KS Senate Works To Cut Red Tape For Building Single Family Homes

 

The Kansas Senate has passed historic reform to cut through red tape and make building single-family homes faster and easier across our state, unlocking the potential of the American dream in Kansas.

At its core, SB 418 requires local governments to approve single-family homes, speeding up new construction to help ease housing shortages and make homes more affordable. It also allows more practical and affordable building options and treats all residentially-zoned land in cities as suitable for single-family use.

Senator TJ Rose, who carried the bill on the floor, said, “Kansas families have been asking us to help revive the American dream of homeownership, and this bill advances that effort by reducing red tape, allowing more practical and affordable building options, and opening more land for single-family homes. This bill particularly gives younger Kansans hope for the future, knowing that owning a home is now more attainable in our state.”

President Ty Masterson thanked Senator Rose for his work on the historic bill.

“Senator Rose worked for months with cities, builders, realtors, and key advocacy groups to craft this bill and ensure it would pass this session, as evidenced by the bi-partisan vote for the bill. As the father of six and the grandfather of seven, I want young Kansans to know that homeownership is possible. This bill helps fortify single-family homes as the bedrock of the American dream.”

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Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson | 300 SW 10th St. 332-E | Topeka, KS 66612 US

FSHS Performs Clue (High School Edition) on March 5-7

Fort Scott High School Performs Clue (H.S. Edition)

 

Fort Scott High School performs the play Clue (H.S. Edition) at 7 p.m. on March 5-7 in the FSHS Auditorium.

 

“It’s a dark and stormy night, and we’ve been invited to a very unusual dinner party. Each of the guests has an alias, the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well, dead. So whodunit? Join the iconic oddballs known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard as they race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor before the body count stacks up. Based on the cult classic film and the popular board game, Clue is a madcap comedy that will keep the audience guessing until the final twist,” according to Concord Theatricals.

 

The show features seniors Levi Fairchild as Wadsworth the butler, Sypher Cannon as Mrs. White, and Grace Walker as Miss Scarlet; juniors Landon Hill as Professor Plum and Ava Johnson as Mrs. Peacock; and sophomores Theodore Bowman as Mr. Green, Gianna Gorman as Yvette the maid, and Tray Maloun as Colonel Mustard.

 

Clue is adapted from the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn and written by Sandy Rustin, with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price. Parental guidance is suggested as the play includes simulated use of weapons and smoking.

 

Tickets are reserved seating and are $8 for adults and $6 for youth. Tickets are available at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com or at the door. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.

 

Clue (H.S. Edition) is directed by FSHS Theatre Director Angie Bin with Mesa Jones as Assistant Director and Jericho Jones as Sound Designer.

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KS Announces Latest Round of Community Service Program Tax Credits

Commerce Reopens Tax Credit Opportunities for Nonprofits, Healthcare Entities

TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the latest round of the Community Service Program (CSP) Tax Credits, making $4.14 million in state tax credits available for donors to qualified projects.

CSP Tax Credits provide an opportunity for private, non-profit organizations and public healthcare entities to incentivize private donations for one-time, transformational projects that expand access to essential services and result in lasting benefits for their respective communities.

“Making Kansas the best place for all to call home takes strategic collaboration and innovative thinking,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “CSP Tax Credits are a powerful tool our Kansas-based nonprofits and healthcare organizations can leverage to create or improve critical community assets — especially in our rural communities.”

Under the program, the state authorizes nonprofit organizations to offer tax credits to donors that make contributions toward approved projects. Organizations are chosen through a competitive selection process.

Approved projects include capital campaigns, major renovations, significant equipment purchases or capacity-building initiatives. Projects must fall within one or more eligible categories:

  • Community services (including childcare)
  • Non-governmental crime prevention
  • Youth job and technical training
  • Healthcare services

Applications will be open March 1 through April 30, 2026. Those applying may request up to $200,000 in tax credits. Applicants in rural communities with populations less than 15,000 are eligible for a 70% credit. Applicants not located in rural areas are eligible for a 50% credit. Awards will be announced by June 1 and the tax credits will activate July 1.

If your organization is interested in applying for CSP, the Kansas Department of Commerce will host an introductory webinar at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, February 26. To register for the webinar, visit here.

For more information regarding CSP, including program guidelines and application materials, click here. Interested parties may also contact Program Manager Kerri Falletti at [email protected].

About the Quality Places Division:

Established in 2024, the Quality Places Division at the Kansas Department of Commerce exists to improve quality of life in communities across the state through various programs and services. The Kansas Department of Commerce understands the immense role played by strong communities in economic development and prioritizes investments in people and communities as major contributors to the overall strength of the Kansas economy. To learn more, 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.

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Ks Works to Develop Technology Systems for Agricultural Use

Governor Kelly Announces $3M to Develop
Unmanned Aerial Systems Technology for Agricultural Research

~Grant Builds on Kansas’ Strengths in Agriculture and Aviation Research~ 

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly and The Kansas Department of Agriculture today announced that Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems has been awarded $3 million to develop Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) technology for agricultural use. This technology can be used by farmers, ranchers, and agriculture business retailers to improve yields, cut input costs, manage livestock, and expand opportunities for precision agriculture development in the state of Kansas.

“Through investments into cutting-edge precision agriculture technology, we are giving Kansas farmers and ranchers a leg up,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Kansas’ vast cropland and grassland acreage, as well as our diversified agriculture industry, make us the ideal location for these developments.”

The funding was approved by the Kansas Legislature and Governor Kelly during the 2025 legislative session to accelerate the development of agricultural and aviation technology in Kansas given the state’s workforce, strong manufacturing base, and role as a leader in precision agriculture and aviation technology.

“Kelly Hills is building on a storied history of agriculture and aviation innovation in the state of Kansas,” said Kansas Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Beam. “This investment will ensure that Kansas farmers and ranchers remain at the forefront of the industry.”

“In applying for this funding, Kelly Hills worked with all our major aviation research institutions in Kansas, including Wichita State,” said Representative Avery Anderson, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Public Safety Budget. “This grant shows that there is no better place for businesses interested in innovative aviation and agriculture technology than right here in Kansas.”

“My district is full of some of the best farmers and ranchers in the state,” said Senator Craig Bowser, 1st District. “It only makes sense that companies like Kelly Hills would want to do research here on new and emerging technologies to benefit our farmers and ranchers.”

“This proposal draws from partnerships from around the state, including in Johnson County, to provide the next generation of technology for two of our states’ largest industries: aviation and agriculture,” said Representative Jo Ella Hoye, Ranking Minority Member on the House Committee on Transportation and Public Safety Budget. “This research will help create opportunities for small businesses to bring new products to market that benefit the entire state’s economy. My family has three generations of ag pilots, so I am looking forward to the potential for safety improvements while simultaneously preserving the bountiful contributions from aerial applicators.”

Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems was established in 2024 by Heinen Brothers Agra Services to bring advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and autonomous ground vehicles into the agricultural sector. Kelly Hills’ mission is to enhance farming operations by integrating cutting-edge technology that improves precision, efficiency, and safety.

“This investment in Beyond Visual Line of Sight radar technology is a critical step toward establishing Kansas as a national leader in unmanned aviation. The support from Governor Kelly, Representative Anderson, Senator Bowser, and other key legislators sends a clear signal that Kansas intends to lead in both advanced aviation and precision agriculture,” said Lukas Koch, CEO of Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems. “Kelly Hills is focused on commercializing UAS technology and strengthening an internationally recognized testing environment that attracts federal partnerships, private investment, and next generation jobs.”

Kelly Hills works closely with leading UAV manufacturers and collaborates with the FAA, the Kansas Department of Transportation, and the University of Alaska at Fairbanks to ensure operations meet the highest safety and regulatory standards. In 2024, Kelly Hills earned an FAA license to operate a 49,000 sq mile UAV test range. The BVLOS technology will support and enhance the capabilities of the Kelly Hills range.

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A Wedding Testimony by Patty LaRoche

Patty LaRoche. 2023.
Author: A Little Faith Lift…Finding Joy Beyond Rejection
www.alittlefaithlift.com
AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Assoc.)

When Montana, my granddaughter, called to say that she and her fiancé, Ian, had set their wedding date, I was excited to put it on my calendar.  “February 3, 2026,” she announced.  Surely my calendar was wrong…or Montana was mistaken.

“Mo, that’s a Tuesday.”

“I know,” she declared, excitedly.

“Is this a destination wedding?” I questioned.

“No, Grandma, we’re getting married in Fort Scott…at my parent’s house.”

“Well then, where will the reception be?” I pressed.  Mo had it all figured out.  “It will be an outdoor wedding, and the reception will be inside their house.”  This was not my business to question.  Still, I questioned. “Mo, do you know what Kansas weather is like in February, not to mention, Tuesdays are in the middle of the week?”

“I know.”

“Then why did you choose that day?”

“Because God gave me that date.”

There was only one thing I could say: “Well, then, February 3 it is.”  As I later found out, that date, years before, had been one in which Mo made a heart-change to follow the Lord and trust that His ways are far higher than ours could ever be.  The wedding was a testimony to that.

Mo and Ian chose several “unusual” things for their big day (like a Ding-Dong wedding cake and a stadium hot-dog bar), not the least of which was to have actual church pews for the guests.  I mean, it’s not like church pews are available at Walmart, and no church that I know of would be amenable to loaning theirs out for an outdoor wedding.  Especially a February wedding.  But that’s where God did what only God can do.

As it turned out, someone had donated dozens of antique, wooden church pews to the nuns who live in Fort Scott.  The pews were in a semi-truck, waiting for volunteers to sand and stain them.  And that’s where Mo’s family and friends offered to help.  Weeks of work went into preparing the pews for the wedding ceremony, definitely a blessing to Mo and Ian, but God had plans much grander than the February 3 event.

The week before the wedding, the snow, wind and freezing temperatures caused schools and businesses to close. If this weather continued, how would we survive an outdoor wedding?  I envisioned wedding photos with icicles hanging from our nose hairs and updo’s ruined by earmuffs.  How could antique, wooden church pews endure freezing rain?

And then came Tuesday.  Bright, sunny skies.  Temperature in the mid-40’s.  No wind.

But the bigger blessing came after the wedding when volunteers from the Catholic Church delivered the slightly-used pews to the nuns who now would have beautiful, refinished pews for a lifetime.  It should come as no surprise that the One who orchestrates things like temperatures can turn a blessing for an hour into a blessing for a lifetime.  What a God we serve!

K-3 bridge in Bourbon County to be replaced

Post Date:02/09/2026 9:00 AM

Work will begin the week of Feb. 16 to replace the Little Osage River bridge on K-3 about two miles south of the Linn County line, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The 36-mile official detour (see map) will be in place later that week, conditions permitting. KDOT uses state highways for official detour routes for safety, weight and maintenance concerns.

Southbound K-3 traffic should follow the signed detour west on K-31 to U.S. 59, south on U.S. 59 to U.S. 54 and east on U.S. 54. Northbound traffic should follow the detour route in the opposite direction.

The project is expected to be completed by December, conditions permitting.

The new bridge will be 313 feet long and 32 feet wide with 12-foot driving lanes and 4-foot shoulders.

KDOT awarded the $4.19 million construction contract to Bridges Inc., of Newton. The project is funded through KDOT’s 10-year, nearly $10 billion Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE), which is focusing on preserving, modernizing and expanding Kansas’ transportation system.

Check KDOT’s www.kandrive.gov for updated highway conditions and construction details. Persons with questions may contact KDOT Public Information Officer Ray Nolting at (620) 902-6433.

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Letter to the Editor: Randy Nichols

An open letter to our congressional leaders,
     The United Methodist Social Creed calls for a day “when Justice and Mercy embrace.”   Imagine, the law and Golden Rule in harmony.  Justice and Mercy embracing to create fairness and equality, not retaliation and retribution.  Could there be a better principle to guide your governing decisions?  Think about that: immigration enforcement without paramilitary ICE imbedded in civil society leading to denigration of the humanity of immigrants and the arrest, and worse, killing of American citizens; no military action in Venezuela to claim their oil resources as “ours” while leaving their people repressed and poor; no late night racist political memes of our first black president and his wife as apes, and no more executive policies for self-aggrandizement and enrichment of those in power while ignoring basic needs like food and housing for others.
     Justice and Mercy embracing lead to: policies that strengthen relationships with our military and trading allies; far tax policies, expanded voting rights, improved access to health care; also policies that protect the most vulnerable among us including the poor, the elderly, and minority groups as related to race, color, creed, sexual and gender identity.  Justice and mercy embracing would promote critically needed balanced energy policies that protect our world from worsening climate change and its threat to all humanity.
     Justice and Mercy in balance offer us, as a nation, the path forward our founders envisioned and we have historically strived to become.  Justice and Mercy embracing is the antidote to authoritarian rule.
      Please, as our congressional leaders, reclaim your position as a co-equal branch of government and reestablish the balance of Justice and Mercy Embracing we so desperately need.  The power is in your hands.  The choice is yours.  We, the voters, are judging your decision.
Randy Nichols MD
Fort Scott, Kansas

KS Victim Notification Service Directory Is Being Developed

AG Kris Kobach: New Kansas VINE features assist victims of crime

TOPEKA – (February 19, 2026) – The Office of Attorney General is excited to announce that Kansas VINE now includes a searchable “Service Provider Directory” and an “I Need Guidance” feature.

VINE is the automated victim notification service for custody status on adult offenders held in county jail facilities in Kansas. VINE is a safety resource often used by crime victims needing immediate notification when an offender is released from jail or changes custody status.

The new “Service Provider Directory” and the “I Need Guidance” features provide access to resources from a central place, making it easier for a person to locate assistance. VINE users can search for state-approved local and national service providers by organization name, services they offer, and/or the type of crime. The providers in the directory can help with needs such as crisis services, counseling, housing, and financial resources, and victim advocacy.

“Our division’s experience talking to people across the state confirms that it can be overwhelming for victims of crime to locate and connect with services and support immediately after a crime occurred; and even months later when longer-term impacts emerge,” says Arica Roland, Associate Division Chief, Victim Services Division. “We are currently working with service providers across the state to build the directory to best serve victims of crime. During the beginning stages of building the directory, search requests will return with limited results. As more service providers are added to the directory, search requests will display additional resources available.”

Kansas Service Providers: We Need Your Help

The Office of the Attorney General and Kansas VINE are asking for Service Providers’ assistance. Please consider submitting your agency’s information to join the Kansas VINE Service Provider Directory. To join the Kansas VINE Service Provider Directory, go to the National Service Provider website, select Kansas, review the State Guidelines, select “Join” directory, and complete the survey. https://vine.equifax.com/service-provider-directory

Kansas VINE is free, confidential, and is accessible through the internet, telephone, and mobile App. VINE’s automated notifications are delivered via telephone, email, text message, and in-app. TTY (hearing impaired) service is also available. VINE information is available in English and Spanish. Kansas VINE is available-24/7/365 and can be reached by calling toll-free 1-866-574-8463, visiting www.vinelink.com, or via the VINELink mobile app.

https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/victim-services/kansas-vine

 

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Kansas Attorney General’s Office | 120 SW 10th Ave. | Topeka, KS 66612 US

Uniontown Schools Kindergarten Roundup Is March 23

West Bourbon Elementary School – Uniontown

Kindergarten Roundup Coming in March

 

A screening clinic for 2026-2027 kindergarten students has been scheduled for Monday, March 23 at West Bourbon Elementary. To be eligible for kindergarten, your child must be 5 years old on or before August 31, 2026.

Students who will be new to WBE will sign up for a 30 minute slot to be assessed on March 23. Please bring in your child’s birth certificate and immunization record. The agenda for the child will include kindergarten skills assessment, vision, hearing, speech, and checking health records.

Kindergarten children are required to have a physical exam within 12 months of beginning school and have all current immunizations. The Girard Medical Center is available for immunizations and physicals; if you would like to contact them for a coinciding appointment call 620-756-4111.

Due to the screenings, there will be no Kindergarten class on March 23rd.

For the best testing environment for your child, we ask that you not bring brothers or sisters.

To set up a time for screening and assessment, please call the school at 620-224-2350, option 1, or visit https://tinyurl.com/2026WBEK-Roundup.

Bourbon County Local News