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KCC denies requests based on lack of jurisdiction and legal restrictions, but assures consumers state and federal level investigations continue
TOPEKA – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) issued orders denying two motions filed by the Natural Gas Transportation Customer Coalition (NGTCC) relating to gas prices during February’s winter weather event.
The first motion asked the Commission to subpoena documents from S&P Global Platts Gas Daily relating to its daily price index. While acknowledging the concerns, the Commission order states that jurisdiction to investigate wholesale market manipulation lies with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which has already opened an investigation.
“While NGTCC may raise legitimate concerns, this Commission is simply not the forum for such an investigation. This Commission is focused on the behavior of its jurisdictional utilities and whether they acted reasonably and prudently, under the circumstances. However, if suppliers, traders, or other entities engaged in market manipulation or price gouging within the wholesale market, as NGTCC posits, FERC’s investigation is intended to uncover such actions.”
The second request was that invoices from Kansas Gas Service’s suppliers be made public. In denying that motion, the Commission determined that supplier invoices satisfy the definition of “trade secret” as defined by K.S.A. 60-3320 and are protected as propriety information as set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court and the Kansas Supreme Court. The order notes that giving the public access to the invoices would not aid the Commission in its investigation because the KCC’s Staff, NGTCC, and all other parties to the docket, including the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and the Commission itself, already have full access to the documents. The Attorney General’s office is investigating February’s wholesale gas prices as part of its consumer protection probe.
“Therefore, between Staff, CURB, and the AG, the general public is well represented in this proceeding. NGTCC has not demonstrated that disclosure will benefit the public interest. Conversely, the record demonstrates disclosure of the information as requested in NGTCC’s motions holds great potential to harm current and future Kansas natural gas customers through higher purchased gas costs. A general argument in favor of transparency cannot outweigh this very real harm to customers.”
All regulated Kanas utilities are required to work with the KCC to determine how the February gas prices will be passed on to ratepayers. While Federal and State investigations into the matter continue, the Commissioners emphasized their expectation that Kansas natural gas consumers will be compensated in the future if price gouging or market manipulation is uncovered.
A recording of today’s business meeting can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqpQsXpdarE
The orders are available on the KCC website: http://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx?Id=d939fd87-7d2a-493a-9a58-cdb7a4fd9675 http://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx?Id=49f602f8-af94-4b45-b495-12c61088ac3b
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list to remove the countries Martinique and Georgia. An unvaccinated individual should quarantine if they meet the following criteria:
The travel and mass gathering quarantine period is seven days with a negative test result or 10 days without testing, with release from quarantine on Day 8 and Day 11, respectively. Further information on quarantine periods can be found on KDHE’s website.
For those traveling internationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring testing within three days of flights into the U.S. For further information on this and other requirements, visit their website.
For those who are fully vaccinated (meaning it has been greater than two weeks since they completed their vaccinations) they are not required to quarantine regarding travel or mass gatherings if they meet all of the following criteria:
Persons who do not meet the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel or mass gatherings.
Additionally, people with previous COVID-19 disease are not required to quarantine following travel if they meet all of the following criteria:
Persons who do not meet all three of the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel.
The travel quarantine list is determined using a formula to evaluate new cases over a two-week period, then adjusted for population size to provide a case rate per 100,000 population. This provides a number that can then be compared to the rate in Kansas. Locations with significantly higher rates — approximately 3x higher — are added to the list.
For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.
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The First United Methodist Church, 301 S. National, will host a drive-through soup lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, October 15, 2021.
The soups available to order will be potato, chicken noodle, and chili with cake for dessert.
Any free will donation received will be used by the Hospitality and Outreach Committee for their programs in the community and the church.
Meals will be served under the drive-through of the building.
Submitted by Marla Gorman,Administrative Assistant, First United Methodist Church
The Street Advisory Board will meet on Thursday, September 9th, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. at the City Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street. This meeting is open to the public.
This meeting will be made available via the City’s you tube channel at City of Fort Scott.
The Kansas Department of Corrections is pleased to announce the release of two new grant opportunities for Juvenile Crime Community Prevention.
These grants will support communities in providing services to youth that are at risk for juvenile delinquency, victimization, and juvenile justice system involvement.
These grants are being made available to both governmental agencies (i.e., counties, judicial districts etc.) as well as community-based agencies and service providers (i.e. non-profits).
Applicants can submit requests for grant funds for both fiscal year 2022 (1/1/22 – 6/30/22) and fiscal year 2023 (7/1/22 – 6/30/23) on these applications.
These grants will have two tracts.
Both grants require the development and implementation of evidence-based juvenile crime prevention programs and practices
All applications, including all related documents and completed signatory approval pages, are due October 29, 2021.
If you have questions regarding these grants or need assistance please contact either:
Margery Allison Jackson, age 99, a resident of Congress, Arizona, passed away Tuesday, August 31, 2021, at her home in Congress.
She was born August 20, 1922, in Benton County, Arkansas, the daughter of William Henry Adolph and Lola Larimore Adolph.
When Margery was six months old, the family moved to Michigan Valley, Kansas, where her father worked on the railroad. In the summer of 1927, the family moved to Garnett, Kansas where her father was section foreman on the KND Railroad.
Her father died in 1930 leaving her mother with five children to raise alone. Margery attended school in Garnett from Kindergarten through her junior year of high school. In the summer of 1940, Margery’s mother moved her to Ashland, Oregon. There Margery worked for her room and board while she finished high school. She graduated in 1941. The next year, she was the high school principal’s secretary.
Margery met Ivan Jackson when they were sixteen years old in Garnett, Kansas. Ivan followed her to Oregon where they were married on June 6, 1942.
Ivan was drafted in October of 1942. Margery followed him to Camp Polk Louisiana where she worked in the Office of Ordinance Service Command Shop #9. After the war, they settled in Ashland, Oregon.
Margery was bookkeeper for their automotive repair and service station.
Margery enjoyed her home and family.
Margery is survived by her son, Dean Jackson (Linda) of Owenton, Kentucky and her daughter, Shirley Johnoff (Carl) of Congress, Arizona; seven grandchildren, Leah, Karin, Thomas, Julee, Deborah, Carrie, and Patricia and several great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ivan, of fifty-eight years, her parents, two brothers and two sisters. Her sister Arlene preceded her in death on August 21, 2021.
Private burial will take place at a later date in the Kincaid Cemetery in Kincaid, Kansas under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas.
Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.