HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Kansas senators have expressed skepticism over the usefulness of Gov. Sam Brownback’s Rural Opportunity Zones program.
The Hutchinson News reports that the Republican and Democratic lawmakers are questioning whether the program, which is designed to pull people into the state’s rural areas, will actually bolster rural economies.
The program, which covers 77 counties that make up a large portion of western and southeastern Kansas, provides incentives like student loan forgiveness and waived income taxes to persuade people to move to rural areas.
The Department of Revenue estimates that 330 people will receive income tax waivers for 2014, which will cost the state about $800,000 in revenue.
Chris Harris of the Business and Community Development Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce said those individuals will have an economic impact of $44 million in the state.
WESTMORELAND, Kan. (AP) — A sheriff in northeastern Kansas’ Pottawatomie County says foul play isn’t suspected in the death of a 25-year-old jail inmate.
Sheriff Greg Riat says 25-year-old Andrew J. Brown of Wamego was pronounced dead at a hospital early Wednesday shortly after being found unresponsive in his cell by a jailer.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is handling the case.
Specifics about why Brown was jailed were not immediately disclosed.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has given first-round approval to a proposal described by supporters as refinancing part of the long-term debt facing the pension system for teachers and government workers.
The bill advanced Thursday would authorize $1 billion in bonds to shore up the financial health of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. Senators expected to take a final vote late in the day.
The pension system projects a $9.8 billion shortfall in funding for retirees’ benefits through June 2033. Lawmakers have moved in recent years to close the gap, but the bill would give KPERS an infusion of funds quickly.
The measure anticipates the state taking 10 years longer, until 2043, to close the shortfall while reducing the state’s annual costs. Critics questioned whether such a move is prudent.
TOPEKA — A Johnson County senator backed legislation in a hearing Tuesday that would require postsecondary schools to produce a financial analysis of degree programs offered, costing institutions $6.6 million for the first year.
Senate Bill 193 would require 32 Kansas Board of Regents universities, community colleges and technical colleges to summarize information and statistics including expenses, salary percentages, average amount of time between graduation and full-time employment, and average amount of time to repay loans.
Sen. Jeff Melcher (R-Leawood) said the bill would provide prospective students and parents a tool to compare costs and information not compiled by a school’s marketing department.
“Across the board they can make a comparison that is considered to be non-biased in just factual information,” Melcher said.
No one testified against the bill, but Sen. Marci Francisco (D-Lawrence) and Sen. Laura Kelly (D-Topeka) wondered if presenting the total expenses and time to repay a loan might deter prospective students from considering certain institutions.
“That cost is still there whether you borrowed the money or whether you paid cash for it,” Melcher said.
In 2014, 43,394 degrees were awarded from state universities, Washburn University, community colleges and technical colleges. Andy Tompkins, president and chief executive officer of KBOR, said the bill would require a major investment of time to collect the information.
The fiscal impact totals an estimated $6.6 million. Of that, $2.3 million includes operating costs and additional staff needed to update the data each year. The other $4.3 million would come from institutions offering each graduate $100 as an incentive to provide information needed for the prospectus.
Data would also come straight from the institutions -such as calculated tuition, room and board, and books- and from KBOR research such as labor statistics.
Dave Trabert, president of the Kansas Policy Institute, a conservative think tank located in Wichita, said it is worth the investment because the documents would become useful tools for students and parents to determine what school fits their financial means.
“You can get the same degree from one university to another,” Trabert said. “One is going to cost you a great deal more.”
The bill requires the compiled information to be made readily available on the institution’s website homepage, titled “Degree Prospectus” and provided to each student who requests a electronic or hard copy.
No action was taken on the bill.
Amelia Arvesen is a University of Kansas senior from San Ramon, Calif. studying journalism.
“We are very excited to have one of Thomas Zimmerman’s professional photos entered in this contest being put on by the League of Kansas Municipalities,” said Janet Kuhn, Hays Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Thousands of fans in Hays and the surrounding communities can help the photo make it to the next round. On Tuesday, Round 2 will start a new album with the 32 cities that advanced, with the “likes” resetting to zero for this new round. The League of Kansas Municipalities opened this contest to the first 64 communities that submitted photos.
“We only have a few days left to vote in Round 1, so please show your pride and vote for the Hays Harvest photo today,” said Kuhn.
Several other northwest Kansas communities also are in the running.
Photo by Kansas Department for Children and Families Gov. Sam Brownback, second from right, recently joined Center for Neighborhood Enterprise officials, from left, Charles Perry, Robert Woodson Sr. and Terence Mathis at the state’s announcement of a new initiative to address poverty-related community issues.
By DAVE RANNEY
Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration has awarded a one-year, $314,000 grant to a Washington, D.C.-based organization, the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, to help low-income communities find ways to combat poverty, violence, substance abuse and absent fathers. “I’m excited to see this nationally recognized, successful initiative come to Kansas,” Brownback said in a recent Kansas Department for Children and Families news release of the national organization led by Robert L. Woodson Sr.
“Government doesn’t have the answers, our citizens know the problems plaguing their communities,” Brownback said, “and I look forward to working with Mr. Woodson to help our towns and neighborhoods grow at a grassroots level.” The Center for Neighborhood Enterprise is known for helping often-unrecognized leaders find ways to improve their communities without being overly dependent on government programs.
According to the grant, DCF and Center for Neighborhood Enterprise officials will recruit, train and assist 240 leaders from 17 cities: Dodge City, Fort Scott, Great Bend, Garden City, Hays, Hutchinson, Independence, Kansas City, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Liberal, Manhattan, Olathe, Pittsburg, Salina, Topeka and Wichita. Leaders in each community will be encouraged to “draft ideas” for addressing local needs.
Afterward, their proposals may be eligible for additional funding through public or private grant programs. The groups are expected to include people involved in law enforcement, child welfare, health care, mental health, social services, city government, credit counseling and the local faith community.
The initial meetings are expected to start in March. Theresa Freed, a DCF spokesperson, said the grant is underwritten with State General Fund monies in the department’s budget for the current fiscal year. The grant, awarded in November, was not subject to legislative approval.
The Center for Neighborhood Enterprise was founded in 1981 by Woodson, a former National Urban League administrator. According to the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise website, Woodson, now 77, “is the only person ever to have received both the liberal and conservative world’s most prestigious awards — the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellowship and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation Prize, as well as the Presidential Citizens Medal.”
Woodson has agreed to spend up to 208 hours on the Kansas project. A Wall Street Journal article last year described Woodson as a “no-nonsense black conservative” who’s known for taking a market-driven — rather than government-dependent — approach to fighting poverty. In an interview Wednesday with KHI News Service, Woodson said most anti-poverty programs go into troubled communities “looking for deficiencies — families with kids who’ve dropped out of school, are in jail or on drugs.” The Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, he said, takes a different approach.
“When we go in, we look at the 30 percent of the homes without those deficiencies,” he said. “We identify their strengths, and then we look for what can be done to build on those strengths.” Oftentimes, he said, the strengths can be developed by using resources within the private sector rather than relying on government-funded support.
“The reason the word ‘enterprise’ is in our name is because we believe the principles that apply in a market economy also should apply in a social economy,” Woodson said. Barry Feaker, executive director at the Topeka Rescue Mission, said he’s not familiar with the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise. “What they’re wanting to do sounds like what we’re doing with Hi-Crest here in Topeka,”
Feaker said, referring to one of the most poverty-stricken neighborhoods in the nation. “It’s all about empowering people within their own neighborhoods.” Feaker said he’s been “more than encouraged” by the rescue mission’s successes in reaching out to Hi-Crest residents. “Crime is down,” he said.
“There’s a renewed interest in the community; residents have latched on to some hope in what they can do. City government is more involved, the private sector is more involved. There’s housing rehabilitation going on that wasn’t going on before. There’s a lot more interaction between the mental health and substance abuse programs. There’s been an explosion in interest from church groups. There’s significant momentum going forward.”
Feaker said he would welcome the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise effort in Topeka. “We don’t have all the answers,” he said. “If they can come in and generate some substantive ideas on where to go from here, I’m all for that. Time will tell, I guess.”
Dave Ranney is a reporter for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas.
Joan R. Hirst, 83, of Russell, Kansas, died on Sunday, February 15, 2015, at the Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell.
A memorial service for Joan is pending at this time. Please check back later for memorial service date and time. Cremation has been selected by the family. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangments.
Mildred M. (Finch) Ford, 91 of Boulder City, Nevada, passed away Saturday, January 24, 2015 at Hospice of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado, surrounded by her family.
Mildred was born April 14, 1923 in Natoma, Kansas, the daughter of Port Huron and Cora B. (Doty) Finch. She grew up in the Isabel, Cunningham and Kingman, Kansas areas. Later she attended Cosmetology School.
Mildred was united in marriage to Albert Ford, Jr. on July 30, 1941 in Kingman, Kansas. They made their home in Ft. Morgan, Colorado, Pratt, Kansas and Russell, Kansas. They were blessed with two sons; Loren and Terry. Albert preceded her in death on February 6, 1983, after 42 years of marriage.
In 1985 Mildred met Lyle Unrein and they were companions for 30 years. Their interest in traveling took them to Nevada. They loved the warm climate and sites near the Hoover Dam where they lived for the past 14 years.
Mildred was a devoted homemaker, wife and hair stylist. She enjoyed researching and recording the Ford family tree, drawing and painting, solving crossword puzzles, and playing cards and board games with family.
Surviving family include her sons, Loren Ford and wife Carol of Greeley, Colorado and Terry Ford and wife Mary of Thornton, Colorado; six grandchildren and one great grandchild; Companion, Lyle Unrein of Buhler, Kansas. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, two brothers and one sister.
Graveside Service and burial of ashes, next to her late husband, will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, March 2, 2015 at Russell City Cemetery in Russell, Kansas. No visitation will be held. Condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who is in charge of these arrangements.
Sharon Kay Miller, 71, of Russell, Kansas, died on February 03, 2015, at the Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas.
Sharon was born on June 15, 1943, in Barton County, Kansas, the daughter of Godfred and Alvina (Nuss) Miller. She grew up in the Paradise, Kansas, community and graduated from the Paradise High School. She was united in marriage to Earl Maurice Friess on June 2nd, 1962 in Ransom, Kansas and they were married for 11 1/2 years. As a young woman, Sharon always dreamed of being a stewardess in the airlines but was never able to make that dream a reality. She worked for Travenol in Hays, Kansas and also worked for King of the Road in Russell, a hostess at Russell’s Inn and a house cleaning service in Russell. She was a longtime member of the St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell. She loved animals, especially her cat Spooky. Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family.
Surviving family include daughter Teri Friess, son Eugene F. Friess both of Russell; brothers Roger Miller(Sandy) of Salina, Myron Miller (Rosie) of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Gary Miller(Judy) Montgomery, Alabama, Fred Miller(Kay) Salina; sister and Marilynn Dinkel(Devane) of Russell; and granddaughter Ashley Michelle Mutter.
She was preceded in death by her parents. Her sister DiAnn Becker died February 16, 2015.
A memorial service to celebrate Sharon’s life will be held at 11 A.M. Saturday, February 28, 2015, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, with Father Michael Elan officiating. A private inurnment will take place after the service. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Friday, February 27th at the mortuary. Memorials may be given to the Western Plains Animal Refuge out of Hays and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.
Charlotte Irene (Helscher) Newton, 97, was born to Sylvia Melvina (Zigler) Helscher and Thomas Adolph Helscher on October 18, 1917 on a farm near Paradise, Kansas. She passed away on February 21, 2015 at Warrensburg, MO.
Charlotte attended school in Paradise where she graduated from high school. She attended Fort Hays State University for a short time. She married Loyal Lee (Jim) Newton on August 12, 1939. Charlotte was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years in 1993. She was also preceded in death by her parents, her brother Bryan Helscher, and his wife Louise. She is survived by her children Dr. Thomas A. Newton and his wife Jane of Tahlequah, OK, Crystal A. Green of Warrensburg, MO, and Michael E. Newton and his wife Diana of Wichita, KS. Also surviving are grandchildren Shelly Parr, Jim Green, Brooks Newton, Julie Newton, and Sarah Brown as well as six great-grandchildren: Tyler Parr, Haley Parr, Jackson Green, Noah Green, Griffin Newton, and Thurston Brown.
Charlotte and her family lived in several Kansas communities during the years that Jim was employed as an oilfield pumper. They spent a number of years in Russell, Natoma, Wellington, Stafford, Preston, Pratt before coming back to Russell for retirement. During those years as a full-time homemaker, Charlotte kept the family fed with her wholesome down-home recipes as well as with goodly portions of moral instruction, creative spirit, and self-deprecating humor.
Charlotte taught her children that honesty and compassion for all creatures are essential human qualities. She also modeled her passion for the creative spirit through her own works of art and her enduring memory of hundreds of songs and poems from her school years. Through the years and into her 90s, she would break into a poem or song when the topic of a conversation reminded her of a particular lyric. As a young woman, Charlotte created beautiful works of sculpture, songs, and poetry. She and Jim kept the family in stitches with their humor and on-going word play. Often the humor was based on double entendre, misunderstandings that were quickly exploited for their bizarre implications, and Charlotte’s ability to laugh at her own foibles. Charlotte continued the art of story-telling that her parents were known for. She told hundreds of stories centering on humorous anecdotes or unique character traits of her relatives or others from the small Kansas towns along the Lincoln Branch of the Union Pacific: Lincoln Center, Lucas, Luray, Waldo, Paradise, Natoma, and Plainville. She told these stories so well and so often that the characters and the anecdotes have become part of the family heritage.
Charlotte’s children will remember her fiercely independent spirit, her unwillingness to accept injustice, her disregard for superstitious beliefs, her love of art, language, story-telling, and her sense of humor.
A graveside service to celebrate Charlotte’s life will be held at 11:30 A.M. on Friday, February 27, 2015, at the Natoma City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Thursday, February 26, 2015, at the mortuary in Russell. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.
As the city of Ellis grows, USD 388 Superintendent Bob Young said enrollment at both Washington Grade School and St. Mary’s School has “grown significantly.”
Young said both schools together have seen an enrollment increase of 25 percent more than was projected about eight years ago.
Just the USD 388 district grew by 11 students since December, and Young already knows of 12 additional students who are enrolling in the fall.
He said the vast majority of new enrollments are elementary-aged children from young families.
“Mostly it’s people that have moved from outside the area, most of whom work in Hays and bring their children to our schools, and commute back and forth to work.” Young said, “We just continue to grow as a bedroom community of Hays…and we welcome (new families) with open arms.”
Young said he often hears parents say they opted to live in Ellis because the cost of housing is less expensive than in Hays, adding a “handful” of students live in Hays, but their parents prefer the Ellis school district.
The need for extra space for elementary students was one reason cited when the USD 388 school board recently voted to move the seventh and eighth graders from Washington Grade School to Ellis High School.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has approved a bill to allow people to carry concealed guns without requiring them to get a state permit or take training classes.
The vote Thursday was 31-7 and sends the measure to the House.
The bill is sponsored by 26 of the chamber’s 40 members, led by Majority Leader Terry Bruce.
A state concealed carry permit costs $132.50, and a person must undergo eight hours of training to get one.
Gun-rights groups note Kansas has long allowed the open carrying of weapons without a state permit. The bill’s critics say training should be mandated for people carrying concealed weapons.
The National Rifle Association says Alaska, Arizona, Vermont and Wyoming don’t require permits to carry concealed anywhere in the state.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas House has approved a collective bargaining compromise between teachers and school boards.
The House passed the compromise bill 109-14 Thursday.
School boards and teachers unions can currently bring dozens of issues to the negotiating table, which critics say leads to deadlock.
The compromise bill would allow each side of the negotiations to bring five issues that would have to be addressed in addition to pay.
The bill’s language came as the result of an extensive amendment proposed by Republican Rep. Sue Boldra of Hays Wednesday that gutted its original provisions.
The original bill would have allowed non-union teachers to negotiate individually for pay and benefits and school boards would not have been required to extend to them deals reached with the union.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Kansas senators have expressed skepticism over the usefulness of Gov. Sam Brownback’s Rural Opportunity Zones program.
