Governor Laura Kelly Announces More Than $2.1 Million in Grants to Address Gaps in Early Childhood Care and Education

TOPEKA –Governor Laura Kelly today announced more than $2.1 million in grant funding to fuel 59 ‘All in for Kansas Kids’ Quality Subgrants. The grants will help communities, service and child care providers, and other early childhood champions address needs and gaps in the early childhood care and education system through locally-driven ideas and approaches.

Grantees from organizations and child care providers large and small from across the state will use their awards to develop and implement new approaches that help children and families in their communities thrive. More than 140 applications were submitted, each focusing on addressing gaps in access, availability, and quality of child care, as well as community-level supports for families.

“Investing in early childhood care and education system is the one of the best ways we can improve outcomes for Kansas families and communities,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “As we continue to rebuild our state’s foundation, supporting our kids’ development from Day One will boost our communities, help recruit businesses, and encourage those in our current and future workforces to stay in the places they grew up.”

Funding for the subgrants was made possible by the federal Preschool Development Birth Through Five Renewal Grant, a 3-year grant awarded to Kansas in April 2020. Many funded projects will receive multi-year support in alignment with the federal grant to create long-term, sustainable changes.

The work is being guided by the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic Plan, which maps the state’s future direction for early childhood. Grantees directly responded to findings from the statewide needs assessment conducted in 2019. More than 6,100 Kansans elevated a range of challenges that became the focus of the grant award categories: child care access, rural child care, connecting families to services, kindergarten readiness, and quality of care.

Grantees were awarded from all regions of the state and include targeted supports to help expand access to high quality child care in communities such as Leoti, Washington, Independence, St. Francis, Valley Falls, Ness City, and Ellsworth, and in Thomas, Finney, Sumner, and Allen Counties. Grants will also support regional efforts to bridge gaps for families in counties surrounding sprawling Kansas communities like Lawrence, Wichita, Kansas City, and Emporia.

“Kansans across the state recognize the importance of providing their children with the best start in life possible,” Melissa Rooker, executive director of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, said. “We are pleased to support local early childhood care and education experts and provide financial resources to allow them to implement community-driven strategies.”

To learn more about specific funded programs and activities and connect with the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic Planning efforts to strengthen the Kansas early childhood care and education system, please visit the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund website http://AllinforKansasKids.org.

Funds for All in For Kansas Kids activities are partially provided through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five Renewal 90TP0078-01-00 ($8,943,000) was awarded to the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund.  The Kansas State Department of Education, the Kansas Department for Children and Families, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are leading this work with the Children’s Cabinet. This information or content and conclusions should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HHS, ACF, or the U.S. Government. Any food or refreshments are not paid for by federal funds.

View the list of programs funded by the grants.

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Three New Openings in Program to Revitalize Downtown Corridors, Strengthen Economic Development

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced the Kansas Main Street program will be accepting applications for up to three new communities in the state interested in joining. The Main Street program – designed to develop and strengthen downtown corridors – has been a proven success for rural communities throughout the state.

“My administration re-implemented Main Street in 2019 because we are committed to providing Kansas communities with the tools and resources they need to prosper,” Governor Kelly said. “Through the program, businesses can access essential technical services, networking, and other training opportunities that will assist their efforts to recruit and retain businesses, and keep talented young professionals in the towns they grew up in. I encourage any community looking to revitalize their downtown to apply.”

During the first 27 years of this program, more than $600 million in redevelopment was invested in designated Kansas Main Street communities. During that same time, nearly 4,000 small businesses were started, creating more than 8,600 new jobs.

Communities wishing to submit applications will be required to first attend an application workshop, scheduled for 2 p.m., Thursday, December 10. This virtual workshop will explain the Main Street Approach, and the process for successfully completing the application. To register for this workshop, visit this link. Applications must be submitted no later than January 29, 2021, and new communities selected as part of a competitive process will be announced in mid-February.

The Kansas Main Street program, originally launched in 1985 has helped dozens of mostly rural communities work toward ensuring their downtowns remain viable. The program was ended by the Brownback administration in 2012 and brought back in late 2019 under the directive of Governor Kelly and Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers’ Office of Rural Prosperity. There currently are 25 designated Kansas Main Street communities in the program, with all participating in a competitive process to be selected for the program.

The Kansas Main Street program is a cornerstone of the Community Development Division at the Kansas Department of Commerce.

“The Main Street model works, period,” Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Now that Governor Kelly and the Office of Rural Prosperity have reinstated the Kansas Main Streets, our communities once again have the tools they need to breathe new life into their communities and historic commercial districts. This is a terrific opportunity for communities to change their trajectory by committing themselves to a focused effort to strengthen their downtowns.”

The Kansas Main Street program is affiliated with the National Main Street Center. Main Street is a self-help, technical assistance program that targets revitalization and preservation of downtown districts through the development of a comprehensive strategy based on four points: organization, design, promotion and economic restructuring. While there are no federal funds provided directly to Main Street communities, designated cities are eligible for training and technical assistance designed to help them become self-sufficient in downtown revitalization.

“The Main Street Approach has been around nationally since the 1980s and is a proven economic development tool, especially for small, rural communities,” said Scott Sewell, director of the Kansas Main Street program. “Opening up the program to more communities in Kansas is yet another positive step for the State of Kansas.”

For more information on the Kansas Main Street program, contact Scott Sewell, Director of Kansas Main Street, at (785) 296-7288 or [email protected].

KDA Grant to Fund Disposal of Orphaned Pesticide

MANHATTAN, Kansas — The Kansas Department of Agriculture pesticide and fertilizer program recently received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7, to aid in the disposal of orphaned pesticide products.

Orphaned pesticide products are herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides and fungicides that can no longer be offered for sale in Kansas. This can include partially used products owned by private citizens, unsold products at retailers, or unused/partially used products owned by an applicator. The grant will support the pickup and disposal of the products by Clean Harbors, an environmental waste company.

Although local county weed department or household hazardous waste facilities will often take pesticide waste at little to no charge, sometimes the cost of disposal for the facility is too great or the facility is not permitted to take that particular type/kind of waste. The grant is available for those instances when the local facilities will not take the waste.

The orphaned pesticide waste grant applies to waste from farmers, ranchers, businesses or other private individuals. Grant funds can also pay for the disposal of abandoned pesticide waste left on property that was sold or waste that was dumped or abandoned. Funds are limited, and disposal will be approved on a first come, first served basis.

To apply for funds to dispose of orphaned pesticide waste, contact the KDA pesticide and fertilizer program at 785-564-6688 or email product registration specialist Judy Glass at [email protected]. You will need to complete a form and receive approval to arrange for pickup of the pesticide waste. This grant helps KDA fulfill its mission to serve Kansas farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses and the customers they serve, while protecting natural resources and promoting public health and safety.

Governor Kelly Makes $38.5 Million of CARES ACT Funding Available to Kansas Small Businesses, Slow COVID-19 Spread

~ Funding will Support Hard-hit Businesses, Vaccine Distribution, Other Public Health Efforts~

TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced that the State Finance Council unanimously approved the Kansas Office of Recovery recommendations to allocate $20 million to hard-hit businesses and $18.5 million for public health response efforts including vaccine administration and distribution. The $38.5 million is from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) of the federal CARES Act.

“My administration is focused on keeping Kansans healthy and protecting our small businesses, this funding will help us do both,” Governor Kelly said. “We will distribute these funds quickly and efficiently to hard-hit communities and businesses across the state, which will bolster our efforts to protect Kansans and keep businesses and schools open.”

The $20 million of Business Resiliency and Workforce Support recommendations will include support for the following:

• Restaurants and Bars
• Large Venues
• Movie Theaters
• PPE manufacturing
• Private Colleges

The $18.5 million of Public Heath Response recommendations includes funding for the following:

• Support for Local Health departments
• Vaccine administration and distribution
• PPE for Nursing Homes
• Support for Safety Net Clinics

“These investments help keep businesses open and bolster our public health response all across Kansas,” Office of Recovery Executive Director Julie Lorenz said. “I want to thank Governor Kelly and the State Finance Council for helping us deliver these dollars as quickly as we can to Kansans that really need them.”

The allocations approved today were from funding recouped from other previously approved programs that were unable to utilize all their funding by the December 30 deadline.  The Office of Recovery will present to State Finance Council again next month

Webinar to Discuss Feral Swine in Kansas

MANHATTAN, Kansas — The Kansas Department of Agriculture will host an informational webinar on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. CST to offer an update on the management practices used in Kansas to control feral swine. The webinar will feature a presentation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Wildlife Services program.

USDA–APHIS–WS works in collaboration with KDA to help monitor, control and eradicate feral swine in Kansas. This webinar will be hosted by Dr. Justin Smith, Animal Health Commissioner at KDA, and will feature presentations from several USDA representatives including the head of field operations in Kansas along with a disease epidemiologist. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions throughout the presentations, and the webinar will be recorded and available for viewing after its completion.

To register for the webinar, go to agriculture.ks.gov/AnimalHealthOutreach. For additional information on the webinar or on animal health issues in Kansas, contact the KDA Division of Animal Health at 785-564-6601 or [email protected].

Hearing for Proposed Adoption of Commercial Industrial Hemp Regulations

MANHATTAN, Kansas — A public hearing will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 7, 2020, to consider the adoption of proposed regulations to govern commercial industrial hemp production in Kansas. Due to public health concerns posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the hearing proceedings will be held via a video conferencing system to provide the opportunity for virtual participation online. Although in-person participation is also an option, attendance will be limited to allow for social distancing and to comply with local health requirements.

Due to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed hemp from the federal

Controlled Substances Act, and the Commercial Industrial Hemp Act passed in Kansas in 2019, the Kansas Department of Agriculture is proposing rules and regulations K.A.R. 4-34-22 through 4-34-30.

A copy of the proposed new regulations, as well as an expanded notice of public hearing, may be accessed on the KDA website at agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment. Anyone desiring to participate via video conference or in person must pre-register and be provided with a video link or instructions for in-person attendance. Written comments can be submitted on the public comment web page prior to the hearing or sent to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, 1320 Research Park Drive, Manhattan, KS, 66502.

Any individual with a disability may request accommodation in order to participate in the public hearing and may request a copy of the regulations in an accessible format. Persons who require special accommodations must make their needs known at least five working days prior to the hearing. For more information, including special accommodations or a copy of the regulations, please contact Ronda Hutton at 785-564-6715 or [email protected].

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WHAT:          Public hearing on proposed commercial industrial hemp regulations

WHEN:          10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 7, 2020

WHERE:       Virtual: via video conferencing system

In person: Kansas Department of Agriculture, 1320 Research Park Dr., Manhattan