This must be the year that Kansas Supreme Court justices are looking over their shoulders as they visit the grocery store or idle in the drive-up lane to pick up coffee on their way to work.

The court decided last week that the Kansas Legislature has come up with an equitable way to disperse state aid to public elementary and secondary schools. All school districts from border to border are being treated equally. But…the court also decided that the Kansas Legislature’s five-year plan for boosting state aid to K-12 schools by about $525 million falls short of the amount needed so that every child has access to the best possible education—which is what Kansans want for their children and grandchildren—and the future workers of the state.

Practically, that decision on the longtime school finance case said that lawmakers have done a good job with the most technically complicated issue of that equity in financing of the state’s 286 public school districts. The technically hard part is done. That’s good.

But…while equity is actually the toughest issue, it’s the money…and where the Legislature gets that money…that has exploded among conservative lawmakers who this year and in the next two years are going to run for reelection and don’t want to raise anyone’s taxes.

It all comes down to taxes, this school finance scrap, and conservatives are already campaigning on proposals to prevent the Kansas Supreme Court from deciding whether the funding for schools is adequate.

The conservative solutions all are based on putting the court on a leash held by whomever has a majority in the Legislature. Good idea? Probably not long-term, but for the upcoming few years, as long as money is distributed equitably, it would allow the Legislature to decide how much money to spend—and whether it will or won’t either raise taxes or divert state money from anything else to education.

Chances are slim, very slim, that the Legislature can gather the 27 Senate votes and 84 House votes needed to pass a constitutional amendment resolution to put the issue on a statewide ballot.

But the talk is powerful. The “courts taking over state government,” or the court “overruling the decisions of lawmakers elected by the voters of Kansas,” or maybe simply: “the court is raising your taxes” (or forcing legislators to raise your taxes).

What’s better than blaming the court for what could be a state spending—and maybe taxing—increase so that conservative legislators can assert they raised taxes under court order and can’t be blamed for it at the next election?

That increase in spending that the court demands be made by next year’s Legislature? The court doesn’t say how much new money the state needs to spend to meet statewide adequacy, but the computations to meet the court’s decision appear to be somewhere between $80 million and $120 million more a year. That’ atop the $525 million approved last session, and while it is quite a bit of money, the state can probably come up with it. Won’t be pretty, but the money is, or can be, there.

So, what’s it look like for those Kansas Supreme Court justices?

They are going to come under continued fire from lawmakers who want to strip the court’s power to determine what the word “adequate” is as it relates to public education. Chances of voters getting to decide that issue are slim, but it makes a great campaign slogan for conservatives.

Maybe the best deal for those justices is that none of them stand for retention election this year.

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com

I am from the Hays community and am passionate about our community’s strength and success. In order for any community to be healthy, it must support its children. I’d like to share how we at KVC Wheatland Hospital are working to provide a safe place for children and teens from Hays and our surrounding communities. We are a children’s psychiatric hospital that, for nearly a decade now, has provided inpatient treatment for thousands of kids with thoughts of suicide or in crisis. We help stabilize them and then find them further treatment options to continue to get healthy. We also offer residential psychiatric treatment for youth. These are children and teens who need help finding their way through depression, anxiety, traumatic stress or other mental and behavioral challenges and need longer stays for treatment. While each child is in our care, we offer 24-hour support with round-the-clock supervised care.

In 2017, we also opened a separate short-term children’s shelter for children who need a place to stay until a permanent home can be found. These are children who have experienced abuse, neglect or other family challenges and need a safe place to heal. This facility is the least restrictive of all of our services and the children are able to experience the community through different activities while under the supervision of our KVC staff. By opening this shelter, we’re hoping to ensure all children have a safe and comfortable place to lay their heads and simply be kids.

I’d like to thank the people of Hays for welcoming us into the community, contributing your donations and volunteer time, helping us to fight the stigma around mental health and believing that all children deserve the chance to reach their full potential. The children we are caring for are not bad kids; they are our neighbors who need all of our compassion and help. It’s important to understand that children with significant emotional or behavior challenges have often experienced childhood trauma. It is estimated that 2 out of 3 youth will be exposed to childhood trauma before the age of 16 which includes abuse, neglect, loss of a loved one, domestic violence, parental substance abuse, natural disasters and other life-altering events. Science tells us that trauma impacts the brain, making it difficult to problem-solve, manage stress and build relationships. That is why we provide trauma-informed care that helps you heal from their experience and build resilience. We’re working with these kids to be healthy, happy and positively contribute to their communities.

We are thankful for the amazing men and women of the Hays Police Department, community organizations and every member of the Hays community that help us ensure that the children in our care and other members of the Hays community are safe. If you have any questions about our services, please contact Audrey Lindenmeyer, Program Director at (785) 624-6000. We’re planning a community event in August and will invite those who would like to learn more about KVC Wheatland Hospital and our services. We’ll share updates on our website www.kvchospitals.org/wheatland and Facebook page www.facebook.com/kvcwheatland

Ryan Speier, President
KVC Hospitals

Going into the first week of July, most Kansans are experiencing the dog-days of summer – blistering heat, strong southerly winds and a few scattered showers. In most fields across our state, the corn crop is holding its own and the beans and milo are in “decent” shape as well.

Wheat harvest turned out better than most farmers expected but they know with the continued summer heat their Kansas row crops will need additional moisture during the next few months. Same for the pastures and ponds.

Still, for those Kansans lucky enough to toil in their own gardens, it’s time to taste, enjoy and appreciate the fruits of their labor. Some are already picking tomatoes and cucumbers by the armfuls. Lettuce and radishes remain in the mix as well.

Just a few short weeks ago, many folks walked out to their machine sheds or garage and plucked a spade out of one of the dark corners or cranked up the turf tiller and headed for the garden. Springtime on the farm or in town always means preparing the soil, planting seeds and growing food.

Growing up in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, fresh produce wasn’t as abundant in the grocery store as it is today. Knox Market, located on old Highway 24 on the west edge of Hoxie, did boast cantaloupes and watermelons trucked in from western Colorado and New Mexico.

This amounted to some fine, delicious summer eating. Juicy and cold, a big slice of watermelon – you couldn’t beat it for a summer treat.

During this period, most families grew their own. Many couldn’t afford to go to the store and buy their fresh fruits and vegetables.

Today, while most people can afford to buy their produce from the local grocery, some still prefer to grow their own.

Few things are better in life than fresh sweet corn picked, steamed and served slathered with butter a few minutes before lunch or dinner. The kernels taste as sweet as candy. Yep, tomatoes, cucumbers, cantaloupes and watermelons all taste better when they’re “fresh picked.”

Also, there is nothing more satisfying than to walk out to your own garden, pick a couple of tomatoes and head for the kitchen. Once inside, wash and cut the red delight, sprinkle on a little salt and pepper. Umm, they’re so good.

People are discovering once again, or in most cases for the first time, how good foods taste fresh right out of the soil.

If you don’t believe me, just bite into a fresh carrot, radish or slice up a cool, refreshing cucumber and slip it into your mouth. The proof is in the tasting.

Some of us were born with a sweet tooth. I’m one of them. Fresh fruit, ice cream and chocolates are my favorites. If you’ve ever picked fresh strawberries and sprinkled them on a heaping bowl of vanilla ice cream, you know you’ve just experienced a little bit of heaven right here on earth. Sometimes popping a few fresh ones right from the vine and into your mouth is even better.

So, the next time you’re working in your garden this summer and the sweat begins to drip down your face and into your eyes, think about all those wonderful fresh strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers you’ll soon eat on your own dinner table. When you harvest the fruits of your labor, you’ll know it is worth it.

John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.