WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has told a federal court he is changing interagency policies that will improve the state’s ability to verify proof of citizenship for people who register to vote at motor vehicle offices.
The notice filed shortly before midnight Wednesday comes a day after a federal court ruled thousands of Kansans who did not provide such documents must be added to voter rolls for federal elections. The judge stayed her ruling until May 31 so the state could appeal.
Kobach contends the new policies were being implemented prior to that ruling.
Motor vehicle offices now accept and scan documents proving U.S. citizenship. Another change gives the secretary of state’s office and county election officers internet access to check whether motor vehicle offices possess such documents.
The Jones family at Wednesday’s picnic- courtesy photo Bethany College
LINDSBORG –Bethany College held an outdoor picnic in the school’s amphitheater on Wednesday evening to welcome new school president William Jones and his family to the community.
From an early age Will Jones, 43, was told, “You will be a college graduate.” Some may have taken that for granted, but for somebody like Jones who grew up in Kensee Hollow, Kentucky, the son of parents who dropped out of school, his mother in the eighth grade and father in the ninth grade, it was a life changing statement, the school shared in a media release.
And it is part of what has inspired him to lead Bethany College as its 14thPresident. The Board of Directors announced his appointment as the College’s new President on Friday, May 13 at a campus forum.
“A school like Bethany College saved my life,” he said. “Bethany is a good fit for me and I am right for Bethany and Lindsborg. I am excited to engage Bethany College alumni in the lives of the Bethany students.”
His passion for higher education and his life’s journey have guided him throughout his career. In his most current role as Vice President for External Relations at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia, Jones has led record fundraising and enrollment growth. During his six-year tenure there he launched a branding and marketing campaign that won regional Emmy and Addy awards, grew the undergraduate population by 25 percent, and raised the alumni-giving rate by 58 percent.
He also led the effort in starting a Master’s program in Philanthropy and Development, one of only six such graduate programs in fundraising in the country. He led in the development of curriculum, helped recruit the faculty, and taught fundraising and marketing courses in the program. He also founded a national roundtable at LaGrange College that brings 20 chief advancement officers at independent colleges from across the country together to learn more about fundraising and marketing.
William Jones- photo Bethany College
“It is with great institutional and personal pride that I congratulate Will Jones on being named the next president of Bethany College,” LaGrange College President Dan McAlexander said. “His creative intelligence, boundless enthusiasm and impeccable personal integrity will make him a great leader of the historic institution.”
His fundraising experience and success reaches beyond LaGrange. He led successful efforts at both Goshen College and at Berea College. His appeal to Bethany as its next President included more than only his fundraising background, according to Corey Peterson, new chair of the Bethany Board of Directors.
“We are excited to have Will, Amy, and their family join the Bethany and Lindsborg family,” Peterson said. “Will brings a proven ability to lead, especially in the important areas of fundraising and student enrollment. His skills, work ethic, faith, along with a transparent and servant leadership approach are exactly what we need as Bethany moves forward.”
The Bethany College Board of Directors began its search for President in November when it engaged the search firm AGB and consultant Richard Torgerson to help lead the search. The committee, consisted of board members, Dr. Marie Friedemann, Corey Peterson, Bob Mooney, Jim Martin, and Sean Patty; along with faculty members, Dr. Mark Lucas and Dr. Kristin Van Tassel; staff member, Vicki Cornett; and community member Ted Kessinger, participated in an exhaustive national search that produced a large pool of candidates. The committee assessed the candidates and invited semi-finalists to Wichita for the first round of interviews. Three candidates were ultimately brought to campus in May and one name was advanced to the board for approval.
“Will is an extraordinary leader with proven skills in fundraising and enrollment management that will help usher in a new era of growth and prosperity for our institution,” Patty, chair of the search committee, said.
Jones and his wife Amy, who has a master’s degree in special education from Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts, have six children and are excited about becoming part of the Bethany and Lindsborg community. Jones and his family enjoy taking an active role in campus life by attending events and hosting students, faculty and staff to their home.
“I hope that in addition to wearing the title of President of Bethany College, I will also earn titles of mentor, colleague, confidant, counselor and friend,” he said.
I’ve had numerous recent conversations, with reporters, editors, and various politicos, that have directly addressed the question of whether Governor Sam Brownback is delusional in clinging to policies that (a) do not work and (b) damage the state in myriad ways.
Burdett Loomis
Let’s start with one formal definition of delusional: “Maintaining fixed false beliefs, even when confronted with facts.”
“Delusional” is a strong word, but it’s in the air, propelled in part by Donald Trump. But his delusions are fleeting, quirky, and – so far – innocuous.
Brownback is a different story. Still, one might object to labeling the governor delusional. But that discussion is already taking place, and not just in private conversations. Indeed, a Google search for “Brownback delusional” obtains almost 100,000 hits. Not quite “Trump delusional” with its 500,000-plus links, but a lot.
The examples of arguably delusional behavior are legion (Brownback as presidential candidate?), but most revolve around the state of our economy and the impact of the 2012 tax cuts in both stimulating growth and reducing income taxes to zero.
While some of governor’s legislative allies assiduously spin the facts of Kansas revenues, for Brownback and his enablers, such as the Kansas Policy Institute, spin has lurched into delusion.
At the start of the 2016 legislative session the governor flatly stated, “The tax plan is working. I hope we don’t have a tax policy debate during this legislative session.” In other words, don’t even think about increasing revenues in the face of immense shortfalls.
By virtually all accounts, in January, 2016, the tax plan was not working. In terms of revenues, income tax reductions had proven a huge failure. As former GOP governor Mike Hayden recently observed, Brownback’s myopic partisanship has driven Kansas into a “financial ditch.”
Of course, when in a ditch, the first, most rational action is to stop digging.
Notably, that’s just what Oklahoma is doing, as Republican Governor Mary Fallin and many of her fellow partisans in the legislature have addressed a fiscal crisis by embracing the federal Medicaid funding that they had previously rejected. This constitutes reality-based thinking.
Back in Kansas, however, delusion rules. We can’t adopt a privatized Medicaid scheme, because it might, somewhere down the road, cost the state a few bucks. So what have we done? Raise taxes on the poor.
Only a substantial 2015 sales tax increase kept revenues from plummeting even more disastrously. Moreover, our sales tax on food has reached historic highs, often topping nine percent in many localities, driving many Kansas shoppers to Missouri.
Brownback’s reaction? Echoing his infamous 2014 campaign line, “the sun is shining in Kansas,” he responded to recent declines in revenue estimates and actual receipts by claiming, “This is an economic problem, not a tax policy problem.” Nonsense. Kansas remains mired near the bottom of regional economies and below the national average, largely because its declining revenues have necessitated extensive, brutal cuts, most recently amounting to almost $100 million.
Medicaid reductions alone will amount to more than $57 million, which will trigger federal reductions of $72 million. The administration claims that recipients will not lose access to care. Losing $72 million of federal funds is stupid. Asserting that $129 million in cuts won’t reduce access is simply delusional.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. For example, declining Kansas welfare numbers are labeled a great success, while in reality various rules have likely driven many families off welfare. In Orwellian fashion, the failure to serve the poor is seen as a victory.
Sadly, for Sam Brownback and the state of Kansas, delusion reigns as the order of the day.
Burdett Loomis is a political science professor at the University of Kansas.
Gov. Sam Brownback announced more than $97 million in budget cuts Wednesday, including $56 million from the state’s privatized Medicaid program known as KanCare. FILE PHOTO / HEARTLAND HEALTH MONITOR
Gov. Sam Brownback trimmed more than $56 million from Medicaid in Kansas as part of larger budget cuts announced Wednesday, raising concerns that health care providers may decide not to take unprofitable patients.
About $38.2 million of the $56.4 million in budget cuts comes from reducing reimbursements by 4 percent for providers who treat patients covered by KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid program launched in 2013. The remaining $18.2 million comes from cuts in other areas of the Medicaid program.
The cuts come after the Kansas Legislature adjourned earlier this month, leaving more than $80 million in cuts up to Brownback in order to balance the budget.
Providers offering home and community-based services to Kansans with disabilities are exempt from the reductions, as are critical access hospitals and hospitals in counties defined as rural, densely settled rural and frontier. However, all 127 of the state’s community hospitals will be subject to a $3.5 million cut in a program intended to increase provider participation in KanCare.
Cindy Samuelson, a spokesperson for the Kansas Hospital Association, said the cuts break a promise Brownback made to health care providers when he sought their support for privatizing Medicaid.
“When Governor Brownback began the KanCare program, he emphasized that his Medicaid reform program would allow the state to avoid Medicaid rate cuts,” Samuelson said. “The governor’s proposal to now cut Medicaid rates is a broken promise.”
In addition, Samuelson said, the rate reductions will add to the financial pressures hospitals are operating under due to reductions in Medicare reimbursement rates and the loss over the last years of nearly $1.2 billion in federal funds because of Brownback’s rejection of Medicaid expansion.
Dennis Cooley, a Topeka pediatrician, said that while a 4 percent reduction may not sound like much, primary care doctors
Dr. Dennis Cooley, a Topeka pediatrician, says the Medicaid cuts are particularly concerning because about a third of Kansas children are covered by the program. CREDIT FILE PHOTO / HEARTLAND HEALTH MONITOR
typically have slim profit margins because of the need to keep professionals on staff and pay for technology like electronic health records. They already receive less to care for Medicaid patients than they do for Medicare patients, and about half as much as they would for patients with commercial insurance, he said.
“From a financial standpoint, you’re losing money, so you just can’t see Medicaid patients,” he said.
The cuts are particularly concerning for pediatricians, Cooley said, because about one-third of Kansas children are covered by Medicaid. In the past, his practice and others have had to limit their Medicaid patients so they could balance them financially with patients with private insurance, he said.
If enough providers decide they can’t afford to take new Medicaid patients or even drop out of the program altogether, that creates concerns about access to care, Cooley said. Not every public health department can provide primary care services, he said, and parents who can’t find a doctor for their child may only seek care if the health issue is serious enough to merit an emergency room visit.
“It’s the kids I’m dealing with that are going to suffer,” he said, adding that “it’s short-sighted” to cut Medicaid reimbursements.
A Kansas provider earns only 78 percent as much, on average, for a patient insured by Medicaid as one insured by Medicare. The ratio is even less for obstetric providers, who earn about 72 cents for every $1 they would be reimbursed for treating a Medicare patient.
As of 2014, Kansas reimbursement rates for most Medicaid services were near the middle compared to other states, tying for 24th overall. Its reimbursements for obstetrics were on the low end, however, tying for 35th.
Rachelle Colombo, director of government affairs for the Kansas Medical Society, said providers are still evaluating the effect that the Medicaid reimbursement cuts will have on their practices. But she said some may decide not to serve Medicaid patients if the reduction is too steep.
“It’s certainly not going to promote more provider participation,” she said.
Other budget reductions to health programs include:
$378,000 from safety net clinics. Cassie Sparks, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said the Legislature had allocated $378,000 more than Brownback had suggested in last year’s budget. KDHE will work with the Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved to recoup that money.
$330,000 from the KDHE immunization program. Federal Medicaid reimbursements were higher than expected, Sparks said, so KDHE could return that money to the state general fund and still buy the same number of vaccines.
$250,000 in unspecified cuts to non-Medicaid programs under the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.
$78,000 from an unfilled position in KDHE’s Office of Inspector General. KDHE still is attempting to recruit someone to fill that job and will find resources to pay the person’s salary if a suitable candidate is found, Sparks said.
$250,000 from senior care programs through KDADS.
Some of the remaining reductions to Medicaid come from policy changes. For example, KDADS expects to save $1.3 million by limiting the range of household duties a support worker can perform if a person recieving in-home resides with a non-disabled person, said Angela de Rocha, a KDADS spokeswoman.
KDADS estimates it can save an additional $1.3 million by paying providers only for days when they work rather than paying them a daily rate to be on call, de Rocha said.
Megan Hart is a reporter for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team. You can reach her on Twitter @meganhartMC
257 communities exhibiting Playability to be recognized as part of 2016 Playful City USA Program
Hays is being honored with a 2016 Playful City USA designation for the first time.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the national recognition program honors cities and towns across the country for making their cities more playable. The City of Hays has made the creation and maintaining of public parks a priority and is committed to ensuring that neighborhood park services are within a maximum walking distance of one-half mile for all Hays residents.
“The City of Hays manages several different parks and amenities for the residents of Hays, and is continuously creating more opportunities for children to get the play they need and deserve. Through the multitude of programs offered for children to enjoy and thrive, we are thrilled that the tremendous effort by our Parks Departments is being recognized with this outstanding achievement,” said Rick Rekoske, Director of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Rekoske
Communities across the country are creating innovative ways to bring back play and attract residents through family friendly activities. Interactive sidewalk art, designated play spaces on trails and the transformation of schoolyards into active play areas are just a few examples of how cities are becoming more playful.
“We are thrilled to recognize these communities that have invested their time and efforts to put kids first,” said
Ka BOOM! CEO James Siegal. “Balanced and active play is crucial to the well-being of kids and the communities that they thrive in. By integrating play into cities, the leaders of Playful Cities USA are working to attract and retain the thousands of families that want homes in close proximity to safe places to play.”
To learn more about these cities, see the full list of the 257 communities named 2016 Playful City USA honorees, or to gather more information on the Playful City USA program, visit www.playfulcityusa.org.
DETROIT (AP) — Fiat Chrysler is recalling about a half-million Jeep Wrangler SUVs worldwide because the driver’s air bag may not inflate in a crash.
The recall covers Wranglers from the 2007 through 2010 model years, including 392,000 in the U.S.
Another 7,400 2011-2016 Wranglers in the U.S. with right-hand-drive also are affected.
The company says excessive exposure to dust and dirt from off-road driving can cause electrical problems in the steering column air bag wiring. If that happens, a warning lamp will come on and owners should contact their dealer.
Fiat Chrysler says it’s not aware of any related injuries. The problem was discovered by a company investigation.
Dealers will install a new steering wheel back cover and steering column shroud. The company says it will notify customers when parts are available.
The Sunflower Foundation announces three appointments to its Board of Trustees by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
The appointees are Liz Sosa of Garden City, Andrea Krauss of Russell, and Les Lacy of St. Francis. Each will serve a three-year term on the board, expiring in June 2019.
Sosa serves as CEO of Public Square Communities, a business that facilitates citizen-led community development by engaging and mobilizing the education, human services, business and government sectors. She oversees business development, strategic partnerships and leads the organization’s housing pilot initiative.
Additionally, Sosa serves on the Western Kansas Community Foundation board and is a former member of the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business and leadership from Fort Hays State University.
Schmidt also re-appointed Andrea Krauss of Russell to a second three-year term on the board, which will expire in June 2019. Krauss is secretary and treasurer of John O. Farmer, Inc., and currently serves as the Sunflower board’s treasurer.
Schmidt also re-appointed Les Lacy of St. Francis to a third three-year term on the board, which will expire in June 2019. Lacy is vice president for regional operations at the Great Plains Health Alliance, and currently serves as the Sunflower board’s secretary.
The Sunflower Foundation was formed in 2000 as part of a settlement between Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, the Kansas attorney general, and the Kansas insurance commissioner. The foundation supports work to improve the health of Kansans through grant programs, awards and related activities. The nine-member Board of Trustees governs the foundation’s work and oversees the long-term goals of the foundation. Eight of the members are appointed by the attorney general, and one member is appointed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. The voluntary trustees serve three-year terms and can serve up to three terms.
HaysMed recently recognized Jill Zordel as its inaugural Wellness Champion Award winner. The Wellness Champion Award celebrates and recognizes a HaysMed associate who promotes healthy lifestyle choices and engages others in wellness activities.
Criteria for the award includes commitment to healthy lifestyle choices and motivating others to do the same, displaying an energetic passion for promoting health and wellness and striving to build a culture of wellness at HaysMed.
Zordel committed to a healthier lifestyle in 2015 and has lost over 40 pounds. She gave up soda and began eating more fruits and vegetables along with working out. She is up every day at 3 a.m. in order to drive to Hays to get her 5 a.m. workout in before going to her job as a Clinical Nurse Assistant at the DeBakey Heart Clinic.
Her habits are inspiring fellow associates to join her at the gym. She even offers to give them a morning wake up call to join her.
“We have many Associates at HaysMed that are incredible role models for leading a healthy lifestyle,” said Stephanie Howie, Director of CHI. “We hope recognizing their efforts will encourage others to adopt a healthier approach to living.”
Zordel has been an associate of HaysMed for a year and a half.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts homered to back a strong start by David Price, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Wednesday night to salvage a split of their day-night doubleheader.
The Royals won the opener 3-2 behind a strong performance by Ian Kennedy and their bullpen.
It was Price (6-1) who shined in the nightcap, allowing two runs over 7 1/3 innings. Junichi Tazawa got through the rest of the eighth before Craig Kimbrel handled a scoreless ninth for his 11th save.
The Red Sox were clinging to a 2-1 lead when they loaded the bases off Edinson Volquez (4-4) with two outs in the sixth inning. Christian Vazquez dribbled a single up the middle to score two runs, giving the Red Sox plenty of cushion the way their left-hander was pitching.
HAYS, Kan. – The TMP-Marian softball team scored 11 runs on 15 hits and rolled to an 11-1, five inning victory over Southwestern Heights to win their own 3A regional Wednesday at the TMP-Marian Softball Complex and advance to the 3A state tournament.
Melissa Schoepf Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Monarchs scored single runs in each of the first three innings then added four in the fourth and fifth.
Bailey Lacy went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles to lead the offensive explosion and also picked up the win in the circle. Lacy allowed the one run on two hits with 12 strikeouts and no walks. Alison Helget and Emily Schulte both had three hits. Schulte drove in three runs.
The Monarchs beat Scott City in the semifinals 12-3. They scored four runs in the first inning and four more in the second then blew the game open with a run in the sixth and three in the seventh.
Alison Helget and Brianna Romme both had three hits and Bailey Lacy drove in three. Helget picked up the win with nine strikeouts and three walks and eight hits.
The Monarchs have won four straight and six of their last seven and will take a 17-6 record in to the 3A state tournament next Thursday in Manhattan. It’s the first state tournament appearance for TMP-M since 2010 and the eighth in program history.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A man charged in the shooting deaths of a Wichita couple during a robbery has pleaded guilty.
The Wichita Eagle reports that 19-year-old Carlos Delacadena-Edwards pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree intentional murder and one count of aggravated robbery on Monday as part of a plea agreement.
Delacadena-Edwards and 21-year-old Steve Wade Edwards II are accused of killing 72-year-old Godofredo Moreno and his 71-year-old wife, Martha, in October 2014 while trying to collect a debt from the couple’s son.
Delacadena-Edwards was 17 at the time, but he was tried as an adult. He is scheduled to be sentenced July 13.
Edwards II pleaded guilty last week to two counts of first-degree felony murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary.
