The Topeka Capital-Journal published a stunning story this week on foster care in Kansas. It begs the question: Why hasn’t the legislature prioritized foster care oversight and reform in the last decade?

From 2016 to 2018 under Governors Sam Brownback and Jeff Colyer, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) “secretly withheld” millions of dollars from private foster care contractors. Those nonprofits suffered significant financial strain, which negatively impacted children in state custody.

These facts are just now becoming public since the contractors had been “bound by a state-imposed nondisclosure agreement[s].” Governor Laura Kelly resolved the issue after assuming office.

Problems with foster care in Kansas are nothing new. You might remember missing children, kids sleeping in contractor offices, and archaic DCF technology, among others. This new revelation is another sad wrinkle.

The key quote in the article comes from Sen. Richard Hilderbrand of Cherokee County: “It infuriates me that that was our mode of operation instead of doing what’s right. The kids are in such a traumatic state anyway, and then we put them through that.”

He’s right. These actions are infuriating, falling somewhere between petty bureaucratic politics and state-sanctioned child neglect.&nbsp;

Foremost, “we” is Brownback, Colyer, and their administration officials. Their shortchanging of foster care should define their moral legacy.

However, the buck doesn’t stop there. “We” is also the Kansas legislature.&nbsp;

There are unanswered questions about the role of the legislature here, especially leaders of the two chambers and relevant committee chairs—the folks with the real institutional power, some of whom still serve in Topeka. What did you know and when? If you didn’t know what was happening, why?&nbsp;

Basically, where was the oversight that could have stopped or prevented this? Where was the enthusiasm to check executive power back then?

During those years, the major legislative innovation on foster care was establishing the Child Welfare System Task Force in 2017 to suggest legislation and regulatory changes. Basically, a study committee. Its 2019 report to the legislature is available online.

As media have since reported, the legislature has largely ignored the Task Force’s recommendations. The Governor also lacks the power to fully implement them herself because many require legislation.&nbsp;

Why spend money to create the Task Force, and then ignore its work? Disagreement with its recommendations? Low interest? Low political payoff, especially compared to recent tax and abortion debates that commanded legislative attention but yielded nothing? Money, of lack thereof? That’s always a rationale for avoidance, especially now with Kansas facing a budget shortfall.&nbsp;

To Topeka’s credit, the Family First Prevention Services Act became law in 2018 to capitalize on federal dollars focused on prevention strategies, but it pre-dates the still dangling Task Force report.&nbsp;

Yes, some legislators have promoted better foster care oversight and policy, most notably Representative Jarrod Ousley and former Representative Linda Gallagher, both of Johnson County. Others have assuredly devoted their attention. Governor Kelly also campaigned in 2018 on better foster care management, and has enacted some reforms. &nbsp;

Fully addressing these problems requires the legislature to invest attention and caring, and work with the Governor. If the legislature is an absent governing partner, that resigns Kansas to limited and possibly less effective foster care reform. The ultimate political losers of that are vulnerable Kansas children.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575644168170.png" alt="Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Topeka Capital-Journal published a stunning story this week on foster care in Kansas. It begs the question: Why hasn’t the legislature prioritized foster care oversight and reform in the last decade?From 2016 to 2018 under Governors Sam Brownback and Jeff Colyer, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) “secretly withheld” millions of dollars from private foster care contractors. Those nonprofits suffered significant financial strain, which negatively impacted children in state custody.These facts are just now becoming public since the contractors had been “bound by a state-imposed nondisclosure agreement[s].” Governor Laura Kelly resolved the issue after assuming office.Problems with foster care in Kansas are nothing new. You might remember missing children, kids sleeping in contractor offices, and archaic DCF technology, among others. This new revelation is another sad wrinkle.The key quote in the article comes from Sen. Richard Hilderbrand of Cherokee County: “It infuriates me that that was our mode of operation instead of doing what’s right. The kids are in such a traumatic state anyway, and then we put them through that.”He’s right. These actions are infuriating, falling somewhere between petty bureaucratic politics and state-sanctioned child neglect.&nbsp;But, who is ‘we” in his quote?Foremost, “we” is Brownback, Colyer, and their administration officials. Their shortchanging of foster care should define their moral legacy.However, the buck doesn’t stop there. “We” is also the Kansas legislature.&nbsp;There are unanswered questions about the role of the legislature here, especially leaders of the two chambers and relevant committee chairs—the folks with the real institutional power, some of whom still serve in Topeka. What did you know and when? If you didn’t know what was happening, why?&nbsp;Basically, where was the oversight that could have stopped or prevented this? Where was the enthusiasm to check executive power back then?During those years, the major legislative innovation on foster care was establishing the Child Welfare System Task Force in 2017 to suggest legislation and regulatory changes. Basically, a study committee. Its 2019 report to the legislature is available online.As media have since reported, the legislature has largely ignored the Task Force’s recommendations. The Governor also lacks the power to fully implement them herself because many require legislation.&nbsp;Why spend money to create the Task Force, and then ignore its work? Disagreement with its recommendations? Low interest? Low political payoff, especially compared to recent tax and abortion debates that commanded legislative attention but yielded nothing? Money, of lack thereof? That’s always a rationale for avoidance, especially now with Kansas facing a budget shortfall.&nbsp;To Topeka’s credit, the Family First Prevention Services Act became law in 2018 to capitalize on federal dollars focused on prevention strategies, but it pre-dates the still dangling Task Force report.&nbsp;Yes, some legislators have promoted better foster care oversight and policy, most notably Representative Jarrod Ousley and former Representative Linda Gallagher, both of Johnson County. Others have assuredly devoted their attention. Governor Kelly also campaigned in 2018 on better foster care management, and has enacted some reforms. &nbsp;Fully addressing these problems requires the legislature to invest attention and caring, and work with the Governor. If the legislature is an absent governing partner, that resigns Kansas to limited and possibly less effective foster care reform. The ultimate political losers of that are vulnerable Kansas children.Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Foster care revelations raise political, policy questions

Kansas crude prices topped $20 a barrel for the first time in two months. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson gained $2.25 Monday to $22 a barrel.

New numbers from the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) confirm crude-oil production dropping in most of the counties in Kansas last year. One exception in our area is Stafford County, which increased production over the year before by more than 21,000 barrels. Barton County reports total production last year dropped more than 64,000 barrels from the year before. Ellis County's total dropped more than 76,000 barrels last year. 2019 production in Russell County was down 58,000 from the year before.&nbsp;

KGS this week also released county production totals for the month of January, with the entire state and most counties reporting declines compared to January of last year. But Stafford County outproduced its total from a year earlier by about 4,000 barrels.&nbsp;

Kansas regulators approved just three new drilling permits last week, two in Ellis County and one in Greeley County. That's 182 permits for drilling at new locations so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports just nine new well completions for the week, eight of them in Western Kansas. That's 360 completions so far this year.

Baker Hughes reported its sixth weekly decline in the U.S. Rotary Rig Count. Since the second week in March, the national count has dropped more than half, down 454 rigs. For the week ending May 15, the total was 339 active rigs, down 34 oil rigs and one gas rig. Texas reported just 150 active rigs, down 23 for the week. New Mexico and North Dakota were each down four.

Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports just seven active rigs across Kansas. The count east of Wichita dropped to zero, down two rigs. In Western Kansas the count is down one to seven rigs. Drilling was underway on one lease in Ellis County last week.

The Energy Information Administration reported a slight draw-down in U.S. crude-oil inventories for the week ending May 8. That contradicts predictions earlier from S&amp;P Global Platts and the American Petroleum Institute, which both predicted inventory increases. EIA said stockpiles were down 700,000 barrels to 531.5 million barrels.

The government said crude-oil imports dropped more than five percent, with the four-week average more than 26% below the same figure a year ago.

The government said weekly production in the U.S. dropped by more than 300,000 barrels per day to just over eleven point six million barrels per day.

A closely-watched government report predicts continuing decreases in liquid fuels demand for the first half of this year, because of travel restrictions and other disruptions to economic activity. The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts prices this year will average just over half of the average last year. In its Short Term Energy Outlook, EIA predicts global demand will drop by more than eight million barrels per day this year, after dropping six percent in the first quarter. The report predicts continuing declines in U.S. production and continuing growth in global inventories.

Another state is considering intervention to reduce crude oil production, asking operators if producing oil at substantially reduced prices is wasting an important natural resource. Oklahoma has allowed such a declaration to protect leaseholders who shut down production. But in North Dakota, oil-patch representatives fear the state could move to curtail production. The industry overwhelmingly opposed the waste declaration, which could enable the state to order production cuts. The Grand Forks Herald reports there are a few companies that support the proposal, including Continental Resources, the biggest producer in the state.

March crude production in North Dakota dropped another 30,000 barrels a day. The Department of Mineral Resources reports monthly output of just over 1.4 million barrels per day. The state set a record for the captured volume of natural gas produced at oil wells, at two point seven million million-cubic-feet-per-day.

The government predicts a continuing decline in domestic shale-oil production. EIA says total U.S. shale output is now expected to drop by 197,000 barrels per day from May to June, after dropping 183,000 barrels per day the month before.

It appears current prices are high enough to alleviate many concerns over crude-oil storage. The government says storage use has flattened out, after a run on supertankers and inland storage facilities last month. EIA says our current net stockpiles represent 62% of working storage capacity for the week ending May 8. That's unchanged from the week before, but remains 16% higher than at the first of the year. Storage usage at Cushing, Oklahoma actually went down four percent.

Oil-by-rail in the U.S. dropped to 9,554 rail tanker cars last week, down nearly 27% compared to a year earlier. Total freight train traffic is down more than 22%.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574099516454.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARKansas crude prices topped $20 a barrel for the first time in two months. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson gained $2.25 Monday to $22 a barrel.New numbers from the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) confirm crude-oil production dropping in most of the counties in Kansas last year. One exception in our area is Stafford County, which increased production over the year before by more than 21,000 barrels. Barton County reports total production last year dropped more than 64,000 barrels from the year before. Ellis County's total dropped more than 76,000 barrels last year. 2019 production in Russell County was down 58,000 from the year before.&nbsp;KGS this week also released county production totals for the month of January, with the entire state and most counties reporting declines compared to January of last year. But Stafford County outproduced its total from a year earlier by about 4,000 barrels.&nbsp;Kansas regulators approved just three new drilling permits last week, two in Ellis County and one in Greeley County. That's 182 permits for drilling at new locations so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports just nine new well completions for the week, eight of them in Western Kansas. That's 360 completions so far this year.Baker Hughes reported its sixth weekly decline in the U.S. Rotary Rig Count. Since the second week in March, the national count has dropped more than half, down 454 rigs. For the week ending May 15, the total was 339 active rigs, down 34 oil rigs and one gas rig. Texas reported just 150 active rigs, down 23 for the week. New Mexico and North Dakota were each down four.Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports just seven active rigs across Kansas. The count east of Wichita dropped to zero, down two rigs. In Western Kansas the count is down one to seven rigs. Drilling was underway on one lease in Ellis County last week.The Energy Information Administration reported a slight draw-down in U.S. crude-oil inventories for the week ending May 8. That contradicts predictions earlier from S&amp;P Global Platts and the American Petroleum Institute, which both predicted inventory increases. EIA said stockpiles were down 700,000 barrels to 531.5 million barrels.The government said crude-oil imports dropped more than five percent, with the four-week average more than 26% below the same figure a year ago.The government said weekly production in the U.S. dropped by more than 300,000 barrels per day to just over eleven point six million barrels per day.A closely-watched government report predicts continuing decreases in liquid fuels demand for the first half of this year, because of travel restrictions and other disruptions to economic activity. The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts prices this year will average just over half of the average last year. In its Short Term Energy Outlook, EIA predicts global demand will drop by more than eight million barrels per day this year, after dropping six percent in the first quarter. The report predicts continuing declines in U.S. production and continuing growth in global inventories.Another state is considering intervention to reduce crude oil production, asking operators if producing oil at substantially reduced prices is wasting an important natural resource. Oklahoma has allowed such a declaration to protect leaseholders who shut down production. But in North Dakota, oil-patch representatives fear the state could move to curtail production. The industry overwhelmingly opposed the waste declaration, which could enable the state to order production cuts. The Grand Forks Herald reports there are a few companies that support the proposal, including Continental Resources, the biggest producer in the state.March crude production in North Dakota dropped another 30,000 barrels a day. The Department of Mineral Resources reports monthly output of just over 1.4 million barrels per day. The state set a record for the captured volume of natural gas produced at oil wells, at two point seven million million-cubic-feet-per-day.The government predicts a continuing decline in domestic shale-oil production. EIA says total U.S. shale output is now expected to drop by 197,000 barrels per day from May to June, after dropping 183,000 barrels per day the month before.It appears current prices are high enough to alleviate many concerns over crude-oil storage. The government says storage use has flattened out, after a run on supertankers and inland storage facilities last month. EIA says our current net stockpiles represent 62% of working storage capacity for the week ending May 8. That's unchanged from the week before, but remains 16% higher than at the first of the year. Storage usage at Cushing, Oklahoma actually went down four percent.Oil-by-rail in the U.S. dropped to 9,554 rail tanker cars last week, down nearly 27% compared to a year earlier. Total freight train traffic is down more than 22%.

News From the Oil Patch: Kan. crude tops $20 a barrel

The pandemic is a difficult 
experience for all of us. The longer it goes on, the harder it gets to 
stay disciplined. The good news is that we are making progress in 
limiting the impact of the virus and communities are starting to relax 
restrictions in phases. This does not mean that we have reached the 
finish line. The medical experts warn that we are a long way from 
defeating this disease. The most important thing now is to maintain our 
discipline. This is tough as we are all tired of living in a world where
 we can"t have the social interaction we desire.

It is our 
individual discipline that has gotten us to where we are today. If we 
lose self-regulation, we risk going backward and winding up in a more 
restrictive situation. Just what we don't want. I have often seen this 
in my 40-year military career, where given life or death situations, or 
with mission accomplishment on the line, some did not have the 
discipline or willpower to continue doing what had kept them and their 
colleagues safe. When discipline broke down in these situations, the 
outcome was predictable and dire.

Our ultimate success is also a 
measure of our own compassion. Noted columnist and author David Brooks 
stated on "PBS NewsHour" on April 17 the way to overcome this pandemic 
is to exhibit social solidarity and surrender to the common good. This 
is not easy in America, where our individualism is prized. But when we 
are all challenged by a complex virus, we have to come together in ways 
that we have not had to do for most of our lives. We have to follow 
state and community guidelines. Yes, it is tough, but it is the&nbsp;only 
rational choice.

Kansas State University has an important mission.
 It is critical to individual success and the economic health of our 
nation. We want to return to in-person classes as soon as possible. 
Please be a part of the solution by staying mentally tough and 
disciplined. We are only as strong as our weakest link — none of us want
 to be the weak link that pushes us back to greater restrictions.

We
 started early in the pandemic urging our students, faculty and staff to
 be "K-State Strong." Their resiliency has been amazing.&nbsp;Now is the time
 for all of us to stay disciplined&nbsp;and strong for the sake of each 
other.

Richard B. Myers is the president of Kansas State University.&nbsp;From
 2001-2005, he served as the 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
and was the principal military adviser to the U.S. president, secretary 
of defense and the National Security Council.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590064827869.jpeg" alt="Kansas State University President Richard B. Myers. Photo courtesy Kansas State University" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State University President Richard B. Myers. Photo courtesy Kansas State University</figcaption>
 </figure>By RICHARD B. MYERSThe pandemic is a difficult 
experience for all of us. The longer it goes on, the harder it gets to 
stay disciplined. The good news is that we are making progress in 
limiting the impact of the virus and communities are starting to relax 
restrictions in phases. This does not mean that we have reached the 
finish line. The medical experts warn that we are a long way from 
defeating this disease. The most important thing now is to maintain our 
discipline. This is tough as we are all tired of living in a world where
 we can"t have the social interaction we desire.It is our 
individual discipline that has gotten us to where we are today. If we 
lose self-regulation, we risk going backward and winding up in a more 
restrictive situation. Just what we don't want. I have often seen this 
in my 40-year military career, where given life or death situations, or 
with mission accomplishment on the line, some did not have the 
discipline or willpower to continue doing what had kept them and their 
colleagues safe. When discipline broke down in these situations, the 
outcome was predictable and dire.Our ultimate success is also a 
measure of our own compassion. Noted columnist and author David Brooks 
stated on "PBS NewsHour" on April 17 the way to overcome this pandemic 
is to exhibit social solidarity and surrender to the common good. This 
is not easy in America, where our individualism is prized. But when we 
are all challenged by a complex virus, we have to come together in ways 
that we have not had to do for most of our lives. We have to follow 
state and community guidelines. Yes, it is tough, but it is the&nbsp;only 
rational choice.Kansas State University has an important mission.
 It is critical to individual success and the economic health of our 
nation. We want to return to in-person classes as soon as possible. 
Please be a part of the solution by staying mentally tough and 
disciplined. We are only as strong as our weakest link — none of us want
 to be the weak link that pushes us back to greater restrictions.We
 started early in the pandemic urging our students, faculty and staff to
 be "K-State Strong." Their resiliency has been amazing.&nbsp;Now is the time
 for all of us to stay disciplined&nbsp;and strong for the sake of each 
other.. . .Richard B. Myers is the president of Kansas State University.&nbsp;From
 2001-2005, he served as the 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
and was the principal military adviser to the U.S. president, secretary 
of defense and the National Security Council.

OPINION: Discipline and strength required to vanquish pandemic foe

This past weekend should have been our commencement ceremonies. During the weekend I took the opportunity to pause and reflect – to silently express my gratitude for the students who choose to make FHSU their alma mater and for the faculty who ensured our graduates were absolutely prepared for their next adventure.

I also thought about the letter I sent to our graduates earlier this year, which read in part: “Dear Students – I consider the commencement ceremonies we host each year to be among the most important and cherished traditions of this university. Commencement is the celebration of a life-changing and singular achievement – one that has been years and even decades in the making. Every student will tell a different story about the journey to their degree, and every student will remember their graduation day.”&nbsp;

The letter went on to explain our celebratory plans. Each student will receive a regalia kit containing a gown, a hood (for graduate students, mortarboard, tassel, commencement program and diploma in an official Fort Hays State University diploma case. Our hope is that our graduates will use this kit to celebrate their achievements with the family and friends who have helped them throughout their academic careers. The university will also build social media events to supplement the kit and honor our students. Though not ideal – heartfelt.&nbsp;

I am so proud of our students. And yet that lack of celebration not only creates a void for them but for me as well. So, I did what I love to do: checked-in with some of our students.&nbsp;

Deja Brewer, Lenexa, is a student employee in the Geosciences Department and the president of the Black Student Union. Deja majored in general studies with a concentration in elementary education. She loves photography and baking. Next fall she plans on attending culinary school to become a chef. Deja and I have become very close over the years – ever since she came to visit me to complain about my decision not to cancel classes one wintry day. I truly miss seeing her on campus. Regarding commencement plans, Deja said: “Due to the postponed graduation for seniors, my family will be putting on a ceremony at home in my grandpa's backyard for me. My family is my biggest supporter, and I am the first to graduate from college, so this is a big accomplishment for my family and me.”

Nia Vasquez-Ward, Colorado Springs, Colo., is the youngest of three children and the only girl. She is also the first to go to college in her family. She earned a degree in criminal justice with a minor in psychology. Her dream is to become a probation officer. Nia has an amazing smile, and I bet her friendliness and graciousness will be welcomed by those with whom she will work. According to Nia, “Once my commencement kit comes in, my family has already planned a photoshoot with me in my cap and gown. This is exciting because I was going to have to do photos on my own in Hays, but now I can have my family in the photos, which will allow me to keep hold of special memories. I am still going to decorate my cap and save it for the new commencement date. Once this all passes, we will celebrate with a party.”&nbsp;

Becky Windholz, WaKeeney, put college on hold to pursue other opportunities after graduating high school, then began her FHSU studies in the summer of 2013. On Sept. 13 of that year, her son lost his father in a tragic vehicle accident. As much as she did not want to put college on hold again, she knew her son, who was only 9 years old at that time, needed his mother, so she stepped out for another four years. This spring, Becky completes an elementary education degree with a minor in special education. She is looking forward to a very impactful career at Trego County USD 208 as a middle school special education teacher. Becky’s thoughts on commencement: “With the unprecedented times in our lives, I do not know when I will be walking across the stage to get my diploma. However, I do plan to take my cap and gown from my commencement kit and have a fun photoshoot with my family to celebrate this life-long goal of mine. It wouldn’t have been possible without their support, so we will celebrate this accomplishment together, as a family. Thank you, Fort Hays. You will always have a spot in my heart!”

Hearing the resiliency and pride through the voices of our students reaffirms for me the power of a Fort Hays State University education. For it is indeed a special privilege, one to be cherished. I truly hope that the commencement weekend left students feeling not the sadness of a missed ceremony, but the pride and the love we, the faculty and staff, feel for them. We look forward to their future successes and strong connections to the Fort.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575302014229.png" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>This past weekend should have been our commencement ceremonies. During the weekend I took the opportunity to pause and reflect – to silently express my gratitude for the students who choose to make FHSU their alma mater and for the faculty who ensured our graduates were absolutely prepared for their next adventure.I also thought about the letter I sent to our graduates earlier this year, which read in part: “Dear Students – I consider the commencement ceremonies we host each year to be among the most important and cherished traditions of this university. Commencement is the celebration of a life-changing and singular achievement – one that has been years and even decades in the making. Every student will tell a different story about the journey to their degree, and every student will remember their graduation day.”&nbsp;The letter went on to explain our celebratory plans. Each student will receive a regalia kit containing a gown, a hood (for graduate students, mortarboard, tassel, commencement program and diploma in an official Fort Hays State University diploma case. Our hope is that our graduates will use this kit to celebrate their achievements with the family and friends who have helped them throughout their academic careers. The university will also build social media events to supplement the kit and honor our students. Though not ideal – heartfelt.&nbsp;I am so proud of our students. And yet that lack of celebration not only creates a void for them but for me as well. So, I did what I love to do: checked-in with some of our students.&nbsp;Deja Brewer, Lenexa, is a student employee in the Geosciences Department and the president of the Black Student Union. Deja majored in general studies with a concentration in elementary education. She loves photography and baking. Next fall she plans on attending culinary school to become a chef. Deja and I have become very close over the years – ever since she came to visit me to complain about my decision not to cancel classes one wintry day. I truly miss seeing her on campus. Regarding commencement plans, Deja said: “Due to the postponed graduation for seniors, my family will be putting on a ceremony at home in my grandpa's backyard for me. My family is my biggest supporter, and I am the first to graduate from college, so this is a big accomplishment for my family and me.”Nia Vasquez-Ward, Colorado Springs, Colo., is the youngest of three children and the only girl. She is also the first to go to college in her family. She earned a degree in criminal justice with a minor in psychology. Her dream is to become a probation officer. Nia has an amazing smile, and I bet her friendliness and graciousness will be welcomed by those with whom she will work. According to Nia, “Once my commencement kit comes in, my family has already planned a photoshoot with me in my cap and gown. This is exciting because I was going to have to do photos on my own in Hays, but now I can have my family in the photos, which will allow me to keep hold of special memories. I am still going to decorate my cap and save it for the new commencement date. Once this all passes, we will celebrate with a party.”&nbsp;Becky Windholz, WaKeeney, put college on hold to pursue other opportunities after graduating high school, then began her FHSU studies in the summer of 2013. On Sept. 13 of that year, her son lost his father in a tragic vehicle accident. As much as she did not want to put college on hold again, she knew her son, who was only 9 years old at that time, needed his mother, so she stepped out for another four years. This spring, Becky completes an elementary education degree with a minor in special education. She is looking forward to a very impactful career at Trego County USD 208 as a middle school special education teacher. Becky’s thoughts on commencement: “With the unprecedented times in our lives, I do not know when I will be walking across the stage to get my diploma. However, I do plan to take my cap and gown from my commencement kit and have a fun photoshoot with my family to celebrate this life-long goal of mine. It wouldn’t have been possible without their support, so we will celebrate this accomplishment together, as a family. Thank you, Fort Hays. You will always have a spot in my heart!”Hearing the resiliency and pride through the voices of our students reaffirms for me the power of a Fort Hays State University education. For it is indeed a special privilege, one to be cherished. I truly hope that the commencement weekend left students feeling not the sadness of a missed ceremony, but the pride and the love we, the faculty and staff, feel for them. We look forward to their future successes and strong connections to the Fort.Congratulations graduates!

MASON: Distance doesn’t dim graduates’ joy of achievement 

&nbsp;To the citizens of Ellis County, I would like to spend a few moments introducing myself as I announce I will be running for re-election as your Treasurer on August 4. My professional background includes several years of work experience in Higher Education, physical fitness, the banking industry, and more. During my undergraduate education, I was in the top 2% of students at FHSU in the College of Business and Leadership, and was nominated for the Torch Award when I graduated. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Leadership Studies, and I earned my Master’s degree from KU, where I graduated with Honors in 2011.

After earning my degrees and learning more about the world through full-time work and travel, I became certain I wanted to make my home in Kansas. My hobbies include spending time with my family and pets, and doing physical fitness, hiking, and gardening. Having grown up in Ellis County, a farmer’s daughter, I feel a great affinity for the people and the environs of Kansas. I was born in this place for a reason, and I want to stay here to contribute my efforts and talents to Ellis County, the place my family has called home since my ancestors came to the U.S. in the late 1800s.&nbsp; I have spent 17 years of my professional working life in Kansas, and feel compelled to make my work benefit every single citizen of this county. I like to serve the community with my work.&nbsp;

We are at a time in history that is especially poignant regarding taking our individual power and duty to weigh-in as citizens on how our cities, counties, and nations run. If we do not take up the yoke of civic duty, our great democracy will fail and fail fast. Our city, county, and nation need to pick leaders with integrity and courage to make tough decisions, as we move thoughtfully onward.&nbsp; We as citizens need to take the time and effort to watch, learn, and get engaged in the democratic process.&nbsp;

I have said this all before, and it is even more true today.&nbsp; Since you elected me in 2016, I have brought the Treasury unprecedented success both economically and managerially. As I have outlined in my semi-annual newsletters, I have implemented new collection practices, negotiated strong investment and procurement contracts, and tidied-up the budget to match my frugal nature, while still getting even more things done and done better. It has been a record-setting performance for a 4-year term as Treasurer.&nbsp;

Back when I joined the county, I focused on how I could bring all kinds of new practices (as I have done, but I also mentioned working in spirit of togetherness with other county officials to strengthen and unite our county. The thing about togetherness, is it has to be desired by two or more people in a group. I cannot enter the county and say I want to get along and cooperate, and be pressured to capitulate for several years, and when I do not capitulate to keeping failures or corruption hush-hush, and instead choose to calmly and consciously bring things to the table to discuss, be attacked, slandered, and shunned by other people in power to keep me quiet.&nbsp;

Togetherness takes multiple willing people. The thing is, even with the political pressure since 2017, I have still managed to share what I felt needed to be shared with Ellis County citizens; I have still managed to bring prosperity to the treasury, and effective management of staff, and I have still maintained a civil and respectful atmosphere to other county elected officials with my conduct. Just because they refuse to respect the office of Treasurer does not mean I will lose my integrity. The Treasury is still operating as good as it ever has, even with all the drama directed at us by current commissioners.&nbsp;

My independent judgement is what makes me the Treasurer you want. You do not want further nepotism in one of the three others running for my position who are two spouses and one parent of current county employees. I will not give up hope or silence my voice to protect special interests. I will cooperate, but I will not capitulate or pretend the Treasurer’s office is subject to the Commission. We are equal on the hierarchy of Counties.

As your incumbent, I understand the Kansas statutes as they apply to the taxation process. I know how to interface effectively with other government officials and taxpayers, as well as manage a staff of various specialists, while working to implement statutes in a way that advocates for constituents.&nbsp; My leadership degree taught me how to keep an eye on the big picture while attending to the details and providing training in effective interaction with all sectors of the community.

I will not give up on my vision for this county. It has grown me as a person to work for you as Treasurer, and it has greatly prospered your Treasury, having me managing the staff and the monies of Ellis County. Let’s make it a win-win, and pick me again in 2020. Since I have primary opponents, if you want me to be your Treasurer you must vote on AUGUST 4. You will then have to vote again on November 3 as well. If you pick me, you can count on me to perform the duties of Treasurer with excellence and integrity, as I have for the past several years. You can count on me to tell you about what matters, and trust that I will not waste your time with trivial matters, but will inform you of what I know is truly important and worth citizens being aware of.&nbsp;

Lisa Schlegel, Ellis County Treasurer&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584719419709.png" alt="Ellis County Treasurer Lisa Schlegel" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Treasurer Lisa Schlegel</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;To the citizens of Ellis County, I would like to spend a few moments introducing myself as I announce I will be running for re-election as your Treasurer on August 4. My professional background includes several years of work experience in Higher Education, physical fitness, the banking industry, and more. During my undergraduate education, I was in the top 2% of students at FHSU in the College of Business and Leadership, and was nominated for the Torch Award when I graduated. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Leadership Studies, and I earned my Master’s degree from KU, where I graduated with Honors in 2011.After earning my degrees and learning more about the world through full-time work and travel, I became certain I wanted to make my home in Kansas. My hobbies include spending time with my family and pets, and doing physical fitness, hiking, and gardening. Having grown up in Ellis County, a farmer’s daughter, I feel a great affinity for the people and the environs of Kansas. I was born in this place for a reason, and I want to stay here to contribute my efforts and talents to Ellis County, the place my family has called home since my ancestors came to the U.S. in the late 1800s.&nbsp; I have spent 17 years of my professional working life in Kansas, and feel compelled to make my work benefit every single citizen of this county. I like to serve the community with my work.&nbsp;We are at a time in history that is especially poignant regarding taking our individual power and duty to weigh-in as citizens on how our cities, counties, and nations run. If we do not take up the yoke of civic duty, our great democracy will fail and fail fast. Our city, county, and nation need to pick leaders with integrity and courage to make tough decisions, as we move thoughtfully onward.&nbsp; We as citizens need to take the time and effort to watch, learn, and get engaged in the democratic process.&nbsp;I have said this all before, and it is even more true today.&nbsp; Since you elected me in 2016, I have brought the Treasury unprecedented success both economically and managerially. As I have outlined in my semi-annual newsletters, I have implemented new collection practices, negotiated strong investment and procurement contracts, and tidied-up the budget to match my frugal nature, while still getting even more things done and done better. It has been a record-setting performance for a 4-year term as Treasurer.&nbsp;Back when I joined the county, I focused on how I could bring all kinds of new practices (as I have done, but I also mentioned working in spirit of togetherness with other county officials to strengthen and unite our county. The thing about togetherness, is it has to be desired by two or more people in a group. I cannot enter the county and say I want to get along and cooperate, and be pressured to capitulate for several years, and when I do not capitulate to keeping failures or corruption hush-hush, and instead choose to calmly and consciously bring things to the table to discuss, be attacked, slandered, and shunned by other people in power to keep me quiet.&nbsp;Togetherness takes multiple willing people. The thing is, even with the political pressure since 2017, I have still managed to share what I felt needed to be shared with Ellis County citizens; I have still managed to bring prosperity to the treasury, and effective management of staff, and I have still maintained a civil and respectful atmosphere to other county elected officials with my conduct. Just because they refuse to respect the office of Treasurer does not mean I will lose my integrity. The Treasury is still operating as good as it ever has, even with all the drama directed at us by current commissioners.&nbsp;My independent judgement is what makes me the Treasurer you want. You do not want further nepotism in one of the three others running for my position who are two spouses and one parent of current county employees. I will not give up hope or silence my voice to protect special interests. I will cooperate, but I will not capitulate or pretend the Treasurer’s office is subject to the Commission. We are equal on the hierarchy of Counties.As your incumbent, I understand the Kansas statutes as they apply to the taxation process. I know how to interface effectively with other government officials and taxpayers, as well as manage a staff of various specialists, while working to implement statutes in a way that advocates for constituents.&nbsp; My leadership degree taught me how to keep an eye on the big picture while attending to the details and providing training in effective interaction with all sectors of the community.I will not give up on my vision for this county. It has grown me as a person to work for you as Treasurer, and it has greatly prospered your Treasury, having me managing the staff and the monies of Ellis County. Let’s make it a win-win, and pick me again in 2020. Since I have primary opponents, if you want me to be your Treasurer you must vote on AUGUST 4. You will then have to vote again on November 3 as well. If you pick me, you can count on me to perform the duties of Treasurer with excellence and integrity, as I have for the past several years. You can count on me to tell you about what matters, and trust that I will not waste your time with trivial matters, but will inform you of what I know is truly important and worth citizens being aware of.&nbsp;Lisa Schlegel, Ellis County Treasurer&nbsp;

LETTER: Schlegel will seek second term as Ellis Co. treasurer

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher

“We live in unprecedented times and need to take unprecedented measures.” I don’t know how many times I have heard this in the last two or three months. I know it is true, but I sure would like to go back to life before Covid-19. I know it’s wishful thinking, and soon we will be back to the new normal, whatever that will be. However, in the meantime things sure are unsettled.

We see that unease in agriculture too, and it worries me. One good thing is I think we have the general public’s attention.  There are some cracks in our food supply chain and consumers realize that agriculture cannot be taken for granted. That is good. We can do some good when it comes to the public’s awareness of where food on grocery store shelves comes from. But only if we do it in the right way.

We must think our actions through. If this pandemic has taught us anything it is that actions this minute can cause unintended consequences.

English writer G. K. Chesterton summed up the desire to make such changes in 1929 when he wrote, “There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, 'I don't see the use of this; let us clear it away.' To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: 'If you don't see the use of it, I certainly won't let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.”

In short, fences don’t build themselves, and people generally don’t spend their time, energy and capital building a fence which has no purpose. Before you change something, you need to understand the reason it was put in place.

That is why I am proud to be part of Kansas Farm Bureau. We are an organization that is grounded in grassroots activism, and we represent all of agriculture. Just by our very nature we are not prone to falling for the issue of the day and a knee jerk reaction. At times it might be frustrating that our reaction time is slowed by the need to gauge the members and develop policy. However, in the end it helps us to think the issues through and make sound decisions.

It is my opinion that Kansas Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau will help lead us through this unprecedented time because we represent all farmers and ranchers and we work to be a unified voice. We have the attention of the consumer, and it is important we work in a coordinated effort to make them understand the importance of a strong and resilient food production system. We cannot be using up political capital we are gaining by fighting amongst ourselves.

I agree there are issues that have been highlighted by this crisis and they need to be discussed, but  now is not the time for those discussions. Right now, the fence in the road is how food makes its way from farms and ranches across the country to forks at dining room tables around the globe. This crisis has certainly highlighted some of the challenges on that route, but it’s also given us an opportunity.

I ask that each of us make the effort to share the story of how we are #stillfarming to provide the food to feed a hungry world. This is our time and our opportunity to make an impact; let’s make the most of it.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574091484634.jpeg" alt="Glenn-Brunkow" />
 <figcaption>Glenn-Brunkow</figcaption>
 </figure>By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher“We live in unprecedented times and need to take unprecedented measures.” I don’t know how many times I have heard this in the last two or three months. I know it is true, but I sure would like to go back to life before Covid-19. I know it’s wishful thinking, and soon we will be back to the new normal, whatever that will be. However, in the meantime things sure are unsettled.We see that unease in agriculture too, and it worries me. One good thing is I think we have the general public’s attention. There are some cracks in our food supply chain and consumers realize that agriculture cannot be taken for granted. That is good. We can do some good when it comes to the public’s awareness of where food on grocery store shelves comes from. But only if we do it in the right way.We must think our actions through. If this pandemic has taught us anything it is that actions this minute can cause unintended consequences.English writer G. K. Chesterton summed up the desire to make such changes in 1929 when he wrote, “There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, 'I don't see the use of this; let us clear it away.' To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: 'If you don't see the use of it, I certainly won't let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.”In short, fences don’t build themselves, and people generally don’t spend their time, energy and capital building a fence which has no purpose. Before you change something, you need to understand the reason it was put in place.That is why I am proud to be part of Kansas Farm Bureau. We are an organization that is grounded in grassroots activism, and we represent all of agriculture. Just by our very nature we are not prone to falling for the issue of the day and a knee jerk reaction. At times it might be frustrating that our reaction time is slowed by the need to gauge the members and develop policy. However, in the end it helps us to think the issues through and make sound decisions.It is my opinion that Kansas Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau will help lead us through this unprecedented time because we represent all farmers and ranchers and we work to be a unified voice. We have the attention of the consumer, and it is important we work in a coordinated effort to make them understand the importance of a strong and resilient food production system. We cannot be using up political capital we are gaining by fighting amongst ourselves.I agree there are issues that have been highlighted by this crisis and they need to be discussed, but now is not the time for those discussions. Right now, the fence in the road is how food makes its way from farms and ranches across the country to forks at dining room tables around the globe. This crisis has certainly highlighted some of the challenges on that route, but it’s also given us an opportunity.I ask that each of us make the effort to share the story of how we are #stillfarming to provide the food to feed a hungry world. This is our time and our opportunity to make an impact; let’s make the most of it."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: The slow, steady course

Being an Ellis County resident and taxpayer, I believe that making smart decisions with taxpayer dollars and investing wisely is important for the future of our County.&nbsp; Without a doubt, with hard work and desire to keep Ellis County flourishing, my plan is to always stay below budget without affecting service and looking for new ways for efficiency, speed, accuracy, and transparency in the office.

I currently supervise a division of Public Works for Ellis County for three years and have enjoyed working with all the staff and commissioners.&nbsp; I have had the opportunity to work with an approximate $1.2 million budget while keeping expenses below budget every year and finding new ways to maximize efficiency in the department. I am open to staff, citizens, and other elected officials who come to me with new ideas that may be implemented to save Ellis County and its taxpayers money. &nbsp;

I work for Ellis County because I love my community and would like to continue working for this great County as your Ellis County Treasurer.&nbsp; I would appreciate your vote at the primary on Tuesday, Aug. 4.

&nbsp;Feel free to contact me at 785-650-3292 or <a href="mailto:voteruderfortreasurer@gmail.com">voteruderfortreasurer@gmail.com</a>.&nbsp;

Vern Ruder, candidate for Ellis County treasurer

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589824071248.png" alt="Ruder" />
 <figcaption>Ruder</figcaption>
 </figure>Being an Ellis County resident and taxpayer, I believe that making smart decisions with taxpayer dollars and investing wisely is important for the future of our County.&nbsp; Without a doubt, with hard work and desire to keep Ellis County flourishing, my plan is to always stay below budget without affecting service and looking for new ways for efficiency, speed, accuracy, and transparency in the office.I currently supervise a division of Public Works for Ellis County for three years and have enjoyed working with all the staff and commissioners.&nbsp; I have had the opportunity to work with an approximate $1.2 million budget while keeping expenses below budget every year and finding new ways to maximize efficiency in the department. I am open to staff, citizens, and other elected officials who come to me with new ideas that may be implemented to save Ellis County and its taxpayers money. &nbsp;I work for Ellis County because I love my community and would like to continue working for this great County as your Ellis County Treasurer.&nbsp; I would appreciate your vote at the primary on Tuesday, Aug. 4.&nbsp;Feel free to contact me at 785-650-3292 or <a href="mailto:voteruderfortreasurer@gmail.com">voteruderfortreasurer@gmail.com</a>.&nbsp;Vern Ruder, candidate for Ellis County treasurer

LETTER: Ruder makes run for Ellis County treasurer position

Gov. Laura Kelly last week probably gave the Kansas Legislature -- which will meet for a one-day wrap-up session Thursday -- the best news it’s gotten so far this session.

She told them that she’s not going to push for changes in spending to speed through the Legislature in one day for the upcoming fiscal year which starts July 1.&nbsp;

Kelly says she’s confident that there’s going to be another recovery bill passed by Congress, though she and the rest of the nation’s governors aren’t certain just how it is going to impact their states and their budgets…and their citizens.

COVID-19 has already cost the state and cities and counties millions of dollars, and we’re still trying to figure how much of that lost revenue will be paid for or at least pared by federal assistance…or whether those costs wind up being paid for by Kansans’ tax dollars.

There’s overtime for first responders, there is testing and hospitalization of the poor who don’t have their own or their employers’ health insurance to cover them, plus a wide range of other costs. There’s also the effect on revenues. Less sales tax, less individual income tax and Kansans stretching to pay their property taxes.

Lots of costs: Just where they are going to fall isn’t clear yet. And six or seven months of monitoring of revenues and needs probably will give Kelly and the Legislature enough time to see just what needs to be fixed, what is essential spending, what is not so essential and what can be reassessed in January to reassemble the budget halfway through Fiscal Year 2021.

It’s a little like waiting to see whether the tornado veers away from your house. You don’t know until it happens. We’re all cowering in the basement, and by this fall leaders should have a better idea of just what’s it going to look like when they leave the basement to see what damage the tornado has caused…and start arranging for repairs.

Many lawmakers aren’t likely to ignore that it was Kelly who essentially sent Kansas to the basement with executive orders that closed thousands of nonessential businesses, restricted travel, caused layoffs, closed in-person attendance at schools…oh, and shut down bars and restaurants.

But then, most legislators who are talking about their concerns for the health and safety of Kansans -- that probably were enhanced by the governor’s shut-down and stay-home executive orders -- are ready for things to open up, for their neighbors to go back to work earning a living, eating in restaurants and paying taxes.

Oh, there’ll be bills this Thursday at the one-day session, and attempts to restrict, or at least let lawmakers regulate just what Kelly can do through executive orders through the remainder of the year, but at least those will come down to mostly fights in the basement about who gets the best spot to cower.

The best news is that besides some of those issues related to the pandemic are fairly technical, and not blazingly political. Look for a delay in when you have to pay your second-half property taxes if you haven’t already sent in the check. That’ll help some Kansans who have been put on furlough or who are living on unemployment benefits.

Oh, and there will be some consideration of the amazingly complicated determination of just what responsibility owners of stores and restaurants and such – and their insurance companies -- have for customers or employees who wind up with coronavirus that they may or may not have picked up at the business.

Best part of the session is that there’s no new budget activity when the state really doesn’t know what it needs to spend and on what as a result of the pandemic.

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/2019/11/1573590596307.png" alt="Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report." />
 <figcaption>Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report.</figcaption>
 </figure>Gov. Laura Kelly last week probably gave the Kansas Legislature -- which will meet for a one-day wrap-up session Thursday -- the best news it’s gotten so far this session.She told them that she’s not going to push for changes in spending to speed through the Legislature in one day for the upcoming fiscal year which starts July 1.&nbsp;Kelly says she’s confident that there’s going to be another recovery bill passed by Congress, though she and the rest of the nation’s governors aren’t certain just how it is going to impact their states and their budgets…and their citizens.COVID-19 has already cost the state and cities and counties millions of dollars, and we’re still trying to figure how much of that lost revenue will be paid for or at least pared by federal assistance…or whether those costs wind up being paid for by Kansans’ tax dollars.There’s overtime for first responders, there is testing and hospitalization of the poor who don’t have their own or their employers’ health insurance to cover them, plus a wide range of other costs. There’s also the effect on revenues. Less sales tax, less individual income tax and Kansans stretching to pay their property taxes.Lots of costs: Just where they are going to fall isn’t clear yet. And six or seven months of monitoring of revenues and needs probably will give Kelly and the Legislature enough time to see just what needs to be fixed, what is essential spending, what is not so essential and what can be reassessed in January to reassemble the budget halfway through Fiscal Year 2021.It’s a little like waiting to see whether the tornado veers away from your house. You don’t know until it happens. We’re all cowering in the basement, and by this fall leaders should have a better idea of just what’s it going to look like when they leave the basement to see what damage the tornado has caused…and start arranging for repairs.Many lawmakers aren’t likely to ignore that it was Kelly who essentially sent Kansas to the basement with executive orders that closed thousands of nonessential businesses, restricted travel, caused layoffs, closed in-person attendance at schools…oh, and shut down bars and restaurants.But then, most legislators who are talking about their concerns for the health and safety of Kansans -- that probably were enhanced by the governor’s shut-down and stay-home executive orders -- are ready for things to open up, for their neighbors to go back to work earning a living, eating in restaurants and paying taxes.Oh, there’ll be bills this Thursday at the one-day session, and attempts to restrict, or at least let lawmakers regulate just what Kelly can do through executive orders through the remainder of the year, but at least those will come down to mostly fights in the basement about who gets the best spot to cower.The best news is that besides some of those issues related to the pandemic are fairly technical, and not blazingly political. Look for a delay in when you have to pay your second-half property taxes if you haven’t already sent in the check. That’ll help some Kansans who have been put on furlough or who are living on unemployment benefits.Oh, and there will be some consideration of the amazingly complicated determination of just what responsibility owners of stores and restaurants and such – and their insurance companies -- have for customers or employees who wind up with coronavirus that they may or may not have picked up at the business.Best part of the session is that there’s no new budget activity when the state really doesn’t know what it needs to spend and on what as a result of the pandemic.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: Where will pandemic costs actually fall?

Note: This column contains&nbsp;language that may offend, quoted as part of musical lyrics.

As the COVID-19 crisis stretches on, we’re seeing more conflict, more
 protests and particularly more online rancor in the debate over how — 
and if — public officials should “open up” society or government 
restraints on gatherings, from bowling leagues and bars to religious 
services and retail stores.

The First Amendment’s protection for free speech covers most of what 
we may say, whether it’s impolite, insulting, biased or uplifting, even 
commentary or forcefully expressed opinions that most of us would find 
repulsive or repugnant.

But one area not protected as free speech is called a “true threat,” 
words that cause a person to fear for their safety or life. In a crisis,
 we may find things we say are taken in a different context by police, 
prosecutors and juries than at other, less stressful times.

Unfortunately for those trying to measure their own remarks, setting 
out a precise definition for what constitutes a true threat has 
flummoxed even the U.S. Supreme Court. The result is a division of 
opinion in federal and state courts across the country.

Toss in the new machinations of social media, which remove the 
element of face-to-face confrontation, but also provide a degree of 
anonymity — and lack of restraints — and the lines dividing protected 
and unprotected speech blur even more.

Speech threatening bodily harm made to a specific person standing in 
front of you while you have a weapon — for example, holding a knife and 
saying “I have a knife and I’m going to cut your throat” — leaves little
 doubt that it’s a true threat.

But what if the person at whom those same words are directed isn’t 
nearby when the remark is made, but sees it hours or days later on 
social media? What if the speaker sets the words to music, posts the 
statement as part of a YouTube video and later claims it was just a form
 of anger control therapy — even if the intended “target” (think you or 
me) took the threat seriously?

For many years, evidence that a statement could be judged as putting 
any “reasonable person” in fear was enough to support a conviction in 
many courts. But in 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Elonis v. United 
States, focused on the intent of the person making the 
statement, effectively saying that consideration was important — and 
perhaps essential — when deciding if the speaker was indeed issuing a 
“true threat.”

But the high court didn’t set out any means of measuring intent, leaving things hanging. Two years later, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, in Perez v. Florida,
 where the court refused to reconsider the conviction of a man who 
threatened to blow up a liquor store, that while “states must prove more
 than mere utterance of threatening words, some level of intent is 
required —(and) the Court should also decide precisely what level of 
intent suffices under the First Amendment,” noting that did not happen 
in Elonis.

All of that leaves many of us subject to state laws that don’t 
include a requirement to consider what we might mean when we say it, 
just how a “reasonable person” would feel about our words. Got enough 
money or time to get to the Supreme Court? Such a conviction would seem 
likely to be thrown out.

Not the “bright line” between right and wrong that we should expect to see when it comes to criminal prosecutions.

Case in point: According to Kentucky’s Lexington Herald Leader, Louisville lawyer James Gregory Troutman, 53, was charged April 22 with “terroristic threatening” for two Facebook posts directed at Gov. Andy Beshear.

“Maybe some should ask Beshear in a press conference about his thoughts on William Goebel,”
 Troutman was reported by police to have said in a post, “For those of 
you who don’t know the history … it’s a good read.” Goebel, shot to 
death in 1900, in is the only serving U.S. governor ever assassinated.

Police said Troutman also later posted, in a Facebook exchange about 
Beshear ordering photos to be taken of license plates of churchgoers 
flouting social distancing orders, “With any luck the gov will be the 
one at whom the shooting will be directed.”

Police said Troutman was “threatening to commit a crime likely to 
result in death or serious physical injury to the Kentucky governor.” 
But Troutman’s lawyer said the man “didn’t say he was going to kill 
him.”

If you were sitting on a jury considering the charges against 
Troutman, a 1969 Supreme Court decision in Watts v. United States might 
help you decide. In that Vietnam War-era case, a protester was charged 
with threatening President Lyndon Johnson for telling a rally that “if they ever make me carry a rifle, the first man I want to get in my sights is LBJ.”

The court later decided that Watts “had engaged in a crude form of 
political hyperbole rather than utter a true threat.” The justices 
identified what later came to be known as the Watts factors: The context
 in which the words were spoken, the reaction of those who heard the 
remarks and the certainty of the remarks.

They noted that Watts made his statements during a political rally, 
that those who overheard his remarks laughed and his statement was 
conditional rather than definitive.

Still today, some lower courts use the Watts factors to determine whether speech crosses the line into the realm of <a href="https://mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1025/true-threats" target="_blank">true threats</a>, Freedom Forum First Amendment Fellow David Hudson notes.

Another kind of hyperbole: Wishing that a meteor will fall from the 
sky and injure or kill a certain person may well be what most of us 
would find hateful and morally wrong, but it’s safely protected under 
the First Amendment.

On the other hand, the Supreme Court found in 2003, in Virginia v. 
Black — perhaps its most direct ruling about “true threat” —&nbsp; that the 
state of Virginia could prosecute people for cross burning intended to 
intimidate or instill fear in others. Dissenting voices said cross 
burning is always unprotected speech since it can have no effect other 
than intimidating others, but the court’s majority did not agree. Again,
 the intent of the speaker, as in Elonis, rather than the meaning to 
those receiving the message, was held most significant.

The justices did offer this definition: True threats are “those 
statements where the speaker means to communicate a serious expression 
of an intent to commit an act of unlawful violence to a particular 
individual or group.”

Adding to the conflicted legal views over true threats was the 2019 refusal by the justices to consider an appeal by Jamal Knox,
 a Pittsburgh rap music artist convicted over lyrics in a song “F*** the
 Police,” recorded in 2012 while facing weapon and drug charges. The 
song named arresting officers and included lyrics saying, “Let’s 
kill these cops cuz they don’t do us no good / pullin’ out your Glock 
out ’cause I live in the ‘hood” and “I’ma jam this rusty knife all in 
his guts and chop his feet … your shift over at 3 and I’m gonna f*** up 
where you sleep.”

Critics of Knox’s conviction note that other more widely recognized 
artists have used similar statements in their music without prosecution 
and that local courts generally don’t understand the role of rap music 
in urban culture.

Officials cited Knox’s specific identification of the officers and in
 2018 the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said his lyrics were threats, not 
“political, social or academic commentary, nor are they facially 
satirical or ironic.”

From armed protestors confronting state police officers in the 
Michigan capitol building to armed revelers at a Texas bar arrested in a
 SWAT raid, from angry crowds outside a number of gubernatorial 
residences to violent words on social media, the potential for threating
 actions and actual violence today is higher than ever.

So how to judge whether your words, expressive conduct (such as 
marching with signs or weapons) or violent social media posts are 
protected speech?

Colleagues at the Freedom Forum’s education unit provide a lesson 
plan — for free — to help you navigate those First Amendment “true 
threat” waters: In “You Can’t Say That?!” you will learn about 
restrictions to freedom of speech in public life and the court cases 
that determined when and why those limits&nbsp;apply.

Bottom line: In the U.S., the First Amendment certainly protects your
 right to speak. But there’s no absolute protection from the effects of 
what you say — particularly when those words may put a specific person 
in fear of injury or death.

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/2019/11/1573872297806.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>Note: This column contains&nbsp;language that may offend, quoted as part of musical lyrics.As the COVID-19 crisis stretches on, we’re seeing more conflict, more
 protests and particularly more online rancor in the debate over how — 
and if — public officials should “open up” society or government 
restraints on gatherings, from bowling leagues and bars to religious 
services and retail stores.The First Amendment’s protection for free speech covers most of what 
we may say, whether it’s impolite, insulting, biased or uplifting, even 
commentary or forcefully expressed opinions that most of us would find 
repulsive or repugnant.But one area not protected as free speech is called a “true threat,” 
words that cause a person to fear for their safety or life. In a crisis,
 we may find things we say are taken in a different context by police, 
prosecutors and juries than at other, less stressful times.Unfortunately for those trying to measure their own remarks, setting 
out a precise definition for what constitutes a true threat has 
flummoxed even the U.S. Supreme Court. The result is a division of 
opinion in federal and state courts across the country.Toss in the new machinations of social media, which remove the 
element of face-to-face confrontation, but also provide a degree of 
anonymity — and lack of restraints — and the lines dividing protected 
and unprotected speech blur even more.Speech threatening bodily harm made to a specific person standing in 
front of you while you have a weapon — for example, holding a knife and 
saying “I have a knife and I’m going to cut your throat” — leaves little
 doubt that it’s a true threat.But what if the person at whom those same words are directed isn’t 
nearby when the remark is made, but sees it hours or days later on 
social media? What if the speaker sets the words to music, posts the 
statement as part of a YouTube video and later claims it was just a form
 of anger control therapy — even if the intended “target” (think you or 
me) took the threat seriously?For many years, evidence that a statement could be judged as putting 
any “reasonable person” in fear was enough to support a conviction in 
many courts. But in 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Elonis v. United 
States, focused on the intent of the person making the 
statement, effectively saying that consideration was important — and 
perhaps essential — when deciding if the speaker was indeed issuing a 
“true threat.”But the high court didn’t set out any means of measuring intent, leaving things hanging. Two years later, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, in Perez v. Florida,
 where the court refused to reconsider the conviction of a man who 
threatened to blow up a liquor store, that while “states must prove more
 than mere utterance of threatening words, some level of intent is 
required —(and) the Court should also decide precisely what level of 
intent suffices under the First Amendment,” noting that did not happen 
in Elonis.All of that leaves many of us subject to state laws that don’t 
include a requirement to consider what we might mean when we say it, 
just how a “reasonable person” would feel about our words. Got enough 
money or time to get to the Supreme Court? Such a conviction would seem 
likely to be thrown out.Not the “bright line” between right and wrong that we should expect to see when it comes to criminal prosecutions.Case in point: According to Kentucky’s Lexington Herald Leader, Louisville lawyer James Gregory Troutman, 53, was charged April 22 with “terroristic threatening” for two Facebook posts directed at Gov. Andy Beshear.“Maybe some should ask Beshear in a press conference about his thoughts on William Goebel,”
 Troutman was reported by police to have said in a post, “For those of 
you who don’t know the history … it’s a good read.” Goebel, shot to 
death in 1900, in is the only serving U.S. governor ever assassinated.Police said Troutman also later posted, in a Facebook exchange about 
Beshear ordering photos to be taken of license plates of churchgoers 
flouting social distancing orders, “With any luck the gov will be the 
one at whom the shooting will be directed.”Police said Troutman was “threatening to commit a crime likely to 
result in death or serious physical injury to the Kentucky governor.” 
But Troutman’s lawyer said the man “didn’t say he was going to kill 
him.”If you were sitting on a jury considering the charges against 
Troutman, a 1969 Supreme Court decision in Watts v. United States might 
help you decide. In that Vietnam War-era case, a protester was charged 
with threatening President Lyndon Johnson for telling a rally that “if they ever make me carry a rifle, the first man I want to get in my sights is LBJ.”The court later decided that Watts “had engaged in a crude form of 
political hyperbole rather than utter a true threat.” The justices 
identified what later came to be known as the Watts factors: The context
 in which the words were spoken, the reaction of those who heard the 
remarks and the certainty of the remarks.They noted that Watts made his statements during a political rally, 
that those who overheard his remarks laughed and his statement was 
conditional rather than definitive.Still today, some lower courts use the Watts factors to determine whether speech crosses the line into the realm of <a href="https://mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1025/true-threats" target="_blank">true threats</a>, Freedom Forum First Amendment Fellow David Hudson notes.Another kind of hyperbole: Wishing that a meteor will fall from the 
sky and injure or kill a certain person may well be what most of us 
would find hateful and morally wrong, but it’s safely protected under 
the First Amendment.On the other hand, the Supreme Court found in 2003, in Virginia v. 
Black — perhaps its most direct ruling about “true threat” —&nbsp; that the 
state of Virginia could prosecute people for cross burning intended to 
intimidate or instill fear in others. Dissenting voices said cross 
burning is always unprotected speech since it can have no effect other 
than intimidating others, but the court’s majority did not agree. Again,
 the intent of the speaker, as in Elonis, rather than the meaning to 
those receiving the message, was held most significant.The justices did offer this definition: True threats are “those 
statements where the speaker means to communicate a serious expression 
of an intent to commit an act of unlawful violence to a particular 
individual or group.”Adding to the conflicted legal views over true threats was the 2019 refusal by the justices to consider an appeal by Jamal Knox,
 a Pittsburgh rap music artist convicted over lyrics in a song “F*** the
 Police,” recorded in 2012 while facing weapon and drug charges. The 
song named arresting officers and included lyrics saying, “Let’s 
kill these cops cuz they don’t do us no good / pullin’ out your Glock 
out ’cause I live in the ‘hood” and “I’ma jam this rusty knife all in 
his guts and chop his feet … your shift over at 3 and I’m gonna f*** up 
where you sleep.”Critics of Knox’s conviction note that other more widely recognized 
artists have used similar statements in their music without prosecution 
and that local courts generally don’t understand the role of rap music 
in urban culture.Officials cited Knox’s specific identification of the officers and in
 2018 the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said his lyrics were threats, not 
“political, social or academic commentary, nor are they facially 
satirical or ironic.”From armed protestors confronting state police officers in the 
Michigan capitol building to armed revelers at a Texas bar arrested in a
 SWAT raid, from angry crowds outside a number of gubernatorial 
residences to violent words on social media, the potential for threating
 actions and actual violence today is higher than ever.So how to judge whether your words, expressive conduct (such as 
marching with signs or weapons) or violent social media posts are 
protected speech?Colleagues at the Freedom Forum’s education unit provide a lesson 
plan — for free — to help you navigate those First Amendment “true 
threat” waters: In “You Can’t Say That?!” you will learn about 
restrictions to freedom of speech in public life and the court cases 
that determined when and why those limits&nbsp;apply.Bottom line: In the U.S., the First Amendment certainly protects your
 right to speak. But there’s no absolute protection from the effects of 
what you say — particularly when those words may put a specific person 
in fear of injury or death.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: What words make up a ‘true threat?’ Well, that depends

There is too much to address what is going on in Ellis County in this initial response. To be brief, since I took office, I have a smaller staff, I’m spending less money, all while doing more than ever before for the county’s citizens. I publish semi-annual newsletters to inform citizens what I am working on and publish them on the Treasury website. &nbsp;

In all I do, I hold myself accountable to the people, and I also attempt to hold commissioners and department heads accountable to the people. They do not like that. I work for the people, and am not part of the cliquish and nepotistic clan that has for so long ran this county, and who most importantly do not like an outsider who asks questions. That is what this is about, and this is why the commission is questioning my budget.&nbsp; This is why 3 people are running against me in 2020: 2 wives of current county employees, and one father of a department head. With nepotism, there are personal reasons to keep quiet when things are done that no one wants to answer questions about, questions I wanted to ask Thursday but was prevented from addressing.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5ebde8e3eb7f17053605050d">RELATED:&nbsp;Ellis County treasurer escorted by sheriff from budget hearing</a>

The things they brought up about my budget are deflectors, to get the people to “ask questions about what commissioners asked about” with the aim to distract from the real questions. They did not want me to speak, to bring up facts. The right question for people to ask here is not what is off in my budget, because there is nothing. &nbsp;

I gave budget documents to the local press over a month ago for them to examine. I posted my budget on the Treasury website and published it in a newsletter all the commissioners received in the mail. My budget was early, not late. Why do the commissioners accuse me of being late when I was early?&nbsp;

My budget is $515,000, lower than the budget before I joined Ellis County, which was $576,000. When I came to the county, I cut over 10% of the budget and surrendered a $130,000 surplus in capital budget. That equates to a 31% cut in my budget that has remained nearly steady since I took office. I spent $487,000 my first year, $491,000 my second year, and am asking for $515,000 this year. It is fiscally sound. &nbsp;

As for “advertising” as a line item, that is state mandated for all Treasuries, and has been for decades. It is simply a regular listing of delinquent taxpayers and I am required to publish that list and pay the local media whatever price they charge based on space filled in the publication. The commissioners sought to imply I used “advertising” funds to pay for my newsletter, which there would be no fault in doing by the way, but I did not, and they were caught in a lie, and so tried to save face by implying they had real questions about my advertising. Why the commissioners pretended not to know what an advertising line item is in the Treasury budget… that is the question to ask. One man has been a commissioner for over a decade and approved this item in the past.&nbsp;

The commissioners also mentioned other offices, however, no other offices’ budgets have been decreased by the commissioners. “Let us control you, bend to our wills, and we will give you the money,” is the message commissioners send to department heads and elected officials in Ellis County. The commissioners do not like me because they cannot control me. All they can do, since my record speaks for itself, is attack me and create doubt among the citizens.&nbsp; If one of the commissioners won’t allow me to justify and explain my budget, and correct him when his facts aren’t straight, if I can’t do this without being told to shut up, without being removed, how do you think our discussions off camera have went?

These commissioners don’t like facts. These 3 individuals do not control the office of the Treasurer. The commissioners office exists to serve the public. It does not exist to settle a personal score, or to give a personal ego a political platform. It does not exist so that an individual or group of individuals can fabricate an appearance to mislead the public.&nbsp;

I will continue doing my job, delivering my budget ahead of deadline as I always have, saving money, generating revenue, and responsibly managing the taxpayer dollars with excellence and transparency.&nbsp;

Ellis County Treasurer Lisa Schlegel

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584719419709.png" alt="Ellis County Treasurer Lisa Schlegel" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Treasurer Lisa Schlegel</figcaption>
 </figure>There is too much to address what is going on in Ellis County in this initial response. To be brief, since I took office, I have a smaller staff, I’m spending less money, all while doing more than ever before for the county’s citizens. I publish semi-annual newsletters to inform citizens what I am working on and publish them on the Treasury website. &nbsp;In all I do, I hold myself accountable to the people, and I also attempt to hold commissioners and department heads accountable to the people. They do not like that. I work for the people, and am not part of the cliquish and nepotistic clan that has for so long ran this county, and who most importantly do not like an outsider who asks questions. That is what this is about, and this is why the commission is questioning my budget.&nbsp; This is why 3 people are running against me in 2020: 2 wives of current county employees, and one father of a department head. With nepotism, there are personal reasons to keep quiet when things are done that no one wants to answer questions about, questions I wanted to ask Thursday but was prevented from addressing.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5ebde8e3eb7f17053605050d">RELATED:&nbsp;Ellis County treasurer escorted by sheriff from budget hearing</a>The things they brought up about my budget are deflectors, to get the people to “ask questions about what commissioners asked about” with the aim to distract from the real questions. They did not want me to speak, to bring up facts. The right question for people to ask here is not what is off in my budget, because there is nothing. &nbsp;I gave budget documents to the local press over a month ago for them to examine. I posted my budget on the Treasury website and published it in a newsletter all the commissioners received in the mail. My budget was early, not late. Why do the commissioners accuse me of being late when I was early?&nbsp;My budget is $515,000, lower than the budget before I joined Ellis County, which was $576,000. When I came to the county, I cut over 10% of the budget and surrendered a $130,000 surplus in capital budget. That equates to a 31% cut in my budget that has remained nearly steady since I took office. I spent $487,000 my first year, $491,000 my second year, and am asking for $515,000 this year. It is fiscally sound. &nbsp;As for “advertising” as a line item, that is state mandated for all Treasuries, and has been for decades. It is simply a regular listing of delinquent taxpayers and I am required to publish that list and pay the local media whatever price they charge based on space filled in the publication. The commissioners sought to imply I used “advertising” funds to pay for my newsletter, which there would be no fault in doing by the way, but I did not, and they were caught in a lie, and so tried to save face by implying they had real questions about my advertising. Why the commissioners pretended not to know what an advertising line item is in the Treasury budget… that is the question to ask. One man has been a commissioner for over a decade and approved this item in the past.&nbsp;The commissioners also mentioned other offices, however, no other offices’ budgets have been decreased by the commissioners. “Let us control you, bend to our wills, and we will give you the money,” is the message commissioners send to department heads and elected officials in Ellis County. The commissioners do not like me because they cannot control me. All they can do, since my record speaks for itself, is attack me and create doubt among the citizens.&nbsp; If one of the commissioners won’t allow me to justify and explain my budget, and correct him when his facts aren’t straight, if I can’t do this without being told to shut up, without being removed, how do you think our discussions off camera have went?These commissioners don’t like facts. These 3 individuals do not control the office of the Treasurer. The commissioners office exists to serve the public. It does not exist to settle a personal score, or to give a personal ego a political platform. It does not exist so that an individual or group of individuals can fabricate an appearance to mislead the public.&nbsp;I will continue doing my job, delivering my budget ahead of deadline as I always have, saving money, generating revenue, and responsibly managing the taxpayer dollars with excellence and transparency.&nbsp;Ellis County Treasurer Lisa Schlegel

LETTER: Ellis Co. treasurer's response to commissioners

These are unprecedented times, you guys. There’s sad news everywhere you look, so I want to give you some hope today. Let’s talk about one thing that can help your specific situation right now, no matter where you’re at with your finances—an emergency fund.

Emergency funds are made for such a time as this. If you have one, you’re probably thanking your past self for the peace of mind you have because of that pile of cash. As you navigate a loss of hours, income, or even your job, your emergency fund has your back.

I’ve counseled people who were able to overcome impossible odds because of their emergency fund. It’s not just about the money sitting in the bank, it’s about the power an emergency fund gives you in a crisis. It enables you to act—or at leastreact—without going into a panic or falling into debt. When you have cash saved and the unexpected happens, you have the power to focus on what’s really important, instead of focusing on money.

If you don’t have an emergency fund, now’s the time to start building one. I want you to stash as much cash as you can. If you’ve recently experienced an income decrease or lost your job entirely, you’ll need to take a job—any job—to get your income back up. Around here we call it “gazelle intensity.” To make money fast, you need to have the motivation of a gazelle running from a cheetah!&nbsp;

Now, if you’ve lost your income and you&nbsp;already&nbsp;have an emergency fund, that’s what it’s there for. But before you touch it, drop your expenses down to cover the Four Walls first. The Four Walls are your food, utilities, shelter, and transportation. This is just until we’re all back to normal, and your income is back up to what it was.&nbsp;You’re in conserve mode, so focus on needs—not wants—right now.

If you still have to pull from your emergency fund, treat it like income. Whatever amount you need to move over from savings, enter that onto the income line of your budget. Then, give every dollar a job to do. You’re running a leaner budget than usual right now, and that means there’s no room for date nights or dog costumes.

Remember, your emergency fund is a safety net between you and life. If you need to use it, don’t feel guilty. And if you don’t have one, start taking steps toward building one&nbsp;today.&nbsp;

I still want you to keep track of your budget during this time, too. Even if you don’t have an income, budget whatever money you have. If you don’t tell your money where to go, you’ll wonder where it went.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everydollar.com/">EveryDollar</a>&nbsp;is a free budgeting app I love. It’ll help you stay on track during these uncertain times!

As a #1&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;best-selling author, host of&nbsp;The Rachel Cruze Show&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Rachel Cruze Show Podcast, Rachel helps people learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt. She’s authored three best-selling books, including&nbsp;Love Your Life, Not Theirs&nbsp;and&nbsp;Smart Money Smart Kids, which she co-wrote with her father, Dave Ramsey. You can follow Cruze on Twitter and Instagram at @RachelCruze and online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.rachelcruze.com/">www.rachelcruze.com</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://youtube.com/rachelcruze">youtube.com/rachelcruze</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://facebook.com/rachelramseycruze">facebook.com/rachelramseycruze</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588716060479.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>These are unprecedented times, you guys. There’s sad news everywhere you look, so I want to give you some hope today. Let’s talk about one thing that can help your specific situation right now, no matter where you’re at with your finances—an emergency fund.Emergency funds are made for such a time as this. If you have one, you’re probably thanking your past self for the peace of mind you have because of that pile of cash. As you navigate a loss of hours, income, or even your job, your emergency fund has your back.I’ve counseled people who were able to overcome impossible odds because of their emergency fund. It’s not just about the money sitting in the bank, it’s about the power an emergency fund gives you in a crisis. It enables you to act—or at leastreact—without going into a panic or falling into debt. When you have cash saved and the unexpected happens, you have the power to focus on what’s really important, instead of focusing on money.If you don’t have an emergency fund, now’s the time to start building one. I want you to stash as much cash as you can. If you’ve recently experienced an income decrease or lost your job entirely, you’ll need to take a job—any job—to get your income back up. Around here we call it “gazelle intensity.” To make money fast, you need to have the motivation of a gazelle running from a cheetah!&nbsp;Now, if you’ve lost your income and you&nbsp;already&nbsp;have an emergency fund, that’s what it’s there for. But before you touch it, drop your expenses down to cover the Four Walls first. The Four Walls are your food, utilities, shelter, and transportation. This is just until we’re all back to normal, and your income is back up to what it was.&nbsp;You’re in conserve mode, so focus on needs—not wants—right now.If you still have to pull from your emergency fund, treat it like income. Whatever amount you need to move over from savings, enter that onto the income line of your budget. Then, give every dollar a job to do. You’re running a leaner budget than usual right now, and that means there’s no room for date nights or dog costumes.Remember, your emergency fund is a safety net between you and life. If you need to use it, don’t feel guilty. And if you don’t have one, start taking steps toward building one&nbsp;today.&nbsp;I still want you to keep track of your budget during this time, too. Even if you don’t have an income, budget whatever money you have. If you don’t tell your money where to go, you’ll wonder where it went.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everydollar.com/">EveryDollar</a>&nbsp;is a free budgeting app I love. It’ll help you stay on track during these uncertain times!As a #1&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;best-selling author, host of&nbsp;The Rachel Cruze Show&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Rachel Cruze Show Podcast, Rachel helps people learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt. She’s authored three best-selling books, including&nbsp;Love Your Life, Not Theirs&nbsp;and&nbsp;Smart Money Smart Kids, which she co-wrote with her father, Dave Ramsey. You can follow Cruze on Twitter and Instagram at @RachelCruze and online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.rachelcruze.com/">www.rachelcruze.com</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://youtube.com/rachelcruze">youtube.com/rachelcruze</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://facebook.com/rachelramseycruze">facebook.com/rachelramseycruze</a>.

CRUZE: Bulletproof your bank account during pandemic

Throughout this pandemic, we've gotten used to waiting on, listening to, and then either criticizing or thanking our elected leaders much more than usual. The reasons for this are obvious: during a public emergency we all, like it or not, depend upon those with governing authority who impose restrictions, provide support, and make decisions regarding public health.

What many Kansas have discovered, however, is that such authority isn't always located where they thought it was. A lot of it, in fact, lies in the hands of Kansas's 105 county commissions, probably the most often overlooked of all the state’s governing institutions.

To be fair, the same can be said for counties all across the United States. It's common, in the political science literature, for scholars to admit that our knowledge of how county commissions make public decisions is sorely lacking.

There's no good reason for this, of course: county commissions adhere to the same public meeting requirements as other governing bodies. And yet, unlike the contentious fights that occur in city halls or the grandstanding that takes place in state legislatures, to say nothing of the constant attention focused on Washington D.C., the day-to-day administrative work of counties often goes unnoticed by scholars and the media alike. Until, that is, a pandemic forces commissioners directly into the spotlight.

With few exceptions it is American counties, not cities, which have the ground-level responsibility for collecting data on health, overseeing the distribution of welfare, conducting the electoral business of democracy, and much more. But since county lines were historically drawn by state governments, dividing up their rural space without attention to the urban communities that later grew within them, it’s not unusual for those who seek and win county elections, and the officials they subsequently appoint, to become disconnected from the contentious, pluralistic reality they oversee.

There are, of course, plenty of contrary examples. In Johnson County, Public Health Director Sanmi Areola and his team have fought to communicate clearly across a complicated metropolitan area with many rival jurisdictions, as they have addressed Governor Kelly’s stay-at-home orders. In Shawnee County, the commission has mostly responded to County Health Officer Gianfranco Pezzino concerns positively, even contemplating, in the face of worrisome infection numbers, an unpopular extension of local lock-down orders as he recommends.

Still, examples of the occasional disconnect between Kansas’s citizens and those who run our counties aren’t hard to find. It’s not just a commissioner in Riley county attributing Manhattan’s low COVID-19 numbers to its lack of Chinese residents or commissioners in Sedgwick county joking about needing to talk more about the pandemic to justify the money they’ve received from the federal government. It’s simply the fact that in counties across Kansas, from Finney to Leavenworth, it has too often been the commissioners themselves criticizing state–or even their own county–health experts, playing to business or suburban communities that appear unaware of or unconcerned about what is happening in the downtown hospitals they depend upon.

The very shape of political institutions help form the beliefs of those who work within them. Consequently, as Kansas attempts to rebuild a new normal beyond the pandemic, thinking more seriously about home rule, and the way cities, counties, and the state share governing authority, should be near the top of every elected official’s list.

Professor Russell Arben Fox directs the History &amp; Politics major and the Honors program at Friends University in Wichita, KS.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586443443315.jpeg" alt="Professor Russell Arben Fox directs the History &amp; Politics major and the Honors program at Friends University in Wichita, KS." />
 <figcaption>Professor Russell Arben Fox directs the History &amp; Politics major and the Honors program at Friends University in Wichita, KS.</figcaption>
 </figure>Throughout this pandemic, we've gotten used to waiting on, listening to, and then either criticizing or thanking our elected leaders much more than usual. The reasons for this are obvious: during a public emergency we all, like it or not, depend upon those with governing authority who impose restrictions, provide support, and make decisions regarding public health.What many Kansas have discovered, however, is that such authority isn't always located where they thought it was. A lot of it, in fact, lies in the hands of Kansas's 105 county commissions, probably the most often overlooked of all the state’s governing institutions.To be fair, the same can be said for counties all across the United States. It's common, in the political science literature, for scholars to admit that our knowledge of how county commissions make public decisions is sorely lacking.There's no good reason for this, of course: county commissions adhere to the same public meeting requirements as other governing bodies. And yet, unlike the contentious fights that occur in city halls or the grandstanding that takes place in state legislatures, to say nothing of the constant attention focused on Washington D.C., the day-to-day administrative work of counties often goes unnoticed by scholars and the media alike. Until, that is, a pandemic forces commissioners directly into the spotlight.With few exceptions it is American counties, not cities, which have the ground-level responsibility for collecting data on health, overseeing the distribution of welfare, conducting the electoral business of democracy, and much more. But since county lines were historically drawn by state governments, dividing up their rural space without attention to the urban communities that later grew within them, it’s not unusual for those who seek and win county elections, and the officials they subsequently appoint, to become disconnected from the contentious, pluralistic reality they oversee.There are, of course, plenty of contrary examples. In Johnson County, Public Health Director Sanmi Areola and his team have fought to communicate clearly across a complicated metropolitan area with many rival jurisdictions, as they have addressed Governor Kelly’s stay-at-home orders. In Shawnee County, the commission has mostly responded to County Health Officer Gianfranco Pezzino concerns positively, even contemplating, in the face of worrisome infection numbers, an unpopular extension of local lock-down orders as he recommends.Still, examples of the occasional disconnect between Kansas’s citizens and those who run our counties aren’t hard to find. It’s not just a commissioner in Riley county attributing Manhattan’s low COVID-19 numbers to its lack of Chinese residents or commissioners in Sedgwick county joking about needing to talk more about the pandemic to justify the money they’ve received from the federal government. It’s simply the fact that in counties across Kansas, from Finney to Leavenworth, it has too often been the commissioners themselves criticizing state–or even their own county–health experts, playing to business or suburban communities that appear unaware of or unconcerned about what is happening in the downtown hospitals they depend upon.The very shape of political institutions help form the beliefs of those who work within them. Consequently, as Kansas attempts to rebuild a new normal beyond the pandemic, thinking more seriously about home rule, and the way cities, counties, and the state share governing authority, should be near the top of every elected official’s list.Professor Russell Arben Fox directs the History &amp; Politics major and the Honors program at Friends University in Wichita, KS.

INSIGHT KANSAS: How are counties handling their authority?

As I begin my 32nd year as an Extension Educator here in Central Kansas I am excited to share information about some great resource materials available to you. Through the years, people in my position have been known as home demonstration agents, home economics agents and most recently Family and Consumer Science (FCS) agents. Our goal through all of those title changes has remained the same; to bring unbiased research based information to families that can help improve their quality of life.&nbsp;

Through the end of May, I hope you will visit the Cottonwood Extension District FaceBook page each weekday and find a tip related to healthy living. The days of the week have a theme; Mindful Moment Monday, Taco’bout Cooking Skills Tuesday, Working Together Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, and Friends &amp; Family Friday. Many of the posts will contain a link to a fact sheet that follows the theme. When you click on the #FCSTime2Shine that appears on each post, you will be able to see posts from our colleagues from across the state. Some agents have added fun videos to their posts.

My two posts this past week highlighted the Everyday Mindfulness fact sheet on Monday and a fact sheet titled, “When Your Income Drops: Sharpening Survival Skills” on Thrifty Thursday. Both of these fact sheets contain great information we can use to help us through these uncertain times.&nbsp;

Berny, from the Hays office, and I will be trading off making the daily posts. If you do not have a way to connect to the internet to receive these materials, we will be happy to share a copy of the fact sheets if you give us a call. My number at the Great Bend office is: (620)793-1910 and the Hays office is (785)628-9430.&nbsp;

So look for our Cottonwood Extension District FaceBook page and open up a wealth of knowledge!

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583253738760.jpeg" alt="Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>As I begin my 32nd year as an Extension Educator here in Central Kansas I am excited to share information about some great resource materials available to you. Through the years, people in my position have been known as home demonstration agents, home economics agents and most recently Family and Consumer Science (FCS) agents. Our goal through all of those title changes has remained the same; to bring unbiased research based information to families that can help improve their quality of life.&nbsp;Through the end of May, I hope you will visit the Cottonwood Extension District FaceBook page each weekday and find a tip related to healthy living. The days of the week have a theme; Mindful Moment Monday, Taco’bout Cooking Skills Tuesday, Working Together Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, and Friends &amp; Family Friday. Many of the posts will contain a link to a fact sheet that follows the theme. When you click on the #FCSTime2Shine that appears on each post, you will be able to see posts from our colleagues from across the state. Some agents have added fun videos to their posts.My two posts this past week highlighted the Everyday Mindfulness fact sheet on Monday and a fact sheet titled, “When Your Income Drops: Sharpening Survival Skills” on Thrifty Thursday. Both of these fact sheets contain great information we can use to help us through these uncertain times.&nbsp;Berny, from the Hays office, and I will be trading off making the daily posts. If you do not have a way to connect to the internet to receive these materials, we will be happy to share a copy of the fact sheets if you give us a call. My number at the Great Bend office is: (620)793-1910 and the Hays office is (785)628-9430.&nbsp;So look for our Cottonwood Extension District FaceBook page and open up a wealth of knowledge!Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

KRUG: FCS Time2Shine campaign is now

I have had several calls lately with producers asking questions about cutting their wheat for hay or silage. Below is an article from K-State Research and Extension’s eUpdate that discusses the forage quality and pricing if you decide to go that route. As always, if you have a question, you can always contact us by calling the office at 620-793-1910 or emailing at aboor@ksu.edu.

Freezing conditions during April over some parts of Kansas potentially caused some damage in winter wheat, and with the passage of time, the level of damage is becoming more clear.&nbsp; As a result, producers facing reduced grain yields must soon decide whether to keep the wheat crop for grain or make a forage such as wheat hay or silage.

Comparing net returns to grain versus forage at this stage, however, requires market prices for wheat hay and silage, which aren’t always readily available.&nbsp; So how do you put a value on these forage products?&nbsp; This article updates a 2018 eUpdate article to provide some current estimates of wheat forage values as producers consider their options moving forward.&nbsp; The earlier article has more details on harvest concerns and relative feedstuff values.

It must also be mentioned that insured wheat growers should check first with their crop insurance agent before harvesting a forage crop to determine insurance requirements and document potential grain yield losses.&nbsp; Sometimes producers may be required to leave small areas of uncut wheat to provide a way to estimate grain yields.&nbsp; Insurance agents can also inform producers of any other restrictions which may apply. &nbsp;

The approach for pricing these wheat forage products will be to derive a silage or hay price using feed value comparisons to a feedstuff for which more reliable price information exists.&nbsp; A good candidate for a proxy feedstuff in Kansas is alfalfa hay, with prices reported weekly across the entire state and for a range of quality levels.&nbsp;

Alfalfa hay rated as “good” quality will have 58-60 percent total digestible nutrients (TDN) and 18-20 percent crude protein. According to USDA Ag Marketing Service reports, “fair/good” grinding alfalfa in southwest Kansas is currently selling for around $150-170 / ton, as a reference point.&nbsp; Wheat silage made from wheat at “early-head stage” maturity contains just over 15% Crude Protein and 73% TDN, on a dry matter basis.

Using an alfalfa hay price of $160/ton and the value of energy in alfalfa hay, a comparable wheat silage price based solely on energy would figure out to about $70 per ton as fed ($199/ton dry matter basis, assuming the silage is 35 percent dry matter.&nbsp; A similar calculation based solely on protein content would suggest a wheat silage price of about $50/ton as fed (about $143/ton dry matter basis). These results, based on rather simplistic calculations, might be viewed as upper and lower bounds on wheat silage prices, from a feed value perspective.&nbsp;

For wheat hay, Watson, indicated that wheat hay harvested at the dough stage would have 56-62 percent TDN and 8-10 percent crude protein, on a dry matter basis.&nbsp; So, wheat hay has almost as high an energy content as alfalfa hay, but significantly lower protein.&nbsp; Wheat hay priced solely on energy, relative to alfalfa, would figure out to about $155 per ton as fed.&nbsp; However, a similar calculation based solely on protein content would suggest a wheat hay price of only about $69/ton as fed.&nbsp; This is a rather wide range and could be considered as upper and lower bounds on the wheat hay value.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Given this wide range, this same approach based on relative feeding values is also estimated with a comparison to forage sorghum hay, which is closer in nutrient content to wheat hay and may provide a more meaningful range of price estimates. Using a TDN value of 57% and a crude protein value of 8% for forage sorghum hay, along with an edge-of-the-field price of $110 ton, we get suggested wheat hay prices in the range of $110 to $124 per ton.

Ultimately, of course, market prices are determined by buyers and sellers.&nbsp; However, the discussion above provides a couple of perspectives on how interested parties might approach the problem.&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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141354634.png" alt="Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District for K-State Research and Extension." />
 <figcaption>Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District for K-State Research and Extension.</figcaption>
 </figure>I have had several calls lately with producers asking questions about cutting their wheat for hay or silage. Below is an article from K-State Research and Extension’s eUpdate that discusses the forage quality and pricing if you decide to go that route. As always, if you have a question, you can always contact us by calling the office at 620-793-1910 or emailing at aboor@ksu.edu.Freezing conditions during April over some parts of Kansas potentially caused some damage in winter wheat, and with the passage of time, the level of damage is becoming more clear.&nbsp; As a result, producers facing reduced grain yields must soon decide whether to keep the wheat crop for grain or make a forage such as wheat hay or silage.Comparing net returns to grain versus forage at this stage, however, requires market prices for wheat hay and silage, which aren’t always readily available.&nbsp; So how do you put a value on these forage products?&nbsp; This article updates a 2018 eUpdate article to provide some current estimates of wheat forage values as producers consider their options moving forward.&nbsp; The earlier article has more details on harvest concerns and relative feedstuff values.It must also be mentioned that insured wheat growers should check first with their crop insurance agent before harvesting a forage crop to determine insurance requirements and document potential grain yield losses.&nbsp; Sometimes producers may be required to leave small areas of uncut wheat to provide a way to estimate grain yields.&nbsp; Insurance agents can also inform producers of any other restrictions which may apply. &nbsp;Pricing wheat silage and wheat hayThe approach for pricing these wheat forage products will be to derive a silage or hay price using feed value comparisons to a feedstuff for which more reliable price information exists.&nbsp; A good candidate for a proxy feedstuff in Kansas is alfalfa hay, with prices reported weekly across the entire state and for a range of quality levels.&nbsp;Alfalfa hay rated as “good” quality will have 58-60 percent total digestible nutrients (TDN) and 18-20 percent crude protein. According to USDA Ag Marketing Service reports, “fair/good” grinding alfalfa in southwest Kansas is currently selling for around $150-170 / ton, as a reference point.&nbsp; Wheat silage made from wheat at “early-head stage” maturity contains just over 15% Crude Protein and 73% TDN, on a dry matter basis.Using an alfalfa hay price of $160/ton and the value of energy in alfalfa hay, a comparable wheat silage price based solely on energy would figure out to about $70 per ton as fed ($199/ton dry matter basis, assuming the silage is 35 percent dry matter.&nbsp; A similar calculation based solely on protein content would suggest a wheat silage price of about $50/ton as fed (about $143/ton dry matter basis). These results, based on rather simplistic calculations, might be viewed as upper and lower bounds on wheat silage prices, from a feed value perspective.&nbsp;For wheat hay, Watson, indicated that wheat hay harvested at the dough stage would have 56-62 percent TDN and 8-10 percent crude protein, on a dry matter basis.&nbsp; So, wheat hay has almost as high an energy content as alfalfa hay, but significantly lower protein.&nbsp; Wheat hay priced solely on energy, relative to alfalfa, would figure out to about $155 per ton as fed.&nbsp; However, a similar calculation based solely on protein content would suggest a wheat hay price of only about $69/ton as fed.&nbsp; This is a rather wide range and could be considered as upper and lower bounds on the wheat hay value.&nbsp; &nbsp;Given this wide range, this same approach based on relative feeding values is also estimated with a comparison to forage sorghum hay, which is closer in nutrient content to wheat hay and may provide a more meaningful range of price estimates. Using a TDN value of 57% and a crude protein value of 8% for forage sorghum hay, along with an edge-of-the-field price of $110 ton, we get suggested wheat hay prices in the range of $110 to $124 per ton.Ultimately, of course, market prices are determined by buyers and sellers.&nbsp; However, the discussion above provides a couple of perspectives on how interested parties might approach the problem.&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: Grain versus silage

By GREG DOERING, Kansas Farm Bureau

Over the past few weeks, my colleagues at Kansas Farm Bureau have seen more of my basement than either I or they ever envisioned they would. Their riveting view consists of two doors, one to the laundry room and one to a spare bedroom. Between the two hangs a painting from my grandmother.

It’s a fall scene of a barn with hay bales stacked next to it. The sky is blue with fluffy, white clouds. Autumn has turned the grass reddish brown and yellowed the leaves on the oak trees. It’s a scene taken from countless farms across the country. It’s also one of several family heirlooms surrounding me in my new workspace.

Most of my work is done at a desk that once belonged to my great-grandfather. According to family lore, it resided in the office of the movie theatre he owned and operated through the Great Depression until he died in the early ‘70s. My father used it in his office at my childhood home until I took possession of it.

The desk has been in my basement for just shy of a decade now, mostly accumulating the junk flat surfaces tend to attract. Built of solid red oak, it’s still plenty capable of serving its intended function, even though a laptop has replaced the inkwell and typewriter.

I’ve also rediscovered an open-faced Waltham pocket watch. I’ve kept it nearby, winding it periodically to hear the rhythmic ticking. It’s older than the desk, dating to at least my great-great-grandfather, Artemas L. Barton. There’s an outside chance the watch originally belonged to his father who had the same initials.

The case is made of brass and is engraved with ALB in the center of the back cover, which is dented in a couple of spots. A semi-circle of polished metal is evidence it slid in and out of its owner’s pocket. It’s missing the second hand and the face is a little faded, but it still keeps time.

All of these are amusing distractions that allow my mind to wander.

I ponder if my great-grandfather leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the same corner I do. I wonder if Artemas checked the watch before an important meeting. And I ask myself what item of mine might one day spark such questions from my descendants.

My grandmother probably didn’t set out to create an heirloom when she crafted her painting. My great-grand-father would have never envisioned his office desk from a cinema holding a computer capable of streaming endless movies and TV shows. I doubt my great-great-grandfather imagined his everyday watch becoming an inheritance spanning generations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574694508756.jpeg" alt="Greg Doering" />
 <figcaption>Greg Doering</figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING, Kansas Farm BureauOver the past few weeks, my colleagues at Kansas Farm Bureau have seen more of my basement than either I or they ever envisioned they would. Their riveting view consists of two doors, one to the laundry room and one to a spare bedroom. Between the two hangs a painting from my grandmother.It’s a fall scene of a barn with hay bales stacked next to it. The sky is blue with fluffy, white clouds. Autumn has turned the grass reddish brown and yellowed the leaves on the oak trees. It’s a scene taken from countless farms across the country. It’s also one of several family heirlooms surrounding me in my new workspace.Most of my work is done at a desk that once belonged to my great-grandfather. According to family lore, it resided in the office of the movie theatre he owned and operated through the Great Depression until he died in the early ‘70s. My father used it in his office at my childhood home until I took possession of it.The desk has been in my basement for just shy of a decade now, mostly accumulating the junk flat surfaces tend to attract. Built of solid red oak, it’s still plenty capable of serving its intended function, even though a laptop has replaced the inkwell and typewriter.I’ve also rediscovered an open-faced Waltham pocket watch. I’ve kept it nearby, winding it periodically to hear the rhythmic ticking. It’s older than the desk, dating to at least my great-great-grandfather, Artemas L. Barton. There’s an outside chance the watch originally belonged to his father who had the same initials.The case is made of brass and is engraved with ALB in the center of the back cover, which is dented in a couple of spots. A semi-circle of polished metal is evidence it slid in and out of its owner’s pocket. It’s missing the second hand and the face is a little faded, but it still keeps time.All of these are amusing distractions that allow my mind to wander.I ponder if my great-grandfather leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the same corner I do. I wonder if Artemas checked the watch before an important meeting. And I ask myself what item of mine might one day spark such questions from my descendants.My grandmother probably didn’t set out to create an heirloom when she crafted her painting. My great-grand-father would have never envisioned his office desk from a cinema holding a computer capable of streaming endless movies and TV shows. I doubt my great-great-grandfather imagined his everyday watch becoming an inheritance spanning generations.These items are connections to just a fraction of my ancestors. Others include a Lutheran minister in Germany at the beginning of the European Reformation and an accused witch in Salem, Massachusetts. She eventually fled to Framingham, which is just west of Boston. Between the two is Waltham, birthplace of the pocket watch now ticking away on my desk.Everyone comes from somewhere, and that’s why I find these items fascinating. I think about what small items of mine might find their way to my descendants long after I’m gone.It’s also a reminder that life will continue without you. And the most inconsequential decisions — creating a painting, choosing a desk, buying a pocket watch — become the little legacies we leave."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Opinion