNQg29dl4IyyVwRxdehplaQI7UbFxYaMuHnBMclSTctfgUBGJFJhfBo5ERAz73sU3LnGPhP0mE6TsXQN3ZnpUtIzuCJEE31Q7s8BoUqzHzoE_0wonREwYfL5UydW56Tj2K886u6fhh9w==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/</a>

My office remains in the same suite, 223E (East wing second floor) next to the cage elevator.&nbsp; Randi Walters who has worked in the Capitol for 18 years as an assistant and a committee assistant is in our office.

As session progresses, not every bill introduced will make it to the Governor’s desk, but that doesn’t mean opinions, facts and testimony wasn’t heard. Your participation in the state legislature is vital. As we continue to weed through the different bills, I hope to hear from you. I want to know how legislation will impact you and our district, or the ideas you have to improve a bill.&nbsp; A personal email with your thoughts is the best way to reach us as we sit in committees for most of the day and seldom get to stay at our desks for long periods.&nbsp;

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580853658061.jpeg" alt="Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Senate HighlightsAs we get settled into the first and second week of the 2021 legislative session, most of our work is concentrated in committees where bills are being prioritized and vetted. The Senate has 17 standing committees which cover many different topics, including education, agriculture, judiciary, budget and utilities—to name a few.&nbsp; Once a committee completes hearings and votes on a bill, if passed, it will then make its way to the Senate floor and the full body will begin to debate and vote on the measure. Floor debates and votes will begin in the coming weeks. If you’re interested in tracking our work, you can follow us at our website at&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFJOLxmvcn9GmLmACkPZbxMCH8a9zXNkiD1EVgLLAQsAwZitpKf2khnVK0mX6afJLmB2EKV17zX7f7tcasgCeiEQ==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://www.kslegislature.org</a>Committee AssignmentsMy committees this year have changed a bit - the Ethics, Elections and Local Government committee is now two committees renamed Transparency and Ethics and Local Government.&nbsp; I will chair Transparency and Ethics and will serve as the Vice-Chair of Local Government.&nbsp; I continue to serve on the Transportation, Judiciary and Utility committees and remain on the Historical Preservation Committee.&nbsp; I was also assigned to a new committee, the Joint Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight.&nbsp;State of the StateOn Wednesday, January 13, Governor Kelly delivered her State of the State address virtually this year due to limited large group gatherings which has been the tradition in the House Chambers. Her address is the starting point for the budget process in Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations and sets the tone for the upcoming session.&nbsp; Both committees are currently reviewing her budget proposals for 2021.Senate Floor ActionSenate Bill 14&nbsp;– extending KEMA (Kansas Emergency Management Act) deadlines - many of the provisions in HB 2016 which the Kansas Legislature passed last June will expire on January 26, 2021.&nbsp; The dates were extended in SB 14 to March 31st&nbsp;to allow for additional hearings to look at the sections of the current law from last year.Senate Bill 13&nbsp;- Truth in Taxation – this bill would repeal the property tax lid, establish notice and public hearing requirements for any taxing subdivision seeking to collect property taxes in excess of the subdivision's revenue-neutral rate, prohibit valuation increases resulting solely from normal maintenance of existing structures, and expand the allowed acceptance of partial payments or payment plans for property taxes.Both bills were sent to the House for their consideration as a body.&nbsp;Senate ConfirmationState law in Kansas requires that certain appointments by the Governor or other state officials be confirmed by the Senate prior to the appointee exercising any power, duty, or function of the office. On Thursday, January 21st, the Senate confirmed twenty-nine individuals to boards or agency heads and one Judicial post.&nbsp; Irv Mitchell of Russell County and Leonard Wolfe of Marshall County were both confirmed to serve another term on the State Banking Board.&nbsp;Committee ActionJudiciary CommitteeThe Value Them Both Amendment to the Constitution, SCR 1602 &amp; HCR 5003, were introduced in both the House and Senate and have both been passed out of their respective committees.&nbsp; This is the legislative response to the recent ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court in Hodes &amp; Nauser v. Schmidt determining a woman has a constitutional right to an abortion.&nbsp; The proposed constitutional amendment allows elected officials regulation and oversight over abortions which has been the case for years.&nbsp; Some of these bills passed and signed by governors are parental consent for minors, 24 hour waiting period and clinic sanitation and safety standards. The amendment does not allow Kansas to over-rule federal law and will reinstate the role of the Legislature to regulate this industry like any other.&nbsp; The amendment will require a 2/3rd&nbsp;majority in each chamber to move forward and then the question will be placed on the ballot for the public to vote on in 2022.&nbsp;TransportationMemorial Highway – Marshall County -SB19Due to the shortened 2020 session, our Marshall County highway renaming bill failed to pass through the process to the Governor’s desk.&nbsp; I introduced a new bill in Senate Transportation committee – SB19 and a hearing will be scheduled next week.&nbsp; The bill will rename a five-mile portion of US Highway 77 from the western limit of the City of Blue Rapids to the eastern limit of the City of Waterville.&nbsp; This legislation would rename this highway section the “Corporal Allen Oatney and SP4 Gene Myers Memorial Highway.”&nbsp; This bill is in honor of Corporal Allen E. Oatney and Specialist Fourth Class Gene A. Myers, Waterville residents, who both were killed by hostile fire while serving their country during the Vietnam War.&nbsp; The memorial highway is a proposal from the American Legion Posts in Blue Rapids and Waterville.&nbsp; Funding for the project will be provided by Posts 169 &amp; 332 through private donations.&nbsp; After it passes out of the Senate, Representative Lisa Moser (House District will #106) will continue the process through the House of Representatives.&nbsp;Following the Kansas LegislatureYou can view video streaming of both chambers via the Kansas Legislature YouTube page. In addition, many committees are now audio streamed and can also be viewed on the Kansas Legislature YouTube page. The Kansas Legislature website is easy to use with Senate and House calendars and journals as well as the rosters of both chambers. Here are the relevant links:Website:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFJOLxmvcn9GmLmACkPZbxMCH8a9zXNkiD1EVgLLAQsAwZitpKf2khnVK0mX6afJLmB2EKV17zX7f7tcasgCeiEQ==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://www.kslegislature.org</a>YouTube Streaming:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHF34R6w-q9Yyc4qETkM4i0oK77_HAcUcgnTEzGR0bc3XlkSfwIv7NNomoykZXxAe6JYkaUz8mVZZ4=&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2CZj9O0</a>Committee Hearings:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YDBQy8-rsja0IE-azP2XHdnoiX7Ql4nNWrgHxHHtC7o4HeAA-0Aqe73zytd32tHFxPF3ofZot5nNQg29dl4IyyVwRxdehplaQI7UbFxYaMuHnBMclSTctfgUBGJFJhfBo5ERAz73sU3LnGPhP0mE6TsXQN3ZnpUtIzuCJEE31Q7s8BoUqzHzoE_0wonREwYfL5UydW56Tj2K886u6fhh9w==&amp;c=i2w4lkseQgtBVS4zSQ_aahnejaFbU1aDQFBhokGNh0NtT6pPxPG4Kg==&amp;ch=zcIfvSl6GRRuKxTv2Gjm07rByrF453B_cAk8d6LJKMN6JaX0CJJ3gA==" target="_blank">http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/</a>Office InformationMy office remains in the same suite, 223E (East wing second floor) next to the cage elevator.&nbsp; Randi Walters who has worked in the Capitol for 18 years as an assistant and a committee assistant is in our office.As session progresses, not every bill introduced will make it to the Governor’s desk, but that doesn’t mean opinions, facts and testimony wasn’t heard. Your participation in the state legislature is vital. As we continue to weed through the different bills, I hope to hear from you. I want to know how legislation will impact you and our district, or the ideas you have to improve a bill.&nbsp; A personal email with your thoughts is the best way to reach us as we sit in committees for most of the day and seldom get to stay at our desks for long periods.&nbsp;Thank you for the honor of serving you!Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785 296-7389</a>&nbsp; <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th District senator.&nbsp; The 36th District includes&nbsp;Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties.

BOWERS: Senate Scene, Weeks 1 and 2

	I am fascinated by how the brain works and I try to read all the latest books on the subject. We are supposed to get wiser with age, but I have learned that is not always the case. However, studies show that there are some things we can do to improve our mental function. One very important component to a healthy brain is better nutrition. In addition, getting enough sleep and exercising will add brain power. &nbsp;

	The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has identified four types of food that specifically help boost our brain power:

Nutrition plays a major role in brain development. Plan your meals carefully and add brain-rich foods to your plate each day. Eatright.org is an excellent website for additional information on health, nutrition and fitness.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588274071306.jpeg" alt="Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>	I am fascinated by how the brain works and I try to read all the latest books on the subject. We are supposed to get wiser with age, but I have learned that is not always the case. However, studies show that there are some things we can do to improve our mental function. One very important component to a healthy brain is better nutrition. In addition, getting enough sleep and exercising will add brain power. &nbsp;	The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has identified four types of food that specifically help boost our brain power:<ul>
 <li>Vegetables 
Getting adequate veggie-intake, especially cruciferous ones including broccoli, cabbage and dark leafy greens, may help improve memory. Include kale in your salad or substitute collard greens for a tortilla in your next sandwich wrap. Broccoli stir-fry also is an excellent option for lunch or dinner.</li><li>Berries 
Dark berries especially, such as blackberries, blueberries and cherries — are a rich source of anthocyanins and other flavonoids that may boost memory function. Enjoy a handful of berries for a snack, mixed into cereal or baked into an antioxidant-rich dessert. You can reap these benefits from fresh, frozen or dried berries and cherries.</li><li>Omega-3 fatty acids 
Essential for good brain health, omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, in particular, may help improve memory in healthy young adults. Seafood, algae and fatty fish — including salmon, bluefin tuna, sardines and herring — are some of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Substitute fish for meat a couple times each week to get a healthy dose. Grill, bake or broil fish for ultimate flavor and nutrition. If you don't normally eat fish, discuss other food options and supplementation with your doctor or registered dietitian nutritionist. You can get omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, seaweed or microalgae supplements.</li><li>Walnuts 
Walnuts also may improve cognitive function. Snack on a handful of walnuts to satisfy midday hunger, add them to oatmeal or a salad for crunch or mix them into a vegetable stir-fry for extra protein.</li>
 </ul>Nutrition plays a major role in brain development. Plan your meals carefully and add brain-rich foods to your plate each day. Eatright.org is an excellent website for additional information on health, nutrition and fitness.	Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp; She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at <a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

UNRUH: Food for a better brain

A top priority in the opening week of the legislative session was continuing the protections within the Kansas Emergency Management Act as adopted in the Special Session in June of 2020, which were set to expire on January 26th.

SB 14 accomplished this by extending the limitations on the governor’s executive powers until March 31st, thus maintaining and strengthening the protections for Kansans families and businesses. This provides the Kansas Legislature the time necessary to take a deeper dive into the many statutes surrounding the Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) and craft legislation that will address the myriad of issues within it on a long-term basis.

While KEMA was largely designed to deal with localized disasters such as floods and tornadoes, this time will allow the legislature to ensure our laws envision similar statewide situations, such as pandemics, in the future.

Here are the key aspects of the legislation:

- The bill would amend the statute ratifying and continuing the COVID-19-related state of disaster emergency declared by the Governor on March 12, 2020, to reflect the September 15, 2020, ratification and continuation of the state of disaster emergency by 2020 Special Session HB 2016 and subsequent extensions and continuations by the State Finance Council and would ratify and continue in existence the state of disaster emergency until March 31, 2021. The bill also would amend this statute to extend from 2020 through 2021 a provision prohibiting the Governor from proclaiming any new state of disaster emergency related to the COVID-19 health emergency without approval by at least six legislative members of the State Finance Council.

- The bill extends the expiration date for several provisions to March 31st, including:

o Removal of alcohol from premises of a licensed club or drinking establishment (Section 1)

o Provisions governing declaration of a state of disaster emergency, including when the legislature is not in session and applications to the State Finance Council; the bill includes permitting this procedure when the legislature is adjourned during session for more than three days. (Section 2)

o Provisions regarding the powers of the Governor and boards of county commissioners enacted in 2020 Special Session HB 2016 (Section 4)

o Temporary emergency licensure by the State Board of Healing Arts (Section 8);

o Temporary licensure measures for additional health care providers (Section 9);

o Business immunity from liability for a COVID-19 claim (Section 10).

- The bill would amend the KEMA statute limiting the Governor’s ability to issue an order that substantially burdens or inhibits the gathering or movement of individuals or operation of any religious, civic business or commercial activity, whether for-profit or not-for-profit. This is a significantly stronger position than the original HB 2016 language, which allowed the governor to close businesses for up to 15 days before requiring approval from six members of the State Finance Council.

It is an honor and pleasure to serve the 40th Senate District of Kansas Please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail at rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov. You may also call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399 or my cell number is 785 899-4700.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610490291573.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>January 25, 2021A top priority in the opening week of the legislative session was continuing the protections within the Kansas Emergency Management Act as adopted in the Special Session in June of 2020, which were set to expire on January 26th.SB 14 accomplished this by extending the limitations on the governor’s executive powers until March 31st, thus maintaining and strengthening the protections for Kansans families and businesses. This provides the Kansas Legislature the time necessary to take a deeper dive into the many statutes surrounding the Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) and craft legislation that will address the myriad of issues within it on a long-term basis.While KEMA was largely designed to deal with localized disasters such as floods and tornadoes, this time will allow the legislature to ensure our laws envision similar statewide situations, such as pandemics, in the future.Here are the key aspects of the legislation:- The bill would amend the statute ratifying and continuing the COVID-19-related state of disaster emergency declared by the Governor on March 12, 2020, to reflect the September 15, 2020, ratification and continuation of the state of disaster emergency by 2020 Special Session HB 2016 and subsequent extensions and continuations by the State Finance Council and would ratify and continue in existence the state of disaster emergency until March 31, 2021. The bill also would amend this statute to extend from 2020 through 2021 a provision prohibiting the Governor from proclaiming any new state of disaster emergency related to the COVID-19 health emergency without approval by at least six legislative members of the State Finance Council.- The bill extends the expiration date for several provisions to March 31st, including:o Removal of alcohol from premises of a licensed club or drinking establishment (Section 1)o Provisions governing declaration of a state of disaster emergency, including when the legislature is not in session and applications to the State Finance Council; the bill includes permitting this procedure when the legislature is adjourned during session for more than three days. (Section 2)o Provisions regarding the powers of the Governor and boards of county commissioners enacted in 2020 Special Session HB 2016 (Section 4)o Telemedicine (Section 7)o Temporary emergency licensure by the State Board of Healing Arts (Section 8);o Temporary licensure measures for additional health care providers (Section 9);o Business immunity from liability for a COVID-19 claim (Section 10).- The bill would amend the KEMA statute limiting the Governor’s ability to issue an order that substantially burdens or inhibits the gathering or movement of individuals or operation of any religious, civic business or commercial activity, whether for-profit or not-for-profit. This is a significantly stronger position than the original HB 2016 language, which allowed the governor to close businesses for up to 15 days before requiring approval from six members of the State Finance Council.It is an honor and pleasure to serve the 40th Senate District of Kansas Please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail at rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov. You may also call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399 or my cell number is 785 899-4700.Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is the 40th District senator.

BILLINGER: Senate update, January 25

It has been a on-again, off-again start to the 2021 session. 

Last week the “Value Them Both” constitutional amendment is one step closer to letting the people of Kansas decide. On Friday, the House passed the Constitutional Amendment with the required two-thirds majority vote. If approved by Kansas Senate, Kansas voters will have the opportunity in the August 2022 election to vote on whether they believe the state should be able to regulate abortion procedures and prohibit taxpayer dollars from being used to pay for abortions. The Senate is scheduled to take up the amendment this week.

You might recall the amendment came about as a result a recent Kansas Supreme Court ruling, known as the Hodes &amp; Nauser v. Schmidt decision. Due to this ruling, current law – such as parental consent for minors, 24-hour waiting periods and even simple safety standards for abortion clinics – are left open to litigation and very likely to be overturned. 

The “Value Them Both” amendment will allow Kansas voters the opportunity to weigh in and determine whether Kansas will continue to be a pro-life state.

Also last week, the House overwhelmingly passed SB 14 on a bipartisan vote of 119-3. SB 14 is the Legislature’s response to keeping Kansas safely open through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Modeled after last year’s 2020 Special Session HB 2016, SB 14 continues the state of disaster emergency until March 31, 2021, and protects the checks and balances the 2020 Legislature put in place. This includes protecting the Kansas’ ability to continue receiving federal disaster resources and prohibiting the Governor from being able to shutdown Kansas businesses.

SB 14 also protects temporary licensure for certain health care providers, access to telemedicine and business immunity from unwarranted COVID-19 claims so that health care providers and small business owners can continue to care for their patients and safely operate through the duration of the pandemic.

The bill passed the Senate earlier the week (on a bipartisan vote of 34-1), which means SB 14 now goes to the Governor’s desk for consideration.

The Legislature’s health committees received an update from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on the state’s distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. Media reports had indicated as of December 31, “Kansas had the lowest vaccination rate among states. The CDC said Monday that the state is now up to 2,650 shots per 100,000 residents and that 25 states have lower vaccination rates, including Missouri, where the rate is 2,445 per 100,000 residents.”

House Leadership requested vaccination plan details and numbers back in November at a State Finance Council meeting and again in December. 

On January 20, the day after the health committee meeting, the governor released a vaccine dashboard with data on doses given, doses distributed, and the percentage of Kansans vaccinated. The committee also learned that the <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/">KansasVaccine.gov</a> website will eventually be capable of providing information on where the general public can go to receive vaccines in their area and which vaccination phase the state is in. To date, the Find My Vaccine dashboard is not available on the website.

Information on the 5 vaccination phases was made available by the governor earlier in January, altering a previous vaccination plan she touted. The governor announced on January 21 that Kansas was moving into Phase 2, when seniors age 65 and older, high contact critical workers, and those in congregate settings will begin receiving the vaccine.

Unfortunately, there is more work to be done on getting information coordinated on vaccine distribution, especially as the number of individuals eligible to receive vaccines grows in Phase 2. 

Counties are already seeing problems with getting enough vaccines to meet the demand. The January 21st KDHE vaccine update indicates there are 1 million Kansans eligible in Phase 2, but the next shipment of vaccines from the federal government will only total about 40,000 doses. It is up to each county to decide how to allocate the vaccines.

The health committees have scheduled another meeting this week to continue to seek the answers Kansans need about vaccines from KDHE.

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

It is my honor to be your representative.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581437228209.jpeg" alt="Rep. Ken Rahjes (R-Agra, 110th Dist.)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ken Rahjes (R-Agra, 110th Dist.)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hello from Topeka! It has been a on-again, off-again start to the 2021 session. Last week the “Value Them Both” constitutional amendment is one step closer to letting the people of Kansas decide. On Friday, the House passed the Constitutional Amendment with the required two-thirds majority vote. If approved by Kansas Senate, Kansas voters will have the opportunity in the August 2022 election to vote on whether they believe the state should be able to regulate abortion procedures and prohibit taxpayer dollars from being used to pay for abortions. The Senate is scheduled to take up the amendment this week.You might recall the amendment came about as a result a recent Kansas Supreme Court ruling, known as the Hodes &amp; Nauser v. Schmidt decision. Due to this ruling, current law – such as parental consent for minors, 24-hour waiting periods and even simple safety standards for abortion clinics – are left open to litigation and very likely to be overturned. The “Value Them Both” amendment will allow Kansas voters the opportunity to weigh in and determine whether Kansas will continue to be a pro-life state.Also last week, the House overwhelmingly passed SB 14 on a bipartisan vote of 119-3. SB 14 is the Legislature’s response to keeping Kansas safely open through the COVID-19 pandemic. Modeled after last year’s 2020 Special Session HB 2016, SB 14 continues the state of disaster emergency until March 31, 2021, and protects the checks and balances the 2020 Legislature put in place. This includes protecting the Kansas’ ability to continue receiving federal disaster resources and prohibiting the Governor from being able to shutdown Kansas businesses.SB 14 also protects temporary licensure for certain health care providers, access to telemedicine and business immunity from unwarranted COVID-19 claims so that health care providers and small business owners can continue to care for their patients and safely operate through the duration of the pandemic.The bill passed the Senate earlier the week (on a bipartisan vote of 34-1), which means SB 14 now goes to the Governor’s desk for consideration.The Legislature’s health committees received an update from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on the state’s distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. Media reports had indicated as of December 31, “Kansas had the lowest vaccination rate among states. The CDC said Monday that the state is now up to 2,650 shots per 100,000 residents and that 25 states have lower vaccination rates, including Missouri, where the rate is 2,445 per 100,000 residents.”House Leadership requested vaccination plan details and numbers back in November at a State Finance Council meeting and again in December. On January 20, the day after the health committee meeting, the governor released a vaccine dashboard with data on doses given, doses distributed, and the percentage of Kansans vaccinated. The committee also learned that the <a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/">KansasVaccine.gov</a> website will eventually be capable of providing information on where the general public can go to receive vaccines in their area and which vaccination phase the state is in. To date, the Find My Vaccine dashboard is not available on the website.Information on the 5 vaccination phases was made available by the governor earlier in January, altering a previous vaccination plan she touted. The governor announced on January 21 that Kansas was moving into Phase 2, when seniors age 65 and older, high contact critical workers, and those in congregate settings will begin receiving the vaccine.Unfortunately, there is more work to be done on getting information coordinated on vaccine distribution, especially as the number of individuals eligible to receive vaccines grows in Phase 2. Counties are already seeing problems with getting enough vaccines to meet the demand. The January 21st KDHE vaccine update indicates there are 1 million Kansans eligible in Phase 2, but the next shipment of vaccines from the federal government will only total about 40,000 doses. It is up to each county to decide how to allocate the vaccines.The health committees have scheduled another meeting this week to continue to seek the answers Kansans need about vaccines from KDHE.Because of COVID, we are not encouraging visitors to come to Topeka but if you would like to contact me my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My phone number is (785) 296- 7463 and email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416. When you call or write you might hear from Terry Bernatis, who is my assistant during the session.It is my honor to be your representative.Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the 110th District state representative.

RAHJES REPORT: January 25

	The agent who mentored me over 30 years ago developed a worksheet titled “Does Your Money Have Wings?”&nbsp; Whenever I pull it out to share with an individual or group I think about the many choices we make every day that cost money. Paying closer attention to whether the item is a want or a need could be helpful as families in today’s world are challenged to make ends meet.

So many news stories these days are centered on the difficulty families across the country are having that are related to money. From home foreclosures to longer than usual lines waiting for public assistance, it is easy to see that the effects of economic problems are everywhere you turn. The good news is K-State Research and Extension has many publications that can guide people through some hard times.

	The “Does Your Money Have Wings?” worksheet has around 25 items listed that money could be spent on. Things like eating out, cell phone charges, snacks and soda, or magazine subscriptions are among the choices. After the participants mark the ones they use they determine how much money is spent each year for each item. Many times, I will hear a gasp from a participant. Then I know that the activity is working; raising their awareness about how money is being spent. My goal is to help participants see the amount of money that is spent on “extras” each year. I like to ask them about what needs they have in their life that they could use the money spent on “extras” for.

	Feel free to call me or drop by the Extension office to pick up your copy of the worksheet. Some of the budgeting materials are available in Spanish as well. Other publications which are also helpful in the area of money management include a four-part series titled, “Making Ends Meet.” If you have children ages 3 – 14 the publication “Helping Children Learn to Manage Money” is well done. All of the publications I have listed are available free of charge. Get your year off to a great start by getting your spending under control.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141404420.png" alt="Donna Krug is the District Director and the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the District Director and the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>	The agent who mentored me over 30 years ago developed a worksheet titled “Does Your Money Have Wings?”&nbsp; Whenever I pull it out to share with an individual or group I think about the many choices we make every day that cost money. Paying closer attention to whether the item is a want or a need could be helpful as families in today’s world are challenged to make ends meet.So many news stories these days are centered on the difficulty families across the country are having that are related to money. From home foreclosures to longer than usual lines waiting for public assistance, it is easy to see that the effects of economic problems are everywhere you turn. The good news is K-State Research and Extension has many publications that can guide people through some hard times.	The “Does Your Money Have Wings?” worksheet has around 25 items listed that money could be spent on. Things like eating out, cell phone charges, snacks and soda, or magazine subscriptions are among the choices. After the participants mark the ones they use they determine how much money is spent each year for each item. Many times, I will hear a gasp from a participant. Then I know that the activity is working; raising their awareness about how money is being spent. My goal is to help participants see the amount of money that is spent on “extras” each year. I like to ask them about what needs they have in their life that they could use the money spent on “extras” for.	Feel free to call me or drop by the Extension office to pick up your copy of the worksheet. Some of the budgeting materials are available in Spanish as well. Other publications which are also helpful in the area of money management include a four-part series titled, “Making Ends Meet.” If you have children ages 3 – 14 the publication “Helping Children Learn to Manage Money” is well done. All of the publications I have listed are available free of charge. Get your year off to a great start by getting your spending under control.Donna Krug is the District Director and the Family &amp; Consumer 
Science Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. You may reach her 
at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

KRUG: Does your money have wings?

A nod to “1984” author George Orwell: We have met Big Brother and often, he is us.

The nation rightly remains outraged at the Jan. 6 riot that trashed the 
U.S. Capitol, threatened elected officials and resulted in five deaths. 
Pressure was on police to swiftly arrest those involved.

Each day brings new reports of federal authorities using what they 
say are social media photos, cellphone records and other data to 
identify members of the mob.

Orwell predicated his draconian vision on government’s installing a 
device in every home, watching, tracking and recording each life. In 
2021, we are the ones installing the devices, 24/7, and not just in 
homes but in pockets, purses and cars.

Combine this self-generating trove of online personal information 
with an ever-greater number of cameras in public and private spaces, the
 increasing forensic ability of facial-recognition software and the 
mushrooming presence of smart devices in our daily lives. We have every 
reason for new concerns about the potential chilling effect on free 
expression and our rights of assembly and petition.

In media reports, we’ve seen how easy it is for the FBI to identify a
 rioter within hours by taking the merest flash of cellphone photo, 
applying facial identification examination even to people wearing masks,
 then marrying that computer construct to earlier, less-obscured photos.
 In one case, authorities matched earlier photos taken in a Washington, 
D.C., hotel lobby with photos posted online from the Capitol and 
identified and arrested a suspect shown standing in the U.S. House 
chamber in full riot gear.

To be sure, we have tolerated, even encouraged, growing government 
surveillance methods and technology for many years, particularly in the 
wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, in the hope they will make 
us more safe.

By 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court was openly musing about the effects 
of pervasive high-tech government surveillance, even though the case at 
hand involved the <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/10-1259" target="_blank">somewhat low-tech use of a GPS monitor</a>.

At the time, Justice Sonia Sotomayor was concerned 
about a chill on “associational and expressive freedoms … (through) 
generating a precise, comprehensive record of a person’s public 
movements.” She also warned that “government can store such records and 
efficiently mine them for information years into the future.”

In 2019, in a case involving <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/585/16-402/" target="_blank">surveillance of a robbery suspect</a>, Chief Justice John Roberts
 observed that many people “compulsively carry cellphones with them all 
the time. A cellphone faithfully follows its owner beyond public 
thoroughfares and into private residences, doctor’s offices, political 
headquarters and other potentially revealing locales. … Accordingly, 
when the government tracks the location of a cellphone, it achieves 
near-perfect surveillance as if it had attached an ankle monitor to the 
phone’s user.”

In words foreshadowing today’s post-riot investigations, Roberts 
wrote, “the government can now travel back in time to retrace a person’s
 whereabouts … (and) because location information is continually logged 
for all of the (then) 400 million devices in the United States … police 
need not even know in advance whether they want to follow a particular 
individual, or when.”

Police should have ready access to effective tools in fighting 
terrorists and other criminals. As the widespread demand for swift 
justice for the insurrectionists who invaded the Capitol shows, many, if
 not most of us, applaud law enforcement’s use of high-tech tools.

History tells us that successful technology both endures and expands 
in scope and that freedoms lost are hard to restore. The early days of 
taps on phone wires has evolved into high-tech gadgets that use the 
vibration of windowpanes caused by speech to monitor conversations 
inside an office. Listening devices hidden inside walls designed to 
capture a simple conversation have morphed into government access to 
massive data dumps containing the details of millions of phone calls 
that can be analyzed to track separate calls worldwide.

Add in the digital trail we leave from cellphones and on social media
 and we hand the government an intimate self-portrait more complete that
 even our closest family members could draw.

We need to continually review safeguards on the government’s power to
 track our lives and to set limits when such surveillance is warranted —
 literally, by the courts. The most critical times for such alertness 
are in the aftermath of shocks to the nation’s psyche such as the 
disgraceful Capitol invasion.

What is the impact on those assembling peaceably to petition 
government for change when, via technology, we automatically create 
records of conversations and meetings and their exact times, dates and 
locations — potentially illustrated with photos and videos of 
participants?

We’re already seeing pushback because of flaws in both the technology
 and its application, ranging from gross misidentification to racial 
bias or worse: China is reportedly using facial recognition to track and
 arrest some racial minorities.

To be clear: Members of the mob that ransacked the Capitol should 
face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. But we all need to be
 wary of the law of unintended consequences, of unexamined recognition 
of the use of pervasive, all-seeing technology in the hands of those who
 would, willingly or unwittingly, chip away at our core First Amendment 
freedoms in the name of protecting them.

Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum. He can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593729871227.png" alt="Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute. " />
 <figcaption>Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute. </figcaption>
 </figure>A nod to “1984” author George Orwell: We have met Big Brother and often, he is us.The nation rightly remains outraged at the Jan. 6 riot that trashed the 
U.S. Capitol, threatened elected officials and resulted in five deaths. 
Pressure was on police to swiftly arrest those involved.Each day brings new reports of federal authorities using what they 
say are social media photos, cellphone records and other data to 
identify members of the mob.Orwell predicated his draconian vision on government’s installing a 
device in every home, watching, tracking and recording each life. In 
2021, we are the ones installing the devices, 24/7, and not just in 
homes but in pockets, purses and cars.Combine this self-generating trove of online personal information 
with an ever-greater number of cameras in public and private spaces, the
 increasing forensic ability of facial-recognition software and the 
mushrooming presence of smart devices in our daily lives. We have every 
reason for new concerns about the potential chilling effect on free 
expression and our rights of assembly and petition.In media reports, we’ve seen how easy it is for the FBI to identify a
 rioter within hours by taking the merest flash of cellphone photo, 
applying facial identification examination even to people wearing masks,
 then marrying that computer construct to earlier, less-obscured photos.
 In one case, authorities matched earlier photos taken in a Washington, 
D.C., hotel lobby with photos posted online from the Capitol and 
identified and arrested a suspect shown standing in the U.S. House 
chamber in full riot gear.To be sure, we have tolerated, even encouraged, growing government 
surveillance methods and technology for many years, particularly in the 
wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, in the hope they will make 
us more safe.By 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court was openly musing about the effects 
of pervasive high-tech government surveillance, even though the case at 
hand involved the <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/10-1259" target="_blank">somewhat low-tech use of a GPS monitor</a>.At the time, Justice Sonia Sotomayor was concerned 
about a chill on “associational and expressive freedoms … (through) 
generating a precise, comprehensive record of a person’s public 
movements.” She also warned that “government can store such records and 
efficiently mine them for information years into the future.”In 2019, in a case involving <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/585/16-402/" target="_blank">surveillance of a robbery suspect</a>, Chief Justice John Roberts
 observed that many people “compulsively carry cellphones with them all 
the time. A cellphone faithfully follows its owner beyond public 
thoroughfares and into private residences, doctor’s offices, political 
headquarters and other potentially revealing locales. … Accordingly, 
when the government tracks the location of a cellphone, it achieves 
near-perfect surveillance as if it had attached an ankle monitor to the 
phone’s user.”In words foreshadowing today’s post-riot investigations, Roberts 
wrote, “the government can now travel back in time to retrace a person’s
 whereabouts … (and) because location information is continually logged 
for all of the (then) 400 million devices in the United States … police 
need not even know in advance whether they want to follow a particular 
individual, or when.”Police should have ready access to effective tools in fighting 
terrorists and other criminals. As the widespread demand for swift 
justice for the insurrectionists who invaded the Capitol shows, many, if
 not most of us, applaud law enforcement’s use of high-tech tools.History tells us that successful technology both endures and expands 
in scope and that freedoms lost are hard to restore. The early days of 
taps on phone wires has evolved into high-tech gadgets that use the 
vibration of windowpanes caused by speech to monitor conversations 
inside an office. Listening devices hidden inside walls designed to 
capture a simple conversation have morphed into government access to 
massive data dumps containing the details of millions of phone calls 
that can be analyzed to track separate calls worldwide.Add in the digital trail we leave from cellphones and on social media
 and we hand the government an intimate self-portrait more complete that
 even our closest family members could draw.We need to continually review safeguards on the government’s power to
 track our lives and to set limits when such surveillance is warranted —
 literally, by the courts. The most critical times for such alertness 
are in the aftermath of shocks to the nation’s psyche such as the 
disgraceful Capitol invasion.What is the impact on those assembling peaceably to petition 
government for change when, via technology, we automatically create 
records of conversations and meetings and their exact times, dates and 
locations — potentially illustrated with photos and videos of 
participants?We’re already seeing pushback because of flaws in both the technology
 and its application, ranging from gross misidentification to racial 
bias or worse: China is reportedly using facial recognition to track and
 arrest some racial minorities.To be clear: Members of the mob that ransacked the Capitol should 
face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. But we all need to be
 wary of the law of unintended consequences, of unexamined recognition 
of the use of pervasive, all-seeing technology in the hands of those who
 would, willingly or unwittingly, chip away at our core First Amendment 
freedoms in the name of protecting them.Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum. He can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

FIRST FIVE: Cellphones, selfies — and Orwell

K-State Research and Extension along with Districts, Cottonwood, Golden Prairie, Midway, Phillips/Rooks, Post Rock and Walnut Creek, are hosting one of the annual KSU Winter Ranch Management seminars ONLINE, slated for January 28, starting at 6 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and will highlight several topics important to beef cattle producers.

This program will feature presentations and comments by K-State Research and Extension educators and faculty in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry to enhance management strategies employed by cow-calf producers.

The KSU extension team has a breadth of experience in beef cattle management, reproduction, genetics, animal health and nutrition and we’re here to help solve and prevent production problems with reliable information.

Planned topics of discussion include Bull management considerations, Explanation of the Management Minder tool, Cow and replacement heifer nutrition programs for a successful breeding season along with Vaccine and storage management. The meetings will also feature a “town hall” style question-and-answer session between Kansas cattle producers and extension specialists. To register send an email to bwalton@ksu.edu or aboor@ksu.edu and then an email will be sent to you with the “link” for the ONLINE sessions.

For more information about this Winter Ranch Management Seminar, contact any of the K-State Research and Extension Districts listed above or go to KSUBeef.org.

Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141354634.png" alt="Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>K-State Research and Extension along with Districts, Cottonwood, Golden Prairie, Midway, Phillips/Rooks, Post Rock and Walnut Creek, are hosting one of the annual KSU Winter Ranch Management seminars ONLINE, slated for January 28, starting at 6 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and will highlight several topics important to beef cattle producers.This program will feature presentations and comments by K-State Research and Extension educators and faculty in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry to enhance management strategies employed by cow-calf producers.The KSU extension team has a breadth of experience in beef cattle management, reproduction, genetics, animal health and nutrition and we’re here to help solve and prevent production problems with reliable information.Planned topics of discussion include Bull management considerations, Explanation of the Management Minder tool, Cow and replacement heifer nutrition programs for a successful breeding season along with Vaccine and storage management. The meetings will also feature a “town hall” style question-and-answer session between Kansas cattle producers and extension specialists. To register send an email to bwalton@ksu.edu or aboor@ksu.edu and then an email will be sent to you with the “link” for the ONLINE sessions.For more information about this Winter Ranch Management Seminar, contact any of the K-State Research and Extension Districts listed above or go to KSUBeef.org.Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910

BOOR: Winter Ranch Management seminars are this month

Many in the politics industry profit from claiming that fraud and illegality plague our elections. Some probably think that they can push that false narrative with no consequences, at least for themselves. If the tactic works and their audience believes it, then why stop?&nbsp;

Undermining the legitimacy of our elections indeed has consequences. Typically, it “just” further alienates an already distrusting public from their government, and disrespects election officials—your neighbors—who serve honorably.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But January 2021 raised the stakes. A lie about a stolen election caused a pro-Trump mob to attack the US Capitol. Some shouted for the Vice President to be hanged. Their riot left six dead, including two police officers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Elections shouldn’t have death tolls. Many Americans now fear that distrust of our elections is birthing a new era of election-related violence.&nbsp;

Here is reality: American elections are generally free, fair, and legal. We do not have a problem with widespread fraud that alters election outcomes. Our state and local election officials are largely honest and professional public servants.&nbsp;

Yes, our process could be fairer. Partisan gerrymandering, for example, diminishes the value of your vote. And some rules arguably make voting harder for citizens.&nbsp;

Yes, our process is too partisan. Many in politics do not prioritize maximizing citizen access to the ballot as a non-partisan goal.&nbsp;

Yes, our process is also imperfect. Some small error naturally exists—thus, recounts. Some small amount of fraud exists—thus, prosecutors. Election law isn’t always clear—thus, courts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But imperfect doesn’t equal illegitimate. And we can fairly debate election reform without delegitimizing the process.&nbsp;

Once the rules are set, our elections generally works well. I know many won’t want to believe that.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Most Americans are understandably cynical about politics. That cynicism tempts us to believe that government can only fail or victimize us.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Many in the politics industry—politicians, party officials, activist groups, ideological media—exploit that cynicism to cast doubt on election integrity.&nbsp;

Why? It’s a good schtick. It can advance policy goals. It can be profitable. We see it in Kansas.&nbsp;

Former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach got famous partly on his voter fraud claims, but couldn’t find much of it when he had the actual power to uncover it.&nbsp;

Certain progressive voices in Kansas political social media have validated false allegations that party and election officials fix primary elections against progressives.&nbsp;

The Kansas attorney general recently joined a failed Texas lawsuit that claimed certain states had illegally conducted their elections. That case could have overturned the presidential election. But strategically, it also would have helped conservative efforts nationwide to limit local control over election administration and centralize that power in more conservative state governments.&nbsp;

The conservative Judicial Watch falsely claimed that Johnson County had more registered than eligible voters in 2020. Attacking the integrity of the mostly Republican officials who oversee Kansas elections got them the national attention they sought from politicians and ideological media who also profited from that falsehood.&nbsp;

Different political goals, same core argument that delegitimizes elections.&nbsp;

Trusting government is hard, especially when trust means accepting election losses. But we should give our election officials the trust and credit they deserve. And we must reject the myths of systematic election fraud, rampant conspiracies, and fundamental illegality. The stability and peace of our democracy depend on it.&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575644168170.png" alt="Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>Many in the politics industry profit from claiming that fraud and illegality plague our elections. Some probably think that they can push that false narrative with no consequences, at least for themselves. If the tactic works and their audience believes it, then why stop?&nbsp;Undermining the legitimacy of our elections indeed has consequences. Typically, it “just” further alienates an already distrusting public from their government, and disrespects election officials—your neighbors—who serve honorably.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>But January 2021 raised the stakes. A lie about a stolen election caused a pro-Trump mob to attack the US Capitol. Some shouted for the Vice President to be hanged. Their riot left six dead, including two police officers.&nbsp;&nbsp;Elections shouldn’t have death tolls. Many Americans now fear that distrust of our elections is birthing a new era of election-related violence.&nbsp;Here is reality: American elections are generally free, fair, and legal. We do not have a problem with widespread fraud that alters election outcomes. Our state and local election officials are largely honest and professional public servants.&nbsp;Yes, our process could be fairer. Partisan gerrymandering, for example, diminishes the value of your vote. And some rules arguably make voting harder for citizens.&nbsp;Yes, our process is too partisan. Many in politics do not prioritize maximizing citizen access to the ballot as a non-partisan goal.&nbsp;Yes, our process is also imperfect. Some small error naturally exists—thus, recounts. Some small amount of fraud exists—thus, prosecutors. Election law isn’t always clear—thus, courts.&nbsp;&nbsp;But imperfect doesn’t equal illegitimate. And we can fairly debate election reform without delegitimizing the process.&nbsp;Once the rules are set, our elections generally works well. I know many won’t want to believe that.&nbsp;&nbsp;Most Americans are understandably cynical about politics. That cynicism tempts us to believe that government can only fail or victimize us.&nbsp;&nbsp;Many in the politics industry—politicians, party officials, activist groups, ideological media—exploit that cynicism to cast doubt on election integrity.&nbsp;Why? It’s a good schtick. It can advance policy goals. It can be profitable. We see it in Kansas.&nbsp;Former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach got famous partly on his voter fraud claims, but couldn’t find much of it when he had the actual power to uncover it.&nbsp;Certain progressive voices in Kansas political social media have validated false allegations that party and election officials fix primary elections against progressives.&nbsp;The Kansas attorney general recently joined a failed Texas lawsuit that claimed certain states had illegally conducted their elections. That case could have overturned the presidential election. But strategically, it also would have helped conservative efforts nationwide to limit local control over election administration and centralize that power in more conservative state governments.&nbsp;The conservative Judicial Watch falsely claimed that Johnson County had more registered than eligible voters in 2020. Attacking the integrity of the mostly Republican officials who oversee Kansas elections got them the national attention they sought from politicians and ideological media who also profited from that falsehood.&nbsp;Different political goals, same core argument that delegitimizes elections.&nbsp;Trusting government is hard, especially when trust means accepting election losses. But we should give our election officials the trust and credit they deserve. And we must reject the myths of systematic election fraud, rampant conspiracies, and fundamental illegality. The stability and peace of our democracy depend on it.&nbsp;Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.

INSIGHT KANSAS: The danger of cynically distrusting elections 

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

“Every business can use a skid steer.” That statement refers to the skid steer loader, which can be used for moving pallets, receiving deliveries, relocating products, and hundreds of outdoor tasks. Today we’ll meet a young Kansas family which has built a business in marketing these skid steers from rural Kansas.&nbsp;

Jon and Jenny Stillwell are the owners of Stillwell Sales, a company that specializes in used skid steers. Jon and Jenny have rural roots. He is from Scottsville, and she is from Hunter. “We met at the Mitchell County Fair,” Jon said.&nbsp;

Both went to K-State. Jon got a degree in biology and Jenny got hers in education. At the time, Ebay was starting to grow in popularity. Jon tried using Ebay to sell some used equipment he had picked up at an auction. It went very well.&nbsp;

He found that buying secondhand equipment for resale was a good strategy. “A lot of it was good, store-returned merchandise,” Jon said. “You could buy those by the truckload.”&nbsp;

Jon and Jenny married and returned home to Mitchell County. Jenny took a teaching position in Beloit. Jon established Stillwell Sales as his business in his hometown of Scottsville.&nbsp;

“We were selling several hundred items a month on Ebay,” Jon said. “I bought a skid steer and found out that they were a hot item.”&nbsp;

He decided to try to sell a skid steer online, and it turned out to be a sweet spot for the business. Skid steers are popular because they have so many uses in construction, agriculture, or everyday work.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Every business can use a skid steer,” Jon said.&nbsp;

Today, Stillwell Sales specializes in&nbsp;quality used skid steers, new trailers, used tractors, telehandlers, mini-excavators, wheel loaders, and much more related equipment.&nbsp;No longer using Ebay, Stillwell Sales primarily sells its products directly. Stillwell Sales advertises on websites such as&nbsp;<a href="x-webdoc://64DFB812-65CF-4029-8E00-9A5A8B64258A/machinerytrader.com">machinerytrader.com</a>&nbsp;and<a href="x-webdoc://64DFB812-65CF-4029-8E00-9A5A8B64258A/tractorhouse.com">tractorhouse.com</a>, and also provides equipment repair.&nbsp;

When the business grew to the point that it needed a full-time person to do paperwork and run the website, Jenny left her teaching position and joined the business full-time.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Most of our business is skid steers,” Jon said. “There are hundreds of attachments for them.”&nbsp;

The days of Jon scouring old equipment auctions are gone. “People are coming to us (with their used equipment),” Jon said. “Jon has developed quite a network of people,” Jenny said.&nbsp;

“The big dealers want to sell new or like new equipment,” Jon said. “When they take in a used piece of equipment in trade, they contact me and I make them an offer.” Because his business is not brand-specific, he can work with all kinds of products. New equipment prices have gone through the roof, so Jon’s used equipment offers excellent value. This business model has worked extremely well.&nbsp;

“We’ve sold product to almost every state,” Jon said. The aforementioned website is very important. “When we started our business, we had dial-up (Internet access). It was very slow because it takes a lot of bandwidth to post all these pictures of these pieces of equipment.”&nbsp;

Cunningham Telephone, the local rural telephone company, installed fiber optic cable 10 years ago. This enabled a boom in online viewing of their products by customers.&nbsp;

Stillwell Sales has increased its facilities as well. “We now have two shops and a large storage shed for our inventory,” Jon said. “We bought the old bank building, which has become our office and we’ve purchased and cleaned up two more lots to display our equipment.”&nbsp;

This is a very positive development for a rural community such as Scottsville, population 25 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural. “There are several young families that have moved back here,” Jon said.&nbsp;

Scottsville is situated between Beloit and Concordia. “I tell people, it is paved road all the way here,” Jenny said. For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stillwellsales.com/">www.stillwellsales.com</a>.&nbsp;

We salute Jon and Jenny Stillwell of Stillwell Sales for making a difference with their entrepreneurial spirit. Every business can use a skid steer, and now the skid steer has helped build a successful business.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611151408657.png" alt="Jenny and Jon Stillwell" />
 <figcaption>Jenny and Jon Stillwell</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development“Every business can use a skid steer.” That statement refers to the skid steer loader, which can be used for moving pallets, receiving deliveries, relocating products, and hundreds of outdoor tasks. Today we’ll meet a young Kansas family which has built a business in marketing these skid steers from rural Kansas.&nbsp;Jon and Jenny Stillwell are the owners of Stillwell Sales, a company that specializes in used skid steers. Jon and Jenny have rural roots. He is from Scottsville, and she is from Hunter. “We met at the Mitchell County Fair,” Jon said.&nbsp;Both went to K-State. Jon got a degree in biology and Jenny got hers in education. At the time, Ebay was starting to grow in popularity. Jon tried using Ebay to sell some used equipment he had picked up at an auction. It went very well.&nbsp;He found that buying secondhand equipment for resale was a good strategy. “A lot of it was good, store-returned merchandise,” Jon said. “You could buy those by the truckload.”&nbsp;Jon and Jenny married and returned home to Mitchell County. Jenny took a teaching position in Beloit. Jon established Stillwell Sales as his business in his hometown of Scottsville.&nbsp;“We were selling several hundred items a month on Ebay,” Jon said. “I bought a skid steer and found out that they were a hot item.”&nbsp;He decided to try to sell a skid steer online, and it turned out to be a sweet spot for the business. Skid steers are popular because they have so many uses in construction, agriculture, or everyday work.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Every business can use a skid steer,” Jon said.&nbsp;Today, Stillwell Sales specializes in&nbsp;quality used skid steers, new trailers, used tractors, telehandlers, mini-excavators, wheel loaders, and much more related equipment.&nbsp;No longer using Ebay, Stillwell Sales primarily sells its products directly. Stillwell Sales advertises on websites such as&nbsp;<a href="x-webdoc://64DFB812-65CF-4029-8E00-9A5A8B64258A/machinerytrader.com">machinerytrader.com</a>&nbsp;and<a href="x-webdoc://64DFB812-65CF-4029-8E00-9A5A8B64258A/tractorhouse.com">tractorhouse.com</a>, and also provides equipment repair.&nbsp;When the business grew to the point that it needed a full-time person to do paperwork and run the website, Jenny left her teaching position and joined the business full-time.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Most of our business is skid steers,” Jon said. “There are hundreds of attachments for them.”&nbsp;The days of Jon scouring old equipment auctions are gone. “People are coming to us (with their used equipment),” Jon said. “Jon has developed quite a network of people,” Jenny said.&nbsp;“The big dealers want to sell new or like new equipment,” Jon said. “When they take in a used piece of equipment in trade, they contact me and I make them an offer.” Because his business is not brand-specific, he can work with all kinds of products. New equipment prices have gone through the roof, so Jon’s used equipment offers excellent value. This business model has worked extremely well.&nbsp;“We’ve sold product to almost every state,” Jon said. The aforementioned website is very important. “When we started our business, we had dial-up (Internet access). It was very slow because it takes a lot of bandwidth to post all these pictures of these pieces of equipment.”&nbsp;Cunningham Telephone, the local rural telephone company, installed fiber optic cable 10 years ago. This enabled a boom in online viewing of their products by customers.&nbsp;Stillwell Sales has increased its facilities as well. “We now have two shops and a large storage shed for our inventory,” Jon said. “We bought the old bank building, which has become our office and we’ve purchased and cleaned up two more lots to display our equipment.”&nbsp;This is a very positive development for a rural community such as Scottsville, population 25 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural. “There are several young families that have moved back here,” Jon said.&nbsp;Scottsville is situated between Beloit and Concordia. “I tell people, it is paved road all the way here,” Jenny said. For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stillwellsales.com/">www.stillwellsales.com</a>.&nbsp;We salute Jon and Jenny Stillwell of Stillwell Sales for making a difference with their entrepreneurial spirit. Every business can use a skid steer, and now the skid steer has helped build a successful business.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600566316666.jpeg" alt="Ron Wilson" />
 <figcaption>Ron Wilson</figcaption>
 </figure>

Now That’s Rural: Jon and Jenny Stillwell, Stillwell Sales   

Miniature roses are dwarf versions of roses including the classic hybrid teas. Though they are much smaller (12 to15 inches tall or less), they are surprisingly tough and can be planted outside where they will survive our Kansas winters if mulched. However, many gardeners like to grow the miniatures indoors where they can enjoy them during the drab winter months. Miniature roses grown as houseplants have specific requirements. For long-lasting flowers, air should be moist with a relative humidity of 50 to 60 percent preferred though 40 percent is adequate. Placing the pots on a tray that holds moist pebbles will help provide the humidity needed.Like most plants, roses need a lot of light to flower. Though miniature roses will survive in a south window, many people will supplement available light with fluorescent lamps. Timers can be used to automatically turn the lights on and off. Providing 14 hours of light per day will be plenty for roses to grow and flower. Lights are normally spaced 3 to 4 inches above the tops of the plants.

The most serious pest of these plants indoors is spider mites. These mites are very small but can devastate miniature roses. They like dry, warm conditions. Maintaining adequate relative humidity levels and washing the plants once a week in tepid water will help prevent problems. If mites do develop, try using an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil (2 percent rate) for control. The horticultural oil will be more effective than the soap. Be sure to spray or wash the entire plant including the underside of the leaves so that all mites are contacted.

Miniature roses can be placed outdoors during the summer to take advantage of higher light levels. Do not place the plant in the full sun immediately but gradually grant less light over a period of several weeks. Pots sunk in the ground will not need to be watered as often as those exposed. Turn the pot 180 degrees every couple of weeks to break off any roots that escape the pot and move into the underlying soil.&nbsp;

Miniature roses are not the easiest plants to grow as houseplants but can be well worth the effort required. Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580750915301.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Miniature roses are dwarf versions of roses including the classic hybrid teas. Though they are much smaller (12 to15 inches tall or less), they are surprisingly tough and can be planted outside where they will survive our Kansas winters if mulched. However, many gardeners like to grow the miniatures indoors where they can enjoy them during the drab winter months. Miniature roses grown as houseplants have specific requirements. For long-lasting flowers, air should be moist with a relative humidity of 50 to 60 percent preferred though 40 percent is adequate. Placing the pots on a tray that holds moist pebbles will help provide the humidity needed.Like most plants, roses need a lot of light to flower. Though miniature roses will survive in a south window, many people will supplement available light with fluorescent lamps. Timers can be used to automatically turn the lights on and off. Providing 14 hours of light per day will be plenty for roses to grow and flower. Lights are normally spaced 3 to 4 inches above the tops of the plants.The most serious pest of these plants indoors is spider mites. These mites are very small but can devastate miniature roses. They like dry, warm conditions. Maintaining adequate relative humidity levels and washing the plants once a week in tepid water will help prevent problems. If mites do develop, try using an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil (2 percent rate) for control. The horticultural oil will be more effective than the soap. Be sure to spray or wash the entire plant including the underside of the leaves so that all mites are contacted.Miniature roses can be placed outdoors during the summer to take advantage of higher light levels. Do not place the plant in the full sun immediately but gradually grant less light over a period of several weeks. Pots sunk in the ground will not need to be watered as often as those exposed. Turn the pot 180 degrees every couple of weeks to break off any roots that escape the pot and move into the underlying soil.&nbsp;Miniature roses are not the easiest plants to grow as houseplants but can be well worth the effort required. Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

FICK: Miniature roses

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher

We just completed the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) 102nd Convention, virtually. It went as well as it could have, there were a few things that were a little wonky. By the way, wonky is my new favorite pandemic word and really is a good descriptor of most of what has happened because of the pandemic. But I digress, the annual meeting and convention was different, but it did bring a certain amount of normalcy in a time that is anything but normal.

It was good to hear debate on issues surfaced by our members from across the United States. I find these debates fascinating. I know, I am weird that way but often I learn about issues facing different regions I did not know about before. I also find out different regions can view the same issue very differently, and they may even be on opposite sides of the same issue. It can lead to a lot of debate and discussion, but that is what makes Farm Bureau so great.

I have heard Farm Bureau described as a “big tent” organization, and I think that is a great way to describe our organization. It would be my wish that all of you could attend an AFBF convention so you could get a taste of all the types of ag, viewpoints and opinions we represent. Every commodity and method of production have a place at the table.  All the policy in our book comes from grassroots members in counties in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Every piece of policy we have at the state or national level started in a county board meeting somewhere, and that is something to be proud of.

That is why I say listening to the debate and discussion from the business meeting made things seem just a little more normal. I must say my seat was more comfortable, the coffee was much better and cheaper but watching it all, by myself was not right and is something I hope we never do again. However, I could imagine myself back in that crowded convention room listening to the meeting, and that’s a good thing.

We are an organization that thrives on relationships, and I miss the conversations we did not have at our usual meetings. We have a lot of catching up to do when this is all over and we return to normal.

Virtually is not how we like or prefer to get our work done, but as all of us in agriculture know, the work must be done. I am proud of the way that we adapted and overcame the challenges this pandemic threw our way; I think we made the best out of a bad situation, and I applaud all who made it happen. It was not easy or natural, but we pulled it off.  Until we beat this virus, and I know we will, we will have to embrace the new virtual normal even if it is a bit wonky.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576508626397.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher We just completed the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) 102nd Convention, virtually. It went as well as it could have, there were a few things that were a little wonky. By the way, wonky is my new favorite pandemic word and really is a good descriptor of most of what has happened because of the pandemic. But I digress, the annual meeting and convention was different, but it did bring a certain amount of normalcy in a time that is anything but normal.It was good to hear debate on issues surfaced by our members from across the United States. I find these debates fascinating. I know, I am weird that way but often I learn about issues facing different regions I did not know about before. I also find out different regions can view the same issue very differently, and they may even be on opposite sides of the same issue. It can lead to a lot of debate and discussion, but that is what makes Farm Bureau so great.I have heard Farm Bureau described as a “big tent” organization, and I think that is a great way to describe our organization. It would be my wish that all of you could attend an AFBF convention so you could get a taste of all the types of ag, viewpoints and opinions we represent. Every commodity and method of production have a place at the table. All the policy in our book comes from grassroots members in counties in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Every piece of policy we have at the state or national level started in a county board meeting somewhere, and that is something to be proud of.That is why I say listening to the debate and discussion from the business meeting made things seem just a little more normal. I must say my seat was more comfortable, the coffee was much better and cheaper but watching it all, by myself was not right and is something I hope we never do again. However, I could imagine myself back in that crowded convention room listening to the meeting, and that’s a good thing.We are an organization that thrives on relationships, and I miss the conversations we did not have at our usual meetings. We have a lot of catching up to do when this is all over and we return to normal.Virtually is not how we like or prefer to get our work done, but as all of us in agriculture know, the work must be done. I am proud of the way that we adapted and overcame the challenges this pandemic threw our way; I think we made the best out of a bad situation, and I applaud all who made it happen. It was not easy or natural, but we pulled it off. Until we beat this virus, and I know we will, we will have to embrace the new virtual normal even if it is a bit wonky."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Inside the 'big tent'

Recently my wife and I ventured to Wichita so that we could spend some time with our two grandchildren. Max is new to the being a grandchild scene, having only been born in May. Alex, on the other hand, is three and really has this “being a grandson” role down to an art. He is also growing up and is being potty trained.&nbsp; That means he wears “big boy” underwear (but still is wearing pants that are roomy enough for Pull Ups – kind of like a diaper). &nbsp;

On this particular day, Alex spent most of his time with Barb and I. We took him everywhere, including the zoo, shopping, playground, and lunch. He was so good, and always appropriately and timely asked to use the restroom. &nbsp;

About 3:00 pm we decided to head home (I don’t know if it was because he was tired or we were tired!). As a celebration of a great day, we stopped for takeout ice cream. I gave Alex his ice cream cone while he was sitting in his car seat. By the time we got to his parent’s home, a portion of the ice cream had melted, covering Alex’s hands and arms. I carefully lifted him out of the car seat, keeping my distance from the ice cream mess. I stood Alex on the ground. He took a step or two, and his too big pants fell down to his ankles. &nbsp;

Alex looked down to his pants around his ankles, then he looked at the ice cream cone in his hands, and finally to me. He then repeated that process. &nbsp;

I could tell he was trying to figure out what to do, and if, perhaps, I had a solution.&nbsp; How could he keep his ice cream cone and his dignity? What was most important?

I thought about that experience with Alex for several weeks. I know there is a lesson there, if not several lessons.

Here’s one: It is okay to ask for help so you can keep what is precious to you. &nbsp;

Too many times people have something special, but they don’t know how to protect it. It could be a business, farm, savings—but even more fundamentally, to stay independent and to stay at home.

But they are afraid to ask for help. And things work until they don’t. &nbsp;

I think one of the best parts about what I get to do is helping families decide what is really important to them, and then showing them how we can protect and keep it. &nbsp;

Let me go back to Alex. What did he do with the ice cream cone? After looking the situation over a couple of times, he decided to just keep on walking with his pants around his ankles and eating his ice cream cone. My wife and I could have helped, but we were laughing too hard.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help to keep your ice cream cone. You can have your ice cream and dignity both! &nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578498921842.png" alt="Randy Clinkscales" />
 <figcaption>Randy Clinkscales</figcaption>
 </figure>Recently my wife and I ventured to Wichita so that we could spend some time with our two grandchildren. Max is new to the being a grandchild scene, having only been born in May. Alex, on the other hand, is three and really has this “being a grandson” role down to an art. He is also growing up and is being potty trained.&nbsp; That means he wears “big boy” underwear (but still is wearing pants that are roomy enough for Pull Ups – kind of like a diaper). &nbsp;On this particular day, Alex spent most of his time with Barb and I. We took him everywhere, including the zoo, shopping, playground, and lunch. He was so good, and always appropriately and timely asked to use the restroom. &nbsp;About 3:00 pm we decided to head home (I don’t know if it was because he was tired or we were tired!). As a celebration of a great day, we stopped for takeout ice cream. I gave Alex his ice cream cone while he was sitting in his car seat. By the time we got to his parent’s home, a portion of the ice cream had melted, covering Alex’s hands and arms. I carefully lifted him out of the car seat, keeping my distance from the ice cream mess. I stood Alex on the ground. He took a step or two, and his too big pants fell down to his ankles. &nbsp;Alex looked down to his pants around his ankles, then he looked at the ice cream cone in his hands, and finally to me. He then repeated that process. &nbsp;I could tell he was trying to figure out what to do, and if, perhaps, I had a solution.&nbsp; How could he keep his ice cream cone and his dignity? What was most important?I thought about that experience with Alex for several weeks. I know there is a lesson there, if not several lessons.Here’s one: It is okay to ask for help so you can keep what is precious to you. &nbsp;Too many times people have something special, but they don’t know how to protect it. It could be a business, farm, savings—but even more fundamentally, to stay independent and to stay at home.But they are afraid to ask for help. And things work until they don’t. &nbsp;I think one of the best parts about what I get to do is helping families decide what is really important to them, and then showing them how we can protect and keep it. &nbsp;Let me go back to Alex. What did he do with the ice cream cone? After looking the situation over a couple of times, he decided to just keep on walking with his pants around his ankles and eating his ice cream cone. My wife and I could have helped, but we were laughing too hard.Don’t be afraid to ask for help to keep your ice cream cone. You can have your ice cream and dignity both! &nbsp;Randy Clinkscales of Clinkscales Elder Law Practice, PA, Hays, 
Kansas, is an elder care attorney, practicing in western Kansas. To 
contact him, please send an email to randy@clinkscaleslaw.com. 
Disclaimer: The information in the column is for general information 
purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is different 
and outcomes depend on the fact of each case and the then applicable 
law. For specific questions, you should contact a qualified attorney.

CLINKSCALES: Tough choice

For those readers that follow my column, its no secret by now that I love raptors, and as far as I’m concerned, Kansas may be the premier location to see winter hawks. Besides an influx of Red Tail hawks which are common to Kansas year-round, we get Northern Harriers, Swainson hawks on their way to Argentina for the winter, Rough-Legged hawks on their way from Canada to the western US, and Ferruginous hawks on their way to the southern US and Florida.

I first met Tommy Kinch at the now-defunct McPherson Scottish festival years ago where the Kansas Hawking Club had a booth featuring members and their birds. At that time Tommy had just caught a young Red Tail Hawk and named it “Red.” The next winter Tommy invited Joyce and I to hunt with some of the club members and their birds where we got to observe Red catch his first rabbit under Tommy’s handling. The following summer Red died in an unfortunate freak accident, leaving Tommy without a hawk. Now, I seem to have a nose for a good adventure, so that fall I sort of invited myself along to help Tommy trap another, which his falconry license and a current Kansas hunting license allow him to do.&nbsp;

We met Tommy at El Dorado, KS and left to drive the backroads searching for roosted hawks. The standard procedure used by falconers to accomplish this is to place some sort of live bait in a cage of some description which is covered outside with slip-knot nooses made of fish line. The trap is dropped near a hawk found sitting along the road, and if and when the bird tries to get at the bait, it becomes entangled and can be captured. The traps Tommy made and used back then employed a square 2 x 12 piece of lumber with the corners mitered off. A hole was cut through the board and rigged with a latching door. For the cage he used a kitchen strainer with the handle removed and fastened it upside down onto the piece of lumber. As many fishing lines nooses as possible were fastened to the outside of the strainer. He rigged a plastic bucket as a cage to carry gerbils for the bait. Before we left, two gerbils were put into the trap and I rode shotgun with the trap on my lap, ready to slip it out the door near any resting hawks we could find. (A hawk cannot actually get through the wire to the bait inside, so no gerbils were harmed in this adventure or the writing of this story!)

	We drove the most secluded roads we could find, concentrating on those providing the best perches in the form of hedge rows or power poles. We found several red tails and slowed to drop the trap only to have them spook and fly immediately. We were heading back to town for lunch, when to our right sat a hawk on a pole high above an oil well pump just off the road. The situation was perfect! An open lane turned into the field directly across from the pump, giving the bird an easy view of the trap as I opened the pickup door and dropped it. We hurried up the road and turned around at a spot where we could see the hawk well, but the trap was not visible. Before we could even reach for binoculars or decide on a better vantage point, the hawk dove from its perch and disappeared into the grass. As I sat mesmerized by what I’d just seen, the grass in the lane came alive as the hawk flopped, desperately trying to free itself from the nooses on the trap which obviously had it ensnared. We watched impatiently for several minutes, when just as suddenly as it had plummeted toward the trap, the hawk rose from the ground and flew into the trees across the road. We sat there stunned, wondering if what we had seen had really happened! A second red tail landed on a pole just above the trap, and we waited in silence for one or both to dive again for what certainly looked like an easy lunch. Ten minutes passed with no further interest from either hawk, so when both birds finally flew, we hurried back to investigate. When the trap came into view, the problem became apparent; there in the grass lay the trap upside down, evidently flipped over by the first hawk in its struggle to escape. In that position, not only were our two brave little gerbils barely visible from above, but the nooses were rendered useless even if the hawks had persisted. After lunch we tried again, but no hawk that day.&nbsp;

Today, Tommy builds a different style of hawk trap known as a BC Trap (short for Bal-Chatri Noose trap) and sells them on the website <a href="http://www.hawktraps.com">www.hawktraps.com</a>. These are built differently than the trap we used that day, but still use fishline nooses to ensnare the birds by the foot. The only winners that Saturday some years ago were the 2 little gerbils, but hey, whether the quarry is a hawk or a coyote, that’s trappin’.&nbsp; Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>For those readers that follow my column, its no secret by now that I love raptors, and as far as I’m concerned, Kansas may be the premier location to see winter hawks. Besides an influx of Red Tail hawks which are common to Kansas year-round, we get Northern Harriers, Swainson hawks on their way to Argentina for the winter, Rough-Legged hawks on their way from Canada to the western US, and Ferruginous hawks on their way to the southern US and Florida.I first met Tommy Kinch at the now-defunct McPherson Scottish festival years ago where the Kansas Hawking Club had a booth featuring members and their birds. At that time Tommy had just caught a young Red Tail Hawk and named it “Red.” The next winter Tommy invited Joyce and I to hunt with some of the club members and their birds where we got to observe Red catch his first rabbit under Tommy’s handling. The following summer Red died in an unfortunate freak accident, leaving Tommy without a hawk. Now, I seem to have a nose for a good adventure, so that fall I sort of invited myself along to help Tommy trap another, which his falconry license and a current Kansas hunting license allow him to do.&nbsp;We met Tommy at El Dorado, KS and left to drive the backroads searching for roosted hawks. The standard procedure used by falconers to accomplish this is to place some sort of live bait in a cage of some description which is covered outside with slip-knot nooses made of fish line. The trap is dropped near a hawk found sitting along the road, and if and when the bird tries to get at the bait, it becomes entangled and can be captured. The traps Tommy made and used back then employed a square 2 x 12 piece of lumber with the corners mitered off. A hole was cut through the board and rigged with a latching door. For the cage he used a kitchen strainer with the handle removed and fastened it upside down onto the piece of lumber. As many fishing lines nooses as possible were fastened to the outside of the strainer. He rigged a plastic bucket as a cage to carry gerbils for the bait. Before we left, two gerbils were put into the trap and I rode shotgun with the trap on my lap, ready to slip it out the door near any resting hawks we could find. (A hawk cannot actually get through the wire to the bait inside, so no gerbils were harmed in this adventure or the writing of this story!)	We drove the most secluded roads we could find, concentrating on those providing the best perches in the form of hedge rows or power poles. We found several red tails and slowed to drop the trap only to have them spook and fly immediately. We were heading back to town for lunch, when to our right sat a hawk on a pole high above an oil well pump just off the road. The situation was perfect! An open lane turned into the field directly across from the pump, giving the bird an easy view of the trap as I opened the pickup door and dropped it. We hurried up the road and turned around at a spot where we could see the hawk well, but the trap was not visible. Before we could even reach for binoculars or decide on a better vantage point, the hawk dove from its perch and disappeared into the grass. As I sat mesmerized by what I’d just seen, the grass in the lane came alive as the hawk flopped, desperately trying to free itself from the nooses on the trap which obviously had it ensnared. We watched impatiently for several minutes, when just as suddenly as it had plummeted toward the trap, the hawk rose from the ground and flew into the trees across the road. We sat there stunned, wondering if what we had seen had really happened! A second red tail landed on a pole just above the trap, and we waited in silence for one or both to dive again for what certainly looked like an easy lunch. Ten minutes passed with no further interest from either hawk, so when both birds finally flew, we hurried back to investigate. When the trap came into view, the problem became apparent; there in the grass lay the trap upside down, evidently flipped over by the first hawk in its struggle to escape. In that position, not only were our two brave little gerbils barely visible from above, but the nooses were rendered useless even if the hawks had persisted. After lunch we tried again, but no hawk that day.&nbsp;Today, Tommy builds a different style of hawk trap known as a BC Trap (short for Bal-Chatri Noose trap) and sells them on the website <a href="http://www.hawktraps.com">www.hawktraps.com</a>. These are built differently than the trap we used that day, but still use fishline nooses to ensnare the birds by the foot. The only winners that Saturday some years ago were the 2 little gerbils, but hey, whether the quarry is a hawk or a coyote, that’s trappin’.&nbsp; Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: The trap, the hawk and the gerbils

Oil prices remain at eleven-month highs. Crude futures were slightly lower by midday Monday, with the benchmark Nymex contract going for $52.22 per barrel.&nbsp; WTI has settled above $52 per barrel for the last week or so, topping $53 twice during that period. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $42.50 per barrel, unchanged from a week ago and four dollars higher than at the first of the year. Baker Hughes reports a big increase in its weekly Rotary Rig Count. There are 373 active rigs across the U.S., an increase of 12 oil rigs and one gas rig. The count in Texas was up eight, while Louisiana was up four rigs. Canada reported 161 active rigs, up 44 rigs for the week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports five active rigs in eastern Kansas, which is up two for the week, and eight in the western half of the state, which is down two. Kansas regulators approved ten new drilling permits last week, ten in the eastern half of the state, and two in Western Kansas. There are 18 new drilling permits across the state so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 15 newly completed wells last week, eleven in eastern Kansas and four west of Wichita. That's 21 completions so far this year. The government reported a sizable drawdown in U.S. crude oil supplies. For the week ending January 8, the Energy Information Administration reports total stockpiles of 482.2 million barrels, down more than three million barrels on the week. EIA says inventories are about eight percent above the five-year seasonal average. U.S. crude-oil production dropped slightly according to the latest weekly numbers from the government. The Energy Information Administration says weekly output through January 8th dropped by 103,000 barrels per day, but remain above eleven million barrels per day. Imports were up by nearly a million barrels per day to 6.2 million. Over the past four weeks, crude imports averaged nearly 15% less than the same four-week period last year. Crude storage usage at Cushing ticked up slightly for the week ending January 1st.&nbsp; EIA reports the Oklahoma storage facilities are now at 75% of capacity. The nation’s highest court will address the controversial Renewable Fuels Standard of the Clean Air Act, which requires the use of renewable fuels at refineries.&nbsp; At issue are the waiver extensions granted to small refineries in Oklahoma, Wyoming and Utah that have now been rejected by a federal appeals court. The U.S. Supreme Court will review the appeals court ruling. The State of New Mexico is getting better at its energy audits. The State Land Office reported its 2020 audits of oil and gas royalty collections turned up an additional $2.3 million. The agency said that's a nearly 48% increase over the previous year and a 120% increase over what was recouped in 2018. About 85% of all royalty revenue collected by the land management agency is audited every five years. Money generated by business on state trust land is deposited into the Land Grant Permanent Fund, which is then invested by the State Investment Council. The funds help to support public schools and other beneficiaries. Crude oil production in the North Dakota dropped a million barrels per day in November, the latest numbers available. The Department of Mineral Resources reported November output of 1.22 million barrels per day. The state continues to exceed its gas-capture goals. The number-two crude-oil producing state was able to capture 93% of the natural gas produced at oil wells, reducing the amount flared or vented to just seven percent. During the spike in production in North Dakota starting in 2014, the state's operators were unable to reach much more modest gas-capture goals.&nbsp; North Dakota’s oil industry is seeking to reduce the amount of interest and penalties the state can charge companies for unpaid oil and gas royalties. The Bismarck Tribune reports a trade group is asking lawmakers for a break on late royalty payments, which currently include penalties up to 30%. The President of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, called that "unnecessary punitive." The Russian state oil company is courting a new list of investors to help develop the Vostok Oil project in the Arctic, one of the world's biggest oil deposits. They're negotiating with at least three major global trading houses, which generally avoid investing directly in production. Reuters reports the new deal would give those trading houses a long-term source of supply for the Asian market. Company officials say the field has enough crude to supply the world for more than a year, but will require vast investments in new pipelines, roads and other infrastructure.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBAROil prices remain at eleven-month highs. Crude futures were slightly lower by midday Monday, with the benchmark Nymex contract going for $52.22 per barrel.&nbsp; WTI has settled above $52 per barrel for the last week or so, topping $53 twice during that period. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $42.50 per barrel, unchanged from a week ago and four dollars higher than at the first of the year. Baker Hughes reports a big increase in its weekly Rotary Rig Count. There are 373 active rigs across the U.S., an increase of 12 oil rigs and one gas rig. The count in Texas was up eight, while Louisiana was up four rigs. Canada reported 161 active rigs, up 44 rigs for the week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports five active rigs in eastern Kansas, which is up two for the week, and eight in the western half of the state, which is down two. Kansas regulators approved ten new drilling permits last week, ten in the eastern half of the state, and two in Western Kansas. There are 18 new drilling permits across the state so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 15 newly completed wells last week, eleven in eastern Kansas and four west of Wichita. That's 21 completions so far this year. The government reported a sizable drawdown in U.S. crude oil supplies. For the week ending January 8, the Energy Information Administration reports total stockpiles of 482.2 million barrels, down more than three million barrels on the week. EIA says inventories are about eight percent above the five-year seasonal average. U.S. crude-oil production dropped slightly according to the latest weekly numbers from the government. The Energy Information Administration says weekly output through January 8th dropped by 103,000 barrels per day, but remain above eleven million barrels per day. Imports were up by nearly a million barrels per day to 6.2 million. Over the past four weeks, crude imports averaged nearly 15% less than the same four-week period last year. Crude storage usage at Cushing ticked up slightly for the week ending January 1st.&nbsp; EIA reports the Oklahoma storage facilities are now at 75% of capacity. The nation’s highest court will address the controversial Renewable Fuels Standard of the Clean Air Act, which requires the use of renewable fuels at refineries.&nbsp; At issue are the waiver extensions granted to small refineries in Oklahoma, Wyoming and Utah that have now been rejected by a federal appeals court. The U.S. Supreme Court will review the appeals court ruling. The State of New Mexico is getting better at its energy audits. The State Land Office reported its 2020 audits of oil and gas royalty collections turned up an additional $2.3 million. The agency said that's a nearly 48% increase over the previous year and a 120% increase over what was recouped in 2018. About 85% of all royalty revenue collected by the land management agency is audited every five years. Money generated by business on state trust land is deposited into the Land Grant Permanent Fund, which is then invested by the State Investment Council. The funds help to support public schools and other beneficiaries. Crude oil production in the North Dakota dropped a million barrels per day in November, the latest numbers available. The Department of Mineral Resources reported November output of 1.22 million barrels per day. The state continues to exceed its gas-capture goals. The number-two crude-oil producing state was able to capture 93% of the natural gas produced at oil wells, reducing the amount flared or vented to just seven percent. During the spike in production in North Dakota starting in 2014, the state's operators were unable to reach much more modest gas-capture goals.&nbsp; North Dakota’s oil industry is seeking to reduce the amount of interest and penalties the state can charge companies for unpaid oil and gas royalties. The Bismarck Tribune reports a trade group is asking lawmakers for a break on late royalty payments, which currently include penalties up to 30%. The President of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, called that "unnecessary punitive." The Russian state oil company is courting a new list of investors to help develop the Vostok Oil project in the Arctic, one of the world's biggest oil deposits. They're negotiating with at least three major global trading houses, which generally avoid investing directly in production. Reuters reports the new deal would give those trading houses a long-term source of supply for the Asian market. Company officials say the field has enough crude to supply the world for more than a year, but will require vast investments in new pipelines, roads and other infrastructure.

News From the Oil Patch: Crude prices remain at 11-month highs

If you follow me at all, you know that I have closed each week for the last year with “Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness."

In a world that has grown increasingly hostile and fraught with divisiveness, I have recently seen several social media posts that gave me pause.

The first stated, “Your beliefs don’t make you a better person; your behavior does”. As a youth development professional, I try to model this every day. I have a solid faith and ethics foundation but if I allow my frustration and fear to erode the principles that I believe in, my behavior doesn’t follow. I can be angry and upset at circumstances without taking that out on others by name-calling and undermining.

Another post said, “Be careful not to dehumanize those you disagree with. In our self-righteousness, we can become the very things we criticize in others…..and not even know it.” It is easy to decry those who have different goals and standards than we do but it is harder when the person with different goals or standards is someone we know and care about. I often ask myself about the model that I or others are setting for young people. Are we modeling respectful discourse and conversation with young people? If they see us willing to throw stones, real or metaphorical, how can we expect them to act and speak respectfully?

The final post reads, “Sometimes miracles are simply good people with kind hearts”. In a world that feels weird and off-kilter, there are good people everywhere doing really good things! It is just easy to miss their kindness in the clamor.&nbsp;

Do you see a theme here? Hold open a door; take a deep breath before responding; buy the cup of coffee for someone else, walk away for a minute before hitting send/post. Look for – and BE – one of those showing kindness. The youth in our world deserve our best example. For young people, find a mentor who consistently sets an example of steady beliefs, positive behavior, and kindness.

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 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579114162620.jpeg" alt="Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>If you follow me at all, you know that I have closed each week for the last year with “Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness."In a world that has grown increasingly hostile and fraught with divisiveness, I have recently seen several social media posts that gave me pause.The first stated, “Your beliefs don’t make you a better person; your behavior does”. As a youth development professional, I try to model this every day. I have a solid faith and ethics foundation but if I allow my frustration and fear to erode the principles that I believe in, my behavior doesn’t follow. I can be angry and upset at circumstances without taking that out on others by name-calling and undermining.Another post said, “Be careful not to dehumanize those you disagree with. In our self-righteousness, we can become the very things we criticize in others…..and not even know it.” It is easy to decry those who have different goals and standards than we do but it is harder when the person with different goals or standards is someone we know and care about. I often ask myself about the model that I or others are setting for young people. Are we modeling respectful discourse and conversation with young people? If they see us willing to throw stones, real or metaphorical, how can we expect them to act and speak respectfully?The final post reads, “Sometimes miracles are simply good people with kind hearts”. In a world that feels weird and off-kilter, there are good people everywhere doing really good things! It is just easy to miss their kindness in the clamor.&nbsp;Do you see a theme here? Hold open a door; take a deep breath before responding; buy the cup of coffee for someone else, walk away for a minute before hitting send/post. Look for – and BE – one of those showing kindness. The youth in our world deserve our best example. For young people, find a mentor who consistently sets an example of steady beliefs, positive behavior, and kindness.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 620-793-1910.

BERAN: 'Keep showing grace and kindness'

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

Customer service. That was the role which began one young woman’s career in telecommunications. Now she is leading that same company which is serving customers’ technology needs in new and innovative ways.&nbsp;

Catherine Moyer is chief executive officer of Pioneer Communications, a rural telecommunications company headquartered in Ulysses. She grew up in Ulysses and went to college in Vermont. Her first job was at Pioneer Communications, where she worked as a frontline customer service representative.&nbsp;

Pioneer is one of many local telephone companies formed across rural America in the 1940s and ’50s. Some say the rural telephone business began with a farmer stringing a copper wire from one fencepost to the next. Cooperatives and local companies were formed to offer and expand service. Pioneer Communications was founded in 1950 as the Pioneer Telephone Company.&nbsp;

Catherine went to law school at Washburn University and worked at a firm in Topeka. In 2002, the Pioneer Communications Board of Directors offered her the position of director of legal and regulatory affairs. “I promised them five years, but here I am,” Catherine said. She and her husband live in Ulysses. In 2012, she was promoted to CEO. “Great people work here at Pioneer,” she said.&nbsp;

“We’ve changed dramatically through the years,” Catherine said. “In the old days, the phone company waited for the customers to come to us. Now we have to go earn their business.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610547571756.png" alt="Catherine Moyer" />
 <figcaption>Catherine Moyer</figcaption>
 </figure>BY RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;Customer service. That was the role which began one young woman’s career in telecommunications. Now she is leading that same company which is serving customers’ technology needs in new and innovative ways.&nbsp;Catherine Moyer is chief executive officer of Pioneer Communications, a rural telecommunications company headquartered in Ulysses. She grew up in Ulysses and went to college in Vermont. Her first job was at Pioneer Communications, where she worked as a frontline customer service representative.&nbsp;Pioneer is one of many local telephone companies formed across rural America in the 1940s and ’50s. Some say the rural telephone business began with a farmer stringing a copper wire from one fencepost to the next. Cooperatives and local companies were formed to offer and expand service. Pioneer Communications was founded in 1950 as the Pioneer Telephone Company.&nbsp;Catherine went to law school at Washburn University and worked at a firm in Topeka. In 2002, the Pioneer Communications Board of Directors offered her the position of director of legal and regulatory affairs. “I promised them five years, but here I am,” Catherine said. She and her husband live in Ulysses. In 2012, she was promoted to CEO. “Great people work here at Pioneer,” she said.&nbsp;“We’ve changed dramatically through the years,” Catherine said. “In the old days, the phone company waited for the customers to come to us. Now we have to go earn their business.”&nbsp;In response, Pioneer Communications has expanded and modernized its network while serving its customers’ growing and varied needs. The company’s website says it’s committed to being the best internet-, TV- and phone provider in southwest Kansas.&nbsp;Today, in addition to traditional landline telephone service, Pioneer Communications offers high-speed internet access and streaming television. “Our bread and butter used to be voice (transmission),” Catherine said. “Now it’s broadband. We are deploying a state-of-the-art network, focusing on broadband and data services.”&nbsp;In 2019, the company made the transition from traditional cable television delivery to streaming services.&nbsp;In addition to Ulysses, Pioneer Communications has office locations in Hugoton, Johnson, Lakin, Satanta, and Syracuse. The company serves a 5,000-square-mile region of southwest Kansas. In addition to the larger towns, that territory includes such rural communities as Coolidge, population 95; Horace, population 70; and Richfield, population 43 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;Catherine has been a strong voice for rural Internet access. She is vice chair of the national Precision Agriculture Task Force established by USDA and the Federal Communications Commission. She served on the Kansas Broadband Task Force in 2019. “We proposed legislation which didn’t get enacted due to the pandemic, but one of our key ideas is being implemented through the state highway plan,” Catherine said. “If KDOT is going to rebuild a highway, now (telecom) providers can have an opportunity to put in conduit during construction,” she said. This makes it much more practical to string fiber optic cable, for example.&nbsp;Catherine also serves on the Board of Directors of CoBank, part of the Farm Credit System. “The Farm Credit System supports every aspect of the rural economy,” Catherine said.&nbsp;Broadband is a vital element of that economy. “Internet access evens the playing field for rural opportunities,” Catherine said. “It makes it possible for families and businesses in rural Kansas to market products or work from home,” she said.&nbsp;This has caused Pioneer to make an investment in providing high-speed access to families and businesses, even though it is costly. “If a business is being recruited to our region, we have pledged that broadband access will not be a problem,” she said.&nbsp;“Rural Kansas deserves that,” Catherine said. “I’m going to the mat every day for the rural people of our region and the people of Pioneer.”&nbsp;For more information about Pioneer Communications, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pioncomm.net/">www.pioncomm.net</a>.&nbsp;Customer service. That was Catherine’s first job at Pioneer Communications.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now she is CEO, and guess what? Customer service is still her first job. We salute Catherine and the people of Pioneer Communications for their commitment to rural Internet access. They are still working to serve the customer.&nbsp;

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