There has been a lot of interest lately in the Health Care Compact, legislation passed during the 2014 legislative session that if approved by the U.S. Congress would allow participating states the ability to opt-out of certain Federal health care laws, especially the Affordable Care Act. While I am currently the State Budget Director, I was the Kansas Secretary of Aging when this legislation was passed and kept a close eye on how it might affect our State’s seniors. I would like to address the considerable misinformation about how the Compact would influence the Medicare program of Kansas seniors.

Many politicians and editorial board writers have tried to frighten our seniors by saying the Compact will privatize the Medicare system in Kansas. This is just not true.

Frankly, as someone that has worked for our State’s seniors over the last 22 years, it upsets me that many are using this issue to their own advantage while trying to scare seniors receiving Medicare benefits. When the Legislature passed this bill and the Governor signed it, the intent was not to bring Medicare under State control nor to privatize the Medicare system, but to provide more flexibility with the ACA. In fact, Governor Brownback clearly stated that he “would strongly oppose any effort at the state level to reduce Medicare benefits or coverage for Kansas seniors.”

The reality is that without U.S. Congressional approval, the Health Care Compact never becomes effective. Should the U.S. Congress approve the Health Care Compact, the Kansas Legislature must go through the legislative process of developing a bill, holding committee hearings to assure public input, and having committee and floor votes.

Several years ago, I made the mistake of changing the paint color and décor of a senior apartment building that I was running without properly communicating and getting buy-in from the seniors living there. Those residents responded with a petition calling for my termination and I quickly recognized the error of my ways. I have full confidence that the seniors in our State would not allow the Medicare benefits they have paid into all of their lives to change without communicating appropriately to legislators and policymakers.

Thankfully, Governor Brownback and his administration are committed to preserving those benefits and have no desire to take over control of the Medicare program or to privatize it as many have incorrectly reported.

Shawn Sullivan is Kansas state budget director.

Pumpkins offer far more than a Halloween decoration. This season is also the prime time to find and use sugar or pie pumpkins, the small dense pumpkins which are best for cooking and baking. Pumpkin seeds from any pumpkin can also be dried and roasted. Here are some pointers for preserving plentiful pumpkin at this time of year.

Freezing Pumpkin
Freezing is the easiest way to preserve pumpkin, and it yields the best quality product. Select full-colored mature pie or sugar pumpkins with fine texture (not stringy or dry). They should be heavy for their size and free from bruises or decay.  Wash, cut into cooking-size sections and remove seeds. Cook until soft in boiling water, in steam, in a pressure cooker, or roast in an oven. Remove pulp from rind and mash. To cool, place pan containing pumpkin in cold water and stir occasionally . Pack recipe-size amounts into rigid containers leaving headspace, and freeze.

Canning Cubed Pumpkin
Only pressure canning is recommended for canning cubed pumpkin. There are NO recommendations for canning mashed or pureed pumpkin or pumpkin butter due to the difficulty of heat transfer through the thick purees. To be safe, all low acid foods, including pumpkin, must be canned using pressure canner processing.  Old-fashioned methods, such as open-kettle canning, oven canning and boiling water canning of vegetables have been discredited and can be hazardous.

Drying Pumpkin Seeds
Drying seeds and roasting seeds are two different processes. To dry, carefully wash pumpkin seeds to remove the clinging fibrous pumpkin tissue. Pumpkin seeds can be dried in the sun, in an electric dehydrator at 115-120°F for 1 to 2 hours, or in an oven on a very low, warm temperature only, for 3 to 4 hours. Stir them frequently to avoid scorching. Dried seeds should not be stored with any moisture left in them.

To roast the seeds, take dried pumpkin seeds, toss with oil and/or salt and roast in a preheated oven at 250°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool and store in an airtight container to enjoy within a few days.

Pumpkin Leather
Pumpkin also makes excellent dried vegetable leather. Purée cooked pumpkin and strain. Add honey and spices, and then dry on a home food dehydrator tray until dry and leathery.

Think Safety
Think safety when planning to preserve pumpkin. Pumpkin is a low acid vegetable and requires special attention to preparation and processing. Use excellent sanitation in handling the fresh or preserved pumpkin. Do not let cut pumpkin sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours during preparation prior to preserving.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has NO recommended procedures for home canning of pumpkin butters, pumpkin preserves or pickled pumpkin products such as salsas, chutneys and relishes. Beware of preservation recipes for these types of products from non-tested sources, such as online sites where individuals can post recipes which are not verified for safety. If you prepare pumpkin products such as these, they should be served immediately or stored under refrigeration at all times.

For more information on preserving pumpkin safely, visit the website of the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia, https://nchfp.uga.edu/.  They have reliable, tested information on a variety of fall food preservation topics.  I will also be happy to assist you with food preservation questions and resources at the Ellis County Extension Office, (785) 628-9430.

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

ELLIS — I voted yes for the $10 million bond issue that failed. I was thinking of voting yes again because the interest rates are low. I made the excuse that we had to do something, so I guess I will vote for this.

I recently had a conversation over lunch with a bond supporter. It made me stop and think about 20 years, the length of the bond. If the Lord is willing, in 20 years I will be 64. Then it hit me, I had a responsibility to research the bond to make sure it was the right thing to do. The citizens of Ellis will have to live with our decision for a long time.

I began to do research on the bond and the school system. I went to the district and picked up a bond packet and then went to work on the internet searching for more information. I attended the bond meeting. The deeper I dug, the less I wanted to vote for this bond.

At the bond meeting I got the feeling we have next to no plan for the old gym, football field, and track. If the bond passes, will we have two more facilities to maintain?

How marketable is the old facility? If it was not in the flood zone, I would not worry so much as the ground could be easily sold.

I see most of the small schools around us have gone to 8 man football. It would cut down on the travel but more importantly we could get our old rivalries back. I would love to see us play WaKeeney, Hill City, Stockton, Osborne, Dighton, Hoxie, Quinter…

Can a turf field be converted from 11 man size to 8 man size?

I love the ambience of the field where it is at. It won’t feel like Ellis football to me up on the hill in the pasture. It is my opinion we did not get a fair comparison of fixing up the old field vs building a new one. Turning the football field 90 degrees, elevating the ground 2 feet, building a Kiosk, and closing a street doesn’t seem like a realistic plan. I realize we cannot host a district track meet with our current facility, but does hosting one track meet every year give us a valid reason to build a new one? It was said that the new football/track complex would be a 5 day a week classroom. For 12 years I worked outside everyday in December, January, and February. I have my doubts about this being a 5 day a week classroom.

I found an article online about the study the school paid for. The article said the failed bond was not a surprise. A bond with the track/football field was not popular with the citizens of Ellis. Why put it on the bond? It seems to be the No. 1 reason why the bond failed.

Then I looked at the math on how we will save money on the HVAC loan. Unless I missed something, it will cost us a lot more than it saves us. If the HVAC loan is really causing problems how did we have enough money to write a check for the weight/wrestling room? I donated money to the weight/wrestling facility because I do think it is a good thing. I just don’t understand why we need to free up more budget when it seems we had enough to write a check for the Weight/Wrestling room.

Washington Grade School is out of space. We need to add on rooms at the high school to move the Jr. High students out of Washington. This seemed ok on the surface, but why would we not add these classrooms on to the grade school? It seems that an extension off of the east end with a 90 degree turn out by the street might work. Yes, I loved the pep rallies when I was in grade school and anticipated the move to the Jr. High. I also worry about putting my 7th grade daughter into the high school environment, but my main concern is the cost it would add.

We were told a part-time administrator might be added. Would they also need to add a secretary? If this person is added from outside the school system what is the cost? Will someone from inside the school be moved into the position? If we promote someone from inside the school, will we need to hire a part-time person to take over their duties?

Will we be paying the current administrator for the Jr. High the same wage for less work? For example, if this move added as little as $50,000 a year in payroll and benefits it would cost $1 million in 20 years. We will not be able to back this train up. This is a cost that will never go away! It will only increase as pay increases. From a business stand point; this move does not make financial sense.

I was pleased to find the grade school numbers were moved from $650k to $1.7 million. We added over 1 million dollars to the budget. I am a huge supporter of a complete remodel of the grade school but am I the only one who is confused by this. If we didn’t need the projects last year, why do we need them this year? What are the projects? The district lists the same projects in both bonds unless I missed something. Some have said the additional money will go into HVAC, but that was a project slated for the grade school on the last bond. Will we do an energy savings audit with a company that does not sell HVAC equipment to make sure this is a prudent move?

I like the gym project. I liked it even more when it was positioned by our current gym. Moving the gym all the way across the school and shrinking the size to save $1340 listed in the bond confuses me again. I do believe there is a connection between playing sports and improved academics. In my opinion, this is a moot point since the bond does not add or take away any sport.

A stigma comes with a no vote. You are stuck in the past, you don’t want to invest in the future, or you don’t want to pay higher taxes. A teacher in school even told my daughter if her parents voted no they were ”hypocrites.” I can only say that I would vote yes on a $20 million bond if it was a bond that moved education forward.

Michael Keller, Ellis

Conflicts in Texas and Idaho in recent weeks have re-invigorated fears in conservative religious circles that expanding protections for LGBT rights will threaten their religious freedom.

In Houston, city lawyers obtained subpoenas requiring five pastors to turn over sermons and other communications that mention the city’s equal rights ordinance. With assistance from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the pastors sued to nullify the subpoenas as overly broad and irrelevant to the case.

Meanwhile, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, the city attorney opined earlier this year that two Pentecostal pastors who run a for-profit wedding chapel called “Hitching Post” must offer services to same-sex couples in compliance with a local ordinance banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in places of public accommodation.

A few weeks ago, the owners of Hitching Post — again with help from ADF — also filed suit to prevent city officials from forcing them to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies or face prosecution for violating the city’s anti-discrimination law. The pastors say they decided to sue after police officials contacted them about a complaint from a same-sex couple who were refused service by the Hitching Post.

In their zeal to uphold non-discrimination, city attorneys in both places were, to put it charitably, tone-deaf to the protections of the First Amendment.

The Texas controversy centers on an amendment to the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) passed by the city council last May which, among other things, expands protections for gay and transgender people.

Opponents of the ordinance attempted to place a repeal on the ballot in November, but their petition was rejected for not having enough valid signatures. Four taxpayers then sued the city, claiming that the referendum petition was wrongly invalidated.

As part of the discovery process, lawyers for the city obtained subpoenas for communications relating to the anti-HERO campaign — including subpoenas to five Houston pastors active in opposition to the ordinance, but not parties to the lawsuit.

“The pastors were instructed to turn over “all speeches, presentations, or sermons” related to HERO.

Religious leaders and civil libertarians from across the spectrum have spoken out against the sweeping scope of the subpoenas, pointing out that the First Amendment protects the preaching and teaching of religious leaders from government oversight or intrusion.

At first, Houston Mayor Annise Parker appeared to defend the subpoenas, tweeting that sermons on political topics were “fair game.” But a few days later, she acknowledged that the subpoenas were overly broad and agreed to remove the request for “sermons.”

The pastors and ADF, however, weren’t satisfied, arguing that the subpoenas would still require the pastors to turn over 17 different categories of information, including private communications with their church members.

Under pressure to reverse course, Mayor Parker announced this week that the city would withdraw the subpoenas entirely.

Coeur d’Alene city officials also appear to have either changed their position or rejected the position attributed to the city attorney by publicly acknowledging that Hitching Post is exempt from the city’s non-discrimination law when performing religious marriages.

Some commentators have compared the Hitching Post controversy to conflicts across the country involving wedding vendors such as florists, bakers and photographers who have thus far failed to get exemptions from non-discrimination laws. But whatever the merits of those decisions, Hitching Post is a very different case.

It’s true, of course, that for-profit businesses are places of public accommodation generally subject to non-discrimination laws. But ordained ministers — whether in a non-profit or for-profit setting — are protected by the Free Exercise and Free Speech clauses of the First Amendment from being compelled by government to perform religious ceremonies that violate their faith.

If government officials in other cities want to avoid unnecessary conflicts and lawsuits like those that have divided Houston and Coeur d’Alene, they should think carefully how to protect First Amendment rights even as they work to implement laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination.

Striking a balance between ending discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and upholding religious freedom will not be easy. As happens whenever competing claims clash in a pluralistic democracy, there will be winners and losers.

But surely Americans on all sides can agree on at least this: Under the First Amendment, religious leaders have the right to practice their faith — including preaching sermons and performing religious ceremonies — without governmental interference or intimidation.

Charles C. Haynes is director of the Religious Freedom Center of the Washington-based Newseum Institute. [email protected]

By RON WILSON
Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

“The Back Stops Here.” No, that’s not quite right. The famous saying was “The Buck Stops Here.” It was President Harry S. Truman who put that sign on his desk in the White House in the 1940s to appeal to people who were tired of politicians avoiding responsibility by “passing the buck.” Today, however, I am referring to a different Truman. This Truman plays football. As a linebacker, part of his responsibility is to keep the running backs from advancing the ball. His teammate plays on special teams to stop the returner, so it might be said that “The Back Stops Here” could be their motto.

Jonathan Truman and Weston Hiebert are captains for the K-State football team. They are examples of Kansas kids who were walk-ons to the program and have become key contributors.

Jonathan Truman – no relation to the former President – grew up near Wichita. His parents are Tom and Jane Truman.

At Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School, Jonathan was a three-year letter winner and an all-state linebacker as a senior. He led his team to three straight district championships and was a state champion wrestler in 2010.

None of that translated into football scholarship offers from Division I teams, however. He took the opportunity to walk on at Kansas State. He redshirted and eventually worked his way onto the field, contributing on special teams and earning a scholarship.

In 2013, he earned the starting nod at linebacker. In 2014, he was voted as a team captain. During his junior season, he started every game and was second on the team in tackles. As a senior, during the Oklahoma game, he recorded a career-high 17 tackles – accomplishing as many tackles in one game as he had all season in 2011.

His family lives in the community of Kechi near Wichita. Kechi is a town of 1,072 people. That’s rural – but there’s more.

Weston Hiebert also grew up in central Kansas. His parents are Myron and Ann Hiebert. This family lives near the rural community of Goessel, population 561 people. Now, that’s rural.

In fact, it is so rural that the local high school didn’t have enough players to play 11-man football. As do many of the smallest rural schools, Goessel played eight-man.

At Goessel High School, Weston was a four-year letterman. He was a three-time all-league linebacker and tight end and a first team all-state linebacker. Weston set the career tackle record at Goessel with 389 stops while forcing 18 fumbles and intercepting nine passes. He led his team to four league championships, four district championships and two bi-district championships.

Not many eight-man schools have athletes who advance to the Big 12 level, but Weston made the transition. He became a walk on at Kansas State where he is majoring in agricultural economics. Weston has made tremendous contributions in two areas: One is the classroom and the other is on special teams. Weston has made first-team Academic All-Big 12 two years in a row.

He also became a key contributor on special teams. During 2013, he was second on the team in special teams tackles. Against Texas Tech, he recovered an onside kick to protect a lead. In the Baylor game, he blocked a punt which led to a K-State touchdown two plays later. That is a remarkable accomplishment for a player who had never played 11-man football before coming to Kansas State.

His contributions have not gone unnoticed. He was elected by his peers as a player representative. In spring 2014, he was named the special teams captain, making him and Jonathan Truman two of the six captains on the team.

“The Back Stops Here.” No, it’s not quite the famous slogan of President Truman, but it might be an appropriate theme for Jonathan Truman and his teammate Weston Hiebert. We commend these two young men and other athletes who are making a difference with their hard work, competitiveness, and commitment. With these two playing on defense, they can assure opposing teams that “The Back Stops here.”

Good morning, everyone!

What a beautiful, crisp fall morning it is. A perfect morning would find each of us on a balcony with a fire in the chimney and a nice hot cup of (insert favorite beverage here) watching this awesome sunrise.

However, since we live in the real world, we are all at work trying to still get the sleep out of our eyes. I guess the good thing is that this week appears a little slower than last week, but really, does anything ever slow down? Here is what I have on my many calendars …

Today, you should see lots of EHS students roaming around our town making it a better place! Today is the EHS Community Service Day, and students will be out helping community members and organizations to spruce up and get ready for winter. If you have a chance, thank a group for their service. Thank Cory Burton for encouraging community service in our students! Thank Leonard Schoenberger for his work in coordinating the students and those in need!

Tomorrow (Wednesday) little ghosts, goblins and Cinderellas may be seen downtown. It’s the annual Story Hour Trick or Treat! If you would like the little ones to visit your business, please call Steve at the Ellis Public Library. The FFA members will be traveling to the National Conference at Louisville and will be there until the weekend. Safe travels to all involved! At 6:30pm, the resident of the Ellis Good Samaritan Center will be carving pumpkins. If you have an opportunity, stop by the Good Sam and take a look at their handiwork! There is a lot of wisdom and experience there and I bet their designs will be top-notch!

Thursday seems to be a bit of a slow day, but that is not a bad thing!

Friday will see a ton of activity First of all, it’s Halloween! Every kid or kid at heart will be waiting for the chance to dawn their costumes and head out for Trick or Treating. The school parties will kick off an afternoon and evening full of fun. Don’t forget to Trick or Treat these places after school!

• Ellis Good Samaritan Center will Meet the Spooks from 3-4:30pm
• Ellis Chamber of Commerce invites everyone to the Possessed Pond at the Alliance Office from 3-4:30pm
• Spook Villa (Spruce Villa) will be ready to greet the Trick or Treaters from 3:30 – 5:30pm
• Arthur’s Pizza and the Ellis Public Library will also welcome kids after school

As you head to the Ellis Football Game on Friday, remember it’s Senior Night! Also, bring the kids in their costumes and take them to the parking lot during half time for Trunk or Treat! It will be a frightfully good time!

One of the weirdest things on my calendar is a blank Saturday! I’ve got nothing listed. Maybe that’s a good thing, but I’m sure by the end of the day, something will pop up.

Please let me know if I’ve missed something, it seems like too calm of a week!

Make it a great day!

Why do you think your mom made a grocery list and stuck to it?

From the time you enter a supermarket parking lot until you reach the checkout counter, every part of a supermarket is designed to make you spend more money than you need to.

Look at your own shopping habits. How often do you dash to the store for milk and walk out with a box of donuts (they’ll taste so good for breakfast), a big bag of chips and salsa (for fun), ice cream (it was on sale), a fresh baguette (it smelled so good) and an entertainment magazine – what  has The Donald done with his hair now?

In case you hadn’t noticed, you can buy happiness at your local supermarket. Prep yourself before you pull into the parking lot. Make a list before you leave home. Stick to it.

Warm colors attract shoppers to a supermarket. Cool colors create a pleasing environment once inside and encourage shoppers to linger longer and that means higher sales.

The first thing most of us do when we walk through the doors is reach for a shopping cart. You may not know, this 1938 invention was designed to let customers make larger purchases more easily. Heck, it’s got wheels and plenty of room.

Most supermarkets put high-margin departments like floral and fresh-baked goods near the front door. They’re located on your right and most people shop from right to left – just like driving your car. That way you’ll run into such items when your cart is empty and you’re still good spirits.

Another reason to start with flowers and baked goods is the smell. You can’t help but follow your nose as you begin salivating and increase your speed toward the apple fritters. In less than two minutes time you’ve purchased a dozen tasty treats. Yum.

It’s almost unfair and you’re well on your way to impulse buying – grocery list be damned. These siren departments make sure you’re in a good mood and make you more willing to spend

Where’s the milk? You know what you came here to buy in the first place?

Supermarkets stock dairy products and other essentials on the back wall so you must fight your way through, aisles of chips, candy, cookies and other snack food – the entire store – to find them.

Once many customers buy their first item, shopping becomes a quest. They walk up and down every aisle without deviating.

Supermarkets stack items they most want you to buy at eye level. For example, in the cereal aisle bulk items are placed at the bottom. Healthy cereal is stocked at the top while expensive, brand-name cereal is situated at eye level usually at the end of aisles.

Sweet, highly advertised kid’s cereal is placed a bit lower so youngsters can look these items straight in the eyes while begging parents to buy them.

Sample stations slow you down while exposing you to new products. If you’re shopping while you’re hungry, chances are good you may grab a couple of these new products to snack on while you head home after shopping.

Store size matters. People tend to spend less time shopping in crowded stores. They purchase fewer items, do less impulse buying, don’t visit as much and oftentimes are anxious to get out the door.

Music impacts supermarket shopping too. Consumer studies show slow music allows people to take their time and spend more money. Loud music moves shoppers through the store quickly without affecting sales. And believe it or not, classical music entices people to buy more expensive merchandise.

The checkout line remains the most profitable area of the supermarket. It’s here that after a few minutes of waiting in line, buyers treat themselves to their favorite chocolate bar in the candy rack or a magazine they’ve been thumbing through.

Hallelujah. You’re finished.

But wait, it’s time to present your “Valued Shopper Card.” Once in a while you receive a deal, but more importantly this card keeps you coming back so the store can collect valuable marketing data.

Finally, you pay the bill and leave.

“Come back again now,” the clerk smiles.

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

By Sen. JERRY MORAN

​When high school civics classes visit Washington and observe the daily operation of the United States Senate, I suspect the students hardly recognize the legislative chamber their textbooks describe. Once considered the world’s “greatest deliberative body,” the Senate has decayed into a hive of partisan attacks and political protectionism. So little gets accomplished, and what does must occur in secret meetings behind closed doors. The normal process of legislating – known as “regular order” in Washington – is seldom seen.

Americans are witnessing one of the most ineffective, do-nothing Senates in history Budgets are not passed. Amendments are denied consideration. Concerns are dismissed. Debate is silenced. Rules are altered to restrict minority-party influence. We live in a society where the best ideas are expected to win the day, but that’s not the case today in the Senate. Despite the significant number of legislative proposals offered by both parties, this Senate has done next to ​nothing to pursue policies that can actually help the American people.

Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid drives gridlock and bitter partisanship in Washington by consistently refusing to allow amendments or substantive debate in the Senate. Sen. Reid has made a habit of putting his own partisan interests ahead of those of our country. Since 2007, he has used his position as Senate Majority Leader to attack others while doing – in my opinion – far too little to move the country in a positive direction. This development has not gone unnoticed by many of my Democratic colleagues, who quietly join in our chamber’s collective lament.

The costs of a dysfunctional Senate are enormous. When the appropriations process is discarded, control of government spending is ceded to the executive branch, where risk of waste, fraud and abuse are abundant. When pro-growth legislation is killed for political reasons, our economy remains stagnant. When Congress is broken, our students suffer, our troops are denied benefits, and job creators are stifled.

These costs are personal for many Americans Employment opportunities are still too difficult to come by.

Obamacare is driving up the cost of health care and limiting consumer choice. Overregulation is strangling the private sector, limiting the ability of businesses to hire new workers while driving up prices for consumers. ​​Misguided, antiquated or just plain senseless federal policies are slowing economic growth.

The Senate should be working together to fix these pressing issues. In my many attempts to offer legislative fixes to our nation’s challenges, I have actively sought and secured Democratic cosponsors and supporters. Yet, our bipartisan efforts are denied the time of day. Even the most commonsense policy that enjoys broad support from both sides of the aisle is all but hopeless under the current Senate Majority Leader.

When the Senate fails, the country’s problems fester, leading Americans to increasingly believe our nation is headed in the wrong direction. As citizens, it is critical that we not accept this trend as inevitable. In fact, it is our civic responsibility to do just the opposite.

For change to occur, the Senate must stop putting political games ahead of legislating and serious policy debate. To this end, I became chair the National Republican Senatorial Committee last year with the goal of electing a new majority in the United States Senate.

A Republican Senate offers leadership that seeks results, not political cover. Under new leadership, the Senate would finally be allowed to vote on legislation that works to improve the life of every American, rather than focus on divisive show votes that attempt to divide and antagonize.

The challenges America faces are significant and the consequences of failing to address them are profound. A functioning Senate benefits Americans of every political stripe. I don’t expect to win every policy battle, but I do expect my ideas to be heard, debate to be had, and the best possible solutions to be reached. That should not be too much to ask from the world’s “greatest deliberative body.” On November 4, 2014, Americans have an opportunity to fix the Senate by electing a Republican majority and begin to forge a better path.