Category Archives: Kansas

Government, Kansas

Ks Dept. of Agriculture Announces Photo Contest

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MANHATTAN, Kansas — The beauty of Kansas agriculture can’t be captured by a camera, but we encourage you to try in the annual Kansas Department of Agriculture Photo Contest. KDA is now accepting photo entries, and will continue accepting entries through August 16.

This year’s KDA Photo Contest categories were selected to celebrate the hard work that happens all year long in Kansas agriculture by recognizing the seasons: Spring into the Fields, Life in the Summer, Fall on the Farm, and Winter at Work. These categories allow you to showcase Kansas agriculture in many ways — from spring planting through fall harvest, from the intense heat of summer to the bitter cold of winter. As always, there is a separate Youth division, for young photographers age 18 and under. And a video category will welcome drone footage, harvest videos, or other short clips of under 30 seconds that showcase Kansas agriculture. Prizes will be awarded to the top two winners in each of the six categories.

KDA serves to advocate for agriculture, the state’s largest industry and economic driver. Photos which best capture the categories will be used throughout the year as we tell the story of Kansas agriculture. After submission, KDA is granted permission to use any photograph for publications, social media, websites, displays, etc. without payment or other consideration from the photographer.

Photo entries should be sent in .jpg format to [email protected]. Videos should be sent in .mp4 or .mov format. Entries must include a title and brief description, where and when the photo/video was taken, the photographer’s full name and age, entry category, hometown, and email address.

Guidelines for the KDA Photo Contest, including deadlines, categories and prizes, can be found at agriculture.ks.gov/PhotoContest. Voting to select finalists will begin on KDA’s social media sites in mid-August. For more information, contact Heather Lansdowne, KDA director of communications, at [email protected] or 785-564-6706.

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Entries Now Open for KDA Photo Contest.pdf
Government, Kansas

KDOT Requests Comment on Statewide Transportation

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The Kansas Department of Transportation requests comments on an amendment to the Federal Fiscal Year 2026-2029 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) document.

The STIP is a project specific publication that lists all KDOT administered projects, regardless of funding source, and includes projects for counties and cities as well as projects on the State Highway System. The list of projects being amended to the STIP can be viewed at ksdot.gov/about/publications-and-reports/state-transportation-improvement-program-stip.

The approval of the STIP amendment requires a public comment period, which concludes July 9. To make comments on the amendment, contact KDOT’s Division of Program and Project Management at 785-296-2252.

This information is available in alternative accessible formats. To obtain an alternative format, contact the KDOT Division of Communications, 785-296-3585 (Voice/Hearing Impaired-711).

 

Kansas

K-146 West of Walnut to Close June 30

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K-146 west of Walnut to close June 30

WALNUT – K-146 west of Walnut will be closed on Tuesday, June 30, so a Kansas Department of Transportation crew can replace drainage pipes under the highway.

KDOT will close K-146 to through traffic from U.S. 59 east to the Neosho/Crawford county line for the day, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., conditions permitting. The drainpipes to be replaced are about 1.5 miles west of the Neosho/Crawford county line. Motorists should find an appropriate alternative route during this time.

KDOT urges motorists to stay alert and follow posted signs in all work zones. Check KDOT’s updated traveler information website, www.Kandrive.gov, for more highway condition and construction details. For updates on construction projects in southeast Kansas, visit ksdot.gov/southeastnews.

Contact: Ray Nolting | [email protected] | 620-902-6433

Jobs, Kansas

June 25: Explore Kansas Careers

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Commerce Invites Jobseekers to Explore New Careers at Upcoming Job Fair

TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland encourages jobseekers and employers searching for available talent to take part in this month’s Virtual Statewide Job Fair, hosted by KANSASWORKS, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday, June 25.

“Summer is in full effect — and this season is all about new adventures and new experiences. If you’re looking for a new career, now is the perfect time,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Whether you’re exploring opportunities or looking for your first job, Kansas employers are looking for the next best candidate — and one of them could be you.”

The Virtual Job Fair format allows anyone searching for a new job to fill out applications, chat live and interview virtually with participating employers.

This month’s Virtual Statewide Job Fair portal features helpful information such as a jobseeker training video, a list of participating employers and channels for attendees to register and log in. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as they might be asked to engage in an interview.

Candidates can participate through any digital device. Any individual with a disability may request accommodation by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.

Registration is required to participate in virtual job fairs, regardless of previous participation. To register, click here.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.

About KANSASWORKS:

KANSASWORKS links businesses, job candidates and educational institutions to ensure that employers can find skilled workers. Services are provided to employers and job candidates through the state’s 27 workforce centers, online or virtual services. KANSASWORKS is completely free for all Kansans to use. Learn more at KANSASWORKS.com. State employment opportunities can be found at jobs.ks.gov.

Government, Kansas

KS Attorney General Opposes Clemency Requests For Death Row Inmates

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Kobach strongly opposes clemency for Kansas death row inmates, urges Gov. Kelly to reject requests and uphold jury verdicts

WICHITA – (June 9, 2026) – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach today voiced strong opposition to clemency requests filed by nearly all of Kansas’s death row inmates. At a press conference today flanked by law enforcement, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett and victim family members, Kobach called on Governor Laura Kelly to reject the petitions and respect the jury verdicts that imposed the ultimate punishment for these heinous crimes.

“These clemency requests are an outrage to the victims of these killers and all Kansans. A jury sentenced them to death. I urge Gov. Kelly to reject clemency and deliver long-overdue justice for the families. As attorney general, I support the death penalty and oppose any effort to set aside the jurors’ decisions to impose this penalty,” Kobach said.

Between May 1 and May 30, eight of the nine individuals on Kansas’s death row initiated formal clemency proceedings. There is a limited window for the public to provide comment.

Kansas employs one of the highest standards in the nation for imposing a capital sentence. Every death row inmate seeking clemency was convicted and sentenced by a jury, upheld by a judge, and affirmed through multiple layers of appellate review. The state has not carried out an execution since 1965, underscoring the deliberate and painstaking nature of the process.

These cases represent some of the most brutal crimes in Kansas history, claiming the lives of students, law enforcement officers, mothers, fathers, teachers, and children including:

·       Carrie Williams, a 20-year-old Pittsburg State University student

·       Miki Martinez, a 19-year-old mother from Great Bend

·       Darren Wornkey, a 24-year-old father from Great Bend

·       Matt Samuels, a hero and the Sheriff of Greenwood County, Kansas

·       Jason Befort, originally from Pratt, a teacher and coach from Augusta

·       Brad Heyka, 27, originally from Dodge City, he worked at Koch Industries

·       Heather Muller, a preschool teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School

·       Aaron Sander, a 29-year-old who was studying to become a priest

·       Ann Walenta, a gifted cellist and member of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra

·       Dorothy Wight, a mother and grandmother from Burlingame

·       Karen Kahler, a mother and homemaker from Burlingame

·       Emily Kahler, an 18-year-old freshman studying at St. Louis College of Pharmacy

·       Lauren Kahler, a 16-year-old who played tennis and bass guitar in a rock band

·       Jodi Sanderholm, a 19-year-old dancer from Arkansas City

·       Kaylie Bailey, a 21-year-old mother from Ottawa

·       Lana Bailey, an 18-month-old toddler beloved by her family

·       Andrew Stout, a 30-year-old who loved frisbee golf and Mario Brothers

·       Steven White, a 31-year-old

·       Suzette Trouten, a 27-year-old nursing student

·       Izabela Lewicka, a 20-year-old born in Poland, studying at Purdue University

·       Lisa Stasi, a 20-year-old mother originally from Alabama

·       Beverly Bonner, a 49-year-old prison librarian

·       Sheila Faith, a 45-year-old mother

·       Debbie Lynn Faith, a 15-year-old daughter

“Granting clemency to multiple death row inmates — particularly in the final weeks of a gubernatorial term and based on personal opposition to the death penalty — would substitute one person’s policy preference for the considered judgment of juries, judges, and appellate courts,” Kobach emphasized. “Kansas law enforcement asks Governor Kelly to honor the verdicts of the juries, the families of the victims who have waited decades for finality, and the men and women in law enforcement whose safety depends on the strong message this state sends about the consequences of the most serious crimes. As the maxim holds: mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent. The victims and their families deserve justice.”

Letters opposing clemency may be sent to the Prison Review Board at 714 SW Jackson, Ste. 300, Topeka, KS 66603, or emailed to KDOC_Victim_Notification@ks.gov (mailto:_Victim_Notification@ks.gov). Comments may also be directed to Governor Laura Kelly at the Kansas Statehouse, 300 SW 10th Ave., Ste. 241S, Topeka, KS 66612, or by phone at 785-296-3232 or 785-368-8500.

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Government, Kansas

KS Tax Collections Above Estimates

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May Total Tax Collections at $703.8 Million;
6.4% Above Estimate


TOPEKA – The State of Kansas ends May 2026 with total tax collections at $703.8 million. That is $42.5 million, or 6.4%, above the estimate. Total tax collections were up 7.0% from May 2025.

Individual income tax collections were $367.7 million. That is $52.7 million, or 16.7% above the estimate. Individual income tax collections were up 16.8% from May 2025. Corporate income tax collections were $16.2 million. That is $8.8 million, or 35.2% below the estimate, and down 44.4% from May 2025.

“While total May tax collections were in line with projections, Kansas continues to see corporate income tax collections miss the mark,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “In the years and months ahead, we must continue to prioritize fiscal responsibility to ensure Kansas remains financially sound.”

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $290.9 million, which is $896,104, or 0.3%, above the estimate, and up 3.1% from May 2025.

Click here to view the May 2026 revenue numbers.

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Government, Kansas

Volunteers Needed to Help Track Kansas Bumble Bees

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PRATT–The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is seeking volunteers to help protect Kansas bumble bees for the fifth year of the Great Plains Bumble Bee Atlas. The Bumble Bee Atlas is a community‑science project that trains volunteers to survey and document bumble bees and their habitats across the Great Plains.

With pollinator declines accelerating, the Bumble Bee Atlas gives people a way to take action conserving bumble bees. Training is available for anyone interested in getting involved.

The Bumble Bee Atlas is a nationwide effort spanning 21 states, where trained community scientists help researchers document bumble bees and the habitats they use. The data collected helps researchers, state and federal agencies, and policymakers better support these important pollinators.

Over the past four summers, Kansas participants have identified six bumble bee species, two of which are considered at risk of extinction. Since 2022, participants have recorded 2,300 bumble bees and conducted 263 surveys across the state.

This year, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and KDWP will host both online and in-person training events in May and June. The goal this summer is to survey unsampled areas in Kansas, particularly prairie habitat in the western part of the state.

“All you need to become a volunteer is an interest in pollinators and the ability to spare a couple of weekends between June and September,” said Katie Lamke, a conservation biologist for the Xerces Society. “We especially need volunteers who want to explore sparsely populated areas like the western prairies, where we have less information about bumble bees.”

To learn how to do bumble bee surveys, volunteers can watch the most recently recorded online training, review the project handbook, and attend one of the in-person training sessions. The in-person sessions provide hands-on experience with the project methods, including swinging a net and photographing bumble bees.

The two in-person training events will be held on June 6 at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and on June 7 at the Sandsage Bison Range Wildlife Area.  The events are free, but preregistration is required. Visit BumbleBeeAtlas.org/pages/events to register.  Participants are encouraged to view the recorded online training webinar, available on the Xerces Society’s YouTube page, before attending an in-person training session.

“We are excited that the Great Plains Bumble Bee Atlas is continuing in Kansas for the next two years,” said Diedre Kramer, wildlife diversity coordinator for KDWP.  “This is a great opportunity for volunteers to get out and appreciate the wild spaces we have in Kansas while also providing valuable information that will help inform conservation efforts in the future.”

To stay informed about the progress of the Bumble Bee Atlas, sign up for the mailing list and connect on Facebook and Instagram (@bumblebeeatlas).  For more information about the Great Plains Bumble Bee Atlas project, visit https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/great-plains.

This project has been financed, in part, through the State Wildlife Grant Program under Grant #F25AF00897 from the Fish and Wildlife Service, a division of the United States Department of the Interior, which is administered by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

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About the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

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.

About the Xerces Society

The Xerces Society is a nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. Established in 1971, the Society is a trusted source for science-based information and advice. We collaborate with people and institutions at all levels and our work to protect pollinators encompasses all landscapes. Our team draws together experts from the fields of habitat restoration, entomology, plant ecology, education, farming and conservation biology with a single focus: Protecting the life that sustains us.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.xerces.org or follow us @xercessociety on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Available for Interview:

Katie Lamke, Conservation Biologist, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation (402) 256-5252
[email protected]

Diedre Kramer, Wildlife Diversity Coordinator, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; (620) 672-0792; [email protected]

Government, Kansas

KS Governor Appeals Trump Administrations Deployment of KS National Guard

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Governor Kelly Joins Multistate Coalition Urging Court to Uphold Block on Unlawful National Guard Deployment in Washington, D.C.


TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly on Tuesday joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general and 2 governors in filing an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, urging the court to deny the Trump administration’s appeal and uphold a lower court’s ruling blocking the unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.

“I have previously stood against infringement of the nation’s governors’ authority to command their National Guards, and I join this brief to preserve the purpose of the National Guard,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Deploying the National Guard to serve as a domestic police force undermines fundamental tenets of our democracy and pulls National Guard servicemembers away from their primary responsibilities to their states and their communities.”

Governor Kelly and the coalition argue that the deployment undermines the sovereignty of states and local jurisdictions and threatens the foundational principle of American democracy that the military must remain under civilian control.

Courts have repeatedly rejected the administration’s deployments in American cities, and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to deploy the National Guard in Illinois. Yet the President continues the deployment in Washington, D.C. and has stated his intent to send troops to more American cities, “one by one.” Continuing this deployment in defiance of those rulings poses an ongoing threat to civilian authority and democratic governance.

The brief documents serious harm in states that have already experienced these deployments, including disrupted law enforcement operations, economic damage to local communities, diverted National Guard resources, and increased civil unrest.

The coalition urges the D.C. Circuit to uphold the district court’s ruling and affirm that the President does not have the authority to deploy the National Guard as a domestic police force.

Governor Kelly is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as the offices of the Governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania in filing the brief.

A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.

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Government, Kansas

KS Supreme Court Nominees Sent to Governor

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TOPEKA — The Supreme Court Nominating Commission today voted on the names of three nominees for Supreme Court justice to send to Governor Laura Kelly.

A letter from the nominating commission chair will be hand-delivered to the governor’s office during regular business hours to formally notify her of the commission’s selection.

Its delivery will begin the 60-day timeline the governor has to decide which of the three nominees she will appoint to fill a Kansas Supreme Court vacancy that was created when Justice Marla Luckert retired March 28.

The three nominees are:

Carl Folsom

Folsom has been a district judge in Douglas County District Court since 2022. He previously was an assistant federal public defender for both the Federal Public Defender Offices for the District of Kansas and for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma, a partner with the Bell Folsom law firm, and appellate defender with the Kansas Appellate Defender’s Office. He graduated from the University of Kansas and the University of Kansas School of Law. He lives in Lawrence.

K. Christopher Jayaram

Jayaram has been a district judge in Johnson County District Court since 2021. He previously was a lawyer with the Horn Aylward & Bandy and Smith Free Heald & Chock law firms. He graduated from the University of Kansas and the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College. He lives in Lenexa.

Robert Wonnell

Wonnell has been a district judge in Johnson County District Court since 2015. He previously was a lawyer with the McAnany, Van Cleave and Phillips law firm. He graduated from Phillips University and the University of Kansas School of Law. He lives in Olathe.

Public interviews

The commission interviewed seven applicants in the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka before narrowing the list of nominees to three through successive rounds of voting. All interviews and voting were open to the public and livestreamed on YouTube.

Recordings of the commission meeting, interviews, and voting are archived on YouTube at youtube.com/@KansasJudicialBranch.

Merit-based selection process

Justices are appointed to the Supreme Court through a merit-based nomination process that Kansans voted to add to the Kansas Constitution in 1958. The process involves the Supreme Court Nominating Commission, which reviews nominees, and the governor, who makes the appointment.

When there is a vacancy on the court, the Supreme Court Nominating Commission reviews applications and conducts public interviews of nominees. The commission narrows the nominee pool to three names that it sends to the governor. The governor chooses one nominee to appoint.

Eligibility requirements

To be considered for this vacancy, a nominee must be:

  • at least 30 years old; and
  • a lawyer admitted to practice in Kansas and engaged in the practice of law for at least 10 years, whether as a lawyer, judge, or full-time teacher at an accredited law school.

Selection criteria

When the Supreme Court Nominating Commission reviews nominees for justice, they look at the person’s:

  • legal and judicial experience
  • educational background
  • character and ethics
  • temperament
  • service to the community
  • impartiality
  • respect of colleagues

Judicial conduct

Justices must follow the law and not be influenced by politics, special interest groups, public opinion, or their own personal beliefs.

Justices demonstrate their accountability by following a Code of Judicial Conduct that establishes standards of ethical behavior. They also take an oath of office that includes swearing to support, protect, and defend the U.S. Constitution and Kansas Constitution.

Retention elections

After a new justice serves one year on the court, he or she must stand for a retention vote in the next general election to remain in the position. If retained, the justice serves a six-year term.

Supreme Court Nominating Commission

The Supreme Court Nominating Commission is an independent body created by the Kansas Constitution.

Four of the commission’s members are appointed by the governor representing each of the state’s congressional districts. These appointees are not attorneys. Four other members are attorneys elected by attorneys within their congressional district. The commission chair is an attorney elected by attorneys in a statewide vote.

Commission members are: Terrence Campbell, chair, and Diane Oakes, Lawrence; Robert Frederick, Lakin; Jennifer M. Cocking, Emporia; Frances Gorman Graves, Bartlett; Katie McClaflin, Overland Park; Carol Marinovich, Kansas City; and Rachael Pirner and Ebony Clemons, Wichita.

Kansas

Kansas Reservoir Protection Initiative Now Accepting Applications

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Lands eligible for assistance to enhance reservoir sedimentation reduction

The Kansas Water Office and Director Connie Owen, in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Environment, announced that applications are now being accepted for the Kansas Reservoir Protection Initiative (KPRI).

The application period for this initial round of funding will be accepted starting June 1, 2026 through the close of business on July 3, 2026.

This program provides financial assistance to landowners in priority watersheds to implement conservation practices that enhance sediment-reducing efforts above federal reservoirs where water supply storage is impacted by reservoir sedimentation.

This year, the initiative covers Tuttle Creek, Fall River, John Redmond, Hillsdale, Perry, Pomona, Kanopolis, Cheney, Elk City, and Big Hill reservoirs.

Eligible lands include those located in targeted sub-watershed portions of Atchison, Barton, Brown, Butler, Chase, Clay, Coffey, Douglas, Elk, Ellsworth, Franklin, Greenwood, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kingman, Labette, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Miami, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Republic, Riley, Russell, Stafford, Washington, and Wabaunsee counties.

Landowners interested in participating can contact their local county conservation district or Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) Coordinator to apply. Many sediment-reducing conservation practices are eligible through this initiative, however, projects focusing on large gully repair and soil health practices such as reduced tillage and cover crops are highly encouraged. It is not guaranteed that adequate funding will be available to provide financial assistance to all eligible applications.

“Funding through the Kansas Reservoir Protection Initiative provides an opportunity for producers above some of our key federal reservoirs to improve the productivity and health of their lands while also providing benefits to downstream water resources,” said Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office. “Focusing on these watershed helps manage the sediment entering Kansas reservoirs.”

Governor Laura Kelly and the 2026 Kansas Legislature supported funding for KPRI to address priority water resource issues and projects recommended by the Kansas Water Authority.

Under the Kansas Reservoir Protection Initiative, the Kansas Water Office, Kansas Department of Agriculture – Division of Conservation, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment as well as the participating Regional Advisory Committees collaborate with local Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) projects and local county conservation districts to identify priority projects for funding which yield the greatest sediment reduction per state dollar invested.

For additional information, please visit kwo.ks.gov/projects/kansas-reservoir-protection-initiative.

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As the state’s water office, the KWO conducts water planning, policy coordination and water marketing as well as facilitates public input throughout the state.

The agency prepares the Kansas Water Plan, a plan for water resources development, management and conservation. KWO in coordination with the Kansas Water Authority also reviews all water laws and makes recommendations to the Governor and Legislature for needed legislation.