We’ve come to the point in the campaigns that political ad after political ad after political ad drag on long enough that there’s time to microwave popcorn and not miss the cop show on television.

Yes, and for those of you who have other things to think about during the commercials…one of those thoughts might just be what happens to the Kansas Legislature after the next federal census in 2020.

That’ll be the 24th national census, and it is designed to tell us what the population of the nation is, and where those people are located—and likely whether Kansas remains a four-congressional district state.

Is that official April 1, 2020, head count a little far off? Why think about it now? Well, if you live in one of those Kansas House or Senate districts out west, say, west of US-81, the north-south Interstate that is the dividing line between western Kansas and eastern Kansas, you might want to start thinking about it now.

It’ll be 2022 when the first statewide election occurs after the census, based on that federal census and where it says the people are. That’s the key data for reapportionment of Kansas House and Senate districts. Oh…and the state’s four congressional districts.

And that reapportionment is based on U.S. Census population data which the Legislature will spend more than a year dissecting into 40 Senate districts and 125 House districts, and, yes, those four Congressional districts.

What’s worth thinking about now ahead of that reapportionment? Probably for much of western Kansas it’s what the Republican Party efforts to further regulate immigration and the “close the border” talk has to do with populations out west of US-81.

Yes, it is western Kansas, with its agriculture and food processing industry that stands the best chance of seeing foreign workers not participating in the census or maybe misstating their legal citizenship for fear of deportation. Oh, and there are lots of foreign-born workers and their children in other parts of the state, too.

Now, the GOP and President Donald Trump make a decent case that immigrants should come across the border with Mexico legally. They ought to get the visas and such, and probably some clearly defined path to becoming a full United States citizen, with a stake in how this country is run, and the right to vote.

But this concentration on immigration, while a strong national political issue, will undoubtedly have some effect on head count in the census.

So, if the historic trend of adults and their children moving out of western Kansas is accelerated by federal immigration regulation that makes the census inaccurate, count on many who have come to this country and state for a better life to decide just not to participate.

And that means likely less census-counted population in parts of western Kansas, and by the time the Legislature has mapped out new House and Senate districts based on population, fewer state representatives and senators from areas where the population count is down.

That means fewer, and larger, Kansas House and Senate districts out west, and likely more districts in urban areas of eastern Kansas—Wichita, Topeka, and Missouri-bordered northeast Kansas counties.

Now, it’s based on population, and that’s fair, but it likely means less attention will be paid to western Kansas (except for highways) and more attention to population-heavy areas based on their representation in the House and Senate because the members of the House and Senate will be tilted toward urban areas—which, by the way, are easier to jerrymander based on voter political registration.

Something to think about during those commercials, isn’t it?

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

As the 2018 election races toward the finish line on Nov.6, candidates from both parties have stooped to their old tricks of slinging mud, name calling and finger pointing at one another. Why can’t candidates do what’s right for this nation and focus on issues?

Instead, we are forced to put up with elected officials who pursue their own agendas, grow the government, do-nothing and engage in gridlock.

What Kansas and this nation sorely need is leadership and a willingness among all elected officials to work together for the good of this country.

What do you think the framers of our constitution and this republic would say about what’s going on in all three branches of government today?

What would Washington, Hamilton and Jefferson think about our way of conducting the nation’s business?

What would Kansas’s own favorite son, Dwight D. Eisenhower say about the way we’re conducting this country’s business today?

What about Frank Carlson, Alf Landon, Andy Schoeppel and other Kansas leaders of yesteryear think?

Profound?

Enlightening?

Telling?

Absolutely.

Where are the ideas for leading and uniting this great state and nation?
Isn’t that what they’re supposed to be doing?

Farmers, ranchers and businessmen cannot, and do not want to engage in the same game of blaming one party for the charade going on in Washington and among some of our own state leaders. This is a shared shame and a weakness that is ruining our state and nation.

In spite of claims to the contrary, taxes continue to increase. The only way for the tax-and-spend cycle to be broken is to hold candidates accountable. The citizenry of Kansas and this country must demand candidates clearly state their positions on the issues.

Today’s politicians and most of the candidates have become so adept at ducking the issues. They rival a young Muhammad Ali’s ability to float like a butterfly, always out of reach and accountability.

Not only do voters rarely have a chance to ask candidates questions, they have even less chance of receiving a worthwhile answer.

Some candidates also talk out of both sides of their mouth. They tell one gathering of voters one thing and others just the opposite.

They also barrage voters with wave after wave of rhetoric, hoping to obscure their real views. They’re not called politicians for nothing.

This year’s election is just around the corner. Whether we like what’s been happening in government or not, the mess we’re in remains our own.

It’s our system, and while it may appear broken, we still must vote. Past elections demonstrate rural voters can make a difference by their willingness to go to the polls.

Fiscal responsibility, a reduction in the size of government and increased productivity remain a sound prescription for this country’s economic troubles. The bigger problem of cooperation and compromise while working together for the good of this country must be addressed as well – if these remedies are to work.

Urge your friends, family and neighbors to cast their votes Nov. 6. Vote your heart, mind and the issues – not just party lines.

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

My husband and I visited Hays recently and had planned to eat at Das Essen Hütte, as I couldn’t wait to taste food I’d stood in long lines for in my college days, many Octoberfests past.

Wow! It was even better than we’d expected!

I asked about and complimented the amazing, early photos depicting the Catharine farms and families of the owners, while we waited a short time for our sampler platters of 4 choices each. We were blown away by the delicious (and creeeamy!) entrees. I’d expected them to be somewhat identical, but they were, in fact, quite individual.

Why has it taken until recent years to have an authentic Volga German cuisine restaurant in its Motherland of Ellis County, Kansas? After being told of slow nights, we suggested delivering bierochs to FHSU campus and building a following with the nearby, but seemingly oblivious, students. Otherwise, I believe the locals will definitely come in time. It’s that good! Hays, please keep this Ellis County original by talking them up!

Heather and Dave Faulkner
Chipita Park, Colo.

You probably don’t need a reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month; after all, pink ribbons are as abundant as hayrides this month. But it never hurts to refresh your understanding of the disease and share with your loved ones.

In the U.S., breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst women in the U.S. (aside from skin cancer). An estimated 266,120 women (and 2,550 men) are expected to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2018, and nearly 41,000 women (480 men) will die of the disease. In Kansas alone, an estimated 2,290 women will be diagnosed this year with the disease. Fortunately, death rates are declining, and improvements in early detection and treatment are key. 

If you’re a woman in your 20s or 30s, talk to your health care professional about Clinical Breast Exams (CBEs); if you have a family history of cancer, be sure to discuss other screening options. Screening saves lives by finding breast cancer earlier, when treatment may be more successful. Beginning at age 40, women should get a CBE and a mammogram annually. Your health care professional may recommend that you begin screening earlier, get screened more frequently or get magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with your mammogram if you have a family history of the disease.

Although more expensive and not always covered by insurance, 3D mammograms have been found to be slightly better at detecting cancer and may reduce false positives (a result that suggests cancer is present when it really is not). Talk to your health care professional to see if your screening facility offers this technology and if this method is recommended for you.

Pay attention to your body. Talk with a health care professional if you experience a lump, hard knot or thickening in the breast; a lump under your arm; a change in the size or shape of a breast; nipple pain, tenderness or discharge, including bleeding; itchiness, scales, soreness or rash on a nipple; an inward or inverted nipple; a change in skin color and texture (dimpling, puckering or redness); or a breast that feels warm or swollen.

You can take steps to reduce your risk of breast cancer. If you drink alcohol, limit it to no more than one drink a day if you’re a woman or two drinks a day if you’re a man, exercise at least 30 minutes at least five days a week, maintain a healthy weight and don’t smoke. Breastfeeding may also reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Take action now and make these healthy lifestyle choices to stop cancer before it starts. Learn more at www.preventcancer.org/breast.

Laina Marshaqll is the spouse of Representative Dr. Roger Marshall and a member of the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program. Statistics provided by the American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

By JOHN P. TRETBAR

Several Kansas drilling contractors returned to active status last week with 14 rigs moving from the “pending” to the “active”column. Independent Oil & Gas Service reports a 30% increase in the number of drilling rigs moving in, rigging up, drilling or relocating: 10 in eastern Kansas, up one, and 29 west of Wichita, up eight since the last report. Operators are about to spud on one lease in Barton County and one in Russell County. Nationally, Baker Hughes reported 1,068 active rigs, up one rig. Texas and Louisiana each dropped by three rigs while the counts in North Dakota and Alaska were up two. Canada reports 200 active rigs, up nine for the week.

Independent Oil & Gas Service reported 35 new well completions for the week, 14 in eastern Kansas and 21 west of Wichita. Two wells completed in Barton County and one in Stafford County are producing pay dirt. There were two dry holes completed in Ellis County. Operators have completed 1,253 wells so far this year, which is 172 more than last year at this time. By the end of October during the boom year of 2014, Kansas operators completed 4,881 wells.

Operators filed 24 permits for drilling at new locations across the state over the last week, 1,479 so far this year. Fourteen of the new permits last week were in Western Kansas, with one each in Ellis, Russell and Stafford Counties. Eleven permits were filed in the eastern half of the state last week.

Gasoline prices are dropping locally and across the U.S. On Monday, we found self-serve regular as cheap as $2.59 in Hays and in Great Bend. Triple A reports a statewide average of $2.616 across Kansas, which is about 20 cents less than the national average. At $2.818, the national average is down nearly six cents in the last month.

At CHS in McPherson, the going price for Kansas Common crude gained a quarter on Friday to end the week at $57.75/bbl, down $1.50 from the week before.

In just over a year, shippers around the world will be faced with new rules mandating cleaner marine fuels, a shift that could hit Russian companies particularly hard. Bloomberg reports that European and American refiners are well positioned to make the change to low-sulfur output. But Russian companies have reportedly done little to prepare. Analysts say they’ll be forced to sell their sulfur-rich fuel oil at an increasing discount. In 2020, the first year of the new rules, Russia stands to lose about $3.5 billion, more than one third of their fuel export revenue last year.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports modest growth in U.S. inventories last week, up 6.3 million barrels to 422.8 million, or about two percent above the five year average for this time of year.

U.S. crude production dipped slightly last week to 10.873 million barrels per day. Our four week average is slightly above 11 million barrels per day.

Kansas City Southern moved more than 13,000 carloads of fuel by rail from the U.S. to Mexico in the third quarter of this year, up from just over 5,000 train cars a year ago. The spike in oil-by-rail shipments continues across the US, with 11,955 rail cars hauling petroleum products last week, according to the Association of American Railroads. That’s up slightly (+172) from last week and a 17% increase over last year. The weekly average so far this year is up 15.5%. In Canada, the weekly average so far this year is nearly 19% higher than a year ago.

The Trump administration approved a company’s plan to drill for oil in the Arctic Ocean north of Alaska, which would mark the first oil production from federal waters in the Arctic. Hilcorp Energy hopes to build an artificial gravel island for its 9-acre drilling pad, near similar oil-and-gas producing islands situated in nearby state waters. The company says the play holds as much as 150 million barrels of oil and could produce up to 70,000 barrels per day.

The government will try again next spring with oil lease sales within endangered bird habitats in Montana and North Dakota, after a judge struck down the limits placed on public comments during the first go-round. The Bureau of Land Management says the sale planned for December will be moved back to next March, to allow for open public review periods.

The Texas businessman who called himself the “Frack Master” agreed to settle with the government for nearly $24 million and serve 12 years in federal prison. Christopher Faulkner entered guilty pleas to charges of securities fraud, money laundering and tax evasion in an $80 million scheme involving hundreds of investors nationwide. According to the complaint, Faulkner bought and then sold to investors working and royalty interest in oil and gas prospects in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and North Dakota. Federal prosecutors say he deceived investors about expenses and production to finance a lavish personal lifestyle.

The petroleum industry is pouring tens of millions of dollars into a campaign to defeat a Washington state initiative which would impose a carbon fee on emissions from the state’s major polluters. BP America joins two other major refiners, Phillips 66 and Andeavor, offering seven-figure donations. The total is now $25.87 million, a state record.

The Intercontinental Exchange, or ICE, has launched its West Texas Intermediate pricing guide. The Houston Chronicle reports the move could make Houston the new hub for U.S. oil pricing, as it is based on volumes produced from the Permian Basin and delivered to Houston’s refining and export hub. The Permian pumps nearly one-third of U.S. production.

Russian media reports of promised production increases in Saudi Arabia sent crude prices tumbling Tuesday, a nearly five percent cascade by noon. The Nymex benchmark futures contract dropped $3.03 to $66.33/bbl, the lowest price for WTI since August. London Brent was down $3.29 to $76.54.

The Saudi Energy Minister reportedly said his country would increase crude production to 11 million barrels a day, up from 10.7 million barrels a day now. That would surpass current U.S. output of 10.89 million barrels per day. New production figures due from Washington on Wednesday. Russia currently leads the world with production of 11.36 million barrels per day.