KCC denies requests based on lack of jurisdiction and legal restrictions, but assures consumers state and federal level investigations continue 

TOPEKA – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) issued orders denying two motions filed by the Natural Gas Transportation Customer Coalition (NGTCC) relating to gas prices during February’s winter weather event.

The first motion asked the Commission to subpoena documents from S&P Global Platts Gas Daily relating to its daily price index. While acknowledging the concerns, the Commission order states that jurisdiction to investigate wholesale market manipulation lies with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which has already opened an investigation.

“While NGTCC may raise legitimate concerns, this Commission is simply not the forum for such an investigation. This Commission is focused on the behavior of its jurisdictional utilities and whether they acted reasonably and prudently, under the circumstances. However, if suppliers, traders, or other entities engaged in market manipulation or price gouging within the wholesale market, as NGTCC posits, FERC’s investigation is intended to uncover such actions.”

The second request was that invoices from Kansas Gas Service’s suppliers be made public. In denying that motion, the Commission determined that supplier invoices satisfy the definition of “trade secret” as defined by K.S.A. 60-3320 and are protected as propriety information as set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court and the Kansas Supreme Court. The order notes that giving the public access to the invoices would not aid the Commission in its investigation because the KCC’s Staff, NGTCC, and all other parties to the docket, including the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and the Commission itself, already have full access to the documents. The Attorney General’s office is investigating February’s wholesale gas prices as part of its consumer protection probe.

“Therefore, between Staff, CURB, and the AG, the general public is well represented in this proceeding. NGTCC has not demonstrated that disclosure will benefit the public interest. Conversely, the record demonstrates disclosure of the information as requested in NGTCC’s motions holds great potential to harm current and future Kansas natural gas customers through higher purchased gas costs. A general argument in favor of transparency cannot outweigh this very real harm to customers.”

All regulated Kanas utilities are required to work with the KCC to determine how the February gas prices will be passed on to ratepayers. While Federal and State investigations into the matter continue, the Commissioners emphasized their expectation that Kansas natural gas consumers will be compensated in the future if price gouging or market manipulation is uncovered.

A recording of today’s business meeting can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqpQsXpdarE

The orders are available on the KCC website: http://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx?Id=d939fd87-7d2a-493a-9a58-cdb7a4fd9675 http://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx?Id=49f602f8-af94-4b45-b495-12c61088ac3b

Governor Laura Kelly Encourages Kansans to get a Flu Shot

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly this week, after receiving her flu shot, emphasized the importance of all Kansans getting a flu shot to stay healthy and reduce the strain on Kansas hospitals.

“Increased flu-related visits to the hospital would increase strain on our hospitals, many of which are at critical capacity, or close to it,” Governor Kelly said. “I encourage all Kansans to get a flu shot to protect themselves and their communities from illness.”

Flu Facts:

• The COVID-19 vaccine does not protect against the flu. Getting both vaccines is important to be fully vaccinated against both viruses.
• The COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine can be administered together.
• Flu vaccinations should be received by the end of October, if possible. However, as long as flu viruses are circulating and unexpired flu vaccine is available, flu vaccinations should be given.
• The flu vaccine has been shown to reduce flu related illnesses, and the risk of serious flu complications that can result in hospitalization or death.
• The same public health practices that mitigate the spread of COVID-19: mask wearing, physical distancing, avoiding crowds, and washing hands often.

“Last year we learned that the mitigation measures like social distancing, wearing masks and washing your hands helped stop the spread of influenza,” said Lee Norman, M.D., Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “Kansans should get the flu vaccine and take mitigation measures to protect themselves and their families.”

“The commonsense mitigation efforts are proven to prevent the spread of illness,” Governor Kelly said. “If we all pull together, get vaccinated, and take these practical steps to stay healthy, we can protect the health and safety of our communities and our economy.”

For information on flu prevention and where to find a flu vaccination site near you, visit the Kansas Department of Health and Environment website at www.kdheks.gov/flu.

This photo of Governor Kelly receiving her flu shot is available for media use.

MANHATTAN, Kansas — The Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health has received notification of a confirmed case of West Nile virus (WNV) in a horse in Shawnee County.

“West Nile virus is a preventable disease, and we know that annual vaccinations have proven highly effective for horses,” said Kansas Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith. “Unfortunately, the infected animal had not been vaccinated for this virus. We strongly encourage all horse owners to consult with your local veterinarian and make a vaccination plan for your horses.”

WNV is a virus that can infect humans, horses, birds and other species. Horses infected with WNV can have symptoms that range from depression, loss of appetite and fever to severe neurologic signs such as incoordination, weakness, inability to rise, and hypersensitivity to touch or sound. WNV can be fatal in horses. If you see symptoms of WNV in your horse, contact your veterinarian immediately.

The virus is carried and transmitted by mosquitoes; although both horses and humans are susceptible, it is not directly contagious from horse to horse or from horse to human. Horse owners should work diligently to reduce the mosquito populations and their possible breeding areas, including removing stagnant water sources and using mosquito repellents. WNV is a reportable disease in Kansas, which means the law requires any confirmed case must be reported to the KDA Division of Animal Health.

For more information about West Nile virus or other animal disease issues in Kansas, go to the KDA Division of Animal Health website at www.agriculture.ks.gov/AnimalDiseases. Information about WNV risk for humans can be found on the Kansas Department of Health and Environment website at www.kdheks.gov/epi/arboviral_disease.htm.

The Governor’s Drought Team examines conditions; and recommends updates to the Governor

Today Governor Kelly approved the updated Drought Declarations for Kansas counties with Executive Order #21-26. The declaration includes 87 out of 105 counties either in a warning or watch status.

“Unfortunately, the majority of the state of Kansas has been considered in a drought or abnormally dry conditions for the past several weeks,” said Governor Kelly. “While we are very fortunate to be in a better situation than many states north and west of us, it doesn’t minimize our dry conditions. I encourage Kansans to be mindful of drought conditions, and work to minimize the threat of fires across the state.”

The drought declaration placed 14 counties into a warning status and 73 into a watch status. This action was recommended by Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team. Kansas has experienced a wide range of precipitation this year. Some areas have seen equal to or more than its normal rainfall while others, such as northwest, central and south-central counties have received less than 60, 70 or 80 percent of the area’s normal precipitation.

“This year we have been in a better situation regarding drought than we were last summer, however it doesn’t diminish the conditions being experienced throughout most of Kansas now,” said Owen. “The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to monitor the situation and make recommendations to the Governor as necessary, as future outlooks call for drought-like conditions to persist into the fall, especially for the northwestern counties.”

This Executive Order shall remain in effect for those counties so identified until rescinded by Executive Order or superseded by a subsequent Executive Order revising the drought stage status of the affected counties. Effective immediately:

• Declare a Drought Emergency, Warning or Drought Watch for the counties identified below;
• Authorize and direct all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor to implement the appropriate watch or warning level-drought response actions assigned in the Operations Plan of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.

The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the effects the drought has on Kansans.

For more detailed information about current conditions, see the Kansas Climate Summary and Drought Report on the Kansas Water Office website at: www.kwo.ks.gov

County Drought Stage Declarations:

Drought Watch: Atchison, Brown, Butler, Chase, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Comanche, Cowley, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Geary, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Jewell, Johnson, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Lane, Leavenworth, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Meade, Morris, Morton, Nemaha, Ness, Norton, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Republic, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Saline, Scott, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee, Sheridan, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Trego, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Washington, Wichita, Wyandotte

Drought Warning: Barber, Barton, Cheyenne, Ellsworth, Harper, Lincoln, McPherson, Mitchell, Osborne, Rawlins, Rice, Russell, Sherman, Thomas

TOPEKA, Kansas. – Classrooms are filling up at the eight Kansas Department of Corrections adult facilities. The department currently has 325 residents enrolled in college and career classes, including CTE (Career Technical Education) programs and associate and four-year degrees.

The Fall 2021 enrollment is an increase of 129 students over the last academic year.

The increase is due in part to Second Chance Pell grants. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced last fall that seven Kansas colleges had been awarded $2,229,125 million in Pell funding for incarcerated citizens. This was the second round of awards through the U.S. Department of Education, with 67 colleges selected from 180 applicants. Kansas received the highest number of awards in the nation.

Another four Kansas colleges are expected to apply in early 2022 for Second Chance Pell status. In July 2023, a ban – put in place in 1994 under the Violent Crimes Control and Law Enforcement Act – on Pell grants for those who are incarcerated will be lifted, leading to greater opportunities for more residents to enroll.

“Of the 325 residents in KDOC classrooms this fall, 240 are funded through Pell,” said Dr. Cris Fanning, KDOC Education Director. “By leveraging KDOC funds with Pell and other federal funds, KDOC plans to significantly increase market relevant job certifications for returning citizens.”

The classes are taught by professors from Kansas colleges. The Kansas Consortium for Correctional Higher Education, a partnership between KDOC, the Kansas Board of Regents and 11 Kansas higher education institutions, ensures prison programs are of the same quality as those on campus and that certifications and degrees are geared to high-demand occupations.

CTE programs include welding, sustainable/renewable energy, carpentry and electrical skills. Degree programs include associate of applied science, associate of arts in liberal studies and Bachelor of Science in computer information systems. As funding and space within the facilities allow, more programs and degrees will be added.

Special education and Title I services are also offered, and another 134 residents are enrolled in GED programs.

The connection between education and opportunity is well-documented. According to a recent Rand study, for every $1 spent on educating an incarcerated individual, taxpayers save between $4 and $5 in three-year incarceration costs. KDOC research indicates 75% of those entering prison have weak employment and education histories, and 50% of the reincarcerated were unemployed at the time of re-entry

“There is a direct link to education achievement and success after an individual fulfills their sentence and returns to the community,” said Jeff Zmuda, Kansas Secretary of Corrections. “Job readiness programs, transitional planning, private and correctional industry opportunities, mentors, tutors and many other key partners all play a part, but education and training are the foundation.”

Beyond the benefit to the individual, a skilled, ready-to-work workforce is one of our state’s highest needs.

KDOC releases approximately 6,000 individuals each year who return to their home communities. Providing training and education prior to release increases the labor pool for employers, and this in turn directly benefits local and state economies and improves the quality of life for all involved.

KDOC staff also observe that giving residents meaningful, relevant activities such as education and training leads to improved behavior. This is reflected in fewer rules violations and placements in restrictive housing. It also promotes positive engagement with staff and other residents and contributes to improved mental and physical health.

About the Kansas Department of Corrections

Through its strategic plan, Pathway for Success, the Kansas Department of Corrections’ vision, “Transforming Lives for the Safety of All,” is becoming reality by: (1) Investing in Individuals; (2) Creating an Environment for Change and Well-Being; (3) Enhancing and Maximizing Communication; (4) Fostering Dignity and Safety; and (5) Engaging and Strengthening Our Partnerships. In addition, KDOC now benefits from over four decades of scientific research defining the key principles of reducing crime, principles that align with this statutory purpose. The history of KDOC dates back to the founding of Kansas. More recently, the 1973 Kansas Legislature recodified KDOC’s purpose and current law reads, in part, “…rehabilitate, train, treat, educate and prepare persons convicted of felony in this state for entry or reentry into the social and economic system of the community… .”

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Safer Classrooms Workgroup to Protect Students, Teachers from COVID-19

TOPEKA – To protect Kansas students, teachers, and staff from the threat of the contagious Delta variant of COVID-19, Governor Laura Kelly today announced the Safer Classrooms Workgroup.

The workgroup, composed of highly skilled health professionals from across Kansas, will highlight the urgency of protecting kids from COVID-19 and use the best available science and information to support Governor Kelly’s administration, local governments, and school districts to promote health and safety in our schools.

“Children are catching the virus, being hospitalized, and dying from COVID at increasingly higher rates. There’s nothing more important than keeping our students healthy and in the classroom,” Governor Kelly said. “The Safer Classrooms Workgroup will provide information and guidance to give parents, teachers, school boards, and others the tools they need to make informed decisions to protect our students and our communities.”

The Safer Classrooms Workgroup will be composed of pediatricians, family physicians, school nurses, pharmacists, school psychologists, and other health professionals. They will meet weekly to highlight the urgency of protecting our kids from the delta variant, speaking with educators, parents, and advocates about their experiences as schools work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Every week, the workgroup will release a “School Safety Report” to serve as a resource for media, parents, schools, communities, and policymakers.

Information in this weekly report will include:

• Timely and relevant policies on testing and masking in schools, and best practices that can be shared across school districts.
• Updates on school districts with clearly communicated quarantine, testing, and masking policies, to ensure parents and families have what they need to know to keep their children safe.
• Information on school district vaccination and testing events – with resources to help schools plan, publicize, and implement.
• County-level data on youth vaccinations, cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
• Schools with active outbreaks.

“We got our kids back in school by listening to health professionals, wearing masks, implementing stringent public health protocol, and getting vaccinated,” Governor Kelly said. “We’ll keep them there by continuing to follow the best health practices. I encourage all Kansans to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”

The Kansas Department of Transportation is hosting eight public Local Consult meetings this fall as part of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE) project selection process. All Kansans are invited to participate. Participants will have the opportunity to share their community and region’s transportation priorities and provide input on a list of potential highway expansion and modernization projects. This year’s Local Consult meetings will take place virtually to comply with current state guidance related to COVID-19. Participants can attend the online regional meeting as well as a virtual on-demand option.

Online live Zoom meetings – go to https://www.ksdotike.org/projects/local-consult-process to register for each regional meeting. Participate in live conversations about regional transportation priorities and hear directly from KDOT Secretary Julie Lorenz. The schedule for the online regional and metro meetings is:

• Southeast Kansas – 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8
• Wichita metro – 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9
• North central Kansas – 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 15
• Northeast Kansas – 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 16
• Kansas City metro – 9 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30
• South central Kansas – 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 4
• Southwest Kansas – 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5
• Northwest Kansas – 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 6

Virtual on-demand experience – Allows Kansans to review Local Consult information and provide input on their own schedules. Visit https://www.ksdotike.org/projects/local-consult-process for more information about the schedule for these meetings.

Local Consult is a process that takes place every two years for KDOT to listen to regional needs from the perspective of Kansans who live and work in each of the six districts and two metropolitan areas. The regional discussions will be influenced by the 1,900 Kansans who participated in a survey earlier this summer to share their top transportation interests and concerns.

About the IKE Program – IKE is a 10-year program that addresses highways, bridges, public transit, aviation, short-line rail and bike/pedestrian needs across Kansas. The program and associated projects are focused on making roads safer, supporting economic growth and creating more options and resources for Kansans and their communities. For more information about the IKE program: www.ksdotike.org.

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This information can be made available in alternative accessible formats upon request.

For information about obtaining an alternative format, contact the KDOT Communications Division,

700 SW Harrison St., 2^nd Fl West, Topeka, KS 66603-3754 or phone 785-296-3585 (Voice)/Hearing Impaired – 711.