Well, it comes down to this week, and this week only, the Legislature’s effort/fight to figure out how to put a happy face on lowering taxes.

It takes a scrap to cut taxes? In a year when the House and state level officers fight for re-election? How can this be?

As lawmakers work to finish the budget with apparently ample money to take care of most of the needs of the state ranging from aid to K-12 schools, to leaving a dab more money in the Kansas Department of Transportation budget, to catch up with what have been reduced payments to social service providers to care for the poor…the Legislature is hesitant to cut Kansans’ income taxes.

There are some reasons for excessive scrapping over tax cuts.

The Consensus Revenue Estimate, which is the state’s official benchmark for just how much money the state will have to spend for the remainder of this fiscal year and next fiscal year, gave legislators a bonus. Hundreds of millions of dollars to spend.

That official estimate? Over the next several years a bonus of about $533 million. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Most of that money is going to be spent on K-12, on social services, on catching up on budget cuts the past several years. Overall, not a bad effort by lawmakers so far.

But election-year tax cuts? Well, that got complicated quickly after the federal government cut income taxes for most Americans. We know that the federal government is going to be taking less money from Kansans in taxes, but nobody is very certain how much and when Kansans will start stuffing those bucks into their wallets.

And…the issue quickly narrows to the federal government, for most Kansans the expanding of the federal standard deduction leaves more money for Kansas to tax. The less you pay to the feds, the more money that shows up on your Kansas adjusted gross income that the state will levy taxes against. You pay it there or you pay it here is how that goes

So…the first thing Kansas conservatives say is that we figure out just how much the federal government cut your taxes, and we figure out a way to let you keep it.

They make the point that they didn’t vote to raise your taxes, but it’s going to look a lot like that if the state just looks the other way and watches an estimated $100 million a year roll into the State General Fund—by increasing the amount of your money Kansas will tax—without doing anything unpleasant as it did last session when lawmakers raised state income taxes in a series of votes that are likely to show up on thousands of campaign ads, TV and radio ads and those little palm cards, that show up wedged into that gap where your screen door hitches up to the door frame.

So far, moderate and liberal lawmakers have consistently said that the additional state revenue that the federal tax cuts sparked ought to be spent on more aid to schools, expanding services available to the state’s poor, highway repair…well, just about everything that sounds nice and like a responsibility of the state Legislature.

The conservatives generally say the state can raise taxes if it wants but shouldn’t just coast on the additional revenue that the federal tax cuts cause. “What? Where’d that new money come from? Must have found it on the sidewalk?” is the way those conservatives tend to characterize the new revenue.

What’ll happen? Will there be a Kansas income tax cut? We’ll find out this week.

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

The key to a healthy diet today is to eat a variety of foods including grains, milk, vegetables, meat and fruits – all in moderation. Each of us needs to make smart choices about when we eat and how much.

Another key ingredient in personal health is exercise. Something as simple as a 20 minute walk several times each week will go a long way toward personal health.

In spite of this widespread consensus to eat in moderation and variety, there are plenty of detractors who are trying to limit the amount of protein, especially red meat, from the everyday diet. Most of these opponents preach eating less or no beef.

Dietary guidelines about what we should eat for good nutrition are as plentiful as the food selection in our country today. Numerous organizations have been issuing their own guidelines about what they would have us eat based on their agendas. Oftentimes these guidelines are too narrow, containing specific recommendations for everyone while overlooking allowances for individual differences.

A recent example involves the attack by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) on beef. This group has specifically discredited the beef industry claims that lean beef can be part of a healthy diet that helps manage cholesterol.

The PCRM filed a complaint with the state of Texas, charging deceptive trade practices. Before we jump to conclusions, consider the source here.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine may not always be responsible and less than 5 percent of its members are physicians. Some suggest PCRM is intent on removing eggs, milk, meat and seafood from the American diet.

This nation of ours is made up of individuals who need to adjust their diets to allow for their own states of health, age, development, risks of chronic disease and personal tastes. When it comes to choosing meats as a source of protein, the key is to choose lean cuts and trim the fat from the meat before or after cooking.

Beef, chicken, fish, lamb, pork and poultry can be roasted, baked, broiled, grilled or simmered. No matter how you cut it – scientific research indicates all lean meats are high in nutritional quality.

They’re good for the body as well as the mind. Beef, pork, chicken, fish and lamb have been recognized as healthy sources of top quality protein. They also contain thiamin, pantothenic acid, niacin and vitamins B-6 and B-12.

Red meats are also excellent sources of iron, copper, zinc and manganese – minerals not easily obtained in sufficient amounts in diets without meats. Well-trimmed, lean meats contain approximately 4 to 9 percent fat when uncooked.

When it comes to eating, the truth is, nothing compares to the smell, sound and taste of a steak sizzling over an open fire.

Cheeseburger, pork chop, grilled chicken or T-Bone anyone?

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

At $2.55/gallon, however, Kansas has the 6th cheapest average gas price in the nation

TOPEKA – Hitting $2.81, today’s national gas price average has reached the highest price per gallon since November 2014. That year, pump prices averaged $3.34, peaking at $3.70 in April and bottoming out at $2.25 in December. This year’s pump prices will not be reminiscent of 2014, but for motorists, filling-up is packing an unwanted punch to wallets.

“Motorists have been spoiled the past few years with inexpensive gas prices,” said Shawn Steward, AAA Kansas spokesman. “We expect prices to continue increasing, potentially another 10 cents, through Memorial Day and then will likely stabilize during the summer, with the understanding that if demand spikes, prices are likely to follow.”

On the week, national gasoline demand took a notable drop from its record high the previous week, falling by 774,000 b/d, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). At 9.083 million b/d, gasoline demand is now more in line with rates typically seen during the spring driving season.

Today’s national gas price average is 16 cents more expensive than last month and 43 cents more expensive that last year at this time. California and Hawaii share the highest average gas price at $3.61/gallon, while Oklahoma is enjoying the cheapest prices at the pump, $2.52/gallon.

“In Kansas, the average this week is $2.55, up about six cents in the past week,” AAA Kansas’ Steward said, “but we are pretty fortunate here in the Sunflower State to have the nation’s 6th cheapest average gas prices, 26 cents less than the national average. Strong gas demand and the transition to more expensive summer blend gasolines has kept prices on the rise.”

Of the 10 Kansas cities regularly highlighted by AAA Kansas (see chart), eight cities saw gas price increases in the past week. Topeka remained flat, while Salina actually fell 3 cents per gallon. Lawrence (+13 cents), Kansas City, Kan. (+12) and Hays (+11) saw the largest weekly increases. At Wichita registered the 12th lowest metro area gas prices in the nation, while Manhattan came in as 51st lowest metro.

According to AAA Kansas, this week’s Kansas gas price extremes are:
HIGH: Altoona (Wilson County) – $2.90
LOW: Columbus (Cherokee County) – $2.42

Great Lakes and Central States Report
Missouri (+9 cents) has the largest one-week jump at the pump in the nation and the region. Iowa (+8 cents), Wisconsin (+7 cents) and Kentucky (+7 cents) also land on the top 10 states list with the largest increase. At $2.92, Michigan carries the most expensive gas price average in the region followed by Illinois ($2.87), Indiana ($2.78), Ohio ($2.75) and Kentucky ($2.74).

Comparing pump prices to those this time last year, Indiana motorists are paying 53-cents more to fill-up. This is the most expensive year-over-year difference in gas prices of any state in the region.

In the coming days, some regional states may see prices spike a little higher than other surrounding states – including Wisconsin ($2.68), Michigan ($2.92) and Minnesota ($2.61) – following fires that broke out at Husky Energy’s refinery in Superior, Wisconsin, last Thursday. The impact on prices (short or long term) will be determined by the extent of damage to the refinery. According to the company’s website, the 50,000 b/d refinery processes light had heavy crude oil, in addition to asphalt, gasoline, diesel and heavy fuel oils.

With a 430,000 bbl draw, inventories in the region fall to 56.6 million bbl according to the latest EIA data.

Am I just old fashioned when it comes to politics? What am I missing when I listen to or read the news?

Since when do we as Americans subscribe to the thought that, if it’s about our government or politics “anything goes?” Is it OK to say anything or do anything and not worry one bit about consequences?

As a Christian, I was brought up to believe there are consequences for behaviors that are sinful. For example, lying is a sin. Corruption in our country is rampant as is lying and that’s sinful. There are no journalistic ethics. The rule of law, due to corruption in our government, is in shatters ethically and morally.

There are forces of evil in this country, perhaps greater than ever before in our history. Lucifer must be smiling like never before. The immorality and total lack of Christian values and beliefs in today’s politics and government is appalling. There are those hell bent on having their own way no matter what.

Far and away too many on the left need to do some real soul searching as they appear to have given up on being God-fearing Christians. What I am trying to get across to readers I learned in the first grade as a Christian. Last time I checked, what we are to believe and do hasn’t changed going back more than 2,000 years.

We are all born with sin, and as a sinner myself, I wonder if this issue I address isn’t above my pay grade? There are far more, in and around this part of the country, with greater qualifications I don’t even come close to on this subject. If it takes being a saint to write this letter, I don’t qualify.

However, I am going to speak my mind and exercise my first amendment right of speaking out. Scoff at me if you want for not being politically correct by injecting religion into our politics but I’m not holding back in this letter. I don’t see many doing it. I don’t see men (or women) of the cloth speaking up.

I believe, in what may be old fashioned, you can not support the agenda of destroying a Trump presidency and claim to be a good Christian. You can not lie through your teeth about a duly elected president without being sinful in the process. Nor can one engage in or support the corruption taking place in this country to unseat a duly elected president.

The amount of hate coming from the left is staggering. The hate for Trump and even the American way of life should scare all of us to death. Where is all of this going to end up eventually? Will violence follow? The vitriol in our politics seems to get worse each day, especially when it comes to our president of these United States. God help us.

Let’s not be fooled into thinking this is just politics as usual. What is taking place is unprecedented in this country’s history.

Our Founders are turning over in their graves. A good case, unfortunately, could be made that we are no longer a Christian nation as our forefathers intended. Our past president said as much and then proceeded to stomp on our religious liberties for eight years.

Do the millions on the left who want Trump destroyed consider all the falsehoods about him to be white lies? Please! Seems that many believe “the ends justify the means, therefore, anything goes.” Obviously, the left has their own religion. It’s called liberalism.

I personally know people who claim man can establish their own set of morals that are as good, if not better, than those coming from God. We don’t need to look long and far to know that’s not even remotely possible.

For God’s sake, what are these people on the left thinking? What I mean to say is “for their own sake.”

Les Knoll lives in Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.

By JOHN P. TRETBAR

Independent Oil & Gas Service reported a 5% statewide increase in active drilling rigs with 13 in eastern Kansas, up three, and 27 west of Wichita, down one. Operators report drilling underway at two leases in Barton County, and drilling ahead at sites in Barton, Ellis and Stafford counties. They’re moving in completion tools at one site in Barton County, and four well sites in Ellis County. Baker Hughes reported an increase of five oil rigs and three gas rigs in its weekly Rotary Rig Count for a total of 1,021 active drilling rigs nationwide. The count in Canada dropped eight rigs to 85.

Kansas producers filed 46 permits to drill at new locations across Kansas last week, 503 so far this year. There was one new permit in Barton County and two in Ellis County among the 15 filed in the western half of the state. There are 31 new permits east of Wichita.

Independent Oil & Gas Service reported 20 well completions across the state for the week, 493 so far this year. There were nine newly-completed wells in eastern Kansas. Out of 11 completions in western Kansas, six were dry holes. Operators completed one wildcat play in Stafford County that is producing pay dirt.

The EPA has granted a financial hardship waiver to an oil refinery owned by billionaire Carl Icahn, exempting the Oklahoma facility from requirements under a federal bio-fuels law. Reuters reports the waiver enables Icahn’s CVR Energy to avoid tens of millions of dollars in costs under the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard. The regulation is meant to cut air pollution, reduce petroleum imports and support corn farmers by requiring refiners to mix billions of gallons of bio fuels into the nation’s gasoline and diesel each year. CVR also owns the refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas.

Chesapeake Energy has been beleaguered by debt for some time now, but investment analysts suggest the OKC-based firm’s oil discoveries in South Texas may be worth more than all of the company’s long-term debt. Those debts total $9.2 billion, and start coming due in 2021.

The Oklahoma House voted last week to end refunds from tax credits tied to low pollution emission rates. Backers supported by the oil industry say the state could save up to $750 million in the next 10 years. Opponents warned of bankruptcies at existing wind projects and damage to Oklahoma’s business reputation.

Observers say litigation appears likely if the pending bill becomes law. Oklahoma moved last year to stop new wind projects from qualifying for zero-emission generation tax credits. S.B. 888 aims to stop existing sites from getting refunds related to credits in the years ahead.

In Colorado, a judge has blocked buffer zones and other local oil and gas rules in the City of Thornton. Judge Edward Moss ruled the state’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission regulations trump 15 different rules Thornton made, including the buffer requirements. Moss said the city “cannot authorize what state law forbids or forbid what state law allows.”

They’re not ready to load any supplies for export right now, but for the first time a so-called Very Large Crude Carrier arrived at a jetty in the port of Texas City, Texas. The Nave Quasar can handle up to two million barrels of crude oil. Bloomberg reports the tanker was on its way to an Enterprise Products Partners terminal to determine the metrics for future exports.

Marathon Petroleum Corp. agreed to buy rival oil refiner Andeavor for $23.3 billion. The deal could create the largest independent refiner in the U.S.

Europe’s oil refineries are increasingly missing out on Russian crude as the world’s biggest energy producer directs more and more barrels by pipeline to China. Bloomberg reports Russia will ship nearly 20 percent less crude through its main European ports during the first five months of 2018 compared with a year earlier. Russia is China’s number-one supplier.

Chevron evacuated some executives from Venezuela after two of its workers were imprisoned over a contract dispute with state-owned oil company PDVSA. The arrests, in a raid by national intelligence officers, were the first at a foreign oil firm since Venezuela’s government launched a purge last fall that has resulted in detentions of more than 80 executives at PDVSA and its business partners. Reuters reports the Chevron workers may face charges of treason for refusing to sign a supply contract for furnace parts. The workers balked at the high costs of the parts and a lack of competitive bids.

A report from Bloomberg suggests that China’s conversion to electric buses is having a big impact on that country’s fuel consumption. Nearly all of the world’s electric buses are in China, which is adding nearly ten-thousand more every five weeks. Every 1,000 battery-powered buses on the road saves about 500 barrels a day of diesel fuel. This year, analysts suggest the volume of fuel not needed may rise 37 percent to 279,000 barrels a day.

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Friday, the House reauthorized the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs through 2023, with bipartisan support. H.R. 4 provides stability for our aviation sector and serves as the first long-term authorization for FAA since 2012. I voted in support of the reauthorization because of the certainty it provides for the industry is vital to Kansas. This bill reauthorizes the Essential Air Service program that supports 5 of our airports throughout the Big First (Liberal, Garden City, Dodge, Salina, Hays). Included is also the funding needed to maintain our nation’s airport infrastructure and it keeps our Federal Contract Tower Program which helps four of our Kansas Airports. This bill is designed to keep our pilots, attendants, maintained and repair folks safer which ultimately keeps our nation’s travelers more secure as well.

Kansas Leads Letter Against Listing the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Under Endangered Species Act

Sen. Moran and I wrote a letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke asking him to not to list the lesser prairie-chicken (LPC) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Last week I hand delivered that letter.

We’ve seen significant progress made through habitat conservation that has helped improve the LPC population and secure its future. The LPC population has increased by approximately 71 percent since the peak of the drought in 2013 without ESA regulations in place due to increased rainfall and on-the-ground conservation measures. Sen Moran and I urged the Secretary to not make the same mistake that the Obama Administration made by not considering the benefits of ongoing conservation efforts.

The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Pat Roberts, John Cornyn, Ted Cruz, Jim Inhofe, James Lankford, and U.S. Representatives Ron Estes, Mike Conaway, Mac Thornberry, Steve Pearce, Doug Lamborn, and Tom Cole

Read the full letter here.

Trade Negotiations Continue..

NAFTA continued to make headlines this week as negotiators from the three countries met in D.C. in an attempt to reach an “agreement in principle.” The talks progress so far seem promising for a successful modernization of the agreement – which has been vital for growth in Kansas’ aircraft, manufacturing and agriculture sectors. While I continue to have concerns about several of the proposals being discussed I have been glad to see the USTR increase their discussions with the agricultural community. Last week I had the privilege of meeting native Kansan and Chief Ag Negotiator, Gregg Doud. Gregg met with members of the House Ag Committee to address specific concerns agriculture faces. It is good to know that there are staff at USTR that have firsthand knowledge of the importance of trade to Kansas’ economy.

Agriculture Exports Seek New Markets 

In order to return our agriculture economy back into growth, we must look for new export opportunities to untouched markets. A great example of a $2 billion largely untouched market is Cuba. Due to sanctions imposed decades ago, Cuba imports most of their food products from Brazil, Argentina, Vietnam and the EU instead of the United States that is just off the coast of Florida. If we can fix American agriculture’s disadvantage by passing bipartisan legislation, we would be improving our rural communities and creating good-paying jobs. If the U.S. was able to sell its goods to Cuba, Kansas could top $55 million in additional sales with a 25% boost in wheat sales. The 2018 Farm Bill will help increase these exporting opportunities for farmers all across the U.S. I am working with Representatives’ Rick Crawford from Arkansas, and Tom Emmer from Minnesota to get the ball rolling in getting this important legislation passed. Click here to read the full story and specific bills being considered on this issue.

Pompeo Confirmed as Sec. of State

I was really proud to see the Senate share the same confidence the people of Kansas have for Mike Pompeo and confirm him this week to be our 70^th U.S. Secretary of State.

Secretary Pompeo ran two businesses in Kansas and served 3 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives before being appointed to the Director of the CIA in January 2017. A West Point and Harvard Law Graduate, Secretary Pompeo has experience in both the legislative process as well as  national security. He is a proven leader, and I know the folks back home are proud to have one of their own representing American interests throughout the world.

Tele-Townhall

I want to thank everyone who joined me for Thursday night’s Tele-Townhall. We had thousands of callers and covered a lot of ground! Most of your questions focused on healthcare and the cost of healthcare, a problem I came to Washington to try and fix! In the House, we voted to fully repeal Obamacare… Despite the lack of headlines in the media, I am working daily behind the scenes to fix our broken and costly healthcare system.

Callers also discussed the importance of prayer, renewable energy, immigration, infrastructure, and national security.

Another widely mentioned issue was NAFTA and the importance of providing our farmers and producers certainty. I have fought hard to do that by advocating to preserve our trade deals and expand into new markets. I believe our Farm Bill provides that certainty as well. The 2018 Farm Bill protects crop insurance, provides additional funding to EQIP, strengthens our farm programs and reduces regulatory burdens. Our bill invests in rural broadband, ensures we are protecting the health of our livestock and helps our beginning farmers and ranchers who are starting during already tough times.

Right now, we are seeing politicians put their party over people by not supporting the Farm Bill because it requires work-capable adults receiving food stamps to either work part-time or take advantage of the job training programs (that the bill funds). So we asked folks on the call how they felt about the work requirements, of the almost 400 responses, 83 percent of those surveyed voted in favor of part-time work requirements for work capable adults.

Have you ever stepped into the water on the first fishing trip of the spring only to find your waders leaked? Or lost a nice fish because the line on your reel was old and snapped? Or even found while trying to make the first cast of the year that your reel wouldn’t work at all? All of the above are scenarios that can easily be avoided with a little prior planning. So here are a few tips to help make you ready for action when your buddy calls and screams into the phone “The fish are bitin’!”

Check your gear early. We all lose tackle each year to rocks and “stick fish,” so go through your tackle box, make a list and stock up. Check your waders for leaks. If they didn’t leak the last time you took them off, they probably won’t leak now, but be sure; it’s better than an unexpected boot full of cold water.

Line on fishing reels should be changed every few years; the more often you use it the more often it should be changed. You can buys spools of line and DIY, or most sporting goods stores have a machine to do it for a small fee. If you fish from a boat, hopefully you’ve gone over it by now to make sure the batteries are good, the motor starts and runs well and the trailer tires aren’t flat. Also be certain to have life preservers on board for every passenger, because if stopped by wildlife and parks on the water or at the dock, they will check that. If you hate wearing life jackets while fishing like most of us do, look into some of the new technology that now allows life jackets to be much smaller, thinner and less obstructing.

We were just leaving town the other day when my wife snapped her fingers in the air and stated “Darn, I forgot to get my new fishing license.” That excuse won’t fly with a game warden if you get checked only to discover your fishing (or hunting) license has expired, so be sure yours is up-to-date. If you are 65, you can purchase a lifetime combination hunting / fishing license for only $42.50 that’s good until you turn 74 and no longer need a license; it’s the deal of the century! Have you ever bought your hunting license late in the season, and grumbled about it only being good for a short time until New Year’s Eve?

Well grumble no more as that now has changed. Now all annual licenses (NOT special permits like deer and turkey tags and fur harvester’s permits) are valid for 365 days from the time you purchase them. So, for example, if you buy a hunting license just in time for the November pheasant opener, that license will be good until that date the following year. And to take convenience one step further, if you purchase licenses online, you can now sign up for a feature called “auto renew” that will send you a notice a few weeks before your new license is due each year, then automatically renew it and charge it to a credit or debit card.

Along with possessing the proper licenses and permits, comes knowledge of all Kansas fishing rules and regulations. Some regulations are statewide and apply to every cubic inch of Kansas water, whether lake, river, stream or reservoir. Some lakes and reservoirs however have length limits, etc that are unique to that water. That’s why every Kansas fisherman’s tackle box should contain a copy of the 2018 Kansas Fishing regulations Summary, a 48 page pamphlet that lists all that information for all Kansas lakes, reservoirs, state fishing lakes and community fishing lakes, so you should never get “caught” with your hook bare, so to speak. These should be available everywhere tackle and licenses are sold.

If you’re like me, and not a died-in-the-wool fisherman, it’s handy to know what lakes and reservoirs are best for what fish species. Another handy booklet no Kansas fisherman should be without is the 2018 Fishing Forecast. This forecast is assembled by Kansas fisheries biologists using data gathered when they sample lakes in each of their jurisdictions. For each fish species, it rates lakes, reservoirs, state fishing lakes and community fishing lakes for largest fish and largest fish populations. These forecasts are available at all Kansas Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism offices and to download online from the website at www.ksoutdoors.com.

So instead of helping put the “pro” in procrastinate, take care of business by getting your fishing stuff in order, making certain your license is up-to-date, arm yourselves with all the available information readily available about Kansas fishing regulations and opportunities, and take someone along who’s new to fishing as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Following the Civil War, many officers born and raised in the East found themselves serving their country on the Kansas frontier. One such man was Captain Albert Barnitz, born in Pennsylvania in 1835 and reared in Ohio. He studied first at Kenyon College and later continued his education at Cleveland Law College. While there, he published a book of poetry titled Mystic Delvings. This hinted at innate writing tendencies that modern readers still enjoy.

Barnitz’s road to the Kansas frontier began after the death of his first wife who died in childbirth in 1860. Still grieving, he soon joined the 13th Ohio Infantry as a three-month volunteer in 1861. Following that service, he enlisted in the 2nd Ohio Cavalry as a sergeant. By 1863, Barnitz achieved senior captain rank.

Following his recovery from severe injuries, Barnitz returned to serve under the command of George A. Custer in the Shenandoah Valley and fought his last battle at Appomattox. He returned briefly to civilian life, but received a captain’s commission in the U.S. Army in 1866. The following year he married his second wife Jennie Platt, and they began their Great Plains adventure that included writing and saving a series of letters and journals which shed light on military and social life of the time.

During his military career, Barnitz served at several frontier forts, including Leavenworth, Riley, and Harker. His wife Jennie joined him at several of these postings. When they weren’t together, they wrote one another regularly. Albert also kept a journal of his experiences over decades. Fortunately for posterity, they saved these documents.

Through these letters and journals, readers can time travel to the years 1866 – 1869 on the Plains. Robert Utley collected and edited them into the book Life in Custer’s 7th Cavalry. Barnitz and Jennie write about military experiences, life on the prairie, Hancock’s failed expedition, a battle with Indians at Fort Wallace, Camp Alfred Gibbs (near the town of Ellis, Kansas), and Jennie surviving a flash flood at the site of the first Fort Hays.

Of interest to history buffs, Albert and Jennie’s letters reveal personal information about the Custers, Colonel Alfred Gibbs, Major Joel Elliott, Miles Keogh, and other famous colleagues. Through this couple’s running commentary, readers see these historical personages as real people with their strengths and frailties. In addition, readers see the evolution of Barnitz’s attitudes about these individuals and realize Captain Barnitz and Jennie’s opinions weren’t static. This couple’s correspondence must’ve engaged Robert Utley completely as he studied their decades of text.

Their letters reveal Albert and Jennie’s love story, his desire to be a good officer, and his disgust with fellow officers who drank too much or abused their troops. Interested in nature, he provides excellent accounts of wildlife, plants, and weather in this region as well.

Because Barnitz had the observational and writing skills of a poet, he thoroughly recorded the essence of military life during one of the frontier’s most active periods, providing a time machine-like glimpse into a vanished era. Life in Custer’s Cavalry is more than communication between a man and woman. It’s an invitation to visit their world.

Native Kansan Karen Madorin is a local writer and retired teacher who loves sharing stories about places, people, critters, plants, food, and history of the High Plains.

By RON WILSON
Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

Is there an electronic piano keyboard gathering dust at your house? I‘m afraid there is at mine. We don’t seem to find much time to use it. Today, we’ll learn about a high school music teacher who is helping students with their keyboard skills. In doing so, he’s building on the tradition of one of the world’s most famous musical instructors. She came from this very same hometown.

Last week we learned about Dorothy DeLay, one of the world’s most famous violin teachers. Miss DeLay graduated from Neodesha High School in 1933.

Ray Essington is the music teacher at Neodesha today. He grew up at Council Grove. Ray got a bachelor’s degree in music at KU, taught in Arkansas and then earned his master’s in music education at Kansas State.

Ray’s first Kansas school music teaching job was at Thayer, a rural community of 497 people. Now, that’s rural.

He then moved to Neodesha to become vocal music director for the middle school and high school. Here he met and married his wife, Ghendi.

Through the years, one trend he noticed was the reduced number of private piano teachers. Such teachers used to be quite common everywhere. When Neodesha High School changed from a block schedule to an eight-hour day, Ray got permission to start a piano class.

“I was convinced that parents had bought their kids keyboards which were sitting at home gathering dust,” Ray said. “(Musical keyboarding) is becoming a lost art,” he said. “With the support of the school district and the counselors, we were able to start a piano class.”

The class was held in the high school choir room. “We pull out four big tables with Yamaha keyboards and this becomes the piano lab,” Ray said. “We have the smaller 61-keyboards as well as the full size 88 key boards,” he said. This helps students learn the piano and perhaps to use keyboards which they might have at home.

Meanwhile, Ray had been somewhat aware of the name of Dorothy DeLay. Just before Ray came, Neodesha High School had honored Miss DeLay with one of its alumni awards. Then Ray remembered that his high school principal at Council Grove was named Dennis DeLay. Was it possible that there was a connection?

Sure enough, there was. Dorothy DeLay was the principal’s cousin. Ray’s principal had grown up at Yates Center, where the name of the principal’s father – Calvin DeLay – is on the old school stadium.

The more Ray learned about Dorothy DeLay, the more interested he became. The fact that she was one of the world’s most noted violin teachers and had graduated from Neodesha High School made it especially interesting.

“I got in touch with Dorothy DeLay’s daughter Alison,” Ray said. “We went to Boston for three days and she let me go through her keepsakes. It was awesome to see things like the picture of President Clinton presenting her with the National Medal of the Arts.”

It further inspired Ray to do more to honor Dorothy DeLay back home in Neodesha. He founded the Dorothy DeLay String Academy to teach violin to his students. It started as a volunteer program after school two years ago and is now part of the federally-funded after-school program. Twenty-one elementary school students, including Ray’s daughter, are part of the Dorothy DeLay String Academy today.

“The house Dorothy DeLay grew up in still stands here in Neodesha,” Ray said. “I would love to see it become a museum.”

Ray Essington is retiring from teaching in May 2018. “I plan to build a shadow-box display of Miss DeLay’s artifacts which will go in the foyer of the school auditorium,” he said. Through his creative use of keyboards and his string academy, he is building the musical capacity of his students.

Do you have an electronic keyboard at your house gathering dust? I do. We salute Ray Essington for making a difference with his creative teaching of piano keyboards and his efforts to build on the history of Dorothy DeLay. I think such creative teaching methods are key.

By Dr. Tony Sun
Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealthcare of Kansas

Up to half of adults don’t follow their medication regimen. The main reason? Forgetfulness. The next three reasons – running out of medication, being away from home, or skipping doses to save money – can be alleviated with a little planning and research.

Nearly half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug, and more than a third of people over 45 take three or more prescription drugs. That can be a lot to juggle. Drug costs are no joke, either. In 2015, the U.S. spent $310 billion on prescription drugs – that’s about $1,000 per person.

Knowing how to get most from your prescription benefits can help you manage the logistics and costs of your family’s medications. 

1. Ask your experts to help you save money

Enlist your team of prescription pros – your doctor, pharmacist and health plan – for help:

• Find a network pharmacy. Do this by checking your plan’s directory online or call the number on the back of your ID card. You may pay less at these pharmacies.
• Ask your doctor to prescribe the medication that meets your needs at the lowest expense to you. Your health plan may provide tools so your doctors know what each prescription will cost you.
• Check your enrollment materials or visit your health plan’s website for information on how to download your health plan’s app to manage your medications on the go and use drug-pricing tools with your health plan’s app or website to see how much your medications will cost.
• Explore options with your doctor and pharmacist. Your best value may come from home delivery, receiving a 90-day supply at once.

1. Avoid a scramble

Sidestep the pitfalls of running out of medicine by:

• Having medication on hand before you travel or switch to home delivery. Aim to have a month’s supply before a home-delivery transition.
• Setting automatic refill reminders with your pharmacy, so you aren’t caught unprepared.
• Contacting your pharmacy several days before you run out of medication to request a refill. Your pharmacist may need to contact your doctor for approval. Or your doctor may want to evaluate your condition first.
• Understanding preauthorization – for some medicines, your doctor will need to provide additional information to confirm the reason you are taking the medication to ensure it’s covered under your pharmacy benefit.

1. Lean on apps, auto-reminders and online tools

Today, medication information is more accessible than ever. Check your enrollment materials or your health plan’s website for information on how to manage your pharmacy benefits online or on the go via your plan’s app.

Following your medication regimen is an important part of staying healthy.  Don’t be shy about asking how to get medicine you can afford, in a way that’s convenient for you.

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Sometime in the next couple of weeks, if not already, the adult ash-lilac borer will be laying eggs on ash trees, lilac bushes and occasionally even privet bushes. The ash-lilac borer (Podosesia syringae) can be a very destructive pest. So much so, that if you have an ash tree on your property, it is recommended to treat it even though the damage may not be noticeable at this time.

The Pest:
Ash-lilac borers overwinter as larvae in already infested host trees and shrubs. Then the pupation stage occurs in the spring. It’s the adult stage that displays Moth emergence from the infected plants, which begin in mid to late-April, peaking in May. By mid-to late-June this wave subsides, usually ending by the first week of July. Thankfully there is only one generation of these critters per year.

The moth has clear wings and resembles a wasp in appearance. It is about 1″ long and has a wing span of about 1½ inches. It likes to deposit its eggs in cracks and crevices of the bark. These eggs then hatch 10 to 14 days later. Larvae immediately bore into wood. Frass (insect excrement), which is a telltale sign, can be seen accumulating around the bore holes.

These pests often attack plants that have been under stress. Providing water during dry periods in the weather will help plants resist attack. Weakened trees may need protection until they are healthy enough to resist attack on their own. If there is swelling and cracking of the bark, it is because of repeated infestations. Branches may be severely weakened at these feeding sites. Also during dry periods late in the summer, terminal shoots of infested plants will wilt.

The Mitigation:
In order to address this problem, pesticide treatment should be applied within 10 days of egg laying to be effective. Among various insecticides that offer control for this insect, look for the chemical Permethrin for best control. Although this chemical can be found in a number of products, make sure the treatment for ash-lilac borers is detailed on the package before you purchase it.

Apply Permethrin when the VanHoute spiriea is in full bloom, which in most years, can range from the third or fourth week of April, to about May 1 in central Kansas area. However, with the fluctuating temperatures we have had this year, the bloom time will most likely be delayed somewhat. 

Apply pesticide mostly on the lower two to three feet of the branches of lilacs and privets. On the trunk and larger branches of the ash, thoroughly treat the area where branches intersect with the trunk. Since most of the eggs will be laid within 10 feet of the ground, satisfactory control can usually be achieved by concentrating sprays in this area. Heavily infested ash should be cut and burned during the fall and winter. Infested stems of lilac or privet should be removed as well.

Rip Winkel is the Horticulture agent in the Cottonwood District (Barton and Ellis Counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at [email protected] or calling either 785-682-9430, or 620-793-1910.

I first met former Governor Bill Avery in December, 2003. He served Kansas in Congress and then as governor in the mid-1960s.

His start in Kansas politics came in the early 1950s when, as a young farmer, he was a leader of the “Stop the Big Dam Foolishness” campaign to thwart flood control dams on the Kansas River’s tributaries in north-central Kansas. In the midst of those efforts, motivated by rural concerns over prime farm land taken for flood control through eminent domain, spring floods tore through the area and Bill changed his mind. I greatly admired Bill’s willingness to change his mind, based on the facts.

Ultimately, that mental quality cost him his job as governor. As governor, he recognized deeply embedded problems in Kansas’s antiquated tax policies. He acted to make the system more efficient and less subject to tax avoidance tactics. The voters rewarded him with defeat, but he expressed no remorse and loved every moment he spent as governor. He told me, “Nobody remembers who their congressman was, but everybody knows the governor.”

Bill Graves was one of the most beleaguered and abused chief executives the state has had in the modern era, and most of the abuse came from an insurgent, virulent conservative intraparty uprising. Movie star handsome and an effective communicator his life changed when his father essentially destroyed young Bill’s plan for the future. Bill expected to take over Graves Trucking from his father when he finished college and settle in Salina as a hometown big fish. Dad sold the company, called Bill in Lawrence to tell him about the change in plans and provoked a period of deep melancholy in the younger man. He recovered, and committed himself to public service. Former Kansas Secretary of State Jack Brier took an interest in his career and Bill became part of the “statehouse family.”

In the 1990s, conservative Republicans were feeling their oats. The success of the Reagan Administration, enthusiasm about Newt Gingrich’s Contract with America, and their broad and deep loathing of the Clinton Administration moved conservative elements in the Kansas Republican Party to depict Bill Graves as all that was wrong with moderate Republicanism. Through some of the hairiest legislative sessions Kansas had had since the Populist days at the end of the 19th Century, Graves kept his composure. He crushed a primary challenge from the state party chairman in 1998 and finished his two terms in office with high public popularity despite the enmity of many GOP activists. I remember him emotionally describing how he came to realize just how much ordinary citizens were moved to have the opportunity to meet the governor and share a little bit about their personal lives.

Both of these men, and many others, demonstrated a reverence for the offices of trust they held, a decency toward the people who put them there, as well as most of their opponents, and a courtesy of manner and speech that seems almost foreign or antique in the contemporary culture of vulgarity, crudity, and coarseness. I miss the influences of these men in this time. Indeed, all of us miss their civility, decency and commitment to the state of Kansas.

Dr. Mark Peterson teaches political science at the college level in Topeka.