Category Archives: Government

Government, Kansas

Kansas Commission Approves Hunting Rule, Park Fee Changes

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) announced today that the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission voted to approve several regulation changes at its August 27, 2026, meeting in Pittsburg, Kansas.

The approved actions include:

  • Kansas State Park fee increases for vehicle permits, overnight camping, and utilities, along with the elimination of the annual camping permit. The changes will go into effect on November 1, 2026.
  • A change in hunting hours for nonresidents hunting waterfowl, coot, rail, or snipe on KDWP-managed public lands and waters. Beginning with the fall 2026 seasons, nonresidents must stop hunting before noon and must leave department lands by 1:00 pm. These limits do not apply to the September teal season or light geese hunting during the light goose conservation order. They also do not apply to Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA and iWIHA) areas, if nonresidents are hunting other species on department lands, or during KDWP Special Hunts programs and events.
  • Re-establishment of the fall turkey hunting season for Kansas residents. Permits will be valid for one bearded (male) turkey only, with the season running October 31 through January 31 except for a 12-day closure period beginning the Wednesday following Thanksgiving. Permits will be available for purchase in early October for the season opening October 31, 2026.
  • Establishing a repeatable season date structure for deer hunting in Deer Management Units on military properties.

KDWP will now move the approved regulations through the final administrative requirements, including publication by the Secretary of State in an upcoming edition of the Kansas Register. The regulations will become effective 15 days after publication, except for the State Parks fees, which will take effect on November 1, 2026.

“As I shared with the Commission yesterday, many of the issues we face don’t come with a single right or wrong answer. They require judgment, balance, and collaboration,” said KDWP Secretary Christopher Kennedy. “We take the public’s input seriously as we navigate complex situations. And we do this work in close partnership with the Commission because we have a shared responsibility to steward fish and wildlife populations and manage our parks and public lands in ways that meet Kansans expectations.”

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of Kansas’s natural resources for the benefit of both current and future generations. KDWP manages 29 state parks, 177 lakes and wildlife areas, more than 300 public waterbodies, and 5 nature centers. Other services include management of threatened, endangered, and at-risk species, law enforcement, and wildlife habitat programs. For more information about KDWP, visit ksoutdoors.gov.

Government, Kansas

Kobach Issues Guidance on Buying Suppressors in Kansas

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TOPEKA – (August 24, 2026) – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach today issued guidance to Kansans seeking to purchase suppressors or short-barreled shotguns in the wake of a recent federal court decision.

On August 5, Kobach and a coalition of 14 other states and a group of private associations and businesses prevailed in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). In a landmark victory, the court issued a preliminary injunction declaring that certain elements of the National Firearms Act are unconstitutional and prohibiting the ATF from imposing registration requirements on particular purchasers of suppressors, short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns.

Individuals who fall into the categories below no longer need to complete ATF Form 4 or wait for ATF approval before purchasing a suppressor, short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun. These items may now be obtained by completing ATF Form 4473, the same form required for the purchase of all other firearms, at the time of purchase.

“The state of Kansas and our fellow plaintiffs won a great victory against the U.S. Department of Justice, which had been wrongly defending an unconstitutional law,” Kobach said. “The federal government has no right to demand that American citizens ask for permission before putting an accessory on a firearm to protect their hearing. Our Constitution provides for a government of limited powers at the federal level. We must always be vigilant to enforce those constitutional limits, especially when government threatens the right of Americans to keep and bear arms.”

In order to make a purchase without NFA registration, a person need only be in one of these categories:

  • Current or future members of Gun Owners of America
  • Customers purchasing a suppressor, short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun from one of the following businesses:
    • a) Silencer Shop
    • b) Palmetto State Armory, LLC
    • c) B&T USA, LLC
    • d) SilencerCo Weapons Research, LLC
    • e) A company that is a member of the Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition

At this time, it is unclear whether all residents of Kansas are included under the court’s ruling. However, the federal court may soon clarify this question. In the meantime, an individual can become a member of Gun Owners of America and qualify as a person covered by the federal court’s injunction.

The case is the latest in which Kansas has led a multi-state coalition to defend the right of Americans to acquire and own firearms. In December 2025, Kobach led 21 states in urging another federal district court to find federal regulations of untaxed firearms to be unconstitutional.

Government, Kansas, Youth

Meta Settles for $17.1B in Child Safety Case

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TOPEKA – (August 26, 2026) – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach today announced a landmark $17.1 billion multistate settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc.—one of the largest state consumer protection settlements in history outside of the Big Tobacco settlements of the 1990s. In addition to the payment, Meta must implement a sweeping set of safety features designed to protect children on Instagram and Facebook. The agreement resolves claims by 47 states and D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands that the company designed Instagram with addictive features, knowingly exposed young users to serious mental harms, and intentionally misled the public about the safety of its platforms, among other things. This settlement is a monumental victory for the protection of America’s children and will fundamentally transform how the entire social media industry designs products for kids and teens. Under the settlement, Kansas will receive more than $134 million.

“This landmark $17.1 billion settlement is the largest Big Tech accountability victory in history and a monumental win for the children of Kansas and America. For too long, Meta deliberately designed Instagram and Facebook with addictive features that preyed on kids’ developing brains, exposed them to serious mental-health harms, and then misled parents about the dangers,” Kobach said.

Kobach also acknowledged that this problem extends well beyond one company and credited Meta for being the first major platform to reach a comprehensive resolution on youth safety.

“Today’s agreement forces Meta to implement the strongest child-safety reforms ever required of any social-media company—hard daily time limits, nighttime and school-hour restrictions, robust age verification, and real parental controls—while delivering more than $134 million directly to Kansas. This settlement marks a down payment on an industry-wide transformation that will finally prioritize our children’s well-being over corporate profits,” Kobach said.

The settlement requires Meta to implement a series of safety features on Instagram and Facebook, including:

  • Hard cap daily time limits and “Productive Pauses” for children: for its two platforms, Instagram and Facebook, a combined two-hour daily time limit with mandatory pauses after 15 minutes of continuous use and again at 60 and 90 minutes to interrupt endless scrolling. These limits remain in effect for five years. If Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube adopt comparable terms, the daily limit on each platform will drop to 60 minutes for 10 years.
  • “Nighttime blocks” restricting children’s access from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
  • Limited school-time access for children, eliminating push notifications on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. during the school year.
  • Robust age assurance measures to more effectively verify the age of young users.
  • Safer, age-appropriate content controls, including stronger safeguards against bullying, content promoting eating disorders, and content related to suicide and self-harm.
  • Stronger, more user-friendly parental controls.
  • Limits on social comparison features, including beauty filters and visible “like” counts linked to poor mental health outcomes in kids and teens.
  • Both the implementation and efficacy of the features will be regularly assessed by an independent auditor and the settling states.

These are groundbreaking changes to Instagram and Facebook and more significant and comprehensive than previously ordered by any court. Most importantly, this settlement represents a down payment toward an industry-wide social media experience that allows kids to connect in a healthy way.

Beginning in 2021, nearly every attorney general in the country cooperated to investigate the social media industry for designing and promoting platforms to children and teens despite known harms. After a bipartisan, nationwide investigation found that Meta designed Instagram’s features to addict children while internally documenting the resulting mental health harms and failing to warn parents, 47 attorneys general sued Meta individually or as part of a consolidated federal lawsuit. This settlement resolves those cases and claims by the other settling states and territories. The settlement also resolves the states’ claims against Meta for its sharing of nonpublic information about Facebook users with third parties, like Cambridge Analytica, leading up to the 2016 election. Kansas will receive an additional $6 million for these claims, pending court approval.

Assistant Attorney General Sarah Dietz prosecuted the case for Kansas.

In addition to Kobach, the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming joined the settlement.

Government, Kansas

6th Judicial District Nominating Commission Meets Aug. 27

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TOPEKA—The 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene by videoconference at 4 p.m. Thursday, August 27, to discuss the nomination process to fill a district judge vacancy.

The vacancy will be created when District Judge Mark Ward retires October 9.

The 6th Judicial District is composed of Bourbon, Linn, and Miami counties.

The meeting will be livestreamed on the Kansas judicial branch YouTube channel at youtube.com/@KansasJudicialBranch/streams.

Public access

  • Call 1-845-361-8917
  • Enter Conference Code 3872788
  • Press #

Accommodation

Any person with a disability who requires accommodation to access the nominating commission meeting should notify the judicial branch ADA coordinator as early as possible, preferably 10 working days before the event:

ADA Coordinator
[email protected]
785-296-2256
TTY at 711

Eligibility requirements

To be considered for district judge, a nominee must be:

  • at least 30 years old;
  • a lawyer admitted to practice in Kansas and engaged in the practice of law for at least five years, whether as a lawyer, judge, or full-time teacher at an accredited law school; and
  • a resident of the judicial district at the time of taking office and while holding office.

Appointment process

The nominating commission seeks nominations and then meets to interview the nominees. Interviews are open to the public. The commission selects three to five people whose names are submitted to the governor to fill the position according to statutory qualification and residency requirements.

The governor has 60 days after receiving the names to decide whom to appoint.

Term of office

After serving one year in office, a new judge must stand for a retention vote in the next general election to remain in the position. If retained, the incumbent will serve a four-year term.

Nominating commission

The 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Larkin Walsh as the nonvoting chair; Mark McCoy and Zackery Reynolds, Fort Scott; Patton Apple and Ronald Wood, Louisburg; Todd Schneider, Mound City; and Mary Stephenson, Paola.

Government, Kansas

Fort Scott’s Buck Run Gets $1.45M KDOT Grant

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TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly and The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) announced that $37.2 million in federal funds has been awarded to 33 projects selected for inclusion in KDOT’s Transportation Alternatives (TA) program. The TA Program provides federal funding to promote and enable use of active transportation and for certain scenic and historic improvements, such as:

  • Pedestrian/Bicycle/Non-motorized transportation infrastructure
  • Abandoned railway corridors to trails conversion
  • Safe Routes to School – construction and non-construction
  • Historic transportation facility preservation and rehabilitation
  • Scenic and environmental improvements

“Improving alternate modes of travel provides better mobility and connectivity opportunities that keep people moving across the state,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “As the state’s largest program that funds community projects focused on active transportation, the Transportation Alternatives program provides crucial support in every corner of Kansas.”

KDOT evaluated the 40 applications from this cycle and made selections based on the program criteria and input provided by internal and external partners. Criteria consisted of including proven safety countermeasures, demonstrating readiness and need, population size, and geographic distribution. KDOT also assessed data available as part of the state’s Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment Tool.

“The TA program prioritizes safety and accessibility for people who walk, bike, or roll to work, school, appointments, and other activities,” said Jenny Kramer, KDOT State Active Transportation Manager. “With the focus on safety, it is exciting that the Highway Safety Improvement Program is also investing $6 million towards this round. More funding allows for more projects, which enhances safety in more communities.”

The next call for projects is expected to open in spring 2028.

For more information and a map showing each project location, visit: https://www.ksdot.gov/programs/multimodal-programs/transportation-alternatives.

The 33 awarded TA projects are listed below:

Project Sponsor Project Title TA Award
1 City of Alta Vista Prairie Heights Elementary Safe Routes to School $689,000
2 City of Atchison AMS East Safe Routes to School – Phase 4 $671,000
3 City of Coffeyville Sidewalks and Crosswalks $856,000
4 City of Columbus Safe Routes to School Improvements – Priority 3 $801,000
5 City of Colwich Community Connectivity Improvements $826,000
6 City of Council Grove Safe Routes to School Phase 2 $1,323,000
7 City of De Soto Sunflower Road Shared-Use Path Missing Link $335,000
8 City of El Dorado 12th Avenue Multiuse Path Connectivity and Safety $870,000
9 City of Ellsworth Douglas Avenue Sidewalk Crossing $105,000
10 City of Emporia Safe Routes to School Improvements $1,199,000
11 City of Eudora Wakarusa Boat Ramp Park Connection $1,199,000
12 City of Florence Downtown Streetscape and Pedestrian Safety Improvements $1,275,000
13 City of Fort Scott Buck Run Corridor Transformation Phase 1 $1,451,000
14 City of Girard Phase 3: Pedestrian Transportation Facilities $561,000
15 City of Great Bend Forest Avenue Pedestrian Safety and Accessibility $356,000
16 City of Great Bend Downtown 10th and Main Pedestrian Crossing $312,000
17 City of Inman Main Street Streetscape and Pedestrian Safety $682,000
18 City of Junction City Ash Street Sidewalk Improvements $740,000
19 City of Lansing South Lansing Side Path and Main Street Crosswalk $2,662,000
20 City of Lawrence Lawrence Loop – Downtown $1,227,000
21 City of Lawrence Safe Routes to School Sidewalks and Crossings $1,105,000
22 City of Leavenworth Centennial Overlook to Downtown Improvements $618,000
23 City of Marysville Blue River Rail Trail Corridor $1,835,000
24 City of McPherson Northview 10-foot Multi-Use Path Phase 3 $806,000
25 City of Ottawa Princeton Street and Princeton Circle Drive Sidewalk Connectivity $926,000
26 City of Pittsburg Downtown Educational Locust/Elm Connector $1,812,000
27 City of Rossville Safe Routes to School Plan Implementation $1,592,000
28 City of South Hutchinson Blanchard Corridor Trail Connection $735,000
29 City of Spring Hill 215th Street Sidewalk and Crosswalk Visibility Enhancements $2,601,000
30 City of Valley Falls Sidewalk Improvements $586,000
31 Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy Inc. Landon Trail – Shawnee Heights Road to 121st Street $2,090,000
32 Pottawatomie County Excel Road and Side Path $1,633,000
33 Wallace County Safe Routes to School Plan Implementation $2,736,000
Total $37,215,000
Government, Kansas

Kansas SEED Grants Open for Rural Communities Aug. 17

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TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced a new round of funding totaling $250,000 available through the Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) grant program. Now in its fifth round, the SEED initiative continues to support economic development and quality-of-life improvements in Kansas’ smallest communities.

“Over the last eight years, we’ve worked strategically to bring economic opportunities to all of our Kansas communities — including the rural and smaller parts of our state,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “SEED funding creates transformational change in communities that might not otherwise have the means to complete necessary economic development projects on their own.”

Administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce, SEED grants are available to communities in 78 eligible counties, with populations of 5,000 or fewer. Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded in the following categories:

  • Childcare and Senior Programming – Projects that support or enhance services, such as building improvements, educational materials, supplies and equipment
  • Community Vibrancy – Projects that re-energize and beautify rural communities through public art, signage and placemaking initiatives
  • Food Retail – Projects that increase access to food through new, expanded or renovated retail spaces
  • Libraries – Projects that expand access to information and community resources through reading materials, technology upgrades, furnishings and facility improvements

Eligible applicants include local government, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce and other community-based organizations in towns that have not received a SEED grant in the past year. A 10% local match is required, and all funded projects must be completed within 12 months of receiving grant funds. Grants will be distributed in two installments: half at the time of award and the remainder once the project has reached at least 50% completion.

Awarded grants are having a real impact on real Kansas communities. In 2025, a $25,000 SEED grant paired with $43,450 in local matching funds is helping the City of Larned build a greenhouse at the Larned Community Garden for students, volunteers and seniors to utilize. A “Senior Saturdays” program will have seniors planting vegetables and flowers during the winter, then returning in the spring to take them home. The city also is creating programming with cooking classes and a county-wide equipment share co-op that will give seniors more opportunities for socialization.

“We’re excited about the impact that the equipment share program and the greenhouse will have on our community,” City of Larned City Manager Bradley Eilts said. “Together, they create opportunities that simply wouldn’t be possible in a small rural community. Through programs like Senior Saturdays, we’ll be able to provide meaningful hands-on experiences, social connections and access to resources that enrich the lives of our older adults.”

Funding for the SEED program is made possible through the Technology Enabled Fiduciary Financial Institutions (TEFFI) Development and Expansion Fund, established through bipartisan legislation in 2021 to promote economic development statewide in rural communities.

SEED grant applications will open Monday, August 17, and close at 5 p.m. Monday, October 19. Awardees will be announced in December.

A webinar to learn more about this opportunity will take place at 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 18. Those interested in participating can register here. The webinar also will be recorded and available on demand following the meeting.

For information about program guidelines, the list of eligible counties, or to view previous awardees, visit the SEED Grant webpage.

Fort Scott, Government, Health Care

Fort Scott’s dialysis clinic: The state has granted the ten-year tax break

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The Kansas Board of Tax Appeals has granted the ten-year property tax exemption for the vacant dialysis clinic at 2526 S. Main.

The board’s order, in Docket No. 2026-3773-IRBX, runs ten calendar years, from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2035, or for as long as the bonds remain outstanding, whichever is shorter. Bourbon County Appraiser Matt Quick provided the order to FortScott.biz on Aug. 13. The copy he sent is stamped received Aug. 3.

The order was mailed July 30, the same day FortScott.biz reported that the city had finished its part and that no exemption had yet appeared in county records.

The industrial revenue bonds, in an amount not to exceed $800,000, were issued December 30, 2025. The order records $450,000 of that for improvements and $350,000 for personal property, which is already exempt under a separate statute and was not at issue.

What the break covers

The exemption reaches only the portion of the property paid for with bond money. It does not touch USD 234’s capital outlay levy — 7.998 mills, about 4.3 percent of the 186.696 mills on this parcel. Everything else can be abated, including Bourbon County’s share.

It is not automatic, and the paperwork does not end here. A claim has to be filed with the county appraiser before March 1 every year for ten years, and the exemption ends if taxes on the non-exempt portion go unpaid. The order puts that annual filing on the applicant  (the city). The city makes the filings, at Moka Rentals’ request.

The 2025 bill on the parcel was $65,343.80, paid in full on Dec. 18, 2025. The first tax statement the exemption can affect goes out this November.

The building, and who owns it

The order describes the property as “leased to Moka Rentals, L.L.C., who uses the subject as a dialysis treatment facility” — the language an exemption order uses for the qualifying use. The building was dark when FortScott.biz visited July 25: no signage, no activity, blinds drawn. It has been empty since Fresenius Medical Care closed it on Sept. 30, 2019.

The vacant former dialysis building at 2526 S. Main, Fort Scott, with an empty parking lot
The building at 2526 S. Main on July 25, 2026. FortScott.biz photo.

The deal runs on two leases, which is how the city ends up a party to a tax case over a building it does not own. Moka Rentals, which the county lists as the owner and taxpayer of record, leases an interest in the property to the city; the city then leases the project back to Moka. That is a standard industrial revenue bond arrangement when the company already owns the building. Wichita used the same structure, drafted by the same bond counsel, for a $134 million project at Wesley Medical Center. Under the Fort Scott project lease, the city’s promise to keep filing for the exemption across the full ten years holds only “[s]ubject to the Project being continually operated as a dialysis center.”

There is still no announced opening date. In late July, the practice manager at Joplin Nephrology Consultants said there were “no updates as of right now” on the project.

Map showing 2526 S. Main between the Walmart Supercenter parking lot and South Main Street in Fort Scott
2526 S. Main sits between the Walmart Supercenter lot and South Main Street (US 69/K-7). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Fort Scott has had no dialysis center since 2019. Patients drive to Pittsburg or Chanute, three times a week.

Bourbon County, Food, Government, Kansas

Some Kansans Are Experiencing Delays In Receiving Federal/State Food Assistance

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A Fox television station in the Kansas City area reported recently they had received tips that some people in Kansas are not getting money loaded onto their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.

See the story: https://fox4kc.com/news/kansas-residents-having-issues-receiving-snap-benefits/

EBT is the electronic debit card system used to access the official Food Assistance Program in Kansas, which is the state’s name for the federal United States SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), according to the KDCF website.

Fortscott.biz went to the local Department of Children and Families in Fort Scott to find out more.

The spokesperson at DCF, Fort Scott, said she was unable to give information and sent a request to the Kansas Department of Children and Families media relations spokesperson.

In a nutshell, the answer is yes, there have been delays for some people because of requirements by federal and state laws that need longer processing times for case updates, along with increased workload and staffing shortages.

Erin La Row, MBA, who is the Deputy Director of Media Relations, responded with the following in an email:

“My colleagues in Fort Scott said after seeing the FOX 4 story, you were looking for information about delays clients may be facing with receiving their SNAP Food Assistance,” she said in the email.

The Department of Children and Families building, National Avenue and Wall Street, August 2024

“Some clients are experiencing delays in receiving their benefits due to longer processing times for required case updates, including recertifications, change reports, and interim reports. We understand how important these benefits are to the individuals and families who rely on them, and we recognize the hardship and uncertainty that delays can create.”

 

She listed several factors contributing to longer processing times.

“Increased seasonal workload and staffing shortages, and the time required to obtain and review required verifications —such as shelter and utility expenses— to ensure benefit accuracy and reduce error rates. Some of these factors are related to new requirements put in place by the U.S. Congress and Kansas Legislature.

 

“DCF is committed to reducing processing times. The agency has implemented overtime opportunities and continues to prioritize recruitment and training to strengthen the eligibility workforce, reduce wait times, and improve service for Kansans.”

Result of 2025 Laws

The U.S. Congress in 2025 enacted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with the effect trickling down now to the local level.

To learn more about this legislative act, click below.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 reduces federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $187 billion through 2034 and establishes stricter eligibility standards nationwide, according to a Public Broadcasting Service story:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/millions-lose-snap-benefits-as-one-big-beautiful-bills-stricter-requirements-kick-in

 

 

 

Government, Kansas

Kansas Bans Handheld Devices in Construction, School Zones

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Aug. 12, 2026

With highway construction continuing and the beginning of the school year fast approaching, the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Kansas State Department of Education are reminding drivers of a new law aimed at reducing distracted driving in construction and school zones.

Senate Bill 366 prohibits handheld mobile device use in active construction and school zones across the state. Governor Laura Kelly signed the bill this spring, which then became law on July 1. Devices are still allowed to be used in hands-free mode.

Law enforcement officers are issuing warning citations until June 30, 2027. Beginning July 1, 2027, violations may result in traffic citations with a $60 fine plus court costs.

“Removing the distraction of handheld devices in construction and school zones is an effort to improve safety in locations where vehicles and pedestrians or construction workers can be in close contact with one another,” said Gary Herman, KDOT Behavioral Safety Section Manager. “The safety of people in these zones must be a top priority.”

An active construction zone means workers are present, and signs are posted at the beginning and end of the work zone to alert drivers. Active school zones are defined as areas where reduced speed limits are in effect. Devices are still allowed to be used in hands-free mode.

“People are walking and working in these areas just a few feet from passing vehicles,” said Keith Dreiling, KSDE State Director of the School Transportation Safety Unit. “We urge drivers to use extra caution and remain aware of their surroundings when traveling through school and construction zones.”

Government, Kansas

Sen. Moran Pushes Farm Bill Priorities, Rural Hospital Legislation

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Securing Kansas Ag Priorities in the Farm Bill

On Friday, Sen. Jerry Moran joined Greg Akagi on WIBW Ag Radio and Chip Flory on AgriTalk to discuss the latest developments on the Farm Bill with the markup scheduled for this Thursday in the Senate Agriculture Committee and the importance of advancing priorities critical to Kansas agriculture. When he meets with Kansas farmers and ranchers, he hears firsthand about the challenges they are facing, including high input costs, ongoing drought conditions and uncertainty in the agriculture economy. Passing this legislation will provide certainty for rural America and Kansas farmers and ranchers.

As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Sen. Moran has worked to make certain the Farm Bill includes priorities that strengthen Kansas agriculture, and he is working to include his legislation to permanently transfer the administration of the Food for Peace program from the Department of State to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This legislation also includes a number of provisions that will benefit producers and rural communities in Kansas, such as:

  • Year-round E15 sales, which expands markets for Kansas farmers and ethanol producers, supports American energy independence and provides consumers with more affordable options at the pump
  • The CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act, increasing flexibility for livestock grazing on conservation lands
  • The Rural Hospital Revitalization Act, which would provide no interest loans for constructing or renovating rural healthcare facilities
  • The Farm to Fly Act, allowing sustainable aviation fuel to qualify for USDA energy programs
  • The Colonel Gary LaGrange AgVets Act, which would expand career opportunities in agriculture for veterans
  • Language to increase FSA loan limits to better reflect lending conditions in farm country
  • Doubled funding for USDA trade promotion programs, better allowing producers to market their products globally

You can listen to Sen. Moran’s interviews on Agri-Talk and WIBW Ag Radio.

Kansas Ag Priorities Secured in the Farm Bill

Introducing Legislation to Strengthen Rural Kansas Hospitals & Providers

This week, Sen. Moran introduced bipartisan legislation with Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) to expand access to federal resources for rural hospitals through the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Medicare designation. The legislation, the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Improvement Act (REH 2.0), would allow more Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and rural hospitals at risk of closure to sustain health care services in rural communities, and it would make technical improvements to strengthen the designation.

Sen. Moran worked to help establish the REH designation through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, providing eligible rural hospitals with a pathway to convert and continue serving their communities with limited services rather than closing their doors. He has visited every hospital in Kansas numerous times, and during these visits, providers shared their recommendations for strengthening the designation so it can better support the struggling health care facilities it was originally intended to serve.

The legislation introduced this week is the direct result of what Sen. Moran has heard from rural hospitals and providers in Kansas, and it makes needed improvements to the program to help make certain patients can continue to access critical health care services in their communities for years to come.

You can read more about the legislation from the Topeka Capital-Journal.

REH 2.0 Support Quote Graphic

Bourbon County, Government

Road closures expected at K-7 for paving work

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Road closures expected at K-7 for paving work

Post Date:08/04/2026 12:00 PM
Work on current K-7 improvements between K-39 and U.S. 69 in Bourbon County will require some daytime closures of roads crossing the highway, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation, according to a press release.K-7 remains closed to through traffic because of the project, but these closures will involve the streets and roads that cross K-7. These daytime closures allow the contractor to work on the road base and start pouring asphalt. Please find an alternate route during daytime hours.

Some closures – 160th Street, 180th Street, 200th Street and 210th Street – have already started and will wrap up after daytime work hours today, Tuesday, Aug. 4.

On Wednesday through Friday, Aug. 5 to 7, 170th Street, Eagle Road, Fern Road and Grand Road will be closed during daytime hours for the same work.

These intersections will reopen to traffic overnight and during times that work is not occurring. No two adjacent side roads will be closed simultaneously.

APAC-Kansas Inc., Shears Division, of Hutchinson, is the primary contractor.

KDOT urges motorists to stay alert, follow posted signs and refrain from hand-held mobile device use in all active work zones. For current road conditions, visit kandrive.gov or call 511. For updates on construction projects in southeast Kansas, visit ksdot.gov/projects/southeast-kansas-projects.

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