GUEST COLUMN, Shannon Francis, 125th District Representative

Next week is conference committee week, where members of the House and Senate meet in small groups to work through the differences between bills that have passed each chamber. These are three on three negotiations where we focus on resolving disagreements, finding workable compromises, and finalizing legislation that both bodies can ultimately vote on.

This is where much of the detailed work happens. It is a deliberate process aimed at making sure the final version of each bill is thoughtful, balanced, and ready for final passage.

L&T Publisher Earl Watt

As the legislative session begins to wind down, this could possibly be one of the most consequential sessions in recent memory or be the biggest letdown in the past 25 years.

There are some victories so far, and most recently it has to be noted that the bipartisan passage of removing cell phones form classrooms was a monumental success.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR, Reita Isaacs, Liberal

Just sitting here at the Senior Citizens Center staring at our designated puzzle table, which is now empty except for the 1,000- piece multiple-bird one Gerald sneaked in and finished this morning. Beautiful thing to admire until we either move it aside or box it back up.

I still think my 1,000-piece octopus puzzle is the most vibrant and beautiful of all; not bragging, of course.

Things are just not as active as they’ve been over years, such as: road trips out of town, dinner-movies here, early morning exercises with video, a place where you could come early in the morning (8 a.m.) and find something to do if you choose to stay until closing, knowing you were comfortable and safe. Just having another human around to visit and interact with accomplished more than a case full of medications.

THE POSTSCRIPT, Carrie Classon

I had a really good ice-cream cone this week.

I suppose this does not qualify as news, but I try not to eat too much ice cream, and I don’t usually keep ice cream in my freezer because I have a tendency to eat it all right away.

I love ice cream. I have always loved ice cream. But I have noticed my tendency to eat it until my face goes numb and have avoided it. When I’m in Mexico, I walk by an ice-cream shop every night, where I have bought ice cream before. It is good. So almost every night, when I get to the ice-cream shop, I pause, and I ask myself, “Should I get ice cream tonight?”