Category Archives: Government

Government, Health Care

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Is Affecting Eastern KS Air Quality

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Taken from the AirNow Fire and Smoke website.

KDHE Issues Air Quality Health Advisory due to Smoke

TOPEKA – Light northeast to east winds is bringing Canadian wildfire smoke into the state, particularly central and eastern Kansas. These conditions are likely to persist today and tomorrow. The Air Quality Index (AQI) will likely range from Moderate to Unhealthy at times. You can view the current air quality, AQI and fire activity for your area on https://fire.airnow.gov.

Steps to protect your health on days when smoke is present in your community include:

  • Healthy people should limit or avoid strenuous outdoor exercise.
  • More vulnerable people should remain indoors.
  • Help keep indoor air clean by closing doors and windows and running air conditioners with air filters.
  • Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water.
  • Contact your doctor if you have symptoms such as chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath or severe fatigue.

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Government, Kansas

Breastfeeding Importance For Health and Well-Being

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Governor Kelly Proclaims August “Kansas Breastfeeding Month”
In support of World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Month

TOPEKA –

Governor Laura Kelly recently signed a proclamation recognizing August as “Kansas Breastfeeding Month.” This proclamation recognizes the importance of breastfeeding for the health and well-being of Kansans.

“We are extremely pleased with Governor Kelly’s proclamation, which highlights the importance of breastfeeding support for families in Kansas. This proclamation supports their decision and provides a foundation to build a landscape of breastfeeding support in our state,” Brenda Bandy, IBCLC, Executive Director of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition (KBC), said.

“Breastfeeding is a public health priority in Kansas,” Dereck Totten, MD, KDHE Chief Medical Officer, said. “Improving breastfeeding rates reflects the strength of our statewide partnerships and community collaboration. Breastfeeding is a vital step in safeguarding the health of both parents and infants that we remain committed to promoting and supporting.”

Nearly 90 percent of families in Kansas choose to breastfeed. Kansas is ranked fourth in the nation for exclusively breastfeeding at three months, and fifth in the nation at six months. However, only around one in three Kansas infants are exclusively breastfed through the critical first six months of life. Lack of support and barriers in the workplace can often be obstacles for parents who choose to breastfeed.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides guidance on breastfeeding which calls for policy changes to address obstacles for parents who choose to breastfeed, including universal paid maternity leave and insurance coverage for lactation support. Establishing better breastfeeding support will improve both baby and mother’s future health and reduce reliance on infant formula.

Today’s proclamation stresses the role of every Kansan to make breastfeeding easier in our state. The KBC State of Breastfeeding in Kansas 2024 report has action items and resources for individuals, employers, child care providers, healthcare professionals, and others to support breastfeeding.

Government, Kansas

KS DCF Denies USDA Data Request

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Kansas Department for Children and Families Protects Kansans’ Data, Denies USDA Data Request

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced in a July 30, 2025, letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that, at this time, the agency is denying the USDA’s demand for the release of personal information of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicants, recipients and members of their households.

The requested data would include sensitive personal information for any Kansan who lived in a household that applied for and/or received SNAP benefits from Jan. 1, 2020, to July 30, 2025. The data request includes, but is not limited to, names, social security numbers, dates of birth, and addresses. The purpose of the USDA demand is to create a federal database of SNAP participant information that may be disclosed to other federal, state and local agencies. In addition to personal data of Kansans, the data request includes retailer and business data documenting SNAP usage.

The USDA stated in its July 25, 2025, letter to state agency directors that state agencies must be compliant with the requirement to transmit this data to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) no later than July 30, 2025.

DCF is required by state and federal law to protect personal identifiable SNAP data except when strictly necessary for the administration of the SNAP program. In response to the USDA data request, states have filed suit, see California et al. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agriculture et al., Civ. Action No. 3:25-6310 (N.D. Cal.), to stop the forced production of this data. Releasing the requested information at this time could put DCF in the position of potential liability if a court finds that the USDA’s demand violates federal law.

“DCF is committed to the security of Kansans’ personal information and maintaining confidentiality consistent with state and federal law,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard. “This demand for personal information goes beyond the scope of administering the program and puts in jeopardy the privacy of hundreds of thousands of Kansans who depend on SNAP to put food on their tables.”

DCF will monitor the pending litigation and continue to administer and enforce SNAP in accordance with federal and state law.

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Fort Scott, Government

Fort Scott Awarded $1.5 Million for Hwy. 54 Improvements

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Governor Kelly Announces $25M for
Road Improvement Projects Across Kansas


TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced Tuesday $25 million for 30 projects to improve intersections and roads across the state. The projects were selected for funding through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) City Connecting Link Improvement Program (CCLIP).

“Enhancing the safety and accessibility of our local highways is made possible by grants through this essential program,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “In turn, these roadway improvements help bring in resources and improve connectivity in various regions of the state.”

CCLIP provides funds for cities to make improvements on city connecting links that are on state highways. Selected projects are funded for the state fiscal years 2027 and 2028 selection cycle.

Under CCLIP, cities with populations above 2,500 have local minimum contribution requirements, and cities with populations over 100,000 are required to have a 25% match. Local contributions significantly expanded the scope and total impact of the selected projects, bringing their combined value to over $39 million.

“The essence of the City Connecting Links program lies in the shared commitment between KDOT and our communities,” said Secretary of Transportation Calvin Reed. “It’s through this vital partnership that we can address both state and local transportation needs, fostering economic growth and connectivity across Kansas.”

Projects in this program may fall into one of three categories: Surface Preservation (SP), Pavement Restoration (PR), or Geometric Improvement (GI).

SP projects extend the life of the driving surface, such as overlays or joint repair, and are funded up to $400,000 per project. PR projects typically involve extensive pavement rehabilitation or full-depth pavement. GI projects focus on roadway geometrics that address safety, capacity, or operational needs, such as adding turn lanes or improving intersections. The PR and GI categories are funded up to $1.5 million per project.

The city, category, and amount awarded for each CCLIP project are below:

Region

City

Highway

Total Cost

CCLIP funds

Northeast

Emporia

U.S. 50

$890,000

$400,000

Northeast

Lawrence

U.S. 59

$1,600,000

$400,000

Northeast

Leavenworth

K-7

$1,350,000

$400,000

Northeast

Manhattan

K-18

$480,000

$400,000

Northeast

Osage City

K-31

$500,000

$400,000

North Central

Jewell

K-28

$1,300,000

$1,300,000

North Central

Lindsborg

K-4

$465,000

$400,000

North Central

Lindsborg

K-4

$465,000

$400,000

North Central

Marion

K-256

$1,500,000

$1,500,000

North Central

McPherson

U.S. 56

$3,300,000

$1,500,000

North Central

McPherson

U.S. 56

$3,300,000

$1,500,000

Northwest

Colby

K-25

$840,000

$400,000

Northwest

Downs

K-181

$1,500,000

$1,500,000

Northwest

Phillipsburg

U.S. 36

$430,000

$400,000

Northwest

Phillipsburg

U.S. 183

$430,000

$400,000

Southeast

Ft. Scott

U.S. 54

$2,152,000

$1,500,000

Southeast

Girard

K-7

$570,000

$400,000

Southeast

Madison

K-58

$1,500,000

$1,500,000

Southeast

Pittsburg

K-126

$1,500,000

$1,500,000

South Central

Augusta

U.S. 54

$1,334,000

$400,000

South Central

El Dorado

K-254

$1,170,000

$400,000

South Central

Kingman

U.S. 54

$1,590,000

$1,500,000

South Central

Larned

U.S. 156

$435,000

$400,000

South Central

Lyons

K-14

$744,000

$400,000

South Central

Newton

K-15

$1,100,000

$400,000

South Central

Pratt

U.S. 281

$450,000

$400,000

South Central

Winfield

U.S. 160

$720,000

$400,000

Southwest

Dodge City

U.S. 50

$4,500,000

$1,500,000

Southwest

Garden City

U.S. 50B

$1,765,000

$1,500,000

Southwest

Meade

K-23

$1,500,000

$1,500,000

Totals

$39,380,000

$25,000,000

Region

Number of Projects

CCLIP funds

Northeast

5

$2,000,000

North Central

6

$6,600,000

Northwest

4

$2,700,000

Southeast

4

$4,900,000

South Central

8

$4,300,000

Southwest

3

$4,500,000

TOTAL

30

$25,000,000


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Fort Scott, Government

FS Water Distribution Chlorine Burnout Starts July 28

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]
The City of Fort Scott Water Utility will be initiating a free chlorine burnout of the water distribution system starting Monday, July 28, 2025, and ending as soon as a free chlorine residual is established
throughout the entire system, approximately 2 (two) weeks.

This burnout is necessary maintenance of the water distribution system, which will help maintain State standards for disinfection residual levels and maintain the high quality of water that you have come to expect.

Occasionally, during this process, customers may temporarily experience low pressures, taste or odors, discolored water, or even some sediment in their water.

We do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Any questions, concerns, or comments are welcome.

Please contact the Water Treatment Plant at 223-5160 between 8:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. Monday
through Friday.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Government

Micheal Olkowski, Fort Scott, Arrested For Sex Offenses on July 23

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Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin confirmed that Michael Olkowski of Fort Scott is still in the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center as of 10 a.m. today.

Olkowski was arrested for sexual exploitation of a child on July 23 at 920 West Park Avenue, Fort Scott, and is being held without bail.

The following was taken from the Kansas Missing and Exploited Facebook page

Bourbon County, Government

Kansas Federal Disaster Declaration Includes Bourbon County

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President Trump Approves Request for
Major Presidential Disaster Declaration

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that President Donald Trump has granted her June 17 request for a federal disaster declaration for the state due to damages caused by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding during the period of May 18-19, 2025. Multiple counties sustained damage to utility infrastructure, roads, bridges, and some government-owned buildings.

“I thank President Trump for approving my request for federal disaster assistance,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The rural communities and small towns impacted by this severe weather are the heartbeat of our state. With these additional resources, my administration will continue our commitment to ensure these communities can rebuild and thrive.”

The declaration allows state and local levels of government, as well as certain private nonprofit organizations that provide vital and essential services, such as rural electric cooperatives, to apply for Public Assistance funds for emergency and permanent work for the repair or replacement of infrastructure damaged by the disaster.

The counties named in the declaration are Bourbon, Cheyenne, Edwards, Gove, Kiowa, Logan, Pratt, Reno, Scott, Sheridan, and Stafford counties.

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Advertisements, Bourbon County, Government

AD: The City of Uniontown is Searching for A City Clerk

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Uniontown City Hall and community building. 2023

 

Would you like to make an impact in your community while broadening your skill set, connecting with people, working close to home, and receiving good pay & great benefits?

As Uniontown City Clerk/Municipal Court Clerk you can do all this and more!  This is a 40 hours per week position with above average wage and benefits, including:                        

  • Paid Time Off: 10 Holidays, PTO, & More
  • Retirement Plan: participate in KPERS (Kansas Public Employees Retirement System)
  • Health & Life Insurance available
  • Wage Scale: $18.00/hour or negotiable depending upon experience

 

Personal Requirements:

  • You must be a Motivated, Self-Starter
  • High Attention to Detail
  • Basic Computer, Accounting, and Secretarial Skills
  • Ability to Maintain Professionalism, Confidentiality, and Discretion
  • Live Within 10 Miles of Uniontown
  • Valid Driver’s License & Pass Pre-Employment Drug Screen

The Clerk position entails performing all duties as defined by Kansas State Statute and City Ordinances:  receive and disperse monetary funds and maintain financial records; complete various administrative reports; grant applications & administration; prepare, mail and apply payments of monthly customer utility billing; assist residents via phone or walk-in; attend and record minutes of all city council meetings, write monthly community newsletter; maintain city website; other duties as required (a more detailed job description and list of duties available upon application).

Apply in person at Uniontown City Hall, call 620-756-4742, or submit your resume via email to [email protected] .  Applications accepted until Noon, August 7, 2025.

 

Government

Congressman Derek Schmidt Newsletter

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Rep. Derek Schmidt's header image

Friends,

 

Last week, our House Armed Services Committee passed our annual legislative package to authorize funding for every aspect of our military. This year’s bill is truly transformational: it modernizes and streamlines our entire military, making our nation’s heroes more lethal and making our country more secure.

 

We also enacted a rescissions package to recover billions of taxpayer dollars, I worked with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to secure additional disaster funding for our state, and I hosted another full slate of Kansas visitors.

Achieving Peace Through Strength

Last week, our House Armed Services Committee passed the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery (SPEED) and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (NDAA). This year’s bill overhauls the Department of Defense’s (DoD) acquisition process, allowing our Armed Forces to quickly and effectively adapt to a constantly shifting global battlefield.

 

After working closely with the Trump Administration for months, our committee advanced a FY ’26 NDAA that will make our military more lethal, improve our servicemembers’ quality of life, and ensure the DoD is always ready to respond to any threat.

This bill contains huge wins for our servicemembers and their families, including a 3.8% pay increase for military personnel, extension of in-home child care programs for military families, and expansion of TRICARE dental insurance to reservists.

 

I was proudly able to secure numerous wins in the bill, including:

 

  • Protection against downsizing of Department of Defense (DoD) medical facilities in Kansas and across the country, including Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley;
  • Preservation of the National Simulation Center at Fort Leavenworth;
  • Establishment of a pilot program to evaluate the efficacy of experimental burn and blast treatments for wounded personnel;
  • Prohibition of bans on fossil fuels and plastic bags at DoD facilities to ensure optimal services are available;
  • Increased restroom facility access for DoD-contracted truck and transportation drivers;
  • Encouragement to identify and develop expanded training and maneuver space for Army drone programs, and;
  • Formation of a new DoD program to streamline the application process for small businesses interested in contracting with the U.S. Military.

 

There were also multiple provisions in the bill I strongly support and cosponsored, including:

 

  • Institution of a 3.8% pay raise for all military personnel;
  • Preventing deactivation of Army Reserve helicopter units, including the Aviation Support Facility at New Century;
  • Prevention of the cancellation of the Air Force’s E-7 Wedgetail aircraft acquisition, protecting Kansas jobs;
  • Streamlined credentialing of military healthcare professionals;
  • Increased access to school-transition information for military families prior to relocation, and;
  • Improved retention of quality Army and Air Force National Guard officers by eliminating a penalty for breaks in service.

 

Enhancing global peace through strength is one of my top priorities in Congress, and this bill takes a significant step toward achieving that goal. I’m proud our Committee was able to work together on this critical legislation and advance it by a very bipartisan vote of 55-2. I look forward to voting for it on the House Floor later this year!

Additional Disaster Resources for Kansans

Several months ago, President Trump approved Kansas’s request for a federal disaster declaration following March’s severe storms that claimed the lives of at least 32 people across our region. You may recall this was the storm system that resulted in the total loss of the Yates Center nursing facility and a 70+ car pileup in western Kansas.

 

Last week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced additional resources available to Kansans as we continue to recover and rebuild from this storm system. These resources include a temporary pause of foreclosures on Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages, the availability of FHA mortgage insurance to Kansans whose homes were severely damaged or destroyed, and HUD financing for both mortgages and home rehabilitation.

 

I’m grateful for the Trump Administration’s continued assistance; the federal disaster relief Kansas received following March’s storms was critical. I will continue to work to ensure Kansans have the resources needed to rebuild and recover . If you’re a Kansan in the Second District who was affected by March’s storms and need help with HUD – or any other federal agency – please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office.

Recovering Taxpayer Dollars

Last week, I voted to claw back more than $9 billion in taxpayer funds. After the House initially passed this recessions package last month, the Senate made slight adjustments, requiring us to pass the amended legislation before it could be enacted.

 

Here are just a few examples of funding we recovered:

 

  • $1 million for voter ID in Haiti;
  • $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street;
  • $6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico;
  • $500,000 for electric busses in Rwanda, and;
  • $8,000 for promoting vegan food in Zambia.

 

The vast majority of these taxpayer dollars we recovered were earmarked to be spent on ridiculous items like these, which provide zero benefit to Kansans. We also recouped public broadcasting money, which simply cannot be a spending priority under our current financial circumstances.

 

Our nation is more than $37 trillion in debt. Stopping unnecessary spending identified by the Trump Administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a critical first step in solving our nation’s debt crisis and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. If Congress fails to codify the DOGE cuts, they can be easily put back by a future administration who doesn’t share our commitment to fiscal responsibility.

Weekly Visitors

Thank you to Kansans with the Tomorrow’s Agribusiness Leaders Program, the American Veterinary Medical Association, National Council of Farmers Cooperatives, Kansas Grain Sorghum, the Kansas Motor Carriers Association, Kansas Soybean Association, Kansas Farm Bureau President Joe Newland, and Kansas Corn for visiting me in Washington!

I’m back in Washington this week, where we’ll vote on measures to undo more of the Biden Administration’s overregulation and pass additional border security legislation. Sunday marked six months of President Trump’s second term in office. The first six months have been a resounding success; however, Congress must keep our foot on the pedal and continue to enact the President’s executive orders if we expect to see lasting change.
Government, Kansas, Youth

KS Modernizes Child Welfare System

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DCF Announces Contracts Awarded to Modernize State’s Child Welfare System

New System Will Help Agency Work More Efficiently, Effectively

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced on July 22, 2025, three contracts have been awarded for the department’s new Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS). The CCWIS project will modernize DCF’s child welfare information systems and develop interfaces between the various agencies serving DCF’s Prevention and Protection Services (PPS) and Adult Protective Services (APS) programs.

Many states are pursuing CCWIS projects. Kansas’ CCWIS project will consolidate the functions of the agency’s multiple legacy information systems – most of which are based on 20th century technology – into a single, integrated solution that is flexible and collaborative, streamlining work processes and services for employees, partnering agencies, and clients.

The three new contracts joining the DCF project team include: Design, development, and implementation (DDI); independent verification and validation (IV&V); and quality assurance (QA). The three selected vendors will work with the DCF CCWIS project team to develop and implement the new system.

Design, Development, and Implementation Contract
The DDI contract is the largest contract for the project. This contractor will work alongside DCF staff to develop and roll out the new system. Eleven bids were received for the DDI RFP. RedMane Technology LLC, a Chicago-based software solutions and systems integration company, was selected during the competitive bid process and has been awarded a $44 million contract to design, develop, and implement the department’s CCWIS.

Since 2000, RedMane has created software solutions to help health and human services organizations implement, modernize, and optimize systems for child welfare, child support, and critical case management.

Independent Verification and Validation Contract
Maximus US Services, Inc. has been selected as the IV&V vendor. Maximus brings 23 years of experience, providing IV&V and real-time objective assessment services to the CCWIS project as well as independent oversight of the DDI contractor’s project performance and adherence to schedules and scope of work. The contract award amount is $2,192,200.

Quality Assurance Contract
CSG Government Solutions, headquartered in Chicago, has been selected as the Quality Assurance (QA) vendor for DCF’s CCWIS project. The CSG team offers 25 years of experience delivering quality assurance services for complex health and human services agencies across the country, including multiple active CCWIS projects.

Under the awarded contract valued at $4,745,760, CSG will provide quality analysis of the project’s output, validate system functionality, and ensure Kansas receives the system as contracted.

“A modern and adaptable information technology infrastructure system will help our employees and partners seamlessly work together to better serve Kansans,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard. “We’re happy to be working with RedMane, Maximus, and CSG to bring the information technology side of Kansas’ child welfare system into the 21st century.”

Benefits of a CCWIS
The new CCWIS will replace multiple older systems, eliminating redundancy and standardizing practice and service delivery statewide. The CCWIS solution will better support key child welfare functions such as management of client files, intake functions, ongoing case management, visitation report entries, court record production, comprehensive reporting, and decision support processing.

Other key benefits may include:

  • Improved interfaces with Title IV-A (TANF), Title IV-D (Child Support Enforcement), Title XIX (Medicaid), and the State’s financial and administrative systems;
  • Better data sharing with key community partners, including courts, schools, law enforcement, and other state agencies;
  • Data accuracy and timeliness.

Once implemented, the CCWIS solution will be fully compliant with the CCWIS Final Rule and subsequent communications by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

“This project aligns with our mission to protect children and promote healthy families by transforming our dated child welfare information technology systems into a modern, adaptable ecosystem that will provide the right services and supports needed to help support the well-being of Kansas children and families,” Howard said.

Process and Funding
DCF has spent the past few years planning for the new CCWIS. The project is expected to cost a total of $100 million over the estimated four-year development period. Approximately 50% of the total cost will come from the State General Fund and 50% from Federal IV-E funds.

During the 2024 Legislative session, Governor Laura Kelly requested, and the Kansas Legislature approved, an enhancement request for an additional $17 million per year for four years starting in FY2025. This $68 million of additional funding, along with $32 million from the base budget, will provide $100 million over the next four years to finish the development. The total cost includes contracts for DDI, QA, and IV&V vendors as well as costs for internal salaries, staffing contractors, travel, training, and other required contracts.

Timeline
Project initiation is anticipated to begin immediately now that all contracted partners have been approved by ACF and the State of Kansas. The DDI contract, the centerpiece of the project, is for four base years and includes three optional 36-month renewals.

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