There are two sure-fire ways to avoid the pungent smell of a skunk: don’t get into areas where skunks may live, but if you do, for goodness sakes don’t get sprayed.

When those two factors collide, humans and pets usually get the short end of the deal.

“It’s certainly a better idea to prevent the problem than to try to deal with the after effects,” said Charlie Lee, a wildlife specialist with K-State Research and Extension.

It is rare for a healthy skunk to bite a human. However, one that is exhibiting active signs of rabies – aggressiveness, seizures or stumbling, to name a few – may be more inclined to bite and could transmit the disease to humans or animals.

More common, however, is that a skunk will try to chase away a predator or encroaching human by spraying a yellow-tinted, oily liquid – called a musk -- stored in two sacs near the anus of the animal.

“Each sac has about a teaspoon of musk, which is enough for multiple sprays,” Lee said. “The musk is discharged through nipples that help skunks target those things they are trying to repel. Each nipple has its own musk sac, so a skunk can shoot with both barrels, and they can discharge the musk in a mist or a stream.”

The musk cannot transmit the rabies virus, Lee said, but it can temporarily blind or stun individuals if they are sprayed in the face.

While the health effects of being sprayed by a skunk are minimal, it is nonetheless unpleasant to rid hair, clothes and body of the bitter smell. Lee said the following mixture, discovered by chemist Paul Krebaum, has been shown to be effective:

“Mix those three ingredients in an open container and use it immediately,” he said. “Do not mix these ingredients in advance because when oxygen is released, the container can explode.”

The mixture can be used on people and pets, but Lee cautioned users to avoid splashing it in the eyes or mouth. On pets, allow the mixture to sit for five minutes before rinsing.

For inanimate objects – surfaces, decks, chairs and other outside objects – Lee suggested a mixture of 1 cup of liquid laundry bleach and 1 gallon of water. “Be aware that bleach may stain surfaces,” he said.

Lee added that some of the effective commercial products available in many stores include Skunk-Off, Odormute, Fresh Wave, Epoleon N-100 and Neutroleum Alpha.

“Neutroleum Alpha is one that has been used to control odor from skunks in a variety of settings,” Lee said. “It deodorizes by masking the odor with a different one that is described as minty or pleasant. You can use it directly on surfaces or it can be used as an air deodorizer by placing it on paper towels or napkins and then hanging them in the area.”

Lee noted that one home remedy thought to work is probably not what folks think it is: “Tomato juice is not something I recommend,” he said. “It appears to be only marginally effective.”

“There are a lot of products out there that will help consumers through a difficult or uncomfortable situation. Keep in mind that at times when humidity is high or it rains, the odor will appear to come back. In those times, simply re-apply the product.”

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/2020/6/1592579538317.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>There are two sure-fire ways to avoid the pungent smell of a skunk: don’t get into areas where skunks may live, but if you do, for goodness sakes don’t get sprayed.When those two factors collide, humans and pets usually get the short end of the deal.“It’s certainly a better idea to prevent the problem than to try to deal with the after effects,” said Charlie Lee, a wildlife specialist with K-State Research and Extension.It is rare for a healthy skunk to bite a human. However, one that is exhibiting active signs of rabies – aggressiveness, seizures or stumbling, to name a few – may be more inclined to bite and could transmit the disease to humans or animals.More common, however, is that a skunk will try to chase away a predator or encroaching human by spraying a yellow-tinted, oily liquid – called a musk -- stored in two sacs near the anus of the animal.“Each sac has about a teaspoon of musk, which is enough for multiple sprays,” Lee said. “The musk is discharged through nipples that help skunks target those things they are trying to repel. Each nipple has its own musk sac, so a skunk can shoot with both barrels, and they can discharge the musk in a mist or a stream.”The musk cannot transmit the rabies virus, Lee said, but it can temporarily blind or stun individuals if they are sprayed in the face.While the health effects of being sprayed by a skunk are minimal, it is nonetheless unpleasant to rid hair, clothes and body of the bitter smell. Lee said the following mixture, discovered by chemist Paul Krebaum, has been shown to be effective:<ul>
 <li>1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide.</li><li>¼ cup of baking soda.</li><li>1 teaspoon of liquid determent.</li>
 </ul>“Mix those three ingredients in an open container and use it immediately,” he said. “Do not mix these ingredients in advance because when oxygen is released, the container can explode.”The mixture can be used on people and pets, but Lee cautioned users to avoid splashing it in the eyes or mouth. On pets, allow the mixture to sit for five minutes before rinsing.For inanimate objects – surfaces, decks, chairs and other outside objects – Lee suggested a mixture of 1 cup of liquid laundry bleach and 1 gallon of water. “Be aware that bleach may stain surfaces,” he said.Lee added that some of the effective commercial products available in many stores include Skunk-Off, Odormute, Fresh Wave, Epoleon N-100 and Neutroleum Alpha.“Neutroleum Alpha is one that has been used to control odor from skunks in a variety of settings,” Lee said. “It deodorizes by masking the odor with a different one that is described as minty or pleasant. You can use it directly on surfaces or it can be used as an air deodorizer by placing it on paper towels or napkins and then hanging them in the area.”Lee noted that one home remedy thought to work is probably not what folks think it is: “Tomato juice is not something I recommend,” he said. “It appears to be only marginally effective.”“There are a lot of products out there that will help consumers through a difficult or uncomfortable situation. Keep in mind that at times when humidity is high or it rains, the odor will appear to come back. In those times, simply re-apply the product.”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: Got skunked? Here's some tips

BY JOHN P. TRETBAR A ruling last week by the United States Supreme Court held that about half of the state of Oklahoma is Native American reservation land, and that could raise serious issues in the oil patch.&nbsp; The ruling does not affect property ownership, but energy lawyers tell Reuters it could result in slight tax increases, and an increased regulatory role in pipeline and storage approvals. There may also be implications for wind energy and electric transmission as well as the sale of water. The Five Tribes and the State of Oklahoma issued a joint statement saying they were working together on a framework of shared jurisdiction to support public safety, the economy and private property rights. American oil giant Chevron has agreed to acquire Noble Energy, a Houston-based international oil and gas developer, for $5 billion. The New York Times reports Noble’s share price is down about 60 percent from the beginning of the year, allowing Chevron to buy the operator's oil and gas resources at a huge discount. Chevron said the deal would add around 18 percent to its oil and gas reserves at a cost of less than $5 a barrel. For the first time since the horizontal drilling boom, crude production in North Dakota dipped below one million barrels per day. The Department of Mineral Resources reports total May production dropped by more than ten million barrels in May, the latest figures available. That's a drop from one point two million barrels per day in April, to 858,000 barrels per day in May. The second-highest crude-producing state also repeated it's best-ever gas-capture rate, recovering 88% of the natural gas produced at oil wells. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reported a slight drop in its weekly rig counts. There are three active rigs west of Wichita, down four from a week before. The count in eastern Kansas was unchanged at one active rig. Drilling is underway on one well in Russell County, and an operator is about to spud a new well on a lease in Stafford County. Baker Hughes reports 253 active drilling rigs nationwide, down one oil and four gas rigs.&nbsp; Regulators last week approved 11 permits for drilling at new locations in Kansas, including one in the eastern half of the state, and ten in Western Kansas. There are 240 new drilling permits on file across the state so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports ten newly-completed wells across the state last week, all of them west of Wichita, including one new well in Stafford County. Operators have completed 556 wells so far this year, down more than 100 compared to last year at this time. The Energy Information Administration reported a sizable decline in U.S. crude-oil inventories last week, down seven and a half million barrels from the week before, at just over 531 million barrels. EIA says stockpiles remain about 17 percent above the five year average for this time of year. EIA reported U.S. crude imports averaged 5.6 million [["five point six million"]] barrels per day last week, down nearly million barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, imports averaged 10.2% less than the same four-week period last year.&nbsp; U.S. crude-oil production dropped by nearly half a percent, down 42,000 barrels at over ten-point-nine million barrels per day. Output is down about a million barrels per day compared to last year according to the latest weekly report from the government. The Association of American Railroads says oil-by-rail deliveries were up slightly for the week ending July 11, but were down 23% compared to a year ago.&nbsp; The Energy Information Administration says Canada's oil patch has seen a 20% drop in production in the first half of the year. Low prices, low demand, and provincial-government limits on production combined to slash Canada's output. Last year, Canada was the world's fourth-largest producer. The government says 40 top U.S. producers collectively wrote down $48 billion worth of assets during the first quarter of 2020. EIA says these 40 firms produced about 30% of the U.S. total, roughly 6.1 million barrels of crude oil per day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY JOHN P. TRETBAR A ruling last week by the United States Supreme Court held that about half of the state of Oklahoma is Native American reservation land, and that could raise serious issues in the oil patch.&nbsp; The ruling does not affect property ownership, but energy lawyers tell Reuters it could result in slight tax increases, and an increased regulatory role in pipeline and storage approvals. There may also be implications for wind energy and electric transmission as well as the sale of water. The Five Tribes and the State of Oklahoma issued a joint statement saying they were working together on a framework of shared jurisdiction to support public safety, the economy and private property rights. American oil giant Chevron has agreed to acquire Noble Energy, a Houston-based international oil and gas developer, for $5 billion. The New York Times reports Noble’s share price is down about 60 percent from the beginning of the year, allowing Chevron to buy the operator's oil and gas resources at a huge discount. Chevron said the deal would add around 18 percent to its oil and gas reserves at a cost of less than $5 a barrel. For the first time since the horizontal drilling boom, crude production in North Dakota dipped below one million barrels per day. The Department of Mineral Resources reports total May production dropped by more than ten million barrels in May, the latest figures available. That's a drop from one point two million barrels per day in April, to 858,000 barrels per day in May. The second-highest crude-producing state also repeated it's best-ever gas-capture rate, recovering 88% of the natural gas produced at oil wells. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reported a slight drop in its weekly rig counts. There are three active rigs west of Wichita, down four from a week before. The count in eastern Kansas was unchanged at one active rig. Drilling is underway on one well in Russell County, and an operator is about to spud a new well on a lease in Stafford County. Baker Hughes reports 253 active drilling rigs nationwide, down one oil and four gas rigs.&nbsp; Regulators last week approved 11 permits for drilling at new locations in Kansas, including one in the eastern half of the state, and ten in Western Kansas. There are 240 new drilling permits on file across the state so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports ten newly-completed wells across the state last week, all of them west of Wichita, including one new well in Stafford County. Operators have completed 556 wells so far this year, down more than 100 compared to last year at this time. The Energy Information Administration reported a sizable decline in U.S. crude-oil inventories last week, down seven and a half million barrels from the week before, at just over 531 million barrels. EIA says stockpiles remain about 17 percent above the five year average for this time of year. EIA reported U.S. crude imports averaged 5.6 million [["five point six million"]] barrels per day last week, down nearly million barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, imports averaged 10.2% less than the same four-week period last year.&nbsp; U.S. crude-oil production dropped by nearly half a percent, down 42,000 barrels at over ten-point-nine million barrels per day. Output is down about a million barrels per day compared to last year according to the latest weekly report from the government. The Association of American Railroads says oil-by-rail deliveries were up slightly for the week ending July 11, but were down 23% compared to a year ago.&nbsp; The Energy Information Administration says Canada's oil patch has seen a 20% drop in production in the first half of the year. Low prices, low demand, and provincial-government limits on production combined to slash Canada's output. Last year, Canada was the world's fourth-largest producer. The government says 40 top U.S. producers collectively wrote down $48 billion worth of assets during the first quarter of 2020. EIA says these 40 firms produced about 30% of the U.S. total, roughly 6.1 million barrels of crude oil per day.

News From the Oil Patch: Tribal ruling in Okla. impacts oil patch

By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher

My 35th birthday is this week. Though some women beyond their 20s don’t like to share their age, I have no problem admitting it.

This birthday feels like the last of my “young person” milestones. I will legally be old enough to run for president of the United States of America.

The moment doesn’t have the same anticipation of independence that came with acquiring the ability to work, drive, vote or drink. It is an aged and mellow satisfaction, born of the knowledge that I have reached the point where the Founding Fathers believed an individual had enough life experience to be able to lead the country.

Like many children, I dreamed about what it would be like to hold the highest office in the land, but as an adult, the idea actually seems pretty undesirable.

The world of politics has become so divisive and cruel. It often feels like watching children in a schoolyard. There is name-calling, he-said she-said arguments, pouting when you don’t get your way, overreactions to perfectly normal disagreement, no filter of what is polite or helpful, and a strange occurrence where someone who isn’t like you becomes a monster.

During a campaign season, it seems to become even worse. Between vilifying TV commercials, stacks of hateful postcards and a barrage of social media ads about the alleged evils of candidates, you have to have strong armor to weather it all. And don’t think this is just at the federal level, I see it in local races too.

The craziest part of this is we do have people who answer the call to serve. In fact, I think most politicians are good people who feel compelled to serve and are trying to do what they think is best. These people endure harsh criticism and try their best to represent the interests of all their constituents, even the ones that just called them evil.

So, as the horrific election season rolls on, I want to say thank you to the individuals at all levels who have raised their hands and are vying to serve as elected officials. I appreciate your willingness to serve despite all the negatives, like experiencing criticism no matter how good you are at the job. My attitude of gratitude is a product of a deeply held belief that you are a person who wants to make the world better.

In addition to my heartfelt thanks, I offer a commitment to my fellow Americans who put themselves out there to serve: I will always do my best to be polite and treat you with respect, even if I disagree with you. I will listen openly to the information you share and be willing to provide my opinion and experiences with you in a civil manner. When you make a decision I don’t agree with, now or after being elected, I will do my best to temper my disappointment and seek to understand how you arrived at your conclusion. Most importantly, I will continue to look for the best in you not the worst.

"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/2020/6/1592834709793.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher My 35th birthday is this week. Though some women beyond their 20s don’t like to share their age, I have no problem admitting it.This birthday feels like the last of my “young person” milestones. I will legally be old enough to run for president of the United States of America.The moment doesn’t have the same anticipation of independence that came with acquiring the ability to work, drive, vote or drink. It is an aged and mellow satisfaction, born of the knowledge that I have reached the point where the Founding Fathers believed an individual had enough life experience to be able to lead the country.Like many children, I dreamed about what it would be like to hold the highest office in the land, but as an adult, the idea actually seems pretty undesirable.The world of politics has become so divisive and cruel. It often feels like watching children in a schoolyard. There is name-calling, he-said she-said arguments, pouting when you don’t get your way, overreactions to perfectly normal disagreement, no filter of what is polite or helpful, and a strange occurrence where someone who isn’t like you becomes a monster.During a campaign season, it seems to become even worse. Between vilifying TV commercials, stacks of hateful postcards and a barrage of social media ads about the alleged evils of candidates, you have to have strong armor to weather it all. And don’t think this is just at the federal level, I see it in local races too.The craziest part of this is we do have people who answer the call to serve. In fact, I think most politicians are good people who feel compelled to serve and are trying to do what they think is best. These people endure harsh criticism and try their best to represent the interests of all their constituents, even the ones that just called them evil.So, as the horrific election season rolls on, I want to say thank you to the individuals at all levels who have raised their hands and are vying to serve as elected officials. I appreciate your willingness to serve despite all the negatives, like experiencing criticism no matter how good you are at the job. My attitude of gratitude is a product of a deeply held belief that you are a person who wants to make the world better.In addition to my heartfelt thanks, I offer a commitment to my fellow Americans who put themselves out there to serve: I will always do my best to be polite and treat you with respect, even if I disagree with you. I will listen openly to the information you share and be willing to provide my opinion and experiences with you in a civil manner. When you make a decision I don’t agree with, now or after being elected, I will do my best to temper my disappointment and seek to understand how you arrived at your conclusion. Most importantly, I will continue to look for the best in you not the worst."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: Keeping perspective in politics

One of my best friends is Lane.&nbsp; I met Lane the very first day of college in an elevator in our 12 story dorm.&nbsp; The elevator broke down (something we would come to expect over the next few years) and we began to visit over what now has been a 44 year conversation. &nbsp;

Lane lives in Dallas, and as a result, we see each other infrequently.&nbsp; However, at least once or maybe twice a year we get together.&nbsp; We also talk by phone.&nbsp; It seems like when we get together or talk, it is just a continuation of the 44 year old conversation:&nbsp; never boring; never the same.&nbsp;

A few years back Lane revealed to me he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.&nbsp; Being guys, we were appropriately stoic about it, but I knew it was news that made a change. &nbsp;

Over time, it has just become part of our relationship—and in a good way.&nbsp; We do what we can do, which is a lot. &nbsp;

With COVID-19, I worry about anybody with a chronic illness.&nbsp; So one day when we were talking I asked Lane about his concern.&nbsp; He had a really interesting observation.&nbsp; “Randy, I’m glad that COVID-19 happened in my lifetime.&nbsp; I would hate to die during a boring time.” &nbsp;

People have “interesting” years.&nbsp; It can be some event that changes them forever, even changing the trajectory of the remainder of their life. &nbsp;

For some people, it stops them in their place.&nbsp; For others, they meet it head on.&nbsp; They rise to the challenge.&nbsp; They do the best they can with what they have. &nbsp;

This is what I think Lane meant.&nbsp; COVID-19 has created a challenge for him.&nbsp; He is willing to rise to the challenge.&nbsp; He is going to do what he can to protect himself yet still enjoy his family, his friends, and his work.&nbsp; COVID-19 certainly added complexity to his, and all our lives. &nbsp;

We can look on it in defeat; or we can look at it as a challenge that we are going to defeat in some way or another.&nbsp; I think Lane has decided the latter. &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>One of my best friends is Lane.&nbsp; I met Lane the very first day of college in an elevator in our 12 story dorm.&nbsp; The elevator broke down (something we would come to expect over the next few years) and we began to visit over what now has been a 44 year conversation. &nbsp;Lane lives in Dallas, and as a result, we see each other infrequently.&nbsp; However, at least once or maybe twice a year we get together.&nbsp; We also talk by phone.&nbsp; It seems like when we get together or talk, it is just a continuation of the 44 year old conversation:&nbsp; never boring; never the same.&nbsp;A few years back Lane revealed to me he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.&nbsp; Being guys, we were appropriately stoic about it, but I knew it was news that made a change. &nbsp;Over time, it has just become part of our relationship—and in a good way.&nbsp; We do what we can do, which is a lot. &nbsp;With COVID-19, I worry about anybody with a chronic illness.&nbsp; So one day when we were talking I asked Lane about his concern.&nbsp; He had a really interesting observation.&nbsp; “Randy, I’m glad that COVID-19 happened in my lifetime.&nbsp; I would hate to die during a boring time.” &nbsp;What did he mean by that? &nbsp;People have “interesting” years.&nbsp; It can be some event that changes them forever, even changing the trajectory of the remainder of their life. &nbsp;For some people, it stops them in their place.&nbsp; For others, they meet it head on.&nbsp; They rise to the challenge.&nbsp; They do the best they can with what they have. &nbsp;This is what I think Lane meant.&nbsp; COVID-19 has created a challenge for him.&nbsp; He is willing to rise to the challenge.&nbsp; He is going to do what he can to protect himself yet still enjoy his family, his friends, and his work.&nbsp; COVID-19 certainly added complexity to his, and all our lives. &nbsp;We can look on it in defeat; or we can look at it as a challenge that we are going to defeat in some way or another.&nbsp; I think Lane has decided the latter. &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: The most interesting of years

Well, it finally happened…or will shortly.

The State Board of Education will decide this week whether Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order to delay until after Labor Day the reopening of Kansas K-12 public schools will stand. It can vote yes or no. It may be the most memorable decision that the board has taken in years.

Yes, there’s been an exhaustive study by about 1,000 school officials, employees, professional associations, unions and such about the best and safest way to open schools for hundreds of thousands of public school students and the administrators, teachers, para-professionals, maintenance staff, bus drivers and volunteers who make the state’s education industry work.

That new “Navigating Change 2020” plan for just how to reopen schools as safely and possible has been approved. It creates new cadres of students: full-time at school buildings, part-time at school buildings and purely off-site students who will learn through the Internet and dropped-off at home study materials.

COVID-19 has made everything complicated: spacing of desks, masks, hourly handwashing, and more temperature-taking than anyone ever expected. Oh, and making sure that those at-home students actually spend time studying. That’s 465 hours a year for kindergarten students and more than 1,000 hours of actual school work for older students.

But the issue that will put the State Board in the headlights is simply “when.”

The 10-member board, eight Republicans, two Democrats, will have five seats up for election this year. Three of those five seats up for election are uncontested. Two will have primary elections and then general elections in November.

The issue of allowing the Democrat governor to say when schools can reopen isn’t just political, though parts of it are. If the governor’s executive order is accepted, then she has either protected Kansans’ lives and futures or just meddled in decisions that should be made by locally elected school boards. If the governor’s executive order is rejected, then presumably every COVID-19 illness related to schools is the State Board’s responsibility.&nbsp;

No, of course not, it’s not nearly that simple, but it’s how the politics of the after-Labor Day reopening will be cast, probably not heavily in the low-budget State Board campaigns, but by legislators who are seeking re-election, or election for the first time.

Of course, nothing in the Statehouse is non-political, but up to now, it’s been pretty non-political on the State Board of Education (maybe that “creation” issue earlier this century, but not much since then). And, of course, those State Board candidates are down toward the bottom of the ballot, where many voters aren’t even going to recognize the candidate names.

What’s the board likely to do? Well, lawmakers have found that it is rarely politically damaging to point to the governor and her executive orders when things go wrong or grow inconvenient, like closing tattoo parlors and beauty shops. And, when those orders go right – like those drive-through drink pickups – well, it’s something that lawmakers will follow up on next session for the publicity it will create.

The talk: that members of the board are being inundated in constituent calls and appear to be breaking about even between affirming the governor’s order and rejecting it, largely over the conservatives’ favorite argument – local control.&nbsp;

But it’s different on the State Board, where you are talking about children and their health and the health of their families, not just property taxes or fence law.

Curious how this one’s going to come out, and who calls it a victory and who calls it a defeat whichever way the State Board goes…

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/">www.hawvernews.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592848178110.png" alt="Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report." />
 <figcaption>Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report.</figcaption>
 </figure>Well, it finally happened…or will shortly.The State Board of Education will decide this week whether Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order to delay until after Labor Day the reopening of Kansas K-12 public schools will stand. It can vote yes or no. It may be the most memorable decision that the board has taken in years.Yes, there’s been an exhaustive study by about 1,000 school officials, employees, professional associations, unions and such about the best and safest way to open schools for hundreds of thousands of public school students and the administrators, teachers, para-professionals, maintenance staff, bus drivers and volunteers who make the state’s education industry work.That new “Navigating Change 2020” plan for just how to reopen schools as safely and possible has been approved. It creates new cadres of students: full-time at school buildings, part-time at school buildings and purely off-site students who will learn through the Internet and dropped-off at home study materials.COVID-19 has made everything complicated: spacing of desks, masks, hourly handwashing, and more temperature-taking than anyone ever expected. Oh, and making sure that those at-home students actually spend time studying. That’s 465 hours a year for kindergarten students and more than 1,000 hours of actual school work for older students.But the issue that will put the State Board in the headlights is simply “when.”The 10-member board, eight Republicans, two Democrats, will have five seats up for election this year. Three of those five seats up for election are uncontested. Two will have primary elections and then general elections in November.The issue of allowing the Democrat governor to say when schools can reopen isn’t just political, though parts of it are. If the governor’s executive order is accepted, then she has either protected Kansans’ lives and futures or just meddled in decisions that should be made by locally elected school boards. If the governor’s executive order is rejected, then presumably every COVID-19 illness related to schools is the State Board’s responsibility.&nbsp;No, of course not, it’s not nearly that simple, but it’s how the politics of the after-Labor Day reopening will be cast, probably not heavily in the low-budget State Board campaigns, but by legislators who are seeking re-election, or election for the first time.Of course, nothing in the Statehouse is non-political, but up to now, it’s been pretty non-political on the State Board of Education (maybe that “creation” issue earlier this century, but not much since then). And, of course, those State Board candidates are down toward the bottom of the ballot, where many voters aren’t even going to recognize the candidate names.What’s the board likely to do? Well, lawmakers have found that it is rarely politically damaging to point to the governor and her executive orders when things go wrong or grow inconvenient, like closing tattoo parlors and beauty shops. And, when those orders go right – like those drive-through drink pickups – well, it’s something that lawmakers will follow up on next session for the publicity it will create.The talk: that members of the board are being inundated in constituent calls and appear to be breaking about even between affirming the governor’s order and rejecting it, largely over the conservatives’ favorite argument – local control.&nbsp;But it’s different on the State Board, where you are talking about children and their health and the health of their families, not just property taxes or fence law.Curious how this one’s going to come out, and who calls it a victory and who calls it a defeat whichever way the State Board goes…Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/">www.hawvernews.com</a>

HAWVER: State school board grapples with politically charged reopening order

Amidst all the present craziness of our world, and because of the rampant civil unrest, gun and ammunition purchases have gone through the roof; some purchased by new gun owners and some by those who already own firearms, but all purchased with the thought that there may come a day when&nbsp; firearms may be needed to protect families and property. Several years ago, I wrote a piece about personal gun security, and this seems like a good time to offer some suggestions from that piece.

When I wrote the piece, my sister’s house had just been burglarized. The thief or thieves kicked in a door between the house and garage and stole a jewelry box containing mostly inexpensive pieces, and the remote (yes, only the remote) for her new TV (maybe they thought it opened the jewelry box, I don’t know!) But the stolen item that outraged her most was the deer gun the scoundrels found and took from under her bed. The Gilliland outdoors blood flows in her veins as well, and she was all but spitting nails as she told me the story.

With that in mind, I contacted the firearms instructor for the McPherson Co. Sheriff’s department and got some timely and practical tips on personal gun security. First and foremost, in the interest of personal safety more than gun security, he stressed storing guns UNLOADED either locked in a cabinet or stored with trigger or muzzle locks in place, and secondly, storing guns and ammo in completely separate locations WHEN POSSIBLE.

Immediately after purchasing a gun, the instructor recommended taking photos of the gun and recording make, model and serial number of the weapon as well as date and location of purchase. Keep all this info in a safe place, after all, how silly would you feel having this stolen along with the guns? As far as total security for your weapons from fire, flood and thieves, a home gun safe is the best way to go. The gun shops I talked to in my area all agreed that sales of gun safes have been brisk for years. As with any other purchase, you get what you pay for, but good gun safes can be had from $1000 to $4000. I was also reminded that a home gun safe is a great place to store important documents, photos and other keepsakes.

The firearms instructor I spoke with also had some important advice in the event guns are stolen from your possession. Most importantly, notify local law enforcement immediately, and be able to provide them with the serial numbers and description of the weapons (remember the admonition to store that info safely?) This information allows the stolen weapons to be entered into a data base maintained by the national crime information center, making it possible for law enforcement officials anywhere in the United States to identify those weapons as stolen, take them off the street and return them to the owner.&nbsp;

Fears that the government might someday place restrictions and controls on guns and ammunition have risen in intensity now for years, and gun dealers tell me gun and ammo sales have risen dramatically along with those fears.&nbsp; Rumors or not, let’s not allow our emotions to control this situation. Be vigilant and support groups like the NRA and our state firearms associations that keep up with and influence those sorts of things in the government. Also, I can’t stress enough the importance of voting in the upcoming elections, as the outcome of those elections could possibly dictate whether or not gun control becomes more than just a fear. Take good care of the guns and ammo you now possess and follow the above suggestions if you haven’t already done so. As for my sister’s deer gun, at the time, she was able to provide all the necessary information to the local sheriff’s department, but as far as I know, her gun was never recovered. The good news was that for a while, she got a lot more exercise with all those trips back and forth to the TV since her remote was gone… 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 Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>Amidst all the present craziness of our world, and because of the rampant civil unrest, gun and ammunition purchases have gone through the roof; some purchased by new gun owners and some by those who already own firearms, but all purchased with the thought that there may come a day when&nbsp; firearms may be needed to protect families and property. Several years ago, I wrote a piece about personal gun security, and this seems like a good time to offer some suggestions from that piece.When I wrote the piece, my sister’s house had just been burglarized. The thief or thieves kicked in a door between the house and garage and stole a jewelry box containing mostly inexpensive pieces, and the remote (yes, only the remote) for her new TV (maybe they thought it opened the jewelry box, I don’t know!) But the stolen item that outraged her most was the deer gun the scoundrels found and took from under her bed. The Gilliland outdoors blood flows in her veins as well, and she was all but spitting nails as she told me the story.With that in mind, I contacted the firearms instructor for the McPherson Co. Sheriff’s department and got some timely and practical tips on personal gun security. First and foremost, in the interest of personal safety more than gun security, he stressed storing guns UNLOADED either locked in a cabinet or stored with trigger or muzzle locks in place, and secondly, storing guns and ammo in completely separate locations WHEN POSSIBLE.Immediately after purchasing a gun, the instructor recommended taking photos of the gun and recording make, model and serial number of the weapon as well as date and location of purchase. Keep all this info in a safe place, after all, how silly would you feel having this stolen along with the guns? As far as total security for your weapons from fire, flood and thieves, a home gun safe is the best way to go. The gun shops I talked to in my area all agreed that sales of gun safes have been brisk for years. As with any other purchase, you get what you pay for, but good gun safes can be had from $1000 to $4000. I was also reminded that a home gun safe is a great place to store important documents, photos and other keepsakes.The firearms instructor I spoke with also had some important advice in the event guns are stolen from your possession. Most importantly, notify local law enforcement immediately, and be able to provide them with the serial numbers and description of the weapons (remember the admonition to store that info safely?) This information allows the stolen weapons to be entered into a data base maintained by the national crime information center, making it possible for law enforcement officials anywhere in the United States to identify those weapons as stolen, take them off the street and return them to the owner.&nbsp;Fears that the government might someday place restrictions and controls on guns and ammunition have risen in intensity now for years, and gun dealers tell me gun and ammo sales have risen dramatically along with those fears.&nbsp; Rumors or not, let’s not allow our emotions to control this situation. Be vigilant and support groups like the NRA and our state firearms associations that keep up with and influence those sorts of things in the government. Also, I can’t stress enough the importance of voting in the upcoming elections, as the outcome of those elections could possibly dictate whether or not gun control becomes more than just a fear. Take good care of the guns and ammo you now possess and follow the above suggestions if you haven’t already done so. As for my sister’s deer gun, at the time, she was able to provide all the necessary information to the local sheriff’s department, but as far as I know, her gun was never recovered. The good news was that for a while, she got a lot more exercise with all those trips back and forth to the TV since her remote was gone… Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Personal firearm security

Nearly every day when I bike commute I see the garden beds behind Washington School in Great Bend. The Barton County Master Gardeners and school district employees must have green thumbs, because everything looks great.

If you are enjoying abundant garden produce and are thinking about preserving things to enjoy later, remember that K-State Research and Extension has some great resources related to food preservation. We are fortunate to have Karen Blakeslee, director of our Rapid Response Center at KSU just a phone call away with answers to specific food preservation questions. I believe her “Home Canning Mistakes article I saw in her monthly newsletter is worth sharing.&nbsp;

Many resources show canning methods that are not safe. Here are a few.

We have an excellent resource available at each of our Cottonwood District offices in Great Bend and Hays. So Easy to Preserve, is a canning guide researched and written by the University of Georgia Extension Service. I like the fact that it has a trouble-shooting guide to help determine what went wrong in the food preservation process. The book costs $15.00 and is well worth it.

One other service I want to call your attention to is that we can test the dial gauge from your canner lid. Dial gauges can be examined and checked for accuracy in a matter of minutes. It is a good idea to do this check up every couple of years. Give Berny or me a call at either of our district offices to arrange a time to have your gauge tested. I will also have the tester set up at the Great Bend Farmer’s Market on August 6th and September 3rd.&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593016082485.png" alt="Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District. " />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District. </figcaption>
 </figure>Nearly every day when I bike commute I see the garden beds behind Washington School in Great Bend. The Barton County Master Gardeners and school district employees must have green thumbs, because everything looks great.If you are enjoying abundant garden produce and are thinking about preserving things to enjoy later, remember that K-State Research and Extension has some great resources related to food preservation. We are fortunate to have Karen Blakeslee, director of our Rapid Response Center at KSU just a phone call away with answers to specific food preservation questions. I believe her “Home Canning Mistakes article I saw in her monthly newsletter is worth sharing.&nbsp;Many resources show canning methods that are not safe. Here are a few.<ul>
 <li>Canning in the oven – Canning jars may not withstand the thermal shock and can break. Also, oven heating filled jars of food is slow and can encourage potential bacteria growth.</li><li>Open kettle canning – This is filling jars and closing them without further heat processing. This also includes inverting jars or setting the jars in the sun. Without water bath canning or pressure canning, spoilage will likely occur and food will be lost or people may become sick.</li><li>Electric multi-cookers – While some electric multi-cookers have a “canning” button but no research is available to back up this function. Use these appliances for cooking only!</li><li>The jar sealed, it has to be safe! – What happened prior to putting a lid on the jar is critical to canned food safety. Just because a jar seals does not guarantee safety.</li>
 </ul>We have an excellent resource available at each of our Cottonwood District offices in Great Bend and Hays. So Easy to Preserve, is a canning guide researched and written by the University of Georgia Extension Service. I like the fact that it has a trouble-shooting guide to help determine what went wrong in the food preservation process. The book costs $15.00 and is well worth it.One other service I want to call your attention to is that we can test the dial gauge from your canner lid. Dial gauges can be examined and checked for accuracy in a matter of minutes. It is a good idea to do this check up every couple of years. Give Berny or me a call at either of our district offices to arrange a time to have your gauge tested. I will also have the tester set up at the Great Bend Farmer’s Market on August 6th and September 3rd.&nbsp;Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

KRUG: Avoid home canning mistakes

I am a local attorney that practices in Ellis County. I was born and raised in Hays, and I truly love my community. Ellis County is a wonderful place to raise my daughter and practice law. I’m speaking up because it is extremely important to me who holds the office of Ellis County Attorney.

I went to law school with both Robert Anderson, Jr. and Chris Lyon. In fact, Chris and I spent an entire semester sitting right next to each other in a class neither one of us ended up using...bankruptcy law. We visited as law students do, never knowing that we would one day practice in the same community. I found Chris to be friendly and intelligent. We ended up practicing on opposite sides of the courtroom. He as the Assistant Ellis County Attorney and me as a criminal defense attorney. We have maintained our friendliness despite our opposing views at times. I support Chris as a person and a friend, but I do not support him in his bid for Ellis County Attorney.

As a criminal defense attorney, I have been an active participant in Chris’ work as Assistant Ellis County Attorney, Hays City Attorney and Trego County Attorney. It is my opinion that he has overextended himself. His ambition is obvious, but his ability to manage on all fronts is lacking. When asked why he has taken on so much his standard answer has been that he is “just building [his] empire.” I believe the people of Ellis County deserve better than to just be part of someone’s “empire.” We deserve better than to be another job of an already overextended attorney.

I was co-counsel in a case Chris took to jury trial in Trego County that had no business going to trial. It was frivolous and totally unnecessary. A waste of taxpayer dollars. The charges were misdemeanors. My law partner was head counsel for the defense and she won the case easily. It was a full acquittal. In a previous conversation Chris had told me that sometimes you have to take a losing case to trial to “make a point.” I don’t believe taxpayer dollars should be spent on jury trials only to make a point. The justice system should be taken more seriously than that.

It bothers me that when Chris decided to step out of the Ellis County Attorney race he announced it and then threw his full support behind Robert only to remove that support when he decided to step back in. He privately met with Robert to encourage him to run. He has also told Robert that if he wins he will hire Robert at the office and pay him a higher salary than he pays himself. It sounds to me like he has more confidence in Robert than he states now that they are running against each other.

I also know Robert. We have provided professional support to each other throughout our practice. I have been closely involved in multiple cases with him in a wide range of situations. He is, absolutely, the best candidate for Ellis County Attorney.

Robert uses more than just his legal training to serve his clients. He cares about doing the right thing above his own interest in winning. He has a solid grasp on the legal system while not forgetting that he is working with humans...not just defendants. He’s not interested in “building an empire,” but in actually serving the people of Ellis County full time. Robert will not have multiple jobs that require several offices and homes throughout the state. He will have ONE office and ONE home. He will focus on ONE job.

He will not be taking frivolous cases to trial to “make a point.” He will be tough where we need toughness and wise where we need wisdom. We need someone that carefully takes matters to trial for stability and safety. That’s what we can count on Robert to do.

I’ve seen both of these attorneys in action in the courtroom. I’ve been in private meetings with both of them. I’ve seen their philosophy regarding law and order in their actions, and I wholeheartedly put my full support behind Robert Anderson, Jr. for the position of Ellis County Attorney. Please join me in voting him into office on August 4th.

Cassy A. Zeigler, Ellis, Partner at Raub &amp; Zeigler, LLC

Editor's Note: The deadline to submit opinion letters to Hays Post regarding the August primary is noon Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>I am a local attorney that practices in Ellis County. I was born and raised in Hays, and I truly love my community. Ellis County is a wonderful place to raise my daughter and practice law. I’m speaking up because it is extremely important to me who holds the office of Ellis County Attorney.I went to law school with both Robert Anderson, Jr. and Chris Lyon. In fact, Chris and I spent an entire semester sitting right next to each other in a class neither one of us ended up using...bankruptcy law. We visited as law students do, never knowing that we would one day practice in the same community. I found Chris to be friendly and intelligent. We ended up practicing on opposite sides of the courtroom. He as the Assistant Ellis County Attorney and me as a criminal defense attorney. We have maintained our friendliness despite our opposing views at times. I support Chris as a person and a friend, but I do not support him in his bid for Ellis County Attorney.As a criminal defense attorney, I have been an active participant in Chris’ work as Assistant Ellis County Attorney, Hays City Attorney and Trego County Attorney. It is my opinion that he has overextended himself. His ambition is obvious, but his ability to manage on all fronts is lacking. When asked why he has taken on so much his standard answer has been that he is “just building [his] empire.” I believe the people of Ellis County deserve better than to just be part of someone’s “empire.” We deserve better than to be another job of an already overextended attorney.I was co-counsel in a case Chris took to jury trial in Trego County that had no business going to trial. It was frivolous and totally unnecessary. A waste of taxpayer dollars. The charges were misdemeanors. My law partner was head counsel for the defense and she won the case easily. It was a full acquittal. In a previous conversation Chris had told me that sometimes you have to take a losing case to trial to “make a point.” I don’t believe taxpayer dollars should be spent on jury trials only to make a point. The justice system should be taken more seriously than that.It bothers me that when Chris decided to step out of the Ellis County Attorney race he announced it and then threw his full support behind Robert only to remove that support when he decided to step back in. He privately met with Robert to encourage him to run. He has also told Robert that if he wins he will hire Robert at the office and pay him a higher salary than he pays himself. It sounds to me like he has more confidence in Robert than he states now that they are running against each other.I also know Robert. We have provided professional support to each other throughout our practice. I have been closely involved in multiple cases with him in a wide range of situations. He is, absolutely, the best candidate for Ellis County Attorney.Robert uses more than just his legal training to serve his clients. He cares about doing the right thing above his own interest in winning. He has a solid grasp on the legal system while not forgetting that he is working with humans...not just defendants. He’s not interested in “building an empire,” but in actually serving the people of Ellis County full time. Robert will not have multiple jobs that require several offices and homes throughout the state. He will have ONE office and ONE home. He will focus on ONE job.He will not be taking frivolous cases to trial to “make a point.” He will be tough where we need toughness and wise where we need wisdom. We need someone that carefully takes matters to trial for stability and safety. That’s what we can count on Robert to do.I’ve seen both of these attorneys in action in the courtroom. I’ve been in private meetings with both of them. I’ve seen their philosophy regarding law and order in their actions, and I wholeheartedly put my full support behind Robert Anderson, Jr. for the position of Ellis County Attorney. Please join me in voting him into office on August 4th.Cassy A. Zeigler, Ellis, Partner at Raub &amp; Zeigler, LLCEditor's Note: The deadline to submit opinion letters to Hays Post regarding the August primary is noon Thursday.

LETTER: View of Ellis Co. Attorney's race

There’s a bit of an intellectual fistfight going on these days about free expression — and we all have a stake in the outcome.

The early rounds have been going on for years: in essence, a theory 
that pops up periodically in history that some ideas simply are too 
dangerous to allow them to be voiced in public. The opponent to that 
theory: The longtime belief in the “marketplace of ideas,” where any 
person may advance any idea — however repugnant, vile or even evil — and
 be subject to the review, and perhaps revile, of all others.

Critics of the marketplace approach have several arguments. American 
critics note the amendment was adopted in 1791, carrying forward ideas 
about free expression that even then were centuries old, and thus see it
 as out of place in a modern world.

Another objection is that the internet, with its instant and global 
reach, makes ineffective the expected marketplace interplay of speaker 
and responder, through which the hope is bad ideas fail, good ideas 
improve and best ideas thrive.

Yet another criticism of the marketplace concept is that money, 
technology and power have created an elite group (or groups) in control 
of most meaningful communication (and perhaps content) across the web, 
rendering criticism, counterviews, unpopular or unconventional ideas — 
and certainly revolutionary ones — unable to reach a mass audience.

Critical race theorists believe that American jurisprudence 
essentially has elevated the liberty interests of the First Amendment 
over the equality interests of the 14th Amendment.

And finally, there is the claim that some ideas simply are too 
dangerous or misleading or manipulative to be allowed into the 
marketplace at all — from race, ethnic and religious hatred to sexual 
exploitation and abuse to commercial messaging and political 
misinformation — now aided and abetted by hidden algorithms and those in
 charge of a handful of private tech companies more intent on profits 
than seeking truth.

Whew. That’s a pretty strong set of arguments that some things need 
fixing when it comes to free expression in the early years of the 21st century. Most of us likely would agree with many, if not all of them — on first glance.

Interestingly, the sides in this dispute don’t automatically align 
along our current political fractures. Some liberals and conservatives 
see the web as too wide open, allowing dangerous ideas and speakers 
access to audiences that can be influenced; while others view the web as
 a tightly controlled funnel of filtered information combined with 
manipulation that blocks voices (either too conservative or too liberal —
 take your pick) with a goal of shaping public opinion.

The current battle is not just over the criticisms, but over the 
solutions as well. Twitter and other sites gain praise and scorn for 
blocking some users for alleged violations of those sites’ terms of 
service, ranging from foul language to misleading health claims to 
personal attacks and what the sites deem deliberate misinformation. Tech
 firms can block, tag and take down posted content, in a bit of irony to
 some, because they have their own First Amendment rights as private 
companies.

So, some on either side of this dispute would bring government into 
the ring, where First Amendment freedoms would apply — one side seeking 
exceptions to free speech protections for things such as violent 
content, or racist views, or demeaning portrayals of women, or LGBTQ 
persons; and the other combatants asking government to oversee and 
override those private companies’ decisions, in the name of protecting 
conservative voices they see as all-too-often excluded from public 
discourse.

Who are the combatants of late? In one corner, signatories to an open
 letter titled, “A Letter on Justice and Open Debate,” published July 7 
in Harper’s Magazine, include a number of the world’s best-known creative minds, such as J.K. Rowling, Wynton Marsalis, Gloria Steinem, Salman Rushdie and about 150 other authors, journalists, publishers and artists.

In the other corner of this particular bout are those who signed this
 week onto another letter published on the online commentary site The 
Objective — which self-identifies as a place with information and views 
by and for “historically ignored communities” — another group of 
literary, media and artists. This missive entered the fray acknowledging
 the fight even reaches into its signatures area, noting some could be 
identified only generally, usually by professional occupation and place 
of work, because of fears of “workplace retaliation” by the established 
communication masters for whom some work.

Their view of the Harper’s letter, in a piece titled, “A 
More Specific Letter on Justice and Open Debate” explains, “Nowhere in 
it do the signatories mention how marginalized voices have been silenced
 for generations in journalism, academia and publishing …” and “the 
letter does not deal with the problem of power: Who has it and who does 
not.”

To be sure, many of latest blows in this intellectual boxing match 
have been struck via high-concept review of the theories of human 
communication and in well-founded critiques of who had and has access to
 tools of speaking out in public — news media, book publishers, 
broadcasters and now social media companies.

But in the early rounds, the heavyweights punched the outmoded model 
of the marketplace of ideas for two reasons: One, that it never worked 
as intended because many minority groups, however defined, were denied 
access to speak and be heard — a stark truth that cannot be denied; and 
two, there is such a thing as truth, and to knowingly permit non-truth 
is counter-productive to society and should not be permitted.

Boil it all down and it comes to a very simple First Amendment 
question: Is the response to speech you consider untruthful, disgusting 
or misleading more speech or less speech? If the former, what do you do 
as, with lightning speed and wide public acceptance by the unknowing, 
the web is flooded with true threats to public health, hate speech from 
white supremacists or deliberately misleading political ads and 
fraudulent electioneering from world adversaries?

If the latter, who gets to be the national nanny, defining truth, 
excluding some voices while inviting in others and monitoring the 
billions of social media posts each day — all while remaining 
nonpartisan and apolitical in today’s hyper-divided nation?

Wiser minds — including, with hope, most of us — will need to parse 
those questions and more as the First Amendment’s five freedoms 
(religion, speech, press, assembly and petition) are tested in court, on
 the street and occasionally on the pages of online magazines.

As for me, I theorize the nation’s founders would chuckle at the idea
 that all of this is new. The mechanisms of communications were 
different, but the goals in 1791 were the same: The exchange of ideas 
for a better life for us all, many at the time deemed too dangerous for 
society to hear — ideas like “all men are created equal” and that 
democracy was favorable over monarchy.

While this fistfight is mainly staged in the mind, there are real-world examples of the cost of the fight. New York Times op-ed editor Bari Weiss
 resigned the other day, saying in a letter she self-published that she 
was “hired with the goal of bringing in voices that would not otherwise 
appear in your pages: first-time writers, centrists, conservatives and 
others who would not naturally think of the Times as their home.”

In leaving the paper after about three years, she said, “ … a new 
consensus has emerged in the press, but perhaps especially at this 
paper: that truth isn’t a process of collective discovery, but an 
orthodoxy already known to an enlightened few whose job is to inform 
everyone else.”

Weiss concludes her resignation by noting founder Adolph Ochs’ 1896 statement “to make of the columns of The New York Times
 a forum for the consideration of all questions of public importance, 
and to that end to invite intelligent discussion from all shades of 
opinion.”

“Ochs’s idea is one of the best I’ve encountered,” Weiss continues. 
“And I’ve always comforted myself with the notion that the best ideas 
win out. But ideas cannot win on their own. They need a voice. They need
 a hearing. Above all, they must be backed by people willing to live by 
them.”

More of us need to make our voices heard in this latest fight over 
the meaning of the First Amendment’s 45 words, lest we see them reshaped
 — or lost — without having ever set foot in the ring.

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. He can be reached at <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>There’s a bit of an intellectual fistfight going on these days about free expression — and we all have a stake in the outcome.The early rounds have been going on for years: in essence, a theory 
that pops up periodically in history that some ideas simply are too 
dangerous to allow them to be voiced in public. The opponent to that 
theory: The longtime belief in the “marketplace of ideas,” where any 
person may advance any idea — however repugnant, vile or even evil — and
 be subject to the review, and perhaps revile, of all others.Critics of the marketplace approach have several arguments. American 
critics note the amendment was adopted in 1791, carrying forward ideas 
about free expression that even then were centuries old, and thus see it
 as out of place in a modern world.Another objection is that the internet, with its instant and global 
reach, makes ineffective the expected marketplace interplay of speaker 
and responder, through which the hope is bad ideas fail, good ideas 
improve and best ideas thrive.Yet another criticism of the marketplace concept is that money, 
technology and power have created an elite group (or groups) in control 
of most meaningful communication (and perhaps content) across the web, 
rendering criticism, counterviews, unpopular or unconventional ideas — 
and certainly revolutionary ones — unable to reach a mass audience.Critical race theorists believe that American jurisprudence 
essentially has elevated the liberty interests of the First Amendment 
over the equality interests of the 14th Amendment.And finally, there is the claim that some ideas simply are too 
dangerous or misleading or manipulative to be allowed into the 
marketplace at all — from race, ethnic and religious hatred to sexual 
exploitation and abuse to commercial messaging and political 
misinformation — now aided and abetted by hidden algorithms and those in
 charge of a handful of private tech companies more intent on profits 
than seeking truth.Whew. That’s a pretty strong set of arguments that some things need 
fixing when it comes to free expression in the early years of the 21st century. Most of us likely would agree with many, if not all of them — on first glance.Interestingly, the sides in this dispute don’t automatically align 
along our current political fractures. Some liberals and conservatives 
see the web as too wide open, allowing dangerous ideas and speakers 
access to audiences that can be influenced; while others view the web as
 a tightly controlled funnel of filtered information combined with 
manipulation that blocks voices (either too conservative or too liberal —
 take your pick) with a goal of shaping public opinion.The current battle is not just over the criticisms, but over the 
solutions as well. Twitter and other sites gain praise and scorn for 
blocking some users for alleged violations of those sites’ terms of 
service, ranging from foul language to misleading health claims to 
personal attacks and what the sites deem deliberate misinformation. Tech
 firms can block, tag and take down posted content, in a bit of irony to
 some, because they have their own First Amendment rights as private 
companies.So, some on either side of this dispute would bring government into 
the ring, where First Amendment freedoms would apply — one side seeking 
exceptions to free speech protections for things such as violent 
content, or racist views, or demeaning portrayals of women, or LGBTQ 
persons; and the other combatants asking government to oversee and 
override those private companies’ decisions, in the name of protecting 
conservative voices they see as all-too-often excluded from public 
discourse.Who are the combatants of late? In one corner, signatories to an open
 letter titled, “A Letter on Justice and Open Debate,” published July 7 
in Harper’s Magazine, include a number of the world’s best-known creative minds, such as J.K. Rowling, Wynton Marsalis, Gloria Steinem, Salman Rushdie and about 150 other authors, journalists, publishers and artists.In the other corner of this particular bout are those who signed this
 week onto another letter published on the online commentary site The 
Objective — which self-identifies as a place with information and views 
by and for “historically ignored communities” — another group of 
literary, media and artists. This missive entered the fray acknowledging
 the fight even reaches into its signatures area, noting some could be 
identified only generally, usually by professional occupation and place 
of work, because of fears of “workplace retaliation” by the established 
communication masters for whom some work.Their view of the Harper’s letter, in a piece titled, “A 
More Specific Letter on Justice and Open Debate” explains, “Nowhere in 
it do the signatories mention how marginalized voices have been silenced
 for generations in journalism, academia and publishing …” and “the 
letter does not deal with the problem of power: Who has it and who does 
not.”To be sure, many of latest blows in this intellectual boxing match 
have been struck via high-concept review of the theories of human 
communication and in well-founded critiques of who had and has access to
 tools of speaking out in public — news media, book publishers, 
broadcasters and now social media companies.But in the early rounds, the heavyweights punched the outmoded model 
of the marketplace of ideas for two reasons: One, that it never worked 
as intended because many minority groups, however defined, were denied 
access to speak and be heard — a stark truth that cannot be denied; and 
two, there is such a thing as truth, and to knowingly permit non-truth 
is counter-productive to society and should not be permitted.Boil it all down and it comes to a very simple First Amendment 
question: Is the response to speech you consider untruthful, disgusting 
or misleading more speech or less speech? If the former, what do you do 
as, with lightning speed and wide public acceptance by the unknowing, 
the web is flooded with true threats to public health, hate speech from 
white supremacists or deliberately misleading political ads and 
fraudulent electioneering from world adversaries?If the latter, who gets to be the national nanny, defining truth, 
excluding some voices while inviting in others and monitoring the 
billions of social media posts each day — all while remaining 
nonpartisan and apolitical in today’s hyper-divided nation?Wiser minds — including, with hope, most of us — will need to parse 
those questions and more as the First Amendment’s five freedoms 
(religion, speech, press, assembly and petition) are tested in court, on
 the street and occasionally on the pages of online magazines.As for me, I theorize the nation’s founders would chuckle at the idea
 that all of this is new. The mechanisms of communications were 
different, but the goals in 1791 were the same: The exchange of ideas 
for a better life for us all, many at the time deemed too dangerous for 
society to hear — ideas like “all men are created equal” and that 
democracy was favorable over monarchy.While this fistfight is mainly staged in the mind, there are real-world examples of the cost of the fight. New York Times op-ed editor Bari Weiss
 resigned the other day, saying in a letter she self-published that she 
was “hired with the goal of bringing in voices that would not otherwise 
appear in your pages: first-time writers, centrists, conservatives and 
others who would not naturally think of the Times as their home.”In leaving the paper after about three years, she said, “ … a new 
consensus has emerged in the press, but perhaps especially at this 
paper: that truth isn’t a process of collective discovery, but an 
orthodoxy already known to an enlightened few whose job is to inform 
everyone else.”Weiss concludes her resignation by noting founder Adolph Ochs’ 1896 statement “to make of the columns of The New York Times
 a forum for the consideration of all questions of public importance, 
and to that end to invite intelligent discussion from all shades of 
opinion.”“Ochs’s idea is one of the best I’ve encountered,” Weiss continues. 
“And I’ve always comforted myself with the notion that the best ideas 
win out. But ideas cannot win on their own. They need a voice. They need
 a hearing. Above all, they must be backed by people willing to live by 
them.”More of us need to make our voices heard in this latest fight over 
the meaning of the First Amendment’s 45 words, lest we see them reshaped
 — or lost — without having ever set foot in the ring.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. He can be reached at <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: Fighting over the meaning of First Amendment freedoms

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

“Get steamed!” No, I don’t mean get mad. I mean this might be a time to try steam aromatherapy with natural products made from goat milk. Today we’ll learn about an innovative Kansas business that has created an entire line of goat milk products, including shower steamers, and is marketing those products across America and beyond.&nbsp;

Julie Riggins and her family are owners and creators of the Goat Milk Soap Store. Julie was living in Texas with her husband when his business transferred him to Kansas City. She left her corporate job to follow his career and became a stay-at-home mom. They chose to adopt additional children, and ultimately decided to move out of the city so the kids could grow up in a small-town environment.

They found a farm in Franklin County, Kansas, and decided they should try to grow their own food. They bought some chickens and made a big garden.

“Two of our kids are (cow milk) lactose intolerant, so I figured I should get dairy goats,” Julie said. The Riggins family bought a herd of LaMancha dairy goats from a man in Missouri. They loved the goats. They also found themselves in a constant cycle of feeding and watering.&nbsp;

“We moved to Franklin County thinking we would find a slower pace of life. We were definitely wrong, it never stops out here,” Julie said with a smile.

Now Julie and her husband have eight children, including six whom they have adopted, and seven of those are living at home. Even with their large family, they found that the goats produced more milk than the family could consume.

They thought about other uses for the excess milk. They learned that goat milk has selenium and is high in Vitamin A, which is especially good for the skin. They made the goal milk into products such as soap and lotion which sold well at farmers markets and craft shows.

In 2017, they opened a store in the nearby town of Ottawa. The store includes a showroom in the front and a production facility in the back. They also joined the From the Land of Kansas program offered by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

Today, the Goat Milk Soap Store produces an entire line of hand-made goat milk products including soap, lotion, bath bombs, shower steamers, and various skin, lip, and hair products. They also offer soy candles and free-range eggs.

“LaMancha goats are really good milkers,” Julie said. The Riggins family harvests the milk in season and freezes the excess to make their products year-around.

“We follow the FDA guidelines to blend the oils, additives, and milk,” Julie said. “The salts and oils crystallize with the milk to produce a bar of soap that is good for the skin.

“Every bar of soap has a label telling which goat the milk came from,” she said. The shower steamers can be used for steam aromatherapy.

Baby LaMancha goats are exceptionally cute. “They have tiny little ears and the personality of a puppy,” Julie said. “They’re so friendly and curious, they will follow you around.”

In addition to the retail store, the Goat Milk Soap Store offers online shopping. The website even includes a link where a person can&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thegoatmilksoapstore.com/meet-the-goats.html">Meet the Goats</a>. These include June, Jessie, Mabel, Lil’ Bit, Peanut and many more.

Their products have gone from coast to coast and as far away as Alaska, Puerto Rico, and military bases in the Middle East. “God has blessed us,” Julie said. “Last fall we hosted a community Thanksgiving dinner, and 300 people showed up,” she said. “We want to give back to the community.”

The store is in Ottawa. The farm is near the rural town of Pomona, population 832. Now, that’s rural.

For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thegoatmilksoapstore.com/">www.thegoatmilksoapstore.com</a>.

Get steamed. No, don’t get mad. Use steam aromatherapy and other products made by the Goat Milk Soap Store. We commend Julie Riggins and her family for making a difference with hand-crafted products from the farm. I hope their business continues to pick up steam.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594818319770.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;“Get steamed!” No, I don’t mean get mad. I mean this might be a time to try steam aromatherapy with natural products made from goat milk. Today we’ll learn about an innovative Kansas business that has created an entire line of goat milk products, including shower steamers, and is marketing those products across America and beyond.&nbsp;Julie Riggins and her family are owners and creators of the Goat Milk Soap Store. Julie was living in Texas with her husband when his business transferred him to Kansas City. She left her corporate job to follow his career and became a stay-at-home mom. They chose to adopt additional children, and ultimately decided to move out of the city so the kids could grow up in a small-town environment.They found a farm in Franklin County, Kansas, and decided they should try to grow their own food. They bought some chickens and made a big garden.“Two of our kids are (cow milk) lactose intolerant, so I figured I should get dairy goats,” Julie said. The Riggins family bought a herd of LaMancha dairy goats from a man in Missouri. They loved the goats. They also found themselves in a constant cycle of feeding and watering.&nbsp;“We moved to Franklin County thinking we would find a slower pace of life. We were definitely wrong, it never stops out here,” Julie said with a smile.Now Julie and her husband have eight children, including six whom they have adopted, and seven of those are living at home. Even with their large family, they found that the goats produced more milk than the family could consume.They thought about other uses for the excess milk. They learned that goat milk has selenium and is high in Vitamin A, which is especially good for the skin. They made the goal milk into products such as soap and lotion which sold well at farmers markets and craft shows.In 2017, they opened a store in the nearby town of Ottawa. The store includes a showroom in the front and a production facility in the back. They also joined the From the Land of Kansas program offered by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.Today, the Goat Milk Soap Store produces an entire line of hand-made goat milk products including soap, lotion, bath bombs, shower steamers, and various skin, lip, and hair products. They also offer soy candles and free-range eggs.“LaMancha goats are really good milkers,” Julie said. The Riggins family harvests the milk in season and freezes the excess to make their products year-around.“We follow the FDA guidelines to blend the oils, additives, and milk,” Julie said. “The salts and oils crystallize with the milk to produce a bar of soap that is good for the skin.“Every bar of soap has a label telling which goat the milk came from,” she said. The shower steamers can be used for steam aromatherapy.Baby LaMancha goats are exceptionally cute. “They have tiny little ears and the personality of a puppy,” Julie said. “They’re so friendly and curious, they will follow you around.”In addition to the retail store, the Goat Milk Soap Store offers online shopping. The website even includes a link where a person can&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thegoatmilksoapstore.com/meet-the-goats.html">Meet the Goats</a>. These include June, Jessie, Mabel, Lil’ Bit, Peanut and many more.Their products have gone from coast to coast and as far away as Alaska, Puerto Rico, and military bases in the Middle East. “God has blessed us,” Julie said. “Last fall we hosted a community Thanksgiving dinner, and 300 people showed up,” she said. “We want to give back to the community.”The store is in Ottawa. The farm is near the rural town of Pomona, population 832. Now, that’s rural.For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thegoatmilksoapstore.com/">www.thegoatmilksoapstore.com</a>.Get steamed. No, don’t get mad. Use steam aromatherapy and other products made by the Goat Milk Soap Store. We commend Julie Riggins and her family for making a difference with hand-crafted products from the farm. I hope their business continues to pick up steam.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Julie Riggins, Goat Milk Soap Store

With temperatures reaching the upper 90s this weekend, we’ve arrived at the dog days of summer.&nbsp; It’s hot, we’re listless and yearn for the chill of a crisp fall morning.

Given the pandemic, summer weeks become all the more wearisome, as one day melts into another, with no end in sight.&nbsp; We get up, go though our motions, and find it hard to concentrate.

That plays right into the hand of the coronavirus.&nbsp; As Neil Young famously put it, more than 40 years ago, “Rust never sleeps.”&nbsp; Nor does COVID-19.&nbsp; Whether it’s Florida, Texas, Arizona, or, to a lesser degree, Kansas, the virus remains, never sleeping and always dangerous.

While not near the levels of many other states, Kansas rates of infection have risen sharply over the past month, and the state currently receives an “uncontrolled spread” rating.&nbsp; On June 6, Kansas reported 24 new cases, while the week of July 5-12 averaged 429 new ones.&nbsp; Deaths have not yet spiked, but more cases almost certainly mean increased future fatalities.&nbsp; Still, on a per capita basis, Kansas continues to have lower death rates than our neighboring states.

But COVID-19 never sleeps, and that should be our mantra.&nbsp; Most importantly, we need to proceed with our eyes wide open, as opposed to President Trump’s wishful thinking that the virus will just “disappear” and his tendency to ignore expert advice, like that of Dr. Anthony Fauci.

In Kansas, most counties chose to overturn Governor Laura Kelly’s order to wear masks, only to see the number of cases rise steadily.&nbsp; COVID-19 never sleeps.

As summer’s dog days head into a fall of K-12 re-openings and the influx of students back to Kansas colleges and universities, how should the state, its educational entities, and parents/students react, given that the virus will not, per Trump, magically disappear?

Aside from doing the obvious, such as wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and encouraging a lot more testing, we all need to be fact-based and flexible.&nbsp; That doesn’t mean closing things down at the drop of a hat, but it does require us to face realities and seek to control what we can.

Although K-12 education presents difficult problems, school districts may well have more flexibility that colleges and universities that bring together large numbers of students (and staff/faculty) from many places.&nbsp; While college students are likely to adjust with varieties of instructional formats and on-campus rules, they seem highly unlikely to comply with mask/distancing guidelines in social situations.&nbsp; What are universities to do with thousands of students who will mingle, socialize and – let’s be clear – drink?

Borrowing from an excellent overview from the University of Connecticut’s Sherry Pagoto, one thing that those in authority – whether in government or education – can do is to provide a positive view of what things can look like in the medium-term future, say the Spring of 2021.&nbsp; It’s really a question of deferred gratification; adults can generally succeed here, however unhappily, but students and other young people will have a much more difficult time.&nbsp;

In the end, higher education institutions should not fear halting in-person classes and encouraging social distancing. Nor should state governments wait to shut things down, per Texas, Arizona, and Florida, until the virus has once again ramped up.&nbsp;

In the end, we are human and impatient, but COVID-19 never sleeps.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574348610067.jpeg" alt="Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>(Apologies to Neil Young)With temperatures reaching the upper 90s this weekend, we’ve arrived at the dog days of summer.&nbsp; It’s hot, we’re listless and yearn for the chill of a crisp fall morning.Given the pandemic, summer weeks become all the more wearisome, as one day melts into another, with no end in sight.&nbsp; We get up, go though our motions, and find it hard to concentrate.That plays right into the hand of the coronavirus.&nbsp; As Neil Young famously put it, more than 40 years ago, “Rust never sleeps.”&nbsp; Nor does COVID-19.&nbsp; Whether it’s Florida, Texas, Arizona, or, to a lesser degree, Kansas, the virus remains, never sleeping and always dangerous.While not near the levels of many other states, Kansas rates of infection have risen sharply over the past month, and the state currently receives an “uncontrolled spread” rating.&nbsp; On June 6, Kansas reported 24 new cases, while the week of July 5-12 averaged 429 new ones.&nbsp; Deaths have not yet spiked, but more cases almost certainly mean increased future fatalities.&nbsp; Still, on a per capita basis, Kansas continues to have lower death rates than our neighboring states.But COVID-19 never sleeps, and that should be our mantra.&nbsp; Most importantly, we need to proceed with our eyes wide open, as opposed to President Trump’s wishful thinking that the virus will just “disappear” and his tendency to ignore expert advice, like that of Dr. Anthony Fauci.In Kansas, most counties chose to overturn Governor Laura Kelly’s order to wear masks, only to see the number of cases rise steadily.&nbsp; COVID-19 never sleeps.As summer’s dog days head into a fall of K-12 re-openings and the influx of students back to Kansas colleges and universities, how should the state, its educational entities, and parents/students react, given that the virus will not, per Trump, magically disappear?Aside from doing the obvious, such as wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and encouraging a lot more testing, we all need to be fact-based and flexible.&nbsp; That doesn’t mean closing things down at the drop of a hat, but it does require us to face realities and seek to control what we can.Although K-12 education presents difficult problems, school districts may well have more flexibility that colleges and universities that bring together large numbers of students (and staff/faculty) from many places.&nbsp; While college students are likely to adjust with varieties of instructional formats and on-campus rules, they seem highly unlikely to comply with mask/distancing guidelines in social situations.&nbsp; What are universities to do with thousands of students who will mingle, socialize and – let’s be clear – drink?Borrowing from an excellent overview from the University of Connecticut’s Sherry Pagoto, one thing that those in authority – whether in government or education – can do is to provide a positive view of what things can look like in the medium-term future, say the Spring of 2021.&nbsp; It’s really a question of deferred gratification; adults can generally succeed here, however unhappily, but students and other young people will have a much more difficult time.&nbsp;In the end, higher education institutions should not fear halting in-person classes and encouraging social distancing. Nor should state governments wait to shut things down, per Texas, Arizona, and Florida, until the virus has once again ramped up.&nbsp;In the end, we are human and impatient, but COVID-19 never sleeps.Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Kansas

INSIGHT KANSAS: COVID-19 never sleeps

“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.” – John F. Kennedy

I use this quote because it is perfect for the County Clerk position for which I have recently announced my write in campaign. I have spent a good amount of time studying the Clerk position and responsibilities. In the course of that research I have also come across several news articles documenting a fair amount of animosity between county offices. As an active, engaged Ellis County citizen, I knew such animosity existed, but was unaware of how detrimental it was to the county and the people these offices are meant to represent.&nbsp;

County Clerk duties in the state of Kansas, based on employment descriptions, are heavily clerical and accounting, not open to interpretation. Deadlines are mandated, also not open to interpretation. But, for whatever reason, in Ellis County there seems to be dissent among county offices about who is right, who is wrong, who is at fault, etc.

In any working relationship this is far from efficient, time consuming and toxic. Instead of working together to benefit Ellis County and its residents, energies are spend on accusations and arguments. Case in point, a recent viral video, shared far and wide, of county officers at a Commission meeting. While the Clerk’s office was not directly involved in that exchange, the clerk’s office was represented. There was ample opportunity for any one of the many elected officials in attendance to be the voice of reason, but not one spoke up. In a healthy working relationship/environment, this would have never been acceptable. We deserve better.

As the Chief Election Official for the county, however; the Clerk does have an amazing opportunity to work with the community and step outside the box. On the basest level, engagement of our county officials is an excellent opportunity to connect with the populace. I have been to one event in the past 3 years at which I have been encouraged to register to vote. One event. If there have been more, I am unaware of them, as are many other voters with whom I have spoken. As the Chief Election Officer in Ellis County, the Clerk has an awesome chance to help people realize their importance in the election process.&nbsp;

While the County Clerk position is an elected position, “not automatically handed down to the next person in line”, without other candidates running, as has been the case since 2012, it does become a de facto passing of the torch, so to speak. Experience and firsthand knowledge are a double edged sword. They bring with them the issues of the past, and defensiveness doesn’t always play well with innovation and improvement.&nbsp;

Accounting is a large part of the Business Administration Bachelor’s program at FHSU, and experience is gained through many routes, including management and Human Resources. They may not come from working in the office currently, but are no less relevant.&nbsp;

I appreciate the statutes referenced by the current Deputy County Clerk, and agree wholeheartedly that factual information is important. I don’t agree that any of the information provided is evidence of assumptions or untruths. I can agree that there will be a learning curve, as is always the case with any new endeavor.&nbsp;

At the heart of this write in campaign is my desire to make sure Ellis County citizens come to realize how important it is to take an active role in our government, make informed, reasoned decisions and make a difference.&nbsp;

Advanced mail in ballots may be requested now until July 28th. You can request an advance ballot by visiting <a href="http://www.ksvotes.org">www.ksvotes.org</a> or by calling the Ellis County Clerk at 785-628-9410. These completed ballots can be mailed back to 718 Main Street, Hays, Kansas 67601, or watch the following tutorial on using the drop box at the same address: <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&amp;v=eyLKdLKmHHs&amp;fbclid=IwAR0XM1iPoA4LLJfNhSTlcPcb2GwdTk80AxcJYKLOTuEcRrKFfBdwbTxNnlg">https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&amp;v=eyLKdLKmHHs</a>. &nbsp;

You can vote early, in person, by visiting 718 Main Street beginning July 20, until noon on August 3, 2020. As always, you may vote during the primary election held on August 4th, 2020. Find your polling place (or check your voter registration) at <a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview">https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview</a>.&nbsp;

If you are a registered democrat, please mark the bubble, then write my name in as County Clerk. Any registered unaffiliated voters may affiliate with a party when voting in the primary in person or when requesting an advance ballot. Please take a moment and support my write in campaign and affiliate as a democrat in order to write me in.

Every single vote counts. Every time.&nbsp;

Laura Allen, write-in candidate for Ellis County Clerk

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.” – John F. KennedyI use this quote because it is perfect for the County Clerk position for which I have recently announced my write in campaign. I have spent a good amount of time studying the Clerk position and responsibilities. In the course of that research I have also come across several news articles documenting a fair amount of animosity between county offices. As an active, engaged Ellis County citizen, I knew such animosity existed, but was unaware of how detrimental it was to the county and the people these offices are meant to represent.&nbsp;County Clerk duties in the state of Kansas, based on employment descriptions, are heavily clerical and accounting, not open to interpretation. Deadlines are mandated, also not open to interpretation. But, for whatever reason, in Ellis County there seems to be dissent among county offices about who is right, who is wrong, who is at fault, etc.In any working relationship this is far from efficient, time consuming and toxic. Instead of working together to benefit Ellis County and its residents, energies are spend on accusations and arguments. Case in point, a recent viral video, shared far and wide, of county officers at a Commission meeting. While the Clerk’s office was not directly involved in that exchange, the clerk’s office was represented. There was ample opportunity for any one of the many elected officials in attendance to be the voice of reason, but not one spoke up. In a healthy working relationship/environment, this would have never been acceptable. We deserve better.As the Chief Election Official for the county, however; the Clerk does have an amazing opportunity to work with the community and step outside the box. On the basest level, engagement of our county officials is an excellent opportunity to connect with the populace. I have been to one event in the past 3 years at which I have been encouraged to register to vote. One event. If there have been more, I am unaware of them, as are many other voters with whom I have spoken. As the Chief Election Officer in Ellis County, the Clerk has an awesome chance to help people realize their importance in the election process.&nbsp;While the County Clerk position is an elected position, “not automatically handed down to the next person in line”, without other candidates running, as has been the case since 2012, it does become a de facto passing of the torch, so to speak. Experience and firsthand knowledge are a double edged sword. They bring with them the issues of the past, and defensiveness doesn’t always play well with innovation and improvement.&nbsp;Accounting is a large part of the Business Administration Bachelor’s program at FHSU, and experience is gained through many routes, including management and Human Resources. They may not come from working in the office currently, but are no less relevant.&nbsp;I appreciate the statutes referenced by the current Deputy County Clerk, and agree wholeheartedly that factual information is important. I don’t agree that any of the information provided is evidence of assumptions or untruths. I can agree that there will be a learning curve, as is always the case with any new endeavor.&nbsp;At the heart of this write in campaign is my desire to make sure Ellis County citizens come to realize how important it is to take an active role in our government, make informed, reasoned decisions and make a difference.&nbsp;Advanced mail in ballots may be requested now until July 28th. You can request an advance ballot by visiting <a href="http://www.ksvotes.org">www.ksvotes.org</a> or by calling the Ellis County Clerk at 785-628-9410. These completed ballots can be mailed back to 718 Main Street, Hays, Kansas 67601, or watch the following tutorial on using the drop box at the same address: <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&amp;v=eyLKdLKmHHs&amp;fbclid=IwAR0XM1iPoA4LLJfNhSTlcPcb2GwdTk80AxcJYKLOTuEcRrKFfBdwbTxNnlg">https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&amp;v=eyLKdLKmHHs</a>. &nbsp;You can vote early, in person, by visiting 718 Main Street beginning July 20, until noon on August 3, 2020. As always, you may vote during the primary election held on August 4th, 2020. Find your polling place (or check your voter registration) at <a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview">https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview</a>.&nbsp;If you are a registered democrat, please mark the bubble, then write my name in as County Clerk. Any registered unaffiliated voters may affiliate with a party when voting in the primary in person or when requesting an advance ballot. Please take a moment and support my write in campaign and affiliate as a democrat in order to write me in.Every single vote counts. Every time.&nbsp;Laura Allen, write-in candidate for Ellis County Clerk

LETTER: Clerk position critical to community

The Republican Primary for County Attorney on August 4th&nbsp;will decide who will be your prosecutor for the next four years and I want you to have the facts.&nbsp;

The County Attorney’s position is the most powerful position in the county, in terms of law enforcement. The attorney elected to that office controls crime prosecution in the county, including burglary, rape, murder, and serious drug crimes.&nbsp; It is extremely complex. A poorly run county attorney’s office could mean crime on the street with police who are demoralized because their cases go nowhere. Look around the country. You need a strong prosecutor. &nbsp;

And for the record, my wife and I have lived in Hays since 2014. We sold our house on July 2, 2020. We are currently looking for another house in the area. You can confirm this with my realtor, Patty Stull with Coldwell Banker, who has given me permission to use her name. We purchased a second home in Kansas City to help family. It’s that simple. The family situation has thankfully improved, leaving me the time I need to run the Ellis County Attorney's Office.

My opponent, Robert Anderson, Jr. knows this (because I told him), but it doesn’t help his campaign because calling me an absent county attorney is the only issue he can campaign on.&nbsp; He has never been a prosecutor or written a budget for public office. He’s nice enough, but being nice does not get the job done for the people of Ellis County.

I can run the office on day one, hire motivated attorneys and staff, and start getting work done for Ellis County residents. I want to help the victims of crime in this county.

Vote for me, Chris Lyon, on August 4th, the only candidate who has prosecutorial experience (four years as Assistant Ellis County Attorney, current Hays Municipal Prosecutor and current Trego County Attorney), has written budgets, and will save taxpayers over $100,000 in the first year alone. Thank you for your vote.

Chris Lyon, candidate for Ellis County Attorney

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Republican Primary for County Attorney on August 4th&nbsp;will decide who will be your prosecutor for the next four years and I want you to have the facts.&nbsp;The County Attorney’s position is the most powerful position in the county, in terms of law enforcement. The attorney elected to that office controls crime prosecution in the county, including burglary, rape, murder, and serious drug crimes.&nbsp; It is extremely complex. A poorly run county attorney’s office could mean crime on the street with police who are demoralized because their cases go nowhere. Look around the country. You need a strong prosecutor. &nbsp;And for the record, my wife and I have lived in Hays since 2014. We sold our house on July 2, 2020. We are currently looking for another house in the area. You can confirm this with my realtor, Patty Stull with Coldwell Banker, who has given me permission to use her name. We purchased a second home in Kansas City to help family. It’s that simple. The family situation has thankfully improved, leaving me the time I need to run the Ellis County Attorney's Office.My opponent, Robert Anderson, Jr. knows this (because I told him), but it doesn’t help his campaign because calling me an absent county attorney is the only issue he can campaign on.&nbsp; He has never been a prosecutor or written a budget for public office. He’s nice enough, but being nice does not get the job done for the people of Ellis County.I can run the office on day one, hire motivated attorneys and staff, and start getting work done for Ellis County residents. I want to help the victims of crime in this county.Vote for me, Chris Lyon, on August 4th, the only candidate who has prosecutorial experience (four years as Assistant Ellis County Attorney, current Hays Municipal Prosecutor and current Trego County Attorney), has written budgets, and will save taxpayers over $100,000 in the first year alone. Thank you for your vote.Chris Lyon, candidate for Ellis County Attorney

LETTER: Experience and taxpayer dollars 

If you have spent any time outdoors walking around, you may have noticed a very distinct, grotesque looking insect on trees, shrubs, or near homes. The insect is the wheel bug (Arilus cristatus), which is common, and widely distributed throughout Kansas. 

Wheel bugs, also called assassin bugs, are predators that feed on many insect pests. However, the nymphs and adult can inflict a painful bite if handled by humans. Adult wheel bugs are 1 to 1-1/4 inches long, robust with long legs and antennae, and have a stout beak and large eyes on a narrow head. They are dark-brown to gray and possess a wheel or crest with 8 to 12 protruding teeth-like structures (tubercles) on the thorax that resembles a cogwheel; similar to the dinosaur—Stegosaurus. 

Wheel bugs have two long, slender antennae that are constantly moving or weaving around. Females are typically larger than males. Females lay eggs that resemble miniature brown bottles with white stoppers. Eggs are laid in clusters of 40 to 200. The eggs are glued together and covered with a gummy cement, which protects eggs from weather extremes and natural enemies (e.g. parasitoids and predators). Egg clusters are located on leaves, or the trunk or branches of trees or shrubs. Nymphs hatch (eclose) from eggs and are bright red with black markings. The nymphs do not have the wheel or crest. The life cycle, from egg to adult, takes three to four months to complete. Wheel bugs are active day and night, and are very shy, tending to hide on leaf undersides. The wheel bug overwinters as eggs with one generation per year in Kansas. Wheel bugs are voracious predators feeding on a wide-variety of insects, including caterpillars, beetles, true bugs, sawflies, and aphids.

Unfortunately, wheel bugs will feed on beneficial insects such as ladybird beetles and honey bees. The mouthparts are red-brown and resemble a tube or straw that is located underneath the head. The mouthpart extends out when wheel bugs are ready to “stab” prey. Wheel bugs paralyze prey with their saliva that contains a toxic substance, which immobilizes prey within 30 seconds. In addition to feeding on insects, wheel bugs are cannibalistic, and will feed on each other if they cannot locate a food source (prey). What is there not to like about “bugs?”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592579538317.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>If you have spent any time outdoors walking around, you may have noticed a very distinct, grotesque looking insect on trees, shrubs, or near homes. The insect is the wheel bug (Arilus cristatus), which is common, and widely distributed throughout Kansas. Wheel bugs, also called assassin bugs, are predators that feed on many insect pests. However, the nymphs and adult can inflict a painful bite if handled by humans. Adult wheel bugs are 1 to 1-1/4 inches long, robust with long legs and antennae, and have a stout beak and large eyes on a narrow head. They are dark-brown to gray and possess a wheel or crest with 8 to 12 protruding teeth-like structures (tubercles) on the thorax that resembles a cogwheel; similar to the dinosaur—Stegosaurus. Wheel bugs have two long, slender antennae that are constantly moving or weaving around. Females are typically larger than males. Females lay eggs that resemble miniature brown bottles with white stoppers. Eggs are laid in clusters of 40 to 200. The eggs are glued together and covered with a gummy cement, which protects eggs from weather extremes and natural enemies (e.g. parasitoids and predators). Egg clusters are located on leaves, or the trunk or branches of trees or shrubs. Nymphs hatch (eclose) from eggs and are bright red with black markings. The nymphs do not have the wheel or crest. The life cycle, from egg to adult, takes three to four months to complete. Wheel bugs are active day and night, and are very shy, tending to hide on leaf undersides. The wheel bug overwinters as eggs with one generation per year in Kansas. Wheel bugs are voracious predators feeding on a wide-variety of insects, including caterpillars, beetles, true bugs, sawflies, and aphids.Unfortunately, wheel bugs will feed on beneficial insects such as ladybird beetles and honey bees. The mouthparts are red-brown and resemble a tube or straw that is located underneath the head. The mouthpart extends out when wheel bugs are ready to “stab” prey. Wheel bugs paralyze prey with their saliva that contains a toxic substance, which immobilizes prey within 30 seconds. In addition to feeding on insects, wheel bugs are cannibalistic, and will feed on each other if they cannot locate a food source (prey). What is there not to like about “bugs?”&nbsp;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: A closer look at the wheel bug

Extracurricular activities are an essential piece of the educational experience in Kansas

By JOHN BAETZ <a href="https://www.kansaspregame.com">Kansas Pregame</a>

Kansas
 Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that the start of the 
2020-21 school year will be delayed until at least the week following 
Labor Day.

With Wednesday’s announcement, those 
connected to school offered extracurricular activities in Kansas are 
left worried and confused.

It now appears that all activities will
 be delayed accordingly, with not even practice allowed to start until 
school reopens. The Kansas State High School&nbsp;Activities Association has 
yet to announce a plan, and will not do so this week.

First, let me be clear, I’m not part of
 the crowd that believes this is some radical liberal agenda to impact 
an election cycle. COVID-19 is not equivalent to the flu and it’s not a 
hoax.

I trust the recommendations of people 
like KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman and infectious disease expert Dr. 
Anthony Fauci and I’m convinced Gov. Kelly is just trying to make 
decisions she believes will protect the citizens of Kansas.

That said, I also remain convinced we should find a way to let the kids participate in the extracurricular activities they love.

All indications are that young people are at a very low risk of hospitalization or death from the virus:(<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/pediatric-hcp.html#burden-disease-risk-factors">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/pediatric-hcp.html#burden-...(link is external)</a>).&nbsp;

Many experts recommend a return to school:(<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/health/coronavirus-schools-reopening.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/health/coronavirus-schools-reopening....(link is external)</a>).&nbsp;

A recent study connects masking to spread: prevention&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/health/coronavirus-hair-salon-masks.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/health/coronavirus-hair-salon-masks.html(link is external)</a>).&nbsp;

Given these considerations, couldn’t 
mitigation strategies be implemented to massively reduce the spread of 
the virus in most extracurricular activities?

Extracurricular activities drive classroom performance

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594928818683.jpeg" alt="Collage photos courtesy, clockwise from top left: Everett Royer, Adam Shrimplin, Everett Royer, Huey Counts." />
 <figcaption>Collage photos courtesy, clockwise from top left: Everett Royer, Adam Shrimplin, Everett Royer, Huey Counts.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594928965757.png" alt="John Baetz" />
 <figcaption>John Baetz</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Extracurricular activities are an essential piece of the educational experience in Kansas</h2>By JOHN BAETZ <a href="https://www.kansaspregame.com">Kansas Pregame</a>Kansas
 Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that the start of the 
2020-21 school year will be delayed until at least the week following 
Labor Day.With Wednesday’s announcement, those 
connected to school offered extracurricular activities in Kansas are 
left worried and confused.It now appears that all activities will
 be delayed accordingly, with not even practice allowed to start until 
school reopens. The Kansas State High School&nbsp;Activities Association has 
yet to announce a plan, and will not do so this week.First, let me be clear, I’m not part of
 the crowd that believes this is some radical liberal agenda to impact 
an election cycle. COVID-19 is not equivalent to the flu and it’s not a 
hoax.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>I trust the recommendations of people 
like KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman and infectious disease expert Dr. 
Anthony Fauci and I’m convinced Gov. Kelly is just trying to make 
decisions she believes will protect the citizens of Kansas.That said, I also remain convinced we should find a way to let the kids participate in the extracurricular activities they love.All indications are that young people are at a very low risk of hospitalization or death from the virus:(<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/pediatric-hcp.html#burden-disease-risk-factors">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/pediatric-hcp.html#burden-...(link is external)</a>).&nbsp;Many experts recommend a return to school:(<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/health/coronavirus-schools-reopening.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/health/coronavirus-schools-reopening....(link is external)</a>).&nbsp;A recent study connects masking to spread: prevention&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/health/coronavirus-hair-salon-masks.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/health/coronavirus-hair-salon-masks.html(link is external)</a>).&nbsp;Given these considerations, couldn’t 
mitigation strategies be implemented to massively reduce the spread of 
the virus in most extracurricular activities?Extracurricular activities drive classroom performanceAs a former high school football coach, I
 can’t emphasize enough the importance of activities to the well-being 
of those students who are passionate about them. I’ve seen an athlete's 
motivation to achieve satisfactory progress in the classroom driven, 
time and again, by a desire to earn the opportunity to compete. And I'm 
certain there are students similarly motivated by participation in 
music, debate, forensics and other school-sponsored extracurricular 
activities.My own motivation to achieve at a 
satisfactory level in the classroom in high school was driven by my 
desire to play football. Certainly I realize now that attitude was 
wrong, but it helped me get to college, where I shifted my focus to 
academics and completed my degree.I believe there is something encoded in
 our DNA that makes physical activity and competition essential to the 
human condition. That may sound dramatic, but look at how many adults 
seek out competitive recreation opportunities after high school or 
college. Running, biking, golf, basketball, water sports, weightlifting —
 most of us participate in one or more of these activities as part of 
our recreation or fitness routine.And not just sports, but music, acting,
 debate. Many adults continue their participation in similar activities 
for the remainder of their lives and&nbsp;while many from the sports world 
would not specifically consider extracurricular activities based in the 
arts to be “physical,” there is definitely a physical component. The 
ability to modulate one’s voice, to use the entire body to inspire an 
audience, to expand the lungs to carry a note or deliver impassioned 
dialogue during the rousing final act of a play all requires muscular, 
emotional and intellectual proficiency.Those “non-sport” extracurricular 
activities are also inherently competitive. No one takes part in a 
musical or debate with the goal of being mediocre. Artists are driven to
 hone their craft in the same way that athletes work to achieve the 
pinnacle of physical performance.Let’s find a way to let them playReturning to extracurricular activities
 appears possible with a mix of masking, hygiene, contact limitations 
and reduced fan participation.Students can participate in some 
activities with masks and others with the appropriate amount of social 
distance. Hand sanitizer can be made available for students, coaches and
 officials. Practices can feature reduced contact. Fan access to 
competitions can be reduced.Personally, I’m most supportive of a 
return to play that shifts all sports seasons back according to the new 
school schedule with some possible reduction in regular season 
competitions. Flip-flopping spring and fall sports seasons presents too 
much of a challenge this late in the year and staying as close as 
possible to the current calendar appears the best option.In-person learning or not, let’s continue extracurricular activitiesI’m a parent of a soon to be 
eight-year-old girl who I’d love to see return to school for a variety 
of reasons, but, I believe we should have extracurricular activities 
even if our return to school is only virtual.Holding practice for extracurricular 
activities could serve to provide both students and parents a break in 
the day, provide the student with much needed physical activity and help
 them continue to engage academically in an effort to remain eligible 
for competition.There are a number of studies that demonstrate the negative health impacts of not returning to school and sports. Here’s one (<a href="https://www.wissports.net/news_article/show/1110971?fbclid=IwAR250QYGZ7GVj9C43bAFRMZ3O3WfSkpUWvnhGPVm2kSUpCXvPnD2sm3mYrQ">https://www.wissports.net/news_article/show/1110971?fbclid=IwAR250QYGZ7G...(link is external)</a>).I get the risk, the need for safety, 
and the absolute necessity of monitoring the spread of the virus on a 
daily basis, but can’t we strike a balance that will allow kids a return
 to the extracurricular activities they love?Let’s find a way to let them play!John Baetz is the publisher of 
Kansas Pregame and the former publisher of the Lincoln 
Sentinel-Republican and Chapman &amp; Enterprise News-Times. A former 
high school football coach, he served as defensive coordinator for three
 different high schools over a 10 year high school coaching career.&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kansaspregame@gmail.com">kansaspregame@gmail.com</a>

Opinion