Kansas is thrashing in Governor Brownback’s grip. Tax reform to restore desperately needed financial stability? Vetoed. Medicaid expansion? Vetoed. A fair and adequate school finance formula? That bill has not yet arrived at the governor’s desk, but the prospect of a signature doesn’t look good.

The governor’s vetoes strike right at the heart of practical, fair-minded, fiscally conservative, give-a-hand-to-your-neighbors Kansas.

Deep down, Kansans know the state must bring in enough revenue to pay for necessary services. It’s basic fiscal responsibility. But, as recent polling shows, Kansans have figured out it’s not happening in the state budget, and a large majority want that changed. Education, highways, and Kansas’ future depend on sound finances. The vetoed tax reform bill that would have ended the Brownback “experiment” was passed with strong bipartisan support (40 Republicans and 36 Democrats in the House, 14 Republicans and 8 Democrats in the Senate).

Medicaid expansion offers health coverage to tens of thousands of uninsured Kansans, and is firmly pro-business by helping hospitals stay in operation. Kansans want to help their neighbors in this way. 82 percent favor expansion! Just like the tax reform bill, large bipartisan majorities in the House (41 Republicans, 40 Democrats) and Senate (16 Republicans and 9 Democrats) sent the Medicaid expansion bill to the governor.

The state is under court order to fix school finance by June 30. Schools stand as the backbone of many Kansas communities. Again, polling shows a large majority of Kansans in support of public education, and very wary of putting schools at risk with inadequate resources.

Brownback held Kansas back with his vetoes, but not singlehandedly. Legislators tried to achieve a two-thirds majority to override, but each time missed by just a few votes. The difference between override success and failure? Legislative leaders. President Wagle, Majority Leader Denning, and Speaker Ryckman voted with Brownback, and they are still trying to negotiate with him on these issues despite the fact that super majorities in their respective legislative chambers, and most Kansans, are not with them.

Negotiating with Brownback on tax reform can only lead to a very weak outcome, one that still leaves Kansas broke, borrowing, postponing bill payment, and diverting highway dollars. The governor’s only answer on Medicaid expansion appears to be “no.” On school finance, lawmakers are heading toward an updated version of the school finance formula that Brownback scuttled in favor of unconstitutional and inadequate block grants.

When legislators return from break on May 1, Kansas needs meaningful action. Legislative leaders have to quit Brownback, and move the state forward. Bypassing the governor may be hard for them, and out of the norm for Kansas politics, but that’s what the situation requires, and it’s what Kansans want.

Please, leaders and legislators, don’t make Kansas wallow in financial stress for another year. Don’t cut out the Kansans who need health care. Don’t risk having schools closed in August. Unclasp us from Brownback’s grip. He’s not the one who will be standing for re-election. He’s not the future. Override. Free Kansas.

Duane Goossen formerly served 12 years as Kansas Budget Director.

By RON WILSON
Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

“Connecting the dots.” That was a fun game to play when I was a kid. Today we’ll learn about an initiative in northwest Kansas which used the term “connect the dots” to describe its purpose in preserving the unique family histories in the county. It is bringing together the family stories of people from all ages and all walks of life.

Janet Carman is a volunteer with the Cheyenne County Historical Society and Cheyenne County Museum. The museum is located in St. Francis, the county seat of Cheyenne County.

Janet has deep roots in Cheyenne County, which is in the very northwest corner of Kansas. Her great-grandfather came west and homesteaded here. His rural location was south of Wheeler, which today is an unincorporated town with a population of perhaps 20 people. Now, that’s rural.

Janet grew up in Cheyenne County and went to K-State where she studied education. She met her husband and they eventually moved to Dallas where they spent 36 years and Janet taught for 22. A few years ago, they had the opportunity to buy her great-grandfather’s house. They bought the house, moved back, and restored it. “It was a labor of love,” Janet said.

Another labor of love for Janet was to volunteer with the Cheyenne County Historical Society. The society identified a need to preserve the verbal and written accounts of the county and its families using newer technology. In spring 2015, the Dane G. Hansen Foundation of Logan provided a grant which enabled the purchase of digital equipment and the gathering of such histories.

The historical society bought a computer, camera, DVD burner, wall-mounted television, portable sound system and more. Society members advertised about the project in local newspapers, conducted and filmed interviews, and hosted a “Telling Your Story” workshop led by a local published author who acquainted participants with various approaches for writing their personal stories. This included interviewing hints, writing techniques, and options for publishing.

Meanwhile, local historian Marilyn Holzwarth had compiled a Cheyenne County Legacy Family digital document of 110,000 names during her lifetime. This collection was also donated to the historical society and will be augmented with the family data, pictures, obituaries and stories from the Hansen project.

“This project has taken on a life of its own,” Janet Carman said. Several lessons were learned through this project, such as that smart phones are excellent (and convenient) tools for recording audio and video stories, and that it takes time, organization, and diligence to arrange interviews. They found that the process is most successful if families are directly contacted personally.

Several things have grown out of the grant, according to Janet. These include student involvement and volunteers who have found their special niche in recording such histories. Cheyenne County now has a “Discover Your Roots” genealogy club, Snapshot in Time programs, and bimonthly “Night at the Museum” sessions.

“A 90 year old woman from Denver came into the museum and presented us with a book of well-preserved letters which her father and brother had written in the 1880s while homesteading,” Janet said. “She was in tears.” The brothers, aged 13 and 14, were to develop the homestead while dad returned to Iowa to take care of the rest of the family.

The Cheyenne County Museum was dedicated in 1987. Its entrance features bricks from the St. Francis Brick Factory in 1888. Inside the museum is a rich collection of county history. All displays and furnishings in the museum come from homes or businesses in Cheyenne County. Now the museum also includes a Genealogy Center with family resources and the Legacy Family Project where multi-generational family stories are preserved and shared.

For more information on the museum, go to www.cncoks.us/historymuseum.

“Connecting the dots.” That is a fun kid’s game, and it is also a way to describe the connections that are being made in Cheyenne County. We salute Janet Carman and all those involved in the Cheyenne County Historical Society for making a difference by capturing, preserving and sharing these rich family histories. They’re not only connecting the dots, they are connecting the generations.

Most of us live and work in a sedentary culture. But studies show that too much sitting is taking a huge toll on our health.

Dr. James Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative, has been studying the adverse effects of a sedentary lifestyle for years and sums up his findings this way. “Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.”

To combat the dangers of prolonged sitting, 216 people in Ellis County have formed 36 teams to participate in Walk Kansas from K-State Research and Extension. In this 8-week statewide health challenge, which runs from mid-March to mid-May, team members track weekly exercise and consumption of healthful fruits and vegetables while they support and motivate each other toward a shared team goal.

In addition to Dr Levine, many other researchers continue to find evidence that prolonged sitting increases the risk of developing serious illnesses that include heart disease, various types of cancer, and Type 2 diabetes. In addition, the effects of long-term sitting persist even if you follow other healthful habits.

It appears that the impact of movement, even leisurely movement, is profound. In addition to burning more calories when you move, the muscle activity needed for standing and other movement seems to trigger the process where the body breaks down fats and sugars. When you sit, these processes stall– and your health risks increase.

Take a moment to analyze your typical day. How much time to you spend sitting? Think about time spent at the computer, watching TV, and driving or riding in a vehicle. Also consider time you sit while enjoying hobbies, such as sewing, knitting, crafting, woodworking, watching a ballgame or reading.

So, how can we sit less and move more? Start by simply standing, rather than sitting, whenever you can, and do as many tasks as you can while you walk. Here are some tips:

Stand while you talk on the phone, eat lunch or when reading the mail.
Stand during webinars and conference calls.
Use a standing desk for office work and other desk activities.
Put the remote control next to the TV instead of next to you and stand up during commercial breaks.
Walk to visit a neighbor instead of calling them.
Take meetings out of the conference room — talk while you walk.
Move the printer away from your desk so you need to stand or walk to retrieve copies.
For every 30 minutes you sit, stand for 5 minutes. Set an alarm to remind you, or at the very minimum move every 60 minutes.
Use the restroom on another floor of your office building or home, and take the stairs.
Stand often while you watch a live sports event – get up and cheer for your team!

Need another opportunity to get moving? Walk Kansas team members– and other interested community members– are invited to bring the children and celebrate health at the come-and-go Family Story Walk from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18. StoryWalk combines literacy and physical activity when the pages of a children’s book are posted along a walking path for families to read as they walk and enjoy together. The self-guided walk begins and ends at the shelter house in Massey Park at 17th and Allen Street in Hays. This event is free to Walk Kansas team members; those who are not on a Walk Kansas team may pay $3 per family to help cover the cost of water, snacks and supplies.

An RSVP to the Ellis County Extension Office is appreciated at 785-628-9430 to ensure adequate supplies. In case of rain or bad weather, check our Facebook page at “K-State Research and Extension- Ellis County” for cancellation information.

Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.