From Mr. Kimble, Fort Scott High School Principal:
TOPEKA – The Cold Weather Rule ends on Friday, March 31. That means Kansans who are behind on electric and natural gas utility bills will be subject to disconnection of service unless they contact their utility company to make payment arrangements. March 31 is also the last day to apply for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program or LIEAP, a federally funded program administered by the Kansas Department of Children and Families. LIEAP applications must be received by the Kansas DCF office by 5 p.m. on Friday. The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) urges all customers facing financial difficulties to act now to stay connected.
The Cold Weather Rule, in effect from November 1 through March 31, provides protection from disconnection to residential customers served by utilities regulated by the KCC when temperatures are forecast to drop below 35 degrees within the following 48-hour period. When the rule is in effect, regulated utilities are also required to offer a Cold Weather 12-month payment plan upon request, even if a previous payment plan has been broken.
When that protection ends on Friday, failure to make arrangements or failure to adhere to an already established payment plan could result in disconnection. Reconnection after March 31 may require past due balances be paid in full, depending on the utility’s policy. That is why it is important to call now – while regulated utilities are still required to offer the Cold Weather Rule 12-month payment plan.
The Cold Weather Rule 12-month payment plans require an initial payment of 1/12 of the overdue amount, 1/12 of the bill for current service, the full amount of any disconnection or reconnection fees, plus any applicable deposit owed to the utility. The balance is billed in equal payments over the next 11 months in addition to the regular monthly bill.
It is important to note that the KCC does not regulate co-ops or municipal utilities, although many of those utilities also offer a cold weather payment plan. For a complete list of utilities regulated by the KCC visit: http://kcc.ks.gov/
To find out more about utility assistance programs in your area, please contact your utility or the KCC Consumer Protection Office at 800-662-0027 or 785-271-3140. Utility assistance program information is also posted on the KCC’s website.
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March 24, 2023
Session 2023 is quickly coming to an end. There are a few more days of regular session, then conference committees will be the focus. Conference committees are six member committees, three from each chamber, that negotiate the differences in legislation that has passed both chambers. It is usually the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Ranking from committees. However, the Senate President and Speaker may appoint whomever they want on conference committees.
Property Tax has been a focus for many, including myself and other legislators. The Senate Tax Committee passed Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 1610, limiting property valuations to a maximum 3% increase each year. If we can get the SCR passed in both chambers by 2/3 majority, it would be on the ballot for voters to decide. Hopefully, leadership will shepherd it through the process this session to let taxpayers vote and stop these massive valuation increases, which often result in higher property taxes.
Self-storage unit operators would be able to request towing of a vehicle, trailer, or watercraft when a storage unit payment is 60 days or more past due. The bill, SB 2042, passed the Senate 38 to 0.
Article V in the U.S. Constitution defines two methods to amend the U.S. Constitution. The most commonly known method is that an amendment to be initiated by U.S. Congress. The second method is when an amendment can be initiated by the states. There are a few groups working to initiate amendments through the state legislatures. The Kansas Senate debated a resolution that would call for an Article V convention for term limits, a balanced budget, and to reign in federal overreach. It always leads to healthy debate. The Kansas Constitution requires a resolution for an Article V convention to pass by 2/3 majority. There have been attempts in the past to disregard this requirement. I do not support those efforts. I do support states working to reign in our federal government, so I voted for the resolution. However, it failed on a vote 22 to 16. It needed 27 votes to pass.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn
TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland encourages jobseekers to attend a State of Kansas Agencies Virtual Job Fair hosted by KANSASWORKS, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29. This virtual fair will focus on highlighting employment opportunities within many of the state’s 98 government agencies.
“Our Kansas agencies are brimming with opportunities for Kansans to have good paying jobs with excellent benefits and a variety of employee perks and discounts,” Lt. Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “We need talented people that are interested in doing important and meaningful work across the state to join one of our many winning teams.”
Registration is required to participate in the event, regardless of previous participation. The Virtual Job Fair portal features 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 employers might request to engage in a video interview.
Candidates can participate via any digital device. Any individual with a disability may request accommodations by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.
Click here to register for the March 29 Virtual Job Fair.
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.
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TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced new grant funding that will help communities gain valuable Certified Sites designation for shovel-ready industrial sites in Kansas.
Kansas Certified Sites designation is issued when communities successfully demonstrate their property is primed for development and ready for investment, which is a huge advantage in recruiting and expanding businesses. The program is designed to reduce the risks associated with development. A Kansas Certified Site is attractive to investors and site selectors because it:
As part of the new Certified Sites Grant program, the Kansas Department of Commerce will provide matching dollars up to $10,000 for eligible entities to use toward completion of a Kansas Certified Sites program application. Funding is available for non-metro counties with a population less than 50,000.
“We know smaller communities might not have the necessary resources to pursue a Certified Sites designation, so this is a great opportunity for them to compete on a more level playing field,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Supporting the application process for communities to promote shovel-ready sites will lead to more new businesses and good jobs throughout our state.”
Eligible expenditures covered by Certified Sites Grant funds include consulting services, marketing costs and engineering expenditures related to the completion of the Certified Sites program application.
All applicants are required to provide matching funds on a 1:1 basis. Eligible sources for matching funds include:
“As Kansas continues to grow at a record pace, the need for our communities having their sites ready and certified for growth is of the utmost importance,” Certified Sites Program Manager Corrie Ann Campbell said. “This grant opportunity ensures that this significant designation will be more attainable for our cities and counties.”
Successful recipients of Kansas Certified Sites designation receive many benefits, including marketing support for attracting investors. Kansas Certified Sites are incorporated into a variety of marketing campaigns and strategies which includes:
Applications for the Kansas Certified Site program are accepted year-round.
For more information about Certified Sites or the Certified Sites Grant funds, click here or contact Campbell at (785) 213-7312 or [email protected].
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 and 2022, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
March 17, 2023
A State Budget, Senate Bill (SB) 155 was debated on the floor and it passed to advance to final action after many amendments and attempts at amendments. Final action is usually taken the day after or the day of debate. However, there are several senators absent for various reasons so the vote has been delayed.
The legislature is required by the State Constitution to appropriate funds – providing a budget for the state. The process starts with the departments and agencies providing their budgets to the Governor, then the Governor provides her recommendations to the legislature. This is what the legislature uses as a start. It is almost always an increase from the previous year. For the past three years, the Governor has cut items she knows need to be funded and increased her pet projects. It resulted in massive spending increases because the final budget would include both and not decrease or cut the Governor’s items. Well, not this year. The Senate President cut the Governor’s projects and decreased the out-of-control spending. It is refreshing because it gives some of the tax cuts discussed in prior weeks a chance of being passed into law.
Some amendments that passed during debate include:
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn
When Poison Happens, We’re Here For You.
TOPEKA –Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued a proclamation to kick off National Poison Prevention Week. The Poison Center at the University of Kansas Health System and Safe Kids Kansas want to remind Kansans that Poison Centers are ready 24/7 with fast, free advice.
The theme for this year’s National Poison Prevention Week is Poison Centers – When Poison happens, we’re here for you.
Not everyone realizes that Poison Centers are for everyone. While poison centers get more calls about children, calls about teens, adults and older adults tend to be more serious. Over half of the calls to the Kansas Poison Center in 2022 involved medicines or pharmaceuticals. However, other common poisons include household products, plants, mushrooms, pesticides, animal bites and stings, carbon monoxide, and many other nonpharmaceutical substances.
“The best piece of advice we can give is to program the Poison Help number, 800-222-1222, in your phone and post it visibly in your home. This way you are prepared in the event of a poisoning emergency or simply have questions,” said Stefanie Baines, education coordinator for the Kansas Poison Control Center.
Here are the ways Poison Centers save time, worry, lives and money:
Time
When seconds count, calling a poison center is faster and more accurate than a confusing internet search.
Worry
Nurses, pharmacists and doctors answer calls. We can help in more than 150 languages. Doctors and hospitals turn to us for help every day.
Lives
Whether it is a question or an emergency, Poison Centers provide life-saving information when you need it the most.
Money
All calls are free. More than 70 percent of people who call get the help they need right where they are – saving the cost of a trip to the doctor or hospital.
“It is also important to know Poison Centers are not just for emergencies. You can call anytime from anywhere in the nation for information or advice from local experts,” said Cherie Sage, state coordinator for Safe Kids Kansas.
If you think someone has been poisoned, call 800-222-1222 right away. Fast and free expert help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For more information about preventing accidental poisoning visit kansashealthsystem.com/poison and safekidskansas.org/poison_
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Fort Scott National Historic Site (FSNHS) personnel are collaborating to bring stories of indigenous tribe’s histories to Bourbon County.
“We want to help share the stories of tribal partners, a lot of it is the Osage Tribe,” said Carl Brenner, program manager for interpretation and resource management at the Fort. “We are trying to tell the story with the background of everything that was here in Kansas, the Fort is just a part. It’s a bigger story than Kansas and the Fort. It’s the story of the growing pains of a nation.”
The first program, in a series the Fort is bringing to Fort Scott, is this Saturday.
The series of events will be of authors, historians, artisans, and Native American Tribal members, which will continue through the fall of this year.
Colonialism and the Osage in Kansas
FSNHS is hosting historian and author, Dr. Tia Edwards, this Saturday, March 18 from 11 a.m. to noon in the theater of the infantry barracks.
“She will discuss how nineteenth century U.S. Indian policy functioned as settler colonialism, displacing Indigenous nations across the eastern United States, including the Osage who were expelled from their Missouri homelands and confined to a reservation in Kansas,” Brenner said.
Dr. Edwards is a historian and director of the Kansas Studies Institute at Johnson County Community College, according to the press release.
Her book Osage Women and Empire was published by the University Press of Kansas in 2018. She is an officer in the Kansas Association of Historians (KAH) and the Kansas Association for Native American Education (KANAE).
She has collaborated on many projects including recording veterans’ oral histories, preserving the Quindaro ruins in Kansas City, KS and rematriating a sacred boulder in Lawrence to the Kaw Nation.
Indigenous Histories Series
The Fort is collaborating with local entities to bring the histories of indigenous peoples to Fort Scott. The Lowell Milken Center, Hedgehog INK bookstore and Fort Scott Community College is collaborating with the Fort for this series.
Speakers
The Lowell Milken Center will have Billy Mills, an Oglala Souix, on April 12. Mills was a 1964 gold medal winner at the Tokyo Olympics, who inspired America with his win.
To view his story:
https://olympics.com/en/athletes/billy-mills
On April 15, Isaias Mc Caffrey, author of Last Stand at Rebel Creek: The Osage as Union Allies in Civil War Kansas will be at the Fort.
McCaffery is a professor of history at Independence Community College. His presentation explores the Osage tribe’s contributions to the Union Army cause in Kansas during the Civil War.
Ballet
Wahzhazhe, the name the Osage people call themselves, will perform a contemporary ballet that tells their history from pre-contact years to present day, according to https://www.osageballet.com/. This event will be July 21-22 at the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College.
“From the hand-painted scenery, to the original score , which features the use of traditional drums, to the exquisitely detailed costumes, the world of the Osage comes to life in vivid color, a mesmerizing blend of historical accuracy and raw emotional symbolism,” according to its website.
In addition to the ballet, there will be an exhibit of historic photos of the Osage people.
This event is partially funded by Humanities Kansas. Donations for this project are welcome to the Friends of the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
Fort Scott National Historic Site: Part of the National Park System.
The FSNHS exhibit areas and visitor center are open daily from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.during the winter months, which ends March 31. Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset.
To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.
Limited Time Only Kansas Tobacco Quitline Offers 8 Weeks of Nicotine Replacement Therapy
TOPEKA – For the first time in the twenty-year history of the Kansas Tobacco Quitline 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, (KDHE) is offering all phone coaching enrollees eight weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy while supplies last.
Participants who are 18 years and older that want to quit smoking, vaping or chewing tobacco and enroll in the phone coaching program can choose a lozenge, gum, or patch that will be mailed directly to their home if they enroll by midnight on Sunday, April 30.
“We want all tobacco users to know that although quitting is hard, they can do it,” said Matthew Schrock, cessation coordinator. “Individuals who smoke often try to quit several times before succeeding, but proven treatments and services are available that can improve your chances to quit for good. We encourage all Kansans to try to quit, and if they want free help, take advantage of this opportunity.”
The Kansas Tobacco Quitline is a free, 24/7 resource available to Kansas residents to help them quit smoking. The Quitline provides help, such as counseling, a personalized Quit Plan and quitting support by phone and through online services. A survey of Quitline users highlighted that 90% of participants were satisfied with the Quitline coaches and counselors. The Quitline can be reached by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).
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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Commerce today announced $30 million will be made available under the Aviation Learning Opportunities & Funded Training (ALOFT) and Delivering Residents and Workforce (DRAW) grant programs. The ALOFT program will provide $20 million in funding for training development and expansions requiring new job opportunities in the aviation and aerospace industry. The DRAW program will provide $10 million in funding for training development for high demand employers, such as healthcare, education, technology-based, and entities working with persons with disabilities. A priority for the DRAW program is to increase new residents from out-of-state.
The funds were designated by the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Executive Committee and approved by the State Finance Council in December.
“The state’s unprecedented surge in new economic opportunities for businesses is creating next-generation jobs and careers for Kansans,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “These new funding sources will allow targeted investments in people that align with the needs of Kansas companies, while also growing our talented workforce by attracting more people to the state.”
ALOFT applications can include construction costs for on-site training facilities, vendor training on machinery and equipment, supervisor and management salaries directly related to training, marketing and activities to encourage youth participation in aviation and aerospace careers, and participation costs in the Kansas Registered Apprenticeship and Workforce AID programs. Awardees will have two years to complete their projects and utilize all awarded funds.
Eligible ALOFT applicants include:
DRAW applications can include construction of on-site training facilities, vendor training costs, machinery and equipment used solely for training, course development costs, and marketing and attraction costs to attract talent to Kansas. Awardees will have two years to complete their projects and utilize all awarded funds.
Eligible DRAW applicants include:
The ALOFT and DRAW grant applications both open at 2:00 p.m. today, with submissions closing at 11:59 p.m. Monday, April 24, for both programs.
Informational webinars will be available to the public, with ALOFT’s webinar beginning at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, March 16, and DRAW’s webinar beginning at 10:00 a.m. Friday, March 17. Registration for the webinars and guidelines for the grant applications can be found at www.kansascommerce.gov/aloft and www.kansascommerce.gov/draw.
Applicants can contact [email protected] for any questions regarding this funding opportunity.
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 and 2022, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
