KS August Tax Collections Are Below Estimate

August total tax collections at $640.1 million; 3.7% below the estimate

TOPEKA – The State of Kansas closed August with total tax collections at $640.1 million. That is $24.5 million, or 3.7%, below the estimate. Total tax collections are down 1.9% from August 2022.

Individual income tax collections were $299.3 million. That is $25.7 million, or 7.9% below the estimate, and down 2.6% from August 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $25.1 million, or 25.5%, higher than the estimate and up 62.3% from August 2022.

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $292.4 million, which is $5.6 million, or 1.9%, below the estimate and down $10.5 million, or 3.5%, from August 2022.

Click here to view the August 2023 revenue numbers.

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The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes Sept. 1 Newsletter

 

September 1, 2023                                 Volume 9

Embracing a New School Year of Discovery and Impact

Resources for Educators!

Discover our FREE, high-quality resources for educators! From lesson plans to activities, find ways to elevate your students’ learning experiences. We are here to support you with diverse tools and materials. Reach out with questions or suggestions.

Thank you for inspiring the next generation of leaders!

Educator Resources

LMC Fellow Alumni News

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for Unsung Heroes Park

Our work as a nonprofit organization depends on donors like you.

 

Your contributions help us:

 

• develop powerful and life-changing Unsung Heroes projects with students and educators.

 

• engage more than 30,000 schools in interdisciplinary education that highlights positive role models for young people.

• provide professional development opportunities and teaching tools for educators across diverse subject areas and grade levels, using project-based learning that features Unsung Heroes.

 

• reach over 3 million students with inspiring stories that celebrate courage, compassion and conviction.

 

Visit www.lowellmilkencenter.org for opportunities to donate, which include commemorative brick purchases, book purchases and monetary donations.

All gifts are 100% matched and tax-deductible.

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Undersheriff Cole Is Leaving Law Enforcement

Ben Cole. Submitted photo.

Ben Cole has been the Undersheriff for Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office for 10 years.

Before that, he worked at the Fort Scott Police Department for five years.

He is leaving law enforcement on September 8.

As undersheriff, Cole was responsible for the day-to-day operation of the department, reviewing all criminal reports, assisting with investigations, and supervising 16 personnel including deputies and support staff.

His colleagues are the best part of the job for Cole.

“The people that worked for me,” he said. “They have always been so supportive, easy to work with, and ALWAYS willing to go above and beyond to help grow this department. I will for sure miss them all. I have had the pleasure of meeting several great sheriffs across the state at different conferences and so not seeing them or being able to pick their brains, or being involved in the law enforcement activities, I will miss that as well.”

“Law enforcement has changed so much in the last 15 years and the challenge has always been keeping up with new laws and new ways to solve crimes that take place within our community,” he said. “And keeping staff, as no one wants to get into law enforcement because of the way society is and what they see on TV. And sometimes the pay is not worth the risk that we all take in law enforcement.”

Cole will continue coaching golf.

“I am going to continue to be the assistant golf coach at Fort Scott Community College,” he said. “I will find something else to do to keep me busy, but for now just going to relax and play more golf.”

Cole’s official last day will be September 15.
“My last day in the office will be September 8th but will still be available to the newly appointed undersheriff for questions up and until the 15th,” he said.
Kevin Davidson was promoted from detective to undersheriff, he said.

 

Old Settlers Picnic Sept. 2-4: Food For All Tastes

This is the schedule of activities for the 117 Annual Old Settlers Picnic in Uniontown.

There will be various foods to choose from at the annual Old Settler’s Picnic on Monday.
The Uniontown FFA will be selling BBQ food, the Uniontown United Methodist Church will be selling chicken dinners and in addition, there will be a taco truck, hot dog truck, burger truck, BBQ vendors, shaved iced, homemade goodies by Mary Ridge, and Uniontown High School Seniors baked goodies, according to Sara Roufs, president of the Old Settlers Picnic committee.

Help For Saving Energy and Lowering Monthly Bills

KCC approves energy efficiency programs for Evergy customers

 

TOPEKA – In a 2 to 1 vote this morning, the Kansas Corporation Commission approved a settlement agreement pertaining to Evergy’s application for a Demand-Side Management (DSM) Portfolio featuring nine energy efficiency programs aimed at helping customers save energy and lower their monthly bills. Today’s decision is not related to Evergy’s pending rate case, which is a separate docket.

Discussions on the Energy Efficiency program application have been ongoing between Evergy, Commission Staff, and other stakeholders since the application was filed in December 2021. Agreement on the program offerings came relatively quickly. However, determining the best way to measure and fund the programs resulted in differing opinions.  Due to KCC staff concerns regarding potential cost, the Commission was presented with two proposals — a full slate of nine programs including PAYS® or a modified, lower cost option featuring only five programs.

The original nine-program offering was approved today with conditions attached to help ensure accurate performance measurements and fiscal accountability while avoiding duplication of funding available under the Inflation Reduction Act.  The approved settlement agreement is expected to have a total bill impact of less than 1-2% to implement and maintain the energy efficiency programs, while producing lower overall costs for customers in the long run. These costs will not appear on customer bills until mid-2025 at the earliest.

Commissioner Dwight Keen filed a dissenting opinion (included in the docket with today’s order) explaining his preference for a cost effective alternative DSM Energy Efficiency proposal that he believes provides substantial benefits to Evergy ratepayers at a significantly lesser cost, and more directly addresses his concerns regarding a possible duplication of incentives contained in the Federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Today’s order states:

“The Commission’s view of “just and reasonable rates” and “the public interest” is broader than immediate bill impacts. The Commission must evaluate not just the cost of programs, but also what customers are receiving for that cost. Here, customers are gaining access to programs that allow them to better control their energy usage and their bills. The Commission received very positive feedback from the public that they want access to these types of programs.

“While there is ample evidence that the system as a whole will benefit from the KEEIA portfolio, the Commission is also compelled to provide opportunities for low and fixed income customers to control their bills. In the Commission’s view, programs serving these communities make rates more just and reasonable for all. The continued absence of energy efficiency tools for these communities contributes to less just and reasonable rates.”

The order also references the Kansas Energy Efficiency Investment Act (KEEIA) K.S.A. 66-1183, previously passed by the Kansas Legislature.

“Nearly ten years ago, the Kansas Legislature and Governor set State policy promoting the establishment of cost-effective energy efficiency programs. At that time, it became the policy of this State to help utility customers use energy more efficiently and in a manner that sustains or enhances those customers’ incentives to use energy more efficiently. The intent of this Order is to implement the goals of our State’s highest policymakers and ensure those Kansas residents and businesses with the greatest need to control their bills have options available to do so.”

The nine programs approved today include the following:

1) Whole Home Efficiency Program: Provides rebates, discounts, and on-bill financing for HVAC and building envelope measures in single and multifamily residences. It will also provide no cost energy assessments and discounted energy savings kits.

2) Home Energy Education Program: Helps rural and low-income customers use energy more efficiently through marketing, outreach, and education.

3) Home Demand Response Program: Helps customers reduce their energy use during peak demand periods. It also provides opportunities for customers to receive free thermostats and water heater controllers.

4) Hard-to-Reach Homes Program: Provides enhanced incentives, no-cost home upgrades, and no-cost energy assessments and savings kits for low-income and rural customers.

5) Whole Business Efficiency Program: Provides both variable and fixed incentives to help business customers install efficient equipment and building envelope improvements.

6) Business Energy Education Program: Provides tools, resources, and guidance for businesses interested in saving money on energy. The program focuses on small businesses.

7) Business Demand Response Program: Helps business customers decrease their energy usage during periods of peak demand.

8) Hard-to-Reach Businesses Program: Offers enhanced incentives to small businesses and non-profits.

9) Pilot Incubator Program: Creates a pathway to identify and evaluate new DSM program concepts to meet changing customer needs and integrate evolving technologies.

More details and the timeline for implementation will be shared as the programs are developed.

Today’s order is available here. A recording of today’s Business Meeting featuring comments by Commissioners, is available on the KCC YouTube channel.

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Mirror, Mirror on the Wall by Patty LaRoche

Patty LaRoche. 2023

I find it difficult to be around married couples who constantly correct each other’s stories.  Recently, Dave and I spent a couple of days with such a twosome. They both love the Lord and are bold in their faith, but that didn’t keep them from annoying me.

Conversations went like this:

He: So, we were on a 32-foot houseboat when we nearly rolled over.  We were…

She: It was a 30-foot houseboat.

He: Okay, but we were terrified that the storm—that came fast and out of nowhere…

She: We had a warning.  We saw the clouds in the distance but didn’t know it was as bad as it was.

He: You’re thinking of the time we were in our sailboat and we…

She:  No.  Remember, we had Jenn with us and she was five years old and she was hiding under the kitchen table.  The sailboat was another time.

He: No, it wasn’t.  When the lightning flashed, we were alone on the 32-foot houseboat.

My head was ping-ponging back and forth as I attempted to make eye contact with the person speaking.

The fact was, I didn’t care what kind or size of boat they were on.  I could see the frustration in the husband’s face who couldn’t say anything without being admonished.

The wife, for some reason, didn’t seem to mind as much when she was set straight.

But I did.

I understand that we are to love those who frustrate us, but is there a point where we speak up…in love, of course?  Usually, I can make a joke to point out other’s offensive behaviors, but if they aren’t close friends, is that my place?

Our goal is to become more like Christ.  To “nit-pick” makes us nothing like him. So, shouldn’t I help this couple by pointing out how annoying their pattern is and how they will never have really close friends because they are so irritating? I need wise counsel on this.  I turn to God’s Word.

As I search Scripture for answers, I am directed to Matthew 7:3-5: Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Not the resolution I’m seeking, but I shouldn’t be surprised.

It seems that every time I set out to correct someone else’s flaws, I have to look in a mirror.  This time, however, I can disregard Matthew’s writing because correcting my hubby is not one of my problems.

Dave and I are to go to dinner with this couple tonight.  We discuss ways we can address this annoyance.

“Dave, maybe I could just come out and say, ‘Remember when you brought up the 32-foot houseboat that almost rolled over and were immediately set straight?”

“Well, Patty, you could do that, except the conversation started with his wife talking about an almost-accident she had on a jet ski when the storm came in.”

“Absolutely did not happen that way.  Remember she said it was 30-feet long?

“Maybe we’re not the ones who should try and help.”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

 

 

Letter to the Editor by Pete Allen

 

I noticed in the agenda for the next commission meeting under item 10  of “New Business” is a proposal for discussion “Consideration of Old Fort Boulevard/Skubitz Plaza Maintenance and Beautification Project” proposed by Mayor Wells.

It is my belief that for Fort Scott to succeed as a tourist town, we must put our best foot forward and this would be a project that would fit in with our comprehensive plan toward promoting tourism for economic benefit.

When I went downtown last June and walked the bricks from 3rd Street to the Old Fort, I was appalled and embarrassed by the filth on the street, the dips and low spots in the bricks, the grass and weeds growing in the bricks and gutters, and I noticed the theme of the GOD’s was “walk the bricks”.

And then I walked the alley behind the buildings, and I saw filth and potholes that would break the leg of a horse if he stepped in it, and I wondered how we could ignore common housekeeping and maintenance.

It has been 50 years since Skubitz was built and the lack of maintenance shows the city has just been incapable of maintaining anything. I think back to the years when we had a water truck with spray nozzles on the front and every so often following a good sweeping it was used to wash the bricks and gutters into catch basins, getting the downtown ready for the inevitable and welcomed crowds of people coming to shop, socialize, and partake of movies and activities on Friday and Saturday nights.

My thanks to Mayor Wells for recognizing a need and for acting.

I just hope the other commissioners will recognize the need and push for this much-needed project. (I can even remember when farmers were chastised for bringing their muddy trucks to town and parking on the clean streets!)

Pete Allen

Southeast Kansas Library System Newsletter for Summer 2023

The SEKnFind Newsletter
Summer 2023

We hope you enjoy this newsletter sent as a courtesy to adult patrons of a southeast Kansas library using the SEKnFind catalog.
This selection of titles are NEW at a SEKnFind library and available for a hold.
Need assistance? Your local librarian can show you how!
Happy Reading!

New Fiction

Save what’s left
by Elizabeth Castellano

Starting over in a small beach community on the east coast, Kathleen Deane discovers this picturesque town is not what it seems but just what she needs as she finds herself in an all-out war with her neighbors who are building a huge monstrosity next to her tiny cottage.

Just another missing person
by Gillian McAllister

While investigating the disappearance of 22-year-old Oliva, Julia, the detective heading up the case, discovers, to save her own family, she must not find out what happened to Oliva and must frame somebody else for her murder. 150,000 first printing.

The block party : a novel
by Jamie Day

“This summer, meet your neighbors. The residents of the exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road are entangled in a web of secrets and scandal utterly unknown to the outside world, and even to each other. On the night of the annual Summer block party, there has been a murder. But, who did it and why takes readers back one year earlier, as rivalries and betrayals unfold–discovering that the real danger lies within their own block and nothing–and no one–is ever as it seems”

California golden
by Melanie Benjamin

Two teens in 1960s California grapple with the unconventional path of their mother, who defies societal expectations as a talented female surfer, in the new novel from the New York Times best-selling author of The Children’s Blizzard.

The summer of songbirds : a novel
by Kristy Woodson Harvey

“Four women come together to save the summer camp that changed their lives and rediscover themselves in the process”

The déjá glitch : a novel
by Holly James

When she literally crashes into Jack one Friday morning, Gemma Peters gets a funny feeling of déjà vu until he tells her the unbelievable truth: they’ve lived this day over and over 147 times and to break the loop, she must fall in love with him in 24 hours. Original.

Mister Magic : a novel
by Kiersten White

Reuniting 30 years after a tragic accident ended their show Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members, who hold the secret of their close circle, the mystery of the beloved magical host and what really happened on that deadly last day, soon wonder if they’ve been lured into a trap.

The Splinter in the sky
by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

When her lover is assassinated and her sibling is kidnapped by Imperial solders, Enitan, using her fledgling tea business as cover, moves undetected through the Vaalbaran capital where she will learn just how far she’ll go to exact vengeance, free her sibling and secure her homeland’s freedom.

Shark heart : a love story
by Emily Habeck

When her husband Lewis, a few weeks after their wedding, receives a rare diagnosis—his physical body will gradually turn into a great white shark—Wren, struggling with his fate, finds his developing carnivorous nature activating long-repressed memories which forces her to make an impossible choice.

Fever house : a novel
by Keith Rosson

While collecting overdue drug money in a rundown Portland, Oregon apartment complex, Hutch Holtz discovers a severed hand in the client’s refrigerator and quickly realizes the body part induces uncontrollable madness and violence and sets catastrophic forces into motion.

Small town sins : a novel
by Ken Jaworowski

In a down-and-out Pennsylvania town, Nathan, a volunteer fireman who finds a secret stash of money; Callie, a nurse who risks her career to grant her young patient a final wish; and Andy, a recovering heroin addict who doles out vigilante justice, must face their troubled pasts—and their crimes—to have a future.

A month of doomsdays
by William W. Johnstone

Discovering a small band of rustlers are hiding stolen cows from other ranches among their herd, former lawman Ty Brannigan and his son Matt, while investigating, are drawn into the biggest heist in history and must race against time to stop it before innocent people die. Original.

New Audiobooks

All the Demons Are Here
by Jake Tapper

Two siblings, one an AWOL marine working off the grid for Evel Knievel and the other a star reporter, deal with the culturally weird events of 1977, including the Summer of Sam and the death of Elvis. 150,000 first printing.

Everyone here is lying : a novel
by Shari Lapena

“William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he’s been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter, Avery, unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper. Hours later, Avery’s family declares her missing. Who took Avery Wooler?”

The invisible hour : a novel
by Alice Hoffman

“One brilliant June day when Mia Jacob can no longer see a way to survive, the power of words saves her. The Scarlet Letter was written almost two hundred years earlier, but it seems to tell the story of Mia’s mother, Ivy, and their life inside the Community–an oppressive cult in western Massachusetts where contact with the outside world is forbidden, and books are considered evil. But how could this be? How could Nathaniel Hawthorne have so perfectly captured the pain and loss that Mia carries inside her? Through a journey of heartbreak, love, and time, Mia must abandon the rules she was raised with at the Community. As she does, she realizes that reading can transport you to other worlds or bring them to you, and that readers and writers affect one another in mysterious ways. She learns that time is more fluid than she can imagine, and that love is stronger than any chains that bind you. As a girl Mia fell in love with a book. Now as a young woman she falls in love with a brilliant writer as she makesher way back in time. But what if Nathaniel Hawthorne never wrote The Scarlet Letter? And what if Mia Jacob never found it on the day she planned to die?”

New Nonfiction

The heat will kill you first : life and death on a scorched planet
by Jeff Goodell

A New York Times best-selling journalist shares an explosive new understanding of heat in this searing examination of the impact that rising temperatures will have on our lives and on our planet.

ChatGPT
by Pamela Baker

“ChatGPT For Dummies demystifies the artificial intelligence tool that can answer questions, write essays, and generate just about any kind of text it’s asked for. This powerful example of generative AI is widely predicted to upend education and business. In this book, you’ll learn how ChatGPT works and how you can operate it in a way that yields satisfactory results. You’ll also explore the ethics of using AI-generated content for various purposes”

The tao of self-confidence : a guide to moving beyond trauma and awakening the leader within
by Sheena Yap Chan

“In 2021, women represented 54.3% of the US workforce but only held 35% of senior leadership positions. Of that percentage, only 2.7% of Asian women were seen in management roles. While there have been great leaps for women in the workplace in the last decade, women of color still fall behind. The Tao of Self-Confidence book sets a foundation to help Asian Women start being seen as leaders in work and life rather than by our stereotypes. In order to move forward with true confidence, we must learn the lessons our challenges have taught us and heal our trauma. With an honest and vulnerable approach, Yap Chan discusses and explores the specific challenges our community faces, historically and now in the midst of the pandemic, intergenerational and historical trauma, false stories we tell ourselves, and how we can rise above stereotypes. We’ll tap into our inner joy, celebrate our authentic self, and awaken the leader within.”

Sipping Dom Pérignon through a straw : reimagining success as a disabled achiever
by Eddie Ndopu

A global humanitarian born with spinal muscular atrophy—and the first-ever disabled African awarded a full scholarship at Oxford University—shows how he broke through every barrier put in front of him—a queer, black wheelchair user—challenging the bias at the highest echelons of power and prestige. Illustrations.

The underworld : journeys to the depths of the ocean
by Susan Casey

Drawing on interviews with marine geologists, marine biologists and oceanographers, a premiere chronicler of the aquatic world and New York Times best-selling author provides a fascinating history of deep-sea exploration and shows how urgent it is that we understand the ocean in a time of increasing threats from climate change. Illustrations.

Future care : sensors, artificial intelligence, and the reinvention of medicine
by Jagmeet Singh

“A brief examination of how new and advanced technologies can change the world of medicine for the better. Future care is virtual care: sensor-aided, digitally enabled, and powered by predictive analytics. Like most facets of modern life, human organs, too, are being digitally monitored. Sensors are well on their way to helping us proactively capture the information needed to predict and prevent disease. Paired with the medical world’s growing emphasis on wellness and prevention, the digital revolution will help us effectively monitor and address the chronic diseases that have been the Achilles’ heel of the health care system to date. This large-scale transition is not only going to reshape the patient-physician relationship but also dramatically changehow hospitals and the business of medicine operate”

The garden maker’s book of wonder / : 162 Recipes, Crafts, Tips, Techniques, and Plants to Inspire You in Every Season
by Allison Vallin Kostovick

“Drawing on decades of gardening experience, and illustrated with vibrant photography from her own home and garden, popular gardening lifestyle influencer Allison Vallin Kostovick offers sage advice on growing bountiful harvests of favorite vegetables, herbs, and flowers”

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Continue reading Southeast Kansas Library System Newsletter for Summer 2023

Birth Certificates in Kansas Must Reflect Biological Sex of the Person

Kobach statement on Foster v. Stanek order

TOPEKA – (August 31, 2023) – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach today issued the following statement in response to the Court’s order in Foster v. Stanek:

“The Court’s opinion was well reasoned and thorough. The trans activists in this case attempted to nullify state law. The Court held that SB 180 means what it says – birth certificates in Kansas must reflect biological sex. As long as I am attorney general, the laws of Kansas will be enforced as written. The Legislature decided that birth certificates must reflect biological reality, and they were quite clear in how they wrote the law.  Today’s decision is a rejection of the activists’ and Governor Kelly’s attempt to twist the English language beyond recognition. The Court has told the Governor what the law clearly means. We now expect the Governor to follow the law and cease changing birth certificates to something other than biological sex at birth.”

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Bourbon County Local News