Donna KrugWith snow predicted and wind chills in the single digits as I write this column, it sounds a bit crazy to talk about going for a walk, but that is just what I’m going to do. Walk Kansas is a signature program for K-State Research and Extension that has been around since 2000. Each year this fitness challenge motivates people from all walks of life to get moving. The dates for the 2018 campaign are March 18th through May 12th.
To participate in Walk KS, you will need to start by recruiting a team of six people. Many times teams consist of family members, friends or co-workers. Come up with a fun name, register your team, and report the minutes that team members exercise each week, beginning March 18th. All of the registration details can be accomplished on line. There is a fee of $8 per team member or $17 per person if all team members wish to order a t-shirt. Payment by check or cash will need to be made at either the Hays or Great Bend offices. Brenda and Theresa, our office professionals in the Great Bend and Hays offices can answer specific questions you may have as you register your teams.
February 19th is the date that on-line registration will open for residents of the Cottonwood Extension District. We would like to complete team registration by Monday, March 12th if possible.
Several interesting activities that support this fitness challenge are planned for April and May. Mark your calendar for April 3rd and join me at the Hays office at noon, for the free educational program titled, “Healthy Cooking Styles.” Based on a fact sheet I wrote last year, you will learn about water sauteing, slow stewing and other healthy ways to prepare grains and vegetables. Another date to mark on your calendar is Friday, April 13th, at noon, at the Big Creek Crossing Mall. I will be leading a Walk KS halfway pep rally. Anyone who is a member of a Walk KS team will be treated to a progressive picnic at the mall. I will have a short presentation complete with door prizes as well. Folks who are not on a Walk KS team may pre-register for this event by paying $5 due by April 6th. Reminders will be sent to team captains as the date gets closer.
A wrap up celebration for the Walk KS program is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9th, at noon at the Great Bend Recreation Center. A free “Wise bucks” luncheon will be provided for any Walk KS team member. The public may pre-register by May 2nd for lunch and pay $5.
So get your walking shoes ready and your team pulled together and join the 2018 Walk KS program in your community!
Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District – Great Bend office. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or [email protected]
As a good writer should, I tried hard to think of a really slick way to say this, but I struck out completely, so there’s nothing left to do but open my mouth and let it dribble out… sometimes I think about really weird stuff!
For instance, if Teflon coating is non-stick, how do they get it to stay on the skillets when they make them? Or why do doctors only “practice” medicine? Or why did God name flies, “flies” when they seem to do way more walking around than they do flying? Wouldn’t a better name have been “walks” or “crawls?” And why on God’s green earth do we have mosquitoes? If there were only two of them on the Ark as there were supposed to be, wouldn’t both frogs have quickly eaten them? Maybe Noah cheated and brought more, or maybe he just lost count.
Anyway, what sent me off on this tangent was an old email I stumbled across concerning a story about Toads I did some years back, and I thought perhaps closing your eyes after reading this would help you envision spring. In the story I mentioned a study done in Oklahoma that used the number of over-wintering cutworms consumed by toads to determine the toad’s value to agriculture in dollars and cents. In her email, the lady complained about all the toads at her home that particular year, and said that if they were that valuable she would gladly give them to anyone wanting them.
Rather odd I thought, until I read the rest of her email. She proceeded to tell me about the enormous mess they were making that summer by leaving their droppings all over her garage floor. That I understood! I remember seeing all the little black spiral shaped droppings everywhere that year but hadn’t associated them with toads. The gist of the article was the larger-than-usual number of toads seen around our homes that year because of spring flooding. It only makes sense that a larger than usual toad population will produce …you guessed it… a larger than usual amount of toad pooo!
That fact alone seemed to be all it took to ignite my weird thought generator, and off I went. First I began thinking of contacting Mike Rowe from the Discovery Network TV show “Dirty Jobs.” On his show, Mike travels all around the country personally experiencing filthy jobs that people actually perform daily. I figured the show’s producers would kill for the positive press generated by Mike’s helping that poor lady clean this year’s massive amounts of toad pooo from her garage floor and sidewalks…………or maybe not!
Next I stooped to trying to figure how I could have made a buck from the situation. Toad pooo is certainly the type of thing that some university somewhere can get a grant to study. I’m sure one of America’s seats of higher learning has plenty of interest as to what percentage of a toad’s diet is made up of mosquitoes, what percentage is flies, etc. With that in mind, if this sort of thing happens again, why not offer to provide them the raw material, for a nominal fee off course, from our vast supply………… or maybe not!
The big question that comes to mind is why do these amphibians that are born in creeks, rivers and swamps, and that live out their lives far from the light of day under plants and bushes in flower beds and gardens suddenly feel the need to use our sidewalks and driveways as their personal outhouses? I mean really, they have acre upon acre of yards, golf courses and pastures in which to relieve themselves, yet they choose our concrete! Maybe the feel of the nice warm concrete relaxes them to the point where they loose all muscle control, in which case it’s really not their fault at all!…I guess just more reasons to Explore Kansas Outdoors …………or maybe not!
Steve Gilliand, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].
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.
History lovers like to connect dots between present and past. I fit in this unique group because nothing thrills me more than discovering unexpected links between Now and Then. Recently, I got more than I bargained for when I explored the backstory to Punxsutawney Phil and America’s Groundhog Day. By the time I finished researching, I found answers to questions I didn’t know I had.
First, I always wondered what Candlemas Day was when I saw it on calendars at the same time I noted GH day. Why I never stopped to look it up befuddles me. Otherwise, I’d have known much sooner why local churches host pancake feeds on February 2 or thereabouts and how that event relates to weather predicting groundhogs. The obvious commonality is that Candlemas and GH day share the same date. Once I knew that, I wanted to know more.
Easy, peasy. Groundhog Day first began when ancient peoples celebrated the halfway mark between winter solstice and spring equinox. Think about that one. Approximately three months separates two major solar events our ancestors used to mark time and indicate seasons. Halfway between gets you to early February. In some climates that’s the time hibernating or estivating critters crawl out to check the weather. Depending on the culture, those could be bears or hedgehogs, close enough to woodchucks if you stretch your imagination to end up as Groundhog Day in our culture.
For people whose lives were heavily influenced by sunny and dark cycles, longer periods of light and upcoming planting traditions would provide reasons to celebrate. Pesky rodents and other hairy creatures emerging from under and above ground dens at the midpoint between two major solar events encouraged foretelling impending weather using clever rhymes. Thanks Farmers’ Almanac for sharing:
If Candlemas be mild and gay/Go saddle your horses and buy them hay
But if Candlemas by stormy and black/It carries the winter away on its back
Long ago, Romans honored Lupercalia and held purification and light festivities to mark increasing sunlight each day. Tribes living in Germany and Ireland held ceremonies for similar purposes. The Irish called their revels Imbolc (“lamb’s milk”) in honor of lambing season. Once Christianity came to the island, this holiday evolved to honor St. Brigid, saint of candles and light.
We’re back to Candlemas–a feast day that celebrates introducing Jesus in the temple and blessing candles. Not only did participants deliver those valuable light sources for consecration, they also feasted on crepes or pancakes. Now we see the initiating event for why so many congregations host pancake feeds on February 2nd.
Unless you happen to be an Ancestry.com junky or a fan of TV series that reveal celebrity genealogies, it’s easy to forget how generations before ours influence us. Heavens, many don’t realize winter solstice signifies the darkest day of the year and summer the longest. It’s even easier to forget spring and fall equinoxes mark halfway points between those landmarks.
After years of not paying attention, I now know that February 2, aka Groundhog Day or Candlemas, signifies another midpoint—this one between winter solstice and spring equinox. Our ancestors understood that life is short so we should celebrate often. From now on, I’ll rejoice with pancakes poured in the shape of groundhogs, soaked with the previous spring’s maple sap turned to syrup, and served by candlelight.
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.
What common activity exposes a person to the explosive power of 26 sticks of dynamite? The answer– handling one gallon of gasoline!
Filling vehicles at self-serve pumps requires millions of people to handle gasoline on a regular basis. Static electricity- common in cold, dry conditions- can create a spark when the driver touches the fuel nozzle. In rare circumstances, the static spark can ignite gasoline vapors, causing a flash fire.
No one knows for sure how many gas pump fires are caused by static electricity. However, 176 static fires were reported to the Petroleum Equipment Institute from 2000 to 2010.
About half of the refueling fires involved the driver getting back into the vehicle while the gas was still flowing into the tank. When the driver stepped out of the vehicle and touched the nozzle to complete the fill-up, a static spark ignited the fumes. I first heard of this phenomenon several years ago at an Extension conference from a colleague in Indiana who was injured in just such a fire.
How does it happen?
When you pull into a gas station to refuel your vehicle, you open and shut the car door, open the fuel tank cover, touch the pump to begin fueling, and touch the nozzle on the pump– all before the gasoline starts flowing. Any static electricity that was picked up in the car has been dissipated several times.
But the danger comes if you get back into your car during fueling. The friction of synthetic materials of the car seat and your clothing may create static electricity, especially during these dry, cold winter months. If you leave the car door open and don’t touch any other metal before reaching for the gas nozzle, that static charge can be released at the nozzle, creating the potential for a flash fire.
Over three-fourths (78%) of the victims of refueling fires are women? Why? Women are more likely to return to their vehicles during refueling for personal safety, to check on child passengers, get money or credit cards from their purse, get warm, or use the phone. Additionally, the synthetic fabrics of women’s clothing and hosiery are more prone to static build-up when in contact with vehicle upholstery fabrics.
To be safe at the gas pump, follow these safety guidelines:
1. Always turn off your vehicle engine while refueling.
2. Stay near the vehicle during refueling.
3. Never smoke, light matches, or use lighters while refueling.
4. Do not get back into the car during refueling. If you must re-enter your vehicle, discharge static electricity when you get out by touching something metal (your car door, a different gas pump, etc.) before reaching for the gas nozzle.
5. To avoid gasoline spills, do not overfill or top off your tank. The fuel dispenser will shut off automatically when the tank is full.
6. When filling a portable gasoline can, always place the container on the ground and keep the pump nozzle in contact with the container while refueling. Containers should never be filled inside a vehicle, in the trunk, on the bed of a pickup or on the floor of a trailer. The carpeting and truck bed act as insulators, allowing static electricity to build up in the can while it is being filled. That static electricity could create a spark between the container and the fuel nozzle.
If a flash fire occurs during refueling, you should leave the nozzle in the vehicle and back away. Shut off the fuel at the pump, using the on-off lever or an emergency shut-off switch. Notify the station attendant at once so that all pumps can be shut off with master emergency controls.
In the event of a fire, the natural tendency is to pull the nozzle out of the car tank. However, the flames will ignite the stream of gasoline like a flame-thrower, causing widespread property damage and the very real potential for human injury. There is not enough oxygen in the car gas tank to make it an explosion risk, so the best thing to do is leave the nozzle in place and let any flames burn out after the pump is shut off.
There is nothing worse than dealing with a computer that refuses to move at the pace you want it to. This gets even more frustrating when the computer was working at your desired speed for a while but has suddenly stopped doing so. Below are some quick how-to’s to speed up your Windows 10 PC.
By far, the No. 1 thing that will bog down your machine is temporary files being stored in the machine. The easiest way to combat this is to download and install the free program CCleaner, https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/download
This program will automatically go through and delete all those files that are taking up space on your computer.
Download CCleaner (it’s a small program and won’t take up space on your computer)
Find the CCleaner install file in your computer downloads folder (or wherever you have set files to download)
Double click the application install file and allow it to run on your computer.
Once CCleaner is open you just have to press “Run Cleaner” and then press “OK” on the windows that pop up afterwards.
When the program has finished running, It will then tell you how many temporary files were deleted. Then you are free to close the program. (I run this program about every other week on my machines.)
If you still haven’t noticed any improvements, then you can dig a little deeper and shut off some unnecessary Windows services.
On your Windows machine, press the windows key (next to your ctrl and alt button) and the r key at the same time. After that combination has been pressed, a run command box will open in your bottom left hand corner. From there you can type in, services.msc and press enter or click “OK.”
This will open up your Windows services. The first service to look for is one called Superfetch.
Once you find it you can right-click on it and select “Properties.”
This will open another window.
Find start up type and change it to “Disabled.”
At the Service Status, go ahead and stop the service and the press “Apply” and then “OK.” You can also apply the same steps to the services, “Background Intelligent Transfer Service” and “Windows Font Cache Service.”
As always, if you have any issues with these or would just like us to go through and help you out with them, we are always here! Any one of our technicians can help you do this, and you don’t even need to leave home.We can work with you remotely or help you if you encounter an issue with the process described above.
ETS can be reached at 785.628.1330 or you can email us at [email protected].
When my kids were young, they fell in love with soccer. I was “forced” into coaching, when one of their coaches, an employee of Midwest Energy, was called out of town for an extended period of time because of damaged powerlines related to a tornado. A new coach was needed.
Soccer was a new sport in western Kansas, at least at the competitive level. In Hays, it was comprised of only one or two teams. To play other teams meant participating in tournaments, which required distant travel and overnight stays. Such travel and multiple overnight stays was an unheard of concept in Hays. Back in the early days of my coaching, it was not uncommon for me, my fellow coach and a couple of parents to travel to the tournaments with four to six kids in each of our vehicles (it prompted me to go through a series of Suburbans). Motel rooms were littered with sleeping bags on the floor, and I got very little sleep during those forays.
It was always interesting. It seemed like when we would load up the kids at the beginning of the trip, everything was organized. But as the weekend wore on, stuff happened and my organizational skills seemed to start falling apart.
We would try to do our dinners together. Golden Corral and like restaurants became the destination of choice. Getting everyone there, sitting them down, getting meals paid for, keeping kids’ money separate for each of them, loading the kids back up in the cars, and getting back to the motel, was “herding cats”. It was not unusual for me to try to make a list with the kids’ names on it, and check those names off as we moved from place to place – to be sure everyone was accounted for.
The realities were that we would get to a game and it would be either an exciting win or heartbreaking loss. Kids would have their stuff all over the tournament grounds, new teams would be arriving, and we would have to move our players to a new location or back to the motel. It was not unusual to have to return to the tournament grounds to find something that someone left behind, or depart a motel only to have the motel ship someone’s something back to us.
It is pretty easy to stay organized in life, as long as everything is running smoothly. It is when life gets “exciting” that our organizational skills become challenged. It also becomes difficult when we go down a path that we were not expecting to go down, or a path that we go down is a lot more complicated than we ever thought possible.
Just the other day I had a family come into my office going down that new path. In my meeting was Dad and his two sons. Mom was in the hospital. Mom had fallen, ended up in the hospital, and was going to be discharged in a few days. Sons were frantic. Dad, with his own very significant chronic illness issues, was certain that he could make it another month or two or maybe three, without any outside help.
In talking with Dad, I went through some scenarios with him. It became apparent to me that there were some crossroads that he did not realize were coming up. There was not a good “checklist” for him to follow.
Dad looked at me and said, “I can make this another few months. I am not yet in crisis”. I looked him in the eye and I said, “You are already in crisis”. I know he was a little bit stunned, but as we talked further, I think he breathed a very deep sigh of relief. Someone was going to take care of this. Someone was going to be sure everything gets done. Someone was going to be on his side.
I have been in those situations myself. A couple of years ago my stepfather was quite ill, and the illness caught me by surprise. It was not one of these gradual illnesses, but a “jumping off the cliff” illness. I was afraid I could not catch him. One of my care coordinators and an attorney in my office really gave me some great guidance through the process with my stepfather. The care coordinator actually was instrumental in preparing me and the whole family for my stepfather’s passing. There were so many loose ends that I could not have taken care of without that guidance along the way.
Let me go back to soccer. We had a tournament in Emporia. We had a great win one evening and all went to dinner. We got all of the kids there, fed and went back to the motel. I knew something was wrong. Somebody was missing. Finally, I realized it was my son, Dan. We jumped into the car, flew back over to the restaurant, and there he was sitting on the steps. I do not know how angry he was, but he has never let me forget it. I remembered 14 other kids, but forgot my own son!
It is really okay to get help when you are in a health crisis. Health crises present issues that affect the family, estate plans, finances, as well as some thorough care decisions. Seek help. Don’t leave your son behind!
Randy Clinkscales of Clinkscales Elder Law Practice, PA, Hays, Kansas, is an elder care attorney, practicing in western Kansas. To contact him, please send an email to [email protected]. Disclaimer: The information in the column is for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is different and outcomes depend on the fact of each case and the then applicable law. For specific questions, you should contact a qualified attorney.
The Kansas Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Disabilities (k4ad), representing all eleven of the Area Agencies on Aging across the state of Kansas, recently provided data to the Kansas legislature indicating seniors are not faring well under the current KanCare system.
The data indicate the number of seniors receiving Home and Community Based Services under KanCare since 2010 has decreased by over 1,000. The expenditures for community-based services is down by over $14,000,000 from 2010. The number of nursing facility KanCare residents is also down.
And, yet, the Kansas aging population continues to rapidly increase. The Kansas Statistical Abstract for 2016 indicates the population projection for people age 65 and over will increase by 82.4% from 2014 to 2044.
Dan Goodman, Johnson County Area Agency on Aging Director and President of the k4ad, recently noted that “in Johnson County alone, the senior population will increase by more than 40,000 from 2014-2024.”
The Area Agencies on Aging are concerned that today’s seniors, particularly those seniors over the age of 85, are unable to gain access to KanCare services when needed, whether the senior chooses to remain at home or move to a nursing facility.
With the implementation of KanCare, there have been two major changes. The first is elimination of “high-touch” case management for seniors at the local level. The second is removal of “high-touch” assistance for seniors applying for KanCare at the local level.
Michelle Morgan, Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging Director, Hays, said “the elimination of assistance at the local level has created barriers and unnecessary confusion for seniors and their caregivers. Assistance needs to return to the local aging experts.”
The Kansas Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Disabilities (k4ad), represents all eleven Area Agencies on Aging in Kansas.
Hello from Topeka! We had a good turn out on Saturday in Hays at the Legislative update. We will be having more at the end of the month.
Monday was the final day for bill introductions from most committees, we will see how many of them get hearings and move forward. The half way point of the session is February 22nd, so there will be lots of discussions leading up to that time. Last Wednesday, the focus was on the Inauguration of Jeff Colyer, M.D. as the 47th Governor of Kansas, I look forward to working with him in the coming weeks and look forward to sharing with him the concerns of the 110th District.
Last Tuesday, the House K-12 Budget and Senate Education Committees meant jointly to hear from Dr. Blake Flanders, CEO, Kansas Board of Regents, Dr. Randy Watson, Commissioner of Education. Dr. Flanders noted that concurrent enrollment is when high school students are enrolled in post-secondary for college credits. This different from a partnership where high school teachers teach the courses. He mentioned the work of the First Generation Task Force, which made a report in June 2017, regarding the barriers and supports that exist for first generation college students. The First Generation Task Force recommended the expansion of concurrent enrollment programs to provide open access and reduce costs for first generation students.
The Board of Regents and Department of Education formed a Concurrent Enrollment Partnership, which met three times in fall 2017 and continues to meet in 2018. Goals of the Task Force include: expand early college access for all qualified high school students, particularly traditionally underrepresented students; increase the number of students graduating from high school and attending college; and maximize the recognition of rigorous postsecondary coursework for purposes of meeting high school graduation requirements. The Task force reviewed the opportunities that high school have to earn college credit prior to high school graduation. Those are: dual enrollment programs; Advanced Placement (AP) exams; College Level Examination Program (CLEP); International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme; and Modern States Education Alliance. At its January 8th meeting, the Task Force voted to form working groups to make recommendations on: identification of 5 courses offered for statewide delivery; establishment of standardized eligibility requirements for students; agreement on a common rate for tuition/fees; and identification of alternative delivery methods. The working groups recommendations have been made and are currently under review.
Also, last week, the House Taxation Committee met jointly with the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation. The Committees heard from Charles McGuigan, the Chief Deputy Attorney General from South Dakota. The Committees also heard from Bryan Clark, Assistant Solicitor General, from the Attorney General’s Office and Mark Beshears, Department of Revenue. The briefing centered on the South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., which is a pending U.S. Supreme Court case that will address whether a state may collect sales taxes from online retailers with no physical presence in the state. Clark’s testimony covered the preceding cases, National Bellas Hess v. Department of Revenue of Illinois and Quill Corp. v. North Dakota. On October 2, 2017, South Dakota asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision of the South Dakota Supreme Court. Kansas joined 34 states filing an amicus curiae brief supporting South Dakota’s request for U.S. Supreme Court review. On January 12, the U.S. Supreme Court granted South Dakota’s request to take the case. The Department of Revenue presented its compiled data and information on taxation of internet retailers.
I serve on the Taxation and Transportation along with Vice-Chairman of the Water and Environment committee.
If you come to Topeka during the session, my office is in Room: 352-S. My phone number is (785) 296- 7463 and email is: [email protected] and my cell number is (785) 302-8416.
Last week, we heard the “State of the Union” address. While I do not intend to ever talk politics in my column space I do want to share some of the positive things that are happening in the Cottonwood Extension District. Perhaps you will see something that piques your interest and gives you a reason to call our office to sign up as a participant.
K-State Research and Extension focuses on four main program areas: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family & Consumer Science, 4-H and Youth Development, and Community Development. Our Program Development Committees for each of those areas will be meeting soon to brainstorm ideas from both Ellis and Barton Counties as we meet the needs of our residents.
A calving school, cover crop program and a session on Lease Laws have kept Agriculture and Natural Resource Agents, Alicia Boor and Stacy Campbell, busy during the month of January. A Master Gardener class started last week in the Great Bend Office. Horticulture Agent, Rip Winkel, and Alicia, ARN agent, are taking the lead to welcome 15 new Master Gardeners into the program.
In the area of Family and Consumer Sciences, Linda Beech and I are meeting the needs of families with research based information about many topics. A freezer meals workshop had to be rescheduled in Hays due to weather and is now set for February 22nd. I had a great response to the Stay Strong, Stay Healthy workshops and will be offering another class starting in mid-April. I will be teaching the “Healthy Cooking Styles” information based on a fact sheet I wrote last year. The free educational programs are set for February 21st in Great Bend and April 3rd in Hays.
K-State Research and Extension’s signature program, Walk Kansas, is set for March 18 through May 12th. Next weeks’ column will be devoted to the details of this program so stay tuned and dust off those walking shoes!
The 4-H and Youth program is off to a busy start in 2018. A successful Judges training workshop was held last weekend and 4-H Day events are coming up soon in Ellis and Barton Counties. Another exciting program that you’ll hear more about soon is the “Monarchs on the Move” grant that was awarded to the Cottonwood District.
And finally, a program that involves several of our District Agents is the “Estate Planning Workshop” set for February 26th, in Great Bend. The workshop will run from 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. at the Great Bend Recreation Center Burnside Room, and features four excellent speakers relaying information about this important topic. Registration is $20 per person, and $15 for each additional family member. Fees cover the meal and materials. Registration deadline is Friday, February 16th, so give us a call to register.
I’ve just had room to give you short descriptions about the many upcoming learning opportunities available in the Cottonwood Extension District. If you would like additional information I would invite you to take a look at our quarterly newsletter available electronically at www.cottonwood.ksu.edu Follow the news/media link and you will see it listed. I hope to see you soon!
Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District – Great Bend Office. You may reach her at (620)793-1910 or [email protected].
Just as we were all adjusting to warmer temperatures, Mother Nature decided to turn the tables and dumped snow and near-zero temperatures on our sunny, warmer days. And judging by the weather forecasts, the rest of the week will bring us additional white stuff. Who knows, maybe for the rest of the month.
Don’t take this the wrong way, we all know the moisture is good for our crops, plants, the environment, but still. Guess, I’ll change the subject and turn to a more appealing topic. Something that makes us all feel better — food.
In today’s world, food sometimes takes a bad rap. As one of my favorite comedians Rodney Dangerfield would have said, “I’ll tell you Johnny, food gets no respect.”
How did this begin? Who started this public relation’s nightmare?
It all started with Adam and Eve. What caused them to sin?
An apple, of course. Everyone knows what one bad apple does to a barrelful, right?
When a friend buys a car and problems arise, he does not call the car lousy, does he? No, instead it’s labeled a lemon.
When someone receives bad advice, the suggestions weren’t bad, instead the person was given a bum steer. And a bad joke is not called stupid; it is referred to as corny.
Pits from fruit will grow an orchard, but if something is awful it is considered the pits. Extremely homely girls are distastefully referred to as pigs. Homely guys are labeled turkeys or boars. Someone who lacks gray matter is often called a muttonhead.
You gotta be careful of corn at night. They can be really creepy with their husky voices and seedy appearance. Why, they even cob right out and tell you to shuck it right to your face.
Rosemary was always late delivering packages. This prompted the head of International Herbs & Spices to call her supervisor, demanding to speak to the parcel sage about Rosemary and time.
There’s no other food that inspires as many cringe-worthy puns as nuts. Yes, we know they’re salty, and we’re also aware we have the option to lick them, but if you were going to insist on making joke after joke, we’d rather just run to the store and buy our own. There’s more but this is a family column.
All children know Cinderella’s beautiful carriage turned into a pumpkin at midnight. A gingerbread house landed Hansel and Gretel in the witch’s oven and a poisoned apple was the downfall of Snow White.
And the bad stories related to food are never ending. One of my favorites involves a hungry traveler who stops at a monastery and is taken to the kitchens. A brother is frying chips. ”Are you the friar?” he asks. “No. I’m the chip monk,” the traveler replies.
Or, I decided recently that becoming a vegetarian was a missed steak. And one more – did you hear about the cannibal who showed up late to the luncheon? They gave him the cold shoulder.
I’ll tell you food gets no respect.
No doubt, the food industry needs an image facelift – some “good old PR hype.” To be honest, it all leaves a bad taste in this writer’s mouth. But then I guess it could just be a case of sour grapes.
John Schlageck is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.
Senator Rick Billinger Newsletter
February 5, 2018
On Wednesday January 31st, Dr. Jeff Colyer was sworn in as the 47th governor of Kansas replacing Sam Brownback. The inauguration of Colyer comes after Governor Brownback resigned from office to become the U.S. Ambassador to International Freedom in the Trump administration.
“I demand transparency and we embrace accountability,” Colyer said in his speech. “I pledge to do the right thing even when nobody is looking, and we will set a tone and insist on an environment of openness, honesty and respect and without harassment, especially in this building.”
The Senate passed SB 262 which will authorize the Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans to place a permanent statue of Dwight D. Eisenhower on the northwest quadrant of the Kansas Capitol grounds. No public funds would be used to construct the statue and pedestal. The bill authorizes the Department of Administration to receive moneys from grants, gifts, contributions, or bequests to finance the construction of the statue and pedestal. The monument will be an exact replica of the statue created by Lawrence native, Jim Brothers, which currently resides in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
SB 263 was passed out of the Agricultural and Natural Resource Committee this week. This bill will allow the Department of Agriculture to create a program to research the use of industrial hemp. Several amendments were added. One amendment recommended Russell County to be used as a pilot in the industrial hemp program.
This week we had a hearing on a bill that will set up the frame work to form a committee to study and make recommendations for a new comprehensive ten-year transportation plan. At the present time we have 29 different individuals and/or organizations that have been recommended for this committee.
On Tuesday February 6th, SB 307, The Home-owned Amusement Ride & Agritourism Activity Bill will have a hearing. I will let everyone know how this bill progresses.
Heard in a committee this week was Real ID. Real ID is a federal law, passed by Congress in 2005 to ensure state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards meet minimum security standards. To get a Real ID before law goes into effect on October 1, 2020, you’ll need to bring certain documentation into the local driver’s license office. Anyone boarding an airplane or entering a federal facility, such as a military base, using a state issued ID or driver’s license on October 1, 2020 will be required to have a credential that is Real ID compliant. To apply for this ID, you will need a valid passport or birth certificate, Proof of social security such as a social security card, current W-2 or 1099, or current pay stub with full SSN, Proof of residency, which can be a utility bill, your vehicle registration, or your current driver’s license. All documents should be un-laminated originals. If your name is not the same on all of your documents because of adoption, marriage, divorce, or any court ordered name change, you must provide proof of the name change such as your marriage license, adoption certificate, divorce decree. The fees remain the same for Real ID: $26 if you’re renewing and $8 to replace. If your credential expires after the 2020 deadline and you want a Real ID, you can bring your documents in to the office, receive the Real ID, and only pay the $8 replacement charge. You will have the option to choose between a Real ID or a non-Real ID card. For more details and a checklist that will help make sure you bring everything you need when you visit the driver’s license station, visit ksrevenue.org/realid and you can find your local driver’s license office at https://www.ksrevenue.org/dovstations.html.
The Kansas Senate finished a busy fourth week of session with committee meetings and bills coming forward. The Senate held floor debate on Tuesday and passed out five pieces of legislation.
JEFF COLYER INAUGURATED AS 47TH GOVERNOR OF KANSAS
On Wednesday January 31st, Jeff Colyer was sworn in as the 47th governor of Kansas replacing Sam Brownback. The inauguration of Colyer comes after Governor Brownback resigned from office to become the U.S. Ambassador to International Freedom in the Trump administration. Governor Colyer was accompanied by his wife and two of his daughters when he took the oath of office in a ceremony at the Kansas Statehouse. Governor Colyer is scheduled to address the legislature Wednesday.
Senate Floor Action
UPDATING EFFECTIVE RISK-BASED CAPITAL INSTRUCTIONS DATE – SB 267 changes the effective date specified in the Insurance Code for the risk-based capital (RBC) instructions
MID-TERM APPOINTMENTS OF CREDIT UNION COUNCIL MEMBERS – SB 275 adjusts the provisions relating to the terms of service for members of the Credit Union Council (Council).
AUDITS OF THE KANSAS 911 ACT – SB 255 would modify the Kansas 911 Act by changing the duration between audits of the 911 system from three years to five years.
TRANSFERRING DUTIES FROM JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATOR TO DIRECTOR OF PROPERTY VALUATION – SB 261 revises the law requiring an appraisal prior to the State purchasing or disposing of any real property. The bill transfers the duty to appoint a disinterested appraiser from the Judicial Administrator to the Director of Property Valuation, the head of the Department of Revenue’s Division of Property Valuation.
AUTHORIZATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF A STATUE HONORING DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER – SB 262 would authorize the Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans to place a permanent statue of Dwight D. Eisenhower on the northwest quadrant of Kansas Capitol grounds. The bill also authorizes the Department of Administration to receive moneys from grants, gifts, contributions, or bequests to finance the construction of the statue and its pedestal. All funds received would be remitted to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Statue Fund, which would be created by the bill and would be used solely for creating and constructing the statue and its pedestal or other purposes specifically indicated in the bequest. No public funds would be used to construct the statue and pedestal. The monument will be an exact replica of the statue created by Lawrence native, Jim Brothers, which currently resides in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.
Committee Action
ONLINE SALES TAX HEARING
Last week the Joint Tax Committee heard from the South Dakota Attorney General’s office on their pending lawsuit before the United States Supreme Court regarding online sales tax. South Dakota passed legislation that would require sales tax to be remitted to the state from remote sellers who do not have a physical presence within the state but have what is considered an ‘economic presence.’ This comes after a growing concern from many states that are seeing sluggish sales tax receipts due to more Americans shopping online rather than in-store. The Attorney General of South Dakota recommended that Kansas write an amicus brief in support of South Dakota’s efforts. This would have to come from the Kansas Attorney General. South Dakota expects a ruling to come from the Supreme Court this summer.
CYBERSECURITY ACT
On Thursday, the Senate Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on SB 342 which enacts the Kansas Cybersecurity Act. The Cybersecurity Act focuses on making data in the state more secure. Throughout the past eight years, the bill has taken various forms while the need for cybersecurity has steadily increased. The bill aims to protect Kansas from cyber-attacks, loss of sensitive information, and financial liability due to breaches of information.
BILL CALLS FOR EQUAL CUSTODY FOR DIVORCING PARENTS
On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on SB 257 which would provide divorcing parents equal amount of time with their child by default. If the parents do not have a parenting plan one would be created for them allowing each parent equal custody. If evidence shows that equal time with both parents is not in the best interest of the child the court can create a different custody arrangement.
The bill does not address child support.
MEDICAID SUSPENSION BILL HEADS TO SENATE
On Tuesday, the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee sent SB 195 out of committee to the Senate. SB 195 would suspend instead of eliminate eligibility for Medicaid benefits for those in prison, jail, or mental health facilities. The bill does not require the person to reapply for their KanCare coverage therefore allowing them to immediately receive benefits when they are released from a state facility. SB 195 would not allow reimbursement while incarcerated but works to decrease the amount of time an individual must wait to receive coverage after being released. Supporters of the bill believe it will lower recidivism rates since it will provide access to continuous mental health coverage. A mental health task force had recommended the policy to legislators earlier this month.
DENTAL CARE EXPANSION
A new bill to expand dental care in Kansas will be heard in the next few weeks in both Health Committees. This legislation would allow the creation of dental therapists working under the direct supervision of licensed dentists. The dental therapists are licensed dental hygienists required to complete additional training in an accredited course of study. Once dental therapists complete the required 500 hours of training they would then be allowed to perform an additional 35 dental procedures.
Kansas Department of Labor and Revenue facts
Federal tax reform again influenced state tax receipts in January, artificially bumping collections for the month over $165 million above expectations. Receipts for the month of January totaled $746.65 million. The fiscal year total is $3.94 billion, which is $248.63 million above expectations. Sales tax collections since July 1 have averaged approximately 3 percent above the previous year during that time, which translates to about $40.43 million more in revenue. Unemployment in Kansas went down another tick to 3.4%. One year ago, the rate was 4.3% and Kansas gained 5,000 jobs in the last two months.
Visitors from Senate District #36
As always, it is so nice to see visitors from home who either come to testify on bills or to attend functions with their organizations. Wednesday, the Rooks County Leadership delegation made their annual visit to Topeka. This is their 30th year in a row to visit legislators and to meet other officials during their stay. The State Independent Telephone Association held their annual meeting and reception with Blue Valley Tele-Communications, Cunningham Telephone, Nex-Tech, Twin-Valley Telephone and Wilson Telephone visiting the Utilities committee during the day and with legislators in the evening. Rural leaders from economic development offices and members of Credit Unions across Kansas also visited with us this week for their annual events.
As always, I’ll keep you updated on the activities of the Senate while we continue through the last few weeks before turn-around. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at www.kslegislature.org. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website. The House meets at 11:00 a.m. and the Senate at 2:30 p.m.. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.
Thank you for the honor of serving you!
Senator Elaine Bowers
Kansas State Capitol Building
Room 223-E
300 SW 10th St.
Topeka, KS 66612
