July 13, 2026

It’s a sign of the season – political campaigning and the posting of campaign signs. The Kansas Department of Transportation reminds the public that all political campaign signs or billboards are prohibited from being placed on state highway right of way.

By law, all right of way on state highways is exclusively for public highway purposes. Only regulatory, guide signs and warning signs placed by KDOT are allowed on the 9,500-mile state highway system. KDOT has jurisdiction over all interstate, Kansas and U.S. routes.

When KDOT maintenance crews find political signs on state highway right of way, the signs will be removed without notice. All such signs will then be taken to the closest KDOT Subarea office. Political campaign signs not retrieved from the Subarea offices will be disposed of after the election.

Political campaign advertising is allowed on private property bordering state right of way. However, people placing or erecting signs on private property must first obtain permission from the property owner.

A state law passed in 2015 related to placement of campaign signs on city- or county-owned right of way does not apply to state highway right of way. Persons placing signs on city street or county road right of way should consult the local jurisdiction on any rules.

PRATT – Hunters looking for unique opportunities on public and private lands across Kansas can apply for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ Special Hunts program in July. The program offers more than 400 limited-access hunting opportunities throughout the fall and winter, providing access to areas that are not typically open to hunting or are managed to provide high-quality hunting experiences.

The Special Hunts program includes opportunities for deer, upland game, waterfowl, dove, turkey, and furbearers on select public lands, private lands, and wildlife areas across the state. While participation in the program is free, hunters must obtain all applicable hunting licenses, permits, tags, and stamps as required by Kansas law.

Applications for all fall and winter Special Hunts will be accepted July 1–31, 2026. Hunts can be viewed and applications submitted at ksoutdoors.gov/special-hunts. Successful applicants will be selected by a random draw with notification emails sent in mid-August.

Resident and nonresident hunters may apply, though some hunts are restricted to Kansas residents only. When applying online, hunters will select hunts by species, date, and one of four hunt type categories: Open, Youth, Mentor, or Disabled.

• Open Hunts are available to all applicants with no age or experience restrictions.
• Youth Hunts require each hunting party to include at least one hunter age 16 or younger, accompanied by a non-hunting adult age 18 or older. Some hunts have more specific age requirements.
• Mentor Hunts are designed for youth and novice hunters supervised by a licensed adult mentor age 18 or older. Both the novice and mentor can hunt, unless otherwise specified.
• Disabled Hunts are intended for hunters with disabilities. Applicants must have a valid Disabled Identification Card issued by the Kansas Department of Revenue for disabled parking privileges. Some hunts may have specific eligibility requirements.

Applicants are responsible for meeting all eligibility requirements and obtaining any required licenses, permits, tags, or stamps before participating. Hunter Education certification is required unless exempt by Kansas law. Nonresident hunters applying for deer Special Hunts must have successfully drawn the appropriate Kansas deer permit to participate in deer hunts.

For complete program information, hunt listings, eligibility requirements, and to apply, visit ksoutdoors.gov/special-hunts.

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.

TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the Kansas Community Empowerment (KCE) program is accepting new member applications from Kansas communities. KCE supports locally driven projects that strengthen quality of place, volunteer engagement and long-term community vibrancy. The enrollment period will close August 31.

Backed by the Kansas Department of Commerce, the program provides tools, training and funding that help local leaders turn great ideas into lasting impact.

“Kansas communities are full of character, history and charm — and those qualities aren’t just a point of pride, they’re an economic asset,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Any project — big or small — can turn charm into growth, and that’s exactly what this partnership with the state is designed to do.”

There are three participation tiers applicants can choose from: Communities of Growth, Communities of Action and Communities of Excellence. Communities select what they believe is the best fit for their goals, capacity and preferred level of involvement. For information about each tier, click here.

Admission into the KCE program provides eligibility for both Kickstart and Impact grants. Kickstart grants are designed to build momentum and capacity through smaller, community-driven projects, where Impact grants are meant to support larger, long-term investments.

For the 2026-2027 cycle, the total amount of available funding for the Kickstart grant is $40,000. Application reviews take place monthly. Funding is limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

For this period of funding, the Impact Grant will have $60,000 in total with $30,000 available for each round. The first round was awarded in May, and the final round will be announced in December.

The grants are administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce and funded in part by the Patterson Family Foundation, the Kansas Health Foundation, the Sunflower Foundation and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.

“The Kansas Community Empowerment program is ideal for any sized, rural Kansas community,” Assistant Secretary of Quality Places Matt Godinez said. “With the learning opportunities and funding resources this program offers, you can make extraordinary things happen in your community.”

Enrolled communities will participate in monthly check-ins, quarterly training courses and optional pop-up events. This year, communities will attend the inaugural awards banquet, coinciding with a Legislative Day on the Hill. During these events, organizations and communities are encouraged to speak to their legislators about the importance of community development and in turn be recognized for their work.

“KCE’s new chapter with Commerce will help continue to grow our vision of creating more vibrant communities with a positive future,” KCE Board President Doug Helmke said.

Applications must be submitted through the Kansas Community Empowerment online application system.

Communities that have already enrolled in KCE do not need to enroll again unless there is a change in tier status. Questions regarding enrollment applications or funding should be directed to the KCE team at [email protected].

For application details, eligibility requirements and webinar information, visit the Kansas Community Empowerment webpage or contact Matthew Morrison at [email protected].