You don’t have to go to faraway countries – Greece, Cyprus or France, anyone? – to benefit from a popular style of eating.

In fact, Sharolyn Jackson says the Mediterranean diet is more a concept than a place.

“It really is an eating style that can have any flavor profile ” said Jackson, the state leader of K-State Research and Extension’s popular Walk Kansas program, a team-based challenge that encourages people to walk, jog, run, bike, swim and move however they want to live more healthfully.

As part of this year’s Walk Kansas, which wraps ups up May 20, K-State Research and Extension offered a six-week pilot course on eating the Mediterranean way.

“The Med way is just healthy eating,” Jackson said. “But there are a lot of reasons why people feel kind of stuck when it comes to healthy eating. They think that it’s too hard, or too confusing. They get a lot of mixed messages from different places. And then they have this idea that it’s too expensive. They think it doesn’t taste good…or they don’t have enough time to prepare foods or plan what they’re going to eat. And maybe they have limited cooking skills.”

Instead, the Mediterranean eating style can be simple, and summarized in seven steps:

· Change your protein. Choose white meat poultry, like chicken and turkey, and lean cuts of meat. Eat fish and seafood at least 2-3 times per week. Replace some of the meat in your diet with plant proteins. Eat red meat less often and choose leaner cuts. Eliminate processed meats or greatly limit them.

· Swap your fats. Instead of butter, use olive oil or canola oil for cooking foods. Don’t eliminate fats; just choose better ones.

· Eat more vegetables. Three cups of vegetables, per day, are recommended. Choose dark greens, and a variety of colors.

· Eat more fruits. Get at least two servings/cups of fruit per day. Choose a variety of colors and include berries often.

· Snack on nuts and seeds. Stick to about three ounces – about three small handfuls – so that you’re not over-doing it on the calories. Avoid nuts and seeds that are candied, honey roasted or high in salt.

· Choose whole grains. Choose whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, popcorn and whole grain bread and pasta. Look for the word “whole” as the first item on the ingredient list.

· Rethink your sweets. Limit intake to no more than three servings per week of high-sugar foods and drinks. Fruit is a good substitute for high-sugar desserts.

These recommendations, don’t need to be abrupt changes. Move yourself slowly away (from your current eating habits) so that you feel like you’re not being deprived, but rather working toward making it a habit.

These recommendations come from a curriculum titled, Med Instead of meds, developed by North Carolina state professor and registered dietitian nutritionist Carolyn Dunn. Additional resources are available online at <a href="https://medinsteadofmeds.com/">https://medinsteadofmeds.com</a>.

Up to two-thirds of chronic diseases – like diabetes and heart disease – can be prevented by lifestyle changes, specifically diet and exercise. Research has shown the connection between lifestyle and chronic disease for some time, and it’s provided insight into some of the ways to move people in the right direction for making those lifestyle changes.

The Ellis County office of the Cottonwood District will have a Med Instead of Meds Taste Testing party on May 24, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. at 601 Main to celebrate the end of Walk Kansas. Anyone is invited to attend to learn more about Med Instead of Meds program and try a few recipes. Please RSVP to moniquek@ksu.edu or 785-628-9430.

To learn about future programs on the Mediterranean style of eating, interested persons may contact their local Kansas extension office. More information about Walk Kansas also is available at <a href="https://www.walkkansas.org">https://www.walkkansas.org</a>.

Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668522152076.jpeg" alt="Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>You don’t have to go to faraway countries – Greece, Cyprus or France, anyone? – to benefit from a popular style of eating.In fact, Sharolyn Jackson says the Mediterranean diet is more a concept than a place.“It really is an eating style that can have any flavor profile ” said Jackson, the state leader of K-State Research and Extension’s popular Walk Kansas program, a team-based challenge that encourages people to walk, jog, run, bike, swim and move however they want to live more healthfully.As part of this year’s Walk Kansas, which wraps ups up May 20, K-State Research and Extension offered a six-week pilot course on eating the Mediterranean way.“The Med way is just healthy eating,” Jackson said. “But there are a lot of reasons why people feel kind of stuck when it comes to healthy eating. They think that it’s too hard, or too confusing. They get a lot of mixed messages from different places. And then they have this idea that it’s too expensive. They think it doesn’t taste good…or they don’t have enough time to prepare foods or plan what they’re going to eat. And maybe they have limited cooking skills.”Instead, the Mediterranean eating style can be simple, and summarized in seven steps:· Change your protein. Choose white meat poultry, like chicken and turkey, and lean cuts of meat. Eat fish and seafood at least 2-3 times per week. Replace some of the meat in your diet with plant proteins. Eat red meat less often and choose leaner cuts. Eliminate processed meats or greatly limit them.· Swap your fats. Instead of butter, use olive oil or canola oil for cooking foods. Don’t eliminate fats; just choose better ones.· Eat more vegetables. Three cups of vegetables, per day, are recommended. Choose dark greens, and a variety of colors.· Eat more fruits. Get at least two servings/cups of fruit per day. Choose a variety of colors and include berries often.· Snack on nuts and seeds. Stick to about three ounces – about three small handfuls – so that you’re not over-doing it on the calories. Avoid nuts and seeds that are candied, honey roasted or high in salt.· Choose whole grains. Choose whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, popcorn and whole grain bread and pasta. Look for the word “whole” as the first item on the ingredient list.· Rethink your sweets. Limit intake to no more than three servings per week of high-sugar foods and drinks. Fruit is a good substitute for high-sugar desserts.These recommendations, don’t need to be abrupt changes. Move yourself slowly away (from your current eating habits) so that you feel like you’re not being deprived, but rather working toward making it a habit.These recommendations come from a curriculum titled, Med Instead of meds, developed by North Carolina state professor and registered dietitian nutritionist Carolyn Dunn. Additional resources are available online at <a href="https://medinsteadofmeds.com/">https://medinsteadofmeds.com</a>.Up to two-thirds of chronic diseases – like diabetes and heart disease – can be prevented by lifestyle changes, specifically diet and exercise. Research has shown the connection between lifestyle and chronic disease for some time, and it’s provided insight into some of the ways to move people in the right direction for making those lifestyle changes.The Ellis County office of the Cottonwood District will have a Med Instead of Meds Taste Testing party on May 24, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. at 601 Main to celebrate the end of Walk Kansas. Anyone is invited to attend to learn more about Med Instead of Meds program and try a few recipes. Please RSVP to moniquek@ksu.edu or 785-628-9430.To learn about future programs on the Mediterranean style of eating, interested persons may contact their local Kansas extension office. More information about Walk Kansas also is available at <a href="https://www.walkkansas.org">https://www.walkkansas.org</a>.Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu

KOERNER: Healthy lifestyle changes are key to successful aging

Seems like it is everywhere! You have probably heard about the risks of consuming too much sugar but what are some practical tips to reduce added sugars in our diet? Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods/ beverages when they are processed or prepared. Added sugar is in 80 percent of the products at the grocery store. Most of us eat and drink more sugar than we realize.

Adding sugar to processed foods makes them more appealing and tastier. Sugar gives baked items flavor, texture and color. It helps preserve foods and it fuels fermentation, enabling bread to rise. Sugar also serves as a bulking agent in baked goods and ice cream, and it balances the acidity of foods containing vinegar and tomatoes. Sugar is often added to foods advertised as low-fat because it gives the food more flavor after removing the fat.

So, how much added sugar is too much? The Dietary Guidelines for American recommend you limit added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories. If you eat about 2,000 calories a day, you should limit added sugars to about 12 teaspoons or 48 grams. To put this in perspective, a 12-ounce can of soda has about 10 teaspoons (40 grams) of sugar.

You will be surprised by products that contain high amounts of added sugar, so the best way to make informed decisions is to read labels. The Nutrition Facts label displays the total amount of all sugars (natural and added) found in a serving of the product. There is also a line for added sugars. Another option is to look at the ingredient list on the package. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so if sugar is one of the first few ingredients the product is likely high in added sugars.

· Start by drinking water and other beverages that don’t contain sugar or artificial sugars. One rule that many find useful is to not drink sugar. Add fresh fruit and herbs to your water for a bit of flavor.

· When you drink fruit juice, make sure it is 100% juice, and better yet, eat the fruit!

· Choose breakfast cereals with less sugar.

· Go for fresh or frozen fruit as dessert.

· Buy canned fruit packed in water or juice, not syrup.

· Choose nutrient-rich snacks like vegetables, fruits, low-fat cheese, nuts, whole grain crackers, and low-calorie yogurt instead of candy, pastries, and cookies.

· When you have a dessert high in sugar, share it with others. Sometimes all you need is a bite or two to satisfy a craving.

· Store-bought marinara sauces are often high in sugar and salt. The best is to make your own from fresh tomatoes.

I hope you find these tips useful as we navigate the next few weeks of celebrations. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668522152076.jpeg" alt="Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>Sugar!Seems like it is everywhere! You have probably heard about the risks of consuming too much sugar but what are some practical tips to reduce added sugars in our diet? Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods/ beverages when they are processed or prepared. Added sugar is in 80 percent of the products at the grocery store. Most of us eat and drink more sugar than we realize.Adding sugar to processed foods makes them more appealing and tastier. Sugar gives baked items flavor, texture and color. It helps preserve foods and it fuels fermentation, enabling bread to rise. Sugar also serves as a bulking agent in baked goods and ice cream, and it balances the acidity of foods containing vinegar and tomatoes. Sugar is often added to foods advertised as low-fat because it gives the food more flavor after removing the fat.So, how much added sugar is too much? The Dietary Guidelines for American recommend you limit added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories. If you eat about 2,000 calories a day, you should limit added sugars to about 12 teaspoons or 48 grams. To put this in perspective, a 12-ounce can of soda has about 10 teaspoons (40 grams) of sugar.You will be surprised by products that contain high amounts of added sugar, so the best way to make informed decisions is to read labels. The Nutrition Facts label displays the total amount of all sugars (natural and added) found in a serving of the product. There is also a line for added sugars. Another option is to look at the ingredient list on the package. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so if sugar is one of the first few ingredients the product is likely high in added sugars.To reduce added sugars in your diet:· Start by drinking water and other beverages that don’t contain sugar or artificial sugars. One rule that many find useful is to not drink sugar. Add fresh fruit and herbs to your water for a bit of flavor.· When you drink fruit juice, make sure it is 100% juice, and better yet, eat the fruit!· Choose breakfast cereals with less sugar.· Go for fresh or frozen fruit as dessert.· Buy canned fruit packed in water or juice, not syrup.· Choose nutrient-rich snacks like vegetables, fruits, low-fat cheese, nuts, whole grain crackers, and low-calorie yogurt instead of candy, pastries, and cookies.· When you have a dessert high in sugar, share it with others. Sometimes all you need is a bite or two to satisfy a craving.· Store-bought marinara sauces are often high in sugar and salt. The best is to make your own from fresh tomatoes.I hope you find these tips useful as we navigate the next few weeks of celebrations. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu

KOERNER: Reduce your sugar 

Content Warning: This column contains discussion of gun violence and gun related homicide and suicide.

Medicaid expansion has been a hot topic over the past decade. Despite many states across the country expanding their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, Kansas has yet to do so.

According to the 2022 Kansas Speaks public opinion survey distributed by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, nearly 76% of Kansans support KanCare expansion — KanCare is the name of the state’s Medicaid program.

Despite extremely high levels of public support, the state legislature has failed to expand KanCare. The reason is most often attributed to partisan politics.

However, opponents of KanCare expansion may want to take a second look at some specific benefits of extending the program — 90% of which would be paid for by the federal government.

The RAND Corporation, a non-partisan policy think tank, has published new data about state-level firearm related deaths.

According to their findings, Kansas’ firearm death rates are 24% higher than the national average. This high percentage is driven mostly by the state’s firearm death by suicide rate, which is 46% higher than the national average.

Firearm homicides are 7% lower in Kansas than the national average.

Contrary to popular belief, gun violence is not unique to urban areas.

New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) last month finds that gun violence is not even predominantly an urban issue — an argument that is generally used as justification for loosening gun laws. Rather, all areas of Kansas are impacted by gun violence. Especially self-harm via firearms.

In Kansas’ rural areas, firearm deaths are 14% higher than the national average, firearm deaths by suicide are 25% higher, and rural firearm homicides are 9% lower.

What does this have to do with KanCare expansion?

Research from the Kaiser Foundation finds that Medicaid expansion increases access to care for adults with mental health conditions, such as depression.

Medicaid expansion is associated with an increase in the number of mental health facilities accepting Medicaid patients and an increase in the number of visits individual patients make to mental health providers.

Medicaid expansion is especially beneficial in providing much needed mental healthcare to rural residents, as nearly half of all mental health professional shortage areas nationally are located in rural areas.

Furthermore, a report from the Kansas Health Institute and the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas found that an estimated 24,154 Kansans are likely to use extended mental and behavioral health services under KanCare expansion.

Another research study published in JAMA, this one in June 2022, finds that an average of 1818 deaths by suicide were averted in Medicaid expansion states after the expansions — mostly among 20-29 year olds.

Expanding KanCare could — and based on the research likely would — prevent firearms deaths, especially those by suicide, in our state.

Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633377761670.jpeg" alt="Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University." />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>Content Warning: This column contains discussion of gun violence and gun related homicide and suicide.Medicaid expansion has been a hot topic over the past decade. Despite many states across the country expanding their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, Kansas has yet to do so.According to the 2022 Kansas Speaks public opinion survey distributed by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, nearly 76% of Kansans support KanCare expansion — KanCare is the name of the state’s Medicaid program.Despite extremely high levels of public support, the state legislature has failed to expand KanCare. The reason is most often attributed to partisan politics.However, opponents of KanCare expansion may want to take a second look at some specific benefits of extending the program — 90% of which would be paid for by the federal government.The RAND Corporation, a non-partisan policy think tank, has published new data about state-level firearm related deaths.According to their findings, Kansas’ firearm death rates are 24% higher than the national average. This high percentage is driven mostly by the state’s firearm death by suicide rate, which is 46% higher than the national average.Firearm homicides are 7% lower in Kansas than the national average.Contrary to popular belief, gun violence is not unique to urban areas.New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) last month finds that gun violence is not even predominantly an urban issue — an argument that is generally used as justification for loosening gun laws. Rather, all areas of Kansas are impacted by gun violence. Especially self-harm via firearms.In Kansas’ rural areas, firearm deaths are 14% higher than the national average, firearm deaths by suicide are 25% higher, and rural firearm homicides are 9% lower.What does this have to do with KanCare expansion?<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Research from the Kaiser Foundation finds that Medicaid expansion increases access to care for adults with mental health conditions, such as depression.Medicaid expansion is associated with an increase in the number of mental health facilities accepting Medicaid patients and an increase in the number of visits individual patients make to mental health providers.Medicaid expansion is especially beneficial in providing much needed mental healthcare to rural residents, as nearly half of all mental health professional shortage areas nationally are located in rural areas.Furthermore, a report from the Kansas Health Institute and the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas found that an estimated 24,154 Kansans are likely to use extended mental and behavioral health services under KanCare expansion.Another research study published in JAMA, this one in June 2022, finds that an average of 1818 deaths by suicide were averted in Medicaid expansion states after the expansions — mostly among 20-29 year olds.Expanding KanCare could — and based on the research likely would — prevent firearms deaths, especially those by suicide, in our state.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Firearms related deaths are high in Kansas, KanCare expansion could help

BOWERS: Senate Scene 2023 legislative wrap-up

The first Wheat Rx field day will be offered from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.&nbsp;Thursday, May 25 at the Agricultural Research Center in Hays, 1232 240th Ave.

This is a collaboration between K-State Research &amp; Extension and the Kansas Wheat Commission.

Growers and anyone interested will have the opportunity to see hands-on the most updated research on growing high-yield, high-quality, economically feasible wheat.

Crop walks include breeding nurseries, long-term fertility and tillage experiments, improved agronomy management and disease control trials, finishing up with an inside talk about recent economics of wheat production.

Attendance is free but registration is requested at <a href="https://kswheat.com/events/wheat-rx-hays">https://kswheat.com/events/wheat-rx-hays</a> for headcount a light breakfast and a lunch meal will be provided.

• 8 a.m. — Coffee and registration • 8:40 a.m. — Meeting kickoff and quick overview – Aaron Harries • 9 to 9:30 am: Guorong Zhang: Wheat research for western Kansas • 9:40 – 10:10 am: Augustine Obour: What we have learned after 48 years of tillage and N fertility management research • 10:20 – 10:50 a.m.: Romulo Lollato: Wheat agronomy intensification for combined food security and environmental stewardship • 10:50 – 11:20 a.m.: Kelsey Onofre: Wheat disease update and management • 11:30 a.m. — Lucas Haag: Economics of wheat production • noon — lunch RSVP requested at https://kswheat.com/events/wheat-rx-hays

If you have any questions, give me a call at the Cottonwood Extension District office in Hays.

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

The first Wheat Rx field day will be offered from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.&nbsp;Thursday, May 25 at the Agricultural Research Center in Hays, 1232 240th Ave.This is a collaboration between K-State Research &amp; Extension and the Kansas Wheat Commission.Growers and anyone interested will have the opportunity to see hands-on the most updated research on growing high-yield, high-quality, economically feasible wheat.Crop walks include breeding nurseries, long-term fertility and tillage experiments, improved agronomy management and disease control trials, finishing up with an inside talk about recent economics of wheat production.Attendance is free but registration is requested at <a href="https://kswheat.com/events/wheat-rx-hays">https://kswheat.com/events/wheat-rx-hays</a> for headcount a light breakfast and a lunch meal will be provided.• 8 a.m. — Coffee and registration • 8:40 a.m. — Meeting kickoff and quick overview – Aaron Harries • 9 to 9:30 am: Guorong Zhang: Wheat research for western Kansas • 9:40 – 10:10 am: Augustine Obour: What we have learned after 48 years of tillage and N fertility management research • 10:20 – 10:50 a.m.: Romulo Lollato: Wheat agronomy intensification for combined food security and environmental stewardship • 10:50 – 11:20 a.m.: Kelsey Onofre: Wheat disease update and management • 11:30 a.m. — Lucas Haag: Economics of wheat production • noon — lunch RSVP requested at https://kswheat.com/events/wheat-rx-haysIf you have any questions, give me a call at the Cottonwood Extension District office in Hays.Stacy Campbell is a crop production extension agent in the Cottonwood District, which includes Barton and Ellis counties, for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Wheat Rx Field Day – May 25 Hays

They waited ‘til the midnight hour, almost, it was the evening of the final day of the 2023 legislative session when lawmakers compromised on school funding and school choice voucher bills.

Republicans, Democrats, legislators from rural counties, and urbanites from up-scale northeast suburbs had been arguing almost non-stop since January.&nbsp;

Since no group is happy with the Friday outcome, the closing bill SB113&nbsp;appears to be a true compromise.

The bill proves some sense of rational lawmaking prevailed and it will go forward for the governor’s approval or veto.

Fortunately, SB113&nbsp;continues the court-required education spending plan at S6.4 billion for the next two years but doesn’t include an additional $72 million for special education to meet the state’s statutory requirements.

Gone is the previous legislative proposal to award about $5,000 from the public school budget to current private school students who’ve never attended public school.

&nbsp;Gone is the proposal to give $1,000 to each public school student next year for educational support such as tutoring or piano lessons.

Gone are the most egregious school choice schemes—Education Savings Accounts.&nbsp; This proposal would have awarded about $5,000 of taxpayer funds for any public school student to attend private school, for homeschooling or to spend on academic learning services—all without adequate oversight or evaluation. Also gone is the ESA plan’s most recent iteration that would have awarded $5,000 vouchers to individual students but only those in the 10 most populous Kansas counties.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The compromise bill, however, does expand&nbsp;school choice through the state’s single existing school choice program originally designed as scholarships for low-income, low-performing students.

The 2023 bill would extend scholarship opportunities to students whose families earn up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level, currently $69,375 for a family of four.&nbsp; Recipients would be eligible for up to $8,000 per year to attend private schools that are accredited or are “working toward accreditation.”&nbsp;

The scholarships are financed by individual and corporate donations that would give a 75 percent tax credit for donations up to $500,000 per year with fund disbursements capped at $10 million per year.

School choice supporters can claim compromise benefits because more Kansas students will have the opportunity to finance private schooling at least partially.&nbsp;

School advocates gave up fully funding special education and accepted tax credit funding but can claim compromise benefits because ESA vouchers, the greatest threat to free public education for all, were averted.&nbsp;

Tax credit scholarships drain taxpayer dollars indirectly because they diminish the larger, general fund. ESAs pull taxpayer dollars directly from budgeted school funds and thus weaken rural and small-town schools as well as fragment the education experience into multiple for-profit, ideological and religious segments that weakens the capability for citizenship instruction, a central mission of public schools.

As the single unifying institution of Kansas’ increasingly diverse population, safeguarding our local schools is vital.

It’s unfortunate that so much time was wasted in quarrels over school choice when it could have been devoted to important school needs like safety and security for students and teachers or ensuring all Kansas students have learning technology and internet access at home and school or increasing student achievement.&nbsp;

Nevertheless, with the session behind us, we should respect our lawmakers’ passion and acknowledge their ability to compromise, though long overdue.&nbsp; As has been often said, “better late than never.”

Sharon Hartin Iorio is the dean emerita of the Wichita State University College of Education.

Sources used in this report:&nbsp;KASB Resources—News; Sunflower State Journal; SB113.

They waited ‘til the midnight hour, almost, it was the evening of the final day of the 2023 legislative session when lawmakers compromised on school funding and school choice voucher bills.Republicans, Democrats, legislators from rural counties, and urbanites from up-scale northeast suburbs had been arguing almost non-stop since January.&nbsp;Since no group is happy with the Friday outcome, the closing bill SB113&nbsp;appears to be a true compromise.The bill proves some sense of rational lawmaking prevailed and it will go forward for the governor’s approval or veto.Fortunately, SB113&nbsp;continues the court-required education spending plan at S6.4 billion for the next two years but doesn’t include an additional $72 million for special education to meet the state’s statutory requirements.Gone is the previous legislative proposal to award about $5,000 from the public school budget to current private school students who’ve never attended public school.&nbsp;Gone is the proposal to give $1,000 to each public school student next year for educational support such as tutoring or piano lessons.Gone are the most egregious school choice schemes—Education Savings Accounts.&nbsp; This proposal would have awarded about $5,000 of taxpayer funds for any public school student to attend private school, for homeschooling or to spend on academic learning services—all without adequate oversight or evaluation. Also gone is the ESA plan’s most recent iteration that would have awarded $5,000 vouchers to individual students but only those in the 10 most populous Kansas counties.&nbsp;&nbsp;The compromise bill, however, does expand&nbsp;school choice through the state’s single existing school choice program originally designed as scholarships for low-income, low-performing students.The 2023 bill would extend scholarship opportunities to students whose families earn up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level, currently $69,375 for a family of four.&nbsp; Recipients would be eligible for up to $8,000 per year to attend private schools that are accredited or are “working toward accreditation.”&nbsp;The scholarships are financed by individual and corporate donations that would give a 75 percent tax credit for donations up to $500,000 per year with fund disbursements capped at $10 million per year.School choice supporters can claim compromise benefits because more Kansas students will have the opportunity to finance private schooling at least partially.&nbsp;School advocates gave up fully funding special education and accepted tax credit funding but can claim compromise benefits because ESA vouchers, the greatest threat to free public education for all, were averted.&nbsp;Tax credit scholarships drain taxpayer dollars indirectly because they diminish the larger, general fund. ESAs pull taxpayer dollars directly from budgeted school funds and thus weaken rural and small-town schools as well as fragment the education experience into multiple for-profit, ideological and religious segments that weakens the capability for citizenship instruction, a central mission of public schools.As the single unifying institution of Kansas’ increasingly diverse population, safeguarding our local schools is vital.It’s unfortunate that so much time was wasted in quarrels over school choice when it could have been devoted to important school needs like safety and security for students and teachers or ensuring all Kansas students have learning technology and internet access at home and school or increasing student achievement.&nbsp;Nevertheless, with the session behind us, we should respect our lawmakers’ passion and acknowledge their ability to compromise, though long overdue.&nbsp; As has been often said, “better late than never.”Sharon Hartin Iorio is the dean emerita of the Wichita State University College of Education.Sources used in this report:&nbsp;KASB Resources—News; Sunflower State Journal; SB113.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Legislative school choice battles: The aftermath

By MONIQUE KOERNER KSRE Cottonwood Dist.&nbsp;

I’m writing this article on May Day! I was always excited for May Day when I was a kid because my mother and I had a tradition. 

I would make construction paper baskets and then we would go around Hays looking for flowers such as tulips and lilacs that were blooming. We would knock on doors and politely ask the homes occupant if we could snip a couple of flowers for our May Day baskets. Most of the time people were happy to help. Then we would place the flowers and some other sweet treats in my home-made construction paper baskets and take them to a few friends and my teachers. With May Day baskets, you ring the door bell and then leave to allow the basket to be an anonymous gift for the recipient. I was always so excited to go to school the next day and see if my teachers and friends enjoyed their May Day baskets. I enjoyed showing my children how to make the baskets and deliver them when they were young also.

I share this story because May is also Mental Health Awareness month. This story brings to light many things we can do for our mental health. If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut mentally and emotionally, a few simple changes may help you break free:

• Take media breaks. Limit how much you are watching, reading, or listening to news stories and social media. Instead, get outside and enjoy the sunshine, warmth and breeze.

• Take care of your body. Get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy, balanced diet and exercise regularly.

• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.

• Connect with others. Do something kind for someone.

Making May Day baskets can incorporate many of these items such as getting outside and enjoying nature or get some exercise, connecting with others, and doing enjoyable activities. Giving to others can help you change your mindset.

May Day baskets can also be a wonderful parent-child activity to do together. What better way to help a parent or child’s mental health then spending time together doing something fun and meaningful? If you do it yearly, it can become a tradition. Traditions within families help children feel a sense of belonging and worth.

Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668522152076.jpeg" alt="Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MONIQUE KOERNER KSRE Cottonwood Dist.&nbsp;I’m writing this article on May Day! I was always excited for May Day when I was a kid because my mother and I had a tradition. I would make construction paper baskets and then we would go around Hays looking for flowers such as tulips and lilacs that were blooming. We would knock on doors and politely ask the homes occupant if we could snip a couple of flowers for our May Day baskets. Most of the time people were happy to help. Then we would place the flowers and some other sweet treats in my home-made construction paper baskets and take them to a few friends and my teachers. With May Day baskets, you ring the door bell and then leave to allow the basket to be an anonymous gift for the recipient. I was always so excited to go to school the next day and see if my teachers and friends enjoyed their May Day baskets. I enjoyed showing my children how to make the baskets and deliver them when they were young also.I share this story because May is also Mental Health Awareness month. This story brings to light many things we can do for our mental health. If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut mentally and emotionally, a few simple changes may help you break free:• Take media breaks. Limit how much you are watching, reading, or listening to news stories and social media. Instead, get outside and enjoy the sunshine, warmth and breeze.• Take care of your body. Get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy, balanced diet and exercise regularly.• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.• Connect with others. Do something kind for someone.Making May Day baskets can incorporate many of these items such as getting outside and enjoying nature or get some exercise, connecting with others, and doing enjoyable activities. Giving to others can help you change your mindset.May Day baskets can also be a wonderful parent-child activity to do together. What better way to help a parent or child’s mental health then spending time together doing something fun and meaningful? If you do it yearly, it can become a tradition. Traditions within families help children feel a sense of belonging and worth.Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu.

KOERNER: It's May!

I love getting to highlight all of the different projects that 4-H offers! While livestock is usually the first thing that people think of, I have highlighted eighteen projects over the last few weeks and, while several have been related to agriculture, none have been our livestock projects.

This week I am starting off with the Rabbit project! Rabbits are a great small animal project and help teach animal science and responsibility as well as a multitude of specific features of different breeds, and grooming and showmanship. I had no idea there were so many types of rabbits! Additionally, youth can experience learning to judge rabbits.

Another small species project is poultry. While we generally think of chickens, the poultry project can include turkeys, geese, and ducks. Youth also have the opportunity to learn about other types of poultry, about eggs and candling, and can experience learning to poultry judge.

Nearly everyone has had a pet at some point and learning responsibility for feeding and care is a big deal! The Pet project lets 4-H youth explore different types of pets and how to care for a variety from fish to cats. Youth learn about potential hazards for pets in the home, about nutritional needs, and about diseases and symptoms. This is a great project for kids who want to explore the first steps of veterinary science.

Like any animal, the more that rabbits, poultry, and most pets are handled, the easier it is for youth to showcase their animal and what they have learned while gaining confidence and practicing communication skills in talking to a judge.

If you are interested in learning more about these or other 4-H projects, check out <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/ellis-county4h/">kansas4-h.org</a> in the <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/ellis-county4h/ellis_projectResouces.html">Projects</a> section! All projects include communications skills, record keeping, career connections, and opportunities for leadership and community service!

Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the&nbsp;Cottonwood&nbsp;Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:mberan@ksu.edu">mberan@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or call&nbsp;Cottonwood&nbsp;Extension District&nbsp;– Barton&nbsp;Office at&nbsp;620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682675861117.jpeg" alt="Michelle Beran&nbsp;&nbsp;is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Michelle Beran&nbsp;&nbsp;is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>I love getting to highlight all of the different projects that 4-H offers! While livestock is usually the first thing that people think of, I have highlighted eighteen projects over the last few weeks and, while several have been related to agriculture, none have been our livestock projects.This week I am starting off with the Rabbit project! Rabbits are a great small animal project and help teach animal science and responsibility as well as a multitude of specific features of different breeds, and grooming and showmanship. I had no idea there were so many types of rabbits! Additionally, youth can experience learning to judge rabbits.Another small species project is poultry. While we generally think of chickens, the poultry project can include turkeys, geese, and ducks. Youth also have the opportunity to learn about other types of poultry, about eggs and candling, and can experience learning to poultry judge.Nearly everyone has had a pet at some point and learning responsibility for feeding and care is a big deal! The Pet project lets 4-H youth explore different types of pets and how to care for a variety from fish to cats. Youth learn about potential hazards for pets in the home, about nutritional needs, and about diseases and symptoms. This is a great project for kids who want to explore the first steps of veterinary science.Like any animal, the more that rabbits, poultry, and most pets are handled, the easier it is for youth to showcase their animal and what they have learned while gaining confidence and practicing communication skills in talking to a judge.If you are interested in learning more about these or other 4-H projects, check out <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/ellis-county4h/">kansas4-h.org</a> in the <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/ellis-county4h/ellis_projectResouces.html">Projects</a> section! All projects include communications skills, record keeping, career connections, and opportunities for leadership and community service!Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the&nbsp;Cottonwood&nbsp;Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:mberan@ksu.edu">mberan@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or call&nbsp;Cottonwood&nbsp;Extension District&nbsp;– Barton&nbsp;Office at&nbsp;620-793-1910.

BERAN: Rabbits, poultry and pet projects for 4-H

By DR. TISA MASON FHSU President

&nbsp;I am constantly reminded of the compassion and spirit of generosity of our Fort Hays State University students. I love hearing the stories of how they are impacting the lives of others every day. Emily Schulte, Hays, is one of those stories. As she sets her sights on a path to medical school after her FHSU graduation, Emily put herself on the patient side of the bone marrow donation process in January.

Emily is soft-spoken and known for her humble nature. As a biology major and student employee of FHSU’s Health and Wellness Services, Emily made the decision as a freshman to become a bone marrow donor when she worked at a Be the Match bone marrow drive on the FHSU campus.

During the drive, a DNA sample was swabbed from Emily’s cheek, sent to Be the Match, and then added to a national registry list. After waiting three years, Emily was notified last fall that she was a potential match for someone in need of a transplant.

“A large part of what motivated me was to be able to say that I gave someone the gift of life,” Emily said. “Also, to understand the donor process and know what donors go through.”

“For me, I didn’t have any doubts about doing it. I got called (from Be the Match) and knew that whatever I had to do, I was going to do it.”

Be the Match flew Emily and her mother to Chicago in January, where her bone marrow donation, which she described as similar to a lengthy blood donation, took about 4 ½ hours. Prior to the donation, filgrastim injections were performed to stimulate stem cell production, enabling Emily’s donation to have an above-average stem cell quantity.

As a student preparing for a medical career, Emily did some of the preparation work for the donation on her own. Her coworkers at FHSU’s Health and Wellness Services assisted her in the process.

“I definitely also had a really good support system, from both my coworkers and Be the Match during the preparation process,” Emily said.

Be the Match funded the flight, transportation, meals, and lodging for her and her mother during the trip. From their flight to Chicago to their flight back to Hays, the trip took the pair three days. The whirlwind travel and donation process were physically exhausting for Emily.

“Honestly, I felt like I got hit by a bus. But within two to three days after the donation, I felt pretty much back to normal,” she said. “They (the medical staff) want you to hydrate and rest and take care of yourself. I didn’t have any bad side effects after or before.”

Emily received a text saying her donation had been sent to the patient’s hospital within a day of her donation. She will be allowed to contact the recipient anonymously if she chooses. After a year, though, she and the recipient can exchange contact information. She hopes to meet the recipient with whom she shares this special connection.

Emily inspires those around her to consider donating bone marrow or contributing to an organization that provides that service.

“I would tell them that despite any doubts you might have, go through with it,” she said. “It is a really unique opportunity. The best gift you can give someone is a second chance at life.”

This is exactly why Fort Hays State is such a special place. Our students who are willing to step out of their comfort zones to ensure a future for others give me tremendous hope for the future. Thank you to Emily and all those who choose to make second chances possible.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>By DR. TISA MASON FHSU President&nbsp;I am constantly reminded of the compassion and spirit of generosity of our Fort Hays State University students. I love hearing the stories of how they are impacting the lives of others every day. Emily Schulte, Hays, is one of those stories. As she sets her sights on a path to medical school after her FHSU graduation, Emily put herself on the patient side of the bone marrow donation process in January.Emily is soft-spoken and known for her humble nature. As a biology major and student employee of FHSU’s Health and Wellness Services, Emily made the decision as a freshman to become a bone marrow donor when she worked at a Be the Match bone marrow drive on the FHSU campus.During the drive, a DNA sample was swabbed from Emily’s cheek, sent to Be the Match, and then added to a national registry list. After waiting three years, Emily was notified last fall that she was a potential match for someone in need of a transplant.“A large part of what motivated me was to be able to say that I gave someone the gift of life,” Emily said. “Also, to understand the donor process and know what donors go through.”“For me, I didn’t have any doubts about doing it. I got called (from Be the Match) and knew that whatever I had to do, I was going to do it.”Be the Match flew Emily and her mother to Chicago in January, where her bone marrow donation, which she described as similar to a lengthy blood donation, took about 4 ½ hours. Prior to the donation, filgrastim injections were performed to stimulate stem cell production, enabling Emily’s donation to have an above-average stem cell quantity.As a student preparing for a medical career, Emily did some of the preparation work for the donation on her own. Her coworkers at FHSU’s Health and Wellness Services assisted her in the process.“I definitely also had a really good support system, from both my coworkers and Be the Match during the preparation process,” Emily said.Be the Match funded the flight, transportation, meals, and lodging for her and her mother during the trip. From their flight to Chicago to their flight back to Hays, the trip took the pair three days. The whirlwind travel and donation process were physically exhausting for Emily.“Honestly, I felt like I got hit by a bus. But within two to three days after the donation, I felt pretty much back to normal,” she said. “They (the medical staff) want you to hydrate and rest and take care of yourself. I didn’t have any bad side effects after or before.”Emily received a text saying her donation had been sent to the patient’s hospital within a day of her donation. She will be allowed to contact the recipient anonymously if she chooses. After a year, though, she and the recipient can exchange contact information. She hopes to meet the recipient with whom she shares this special connection.Emily inspires those around her to consider donating bone marrow or contributing to an organization that provides that service.“I would tell them that despite any doubts you might have, go through with it,” she said. “It is a really unique opportunity. The best gift you can give someone is a second chance at life.”This is exactly why Fort Hays State is such a special place. Our students who are willing to step out of their comfort zones to ensure a future for others give me tremendous hope for the future. Thank you to Emily and all those who choose to make second chances possible.

Heart of a Tiger: Giving the gift of life

I’ve used this space many times over the years to provide some defense of the political powers and interests of the cities that over 75% of Kansans live in. I did last month in response to a bill in Topeka—which thankfully died in committee—that would have forbidden cities from exercising almost any kind of local control over the businesses which their residents interact with. This month I’m looking at another bill, one that isn’t as egregious a violation of Home Rule on its face, but in the long run might turn out to be just as bad, or worse.

The bill in question is an omnibus bill, containing a large huge number of proposed changes to Kansas tax laws. There is much in it that Kansans of many different political orientations might either criticize or praise, but its “government competition” section deserves special criticism.

As written, it would mean that any restaurant, child-care center, or heath club which operates within five miles of any similar entity which can be defined, on the basis of its tax status, as “owned or operated by a governmental entity,” would be exempt from paying property taxes.

That this provision of the bill is an attempt (the latest of several) by the owners of Genesis Health Clubs to get state legislators to guarantee them the same property-tax exemption which non-profit YMCAs enjoy has been exposed by multiple journalists.&nbsp;It is worth taking a moment, though, to be clear on why a provision like this can get this far.

It’s not simply because of the influence of wealthy constituents and donors. Sure, that’s what philosophers might call the efficient cause of the provision—the part that actually acted to make it happen. But what of its material cause—that is, the substance or context out of which the provision was made or was enabled to come to be, when the efficient cause went to work?

Here I think one can only point to the pervasive disrespect too many in our state government have for the responsibility of the cities and counties to make governing decisions in response to the needs and demands of their own residents.

If we believe in local government, then those local governments obviously need revenue to be able to do the collective work which the citizens who live in those cities and counties ask them to do, particularly when it comes to providing the quality-of-life improvements which many non-profits make available at no (or at least comparatively low) cost to Kansas communities. If this provision becomes law, it could greatly harm the ability of Kansas municipalities to collect property taxes, as it may allow restaurants and gyms operating miles from not just from YMCAs, but from anything as small as a limited-hours deli, or an on-site day-care center, operating inside a city hall or a court house or other public facility, to no longer contribute any property tax to the cities which provide them with fire and police protection and much more. Which would only help undermine the whole point of local democracy in the first place.

With any luck, Governor Kelly will use her line-item veto power to strike out this provision, thus making certain Kansas cities and counties can continue to take responsibility for those things which the Home Rule provision of the state constitution says they should be able to. But as for striking out the disregard too many have the right of municipalities to govern themselves—well, the evidence suggests that will take a lot longer.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583339056495.jpeg" alt="Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.</figcaption>
 </figure>I’ve used this space many times over the years to provide some defense of the political powers and interests of the cities that over 75% of Kansans live in. I did last month in response to a bill in Topeka—which thankfully died in committee—that would have forbidden cities from exercising almost any kind of local control over the businesses which their residents interact with. This month I’m looking at another bill, one that isn’t as egregious a violation of Home Rule on its face, but in the long run might turn out to be just as bad, or worse.The bill in question is an omnibus bill, containing a large huge number of proposed changes to Kansas tax laws. There is much in it that Kansans of many different political orientations might either criticize or praise, but its “government competition” section deserves special criticism.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As written, it would mean that any restaurant, child-care center, or heath club which operates within five miles of any similar entity which can be defined, on the basis of its tax status, as “owned or operated by a governmental entity,” would be exempt from paying property taxes.That this provision of the bill is an attempt (the latest of several) by the owners of Genesis Health Clubs to get state legislators to guarantee them the same property-tax exemption which non-profit YMCAs enjoy has been exposed by multiple journalists.&nbsp;It is worth taking a moment, though, to be clear on why a provision like this can get this far.It’s not simply because of the influence of wealthy constituents and donors. Sure, that’s what philosophers might call the efficient cause of the provision—the part that actually acted to make it happen. But what of its material cause—that is, the substance or context out of which the provision was made or was enabled to come to be, when the efficient cause went to work?Here I think one can only point to the pervasive disrespect too many in our state government have for the responsibility of the cities and counties to make governing decisions in response to the needs and demands of their own residents.If we believe in local government, then those local governments obviously need revenue to be able to do the collective work which the citizens who live in those cities and counties ask them to do, particularly when it comes to providing the quality-of-life improvements which many non-profits make available at no (or at least comparatively low) cost to Kansas communities. If this provision becomes law, it could greatly harm the ability of Kansas municipalities to collect property taxes, as it may allow restaurants and gyms operating miles from not just from YMCAs, but from anything as small as a limited-hours deli, or an on-site day-care center, operating inside a city hall or a court house or other public facility, to no longer contribute any property tax to the cities which provide them with fire and police protection and much more. Which would only help undermine the whole point of local democracy in the first place.With any luck, Governor Kelly will use her line-item veto power to strike out this provision, thus making certain Kansas cities and counties can continue to take responsibility for those things which the Home Rule provision of the state constitution says they should be able to. But as for striking out the disregard too many have the right of municipalities to govern themselves—well, the evidence suggests that will take a lot longer.Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Limiting Kansas cities in the name of 'competition'

​As&nbsp;calendar pages flipped closer to a new century,&nbsp;Ellis and&nbsp;surrounding&nbsp;communities&nbsp;grew&nbsp;and prospered.&nbsp;Schools reflected that prosperity in the number of students and the days of attendance.&nbsp;

​In 1889, Professor Whelan introduced a three-term school year. The first&nbsp;2 terms consisted of&nbsp;3 months&nbsp;while&nbsp;the last&nbsp;totaled&nbsp;2 months. To improve school quality, he&nbsp;stated&nbsp;“No students could enroll after the first week of each term.”&nbsp;He intended&nbsp;to&nbsp;strengthen&nbsp;instructional integrity for all Ellis students.&nbsp;A total of&nbsp;222 youngsters enrolled that first term. The board approved the 8-month school and funded it with a 12-mill levy (Ellis Review&nbsp;Headlight&nbsp;7-30-1889).

​As Ellis&nbsp;evolved from&nbsp;frontier outpost&nbsp;to thriving town,&nbsp;board and administrative decisions&nbsp;increasingly&nbsp;reflected state educational policy. The State Superintendent of Schools mandated all schools in his jurisdiction fly the United States&nbsp;flag. To meet this requirement, pupils and&nbsp;residents&nbsp;organized&nbsp;socials to raise $30.10 to purchase a 12 x18 foot flag and pole (ERH12-31-1889). To celebrate&nbsp;reaching&nbsp;their goal, they commemorated the flag and flew it for the first time at Kansas Day Ceremonies on January 29, 1890 (ERH 1-14-1890).

​April saw even more improvements. The board&nbsp;planted&nbsp;numerous&nbsp;trees on school grounds (ERH 4-25-1890). To finish the year, students, teachers, and townspeople&nbsp;planned&nbsp;a school exhibition that earned $44.60 to buy books for the school library. Sources estimated this amount would buy 75-80 volumes for the&nbsp;library shelves (ERH 5-2-90). One can imagine the community’s satisfaction with its educational system as it&nbsp;worked through&nbsp;the final decade of the century.

​By 1891, the Ellis school system had earned a fine reputation. The President of the Agricultural College sent a note published in the Ellis Review Headlight, February 6, 1891, stating that “Pupils who complete our course of study as far as the eighth grade will be admitted to the college on certificate of that fact without further examination.” That same year, the system boasted 5 teachers: Miss Peters, Miss Kingsley, Miss Courts, Miss Frost, and Miss Holman.

​The following year, 1892, offered a grand opportunity to celebrate education in Ellis. Although the school had operated for 19 years, no one had graduated. That changed when two girls and boy received diplomas from Ellis High School (Langley, 1990).&nbsp;

​The August 6, 1970, Centennial Edition of the Ellis Review shared former student Emma Kastner’s memories of early school practices. She recalled&nbsp;the janitor rang the bell at 8:30 each morning. The final bell rang at 9:00 a.m. Students lined up and marched up the stairs to a tune&nbsp;a teacher played on a triangle. Faculty marked students tardy if they failed to make the line before the door closed. First through fourth grades remained on the 1st&nbsp;floor of the building. Fifth and sixth graders studied in the basement, and high school&nbsp;classes met&nbsp;upstairs where courses included algebra, geometry, history, and rhetoric (now known as English). In addition to academic subjects, teachers instructed character, culture, and citizenship “as rigidly as the three R’s.”

​&nbsp;Under the watchful eyes of their&nbsp;community, students succeeded&nbsp;in their&nbsp;educational efforts.&nbsp;Imagine their&nbsp;joy saluting that first flag, filling those library shelves, and celebrating that first graduation. The&nbsp;stone&nbsp;school&nbsp;continued to build&nbsp;Ellis one youngster at a time.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682015927926.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORIN​As&nbsp;calendar pages flipped closer to a new century,&nbsp;Ellis and&nbsp;surrounding&nbsp;communities&nbsp;grew&nbsp;and prospered.&nbsp;Schools reflected that prosperity in the number of students and the days of attendance.&nbsp;​In 1889, Professor Whelan introduced a three-term school year. The first&nbsp;2 terms consisted of&nbsp;3 months&nbsp;while&nbsp;the last&nbsp;totaled&nbsp;2 months. To improve school quality, he&nbsp;stated&nbsp;“No students could enroll after the first week of each term.”&nbsp;He intended&nbsp;to&nbsp;strengthen&nbsp;instructional integrity for all Ellis students.&nbsp;A total of&nbsp;222 youngsters enrolled that first term. The board approved the 8-month school and funded it with a 12-mill levy (Ellis Review&nbsp;Headlight&nbsp;7-30-1889).​As Ellis&nbsp;evolved from&nbsp;frontier outpost&nbsp;to thriving town,&nbsp;board and administrative decisions&nbsp;increasingly&nbsp;reflected state educational policy. The State Superintendent of Schools mandated all schools in his jurisdiction fly the United States&nbsp;flag. To meet this requirement, pupils and&nbsp;residents&nbsp;organized&nbsp;socials to raise $30.10 to purchase a 12 x18 foot flag and pole (ERH12-31-1889). To celebrate&nbsp;reaching&nbsp;their goal, they commemorated the flag and flew it for the first time at Kansas Day Ceremonies on January 29, 1890 (ERH 1-14-1890).<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>​April saw even more improvements. The board&nbsp;planted&nbsp;numerous&nbsp;trees on school grounds (ERH 4-25-1890). To finish the year, students, teachers, and townspeople&nbsp;planned&nbsp;a school exhibition that earned $44.60 to buy books for the school library. Sources estimated this amount would buy 75-80 volumes for the&nbsp;library shelves (ERH 5-2-90). One can imagine the community’s satisfaction with its educational system as it&nbsp;worked through&nbsp;the final decade of the century.​By 1891, the Ellis school system had earned a fine reputation. The President of the Agricultural College sent a note published in the Ellis Review Headlight, February 6, 1891, stating that “Pupils who complete our course of study as far as the eighth grade will be admitted to the college on certificate of that fact without further examination.” That same year, the system boasted 5 teachers: Miss Peters, Miss Kingsley, Miss Courts, Miss Frost, and Miss Holman.​The following year, 1892, offered a grand opportunity to celebrate education in Ellis. Although the school had operated for 19 years, no one had graduated. That changed when two girls and boy received diplomas from Ellis High School (Langley, 1990).&nbsp;​The August 6, 1970, Centennial Edition of the Ellis Review shared former student Emma Kastner’s memories of early school practices. She recalled&nbsp;the janitor rang the bell at 8:30 each morning. The final bell rang at 9:00 a.m. Students lined up and marched up the stairs to a tune&nbsp;a teacher played on a triangle. Faculty marked students tardy if they failed to make the line before the door closed. First through fourth grades remained on the 1st&nbsp;floor of the building. Fifth and sixth graders studied in the basement, and high school&nbsp;classes met&nbsp;upstairs where courses included algebra, geometry, history, and rhetoric (now known as English). In addition to academic subjects, teachers instructed character, culture, and citizenship “as rigidly as the three R’s.”​&nbsp;Under the watchful eyes of their&nbsp;community, students succeeded&nbsp;in their&nbsp;educational efforts.&nbsp;Imagine their&nbsp;joy saluting that first flag, filling those library shelves, and celebrating that first graduation. The&nbsp;stone&nbsp;school&nbsp;continued to build&nbsp;Ellis one youngster at a time.&nbsp;

MADORIN: History of Ellis schools, Part 5

In 2019, the Governors of Kansas and Missouri both committed to a truce, pausing the pointless, destructive tax border war.&nbsp; Prior to that, KC-area companies would regularly leverage millions
 of dollars from their respective states in order to move just a few miles across the state line.&nbsp; Waddell and Reed received $62 million to move from Kansas to Missouri, while AMC Theaters got over $21 million to move from Missouri to Kansas.&nbsp; Neither move
 took the respective companies out of the KC area.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The result of this nonsense was millions of dollars lost to state services, most notably public schools, all for companies to relocate–not create–jobs.&nbsp; State money was in the mix, too—it was
 not just a Kansas City issue. The choice is then whether to cut essential services like schools and infrastructure, or make up the revenue by raising taxes on individuals and small businesses that do not have powerful, well-connected lobbyists.&nbsp; No jobs are
 created in this process, except of course for lawyers and lobbyists.

This is absurd.&nbsp; Fortunately, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Missouri Governor Mike Parson agree.&nbsp; In 2019, they agreed to a tax break truce, and it is holding.&nbsp; The Missouri General Assembly
 also passed legislation codifying it, but only if the Kansas Legislature would pass similar legislation within two years, which they did not.&nbsp; Kelly and Parson have each been re-elected since, but to make this commitment more binding once their terms are up,
 the two legislatures need to renew their own deal.&nbsp; This time, the Kansas Legislature needs to reciprocate.

To be clear, both states are still gung ho about tax breaks such as the massive “APEX” deal that lured a Panasonic electric-vehicle battery factory to Desoto. However, since 2019 there have
 been no massive tax packages dangled before existing KC employers to move a few blocks or a few miles.&nbsp; Yet unfinished business remains.&nbsp; Not only do the legislatures need to make the deal permanent, there is yet another issue that they need to address: a
 lack of tax reciprocity.

Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers live in Kansas and work in Missouri, and vice-versa.&nbsp; Each one is required to file and pay taxes in both states.&nbsp; Each state offers residents a credit for
 taxes paid to other states, but the process is cumbersome and error-prone.&nbsp; By contrast, Ohio has had a tax reciprocity agreement with all states which it borders for decades.&nbsp; Most notably, this includes the Cincinnati area, a substantial portion of which
 lies in Kentucky.&nbsp; Under those agreements, one pays taxes to the state where one lives, not where one works.&nbsp; A single state tax return is filed, and that is the end of it.&nbsp; If there are any complications, the other state need only check the taxpayer’s state
 of legal residency.&nbsp; Kansas could also do this with Colorado, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Opportunities are being lost and time wasted because of the baffling complexity of filing two tax returns and negotiating each state’s complicated process of taking a credit for the taxes paid
 to other states.&nbsp; It also incentivizes many people with otherwise-simple tax status to rely on paid tax preparers, wasting money.&nbsp; But for the border issue, these taxpayers could easily complete the forms on their own.

This should not be an ideological or partisan issue.&nbsp; The Kansas Legislature needs to renew the tax truce legislation and pass tax reciprocity–the sooner, the better.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639601062071.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2019, the Governors of Kansas and Missouri both committed to a truce, pausing the pointless, destructive tax border war.&nbsp; Prior to that, KC-area companies would regularly leverage millions
 of dollars from their respective states in order to move just a few miles across the state line.&nbsp; Waddell and Reed received $62 million to move from Kansas to Missouri, while AMC Theaters got over $21 million to move from Missouri to Kansas.&nbsp; Neither move
 took the respective companies out of the KC area.&nbsp;&nbsp;The result of this nonsense was millions of dollars lost to state services, most notably public schools, all for companies to relocate–not create–jobs.&nbsp; State money was in the mix, too—it was
 not just a Kansas City issue. The choice is then whether to cut essential services like schools and infrastructure, or make up the revenue by raising taxes on individuals and small businesses that do not have powerful, well-connected lobbyists.&nbsp; No jobs are
 created in this process, except of course for lawyers and lobbyists.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>This is absurd.&nbsp; Fortunately, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Missouri Governor Mike Parson agree.&nbsp; In 2019, they agreed to a tax break truce, and it is holding.&nbsp; The Missouri General Assembly
 also passed legislation codifying it, but only if the Kansas Legislature would pass similar legislation within two years, which they did not.&nbsp; Kelly and Parson have each been re-elected since, but to make this commitment more binding once their terms are up,
 the two legislatures need to renew their own deal.&nbsp; This time, the Kansas Legislature needs to reciprocate.To be clear, both states are still gung ho about tax breaks such as the massive “APEX” deal that lured a Panasonic electric-vehicle battery factory to Desoto. However, since 2019 there have
 been no massive tax packages dangled before existing KC employers to move a few blocks or a few miles.&nbsp; Yet unfinished business remains.&nbsp; Not only do the legislatures need to make the deal permanent, there is yet another issue that they need to address: a
 lack of tax reciprocity.Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers live in Kansas and work in Missouri, and vice-versa.&nbsp; Each one is required to file and pay taxes in both states.&nbsp; Each state offers residents a credit for
 taxes paid to other states, but the process is cumbersome and error-prone.&nbsp; By contrast, Ohio has had a tax reciprocity agreement with all states which it borders for decades.&nbsp; Most notably, this includes the Cincinnati area, a substantial portion of which
 lies in Kentucky.&nbsp; Under those agreements, one pays taxes to the state where one lives, not where one works.&nbsp; A single state tax return is filed, and that is the end of it.&nbsp; If there are any complications, the other state need only check the taxpayer’s state
 of legal residency.&nbsp; Kansas could also do this with Colorado, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.&nbsp;&nbsp;Opportunities are being lost and time wasted because of the baffling complexity of filing two tax returns and negotiating each state’s complicated process of taking a credit for the taxes paid
 to other states.&nbsp; It also incentivizes many people with otherwise-simple tax status to rely on paid tax preparers, wasting money.&nbsp; But for the border issue, these taxpayers could easily complete the forms on their own.This should not be an ideological or partisan issue.&nbsp; The Kansas Legislature needs to renew the tax truce legislation and pass tax reciprocity–the sooner, the better.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Tax truce is holding, but it’s time to finish the job

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

GOVE COUNTY, Kan. — The prairie was still asleep when I drug my blurry-eyed self and camera gear out of a van onto a pasture in Gove County.

Our instructions indicated we should follow the stacks of cow pies to the lek, mating grounds for prairie chickens, usually used year after year.

We quickly set up our pop-up blinds and settled into the darkness, waiting and listening as the cold, dry Kansas wind slapped our faces.&nbsp;

"You will hear them before you see them," our guide whispered as he zipped us in.

Then through the darkness, you could hear warbles and then bloop, bloop, bloop of the lesser prairie chickens and finally the booooma of a greater prairie chicken.

I participated in the <a href="https://www.audubonofkansas.org/grousetours">Kansas Audubon Society</a>'s Lek Trek weekend April 13 to 16, which was based in Hays.

Although greater prairie chickens can be found from Texas to southern Canada, northwestern Kansas is the only place in the world where greater and lesser prairie chickens occur in the same place.&nbsp;

Lesser prairie chickens have a much smaller range that includes parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico — the majority of that range is in western Kansas.

Last weekend, more than 140 birders from across the nation came to Kansas, with Hays as their base, to see prairie chickens during their mating season.&nbsp;

In addition to the males inflating sacks on either side of their throats to make their signature booms, prairie chickens are also known for their distinct (and in my view, comical) mating dances.

The males shoot up feathers located on the back of their necks called&nbsp;pinnae. Those feathers stick up above their heads like horns. They stick their tail feathers up in the air, wiggle their butts and quickly stomp their feet. It looks like a combo between a 2-year-old throwing a temper tantrum and grandma trying to do the chicken dance.&nbsp;

Although you're supposed to be dead silent in those blinds, it's hard not to giggle just a little at the whole sight.

As more birds join the lek, fights erupt. Two males will face off in the middle of the lek, staring at each other. Sometimes they just walk away. Other times one will fly up and pounce on the other bird.&nbsp;

The females, who are much less showy, which is common in the bird world, mingle with the males appearing uninterested and unamused.

Even after all the girls have left the lek for the morning, a few males tend to hang out, too tired to spar anymore.&nbsp;

Observing prairie chickens from a blind gets you the best views of the birds and the best glimpses of their natural behaviors.

At times, birds were no more than 10 feet from our blinds and could be easily seen without scopes or binoculars.&nbsp;

The downside is that you have to be in those blinds before the first light and must stay in the blinds without a bathroom break until after 9 a.m. in our case when the birds for no apparent reason all flushed at once. We met to load vans to head toward our leks at 3:30 a.m.

Even last Friday when the high was 80, it was cold on that hilltop in Gove County, even with three layers of clothes and gloves. A birder from San Fransisco who went out on one of the blind tours Saturday morning when the high was only in the 50s said it was the coldest he had ever been.

They haven't been here when the wind chills were 50 below.

Prairie chickens were once ubiquitous on the prairie. Early settlers hunted them for food. However, their numbers have been in decline for decades.

Prairie chickens need large open areas of grassland to sustain their populations and perform their signature mating dances. They don't like anything that is taller than they are. This includes trees, power poles, windmills and oil derricks.&nbsp;

Some researchers have proffered the prairie chickens avoid these natural and manmade structures because they have historically been used by birds of prey for perches.

You likely have heard lesser prairie chickens mentioned in the news recently. The federal government has listed the lesser prairie chicken as threatened, which is not sitting too well with some energy companies and local landowners.

Prairie chickens thrive on cattle pastures. Grazing keeps cover at the needed heights for the prairie chickens through their life cycles. They need some short grass, some medium cover and some thicker cover.&nbsp;

One of these said landowners stopped our van on the way out of the pasture Friday morning and started chit-chatting about the chickens.

He said he too had prairie chickens on his property, but he said he was concerned about the limits the listing would place on property rights.

The landowner said he isn't bothered by the prairie chickens or the researchers and visitors who come to see them.&nbsp;

However, he said he wants to be able to manage his cattle and land without interference from the feds in D.C. 

The farmer's concerns did not fall on deaf ears. We've had a farm in our family for several generations. It's hard work, and farmers are often left with small profits and big debts.

So why go through all this trouble to save this one goofy little bird?&nbsp;

Jackie Augustine, organizer of the Prairie Chicken Festival and an expert on the birds, said simply they're cute.

More importantly, they are a sign of healthy prairie habitat.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/727ddb20-ced5-4d23-9090-aeb6cfda8a9e">She also argued voluntary measures have been in place for years, but the prairie chicken populations have yet to stabilize.</a>

Commerce doesn't have to be given up entirely for conservation.

Augustine said cattle ranchers can still run cattle on their land, and the listing doesn't completely restrict oil and energy production in this region. It encourages it to be done in areas that won't destroy leks.

Birders are a passionate group. They have what they call life lists, which include every bird they have seen in their lifetimes. Some birders travel internationally to add to those life lists.

The Prairie Chicken Festival attendees, most of whom were from out of state, paid hundreds of dollars in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/audubonofkansas">Audubon</a> fees alone, not to mention food, gas, lodging and entertainment to watch these birds.

Coming to a compromise between maintaining property owner rights and implementing conservation tactics that will preserve the lesser prairie chicken is where we need to be, but that's not where politics are going.

Unfortunately, parties in the prairie chicken debate have taken to their corners for a fight. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1f995f9e-3403-4556-b353-c968c3e5e924">Last week, the Kansas Attorney General sued President Biden in an attempt to have the lesser prairie chicken delisted from the threatened species list.</a>

This weekend was my third time observing prairie chickens in the wild. They never cease to amaze me. They always make me smile. Their boom ... boom ... boom ... makes me feel more in rhythm.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681935383708.jpeg" alt="Prairie chickens thrive on land that is being grazed by cattle because the cattle help maintain vegetation at varying densities, which is ideal for the life cycle of the birds. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Prairie chickens thrive on land that is being grazed by cattle because the cattle help maintain vegetation at varying densities, which is ideal for the life cycle of the birds. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostGOVE COUNTY, Kan. — The prairie was still asleep when I drug my blurry-eyed self and camera gear out of a van onto a pasture in Gove County.Our instructions indicated we should follow the stacks of cow pies to the lek, mating grounds for prairie chickens, usually used year after year.We quickly set up our pop-up blinds and settled into the darkness, waiting and listening as the cold, dry Kansas wind slapped our faces.&nbsp;"You will hear them before you see them," our guide whispered as he zipped us in.Then through the darkness, you could hear warbles and then bloop, bloop, bloop of the lesser prairie chickens and finally the booooma of a greater prairie chicken.I participated in the <a href="https://www.audubonofkansas.org/grousetours">Kansas Audubon Society</a>'s Lek Trek weekend April 13 to 16, which was based in Hays.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681935690526.jpeg" alt="The greater prairie chicken on the left, inflates its air sacs, as the lesser prairie chicken does the same on the right. Greater prairie chickens tend to be bigger and have an orange air sac. The lesser prairie chickens are smaller and have a red air sac. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The greater prairie chicken on the left, inflates its air sacs, as the lesser prairie chicken does the same on the right. Greater prairie chickens tend to be bigger and have an orange air sac. The lesser prairie chickens are smaller and have a red air sac. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Although greater prairie chickens can be found from Texas to southern Canada, northwestern Kansas is the only place in the world where greater and lesser prairie chickens occur in the same place.&nbsp;Lesser prairie chickens have a much smaller range that includes parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico — the majority of that range is in western Kansas.Last weekend, more than 140 birders from across the nation came to Kansas, with Hays as their base, to see prairie chickens during their mating season.&nbsp;In addition to the males inflating sacks on either side of their throats to make their signature booms, prairie chickens are also known for their distinct (and in my view, comical) mating dances.The males shoot up feathers located on the back of their necks called&nbsp;pinnae. Those feathers stick up above their heads like horns. They stick their tail feathers up in the air, wiggle their butts and quickly stomp their feet. It looks like a combo between a 2-year-old throwing a temper tantrum and grandma trying to do the chicken dance.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681935984841.jpeg" alt="Male lesser prairie chickens square off on a lek in Gove County. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Male lesser prairie chickens square off on a lek in Gove County. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Although you're supposed to be dead silent in those blinds, it's hard not to giggle just a little at the whole sight.As more birds join the lek, fights erupt. Two males will face off in the middle of the lek, staring at each other. Sometimes they just walk away. Other times one will fly up and pounce on the other bird.&nbsp;The females, who are much less showy, which is common in the bird world, mingle with the males appearing uninterested and unamused.Even after all the girls have left the lek for the morning, a few males tend to hang out, too tired to spar anymore.&nbsp;Observing prairie chickens from a blind gets you the best views of the birds and the best glimpses of their natural behaviors.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681936081724.jpeg" alt="A male lesser prairie chicken, right, tries to woo a female lesser prairie chicken, left. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A male lesser prairie chicken, right, tries to woo a female lesser prairie chicken, left. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>At times, birds were no more than 10 feet from our blinds and could be easily seen without scopes or binoculars.&nbsp;The downside is that you have to be in those blinds before the first light and must stay in the blinds without a bathroom break until after 9 a.m. in our case when the birds for no apparent reason all flushed at once. We met to load vans to head toward our leks at 3:30 a.m.Even last Friday when the high was 80, it was cold on that hilltop in Gove County, even with three layers of clothes and gloves. A birder from San Fransisco who went out on one of the blind tours Saturday morning when the high was only in the 50s said it was the coldest he had ever been.They haven't been here when the wind chills were 50 below.Prairie chickens were once ubiquitous on the prairie. Early settlers hunted them for food. However, their numbers have been in decline for decades.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681936235390.jpeg" alt="A prairie chicken tries to pounce on a rival male as they fight for mates on a lek in Gove County. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A prairie chicken tries to pounce on a rival male as they fight for mates on a lek in Gove County. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Prairie chickens need large open areas of grassland to sustain their populations and perform their signature mating dances. They don't like anything that is taller than they are. This includes trees, power poles, windmills and oil derricks.&nbsp;Some researchers have proffered the prairie chickens avoid these natural and manmade structures because they have historically been used by birds of prey for perches.You likely have heard lesser prairie chickens mentioned in the news recently. The federal government has listed the lesser prairie chicken as threatened, which is not sitting too well with some energy companies and local landowners.Prairie chickens thrive on cattle pastures. Grazing keeps cover at the needed heights for the prairie chickens through their life cycles. They need some short grass, some medium cover and some thicker cover.&nbsp;One of these said landowners stopped our van on the way out of the pasture Friday morning and started chit-chatting about the chickens.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681936388982.jpeg" alt="An overview of the prairie chicken lek as dawn slowly breaks over the prairie. A male lesser prairie chicken, center, can be seen here with several females. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>An overview of the prairie chicken lek as dawn slowly breaks over the prairie. A male lesser prairie chicken, center, can be seen here with several females. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>He said he too had prairie chickens on his property, but he said he was concerned about the limits the listing would place on property rights.The landowner said he isn't bothered by the prairie chickens or the researchers and visitors who come to see them.&nbsp;However, he said he wants to be able to manage his cattle and land without interference from the feds in D.C. The farmer's concerns did not fall on deaf ears. We've had a farm in our family for several generations. It's hard work, and farmers are often left with small profits and big debts.So why go through all this trouble to save this one goofy little bird?&nbsp;Jackie Augustine, organizer of the Prairie Chicken Festival and an expert on the birds, said simply they're cute.More importantly, they are a sign of healthy prairie habitat.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681936745789.jpeg" alt="Lesser prairie chickens have been listed as threatened by the federal government, but the state of Kansas is fighting that designation. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Lesser prairie chickens have been listed as threatened by the federal government, but the state of Kansas is fighting that designation. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/727ddb20-ced5-4d23-9090-aeb6cfda8a9e">She also argued voluntary measures have been in place for years, but the prairie chicken populations have yet to stabilize.</a>Commerce doesn't have to be given up entirely for conservation.Augustine said cattle ranchers can still run cattle on their land, and the listing doesn't completely restrict oil and energy production in this region. It encourages it to be done in areas that won't destroy leks.Birders are a passionate group. They have what they call life lists, which include every bird they have seen in their lifetimes. Some birders travel internationally to add to those life lists.The Prairie Chicken Festival attendees, most of whom were from out of state, paid hundreds of dollars in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/audubonofkansas">Audubon</a> fees alone, not to mention food, gas, lodging and entertainment to watch these birds.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681936920208.jpeg" alt="Most of the prairie chicken leks in Kansas are on private land. This one was marked by cow pie piles. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Most of the prairie chicken leks in Kansas are on private land. This one was marked by cow pie piles. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Coming to a compromise between maintaining property owner rights and implementing conservation tactics that will preserve the lesser prairie chicken is where we need to be, but that's not where politics are going.Unfortunately, parties in the prairie chicken debate have taken to their corners for a fight. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1f995f9e-3403-4556-b353-c968c3e5e924">Last week, the Kansas Attorney General sued President Biden in an attempt to have the lesser prairie chicken delisted from the threatened species list.</a>This weekend was my third time observing prairie chickens in the wild. They never cease to amaze me. They always make me smile. Their boom ... boom ... boom ... makes me feel more in rhythm.&nbsp;They don't understand land deeds or lawsuits. They are just doing what prairie chickens do.Those who know me, know I am not a morning person. I don't know anyone who is a 3 a.m. morning person. However, as I emerged from our little prairie cocoons Friday morning on lek, I had a huge smile on my face. The hike, no bathroom, the early wakeup, and the cold were worth it.However, as the birds flushed and disappeared into the gray morning Friday, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as I wondered what was next for my feathered friends.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681936568023.jpeg" alt="Hays Post reporter Cristina Janney standing outside of her blind in the late morning after her prairie chicken viewing tour. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Hays Post reporter Cristina Janney standing outside of her blind in the late morning after her prairie chicken viewing tour. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>

Opinion