Clinical trials can benefit you, no matter what stage of cancer you have. Here, Tara Lin, M.D., professor of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics at KU Medical Center and medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, explains five reasons to consider participating in the testing of a novel cancer treatment.

Advances in cancer medicine come through rigorous testing in clinical trials. A clinical trial is how we develop new treatments — by testing a new drug alone, by testing a new drug in combination with already approved medications or by testing a new combination of older medicines used together. There are also clinical trials to learn about new techniques in surgery or radiation therapy for people with cancer.&nbsp;

By the time the treatment reaches an individual, scientists have already spent years developing it. Nearly all tried-and-true cancer drugs available to you today exist because past patients participated in clinical trials.

Despite the advantages of joining a clinical trial, few people with cancer actually&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kucancercenter.org/cancer-clinical-trials/why-participate" target="_blank">participate</a>. With all the advances in our understanding of cancer biology and new options for treatment, today is an ideal time to consider joining a clinical trial.

Below are five reasons you should consider participating in a clinical trial:

1. You gain access to innovative treatments before they become widely available.

As a participant in a clinical trial, you may receive the latest leading-edge cancer treatment.

2. You receive frequent, attentive medical care.&nbsp;

Some people are nervous that once in a clinical trial, their standard of care will stop. Placebos are rarely used for active cancer treatment. Most studies compare the standard treatment with a new investigational drug or treatment. As a clinical trial participant, in addition to the care you would receive as part of your standard treatment, you will also have visits to the clinic with the trial team. Team members will track your side effects as well as the effectiveness of the new therapy. In essence, you are receiving “Standard of Care Plus.”

3. You play an active role in important treatment decisions that can affect your care.&nbsp;

If you qualify for a clinical trial, you are the advocate in your care and can choose to take part. Participating in a clinical trial may make you feel as if you have more control over your health, which can lead to a more positive outlook on life.

4. Clinical trials aren’t just for people who have exhausted all treatment options.&nbsp;

There are more clinical trials testing new medications in combination with the current standard of care for people with newly diagnosed cancers, too. Clinical trials can be an important part of your cancer care when you are first diagnosed or if the cancer comes back.

5. You are contributing to improving the health of others.&nbsp;

Clinical trials are the only way researchers can continue to develop new cancer treatments. By participating in a clinical trial, you are helping to advance cancer research and offering hope and opportunity for future patients.

If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial, ask your doctor about your options.

To search KU Cancer Center clinical trials that may be a good fit for you, download the KUCC Clinical Trial Finder app. The app is currently available for iOS and Android users. To download, go to the App Store or Google Play Store and search for “KUCC Clinical Trial Finder.” From there, download the app to your personal device.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675778031892.jpeg" alt="Tara L. Lin, M.D., is a professor in the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She also is the medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at The University of Kansas Cancer Center." />
 <figcaption>Tara L. Lin, M.D., is a professor in the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She also is the medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at The University of Kansas Cancer Center.</figcaption>
 </figure>Clinical trials can benefit you, no matter what stage of cancer you have. Here, Tara Lin, M.D., professor of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics at KU Medical Center and medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, explains five reasons to consider participating in the testing of a novel cancer treatment.Advances in cancer medicine come through rigorous testing in clinical trials. A clinical trial is how we develop new treatments — by testing a new drug alone, by testing a new drug in combination with already approved medications or by testing a new combination of older medicines used together. There are also clinical trials to learn about new techniques in surgery or radiation therapy for people with cancer.&nbsp;By the time the treatment reaches an individual, scientists have already spent years developing it. Nearly all tried-and-true cancer drugs available to you today exist because past patients participated in clinical trials.Despite the advantages of joining a clinical trial, few people with cancer actually&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kucancercenter.org/cancer-clinical-trials/why-participate" target="_blank">participate</a>. With all the advances in our understanding of cancer biology and new options for treatment, today is an ideal time to consider joining a clinical trial.Below are five reasons you should consider participating in a clinical trial:<h2>1. You gain access to innovative treatments before they become widely available.</h2>As a participant in a clinical trial, you may receive the latest leading-edge cancer treatment.<h2>2. You receive frequent, attentive medical care.&nbsp;</h2>Some people are nervous that once in a clinical trial, their standard of care will stop. Placebos are rarely used for active cancer treatment. Most studies compare the standard treatment with a new investigational drug or treatment. As a clinical trial participant, in addition to the care you would receive as part of your standard treatment, you will also have visits to the clinic with the trial team. Team members will track your side effects as well as the effectiveness of the new therapy. In essence, you are receiving “Standard of Care Plus.”<h2>3. You play an active role in important treatment decisions that can affect your care.&nbsp;</h2>If you qualify for a clinical trial, you are the advocate in your care and can choose to take part. Participating in a clinical trial may make you feel as if you have more control over your health, which can lead to a more positive outlook on life.<h2>4. Clinical trials aren’t just for people who have exhausted all treatment options.&nbsp;</h2>There are more clinical trials testing new medications in combination with the current standard of care for people with newly diagnosed cancers, too. Clinical trials can be an important part of your cancer care when you are first diagnosed or if the cancer comes back.<h2>5. You are contributing to improving the health of others.&nbsp;</h2>Clinical trials are the only way researchers can continue to develop new cancer treatments. By participating in a clinical trial, you are helping to advance cancer research and offering hope and opportunity for future patients.If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial, ask your doctor about your options.To search KU Cancer Center clinical trials that may be a good fit for you, download the KUCC Clinical Trial Finder app. The app is currently available for iOS and Android users. To download, go to the App Store or Google Play Store and search for “KUCC Clinical Trial Finder.” From there, download the app to your personal device.

LIN: Five reasons to consider participating in a clinical trial for cancer treatment

By DEREK SCHMIDT Kansas Attorney General

Every year during the first week of March the Federal Trade Commission observes National Consumer Protection Week. The Kansas Attorney General’s office with our&nbsp;In Your Corner Kansas&nbsp;campaign focuses year-round on protecting consumers from scams and rip-offs, but during this week in particular we remind Kansans to be diligent and to keep yourself and your personal information safe.

One of the ways we do that is to share some of the most common scams reported to our office over the past year. This year’s list is punctuated by the prominence of two classic scams that unfortunately have appeared on our lists all-too frequently over the past decade. These, of course, are those scams where crooks and fraudsters attempt to steal the finances and or identities of Kansans by offering unsolicited help in securing a government benefit or navigating bureaucratic red tape.

Here are the top five scams ranked in order&nbsp;for 2021 based on the number of complaints filed with our Consumer Protection Division, with the most-frequent listed first:

Consumers have reported receiving calls from insurance companies and government agencies offering to help them navigate the process to receive health care coverage. The callers say they need certain pieces of personal data, such as bank account information or Social Security numbers, to get you enrolled in a coverage plan. Or they will need the information because the insurance company no longer takes checks and needs to arrange for an automatic bank draft. Remember, never give your bank account information over the phone, because you don’t know who is on the other end of the line.

The scam artist may even “spoof” the caller ID so that it looks like it’s coming from a legitimate insurance company. Even if you think the call might be coming from your insurance company, it’s wise to tell them you’ll call back and hang up the phone. Then go look at your last bill and call the phone number printed on the statement. That way you’ll know you’re talking to your insurance company, not an imposter. Other scammers pretending to be from government health programs focusing on senior citizens are not trying to steal money but rather personal information that can be used to file for other government benefits, such as a false tax return. These government agencies will never ask you for personal information over the phone or by email. If Medicare or Medicaid really needs to get information from you, they will send you a letter requesting information. If you do receive a call, and think it might be from a legitimate agency, ask them to send you a letter detailing what information they need.

This one is a twist on the government imposter scam involving a robocall claiming to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) informing you that your benefits are about to end if you don’t take action. Rest assured, the real SSA will never call you to cut off your benefits and will never ask you to wire money, make payments via gift card, or send cash payments in order to continue your benefits. If you receive one of these calls, hang up. Do not “press 1,” or any other number the robocall asks you to press. Like with all robocall scams, these scammers are after information. If you press anything on your phone, that lets the scammer know they have reached a working number and you’ll get more calls. Our best advice on this or any other robocall scam is to not answer calls from numbers you do not know. If you do answer, once you know it’s not someone you know, just hang up.

In this scam, the caller claims to be from a well-known computer company telling you they’ve detected a virus on your computer and offers to help you remove it by connecting remotely to your computer. But instead of trying to fix it, the scam artist is actually trying to install a virus to give them access to all your files and your personal information saved on the computer. The scammer may also be trying to hack into your machine to use it to send out spam emails from your account, or even to take over the camera and microphone to spy on you and try to obtain additional personal information. If your computer really does have a problem, take it to a reputable, local computer repair shop or call your computer manufacturer’s customer service number directly. Never give a stranger access to your computer over the phone.

The scam works like this: An individual makes a connection online through a social media site with their victim. Often the scammers are targeting those individuals who are new singles or individuals who have recently lost a spouse or partner. The scammer cultivates a relationship and then begins making overtures about wanting to come to Kansas to see their new companion. As the scammers develop more trust and deeper connections, they begin asking for items from the victims, such as money for airline tickets to travel to Kansas, funds to pay for customs for items for the victim, or other sums of money related to travel plans. In reality, the gifts do not exist and the scammer has no intention of coming to Kansas, just gaining access to the victim’s money, and perhaps even personal information that could result in identity theft and other serious issues.

Whether it’s a foreign lottery, sweepstakes or a government grant, scammers are still luring people to send money with the promise of a future “prize,” if only they will send in the money to pay for the taxes or processing fees now. We always remind consumers that the Kansas Lottery is the only legitimate, legally operating lottery in Kansas, and you should never have to pay money upfront to claim a prize.

More information on how to protect yourself from these and other scams is available on our consumer protection website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.inyourcornerkansas.org/">www.InYourCornerKansas.org</a>&nbsp;or by calling our consumer protection hotline at (800) 432-2310.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583409290272.jpeg" alt="Kansas AG Derek Schmidt" />
 <figcaption>Kansas AG Derek Schmidt</figcaption>
 </figure>By DEREK SCHMIDT Kansas Attorney GeneralEvery year during the first week of March the Federal Trade Commission observes National Consumer Protection Week. The Kansas Attorney General’s office with our&nbsp;In Your Corner Kansas&nbsp;campaign focuses year-round on protecting consumers from scams and rip-offs, but during this week in particular we remind Kansans to be diligent and to keep yourself and your personal information safe.One of the ways we do that is to share some of the most common scams reported to our office over the past year. This year’s list is punctuated by the prominence of two classic scams that unfortunately have appeared on our lists all-too frequently over the past decade. These, of course, are those scams where crooks and fraudsters attempt to steal the finances and or identities of Kansans by offering unsolicited help in securing a government benefit or navigating bureaucratic red tape.Here are the top five scams ranked in order&nbsp;for 2021 based on the number of complaints filed with our Consumer Protection Division, with the most-frequent listed first:Medical Health Insurance ScamsConsumers have reported receiving calls from insurance companies and government agencies offering to help them navigate the process to receive health care coverage. The callers say they need certain pieces of personal data, such as bank account information or Social Security numbers, to get you enrolled in a coverage plan. Or they will need the information because the insurance company no longer takes checks and needs to arrange for an automatic bank draft. Remember, never give your bank account information over the phone, because you don’t know who is on the other end of the line.The scam artist may even “spoof” the caller ID so that it looks like it’s coming from a legitimate insurance company. Even if you think the call might be coming from your insurance company, it’s wise to tell them you’ll call back and hang up the phone. Then go look at your last bill and call the phone number printed on the statement. That way you’ll know you’re talking to your insurance company, not an imposter. Other scammers pretending to be from government health programs focusing on senior citizens are not trying to steal money but rather personal information that can be used to file for other government benefits, such as a false tax return. These government agencies will never ask you for personal information over the phone or by email. If Medicare or Medicaid really needs to get information from you, they will send you a letter requesting information. If you do receive a call, and think it might be from a legitimate agency, ask them to send you a letter detailing what information they need.Social Security ScamsThis one is a twist on the government imposter scam involving a robocall claiming to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) informing you that your benefits are about to end if you don’t take action. Rest assured, the real SSA will never call you to cut off your benefits and will never ask you to wire money, make payments via gift card, or send cash payments in order to continue your benefits. If you receive one of these calls, hang up. Do not “press 1,” or any other number the robocall asks you to press. Like with all robocall scams, these scammers are after information. If you press anything on your phone, that lets the scammer know they have reached a working number and you’ll get more calls. Our best advice on this or any other robocall scam is to not answer calls from numbers you do not know. If you do answer, once you know it’s not someone you know, just hang up.Computer Repair ScamsIn this scam, the caller claims to be from a well-known computer company telling you they’ve detected a virus on your computer and offers to help you remove it by connecting remotely to your computer. But instead of trying to fix it, the scam artist is actually trying to install a virus to give them access to all your files and your personal information saved on the computer. The scammer may also be trying to hack into your machine to use it to send out spam emails from your account, or even to take over the camera and microphone to spy on you and try to obtain additional personal information. If your computer really does have a problem, take it to a reputable, local computer repair shop or call your computer manufacturer’s customer service number directly. Never give a stranger access to your computer over the phone.Sweetheart ScamsThe scam works like this: An individual makes a connection online through a social media site with their victim. Often the scammers are targeting those individuals who are new singles or individuals who have recently lost a spouse or partner. The scammer cultivates a relationship and then begins making overtures about wanting to come to Kansas to see their new companion. As the scammers develop more trust and deeper connections, they begin asking for items from the victims, such as money for airline tickets to travel to Kansas, funds to pay for customs for items for the victim, or other sums of money related to travel plans. In reality, the gifts do not exist and the scammer has no intention of coming to Kansas, just gaining access to the victim’s money, and perhaps even personal information that could result in identity theft and other serious issues.Lottery ScamsWhether it’s a foreign lottery, sweepstakes or a government grant, scammers are still luring people to send money with the promise of a future “prize,” if only they will send in the money to pay for the taxes or processing fees now. We always remind consumers that the Kansas Lottery is the only legitimate, legally operating lottery in Kansas, and you should never have to pay money upfront to claim a prize.More information on how to protect yourself from these and other scams is available on our consumer protection website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.inyourcornerkansas.org/">www.InYourCornerKansas.org</a>&nbsp;or by calling our consumer protection hotline at (800) 432-2310.&nbsp;

SCHMIDT: Avoid these most-common scams of 2021

By JASON BERRYMAN Topeka West High School

To say the least, this school year in the teaching profession has been challenging.
 I believe many teachers would agree with that assessment, especially 
when working with remote students. From a perspective of teaching the 
arts, how to get supplies to students? How do students submit a jewelry 
assignment via Google Classroom? How to teach a lesson on Illustrator 
when students are working on Chromebooks?

Luckily, digital 
photography worked out easier for my students because most have access 
to a digital camera on their cell phones. But teaching remotely, and 
then in person (with only half a class in the morning and the other half
 in the afternoon), then remotely again, then completing the school year
 with most of the student body in person and a smaller number remotely —
 much of the details about photography have either been gleaned over or 
not covered.

Though the overall quality
 of student photography dipped a little, what drastically increased was 
students’ understanding of what they can (or cannot) accomplish with the
 camera on their cell phones and a few free photo-editing applications.

American photographer Chase Jarvis stated it best: “The best camera is the one that you have with you!”

Two portraits by Topeka 
West juniors Austin Schimmel and Lily Salazar precisely capture the 
daily life that we all have been living for over a year: masks! I can 
honestly say that in all my years of teaching I’ve never had students 
submit photos where half of the model’s face is covered by a cloth mask.

Still life images of clothes hanging in a closet and a softly lit potted plant were both created at home by senior Ella Teter and junior Nolan Noonan. These images are notable for their skill, composition, and the fact that both were captured with cell phone cameras while students were working remotely away from the high school.

Lastly, I absolutely had to show off senior Taylor Reinert’s “Tiny Planet” image just for the fact that it is so cool. Taylor created the photograph by flying his unmanned aerial vehicle over the west edge of the Topeka West campus. He then captured a 360˚ panorama of the landscape using his cell phone (that he uses to also to control the UAV) camera. Lastly, using Adobe Photoshop, Tayler bent the panorama into a circle creating the tiny planet.

Every year, pandemic or not, I am always amazed by our students’ talent and creativity.

Jason Berryman teaches digital photography and chairs the art 
department at Topeka West High School. He shares student work on the <a href="https://twestphotosynthesis.blogspot.com/">Photosynthesis blog</a>. Republished courtesy the <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/01/what-this-year-looked-like-through-the-lens-of-kansas-high-school-photography-students/">Kansas Reflector</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622575701590.png" alt="Though this image was created for a specific project in Digital Photography 1, sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald's reflection in the broken mirror emanates a feeling of frustration even when photographing a self-portrait, says Topeka West High School digital photography teacher Jason Berryman. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Though this image was created for a specific project in Digital Photography 1, sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald's reflection in the broken mirror emanates a feeling of frustration even when photographing a self-portrait, says Topeka West High School digital photography teacher Jason Berryman. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JASON BERRYMAN Topeka West High SchoolTo say the least, this school year in the teaching profession has been challenging.
 I believe many teachers would agree with that assessment, especially 
when working with remote students. From a perspective of teaching the 
arts, how to get supplies to students? How do students submit a jewelry 
assignment via Google Classroom? How to teach a lesson on Illustrator 
when students are working on Chromebooks?Luckily, digital 
photography worked out easier for my students because most have access 
to a digital camera on their cell phones. But teaching remotely, and 
then in person (with only half a class in the morning and the other half
 in the afternoon), then remotely again, then completing the school year
 with most of the student body in person and a smaller number remotely —
 much of the details about photography have either been gleaned over or 
not covered.Though the overall quality
 of student photography dipped a little, what drastically increased was 
students’ understanding of what they can (or cannot) accomplish with the
 camera on their cell phones and a few free photo-editing applications.American photographer Chase Jarvis stated it best: “The best camera is the one that you have with you!”Two portraits by Topeka 
West juniors Austin Schimmel and Lily Salazar precisely capture the 
daily life that we all have been living for over a year: masks! I can 
honestly say that in all my years of teaching I’ve never had students 
submit photos where half of the model’s face is covered by a cloth mask.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622575772141.png" alt="“Kick,” a photograph by Topeka West High School junior Austin Schimmel. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>“Kick,” a photograph by Topeka West High School junior Austin Schimmel. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622575805666.png" alt="“Tallulah,” a photograph by Topeka West High School junior Lily Salazar. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>“Tallulah,” a photograph by Topeka West High School junior Lily Salazar. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>Still life images of clothes hanging in a closet and a softly lit potted plant were both created at home by senior Ella Teter and junior Nolan Noonan. These images are notable for their skill, composition, and the fact that both were captured with cell phone cameras while students were working remotely away from the high school.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622575848665.png" alt="“Repetition,” by Topeka West High School senior Ella Teter. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>“Repetition,” by Topeka West High School senior Ella Teter. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622575872246.png" alt="“Desklamp,” by Topeka West High School senior Nolan Noonan. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>“Desklamp,” by Topeka West High School senior Nolan Noonan. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>Lastly, I absolutely had to show off senior Taylor Reinert’s “Tiny Planet” image just for the fact that it is so cool. Taylor created the photograph by flying his unmanned aerial vehicle over the west edge of the Topeka West campus. He then captured a 360˚ panorama of the landscape using his cell phone (that he uses to also to control the UAV) camera. Lastly, using Adobe Photoshop, Tayler bent the panorama into a circle creating the tiny planet.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622575913826.png" alt="“Tiny Planet,” by Topeka West High School senior Taylor Reinert. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>“Tiny Planet,” by Topeka West High School senior Taylor Reinert. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>Every year, pandemic or not, I am always amazed by our students’ talent and creativity.Jason Berryman teaches digital photography and chairs the art 
department at Topeka West High School. He shares student work on the <a href="https://twestphotosynthesis.blogspot.com/">Photosynthesis blog</a>. Republished courtesy the <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/01/what-this-year-looked-like-through-the-lens-of-kansas-high-school-photography-students/">Kansas Reflector</a>.

What 2020 looked like through the lens of Kan. photography students

By C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/17/after-finding-their-old-school-for-sale-on-ebay-a-kansas-community-goes-to-work-saving-its-stories/">Kansas Reflector</a>

I’m sorry to say, Kansas, that I’d never heard of the Frankfort Boys.

I now know these are 32 
soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from the small Marshall County 
town of Frankfort who were killed in World War II.

“This small rural town has
 the highest number of casualties compared to any town of similar size,”
 then-U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts said in 2006, <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/article/20120121/news/301219849">reading their names into the Congressional Record</a>.

In March 2012, then-Gov. 
Sam Brownback signed a bill designating a 10-mile stretch of K-99 
through Marshall County as the Frankfort Boys World War II Memorial 
Highway. The veteran who had petitioned the state to recognize his 
fallen brothers was Frank Benteman, whose sacrifices had earned him a 
Purple Heart and a Cross of Lorraine. He was 94 when he <a href="https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/wwii-veteran-frank-benteman-dies-his-legacy-honored-those-who-never-returned-to-kansas/">died last December</a>.

If the people still living
 in Frankfort are successful, there will someday be a courtyard in honor
 of these hometown boys at the flagpole in front of the place where they
 went to grade school.

Built in 1902-03 in the Renaissance style of architecture familiar on the prairie, <a href="http://www.frankfortdevelopmenttrust.com/home.html">Frankfort Grade School</a>
 was the educational home for nearly a century of Marshall County kids. 
And now, it’s a literal as well as symbolic example of what small towns 
around Kansas do to preserve their legacies.

“A lot of us have a very 
strong emotional connection to the building — it’s iconic for our 
community,” says Gayla Randel, who grew up in Frankfort and graduated 
from the school, as did her husband and their youngest child.

Frankfort’s official 
population is around 750, but Randel counts another 200 from the 
surrounding countryside as part of the community.

The school closed in 1997,
 then it went up for sale. A local family bought it and turned it into a
 bed and breakfast for hunters. That did well for a while, Randel says, 
and then a couple from Florida bought it but health concerns prevented 
them from doing anything with it.

“Somewhere around 2013, an
 alumni from the school district found this old grade school which was 
privately owned, and the owner had put the property up on eBay,” Randel 
says.

“So several of us started 
visiting, and we put a call out to the community,” she says. “We said, 
‘We don’t want to lose this building.’ ”

The owner was asking 
$24,000, but by then the building was so dilapidated it wasn’t really 
worth much. So the owner essentially gave it to the nonprofit started by
 about 20 people in Frankfort who began the arduous task of raising 
money and slowly repairing the damage.

They had no idea what they would use it for and still don’t.

“But it was too much of an icon to let it fall in,” Randel says.

Early support came from <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/07/heres-something-all-kansans-can-agree-on-a-few-of-the-best-things-about-our-state/">Marci Penner</a> with the <a href="https://kansassampler.org/">Kansas Sampler Foundation</a>,
 who raised funds to help fix the front porch so they’d have a visible 
sign of progress. Preservation grants from the Kansas Historical Society
 have helped, too. Last week, Frankfort School was among 15 projects 
around the state receiving <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-laura-kelly-announces-15-historic-properties-recommended-for-nearly-500000-in-kansas-rural-preservation-grants/">a new round of those grants</a>.

Raising money for this 
kind of project is hard in a small community, Randel says, because there
 aren’t the kind of matching grants available in larger towns with 
higher sales taxes or fully staffed economic development offices.

“We don’t have any of that here,” she says. “Our fundraisers are breakfasts, dinners on Sundays, match day once a year.”

But people have been 
generous. Even people who don’t live there anymore will send $10 or $20,
 saying they wish they could send more. And Randel estimates volunteers 
have contributed thousands of hours by now.

Randel remembers how it 
was a rite of passage when you finally got old enough to attend classes 
on the second floor. She can still hear the echo of footsteps on the 
wooden stairways.

“What I really enjoyed was
 having my own children go there,” she says. “I do remember going to 
kindergarten and how cool that was.”

Both of her children went to kindergarten in same room she did.

“In a small community, a 
school really creates a lot of emotion,” Randel says. “That’s where you 
first start to have relationships outside of your family.”

They’re still a long way 
from opening the place to the public, even for people to just roam 
around and hear the real echoes. There’s still too much to repair. Right
 now, they’re raising money to replace the windows. That’ll cost 
$365,000. They’d welcome help from anyone.

“My dad told me — he 
passed away this last year due to covid — and he always told me: There 
are people in the world who see their role is to be a steward and to 
pass things off to the next generation in the same shape or better than 
when you got there,” she says. “Then there are others who see things as&nbsp;
 a method of making money — they’re not necessarily looking at a 
legacy.”

The people of Frankfort look at their stately old grade school as a legacy.

“When children’s children come back,” Randel says, “they’ll still have the building and the stories will still be told.”

C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621274903351.png" alt="The Frankfort School's class of 1913, in a photograph taken in 1910. (Courtesy of Butch Ewing, Derby, Kansas)" />
 <figcaption>The Frankfort School's class of 1913, in a photograph taken in 1910. (Courtesy of Butch Ewing, Derby, Kansas)</figcaption>
 </figure>By C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/17/after-finding-their-old-school-for-sale-on-ebay-a-kansas-community-goes-to-work-saving-its-stories/">Kansas Reflector</a>I’m sorry to say, Kansas, that I’d never heard of the Frankfort Boys.I now know these are 32 
soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from the small Marshall County 
town of Frankfort who were killed in World War II.“This small rural town has
 the highest number of casualties compared to any town of similar size,”
 then-U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts said in 2006, <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/article/20120121/news/301219849">reading their names into the Congressional Record</a>.In March 2012, then-Gov. 
Sam Brownback signed a bill designating a 10-mile stretch of K-99 
through Marshall County as the Frankfort Boys World War II Memorial 
Highway. The veteran who had petitioned the state to recognize his 
fallen brothers was Frank Benteman, whose sacrifices had earned him a 
Purple Heart and a Cross of Lorraine. He was 94 when he <a href="https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/wwii-veteran-frank-benteman-dies-his-legacy-honored-those-who-never-returned-to-kansas/">died last December</a>.If the people still living
 in Frankfort are successful, there will someday be a courtyard in honor
 of these hometown boys at the flagpole in front of the place where they
 went to grade school.Built in 1902-03 in the Renaissance style of architecture familiar on the prairie, <a href="http://www.frankfortdevelopmenttrust.com/home.html">Frankfort Grade School</a>
 was the educational home for nearly a century of Marshall County kids. 
And now, it’s a literal as well as symbolic example of what small towns 
around Kansas do to preserve their legacies.“A lot of us have a very 
strong emotional connection to the building — it’s iconic for our 
community,” says Gayla Randel, who grew up in Frankfort and graduated 
from the school, as did her husband and their youngest child.Frankfort’s official 
population is around 750, but Randel counts another 200 from the 
surrounding countryside as part of the community.The school closed in 1997,
 then it went up for sale. A local family bought it and turned it into a
 bed and breakfast for hunters. That did well for a while, Randel says, 
and then a couple from Florida bought it but health concerns prevented 
them from doing anything with it.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621274976307.png" alt="A postcard depicts the Frankfort Grade School in Marshall County, Kansas. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>A postcard depicts the Frankfort Grade School in Marshall County, Kansas. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Somewhere around 2013, an
 alumni from the school district found this old grade school which was 
privately owned, and the owner had put the property up on eBay,” Randel 
says.“So several of us started 
visiting, and we put a call out to the community,” she says. “We said, 
‘We don’t want to lose this building.’ ”The owner was asking 
$24,000, but by then the building was so dilapidated it wasn’t really 
worth much. So the owner essentially gave it to the nonprofit started by
 about 20 people in Frankfort who began the arduous task of raising 
money and slowly repairing the damage.They had no idea what they would use it for and still don’t.“But it was too much of an icon to let it fall in,” Randel says.Early support came from <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/07/heres-something-all-kansans-can-agree-on-a-few-of-the-best-things-about-our-state/">Marci Penner</a> with the <a href="https://kansassampler.org/">Kansas Sampler Foundation</a>,
 who raised funds to help fix the front porch so they’d have a visible 
sign of progress. Preservation grants from the Kansas Historical Society
 have helped, too. Last week, Frankfort School was among 15 projects 
around the state receiving <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-laura-kelly-announces-15-historic-properties-recommended-for-nearly-500000-in-kansas-rural-preservation-grants/">a new round of those grants</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621275004962.png" alt="The Frankfort School as it appears on the Frankfort Development Trust’s website. (Frankfort Development Trust)" />
 <figcaption>The Frankfort School as it appears on the Frankfort Development Trust’s website. (Frankfort Development Trust)</figcaption>
 </figure>Raising money for this 
kind of project is hard in a small community, Randel says, because there
 aren’t the kind of matching grants available in larger towns with 
higher sales taxes or fully staffed economic development offices.“We don’t have any of that here,” she says. “Our fundraisers are breakfasts, dinners on Sundays, match day once a year.”But people have been 
generous. Even people who don’t live there anymore will send $10 or $20,
 saying they wish they could send more. And Randel estimates volunteers 
have contributed thousands of hours by now.Randel remembers how it 
was a rite of passage when you finally got old enough to attend classes 
on the second floor. She can still hear the echo of footsteps on the 
wooden stairways.“What I really enjoyed was
 having my own children go there,” she says. “I do remember going to 
kindergarten and how cool that was.”Both of her children went to kindergarten in same room she did.“In a small community, a 
school really creates a lot of emotion,” Randel says. “That’s where you 
first start to have relationships outside of your family.”They’re still a long way 
from opening the place to the public, even for people to just roam 
around and hear the real echoes. There’s still too much to repair. Right
 now, they’re raising money to replace the windows. That’ll cost 
$365,000. They’d welcome help from anyone.“My dad told me — he 
passed away this last year due to covid — and he always told me: There 
are people in the world who see their role is to be a steward and to 
pass things off to the next generation in the same shape or better than 
when you got there,” she says. “Then there are others who see things as&nbsp;
 a method of making money — they’re not necessarily looking at a 
legacy.”The people of Frankfort look at their stately old grade school as a legacy.“When children’s children come back,” Randel says, “they’ll still have the building and the stories will still be told.”C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

After finding their old school on eBay, Kan. community works to save its stories

The following column is by Dr. Lee Norman, Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment, State Health Officer and State Surgeon of the Kansas Army National Guard:

With Thanksgiving days away, the COVID-19 pandemic enters a new phase in America. The number of new cases is skyrocketing past records set just last week. A quarter of a million Americans and 1,300 Kansans have lost their lives to this virus.

Across our state, we are witnessing uncontrolled spread in rural and urban communities just as the weather turns colder, bringing many of us inside for the coming winter months. For all of us, this turn raises our anxiety and daily burden. But for frontline healthcare workers and other essential workers, this flood of new cases is pushing them to the brink. After more than eight months of non-stop work battling this virus, our brave doctors, nurses, corrections officers and other vital health care workers face fatigue, exhaustion and desperation, just when we need them the most.&nbsp;

They are on the frontlines in one of the most challenging and critical battles of our lifetime. We all owe them our gratitude and appreciation. But more than that, we owe them our commitment to live safely and protect our communities from this virus.

During my career, I’ve been a doctor and served in the United State Air Force and Kansas National Guard. I was deployed overseas and stationed on the frontlines during foreign conflicts. It was demanding and grueling in every way possible – mentally, emotionally and physically. What our healthcare workers are experiencing right now is a different kind of war and very demanding. The casualties are just as staggering in this pandemic, similar to wars past. The battlefield may be different, but the toll that is being exacted on these workers is no less devastating.

The long hours and crushing stress of their jobs, coupled with the concerns they have in their own daily and family life, is pushing many health workers to their breaking point. We need to support them, encourage them and do all we can to slow the spread of the virus to alleviate the growing pressure on our hospitals.&nbsp;

The good news is that with two new vaccines close to being approved, we are getting closer to turning the corner in this pandemic. Until these vaccines are widely available, though, we must recommit to the principles we embraced in the spring when we successfully slowed the virus’ spread.

Whether you live in a small town, a big city or on a farm in a rural community – every Kansan must be diligent and follow safe and healthy practices. This is how we demonstrate our commitment to our communities and to each other. This is how we show our nurses, doctors and all our healthcare workers that we value the sacrifices they make every day to care for our loved ones and be with our family members in their times of need.&nbsp;

We all want to return to normal and see our friends and family. But we are in a battle for our health and our lives. Right now, the most important act of patriotism is simply staying home, distancing from others and wearing a mask every time you leave home. By doing these very simple things, we can lessen the stress on our hospitals, medical system and the brave people who work there.&nbsp;

To those who work on the frontlines of this battle, I salute you.&nbsp;

Dr. Lee Norman is Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment, State Health Officer and State Surgeon of the Kansas Army National Guard.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606161164178.jpeg" alt="Dr. Lee A. Norman, KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee A. Norman, KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The following column is by Dr. Lee Norman, Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment, State Health Officer and State Surgeon of the Kansas Army National Guard:With Thanksgiving days away, the COVID-19 pandemic enters a new phase in America. The number of new cases is skyrocketing past records set just last week. A quarter of a million Americans and 1,300 Kansans have lost their lives to this virus.Across our state, we are witnessing uncontrolled spread in rural and urban communities just as the weather turns colder, bringing many of us inside for the coming winter months. For all of us, this turn raises our anxiety and daily burden. But for frontline healthcare workers and other essential workers, this flood of new cases is pushing them to the brink. After more than eight months of non-stop work battling this virus, our brave doctors, nurses, corrections officers and other vital health care workers face fatigue, exhaustion and desperation, just when we need them the most.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>They are on the frontlines in one of the most challenging and critical battles of our lifetime. We all owe them our gratitude and appreciation. But more than that, we owe them our commitment to live safely and protect our communities from this virus.During my career, I’ve been a doctor and served in the United State Air Force and Kansas National Guard. I was deployed overseas and stationed on the frontlines during foreign conflicts. It was demanding and grueling in every way possible – mentally, emotionally and physically. What our healthcare workers are experiencing right now is a different kind of war and very demanding. The casualties are just as staggering in this pandemic, similar to wars past. The battlefield may be different, but the toll that is being exacted on these workers is no less devastating.The long hours and crushing stress of their jobs, coupled with the concerns they have in their own daily and family life, is pushing many health workers to their breaking point. We need to support them, encourage them and do all we can to slow the spread of the virus to alleviate the growing pressure on our hospitals.&nbsp;The good news is that with two new vaccines close to being approved, we are getting closer to turning the corner in this pandemic. Until these vaccines are widely available, though, we must recommit to the principles we embraced in the spring when we successfully slowed the virus’ spread.Whether you live in a small town, a big city or on a farm in a rural community – every Kansan must be diligent and follow safe and healthy practices. This is how we demonstrate our commitment to our communities and to each other. This is how we show our nurses, doctors and all our healthcare workers that we value the sacrifices they make every day to care for our loved ones and be with our family members in their times of need.&nbsp;We all want to return to normal and see our friends and family. But we are in a battle for our health and our lives. Right now, the most important act of patriotism is simply staying home, distancing from others and wearing a mask every time you leave home. By doing these very simple things, we can lessen the stress on our hospitals, medical system and the brave people who work there.&nbsp;To those who work on the frontlines of this battle, I salute you.&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman is Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment, State Health Officer and State Surgeon of the Kansas Army National Guard.

NORMAN: Help frontline workers by following guidelines

By TOM BELL Kansas Hospital Association (retired)

We just finished (for the 
most part) an election that was not only held in the middle of a 
once-in-a-generation pandemic, but one in which that pandemic was a 
major political issue. Unlike the political commercials, however, the 
pandemic didn’t go away after the election.

Nevertheless, the 
conclusion of the election does provide us the opportunity to refocus, 
remove the politics and actually move forward to manage, and ultimately 
defeat, this virus.

To push ahead, though, we have to change our focus and acknowledge that strong federal leadership is needed.

For the most part 
throughout this struggle, President Donald Trump has indicated he wanted
 the governors to be “running things.” Granted, there was a time when he
 claimed “total authority” regarding restrictions governors may have put
 in place, but generally the federal government has wanted the buck to 
stop at the state level.

To the extent any federal 
leadership has existed, it’s been at best disengaged, voicing support 
for protective measures out of one side of its mouth while through 
actions demonstrating little interest in such measures. At its worst, 
federal “leadership” has been destructive. For example, instead of 
supporting frontline health workers, the leader of the federal 
government has, on numerous occasions, falsely accused them of <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/02/kansas-academy-rejects-trump-claim-physicians-profiting-from-covid-19-deaths/">inflating COVID death numbers</a>.

Due at least in part to this lack of federal leadership, we are now at a place where parts of our health care system are <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/06/hospitals-near-breaking-point-as-covid-19-patients-multiply/">in danger of being overwhelmed</a>; where personal protective equipment is once again in short supply and where states are back to competing with each other for <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/10/kdhe-kansas-hospitals-prefer-to-surge-covid-19-capacity-without-erecting-tent-cities/">scarce resources</a>.

My general belief is that 
because state government is closer to the problem and how it impacts 
individuals, the state is often better equipped to deal with a given 
problem. While there is some truth to that here, the crisis that is this
 pandemic literally cries out for federal leadership.

This virus doesn’t 
acknowledge state boundaries. It doesn’t really care whether a state is 
mostly rural or urban or somewhere in between. And it certainly pays no 
mind to what party comprises the state Legislature or sits in the 
governor’s office.

The reality is that states
 don’t have agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
 with both the knowledge and the resources to recognize and respond to 
health security threats in an organized way. Neither do states have an 
organization like FEMA, whose literal mission is to prepare the nation
 for disasters. Moreover, states don’t have anything like the U.S. Food 
and Drug Administration, which we all depend on to ensure the quality 
and safety of therapeutics and vaccines. Finally, when you look at the 
amount of resources states like Kansas have compared to New York or 
California, leaving the states to fend for themselves is not only 
impractical, it is unfair.

I’m not arguing for a 
top-down, one-size-fits-all approach. Differences from state to state 
must be recognized and embraced. I’m also not suggesting that a stronger
 federal leadership role is a panacea — it is not.

I am arguing, however, 
that in this instance the federal government is uniquely suited for a 
strong leadership role and that the abandonment of that role has not 
served us well.

We have lots of work to do
 before we are through with the pandemic. The sooner the federal 
government reclaims its proper role in this effort the better.

Tom Bell of Topeka recently retired from the Kansas Hospital Association, where he worked for more than 30 years, serving roughly half that time as president and CEO. Prior to his work with KHA, Bell was a practicing health care attorney. He is a native Kansan from Holton, and graduated from Kansas State University and Washburn University School of Law. After graduation from law school, Bell clerked for Kansas Supreme Court Justice Harold Herd. Earlier this year, Bell was appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly to the Executive Committee of the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce, which is responsible for oversight of the statewide distribution of CARES Act funding related to COVID relief. He is also a board member of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund.

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/17/to-defeat-covid-19-kansas-needs-strong-federal-leadership/">Republished courtesy the Kansas Reflector</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605631487449.jpeg" alt="Tom Bell,&nbsp;Kansas Hospital Association" />
 <figcaption>Tom Bell,&nbsp;Kansas Hospital Association</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOM BELL Kansas Hospital Association (retired)We just finished (for the 
most part) an election that was not only held in the middle of a 
once-in-a-generation pandemic, but one in which that pandemic was a 
major political issue. Unlike the political commercials, however, the 
pandemic didn’t go away after the election.Nevertheless, the 
conclusion of the election does provide us the opportunity to refocus, 
remove the politics and actually move forward to manage, and ultimately 
defeat, this virus.To push ahead, though, we have to change our focus and acknowledge that strong federal leadership is needed.For the most part 
throughout this struggle, President Donald Trump has indicated he wanted
 the governors to be “running things.” Granted, there was a time when he
 claimed “total authority” regarding restrictions governors may have put
 in place, but generally the federal government has wanted the buck to 
stop at the state level.To the extent any federal 
leadership has existed, it’s been at best disengaged, voicing support 
for protective measures out of one side of its mouth while through 
actions demonstrating little interest in such measures. At its worst, 
federal “leadership” has been destructive. For example, instead of 
supporting frontline health workers, the leader of the federal 
government has, on numerous occasions, falsely accused them of <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/02/kansas-academy-rejects-trump-claim-physicians-profiting-from-covid-19-deaths/">inflating COVID death numbers</a>.Due at least in part to this lack of federal leadership, we are now at a place where parts of our health care system are <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/06/hospitals-near-breaking-point-as-covid-19-patients-multiply/">in danger of being overwhelmed</a>; where personal protective equipment is once again in short supply and where states are back to competing with each other for <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/10/kdhe-kansas-hospitals-prefer-to-surge-covid-19-capacity-without-erecting-tent-cities/">scarce resources</a>.My general belief is that 
because state government is closer to the problem and how it impacts 
individuals, the state is often better equipped to deal with a given 
problem. While there is some truth to that here, the crisis that is this
 pandemic literally cries out for federal leadership.This virus doesn’t 
acknowledge state boundaries. It doesn’t really care whether a state is 
mostly rural or urban or somewhere in between. And it certainly pays no 
mind to what party comprises the state Legislature or sits in the 
governor’s office.The reality is that states
 don’t have agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
 with both the knowledge and the resources to recognize and respond to 
health security threats in an organized way. Neither do states have an 
organization like FEMA, whose literal mission is to prepare the nation
 for disasters. Moreover, states don’t have anything like the U.S. Food 
and Drug Administration, which we all depend on to ensure the quality 
and safety of therapeutics and vaccines. Finally, when you look at the 
amount of resources states like Kansas have compared to New York or 
California, leaving the states to fend for themselves is not only 
impractical, it is unfair.I’m not arguing for a 
top-down, one-size-fits-all approach. Differences from state to state 
must be recognized and embraced. I’m also not suggesting that a stronger
 federal leadership role is a panacea — it is not.I am arguing, however, 
that in this instance the federal government is uniquely suited for a 
strong leadership role and that the abandonment of that role has not 
served us well.We have lots of work to do
 before we are through with the pandemic. The sooner the federal 
government reclaims its proper role in this effort the better.Tom Bell of Topeka recently retired from the Kansas Hospital Association, where he worked for more than 30 years, serving roughly half that time as president and CEO. Prior to his work with KHA, Bell was a practicing health care attorney. He is a native Kansan from Holton, and graduated from Kansas State University and Washburn University School of Law. After graduation from law school, Bell clerked for Kansas Supreme Court Justice Harold Herd. Earlier this year, Bell was appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly to the Executive Committee of the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce, which is responsible for oversight of the statewide distribution of CARES Act funding related to COVID relief. He is also a board member of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund.<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/17/to-defeat-covid-19-kansas-needs-strong-federal-leadership/">Republished courtesy the Kansas Reflector</a>

OPINION: To defeat COVID-19, Kansas needs strong federal leadership

By U.S. Sen. PAT ROBERTS <a href="https://eisenhowermemorial.gov/commission/commissioners">Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission</a>

As the son of Wes Roberts,
 a World War II Marine veteran who fought at Iwo Jima, and a Marine 
veteran myself, I say with certainty and pride that there is no greater 
duty than one’s duty to country and to stand with those who have put 
country before self.

On this Veterans Day, it 
is of the utmost importance to recognize and thank veterans everywhere 
for their service and defense of our nation, from threats both overseas 
and here at home.

Before the pandemic, we were set to dedicate the <a href="https://eisenhowermemorial.gov/">Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial</a>
 on May 8, the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, an anniversary
 with worldwide significance. Due to the ongoing pandemic, we <a href="https://www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=BBD58F05-F2DE-4F83-B82B-C259FFABB360">dedicated the memorial in September</a>.
 And now, after decades of work, the memorial dedicated to President, 
Supreme Allied Commander, and Kansas’ favorite son, Dwight. D. 
Eisenhower, is attracting generations of visitors on the National Mall.

The memorial encourages 
all visitors to learn more about the critical role Ike played in not 
only shaping our nation and defining the United States of America on the
 world stage, but also leading our country through eight years of peace 
and prosperity. Ike recognized the promise of America and the reciprocal
 responsibility of its people to serve the nation that serves them. As 
he said in his first inaugural address, “It is the firm duty of each of 
our free citizens … to place the cause of his country before the 
comfort, the convenience of himself.”

It was Eisenhower’s 
decision to launch the D-Day invasion that helped turn the tide of the 
war in Europe and save Western democracy. And while the memorial pays 
tribute to his valiant leadership, it also pays tribute to the Greatest 
Generation. Without their bravery and sacrifice during World War II, the
 world would no doubt be a very different place.

From the earliest days of 
struggle for our republic, to today’s unrest around the world, the 
principles set forth by our founding fathers have continuously been 
defended by our brave men and women in uniform.

This day is the day when a
 grateful nation recognizes those who have given so much out of love for
 their country, their family and their fellow citizens. Across Kansas 
and the nation, the memory of our service members who made the ultimate 
sacrifice for our freedoms lives on.

Throughout my <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/07/u-s-sen-pat-roberts-offers-personal-perspectives-on-half-century-of-politics/">40 years of service</a>
 in both the House and Senate, I have said many times that the No. 1 
priority of our federal government is to provide for the safety and 
security of Americans. It has been my absolute privilege to support and 
encourage those who protect us. It has also been an honor to serve as a 
Marine and to serve in Washington.

Our nation is forever 
indebted to the acts of bravery and sacrifice of the servicemen and 
women who repeatedly answer the call of duty and step forward to defend 
the freedoms we all hold dear. Each and every one of you have the thanks
 of a grateful nation.

The senior U.S. Senator from Kansas, Pat Roberts has represented Eisenhower’s home state for 40 years in the Congress. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980 from Dodge City, and served eight terms before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996. Senator Roberts currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which makes him the first member of Congress in history to have chaired both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. Roberts is also a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the Senate Rules Committee and the Senate Ethics Committee. He previously served as Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Prior to public service, he served in the United States Marine Corps for four years. Today, he is the most senior Marine in the Congress.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605105265814.png" alt="General Dwight D. Eisenhower tells American paratroopers in England "full victory — nothing else" on the evening of June 5, 1944, as they prepare for the Battle of Normandy. (Library of Congress) " />
 <figcaption>General Dwight D. Eisenhower tells American paratroopers in England "full victory — nothing else" on the evening of June 5, 1944, as they prepare for the Battle of Normandy. (Library of Congress) </figcaption>
 </figure>By U.S. Sen. PAT ROBERTS <a href="https://eisenhowermemorial.gov/commission/commissioners">Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission</a> As the son of Wes Roberts,
 a World War II Marine veteran who fought at Iwo Jima, and a Marine 
veteran myself, I say with certainty and pride that there is no greater 
duty than one’s duty to country and to stand with those who have put 
country before self.On this Veterans Day, it 
is of the utmost importance to recognize and thank veterans everywhere 
for their service and defense of our nation, from threats both overseas 
and here at home.Before the pandemic, we were set to dedicate the <a href="https://eisenhowermemorial.gov/">Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial</a>
 on May 8, the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, an anniversary
 with worldwide significance. Due to the ongoing pandemic, we <a href="https://www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=BBD58F05-F2DE-4F83-B82B-C259FFABB360">dedicated the memorial in September</a>.
 And now, after decades of work, the memorial dedicated to President, 
Supreme Allied Commander, and Kansas’ favorite son, Dwight. D. 
Eisenhower, is attracting generations of visitors on the National Mall.The memorial encourages 
all visitors to learn more about the critical role Ike played in not 
only shaping our nation and defining the United States of America on the
 world stage, but also leading our country through eight years of peace 
and prosperity. Ike recognized the promise of America and the reciprocal
 responsibility of its people to serve the nation that serves them. As 
he said in his first inaugural address, “It is the firm duty of each of 
our free citizens … to place the cause of his country before the 
comfort, the convenience of himself.”It was Eisenhower’s 
decision to launch the D-Day invasion that helped turn the tide of the 
war in Europe and save Western democracy. And while the memorial pays 
tribute to his valiant leadership, it also pays tribute to the Greatest 
Generation. Without their bravery and sacrifice during World War II, the
 world would no doubt be a very different place.From the earliest days of 
struggle for our republic, to today’s unrest around the world, the 
principles set forth by our founding fathers have continuously been 
defended by our brave men and women in uniform.This day is the day when a
 grateful nation recognizes those who have given so much out of love for
 their country, their family and their fellow citizens. Across Kansas 
and the nation, the memory of our service members who made the ultimate 
sacrifice for our freedoms lives on.Throughout my <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/07/u-s-sen-pat-roberts-offers-personal-perspectives-on-half-century-of-politics/">40 years of service</a>
 in both the House and Senate, I have said many times that the No. 1 
priority of our federal government is to provide for the safety and 
security of Americans. It has been my absolute privilege to support and 
encourage those who protect us. It has also been an honor to serve as a 
Marine and to serve in Washington.Our nation is forever 
indebted to the acts of bravery and sacrifice of the servicemen and 
women who repeatedly answer the call of duty and step forward to defend 
the freedoms we all hold dear. Each and every one of you have the thanks
 of a grateful nation.Semper Fi.The senior U.S. Senator from Kansas, Pat Roberts has represented Eisenhower’s home state for 40 years in the Congress. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980 from Dodge City, and served eight terms before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996. Senator Roberts currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which makes him the first member of Congress in history to have chaired both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. Roberts is also a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the Senate Rules Committee and the Senate Ethics Committee. He previously served as Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Prior to public service, he served in the United States Marine Corps for four years. Today, he is the most senior Marine in the Congress.

ROBERTS: Thank you to America’s finest — our veterans

By DAN GLICKMAN Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

I am no expert on recent 
Kansas politics — it’s been 25 years since I represented the state’s 4th
 Congressional District. But I watched the election results from Kansas 
with enormous interest, always considering the state where I was born 
and served in Congress for 18 years to be my home. Having some time and 
geographical distance gives one a certain perspective.

Though Kansas reflected the national trends in many respects, it is also unique in its political history and demography.

From my vantage point, here are the good, the bad and the ugly realities of the 2020 election in Kansas.

Both parties worked diligently to communicate with their voters and <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/03/kansas-voters-champion-civic-duty-having-their-voice-heard-in-record-breaking-election/">increase turnout</a>.
 We had record voter turnout in Kansas and most other places in the 
country. The election process in the state by and large went smoothly 
and without incident, whether one voted in person or absentee, which is 
remarkable given that COVID-19 has infected nearly 100,000 Kansans and 
has killed more than 1,000.

Election officials and 
voters actively participated in our political process, without incident,
 at a time of a cruel public health pandemic. It appears that large 
numbers of younger voters participated, which is healthy for the future 
of our democracy.

Further, the election of 
Joe Biden will likely be helpful to Gov. Laura Kelly as the state deals 
with public health, economic and budget issues. Both are Democrats, but 
each has a long history of bipartisanship and working across the aisle 
to be true problem solvers.

Notwithstanding <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/05/as-gop-cements-supermajority-in-legislature-democrats-realize-they-can-just-really-walk-over-us/">Republican victories in the state Legislature</a>, a strong relationship with the White House will be helpful to our state and to Kelly personally.

Pre-election polling in 
both state and federal races was incredibly inaccurate. Political 
scientists should drill down on the reasons for the inconsistencies and 
inaccuracies, but I suspect the failure of candidates to campaign person
 to person because of the pandemic, the lack of sufficient independent 
media coverage of local and state elections and the sometimes insidious 
role of social media all had a lot to do with this.

In addition, there was a 
huge amount of inaccurate information being disseminated on both sides, 
but particularly on the political right, whose candidates <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/28/laturner-renews-suspect-claim-democratic-opponent-strives-to-defund-police/">labeled Democrats as being in favor</a> of defunding the police and portrayed them as socialists.

The <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/03/u-s-senate-the-marshall-and-bollier-showdown-in-kansas/">incredible amount of campaign money</a>,
 some of it “dark” and not easily transparent, facilitated the spread of
 falsehoods much more easily than in years past. That money often 
exacerbated a vicious toxic political tone that does not encourage 
collaboration.

It is disappointing that 
so many Republican leaders, in Kansas and elsewhere, have yet to 
acknowledge that Biden has won the Presidency — something they likely 
would be heralding if the electoral numbers were reversed.

What disturbs me the most 
is the tribalism that afflicts Kansas and American politics. Republicans
 rarely cross over and support Democrats and vice versa. A review of 
voting in Kansas counties reflects this trend.

That missing streak of historic Kansas political independence is so harmful in making compromises for the common good.

One positive exception is 
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, who was re-elected to Congress from the one 
Kansas congressional district that currently trends middle of the road. 
But her victory was also due to her working across the aisle on so many 
issues affecting her district.

During the prehistoric era
 when I served in Congress, Kansas voters elected people of both parties
 to federal and statewide and legislative offices, which I think made 
Kansas a stronger state, and a more relevant one as well.

Let’s hope the election of
 Joe Biden will inspire us to an era of less toxic political rhetoric, 
less partisan infighting and more collaboration to actually get things 
done. Encouraging the media to better cover local and state politics and
 policy and continuing to encourage civic education for the increasing 
number of younger voters participating in the political process would 
help to bring about positive change in Kansas and elsewhere.

As Biden recently said, 
“The purpose of our politics, the work of our nation, isn’t to fan the 
flames of conflict, but to solve problems. We may be opponents but we 
are not enemies. We are Americans.”

Dan Glickman is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program, a nongovernmental, nonpartisan educational program for members of the United States Congress. He was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 1995 until January 2001.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605037521150.png" alt="Voters lined up in cars to deliver mail ballots at a Shawnee County drop box in Topeka. As voters become skittish about the status of their mail ballots, some voted in-person via provisional ballot. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Voters lined up in cars to deliver mail ballots at a Shawnee County drop box in Topeka. As voters become skittish about the status of their mail ballots, some voted in-person via provisional ballot. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAN GLICKMAN Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture I am no expert on recent 
Kansas politics — it’s been 25 years since I represented the state’s 4th
 Congressional District. But I watched the election results from Kansas 
with enormous interest, always considering the state where I was born 
and served in Congress for 18 years to be my home. Having some time and 
geographical distance gives one a certain perspective.Though Kansas reflected the national trends in many respects, it is also unique in its political history and demography.From my vantage point, here are the good, the bad and the ugly realities of the 2020 election in Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599830697632.png" alt="Dan Glickman is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program, a nongovernmental, nonpartisan educational program for members of the United States Congress. He was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 1995 until January 2001." />
 <figcaption>Dan Glickman is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program, a nongovernmental, nonpartisan educational program for members of the United States Congress. He was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 1995 until January 2001.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The good</h2>Both parties worked diligently to communicate with their voters and <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/03/kansas-voters-champion-civic-duty-having-their-voice-heard-in-record-breaking-election/">increase turnout</a>.
 We had record voter turnout in Kansas and most other places in the 
country. The election process in the state by and large went smoothly 
and without incident, whether one voted in person or absentee, which is 
remarkable given that COVID-19 has infected nearly 100,000 Kansans and 
has killed more than 1,000.Election officials and 
voters actively participated in our political process, without incident,
 at a time of a cruel public health pandemic. It appears that large 
numbers of younger voters participated, which is healthy for the future 
of our democracy.Further, the election of 
Joe Biden will likely be helpful to Gov. Laura Kelly as the state deals 
with public health, economic and budget issues. Both are Democrats, but 
each has a long history of bipartisanship and working across the aisle 
to be true problem solvers.Notwithstanding <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/05/as-gop-cements-supermajority-in-legislature-democrats-realize-they-can-just-really-walk-over-us/">Republican victories in the state Legislature</a>, a strong relationship with the White House will be helpful to our state and to Kelly personally.<h2>The bad</h2>Pre-election polling in 
both state and federal races was incredibly inaccurate. Political 
scientists should drill down on the reasons for the inconsistencies and 
inaccuracies, but I suspect the failure of candidates to campaign person
 to person because of the pandemic, the lack of sufficient independent 
media coverage of local and state elections and the sometimes insidious 
role of social media all had a lot to do with this.In addition, there was a 
huge amount of inaccurate information being disseminated on both sides, 
but particularly on the political right, whose candidates <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/28/laturner-renews-suspect-claim-democratic-opponent-strives-to-defund-police/">labeled Democrats as being in favor</a> of defunding the police and portrayed them as socialists.The <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/03/u-s-senate-the-marshall-and-bollier-showdown-in-kansas/">incredible amount of campaign money</a>,
 some of it “dark” and not easily transparent, facilitated the spread of
 falsehoods much more easily than in years past. That money often 
exacerbated a vicious toxic political tone that does not encourage 
collaboration.<h2>The ugly</h2>It is disappointing that 
so many Republican leaders, in Kansas and elsewhere, have yet to 
acknowledge that Biden has won the Presidency — something they likely 
would be heralding if the electoral numbers were reversed.What disturbs me the most 
is the tribalism that afflicts Kansas and American politics. Republicans
 rarely cross over and support Democrats and vice versa. A review of 
voting in Kansas counties reflects this trend.That missing streak of historic Kansas political independence is so harmful in making compromises for the common good.One positive exception is 
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, who was re-elected to Congress from the one 
Kansas congressional district that currently trends middle of the road. 
But her victory was also due to her working across the aisle on so many 
issues affecting her district.During the prehistoric era
 when I served in Congress, Kansas voters elected people of both parties
 to federal and statewide and legislative offices, which I think made 
Kansas a stronger state, and a more relevant one as well.Let’s hope the election of
 Joe Biden will inspire us to an era of less toxic political rhetoric, 
less partisan infighting and more collaboration to actually get things 
done. Encouraging the media to better cover local and state politics and
 policy and continuing to encourage civic education for the increasing 
number of younger voters participating in the political process would 
help to bring about positive change in Kansas and elsewhere.As Biden recently said, 
“The purpose of our politics, the work of our nation, isn’t to fan the 
flames of conflict, but to solve problems. We may be opponents but we 
are not enemies. We are Americans.”Dan Glickman is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program, a nongovernmental, nonpartisan educational program for members of the United States Congress. He was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 1995 until January 2001.

OPINION: The good, the bad and the ugly of 2020 election in Kansas

BY C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/what-kansas-legislators-could-learn-from-winfields-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Kansas Reflector</a>

<a href="https://kasb.org/kansas-tabatha-rosproy-named-2020-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Tabatha Rosproy</a> was making Kansas proud.

It was May 21. On “<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2020-national-teacher-of-the-year-tabatha-rosproy/">CBS This Morning</a>,” an adorable segment announced that Rosproy, 33, had been named the National Teacher of the Year.

Rosproy teaches preschool 
in a Winfied retirement community and nursing home. On a split screen, 
she watched for nearly seven minutes as 4-year-olds and elderly nursing 
home residents made it obvious how well she does her job.

One kid, asked to name her favorite activity in Rosproy’s classroom, thought before concluding, “That’s a good question.”

An old man with a gravelly voice lauded “all of the aspects of learning that she has shown: equality, love, respect.”

What’s so beautiful about Rosproy’s program at <a href="https://cumbernauldvillage.com/">Cumbernauld Village</a>
 is how it affirms the broadest definition of family. The preschoolers 
call the residents who are their volunteer teachers “grandmas and 
grandpas.”

For those elders, Rosproy 
told me, “It really provides purpose and meaning in their lives in 
retirement, in their time where they thought what they were contributing
 was over — those are their words, that’s what they say to me. Now, 
every day when they wake up, they get to spend time with children. They 
read together, discover, go fishing, play bingo, stomp in puddles — 
anything we can get them involved in.”

It works both ways. 
Grandmas and grandpas invite the kids to their evening activities around
 the nursing home and to special performances by outside groups, like 
when people from the zoo come to visit.

This interaction, Rosproy said, helps her young students grow socially, emotionally and academically.

Thanks to individual 
attention like one-on-one reading time with the grandmas and grandpas, 
she notes, the kids “have grown to be so much more empathetic” than what
 she’s observed in other preschool students.

“They can relate to people who are different from them,” she said. “It’s really incredible.”

It’s tempting to make a 
joke, here, about members of the Kansas Legislature needing the kind of 
education Rosproy’s preschoolers get. But there’s nothing funny about 
what some senators and representatives were doing at the Capitol on the 
same day as Rosproy was on national television making Kansas proud.

On May 21, the last day of this year’s session, legislators <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/year2/measures/reports/laws_fr/">accomplished little</a>.
 Most notably, considering the ongoing public health disaster that 
followed, they failed to expand Medicaid even after Gov. Laura Kelly <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-senate-majority-leader-announce-compromise-proposal-to-lower-healthcare-costs-for-kansas-families/">worked out a compromise</a> with Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning. The loudest politicians spent 24 hours in a<a href="https://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/news/20200521/protesters-fire-up-political-rhetoric-as-kansas-legislators-struggle-on-sessionrsquos-final-day"> display of partisan poop-flinging</a>. To call them whiny babies would be an insult to whiny babies.

Rosproy’s experience of 
Kansas is a striking contrast to what we often see in the Statehouse. 
People in Cowley County invested in the greater good, funding early 
childhood education for<a href="https://www.publicprek.com/co/ks-cowley"> every kid</a>.

“Any 4-year-old goes to school for free,” Rosproy said.

Rosproy graduated from 
Winfield’s Southwestern College in 2009 and taught in a Head Start 
program in Salina before coming back to the Winfield Early Learning 
Center in 2014. Now she’s working on her master’s in education from Fort
 Hays State University.

She’s watched over the past decade as Kansas failed to fully fund its public schools. The state is now in the early phases of a <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190404/kansas-lawmakers-adopt-school-funding-plan-hope-for-court-approval">court-approved school funding plan</a>.

“Even with an education-friendly governor in office,” Rosproy said, “it’s still a battle getting the support we need.”

Lawmakers could fund 
universal preschool across the state, she suggested, but “there’s always
 this tit-for-tat sort of thing: ‘This is our money — what are we 
getting if we put it into this.’ I don’t think there’s anything you can 
invest in and get a better return than the education of a child.”

These days she’s fielding 
lots of questions about re-opening schools. She wouldn’t have been back 
at Cumbernauld Village for the next year anyway because of her National 
Teacher of the Year duties, but her pre-school kids will be learning 
separately from the old folks until it’s safe for everyone to be back 
together.

“When the state Board of Education says to make those decisions based on <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/22/kansas-board-of-education-blocks-gov-laura-kellys-plan-to-delay-k-12-classes/">what’s happening in local communities</a>,”
 she noted, “they forget in that the numbers in rural Kansas are so low 
because we’re spread out.” But school is a mass gathering. If people 
aren’t spread out, the numbers won’t stay low.

Rosproy has a national 
platform now. She doesn’t use it to tell people who to vote for. 
Instead, she says, “I think we need to look at what is good for 
everybody — not just what is best for me and mine, but how we can help 
everyone in our communities.”

Some Kansas politicians would call that socialism. I’d call it being the adult in the room.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597083960721.jpeg" alt="Tabatha Rosproy, of Winfield, was named 2020 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers. (Kaydee Riggs Johnson)" />
 <figcaption>Tabatha Rosproy, of Winfield, was named 2020 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers. (Kaydee Riggs Johnson)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/what-kansas-legislators-could-learn-from-winfields-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Kansas Reflector</a><a href="https://kasb.org/kansas-tabatha-rosproy-named-2020-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Tabatha Rosproy</a> was making Kansas proud.It was May 21. On “<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2020-national-teacher-of-the-year-tabatha-rosproy/">CBS This Morning</a>,” an adorable segment announced that Rosproy, 33, had been named the National Teacher of the Year.Rosproy teaches preschool 
in a Winfied retirement community and nursing home. On a split screen, 
she watched for nearly seven minutes as 4-year-olds and elderly nursing 
home residents made it obvious how well she does her job.One kid, asked to name her favorite activity in Rosproy’s classroom, thought before concluding, “That’s a good question.”An old man with a gravelly voice lauded “all of the aspects of learning that she has shown: equality, love, respect.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l9aReAcNHrg"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>What’s so beautiful about Rosproy’s program at <a href="https://cumbernauldvillage.com/">Cumbernauld Village</a>
 is how it affirms the broadest definition of family. The preschoolers 
call the residents who are their volunteer teachers “grandmas and 
grandpas.”For those elders, Rosproy 
told me, “It really provides purpose and meaning in their lives in 
retirement, in their time where they thought what they were contributing
 was over — those are their words, that’s what they say to me. Now, 
every day when they wake up, they get to spend time with children. They 
read together, discover, go fishing, play bingo, stomp in puddles — 
anything we can get them involved in.”It works both ways. 
Grandmas and grandpas invite the kids to their evening activities around
 the nursing home and to special performances by outside groups, like 
when people from the zoo come to visit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597084042843.jpeg" alt="2020 Teacher of the Year Tabatha Rosproy with her students and their “grandmas” at the Cumbernauld Village retirement communith. (Suzanne Lawrence)" />
 <figcaption>2020 Teacher of the Year Tabatha Rosproy with her students and their “grandmas” at the Cumbernauld Village retirement communith. (Suzanne Lawrence)</figcaption>
 </figure>This interaction, Rosproy said, helps her young students grow socially, emotionally and academically.Thanks to individual 
attention like one-on-one reading time with the grandmas and grandpas, 
she notes, the kids “have grown to be so much more empathetic” than what
 she’s observed in other preschool students.“They can relate to people who are different from them,” she said. “It’s really incredible.”It’s tempting to make a 
joke, here, about members of the Kansas Legislature needing the kind of 
education Rosproy’s preschoolers get. But there’s nothing funny about 
what some senators and representatives were doing at the Capitol on the 
same day as Rosproy was on national television making Kansas proud.On May 21, the last day of this year’s session, legislators <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/year2/measures/reports/laws_fr/">accomplished little</a>.
 Most notably, considering the ongoing public health disaster that 
followed, they failed to expand Medicaid even after Gov. Laura Kelly <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-senate-majority-leader-announce-compromise-proposal-to-lower-healthcare-costs-for-kansas-families/">worked out a compromise</a> with Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning. The loudest politicians spent 24 hours in a<a href="https://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/news/20200521/protesters-fire-up-political-rhetoric-as-kansas-legislators-struggle-on-sessionrsquos-final-day"> display of partisan poop-flinging</a>. To call them whiny babies would be an insult to whiny babies.Rosproy’s experience of 
Kansas is a striking contrast to what we often see in the Statehouse. 
People in Cowley County invested in the greater good, funding early 
childhood education for<a href="https://www.publicprek.com/co/ks-cowley"> every kid</a>.“Any 4-year-old goes to school for free,” Rosproy said.Rosproy graduated from 
Winfield’s Southwestern College in 2009 and taught in a Head Start 
program in Salina before coming back to the Winfield Early Learning 
Center in 2014. Now she’s working on her master’s in education from Fort
 Hays State University.She’s watched over the past decade as Kansas failed to fully fund its public schools. The state is now in the early phases of a <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190404/kansas-lawmakers-adopt-school-funding-plan-hope-for-court-approval">court-approved school funding plan</a>.“Even with an education-friendly governor in office,” Rosproy said, “it’s still a battle getting the support we need.”Lawmakers could fund 
universal preschool across the state, she suggested, but “there’s always
 this tit-for-tat sort of thing: ‘This is our money — what are we 
getting if we put it into this.’ I don’t think there’s anything you can 
invest in and get a better return than the education of a child.”These days she’s fielding 
lots of questions about re-opening schools. She wouldn’t have been back 
at Cumbernauld Village for the next year anyway because of her National 
Teacher of the Year duties, but her pre-school kids will be learning 
separately from the old folks until it’s safe for everyone to be back 
together.“When the state Board of Education says to make those decisions based on <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/22/kansas-board-of-education-blocks-gov-laura-kellys-plan-to-delay-k-12-classes/">what’s happening in local communities</a>,”
 she noted, “they forget in that the numbers in rural Kansas are so low 
because we’re spread out.” But school is a mass gathering. If people 
aren’t spread out, the numbers won’t stay low.Rosproy has a national 
platform now. She doesn’t use it to tell people who to vote for. 
Instead, she says, “I think we need to look at what is good for 
everybody — not just what is best for me and mine, but how we can help 
everyone in our communities.”Some Kansas politicians would call that socialism. I’d call it being the adult in the room.C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

OPINION: What Kan. legislators could learn from national teacher of the year

By MITZI E. MCFATRICH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/30/kansans-in-care-facilities-have-a-right-to-visitors-its-time-to-give-them-a-voice/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>

We see the images — older 
adults in beds and wheelchairs, separated by windows from family members
 holding signs with messages of encouragement and love. We share the 
sadness of countless elders dying alone without the comfort of family, 
denied essential human contact and human rights at a time when these 
matter the most.

In March, the federal 
Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services blocked visitation to 
residents of nursing facilities except “for certain compassionate care 
situations” at the “end of life.” Kansas followed suit for other adult 
care facilities. Sadly, many facilities misinterpreted this to mean only at the very end after a person had slipped into non-responsiveness; other facilities simply didn’t allow family in at all.

Unlike the rest of us, 
adults in nursing homes have no say in how or when they will see family 
and friends or gather for a meal. Their legal rights, while not formally
 suspended, are suspended in practice by the policies and 
decision-making protocols issued by government agencies managing the 
pandemic.

For 45 years, <a href="https://www.kabc.org/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>
 has been helping elders and families advocate for their rights, find 
better care, and stop abuse in long-term care. Each year we respond to 
thousands of people who need help, training and resources.

There is understandable 
fear about opening up. Older adults with chronic conditions living in 
close quarters are at higher risk and feel the impacts more harshly. But
 there is injury too from continuous isolation. Falls and confusion, 
weight loss, depression and anxiety all have risen with isolation.

In hindsight, we see what 
older residents and families have long known: Visits literally save 
lives. Not only do friends and family offer elders the social connection
 and emotional support we all need, they serve as essential monitors of 
care.

There is not always agreement about the way forward.

Emma, who has lived in a 
Kansas care facility for five years, was not even able to visit with 
friends who lived in the same facility. Depressed after months-long 
isolation with no end to restrictions in sight and no say in facility 
policies, she left to stay with family in a nearby state.

Kathy, meanwhile, is 
grateful for the maximum restrictions in her husband’s nursing home. 
Alarmed by COVID-19’s upward surge, she supports the restrictions, 
believing it is more important than ever to protect vulnerable&nbsp;elders.

So we must 
wrestle with competing imperatives of well-being. Older adults bearing 
the brunt of COVID-19 in nursing homes have legal and civil rights, yet 
current government guidance leaves decision-making to local health 
departments and facilities, with no requirement to seek input from the 
adults who reside within.

Safe visitation during 
COVID-19 is a complex but not unsolvable puzzle. Some of the basics are:
 adequate staff to provide care and assist elders in visiting with loved
 ones by phone, video, in a designated indoor room or outdoors; clear 
protocols for infection control; education, screening and logging of 
visitors just as is done with staff and elders; use of masks and 
appropriate protective equipment; disinfecting surfaces between visits.

Prior to the pandemic, few
 facilities operated at safe staffing levels of just over four hours of 
daily care for each resident, and inspectors found that 77% of Kansas 
facilities were not complying with standard infection control practices.
 The COVID-19 crisis underscores how understaffing dangerously increases
 the workload for nurse aides.

We are all living in ways 
unthinkable prior to this pandemic. But we are not living without choice
 or voice, nor should adults in long-term care facilities be asked to do
 so.

By law, every facility has
 a resident council. These resident councils could be surveyed for their
 input. Kansas Advocates for Better Care has asked the Kansas Department
 of Aging and Disability Services to direct local health departments and
 individual facilities to seek the input of residents (or, for those 
without capacity, their legal representative).

We have also requested 
that when state agencies are meeting with hospital and facility 
providers to define policies, resident voices be present through 
consumer legal or resident advocates such as the <a href="https://ombudsman.ks.gov/about-us/about-our-program">Kansas Long-Term Care Ombudsman</a>.

It is time to recognize 
and restore residents’ right to essential visitors. As Kansas defines 
its path to reopening, government must engage with elders and learn what
 they believe are reasonable steps to address their well-being and 
safety.

Mitzi E. McFatrich is the executive director of <a href="https://www.kabc.org/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596208023148.jpeg" alt="Linda Mason, left, has frequently advocated on her mother’s behalf after encountering issues in nursing facilities. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Linda Mason, left, has frequently advocated on her mother’s behalf after encountering issues in nursing facilities. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MITZI E. MCFATRICH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/30/kansans-in-care-facilities-have-a-right-to-visitors-its-time-to-give-them-a-voice/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>We see the images — older 
adults in beds and wheelchairs, separated by windows from family members
 holding signs with messages of encouragement and love. We share the 
sadness of countless elders dying alone without the comfort of family, 
denied essential human contact and human rights at a time when these 
matter the most.In March, the federal 
Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services blocked visitation to 
residents of nursing facilities except “for certain compassionate care 
situations” at the “end of life.” Kansas followed suit for other adult 
care facilities. Sadly, many facilities misinterpreted this to mean only at the very end after a person had slipped into non-responsiveness; other facilities simply didn’t allow family in at all.Unlike the rest of us, 
adults in nursing homes have no say in how or when they will see family 
and friends or gather for a meal. Their legal rights, while not formally
 suspended, are suspended in practice by the policies and 
decision-making protocols issued by government agencies managing the 
pandemic.For 45 years, <a href="https://www.kabc.org/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>
 has been helping elders and families advocate for their rights, find 
better care, and stop abuse in long-term care. Each year we respond to 
thousands of people who need help, training and resources.There is understandable 
fear about opening up. Older adults with chronic conditions living in 
close quarters are at higher risk and feel the impacts more harshly. But
 there is injury too from continuous isolation. Falls and confusion, 
weight loss, depression and anxiety all have risen with isolation.In hindsight, we see what 
older residents and families have long known: Visits literally save 
lives. Not only do friends and family offer elders the social connection
 and emotional support we all need, they serve as essential monitors of 
care.There is not always agreement about the way forward.Emma, who has lived in a 
Kansas care facility for five years, was not even able to visit with 
friends who lived in the same facility. Depressed after months-long 
isolation with no end to restrictions in sight and no say in facility 
policies, she left to stay with family in a nearby state.Kathy, meanwhile, is 
grateful for the maximum restrictions in her husband’s nursing home. 
Alarmed by COVID-19’s upward surge, she supports the restrictions, 
believing it is more important than ever to protect vulnerable&nbsp;elders.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596208090048.jpeg" alt="A woman named Brenda, who has engaged with Kansas Advocates for Better Care, submitted this photo of her mother." />
 <figcaption>A woman named Brenda, who has engaged with Kansas Advocates for Better Care, submitted this photo of her mother.</figcaption>
 </figure>So we must 
wrestle with competing imperatives of well-being. Older adults bearing 
the brunt of COVID-19 in nursing homes have legal and civil rights, yet 
current government guidance leaves decision-making to local health 
departments and facilities, with no requirement to seek input from the 
adults who reside within.Safe visitation during 
COVID-19 is a complex but not unsolvable puzzle. Some of the basics are:
 adequate staff to provide care and assist elders in visiting with loved
 ones by phone, video, in a designated indoor room or outdoors; clear 
protocols for infection control; education, screening and logging of 
visitors just as is done with staff and elders; use of masks and 
appropriate protective equipment; disinfecting surfaces between visits.Prior to the pandemic, few
 facilities operated at safe staffing levels of just over four hours of 
daily care for each resident, and inspectors found that 77% of Kansas 
facilities were not complying with standard infection control practices.
 The COVID-19 crisis underscores how understaffing dangerously increases
 the workload for nurse aides.We are all living in ways 
unthinkable prior to this pandemic. But we are not living without choice
 or voice, nor should adults in long-term care facilities be asked to do
 so.By law, every facility has
 a resident council. These resident councils could be surveyed for their
 input. Kansas Advocates for Better Care has asked the Kansas Department
 of Aging and Disability Services to direct local health departments and
 individual facilities to seek the input of residents (or, for those 
without capacity, their legal representative).We have also requested 
that when state agencies are meeting with hospital and facility 
providers to define policies, resident voices be present through 
consumer legal or resident advocates such as the <a href="https://ombudsman.ks.gov/about-us/about-our-program">Kansas Long-Term Care Ombudsman</a>.It is time to recognize 
and restore residents’ right to essential visitors. As Kansas defines 
its path to reopening, government must engage with elders and learn what
 they believe are reasonable steps to address their well-being and 
safety.Mitzi E. McFatrich is the executive director of <a href="https://www.kabc.org/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>.

Opinion