Elections, Government, Kansas

Kansas Expands Voter Registration

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Governor Laura Kelly Announces Expanded Voter Registration Opportunities for Kansans

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that, through an agreement between a coalition of civil rights agencies and the State of Kansas, Kansans statewide will now have expanded opportunities to register to vote or update voter registration.

Under the agreement, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department for Children and Families will expand opportunities for voter registration, in compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Statewide, the agencies have committed to providing additional resources to help people receiving public benefits who want to register to vote.

“Every lawfully eligible Kansans deserves an equal opportunity to cast his or her ballot in every election,” Governor Kelly said. “By sharing resources and expanding opportunities to get registered to vote, we will encourage more voices to be heard at the polls and more Kansans to exercise this important right.”

Governor Kelly’s office worked closely with Kansas voting rights advocacy non-profit Loud Light, who was represented by think tank Demos, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kansas, and the ACLU’s national Voting Rights Project.

“The most important takeaway is that we’re opening up opportunities to register to vote. Voter participation is always our biggest priority,” said Davis Hammet, Executive Director of Loud Light.

In November 2019 the parties met to discuss deficiencies in state agencies’ compliance under the NVRA. The NRVA, passed in 1993, set certain requirements for state agencies providing public assistance benefits regarding voter registration assistance. Although KDHE and KDCF may have been in compliance previously, previous administrations allowed the agencies to abandon the obligations under this law, according to the coalition.

The written agreements between the State and the advocacy groups successfully allowed the parties to avoid litigation. The agreements establish milestones to get the state back in compliance.

Requirements include:

  • Updating the agencies’ policies,
  • Incorporating voter registration information into benefits material,
  • And providing registration information and applications at agency offices and on the agencies’ websites and online application portals.

The effects of this agreement have already started, with KDCF and KDHE sending over 277,000 voter registrations through remedial mailings prior to the November 2020 general election.

“It’s unfortunate and, frankly, unacceptable that Kansas fell out of compliance previously, but we appreciate the current leadership’s cooperation to remedy our concerns and take concrete steps towards fulfilling their obligations to help Kansans register to vote,” says Sharon Brett, Legal Director for the ACLU of Kansas.

The agreement’s provisions will be in effect until June 30, 2025, although the state will still be expected to comply with NVRA regulations afterwards.

“This agreement to bring the state of Kansas back into compliance with the National Voter Registration Act is a win for the residents of Kansas, who will now have more access to voter registration and greater opportunity to vote and enjoy full participation in the democratic process,” said Brenda Wright, Interim Director of Legal Strategies at Demos. “We will continue to work with the state to maintain a seamless registration process for its residents.”

Opinion

Honesty by Patty LaRoche

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Patty LaRoche

We all agree that honesty is a noble quality, but do we practice it when it costs us something? Literally “costs” us something?

Dave and I last week were in the San Francisco area, visiting friends from Mazatlán, Joyce and Howard, who live on a golf course when not in Mexico.

Errant golf balls are commonly found in their back yard, but Joyce shared that one day when she returned from running errands, she found her guest bedroom’s French door to an outside patio shattered by such a hit. Joyce phoned her local country club to ask for help in finding who might have teed off that morning.

The club contacted those golfers, and within two days, one called her and admitted that he had hit a ball in that direction but had no idea when it went over her fence it broke a window. He showed up at her house, apologizing and leaving her a check for the $600 he owed.

My friend told of another time two years ago when she returned from Mazatlán to find a large hole in that same wooden fence. It appeared that a cart had done the extensive damage. Again, Joyce called the club to report the damage, but this time no one came forward. The club ended up repairing the hole.

Fast forward to last Friday when Howard and Dave were repairing the mesh fence that adds a few more feet of ball protection height to that fence. Two golfers came by and parked their carts near where the guys were working.

Howard struck up a conversation with one and told the story of the unresolved issue. “I know who did that,” said the golfer, pointing to his partner standing a few yards away. Immediately, the guilty man turned his back to Howard, jumped in his cart and skedaddled away. (We could only imagine the conversation between those two golfers when they met on the next hole. Oh my!)

In 2 Corinthians 8:21, Paul the apostle reminds readers of his intentional honesty: For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man. He writes further in Ephesians 4:25: Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

I picture the dishonest golfer waking the next morning, worrying he might be caught, and yes, my friend intends to call the club to ask for help in finding the blameworthy runaway.

But before we point fingers, if we are really honest, we must admit that our human nature is not to get caught when our mistakes cost us something…even if it’s not money but instead is our reputation or our position or our supposed spirituality.

Who knew this better than King Saul of the Old Testament? The prophet Samuel relayed God’s message to warrior Saul to destroy “everything” of the Amalekites, enemies of Israel and the first nation to attack the Israelites when Moses led them out of Egypt.

Instead of obeying, Saul failed to slaughter the enemy’s animals and kept the Amalekite king alive as his war trophy, returning to Israel and erecting a monument to himself.

Big mistake.

When Samuel confronted Saul, the king lied and made excuses, blaming the soldiers by saying that they kept the animals alive to make sacrifices to the Lord. He even asked Samuel to cover his sin and make him look good to his fellow Israelites.

God’s reaction was anything but understanding. Saul would no longer be king.

Someone once said, “Tell a lie once, and all your truths become questionable.” I think that God knows that, and if He would go to such drastic measures to punish Israel’s leader, I imagine that none of us should expect leniency. Honesty is, after all, the best policy.

Bourbon County, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes

Women’s Right To Vote Exhibit Reception Oct. 8

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Lowell Milken Center Announces October 8th, 2021

SPECIAL EVENT

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote, the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes invites all to attend a reception and unveiling for the new exhibit/panel on Friday, October 8th at 3:30pm. The Center will honor unsung heroes and African American suffragists Carrie Langston Hughes and Mamie Dillard with a reception including wine and cheese, fruit and dessert, and music. This event is sponsored by a grant from Humanities Kansas and will be followed up in November with a cultural arts presentation on women’s suffrage and a community book read, Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”

About Humanities Kansas: Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy. Since 1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversation and generate insights. Together with our partners and supporters, we inspire all Kansans to draw on history, literature, ethics, and culture to enrich their lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.

About the Lowell Milken Center: The Lowell Milken Center is a non-profit 501 © (3) that works with students and educators within a range of diverse academic disciplines, to develop projects focused on unsung heroes.

 

Bourbon County, Elections, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber to host Election Candidate Forum

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The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces an Election Candidate Forum will be held on Wednesday, October 20th at Memorial Hall, 1 E. 3rd St. in Fort Scott. The forum will feature candidates for the races of USD 234 School Board, Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees, and Fort Scott City Commission. Doors will open for a Meet & Greet with the candidates at 5:30 p.m. and the forum will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Residents of the community are encouraged to submit questions for the candidates to the Chamber by Monday, October 18th at 1:00 p.m. Questions may be emailed to [email protected], mailed to 231 E. Wall St., or dropped off in person. The forum will also be broadcast live on the Facebook page Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce. Candidates in these races are asked to RSVP to the Chamber by October 13th to confirm attendance.

Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566.

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Bourbon County

Coalition Meeting Agenda For Oct. 6

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Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition

General Membership Meeting Agenda

October 6, 2021

  1. Welcome:

Thanks to Nancy for chairing the meeting!

  1. Member Introductions and Announcements:
  1. Program: Jody Hoener, Healthy Bourbon County.

November program will be an update on Communities in Schools presented by Rhonda Hoener and Lewis Dunkeson.

  1. Open Forum:
  • Discussion: Would it be better to meet from 1:00 – 2:00 starting in January?
  • Discussion: Do we need to find a location with reliable internet connection where combination meetings (face-to-face and Zoom) can be held?
  1. Adjournment: Next General Membership meeting will be November 3, 2021.

For those who can’t attend in person on Wednesday, October 6th via Zoom on the noon hour:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://neosho.zoom.us/j/96247133102

Meeting ID: 962 4713 3102
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Meeting ID: 962 4713 3102
Find your local number: https://neosho.zoom.us/u/aw7sjvehJ

Bourbon County, Government, Kansas

K-3 Hwy. closed on Oct. 11 for wind turbine crane move (revised date)

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K-3 will be closed from K-39 south to K-47 on Monday, Oct 11. The daylong closure will start at 7 a.m., when a wind tower crane will be moved across the highway between Birch Road in Bourbon County and Arrowhead Road at the Bourbon-Crawford county line.

 

A detour will be signed on K-146, U.S. 59 and K-39. Traffic should use the detour and other alternate routes. Persons with questions may call Kansas Department of Transportation Area Superintendent Derrick Shannon at (620) 901-6550 or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen at (620) 902-6433.

 

Map: www.kandrive.org

 

 

 

Kansas

Kansas Conservation of Aquatic Species Measures

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Public Comment Encouraged on Proposed Agreements to Protect 14 Aquatic Species in Kansas

PRATT – The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) seek public comments on a proposed programmatic Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) and programmatic Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) designed for 14 aquatic species in Kansas. If approved, the CCAA/SHA would allow the KDWP and USFWS to work with willing landowners to implement conservation measures and recovery efforts for the 14 species listed in the agreement, which are designated as either Species in Need of Conservation or threatened or endangered in Kansas. In turn, these agreements allow landowners and neighbors to receive protections should the species be listed as threatened or endangered or if landowners and neighbors accidentally harm any of the sensitive species in the course of their work.

“This is a really novel approach to proactively recovering sensitive Kansas species and protecting landowners and their neighbors while allowing them to farm and ranch as they always have,” said KDWP Secretary Brad Loveless.

CCAAs and SHAs are voluntary agreements between private landowners and the USFWS designed to reduce threats to federally-listed or at-risk species. The five federally-listed species in Kansas that would be covered by the proposed SHA are the Topeka Shiner, Neosho Mucket, Arkansas River Shiner, Rabbitsfoot mussel, and Neosho Madtom.

CCAAs afford protections for species that are not listed under the protection of the Endangered Species Act but are still considered “at risk.” This is accomplished by providing assurances to enrolled landowners who implement various conservation activities that the landowner will not be subject to additional restrictions should the covered species be listed under the Endangered Species Act. The nine species that would be covered by the CCAA in Kansas are the Alligator Snapping Turtle, Peppered Chub, Plains Minnow, Silver Chub, Hornyhead Chub, Butterfly mussel, Fluted Shell mussel, Cylindrical Papershell mussel, and Flat Floater mussel.

SHAs are voluntary agreements involving private landowners whose actions contribute to the recovery of species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In exchange for actions that contribute to the recovery of listed species, landowners receive assurances that they will not be required to implement any additional or different management activities. In addition, at the end of the agreement period, participants may return the enrolled property to the baseline conditions that existed when they initially enrolled.

“The Kansas Livestock Association supports voluntary conservation efforts that recognize the important role of private landowners,” said Matt Teagarden, Chief Executive Officer of the Kansas Livestock Association. “These types of programs have proven to be effective in supporting sensitive species.”

If finalized, the programmatic CCAA/SHA would allow KDWP to enroll interested landowners in Kansas and allow or continue proactive conservation of the covered species ­­– activities such as the introduction, reintroduction, augmentation, and translocation of the covered species, and habitat protection or enhancement for the covered species. Incidental take of the covered species as a result of the implementation of such conservation measures or ongoing land management activities on enrolled lands would also be allowed under the programmatic CCAA/SHA.

“As our nation’s original conservationists, farmers and ranchers understand how important it is to preserve and enhance our natural resources,” said Kansas Farm Bureau President Rich Felts. “Kansas Farm Bureau supports the development of voluntary, incentive-based conservation management plans, like these proposed agreements, that will help increase or maintain the population of target species, making a threatened or endangered listing for them unnecessary.”

Interested parties may submit comment on the proposed programmatic CCAA/SHA through October 15. To submit comments, parties may use one of the methods listed below. When submitting information requests or comments, please make reference to the “Kansas Aquatic SHA/CCAA.”

Online: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket Number FWS–R6–ES–2021–0056.

U.S. Mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R6–ES–2021–0056; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: PRB/3W; 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041–3803.

For more information about CCAAs, SHAs and this project, visit https://www.fws.gov/kansases/landownertools.php. Or, contact Gibran Suleiman, USFWS biologist, at (785) 539-3474 ext. 114, via email at [email protected], or via the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

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Government, Kansas

Grants To Support Child Care Providers

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Governor Laura Kelly Announces Additional Grants to Support Child Care Providers in Kansas

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that Child Care Aware of Kansas, in partnership with Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF), is launching a second round of Child Care Sustainability Grants to aid child care providers in meeting the costs of operating their business.

Grant awards will range from $5,000 for family child care programs to $60,000 for large centers.

“At the height of the pandemic, the Child Care Sustainability grant program supported nearly 3,200 child care centers in Kansas, allowing them to stay open when families needed them most,” Governor Kelly said. “As we grow the economy, this second round of grants will provide the continued support our child care facilities need to stay open and to ensure that Kansas families have access to safe, quality child care.”

“Time and again we heard from child care providers that as families sheltered in place during the pandemic, they were faced with difficult decisions involving staffing, operating expenses and even providing classroom supplies,” Kansas DCF Secretary Laura Howard said. “We are confident the second round of grants will continue to provide needed support to child care providers and offer one less worry for Kansas families.”

The Child Care Sustainability grant application will be available via the Child Care Aware of Kansas website beginning Oct. 1, 2021, and must be received by 5 p.m., Nov. 5, 2021. To be considered for funding, child care programs must maintain an active permanent license with Kansas Department of Health and Environment, whether they remain open or temporarily closed.

Funds may be used for any normal operational expenses, additional expenses the child care program has due to meeting CDC guidance for mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and other activities necessary to maintain or resume the operation of programs.

“Child care providers are essential to parents’ ability to work, especially at a time when child care is in such short supply. Financial support from these grants will stabilize our existing child care infrastructure, ensuring that parents have a safe, nurturing environment for their young children,” Kelly Davydov, Executive Director, said.

For more information about the Child Care Sustainability Grants, visit https://ks.childcareaware.org.

Bourbon County

Health Department Provides Free Parenting Classes Starting Oct. 14

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Free Parenting Classes

The Bourbon County Health Department is offering Parenting the Love and Logic Way®! This curriculum was developed by Jim Fay, Charles Fay, Ph.D., and Foster W. Cline, M.D. of the Love and Logic Institute Inc. in Golden, Colorado. Parenting the Love and Logic Way® will be presented in six sessions beginning October 14th by Jan and Dave Elliott, who are independent facilitators of the curriculum.

Completion of Parenting the Love and Logic Way® consists of participating in six sessions: October 14th, October 21st, October 28th, November 4th, November 11th, and November 18th, all beginning at 6:00 PM.

The course will be offered at the Bourbon County Health Department at 524 S. Lowman. There is no charge for participation in Parenting the Love and Logic Way® and space is limited. Pre-registration is required. To register, please call the Health Department at 620-223-4464. The deadline to register is Thursday, October 7th.

Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Miles Woodworking: “A Pretty Good Team”

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Mike and Danyell Miles. Submitted photo.

Mike and Danyell Miles started their business, Miles Woodworking, in 2010 when they couldn’t find the right dining table.

“My wife showed me one and I built it,” Mike said. “Then I said ‘You know we could build and sell these.’ The rest is history.”

A cabinet creation by Miles Woodworking. Submitted photo.

“We have been doing this for over 10 years now,” he said. “It’s fun and enjoyable because every order is different. Sometimes we get repeat orders, but mostly they are a different scheme.”

Dining tables, bedroom sets, buffets, cornhole sets, and shuffleboards up to 20 feet long, kitchen cabinets, kitchen islands, and desks are some of their past creations.

A desk that was created by Miles Woodworking. From their Facebook page.

“We take custom orders,” Miles said. ” The client generally shows us what they want and we create that for them. My wife is the brains of the operation, she designs it. I build it. We make a pretty good team.”

The same year they began their business, they also started taking their creations to Sugar Mound Arts Festival, he said. “We showcase all of our new seasonal products there. That’s next weekend.”

For more information contact Miles Woodworking at 620.224.4724 or [email protected]

 

 

Bourbon County Local News