We’re doing our best to stick to our cash Christmas budget this year. Are there any traps to avoid, and do you have other advice on ways we can cut costs during the holiday season?

If you’re getting out of debt, the phrase “extra money” probably isn’t even in your vocabulary. Regardless, stores will do everything they can to convince you to toss a couple of extra items into your cart when Christmas rolls around. Their festive marketing is&nbsp;everywhere, and most of it tries to get you to spend extra on things you don’t need or can’t afford.

It might be Christmas, but that doesn’t mean you need to buy a bunch of high-end electronic gadgets for everyone. Any way you slice it, electronics add up to be way more than most people want to spend. Try focusing on more personal—and less expensive—gifts that will be truly meaningful to the ones receiving them.

Set a reasonable&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/guide-to-budgeting">budget</a>, determine what’s fair for each person and stick to it.&nbsp;Be sure you’re following realistic gift guidelines&nbsp;before&nbsp;you go out shopping. If you have kids, don’t let their Christmas lists dictate how much you spend. Your budget should do that. Look out for sneaky buys that drain your wallet, too. Some people spend as much on stocking stuffers as they do regular gifts under the tree.

Whether you’re shopping online or out and about, remember that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/5-christmas-extras">extended warranties</a>&nbsp;are&nbsp;not&nbsp;a good deal. Neither are store credit cards and the accompanying “discounts.” It seems everyone from big-box retail stores to mom and pop operations have their own store credit card these days. Sure, they’ll be happy to offer you 10 to 20 percent off a $7 purchase of socks if you’ll just open an account. But there’s a good chance you’ll still be paying off this year’s Christmas&nbsp;next&nbsp;December.

If gift wrapping at the store is complementary, go for it. If not, just do it yourself. Sure, it takes a little time and effort, but you’ll save a ton of money buying a few rolls of wrapping paper at the local dollar store. Don’t wait until December 20th&nbsp;to order your Christmas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-costly-christmas-mistake">presents</a>, either. Plan ahead — like&nbsp;right&nbsp;now&nbsp;— so you don’t have to worry&nbsp;about expensive overnight shipping rates.

Finally, I know many folks want to send Christmas cards to&nbsp;everyone&nbsp;they know&nbsp;every&nbsp;year. Some people go completely over-the-top, with their family (including the dog and cat) dressed to the nines and a photo taken by a professional photographer. Come on! You can cut costs by sending cards to just your closest friends and family. It’s okay to be a little selective here, and the cards don’t have to be expensive.

*&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host ofThe Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635524005597.png" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,We’re doing our best to stick to our cash Christmas budget this year. Are there any traps to avoid, and do you have other advice on ways we can cut costs during the holiday season?RenéDear René,If you’re getting out of debt, the phrase “extra money” probably isn’t even in your vocabulary. Regardless, stores will do everything they can to convince you to toss a couple of extra items into your cart when Christmas rolls around. Their festive marketing is&nbsp;everywhere, and most of it tries to get you to spend extra on things you don’t need or can’t afford.It might be Christmas, but that doesn’t mean you need to buy a bunch of high-end electronic gadgets for everyone. Any way you slice it, electronics add up to be way more than most people want to spend. Try focusing on more personal—and less expensive—gifts that will be truly meaningful to the ones receiving them.Set a reasonable&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/guide-to-budgeting">budget</a>, determine what’s fair for each person and stick to it.&nbsp;Be sure you’re following realistic gift guidelines&nbsp;before&nbsp;you go out shopping. If you have kids, don’t let their Christmas lists dictate how much you spend. Your budget should do that. Look out for sneaky buys that drain your wallet, too. Some people spend as much on stocking stuffers as they do regular gifts under the tree.Whether you’re shopping online or out and about, remember that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/5-christmas-extras">extended warranties</a>&nbsp;are&nbsp;not&nbsp;a good deal. Neither are store credit cards and the accompanying “discounts.” It seems everyone from big-box retail stores to mom and pop operations have their own store credit card these days. Sure, they’ll be happy to offer you 10 to 20 percent off a $7 purchase of socks if you’ll just open an account. But there’s a good chance you’ll still be paying off this year’s Christmas&nbsp;next&nbsp;December.If gift wrapping at the store is complementary, go for it. If not, just do it yourself. Sure, it takes a little time and effort, but you’ll save a ton of money buying a few rolls of wrapping paper at the local dollar store. Don’t wait until December 20th&nbsp;to order your Christmas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-costly-christmas-mistake">presents</a>, either. Plan ahead — like&nbsp;right&nbsp;now&nbsp;— so you don’t have to worry&nbsp;about expensive overnight shipping rates.Finally, I know many folks want to send Christmas cards to&nbsp;everyone&nbsp;they know&nbsp;every&nbsp;year. Some people go completely over-the-top, with their family (including the dog and cat) dressed to the nines and a photo taken by a professional photographer. Come on! You can cut costs by sending cards to just your closest friends and family. It’s okay to be a little selective here, and the cards don’t have to be expensive.I hope this helps, René!*&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host ofThe Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: Cutting costs during the holiday season

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-11-23/test-scores-show-kansas-students-fell-further-behind-during-pandemic">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA — It turns out a year of shutdowns and quarantines generated <a href="https://ksreportcard.ksde.org/assessment_results.aspx?org_no=State&amp;rptType=3" target="_blank">lousy test scores</a> for schoolchildren across Kansas.

More than 30% of students fell behind their grade level in math and language arts in the 2020-21 school year.

That
 marked a sharp decline that lines up with the COVID-19 shutdown of 
in-person school in the spring of 2020 and launched the following school
 year into an ad hoc combination of online teaching and stop-and-start 
opening of school buildings.

Before the pandemic, 28% of students 
were below grade level in math. After the pandemic, that number shot to 
about 34%. In language arts, the falling-behind number went from 27% to 
just over 30%.

The picture for high-schoolers is more grim: 
Forty-seven percent scored below grade level in math, up from 41% two 
years ago. About 35% scored below grade level in English language arts.

The scores offer one metric in understanding the potential learning loss caused by the pandemic.

<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2020-03-17/every-school-kid-in-kansas-was-just-told-to-stay-home-until-fall-because-of-coronavirus" target="_blank">Gov. Laura Kelly ordered schools closed</a> in March 2020, and schools have since been disrupted by switches to remote or hybrid learning plans, <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-08-27/wellington-school-district-cancels-all-classes-and-activities-due-to-covid-19-outbreaks" target="_blank">COVID outbreaks</a>, quarantines and <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-10-18/kansas-schools-were-already-struggling-to-find-substitute-teachers-then-covid-hit" target="_blank">staff shortages</a>.

Kansas
 Education Commissioner Randy Watson said comparisons with previous 
years are complicated. Tests weren’t administered in 2020 because of 
school closures, and not all students took them this past spring.

“Every data point we have is down,” Watson said, “and so is everyone else’s across the country.”

Results
 from the state tests are searchable by district and individual schools 
on the Kansas Department of Education website, at <a href="http://ksreportcard.ksde.org/" target="_blank">http://ksreportcard.ksde.org/</a>.

Statewide,
 results from the 2021 test scores showed declines in most areas. Only 
28% of Kansas students were considered on track for college or career in
 math, and about 35% in language arts — a drop of four percentage points
 in math and one point in English since 2019.

Wichita, that state’s largest school district, <a href="https://ksreportcard.ksde.org/assessment_results.aspx?org_no=D0259&amp;rptType=2" target="_blank">showed dramatic declines</a>,
 with 58% of students scoring at the lowest level in math — up from 46% 
in 2019. About 48% of Wichita students scored below grade level in 
English language arts — up from 44% in 2019.

Among Wichita high school students, <a href="https://ksreportcard.ksde.org/assessment_results.aspx?org_no=D0259&amp;rptType=2" target="_blank">more than 68% scored below grade level</a> in math, up from about 60% in 2019.

Other key findings from the 2021 state test results:

Watson, the education commissioner, said test scores aren’t the only metric that got worse during the pandemic.

The
 rate of chronic absenteeism — students who miss more than 15 days of 
school a year — rose from 14% to 17.5% statewide since 2019. Truancy 
cases climbed from 767 to more than 2,200 over the same period.

“The
 last 18 months have been the hardest on our state — and schools are a 
microcosm of that — in the history of our public and private schools,” 
Watson said.

Dave Trabert, chief executive officer of the Kansas 
Policy Institute, a conservative think tank, said declines raise 
questions about the value of a high school diploma.

“We know that a
 lot of kids getting a diploma are below grade level in math and English
 language arts,” Trabert told members of the Kansas Board of Education 
at a meeting this month. “I’ve had that conversation in front of school 
superintendents, who have not denied it.”

In coming years, Kansas districts will get about <a href="https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Special-Education-and-Title-Services/Federal-Disaster-and-Pandemic-Relief" target="_blank">$1.4 billion in federal aid</a> to address impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, including learning loss.

Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637698486996.png" alt="State assessment test scores offer one metric in understanding the potential learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Suzanne Perez / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>State assessment test scores offer one metric in understanding the potential learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Suzanne Perez / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-11-23/test-scores-show-kansas-students-fell-further-behind-during-pandemic">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA — It turns out a year of shutdowns and quarantines generated <a href="https://ksreportcard.ksde.org/assessment_results.aspx?org_no=State&amp;rptType=3" target="_blank">lousy test scores</a> for schoolchildren across Kansas.More than 30% of students fell behind their grade level in math and language arts in the 2020-21 school year.That
 marked a sharp decline that lines up with the COVID-19 shutdown of 
in-person school in the spring of 2020 and launched the following school
 year into an ad hoc combination of online teaching and stop-and-start 
opening of school buildings.Before the pandemic, 28% of students 
were below grade level in math. After the pandemic, that number shot to 
about 34%. In language arts, the falling-behind number went from 27% to 
just over 30%.The picture for high-schoolers is more grim: 
Forty-seven percent scored below grade level in math, up from 41% two 
years ago. About 35% scored below grade level in English language arts.The scores offer one metric in understanding the potential learning loss caused by the pandemic.<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2020-03-17/every-school-kid-in-kansas-was-just-told-to-stay-home-until-fall-because-of-coronavirus" target="_blank">Gov. Laura Kelly ordered schools closed</a> in March 2020, and schools have since been disrupted by switches to remote or hybrid learning plans, <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-08-27/wellington-school-district-cancels-all-classes-and-activities-due-to-covid-19-outbreaks" target="_blank">COVID outbreaks</a>, quarantines and <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-10-18/kansas-schools-were-already-struggling-to-find-substitute-teachers-then-covid-hit" target="_blank">staff shortages</a>.Kansas
 Education Commissioner Randy Watson said comparisons with previous 
years are complicated. Tests weren’t administered in 2020 because of 
school closures, and not all students took them this past spring.But he said Kansas isn’t alone.“Every data point we have is down,” Watson said, “and so is everyone else’s across the country.”Results
 from the state tests are searchable by district and individual schools 
on the Kansas Department of Education website, at <a href="http://ksreportcard.ksde.org/" target="_blank">http://ksreportcard.ksde.org/</a>.Statewide,
 results from the 2021 test scores showed declines in most areas. Only 
28% of Kansas students were considered on track for college or career in
 math, and about 35% in language arts — a drop of four percentage points
 in math and one point in English since 2019.Wichita, that state’s largest school district, <a href="https://ksreportcard.ksde.org/assessment_results.aspx?org_no=D0259&amp;rptType=2" target="_blank">showed dramatic declines</a>,
 with 58% of students scoring at the lowest level in math — up from 46% 
in 2019. About 48% of Wichita students scored below grade level in 
English language arts — up from 44% in 2019.Among Wichita high school students, <a href="https://ksreportcard.ksde.org/assessment_results.aspx?org_no=D0259&amp;rptType=2" target="_blank">more than 68% scored below grade level</a> in math, up from about 60% in 2019.Other key findings from the 2021 state test results:<ul>
 <li>Students
 tend to fall further behind their respective grade levels the older 
they get. About 77% of third-graders met or exceeded grade-level 
expectations in math. By eighth grade, that number is only 65%. Among 
high-schoolers, only 53% met grade-level standards.</li><li>Across grade
 levels, there remains a significant achievement gap between white 
students and students of color. Nearly 61% of Black students and 50% of 
Hispanic students scored below grade level in math, compared with 27% of
 white students and 20% of Asian students.</li><li>Low-income students 
continue to score lower in all areas than their higher-income peers. 
Consequently, districts with high numbers of students living in poverty,
 such as Wichita and Kansas City, Kansas, did not perform as well on 
state tests as higher-income suburban districts.</li>
 </ul>Watson, the education commissioner, said test scores aren’t the only metric that got worse during the pandemic.The
 rate of chronic absenteeism — students who miss more than 15 days of 
school a year — rose from 14% to 17.5% statewide since 2019. Truancy 
cases climbed from 767 to more than 2,200 over the same period.“The
 last 18 months have been the hardest on our state — and schools are a 
microcosm of that — in the history of our public and private schools,” 
Watson said.Dave Trabert, chief executive officer of the Kansas 
Policy Institute, a conservative think tank, said declines raise 
questions about the value of a high school diploma.“We know that a
 lot of kids getting a diploma are below grade level in math and English
 language arts,” Trabert told members of the Kansas Board of Education 
at a meeting this month. “I’ve had that conversation in front of school 
superintendents, who have not denied it.”In coming years, Kansas districts will get about <a href="https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Special-Education-and-Title-Services/Federal-Disaster-and-Pandemic-Relief" target="_blank">$1.4 billion in federal aid</a> to address impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, including learning loss.Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

Test scores: Kan. students fell further behind during pandemic

ELLSWORTH - Three people were taken to the hospital after a two vehicle accident in northern Ellsworth Saturday afternoon.

William Wachs, 83, of Ellsworth, was northbound on Kansas Highway 156 in a 1991 Ford F250 when he attempted to turn left onto O'Donnell Drive and turned in front of a 2012 Toyota RAV4 driven by Lon P. Cale, 75, of Great Bend, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. The RAV4 struck the pickup. 

Both drivers and a passenger in the RAV4, Nancy E. Cale, 74, of Great Bend, suffered suspected serious injuries and were transported to Ellsworth County Medical Center, the Highway Patrol noted. All three were properly restrained.

ELLSWORTH - Three people were taken to the hospital after a two vehicle accident in northern Ellsworth Saturday afternoon.William Wachs, 83, of Ellsworth, was northbound on Kansas Highway 156 in a 1991 Ford F250 when he attempted to turn left onto O'Donnell Drive and turned in front of a 2012 Toyota RAV4 driven by Lon P. Cale, 75, of Great Bend, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. The RAV4 struck the pickup. Both drivers and a passenger in the RAV4, Nancy E. Cale, 74, of Great Bend, suffered suspected serious injuries and were transported to Ellsworth County Medical Center, the Highway Patrol noted. All three were properly restrained.Both vehicles were towed from the scene.

Three injured in two-vehicle wreck in Ellsworth

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas parks have a positive economic impact across the state and across several industries, a new study shows.

Governor Laura Kelly recently announced the results of the study by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) and the Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR) at Wichita State University.&nbsp;

“This study confirms that our wildlife and parks industry is good for our economy and good for Kansans,” Kelly said. “In 2020, state park visitors contributed more than $170 million to grow our economy. We’ll use this data to support our parks, strengthen our economy, and continue improving Kansans’ quality of life.”

For the study, KDWP and CEDBR polled 39,156 visitors who stayed at one of Kansas’s 28 state parks between April 1, 2020 and Sept. 11, 2020, to better understand economic contributions to regional and state economies. Notable findings from the study include:

●Survey respondents had an average party size of four people, stayed 4.1 days, and spent approximately $510 each trip.

●On average, 91.9% of visitors indicated they would recommend the state park to others, and 79.9% indicated they would revisit the same state park within a year.

●In 2020 alone, largely due to the global pandemic, Kansas state parks saw a dramatic increase of 52% in the number of visitor days in parks. This led to an additional 1,354 jobs and $35.2 million dollars in wages for Kansans.

●In 2020, total estimated spending by visitors in Kansas was 170.1 million dollars.

●Approximately 67% of spending related to nature-based tourism activities was conducted near survey respondents’ destination, with sales predominantly conducted within just 40 miles of Kansas state parks. Currently, 29 Kansas counties are home to at least a portion of a state park.

“Kansas state parks not only provide natural amenities which help visitors destress and improve their quality of life,”&nbsp;said CEDBR Director Jeremy Hill, “They are economic engines for each of the twenty-eight regional economies.”

“We’re proud to contribute to the state’s economy, especially in the mostly rural communities where our state parks are located,”&nbsp;said KDWP Secretary Brad Loveless. “If there’s anything the past two years have taught us, it’s that people’s time is valuable and when given the choice, people want to spend their time out-of-doors. This challenges us to constantly improve the park experience, so this data will be invaluable in helping us determine where our efforts can benefit visitors most.”

“As our staff and volunteers plan special events, they remain committed to offering activities that are not only memorable, but improve visitors’ quality of life,” said Kansas State Parks Director Linda Lanterman. “No matter the income level of our visitors, Kansas state parks remain an affordable, ‘close to home’ getaway that everyone can enjoy.”

For more on Kansas State Parks, and to view the full study, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTExMTkuNDkxMDAwODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tzb3V0ZG9vcnMuY29tL1N0YXRlLVBhcmtzIn0.7gsjTpkj4zx5yf3nKGVY7S62rUZ3oTVzzxSycbl-Tsw/s/1419840138/br/121320299677-l" target="_blank">ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks</a>. The full report can also be downloaded&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTExMTkuNDkxMDAwODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMTEva3Mtc3RhdGUtcGFya3MtaW1wYWN0LWZpbmFsLnBkZiJ9.TVEfBXmnshVl2gtR5P4JN6ts8-sYl_Sg9W9Mlvr-l_I/s/1419840138/br/121320299677-l" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;

About The Barton School of Business The Barton School of Business ­– home of the CEDBR – has been the undergraduate and graduate college at Wichita State University since it’s founding in 1926.&nbsp; The Barton School currently offers more undergraduate business degrees than any other institution in Kansas –&nbsp;including the state’s only entrepreneurship major. It also holds a double AACSB accreditation for business and accounting, which is the largest selection in the state and puts it in the top 1% of business schools worldwide. For more information, please visit <a href="http://cedbr.org">cedbr.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637942226373.jpeg" alt="Located on the edge of the Ozarks in far southeastern Kansas, Crawford State Park provides a variety of landscapes. Photo by&nbsp;Harland J Schuster courtesy <a href="http://TravelKS.com">TravelKS.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Located on the edge of the Ozarks in far southeastern Kansas, Crawford State Park provides a variety of landscapes. Photo by&nbsp;Harland J Schuster courtesy <a href="http://TravelKS.com">TravelKS.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas parks have a positive economic impact across the state and across several industries, a new study shows.Governor Laura Kelly recently announced the results of the study by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) and the Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR) at Wichita State University.&nbsp;“This study confirms that our wildlife and parks industry is good for our economy and good for Kansans,” Kelly said. “In 2020, state park visitors contributed more than $170 million to grow our economy. We’ll use this data to support our parks, strengthen our economy, and continue improving Kansans’ quality of life.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637942938100.jpeg" alt="Located in the heart of the Smoky Hills, Wilson State Park is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the state. Wilson Reservoir features a rugged shoreline punctuated by scenic cliffs and rocky outcrops. Photo courtesy <a href="http://TravelKS.com">TravelKS.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Located in the heart of the Smoky Hills, Wilson State Park is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the state. Wilson Reservoir features a rugged shoreline punctuated by scenic cliffs and rocky outcrops. Photo courtesy <a href="http://TravelKS.com">TravelKS.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>For the study, KDWP and CEDBR polled 39,156 visitors who stayed at one of Kansas’s 28 state parks between April 1, 2020 and Sept. 11, 2020, to better understand economic contributions to regional and state economies. Notable findings from the study include:●Survey respondents had an average party size of four people, stayed 4.1 days, and spent approximately $510 each trip.●On average, 91.9% of visitors indicated they would recommend the state park to others, and 79.9% indicated they would revisit the same state park within a year.●In 2020 alone, largely due to the global pandemic, Kansas state parks saw a dramatic increase of 52% in the number of visitor days in parks. This led to an additional 1,354 jobs and $35.2 million dollars in wages for Kansans.●In 2020, total estimated spending by visitors in Kansas was 170.1 million dollars.●Approximately 67% of spending related to nature-based tourism activities was conducted near survey respondents’ destination, with sales predominantly conducted within just 40 miles of Kansas state parks. Currently, 29 Kansas counties are home to at least a portion of a state park.“Kansas state parks not only provide natural amenities which help visitors destress and improve their quality of life,”&nbsp;said CEDBR Director Jeremy Hill, “They are economic engines for each of the twenty-eight regional economies.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637943813047.jpeg" alt="Lovewell State Park in north-central Kansas offers a blend of camping, fishing, wildlife watching, and special events.&nbsp;

Photo courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://travelks.com/">TravelKS.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Lovewell State Park in north-central Kansas offers a blend of camping, fishing, wildlife watching, and special events.&nbsp;

Photo courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://travelks.com/">TravelKS.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>“We’re proud to contribute to the state’s economy, especially in the mostly rural communities where our state parks are located,”&nbsp;said KDWP Secretary Brad Loveless. “If there’s anything the past two years have taught us, it’s that people’s time is valuable and when given the choice, people want to spend their time out-of-doors. This challenges us to constantly improve the park experience, so this data will be invaluable in helping us determine where our efforts can benefit visitors most.”“As our staff and volunteers plan special events, they remain committed to offering activities that are not only memorable, but improve visitors’ quality of life,” said Kansas State Parks Director Linda Lanterman. “No matter the income level of our visitors, Kansas state parks remain an affordable, ‘close to home’ getaway that everyone can enjoy.”For more on Kansas State Parks, and to view the full study, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTExMTkuNDkxMDAwODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tzb3V0ZG9vcnMuY29tL1N0YXRlLVBhcmtzIn0.7gsjTpkj4zx5yf3nKGVY7S62rUZ3oTVzzxSycbl-Tsw/s/1419840138/br/121320299677-l" target="_blank">ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks</a>. The full report can also be downloaded&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTExMTkuNDkxMDAwODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMTEva3Mtc3RhdGUtcGFya3MtaW1wYWN0LWZpbmFsLnBkZiJ9.TVEfBXmnshVl2gtR5P4JN6ts8-sYl_Sg9W9Mlvr-l_I/s/1419840138/br/121320299677-l" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;About The Barton School of Business The Barton School of Business ­– home of the CEDBR – has been the undergraduate and graduate college at Wichita State University since it’s founding in 1926.&nbsp; The Barton School currently offers more undergraduate business degrees than any other institution in Kansas –&nbsp;including the state’s only entrepreneurship major. It also holds a double AACSB accreditation for business and accounting, which is the largest selection in the state and puts it in the top 1% of business schools worldwide. For more information, please visit <a href="http://cedbr.org">cedbr.org</a>.

Governor: State parks good for Kansas economy

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a 65-year-old Wellington man is dead after being struck by a car in Wellington.

 The Kansas Highway Patrol says the crash was reported at 6:30 a.m. Friday on U.S. Highway 160 in Wellington. 

KWCH-TV reports a 2015 Dodge Challenger was traveling east on the inside lane when it hit a man who was running from north to south. 

The Highway Patrol identified the man who was killed as Chuck E. Flynn of Wellington. 

The driver and two passengers in the car were not seriously injured.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a 65-year-old Wellington man is dead after being struck by a car in Wellington. The Kansas Highway Patrol says the crash was reported at 6:30 a.m. Friday on U.S. Highway 160 in Wellington. KWCH-TV reports a 2015 Dodge Challenger was traveling east on the inside lane when it hit a man who was running from north to south. The Highway Patrol identified the man who was killed as Chuck E. Flynn of Wellington. The driver and two passengers in the car were not seriously injured.

Kansas man killed after being struck by car

WASHINGTON (AP) — Both sides are telling the Supreme Court there’s no middle ground in Wednesday’s showdown over abortion. 

The justices can either reaffirm the constitutional right to an abortion or wipe it away altogether. 

The 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling is facing its most serious challenge in 30 years in front of a court with a 6-3 conservative majority that's been remade by three appointees of President Donald Trump. 

A ruling that overturned Roe would lead to outright bans or severe restrictions on abortion in 26 states. 

That assessment comes from the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights. 

The case being argued comes from Mississippi, where a 2018 law would ban abortions after 15 weeks.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Both sides are telling the Supreme Court there’s no middle ground in Wednesday’s showdown over abortion. The justices can either reaffirm the constitutional right to an abortion or wipe it away altogether. The 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling is facing its most serious challenge in 30 years in front of a court with a 6-3 conservative majority that's been remade by three appointees of President Donald Trump. A ruling that overturned Roe would lead to outright bans or severe restrictions on abortion in 26 states. That assessment comes from the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights. The case being argued comes from Mississippi, where a 2018 law would ban abortions after 15 weeks.

Supreme Court set to take up all-or-nothing abortion fight

WICHITA (AP) — Authorities say a fire at the Broadmoor at Chelsea apartments in north Wichita critically injured one person and displaced every resident in the complex. 

Wichita Fire Department Chief Tammy Snow says crews responding to an emergency call just before 6 p.m. Friday from a resident found heavy fire showing in the middle of the 12-unit complex. 

KWCH-TV reports that firefighters used a ladder to pull a person out of a second-floor unit and then performed CPR on the scene. The fire chief said four of the units are a total loss with the others having water and smoke damage.

WICHITA (AP) — Authorities say a fire at the Broadmoor at Chelsea apartments in north Wichita critically injured one person and displaced every resident in the complex. Wichita Fire Department Chief Tammy Snow says crews responding to an emergency call just before 6 p.m. Friday from a resident found heavy fire showing in the middle of the 12-unit complex. KWCH-TV reports that firefighters used a ladder to pull a person out of a second-floor unit and then performed CPR on the scene. The fire chief said four of the units are a total loss with the others having water and smoke damage.

One critically injured, others displaced after Kan. apartment fire

Archaeology fieldwork can be arduous and painstaking, but it’s a vital part of preserving the heritage and history of indigenous people.

Wichita State University’s Dr. Crystal Dozier recently led a team of students in a cultural resource management project for the city of Wichita, ensuring that modern infrastructure wouldn’t destroy or damage ancient artifacts.

Dozier, assistant professor of archaeology, was called to action as part of her official duties as city archaeologist recently when the city wanted to improve the infrastructure of North Chisolm Creek Park in north Wichita.

The city submitted for a federal grant to improve the infrastructure of the park with an ADA-accessible loading zone. The grant required that a cultural survey be done on the lane to ensure that no ancient artifacts would be destroyed when the construction on the project began.

“Through the office of the city archaeologist, Wichita State provides these archaeological surveys for our local government,” Dozier said. “I felt like this was a responsibility of the office. This is the whole reason why the office was created.”

North Chisolm Creek Park is a beautifully restored prairie, which means there’s a lot of vegetation and it’s not easy to see everything on the surface, Dozier said. Kansas State historic preservation laws require a subsurface survey, particularly because the pond in the area used to be a creek that is a high-probability area for finding archaeological sites.

Dozier, along with a graduate assistant Laura Kennard, seven graduate and six undergraduate archaeology student volunteers, picked up their shovels and got to work.

The team dug holes every 15 meters, digging additional holes if there were any cultural materials unearthed. In total, there were 84 pits dug over six eight-hour days. It should be noted that the high temperatures on dig days ranged from the high 80s to high 90s degrees Fahrenheit.&nbsp;

In total, the archaeologists found? three isolated pieces of lithic debitage, which are “pieces that are smaller than a quarter that have flaked off in the process of making stone tools. Not all of them are made into those stone tools, but it’s a biproduct,” Dozier said.

When the fragments were found, the archaeologists were required to do additional investigation.

“Every time we found one of those, we had to do eight additional shovel test pits in the four cardinal directions around it to make sure there weren’t anymore,” Dozier said.

All the found fragments ended up being isolated finds, Dozier said, which means they could have been tracked into the site by someone traveling through the area, but the site was likely not where the tools were made.

All the lithic debitage was gathered and brought back to the Archaeology of Food Lab in Neff Hall at Wichita State for further testing.

“But we found nothing to prevent the city from making the improvements to the park,” she said.

The office of Wichita City Archaeologist has been part of Wichita State University since the 1960s. It’s an honorific position that saves the city tens of thousands of dollars when it needs these types of surveys done.

“There’s not very often that a need arises that we need a city archaeologist because we’ve surveyed the majority of public lands in Wichita at this point,” Dozier said. “But very occasionally I get the email, and I say, “That’s what this office is meant to do.’”

When Jan Long, who works for the Wichita City Parks Department, read the requirement of the cultural survey, she immediately emailed Dozier.

“It was just wonderful because she took it from there,” Long said. “This could result in over $281,000 in grant money. And certainly, the study is very useful.”

Dozier said there are boxes of found artifacts in the archaeology lab in Neff Hall —&nbsp;remnants of previous digs done by former WSU archaeologists in their official role with the city.

One occasion when WSU’s archaeologists were called in for survey and consultation with the city was in 2005 when the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/education/article108894432.html">tusk of a wooly mammoth was discovered</a>&nbsp;during construction along Kellogg Avenue.&nbsp;

Dozier and her graduate assistants also make themselves available to review all upcoming zoning propositions for the city and county and review any calls for additions to the historical registry.

“We have an ear on the ground of what development is taking place. Are there any areas of archaeological risk that we know of in the city? We’re available if such a need arises,” she said.

The city archaeologist also talks to middle- and high-school students and consults with private landowners.

“This is exactly the cultural resource management field that we are training our students to do. We were doing it to industry standards. These are exactly the kinds of careers that they’re training to do,” Dozier said.

Long said she appreciates how responsive and thorough Dozier’s team has been.

“I feel good that we did our due diligence, and we can provide an easy avenue of knowing that we’re not destroying anything in this process of improving the park,” she said. “It makes this part of creating improvements to our park system so much easier and so much more responsible.”

Douglas Kressly, a senior in anthropology from Lucas, Kansas, said the applied learning opportunity the North Chisolm Creek dig offered was invaluable.

“As an anthropology student, these kinds of experiences are extremely beneficial, as they provide real-life, hands-on experience on an archaeological project and allows for a glimpse into what the career path may have in store,” Kressly said.

Jennifer Banks — a graduate student from Van Meter, Iowa, whose focus is archaeology and cultural resource management —&nbsp;said every project provides its own set of challenges and successes.

“This project gave everyone involved a greater appreciation for Kansas prairie soils, which can be tricky to dig and screen,” she said. “This project helped me grow as a researcher and a student by providing hands-on experience to apply what I'm learning in the classroom to things that I may experience in jobs post-graduation.”

The North Chisolm Creek dig was the third field expedition that 68-year-old Arland Wallace, sophomore in anthropology, has participated in recently.

“I am always grateful for the opportunity to participate and learn different methods and outcomes. This project difficult, but I have learned that when a group of like-minded students participate in a project like this, it can be very educational,” he said. “There was something wonderful about being outside digging, working, and being part of nature while trying to unlock a mystery, and come away from the project answering our archaeological questions.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637983259465.jpeg" alt="Undergraduate and graduate students gained valuable experience while helping with the&nbsp;North Chisolm Creek Park dig. Photo courtesy WSU" />
 <figcaption>Undergraduate and graduate students gained valuable experience while helping with the&nbsp;North Chisolm Creek Park dig. Photo courtesy WSU</figcaption>
 </figure>By WSU STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONSArchaeology fieldwork can be arduous and painstaking, but it’s a vital part of preserving the heritage and history of indigenous people.Wichita State University’s Dr. Crystal Dozier recently led a team of students in a cultural resource management project for the city of Wichita, ensuring that modern infrastructure wouldn’t destroy or damage ancient artifacts.Dozier, assistant professor of archaeology, was called to action as part of her official duties as city archaeologist recently when the city wanted to improve the infrastructure of North Chisolm Creek Park in north Wichita.The city submitted for a federal grant to improve the infrastructure of the park with an ADA-accessible loading zone. The grant required that a cultural survey be done on the lane to ensure that no ancient artifacts would be destroyed when the construction on the project began.“Through the office of the city archaeologist, Wichita State provides these archaeological surveys for our local government,” Dozier said. “I felt like this was a responsibility of the office. This is the whole reason why the office was created.”North Chisolm Creek Park is a beautifully restored prairie, which means there’s a lot of vegetation and it’s not easy to see everything on the surface, Dozier said. Kansas State historic preservation laws require a subsurface survey, particularly because the pond in the area used to be a creek that is a high-probability area for finding archaeological sites.Dozier, along with a graduate assistant Laura Kennard, seven graduate and six undergraduate archaeology student volunteers, picked up their shovels and got to work.The team dug holes every 15 meters, digging additional holes if there were any cultural materials unearthed. In total, there were 84 pits dug over six eight-hour days. It should be noted that the high temperatures on dig days ranged from the high 80s to high 90s degrees Fahrenheit.&nbsp;In total, the archaeologists found? three isolated pieces of lithic debitage, which are “pieces that are smaller than a quarter that have flaked off in the process of making stone tools. Not all of them are made into those stone tools, but it’s a biproduct,” Dozier said.When the fragments were found, the archaeologists were required to do additional investigation.“Every time we found one of those, we had to do eight additional shovel test pits in the four cardinal directions around it to make sure there weren’t anymore,” Dozier said.All the found fragments ended up being isolated finds, Dozier said, which means they could have been tracked into the site by someone traveling through the area, but the site was likely not where the tools were made.All the lithic debitage was gathered and brought back to the Archaeology of Food Lab in Neff Hall at Wichita State for further testing.“But we found nothing to prevent the city from making the improvements to the park,” she said.<h2>The city archaeologist</h2>The office of Wichita City Archaeologist has been part of Wichita State University since the 1960s. It’s an honorific position that saves the city tens of thousands of dollars when it needs these types of surveys done.“There’s not very often that a need arises that we need a city archaeologist because we’ve surveyed the majority of public lands in Wichita at this point,” Dozier said. “But very occasionally I get the email, and I say, “That’s what this office is meant to do.’”When Jan Long, who works for the Wichita City Parks Department, read the requirement of the cultural survey, she immediately emailed Dozier.“It was just wonderful because she took it from there,” Long said. “This could result in over $281,000 in grant money. And certainly, the study is very useful.”Dozier said there are boxes of found artifacts in the archaeology lab in Neff Hall —&nbsp;remnants of previous digs done by former WSU archaeologists in their official role with the city.One occasion when WSU’s archaeologists were called in for survey and consultation with the city was in 2005 when the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/education/article108894432.html">tusk of a wooly mammoth was discovered</a>&nbsp;during construction along Kellogg Avenue.&nbsp;Dozier and her graduate assistants also make themselves available to review all upcoming zoning propositions for the city and county and review any calls for additions to the historical registry.“We have an ear on the ground of what development is taking place. Are there any areas of archaeological risk that we know of in the city? We’re available if such a need arises,” she said.The city archaeologist also talks to middle- and high-school students and consults with private landowners.“This is exactly the cultural resource management field that we are training our students to do. We were doing it to industry standards. These are exactly the kinds of careers that they’re training to do,” Dozier said.Long said she appreciates how responsive and thorough Dozier’s team has been.“I feel good that we did our due diligence, and we can provide an easy avenue of knowing that we’re not destroying anything in this process of improving the park,” she said. “It makes this part of creating improvements to our park system so much easier and so much more responsible.”<h2>Real-life, hands-on experience</h2>Douglas Kressly, a senior in anthropology from Lucas, Kansas, said the applied learning opportunity the North Chisolm Creek dig offered was invaluable.“As an anthropology student, these kinds of experiences are extremely beneficial, as they provide real-life, hands-on experience on an archaeological project and allows for a glimpse into what the career path may have in store,” Kressly said.Jennifer Banks — a graduate student from Van Meter, Iowa, whose focus is archaeology and cultural resource management —&nbsp;said every project provides its own set of challenges and successes.“This project gave everyone involved a greater appreciation for Kansas prairie soils, which can be tricky to dig and screen,” she said. “This project helped me grow as a researcher and a student by providing hands-on experience to apply what I'm learning in the classroom to things that I may experience in jobs post-graduation.”The North Chisolm Creek dig was the third field expedition that 68-year-old Arland Wallace, sophomore in anthropology, has participated in recently.“I am always grateful for the opportunity to participate and learn different methods and outcomes. This project difficult, but I have learned that when a group of like-minded students participate in a project like this, it can be very educational,” he said. “There was something wonderful about being outside digging, working, and being part of nature while trying to unlock a mystery, and come away from the project answering our archaeological questions.”&nbsp;

WSU archaeologists dig in to unearth cultural history

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Postal workers who recall packages and letters piled up in distribution hubs a year ago are gearing up for another holiday crush. 

The Postal Service and private shippers UPS and FedEx are bolstering their hiring by bringing in about 230,000 seasonal workers to ensure they don’t become overwhelmed by packages again. 

But low product inventories and port and supply chain disruptions are creating new uncertainty about getting gifts delivered on time. 

Despite that, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said this month: “We are ready.”

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Postal workers who recall packages and letters piled up in distribution hubs a year ago are gearing up for another holiday crush. The Postal Service and private shippers UPS and FedEx are bolstering their hiring by bringing in about 230,000 seasonal workers to ensure they don’t become overwhelmed by packages again. But low product inventories and port and supply chain disruptions are creating new uncertainty about getting gifts delivered on time. Despite that, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said this month: “We are ready.”Cover image courtesy pixabay.

Shippers prepare for another pandemic crush of holiday gifts

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

As the pheasant season has been open for two weeks now in Kansas, Cheyenne Bottoms Area Wildlife Manager Jason Wagner said the bird population appears to be down once again. While everyone’s hunting success can vary depending on location, Wagner has mostly heard of low results from hunters throughout Barton County.

With low pheasant turnout, conversations of shortening the season or reducing bag limits surface. Wagner said that should not be the case. "We're only shooting the males, and a male can service up to 10 hens in the spring," said Wagner. "We're not hurting the breeding potential of the pheasants." Pheasant season started Nov. 13 in Kansas and continues through Jan. 31, 2022. The daily bag limit is four male birds. Wagner referred to pheasants and upland birds as the "self-regulating species." "When the population is really high, we have a lot of hunters," said Wagner. "Word gets out really quick. When the population is low we don't have the pressure on the resource. There's less people out there hunting." Wagner went on to say more land has become off limits to keep it reserved for deer hunting. As deer hunting has gained popularity, unofficial refuges have been created for pheasants in the deer hunting areas. While there are plenty of people concerned about the pheasant population numbers, Wagner said there is not one clear answer to explain the shortage. Some of the reasons that could be playing a factor include weather patterns and climate changes, loss of CRP, changes in agricultural practices and higher numbers in nest predators. With a big drop in people buying fur, less people are trapping coons, possums and skunks…nest predators of the pheasants.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634312065671.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostAs the pheasant season has been open for two weeks now in Kansas, Cheyenne Bottoms Area Wildlife Manager Jason Wagner said the bird population appears to be down once again. While everyone’s hunting success can vary depending on location, Wagner has mostly heard of low results from hunters throughout Barton County.With low pheasant turnout, conversations of shortening the season or reducing bag limits surface. Wagner said that should not be the case. "We're only shooting the males, and a male can service up to 10 hens in the spring," said Wagner. "We're not hurting the breeding potential of the pheasants." Pheasant season started Nov. 13 in Kansas and continues through Jan. 31, 2022. The daily bag limit is four male birds. Wagner referred to pheasants and upland birds as the "self-regulating species." "When the population is really high, we have a lot of hunters," said Wagner. "Word gets out really quick. When the population is low we don't have the pressure on the resource. There's less people out there hunting." Wagner went on to say more land has become off limits to keep it reserved for deer hunting. As deer hunting has gained popularity, unofficial refuges have been created for pheasants in the deer hunting areas. While there are plenty of people concerned about the pheasant population numbers, Wagner said there is not one clear answer to explain the shortage. Some of the reasons that could be playing a factor include weather patterns and climate changes, loss of CRP, changes in agricultural practices and higher numbers in nest predators. With a big drop in people buying fur, less people are trapping coons, possums and skunks…nest predators of the pheasants.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Cheyenne Bottoms Manager: No panic needed with low pheasant numbers

By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-11-22/even-in-the-most-hispanic-cities-in-kansas-getting-elected-as-a-latina-is-an-uphill-battle">Kansas News Service</a>

LIBERAL, Kansas — Janeth Vasquez’s journey is a common story in southwest Kansas.

Her
 parents immigrated to Kansas from Mexico in the 1980s, seeking a better
 life for their baby daughter in the growing Hispanic community that 
rose up around Liberal’s meatpacking plant.

But what Vasquez 
accomplished when she became the first Latina ever elected to office in 
Kansas’ most Hispanic city was anything but common.

“I feel like 
there’s no representation for us,” Vasquez said. “Latinos account for 
the largest portion of our population. … But at the end of the day, the 
largest demographic of people that have the power in town are not the 
Hispanics.”

Her win signified a landmark accomplishment for all the immigrant
 families like hers who have come to southwest Kansas over the past few 
decades. But it also highlights the inequities and barriers that have 
historically kept the region’s representation from looking more like its
 residents.

Kansas is rapidly becoming more Hispanic. The number of Latino residents statewide has <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/kansas-population-change-between-census-decade.html" target="_blank">nearly tripled</a> since <a href="https://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/c2kprof00-ks.pdf" target="_blank">2000</a>.
 Roughly one of every five Kansans is now Latino. But the shift to 
increasing Hispanic representation in local government hasn’t kept pace.

Data
 from the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials
 shows that out of 3,804 elected city positions across Kansas, only four
 officials are Hispanic.

Even in the two <a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/wichitacitykansas,kansascitycitykansas,gardencitycitykansas,dodgecitycitykansas,liberalcitykansas/PST045219" target="_blank">most Hispanic</a>
 cities in the state of Kansas, Liberal and Dodge City, campaigning to 
become the first Latina woman elected to either city’s local office 
presents an uphill battle.

As Vasquez and Blanca Soto, a candidate
 for the Dodge City commission, made their final push to reach potential
 voters the week before the election, they walked door-to-door trying to
 turn out new voters in working class, primarily Hispanic neighborhoods 
where most people running for local office don’t bother stopping.

“That’s
 what makes it or breaks it,” Soto said, walking through the Dodge City 
neighborhood she grew up in. “You can send mailers. You can do social 
media. But until you make that connection, I think that’s what really 
makes a difference.”

But as Soto and Vasquez walked from one house to the next, the layers
 of challenges facing their campaigns, and others like them, became 
evident.

Fewer than half of Hispanic Kansans meet the criteria to even register to vote. Many of the people Soto and Vasquez talk with aren’t citizens. Some who are citizens haven’t registered to vote or don’t know how. Even among registered voters, many didn’t know about the city election.

Even
 though Hispanic residents make up roughly two-thirds of each city’s 
population, neither place had ever voted a Latina into local office.

And
 when the election results rolled in, they served as a reminder that 
electing a Latina to any office in Kansas, even in its most Hispanic 
regions, remains exceedingly rare. Soto came up short.

“At the end of the day,” Soto said, “we know that it’s going to take time to create sustainable change.”

So why is it such a challenge to get Latina candidates elected, even in predominantly Hispanic cities like Liberal and Dodge?

For one, looking at the population demographics alone doesn’t always tell the whole story.

“While
 that community may be 62% Latino,” said Erica Bernal-Martinez, the 
chief operating officer of the National Association of Latino Elected 
and Appointed Officials, “it doesn’t mean that the electorate is made up of majority Latino voters.”

In Kansas, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/interactives/mapping-the-latino-electorate/" target="_blank">just 43%</a>
 of Hispanic residents can register to vote, meaning they are U.S. 
citizens over the age of 18. That’s compared with 72% among non-Hispanic
 white Kansans. And even for Hispanic Kansans who are eligible to become
 a citizen, it’s a process they may not have the <a href="https://immigrationlab.org/project/lifting-barriers-to-citizenship/" target="_blank">time and money</a> to complete. For example, a Pew Research report shows that a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2013/02/04/the-path-not-taken/" target="_blank">majority of Mexican</a> immigrants who would be eligible for citizenship haven’t taken that step.

Overall, the share of Kansas voters who are Hispanic <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/2020/09/23/the-changing-racial-and-ethnic-composition-of-the-u-s-electorate/" target="_blank">more than doubled</a>
 since 2000, now up to 7%. That’s a larger share than Hispanic voters 
have in neighboring states like Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. But 
it’s still a small fraction compared with the 82% of Kansas voters who 
are non-Hispanic whites. And nationwide, Hispanic voter turnout has <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/05/12/black-voter-turnout-fell-in-2016-even-as-a-record-number-of-americans-cast-ballots/" target="_blank">historically lagged</a> behind white voter turnout.

So in order to succeed, Bernal-Martinez said Latino candidates often 
need to get more votes from a smaller pool of voters who don’t often 
participate in politics.

“They’re needing to actually work at 
expanding the electorate,” she said, “bringing in new voters who have 
never been part of the process, mostly because no one has invited them 
to participate.”

She said when those communities are 
invited, however, the strategy can work and pay dividends for years to 
come. But it takes the type of one-on-one conversations that Soto and 
Vasquez took on in Dodge City and Liberal — answering people’s questions
 one-on-one on their porches, validating people’s voices and concerns.

That’s a slow process. And an extra burden.

“It’s
 almost like this double job that gets stacked on for them in growing 
and expanding the electorate,” Bernal-Martinez said. “And that takes 
time. … And it takes a lot of work. And it takes more money.”

It 
also illustrates some of the other barriers that have likely kept 
Hispanic Kansans from running for office: the time, money and know-how 
that it takes to mount a campaign.

Like Soto and Vasquez, many are
 second-generation immigrants from working-class families. And 
especially for those who are breaking new barriers in their community, 
they’re likely to have few connections to the white power structure that
 translates to fundraising and exposure.

And then there’s the backlash Latina candidates themselves risk facing when they throw their hat into the ring.

“On
 top of all the other challenges — you have to learn the process, you 
have to learn … all of the rules and the regulations,” Janeth Vasquez 
said, “and then just to top it off … we still have to deal with racism.”

During
 the campaign, she said she regularly got aggressive calls on her 
cellphone from people accusing her of planning to bring more 
undocumented immigrants to town. She received similar attacks on social 
media and saw a prominent community member start false rumors about her.

But
 not only did she not make immigration issues part of her campaign 
platform, that’s not even the type of issue the city commission 
oversees.

“I truly believe that a lot of this has been brought up 
because of my race,” she said. “They’re trying to intimidate me. And I'm
 not intimidated.”

She found support in a group text thread with 
Soto, Lenexa’s Melanie Arroyo and other Kansas Latinas running their 
first campaigns where they encouraged each other and shared tips. But 
Vasquez said she actually encountered more racism in her town — which, 
again, is roughly two-thirds Hispanic — than other Latina candidates she
 talked with experienced in eastern Kansas.

And she said the most 
common advice she got from people in Liberal, even other Latinos, is 
that she should play down her ethnicity if she wants to win.

“I know there's racism across Kansas,” she said, “but I thought here in Liberal we were better than that.”

Delia Garcia knows about waging this type of uphill battle too.

She
 broke a similar barrier herself back in 2004 when she was elected as 
the first Latina in the Kansas Legislature. Now, she’s passing along the
 lessons she’s learned to the next generation of Hispanic leaders as an 
advisor with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KsLatinoCivicEngagementLeadershipDevelopment/" target="_blank">Kansas Latino civic engagement project</a>.

Vasquez
 and Soto were among the few dozen Hispanic Kansans who completed the 
group’s training sessions over the past few months. Garcia said eight of
 those attendees ended up running for office this year.

“It’s 
absolutely an exciting turning point,” she said. “This moment is a proud
 Kansas, American, woman, Latino moment, and we don't have to be Latino 
or Latina to appreciate and be excited about it.”

She’s seen more 
interest recently from young Latinas who want to get involved in the 
political process across the state, and expects the trend to continue in
 the coming political cycles.

With the state’s Hispanic population projected to grow by <a href="https://kansashealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/KHF-KHI-Demographic-Report-060518.pdf" target="_blank">nearly 300%</a>
 over the next 45 years, she said electing more leaders who reflect the 
people they represent sends a powerful message to those communities that
 they belong here.

“It is not only empowering, but it's necessary,” she said. “And if you ask me, it's about dang time.”

And for Janeth Vasquez, Blanca Soto and other Latinas across Kansas, the work is just beginning.

Soto,
 who was appointed to the city commission earlier this year to fill the 
remaining term of Dodge City’s resigning mayor, said she will use that 
short stint of experience to train other Latinas considering a run for 
local office. She hasn’t ruled out running for city commission again in 
2023, but she plans to focus on local voter registration efforts over 
the next year to continue building the base of Latino voters for future 
elections.

“Hope is the last thing we lose, right?,” Soto said. “So I might lose the election, but I'm not going to lose hope.”

As
 she prepares to take office, Vasquez hopes that Hispanic families in 
town will finally be able to come to the local government to voice 
questions and concerns — in their native language — which may otherwise 
go unheard.

And she wants her election to show other young Latinas across Kansas that they can take that step, too.

“Women
 and women of color deserve a seat at the table where decisions are 
being made,” Vasquez said. “And while I may be the first woman elected 
to this position, I will not be the last.”

David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637687008501.png" alt="Janeth Vasquez goes door to door during her campaign to become Liberal's first Latina city commissioner. David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Janeth Vasquez goes door to door during her campaign to become Liberal's first Latina city commissioner. David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-11-22/even-in-the-most-hispanic-cities-in-kansas-getting-elected-as-a-latina-is-an-uphill-battle">Kansas News Service</a>LIBERAL, Kansas — Janeth Vasquez’s journey is a common story in southwest Kansas.Her
 parents immigrated to Kansas from Mexico in the 1980s, seeking a better
 life for their baby daughter in the growing Hispanic community that 
rose up around Liberal’s meatpacking plant.But what Vasquez 
accomplished when she became the first Latina ever elected to office in 
Kansas’ most Hispanic city was anything but common.“I feel like 
there’s no representation for us,” Vasquez said. “Latinos account for 
the largest portion of our population. … But at the end of the day, the 
largest demographic of people that have the power in town are not the 
Hispanics.”Her win signified a landmark accomplishment for all the immigrant
 families like hers who have come to southwest Kansas over the past few 
decades. But it also highlights the inequities and barriers that have 
historically kept the region’s representation from looking more like its
 residents.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637687078727.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas is rapidly becoming more Hispanic. The number of Latino residents statewide has <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/kansas-population-change-between-census-decade.html" target="_blank">nearly tripled</a> since <a href="https://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/c2kprof00-ks.pdf" target="_blank">2000</a>.
 Roughly one of every five Kansans is now Latino. But the shift to 
increasing Hispanic representation in local government hasn’t kept pace.Data
 from the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials
 shows that out of 3,804 elected city positions across Kansas, only four
 officials are Hispanic.Even in the two <a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/wichitacitykansas,kansascitycitykansas,gardencitycitykansas,dodgecitycitykansas,liberalcitykansas/PST045219" target="_blank">most Hispanic</a>
 cities in the state of Kansas, Liberal and Dodge City, campaigning to 
become the first Latina woman elected to either city’s local office 
presents an uphill battle.As Vasquez and Blanca Soto, a candidate
 for the Dodge City commission, made their final push to reach potential
 voters the week before the election, they walked door-to-door trying to
 turn out new voters in working class, primarily Hispanic neighborhoods 
where most people running for local office don’t bother stopping.“That’s
 what makes it or breaks it,” Soto said, walking through the Dodge City 
neighborhood she grew up in. “You can send mailers. You can do social 
media. But until you make that connection, I think that’s what really 
makes a difference.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637687131367.png" alt="Blanca Soto was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Dodge City commission earlier this year, but lost her bid to get elected for the next term. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>Blanca Soto was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Dodge City commission earlier this year, but lost her bid to get elected for the next term. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure>But as Soto and Vasquez walked from one house to the next, the layers
 of challenges facing their campaigns, and others like them, became 
evident.Fewer than half of Hispanic Kansans meet the criteria to even register to vote. Many of the people Soto and Vasquez talk with aren’t citizens. Some who are citizens haven’t registered to vote or don’t know how. Even among registered voters, many didn’t know about the city election.Even
 though Hispanic residents make up roughly two-thirds of each city’s 
population, neither place had ever voted a Latina into local office.And
 when the election results rolled in, they served as a reminder that 
electing a Latina to any office in Kansas, even in its most Hispanic 
regions, remains exceedingly rare. Soto came up short.“At the end of the day,” Soto said, “we know that it’s going to take time to create sustainable change.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637687159499.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Expand the electorateSo why is it such a challenge to get Latina candidates elected, even in predominantly Hispanic cities like Liberal and Dodge?For one, looking at the population demographics alone doesn’t always tell the whole story.“While
 that community may be 62% Latino,” said Erica Bernal-Martinez, the 
chief operating officer of the National Association of Latino Elected 
and Appointed Officials, “it doesn’t mean that the electorate is made up of majority Latino voters.”In Kansas, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/interactives/mapping-the-latino-electorate/" target="_blank">just 43%</a>
 of Hispanic residents can register to vote, meaning they are U.S. 
citizens over the age of 18. That’s compared with 72% among non-Hispanic
 white Kansans. And even for Hispanic Kansans who are eligible to become
 a citizen, it’s a process they may not have the <a href="https://immigrationlab.org/project/lifting-barriers-to-citizenship/" target="_blank">time and money</a> to complete. For example, a Pew Research report shows that a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2013/02/04/the-path-not-taken/" target="_blank">majority of Mexican</a> immigrants who would be eligible for citizenship haven’t taken that step.Overall, the share of Kansas voters who are Hispanic <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/2020/09/23/the-changing-racial-and-ethnic-composition-of-the-u-s-electorate/" target="_blank">more than doubled</a>
 since 2000, now up to 7%. That’s a larger share than Hispanic voters 
have in neighboring states like Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. But 
it’s still a small fraction compared with the 82% of Kansas voters who 
are non-Hispanic whites. And nationwide, Hispanic voter turnout has <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/05/12/black-voter-turnout-fell-in-2016-even-as-a-record-number-of-americans-cast-ballots/" target="_blank">historically lagged</a> behind white voter turnout.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637687206532.png" alt="Blanca Soto goes door to door talking with potential voters in Dodge City during her campaign to become the town's first Latina elected to the city commission. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>Blanca Soto goes door to door talking with potential voters in Dodge City during her campaign to become the town's first Latina elected to the city commission. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure>So in order to succeed, Bernal-Martinez said Latino candidates often 
need to get more votes from a smaller pool of voters who don’t often 
participate in politics.“They’re needing to actually work at 
expanding the electorate,” she said, “bringing in new voters who have 
never been part of the process, mostly because no one has invited them 
to participate.”She said when those communities are 
invited, however, the strategy can work and pay dividends for years to 
come. But it takes the type of one-on-one conversations that Soto and 
Vasquez took on in Dodge City and Liberal — answering people’s questions
 one-on-one on their porches, validating people’s voices and concerns.That’s a slow process. And an extra burden.“It’s
 almost like this double job that gets stacked on for them in growing 
and expanding the electorate,” Bernal-Martinez said. “And that takes 
time. … And it takes a lot of work. And it takes more money.”It 
also illustrates some of the other barriers that have likely kept 
Hispanic Kansans from running for office: the time, money and know-how 
that it takes to mount a campaign.Like Soto and Vasquez, many are
 second-generation immigrants from working-class families. And 
especially for those who are breaking new barriers in their community, 
they’re likely to have few connections to the white power structure that
 translates to fundraising and exposure.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637687246637.png" alt="Janeth Vasquez, right, hugs her mother, Beatriz Cuellar, on election night after becoming the first Latina elected to Liberal's city commission. Courtesy Janeth Vasquez" />
 <figcaption>Janeth Vasquez, right, hugs her mother, Beatriz Cuellar, on election night after becoming the first Latina elected to Liberal's city commission. Courtesy Janeth Vasquez</figcaption>
 </figure>And then there’s the backlash Latina candidates themselves risk facing when they throw their hat into the ring.“On
 top of all the other challenges — you have to learn the process, you 
have to learn … all of the rules and the regulations,” Janeth Vasquez 
said, “and then just to top it off … we still have to deal with racism.”During
 the campaign, she said she regularly got aggressive calls on her 
cellphone from people accusing her of planning to bring more 
undocumented immigrants to town. She received similar attacks on social 
media and saw a prominent community member start false rumors about her.But
 not only did she not make immigration issues part of her campaign 
platform, that’s not even the type of issue the city commission 
oversees.“I truly believe that a lot of this has been brought up 
because of my race,” she said. “They’re trying to intimidate me. And I'm
 not intimidated.”She found support in a group text thread with 
Soto, Lenexa’s Melanie Arroyo and other Kansas Latinas running their 
first campaigns where they encouraged each other and shared tips. But 
Vasquez said she actually encountered more racism in her town — which, 
again, is roughly two-thirds Hispanic — than other Latina candidates she
 talked with experienced in eastern Kansas.And she said the most 
common advice she got from people in Liberal, even other Latinos, is 
that she should play down her ethnicity if she wants to win.“I know there's racism across Kansas,” she said, “but I thought here in Liberal we were better than that.”Turning pointDelia Garcia knows about waging this type of uphill battle too.She
 broke a similar barrier herself back in 2004 when she was elected as 
the first Latina in the Kansas Legislature. Now, she’s passing along the
 lessons she’s learned to the next generation of Hispanic leaders as an 
advisor with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KsLatinoCivicEngagementLeadershipDevelopment/" target="_blank">Kansas Latino civic engagement project</a>.Vasquez
 and Soto were among the few dozen Hispanic Kansans who completed the 
group’s training sessions over the past few months. Garcia said eight of
 those attendees ended up running for office this year.“It’s 
absolutely an exciting turning point,” she said. “This moment is a proud
 Kansas, American, woman, Latino moment, and we don't have to be Latino 
or Latina to appreciate and be excited about it.”She’s seen more 
interest recently from young Latinas who want to get involved in the 
political process across the state, and expects the trend to continue in
 the coming political cycles.With the state’s Hispanic population projected to grow by <a href="https://kansashealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/KHF-KHI-Demographic-Report-060518.pdf" target="_blank">nearly 300%</a>
 over the next 45 years, she said electing more leaders who reflect the 
people they represent sends a powerful message to those communities that
 they belong here.“It is not only empowering, but it's necessary,” she said. “And if you ask me, it's about dang time.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637687317974.png" alt="Janeth Vasquez talks with a potential voter outside of her home in Liberal. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>Janeth Vasquez talks with a potential voter outside of her home in Liberal. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure>And for Janeth Vasquez, Blanca Soto and other Latinas across Kansas, the work is just beginning.Soto,
 who was appointed to the city commission earlier this year to fill the 
remaining term of Dodge City’s resigning mayor, said she will use that 
short stint of experience to train other Latinas considering a run for 
local office. She hasn’t ruled out running for city commission again in 
2023, but she plans to focus on local voter registration efforts over 
the next year to continue building the base of Latino voters for future 
elections.“Hope is the last thing we lose, right?,” Soto said. “So I might lose the election, but I'm not going to lose hope.”As
 she prepares to take office, Vasquez hopes that Hispanic families in 
town will finally be able to come to the local government to voice 
questions and concerns — in their native language — which may otherwise 
go unheard.And she wants her election to show other young Latinas across Kansas that they can take that step, too.“Women
 and women of color deserve a seat at the table where decisions are 
being made,” Vasquez said. “And while I may be the first woman elected 
to this position, I will not be the last.”David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.

Even in the most Hispanic Kan. cities, getting elected as a Latina an uphill battle

LAWRENCE — Sports. Weather. Lunch. Weekend plans …Small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;is natural and pervasive in office environments. But a new study argues it’s also beneficial for employees.

“People generally feel better, have more positive social emotions and a sense of connection when engaging in&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk,” said Patrick Downes, assistant professor of management at the University of Kansas School of Business. “These little conversations go a long way in making us feel like we belong.”

His new article,&nbsp;<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fjournals.aom.org%2Fdoi%2Fabs%2F10.5465%2Famj.2018.1474&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cmedia1-l%40lists.ku.edu%7C4ee04a62bb8745b6bf7d08d9a52493d6%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C637722398868076480%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=Q%2BQwawBndedn1cNT%2Fh6mvWpF3T%2BRWMX9%2BEBfsD8pt%2FA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">“Office Chit-Chat as a Social Ritual: The Uplifting Yet Distracting Effects of Daily&nbsp;Small&nbsp;Talk&nbsp;at Work,”</a>&nbsp;is based on a study of the effect this routine had on 151 workers. The research found that&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;proved both enriching and disruptive for employees, but the positives far outweighed the negatives. It appears in the Academy of Management Journal.

Defined as “communication whose substance is inconsequential,”&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;offers a means of building rapport and connection by acknowledging the presence of others. It also acts as a “social lubricant” by helping individuals transition between daily activities, according to the article.

“What we think is ‘important&nbsp;talk’ in organizations is telling each other stuff about tasks, about strategy, about communicating how we can do something better,” said Downes, who co-wrote the paper with Jessica Methot, Rutgers University; Emily Rosado-Solomon,&nbsp;California State University-Long Beach; and Allison Gabriel, University of Arizona.

“By definition,&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;is the opposite of that because we’re not discussing tasks. We’re&nbsp;talking about the weather or football – it’s all stuff that is off-task.”

Although data indicates such chit-chat comprises roughly one-third of adults’ speech, its effects on employee satisfaction were largely ignored. Downes’ team recruited full-time employees who worked outside the home in a traditional (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) schedule. Administered for 15 consecutive workdays, the surveys contained measures of&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk, positive social emotions, sleep quality and cognitive engagement.

The impetus for the study occurred when Downes and a co-author were having a debate during a lunchtime chat, ironically, about the value of&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk.

“Jess thought most people genuinely like&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk. And I thought people hate doing&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;but know they have to do it. We actually&nbsp;talked to one person who said, ‘I have&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;with co-workers in my office only so they don’t steal when my office door is open,’” he said.

Following the results of their study, Downes said he was wrong about the perceived value of this practice.

“The results show that people generally like it,” he said. “They feel they go home with healthier emotions.”

“To the extent a business can create spaces for belonging, it’s worth the off-task. It’s worth the inefficiency, so to speak. If you elevate an individual’s sense of belonging, ultimately, you’re going to get it back in the end as a manager when someone goes the extra mile or when people back each other up. If you don’t have that kind of citizenship, there can be a lot of friction in organizational processes,” he said.

Not all&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;is constructive, obviously. That often depends on who is the one doing the&nbsp;talking.

“We tested a trait called ‘self-monitoring,’ which is simply reading the room. It relies on appropriately interpreting the context and making the right response to that context,” he said.

“High self-monitors generally have a better sense of belongingness and are less distracted.&nbsp;Small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;should be fluid and natural. It kind of follows a script. And once the script is played out, it’s time to be done and either get to business or leave. Any time it’s not fluid, that’s when you run into problems. You don’t get the benefits and do get more of the distraction from it.”

Raised in suburban Kansas City, Downes is currently in his first year at KU (although he did earn his undergraduate degree at the school). He teaches topics in human resources and studies people’s social contexts at work.

Regardless of the findings in his latest paper, he said he is “not a fan” personally of casual&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk.

“Yet I still do it because I want to be connected to my colleagues in the long run – that’s why I leave my office door open,” Downes said. “Even if the conversations are interrupting, the data suggests&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;is good both for me and for the organization.”

By KU NEWS SERVICELAWRENCE — Sports. Weather. Lunch. Weekend plans …Small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;is natural and pervasive in office environments. But a new study argues it’s also beneficial for employees.“People generally feel better, have more positive social emotions and a sense of connection when engaging in&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk,” said Patrick Downes, assistant professor of management at the University of Kansas School of Business. “These little conversations go a long way in making us feel like we belong.”His new article,&nbsp;<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fjournals.aom.org%2Fdoi%2Fabs%2F10.5465%2Famj.2018.1474&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cmedia1-l%40lists.ku.edu%7C4ee04a62bb8745b6bf7d08d9a52493d6%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C637722398868076480%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=Q%2BQwawBndedn1cNT%2Fh6mvWpF3T%2BRWMX9%2BEBfsD8pt%2FA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">“Office Chit-Chat as a Social Ritual: The Uplifting Yet Distracting Effects of Daily&nbsp;Small&nbsp;Talk&nbsp;at Work,”</a>&nbsp;is based on a study of the effect this routine had on 151 workers. The research found that&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;proved both enriching and disruptive for employees, but the positives far outweighed the negatives. It appears in the Academy of Management Journal.Defined as “communication whose substance is inconsequential,”&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;offers a means of building rapport and connection by acknowledging the presence of others. It also acts as a “social lubricant” by helping individuals transition between daily activities, according to the article.“What we think is ‘important&nbsp;talk’ in organizations is telling each other stuff about tasks, about strategy, about communicating how we can do something better,” said Downes, who co-wrote the paper with Jessica Methot, Rutgers University; Emily Rosado-Solomon,&nbsp;California State University-Long Beach; and Allison Gabriel, University of Arizona.“By definition,&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;is the opposite of that because we’re not discussing tasks. We’re&nbsp;talking about the weather or football – it’s all stuff that is off-task.”Although data indicates such chit-chat comprises roughly one-third of adults’ speech, its effects on employee satisfaction were largely ignored. Downes’ team recruited full-time employees who worked outside the home in a traditional (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) schedule. Administered for 15 consecutive workdays, the surveys contained measures of&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk, positive social emotions, sleep quality and cognitive engagement.The impetus for the study occurred when Downes and a co-author were having a debate during a lunchtime chat, ironically, about the value of&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk.“Jess thought most people genuinely like&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk. And I thought people hate doing&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;but know they have to do it. We actually&nbsp;talked to one person who said, ‘I have&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;with co-workers in my office only so they don’t steal when my office door is open,’” he said.Following the results of their study, Downes said he was wrong about the perceived value of this practice.“The results show that people generally like it,” he said. “They feel they go home with healthier emotions.”Their company also reaps the benefits.“To the extent a business can create spaces for belonging, it’s worth the off-task. It’s worth the inefficiency, so to speak. If you elevate an individual’s sense of belonging, ultimately, you’re going to get it back in the end as a manager when someone goes the extra mile or when people back each other up. If you don’t have that kind of citizenship, there can be a lot of friction in organizational processes,” he said.Not all&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;is constructive, obviously. That often depends on who is the one doing the&nbsp;talking.“We tested a trait called ‘self-monitoring,’ which is simply reading the room. It relies on appropriately interpreting the context and making the right response to that context,” he said.“High self-monitors generally have a better sense of belongingness and are less distracted.&nbsp;Small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;should be fluid and natural. It kind of follows a script. And once the script is played out, it’s time to be done and either get to business or leave. Any time it’s not fluid, that’s when you run into problems. You don’t get the benefits and do get more of the distraction from it.”Raised in suburban Kansas City, Downes is currently in his first year at KU (although he did earn his undergraduate degree at the school). He teaches topics in human resources and studies people’s social contexts at work.Regardless of the findings in his latest paper, he said he is “not a fan” personally of casual&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk.“Yet I still do it because I want to be connected to my colleagues in the long run – that’s why I leave my office door open,” Downes said. “Even if the conversations are interrupting, the data suggests&nbsp;small&nbsp;talk&nbsp;is good both for me and for the organization.”

Study: Office small talk more beneficial than distracting for employees

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say a trailer loaded with horses caught fire Friday on a stretch of Interstate 70 near Kansas City, killing at least four animals. 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said in a tweet that the fire happened just west of Grain Valley. 

It temporarily blocked traffic along the interstate. 

No information was immediately released about what caused the fire.

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say a trailer loaded with horses caught fire Friday on a stretch of Interstate 70 near Kansas City, killing at least four animals. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said in a tweet that the fire happened just west of Grain Valley. It temporarily blocked traffic along the interstate. No information was immediately released about what caused the fire.

Trailer fire on I-70 near Kansas City kills at least 4 horses

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — More than $1 million has been raised for a man who spent 43 years behind bars before a judge overturned his conviction in a triple killing. 

The GoFundMe fundraiser to benefit Kevin Strickland had raised $1.1 million by Friday afternoon, and donations kept coming. 

The Midwest Innocence Project set up the online fundraiser as they fought for his release, noting that he wouldn’t receive compensation from Missouri and needed help paying for basic living expenses. 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — More than $1 million has been raised for a man who spent 43 years behind bars before a judge overturned his conviction in a triple killing. The GoFundMe fundraiser to benefit Kevin Strickland had raised $1.1 million by Friday afternoon, and donations kept coming. The Midwest Innocence Project set up the online fundraiser as they fought for his release, noting that he wouldn’t receive compensation from Missouri and needed help paying for basic living expenses. The state only allows wrongful imprisonment payments to people exonerated through DNA evidence, so the 62-year-old Strickland doesn’t qualify.Cover image courtesy pixabay.