Opinion

Why not enhance services rather than give bonuses?

LETTER TO THE EDITOR, Carolyn Huddleston, Liberal

The Seward County Health Department is only open four days a week, Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. None of the staff are working 40 hours per week. At the current time hours range from 32 to about 36.

However, as a result of an open records request, I learned that two sets of bonuses were given to staff of the Health Department this year. In one bonus, 23 staff each received $2552.58. It appears that every employee got one of these bonuses, which altogether totaled $58,709. The second set of bonuses, which was drawn from a KDHE grant, totaled $45,000, and these went to only seven women. Not all received the same amount. Here quarterly payments were made, totaling $9000 for 2 women, $6000 for 4 women, and $3000 for 1 woman. The Director, Brie Greeson, whose earnings for 2024 amounted to $107,446, is receiving one of these bonuses in the amount of $9000, and she also received one of those other bonuses in the amount of $2552 [as did all the other women in this group of 7].

Better times ahead

GUEST COLUMN, Greg Doering, Kansas Farm Bureau

It’s hard to imagine waking up and going to work on payday only to find you have less money than you started with at the beginning of the pay period. That’s the reality many farmers are facing as fall harvest enters full swing in Kansas. Almost every acre of corn and soybeans across the state is expected to cost more to plant, grow and harvest than farmers will receive when they sell their crops.

Revenue from wheat, soybeans and corn is forecasted to decline by 12, nine and six percent, respectively, in 2025. It will be the third year in a row with declining receipts for those commodities while expenses have remained the same or risen.

Crazier than outhouse rats

GUEST COLUMN, J. Basil Dannebohm

Recently, a member of Congress who is infamous for the type of drama you’d expect to see during third shift at Waffle House attempted to have one of her colleagues censured.

The measure failed.

In response, the accused said to her censurer, "Would love to see you get the help you need next. You belong in rehab, not Congress.”

“We have to stop allowing members who are experiencing mental breakdown to continue to work without getting them the help they need,” she later wrote on social media.

Getting it right

THE POSTSCRIPT, Carrie Classon

I am going to New York.

I have not been to New York since before the pandemic. I bought a half-price ticket to see a show on Broadway before catching my flight home. I was very glad I went, since it was such a long time before I could see another play.

But now I am going back because the publisher of my book is having an open house for the authors with books coming out in 2025 and 2026, and I think that sounds like a lot of fun. They are serving snacks and beverages, and all the editors will be there. I’ve Googled where their office is, and it appears to be right in the center of things, and — if I’m going to New York — that’s where I want to be.

OPINION – Are we sure that Tyler Robinson was the person who killed Charlie Kirk?

LETTER TO THE EDITOR, Reita Isaacs, Liberal

Anyone ever get caught up in a shock-and-awe situation where you wait a few days before you respond and still something tells you to “wait?”

I had settled down with my coffee and started my observations about Charlie Kirk’s assassination when I got that nudge to stop. After several failed attempts to make rational conclusions, I deleted everything. Many days have gone by with new audios, interviews, and videos being released, and tonight I watched the two newest that confirmed my decision — Tyler Robinson was not the assassin. Yup, you heard me right.