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Category Archives: Kansas
Fort Scott Radio Station Recognized by Kansas Dept. of Commerce
A local business was recognized during the recent ceremony by The Kansas Department of Commerce held in Wichita on Oct. 12.
To The Stars: Kansas Businesses Awards is an annual awards program that recognizes businesses across the state for the valuable contributions they make to the Kansas economy and to the well-being of their communities, according to https://www.kansascommerce.gov/kansasbusinessawards/.
Fort Scott Broadcasting Co. Inc was recognized as the Southeast Kansas Regional Winner in Retail and Service. Tim and Deb McKenney are the owners of the business.
“Deb submitted the information,” Tim McKenney said. “It was really just a statement about the station’s 70th birthday under the same family ownership and management coming up next year. She mentioned some of our programs we air regularly such as the city, county, and school talk shows to keep folks in tune with current happenings in the area.”
“The award was for 69 years of community service to our community,” Deb said.
The categories were:
- AgriBusiness – companies that stand out in the agribusiness industry – including agricultural production, products and services, and agri-tourism
- Apprenticeship Champions and Partners – companies and other entities that excel providing registered apprenticeship programs in Kansas
- Business Innovation – companies from any sector incorporating innovative technologies in their business
- Healthcare/Nonprofit – noteworthy services provided by either healthcare facilities or nonprofit organizations
- Manufacturing/Distribution – outstanding achievement for companies large and small involved in manufacturing and distribution
- Non-Traditional Talent Pools – companies that have gone above and beyond to hire those with prior involvement in the justice system, youth, seniors or individuals with disabilities
- Retail/Service – exceptional performance by businesses selling goods, products and/or services
- Under 30 Entrepreneurs – young entrepreneurs achieving business success under the age of 30
- Welcome Back – entrepreneurs and businesspeople who once left Kansas but have returned to make their mark in the Sunflower State.
Businesses and individuals from across the state were honored for their outstanding contributions to Kansas communities and the state’s economy at the ceremony, according to a press release.
Governor Laura Kelly announced at the ceremony that Atwood-based SurePoint Ag Systems has won the 2023 Governor’s Award of Excellence and Tank Connection in Parsons earned the Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award, according to the press release.
A record 297 businesses, organizations and individuals were nominated in nine categories for this year’s To the Stars: Kansas Business Awards, according to the release. Nominees were reviewed and scored for various criteria such as business expansion, employee recruitment and retention practices, training and educational programs, capital investments, and support of local community events. A total of 245 Merit Awards and 43 Regional Awards were presented at the event. Additionally, one nominee in each category was designated a Statewide Winner, making them finalists for the Governor’s Award of Excellence.
To view the list of award winners: https://www.kansascommerce.gov/kansasbusinessawards/#h-merit-award-winners
In the regional award winners division for retail/ service across the state, the winners were:
From the Southeast section of the state, the regional winner was Fort Scott Broadcasting All Hit 103.9 fm, 98.3 fm, and 1600 am.
East Central
JT’s Grill
Northwest
Shores Napa Auto Parts
Northeast
Lumber House True Value
South Central
Country at Heart
Southwest
Jetmore Veterinary Service
KS Flags Are Half-Staff In Honor of Judge Malcolm
Governor Kelly Directs Flags be Flown at Half-Staff in Honor of Magistrate Judge William Malcolm
TOPEKA— Today, in accordance with Executive Order #20-30, Governor Laura Kelly directed flags be lowered to half-staff at the State Capitol Complex and all court buildings and facilities until Monday, October 23, 2023, to honor 21st District Magistrate Judge William Malcolm, who died from injuries sustained in a car accident earlier this month.
“Judge Malcolm was a dedicated public servant who, for nearly two decades, worked hard to ensure justice for the citizens of Clay and Riley counties,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “On behalf of the State of Kansas, I thank him for his service. My deepest condolences go out to his loved ones.”
Judge Malcolm passed away on October 15, 2023. A public visitation will be held on Sunday, October 22, 2023.
To receive email alerts when the governor orders flags to half-staff, please visit: https://governor.kansas.gov/
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Child Support Services Impacted by Kansas Court’s Network Security Issue
CORRECTED: Child Support Services Impacted by Kansas Court’s Network Security Issue
TOPEKA – Due to the network security issue announced by the Kansas Judicial Branch last week, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) is informing Kansans of delays that will occur to those working with the agency’s Child Support Services.
DCF works daily with Kansas courts to process child support court orders and payments on behalf of Kansas families. With the efiling and electronic court records system offline, Kansans should expect delays on returned filings, court hearings and orders being entered. Child support payments that are awaiting court orders or direction from DCF, Court Trustees, and county clerks will be delayed. Any orders filed prior to the week of Oct. 9 should continue to process properly.
DCF and its contracted partners of YoungWilliams and Maximus will continue to provide full-service operations through paper and fax filings. Johnson County is not impacted by this as the county operates on an efiling and case management system used only by the county.
Individuals with cases in process should consult the Child Support Services customer hotline at 1-888-757-2445 with questions or status information. Updates will be provided at the Kansas Payment Center website www.KSPayCenter.com.
Wild Game and Foraged Food Cooking Competition on Nov. 19 in Lawrence
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Walking and Biking To School Program Is Accepting Applications
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Two Protected Mussel Species Released Back into Kansas Rivers
KDWP Successfully Stocks Two Protected Species Back into Kansas Waters
Freshwater mussels – essentially clams that have adapted to live in freshwater streams, rivers, and lakes – reach their greatest diversity in North America. Nearly 300 species of mussels occur in the U.S., 40 of which reside in Kansas. Of those in Kansas, nearly 60 percent have some level of conservation concern and most have disappeared from part of their historical range.
PRATT – Fisheries and Ecological Services staff at the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks are taking action to bolster some of the state’s most at-risk aquatic species. Via the Department’s Aquatic Species Recovery Program and Kansas Aquatic Biodiversity Center, located at the Farlington Fish Hatchery, staff work together to propagate, grow, and stock vulnerable aquatic species back into their former habitats; and this fall, that included two protected freshwater mussel species.
Fatmucket Mussels in Marmaton River
KDWP first released 7,175 Fatmucket mussels – ranging in age from 1-3 years old – into the Marmaton River to bolster local populations. These were the first mussels ever released from the KABC, which opened its doors in 2018. And while Fatmuckets occur throughout central North America, they are considered a Species in Need of Conservation in Kansas.
“We chose the Marmaton River as the release site due to historical data and current observations that indicate the species is native to this drainage,” said Seth Lundgren, KDWP district fisheries biologist. “It also helped that the parental stock came from a shared tributary of the Marais Des Cygnes River, ensuring the correct genetics were also released into the drainage.”
Lundgren added that, prior to stocking, each of the offspring were marked with a unique “glue dot” that can be used by researchers for future identification.
Neosho Mucket Mussels in Neosho River
The second successful stocking of a protected species occurred later in the same week when approximately 1,374 federally-endangered Neosho Mucket mussels were released into the Neosho River. The offspring were the result of populations housed at the Neosho National Fish Hatchery and Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium. The Neosho Mucket occurs in Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma but no longer occurs in 62 percent of its historical range.
“This stocking was the first of its kind conducted under KDWP’s Aquatic Species Recovery Program,” said Trevor Starks, KDWP species recovery coordinator. “Landowner agreements signed under this program seek to reestablish self-sustaining populations of imperiled fish and mussel species in order to recover, delist, and deregulate those populations. These agreements provide regulatory protections to landowners who wish to partner with the agency to allow species releases and monitoring on their property.”
More Conservation Stockings to Come
Staff at KDWP have several additional conservation stockings like these planned for 2024, including 18,000 mussels set to be released in southeastern Kansas as soon as drought conditions improve. The KABC has also been working to rear Plains Minnows, classified as a state-threatened species, for release back into their historic range in areas where they have since disappeared.
Landowners interested in helping recover imperiled species through the Kansas Aquatic Species Recovery Program are encouraged to contact Starks at [email protected].
For more information on threatened, endangered, and SINC species in Kansas, visit ksoutdoors.com/Services/
Help Identify Areas of Need for High Speed Internet
Governor Kelly Invites Public Input on Volume 2
of Broadband Plan
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced the release of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Initial Proposal Volume 2. As part of the planning process, the public is invited to submit their comments on the planning document. Together with the BEAD 5-Year Action Plan, Volumes 1 and 2 will help identify areas of need for high-speed internet buildout across the state and outline requirements for applicants to access grant funding.
“Our vision for Kansas is one where every resident, regardless of their location, has access to affordable, reliable internet,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The Volume 2 planning document sets a clear path to achieving that goal. I encourage all Kansans to be involved in the public comment process.”
Volume 2 outlines defined objectives for broadband infrastructure projects, transparent subgrantee selection processes, and the active participation of eligible entities, all aimed at providing affordable broadband service options to residents.
Additional components of Volume 2 include:
- Plans for equipping the workforce with the necessary skills and resources to support broadband infrastructure development
- Initiatives to promote the inclusion of Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) in broadband projects
- Strategies for identifying and mitigating cost-related barriers to broadband deployment
- Consideration of the environmental impact of broadband projects and efforts to minimize their carbon footprint
- An outline of the regulatory approach to be taken by eligible entities in support of broadband infrastructure development
“As we continue to support and invest in broadband infrastructure, we’re not just connecting people; we’re creating opportunities,” said Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland. “High-speed broadband promotes access to telehealth, remote work, distance learning and entrepreneurship, which enrich our communities and create pathways to prosperity for Kansans.”
The BEAD program, established by the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, has allocated more than $451 million to Kansas for the development of broadband networks.
The Kansas Office of Broadband Development remains committed to its mission of closing the digital divide and looks forward to continued collaboration with stakeholders to bring high-speed broadband connectivity to all communities across the state.
“This planning document is key to guiding a historic level of investment into broadband infrastructure,” Kansas Office of Broadband Director Jade Piros de Carvalho said. “Our office is committed to an open and fair granting process that ensures the best use of public funds.”
Public comments on Volume 2 can be submitted online here until November 12, 2023.
Learn more about the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Plan here.
June 19 is Declared a Kansas Holiday
Governor Kelly Announces Juneteenth to be Observed as a State Holiday
~~Kansas Joins 28 Other States Including Texas, Missouri, and Nebraska~~
TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced that Kansas will designate Juneteenth as a state holiday, joining 28 other states and the District of Columbia.
“Juneteenth marks a significant point our nation’s history and has long been celebrated in Kansas and across the United States,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Establishing Juneteenth as a state holiday provides Kansans an opportunity to celebrate our state’s diversity and honor the ongoing struggles for racial equality.”
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day the last enslaved Americans received word that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation to abolish slavery more than 2 years after the end of the Civil War. Governor Kelly has issued proclamations recognizing Juneteenth every year since 2020.
“I am thrilled that Juneteenth will be a state holiday,” said Stacey Knoell, Executive Director of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. “This day is a perfect example of the importance of learning the full picture of history, not to cast blame but to find reasons for acknowledging resilience. I hope this day can become one where Kansans can unite in celebration.”
In 2021, Juneteenth became the first federal holiday created in more than 40 years. Since then, Kansas’ neighboring states of Nebraska, Missouri, and Colorado have also established Juneteenth as a state holiday. The holiday will apply to Executive Branch employees under Governor Kelly’s jurisdiction.
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KS Three-Year Research Project of Bald Eagles Has Ended
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2023 Kansas Upland Bird Hunting Forecast Now Available
PRATT – Bird hunters – the wait is over! The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Park’s 2023 Kansas Upland Game Bird Forecast is now available online and soon in printed form.
Produced annually by KDWP’s Wildlife Division, the 2023 Kansas Upland Game Bird Forecast is compiled from data collected during the Department’s spring calling surveys for pheasants (crow counts), quail (whistle counts), and prairie chickens (lek counts), as well as late-summer roadside surveys for pheasants and quail.
Here’s a preview of what hunters will find in this year’s Forecast, available online at ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Upland-Birds and at most KDWP offices.
Quail
Kansas continues to support above-average quail populations with spring densities similar to last year, including significant increases in portions of the western regions of the state this spring.
Rains beginning in early summer and continuing through much of the nesting season greatly improved habitat conditions across the state. Given the high spring densities and improved summer conditions, staff expected to see increased production on the brood surveys this year.
Despite these conditions, brood detections were decreased. This may be attributed, in part, by the abundant habitat available during the survey.
Still, Kansas maintains one of the strongest quail populations in the country and, given the abundant access, harvest will again be among the highest in the country. The best opportunities will be in the central regions of the state into the Flint Hills, with quality hunting opportunities scattered throughout the remaining regions.
Pheasants
Intense drought conditions throughout 2022 reduced pheasant populations and the available nesting cover for 2023. Precipitation across most of the primary range this summer greatly improved habitat conditions for chicks. This should have improved the survival of broods that were hatched and could result in some localized improvements where nesting cover was maintained. However, lack of nesting cover and low populations across most of the state prevented any major improvements in densities this summer.
The High Plains region of the western third of the state saw some areas of improvement but remain low after sharp declines in 2022. The North Central Smoky Hills region remained good last year in spite of the drought but dropped to levels similar to the remaining pheasant regions.
The statewide pheasant index is similar to the previous drought cycle. Recovery from these declines will likely take longer as habitat has declined with the declines in CRP enrollment (again this year, acres enrolled in CRP were released to be used for emergency forage for cattle across most of the state). This will likely impact hunter success in 2023 as well as the amount of nesting cover for pheasants again next year. While hunting opportunities still exist where habitat was maintained, hunters will find challenging conditions and should be prepared to work for birds.
Prairie Chickens
Kansas is home to both greater and lesser prairie chickens. Both species require a landscape of predominately native grass and benefit from a few interspersed grain fields. Greater prairie chickens are found primarily in the tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies that occur in the eastern third and northern half of the state. Greater prairie-chickens have recently expanded in numbers and range in the Northwestern portion of the state while declining in the eastern regions.
Drought conditions are likely to have impacted production some, but prairie chickens are typically less volatile than other upland bird species and production is harder to estimate.
Hunting opportunities will be best in the Smoky Hills Regions this fall where populations have been stable and public access is more abundant.
The Southwest Prairie Chicken Unit, where lesser prairie chickens are found, will remain closed to hunting this year.
Note, all prairie chicken hunters are required to purchase a $2.50 Prairie Chicken Permit, available at gooutdoorskansas.com.
Regardless of preferred upland bird species, upland hunters can be as mobile as needed when utilizing Kansas’ combined 1.7 million acres of lands open to public hunting. KDWP’s Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) and iWIHA programs – which account for 1.07 million of those acres open to hunting – occur throughout much of the state’s main pheasant range. Through iWIHA, hunters can reserve hunting access on private lands with limited access. For more information on WIHA and iWIHA, or to view maps of lands open to public hunting, visit ksoutdoors.com.
Pheasant, quail and greater prairie chicken seasons run through Jan. 31, 2024, in Kansas, so there’s plenty of time to plan. In the meantime, grab a license at gooutdoorskansas.com, through KDWP’s mobile app, GoOutdoors Kansas, or a license vendor nearest you (ksoutdoors.com/License-Permits/Locations-to-Buy-License-Permits).
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Kansas child deaths hit record low in 2021
Kansas child deaths hit record low in 2021, annual report shows
TOPEKA – (Oct. 3, 2023) -– Child deaths hit a record low in 2021, despite an increase in the number of child homicides and fentanyl overdoses, according to a report released today by the State Child Death Review Board of Kansas.
The board’s annual report analyzed the deaths of Kansas children (birth through 17years old) that occurred in calendar year 2021, the most recent year for which data is available.
“Within the three decades that the State Child Death Review Board has been in in existence, more than 12,000 deaths of Kansas children have been examined. The data provided in this report is critical to our understanding of why children are dying,” said Sara Hortenstine, the board’s executive director. “We know that behind each of these statistics are the stories of children who lost their lives too soon, families who are still grieving, and communities that will be impacted forever. We must learn from these difficult circumstances and take action to prevent future deaths of Kansas children.”
Overall, the report showed Kansas had 349 child fatalities in 2021, compared with 365 in 2020. The overall child death rate in 2021 was 49.6 deaths per 100,000 population, both the lowest number and rate of death since the board was created in 1994.
The rate of deaths due to natural causes declined in the last five years, the report revealed. In 2021, 100-plus fewer children died of natural causes compared to 2018. Despite the overall decreasing number of child deaths in Kansas, homicides, weapon-related deaths, and drug-related deaths in children has shown an alarming increase.
Thirty-two children died from homicide in 2021 compared to only 22 child homicides in 2020, a 45% increase. The report also indicates drug-related deaths increased significantly in the past two years. While no children died in 2017, 2018, and 2019 from fentanyl, 20 kids died from fentanyl overdoses in 2020 and 2021.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported nearly 500,000 people of all ages died from overdoses involving both illicit and prescribed use of opioids from 1999-2019. In recent years, both nationally and in Kansas, the data has shown an increase in the use of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. While fentanyl is a prescription drug, it is also manufactured illegally. Frequently it is incorporated into illicitly manufactured pressed pills and mixed with other substances without the knowledge of the end user.
“My office is committed to preventing every preventable death of a child. This report shows a dramatic increase in fentanyl deaths in 2020 and 2021 as compared with previous years. We are using every tool at our disposal to deal with this threat,” Kobach said.
In addition to policy recommendations, the report includes prevention points that families can use to decrease the likelihood of a child’s death.
The board is a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency volunteer board organized by law within the attorney general’s office to examine trends and patterns that identify risk factors in the deaths of children, from birth through 17 years of age. The report is available on the attorney general’s website at https://ag.ks.gov/scdrb.
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