Steve Gilliland
If you routinely read my ramblings, you know it’s no secret that Joyce and I both like turkey vultures; maybe that’s a testament to our personalities, I don’t know. A few years back, we learned of an old tumble-down building in the middle of a field not far away that had been a vulture nesting site for years. That summer we followed that vulture mother and her 2 chicks until the chicks fledged. We have lots of good vulture pictures in our archives. I’ve done more than one column on turkey vultures, about how amazing birds they really are if you can past the thought of their dietary preference, which makes them so valuable in our ecosystem as God’s clean-up crew.
Vultures are migratory, heading for Central and South America each fall and returning to our area from mid-March to early April, depending on the weather. This year we’ve been seeing 1 or 2 at a time now for a couple weeks. Favorite roosting places for turkey vultures are the old water towers that some small towns still have. In McPherson, KS a spring or summer evening will often find many roosting on the handrail of the old water tower. In Marion, KS a couple hundred routinely spend days soaring over the town and roosting on the water tower hand rail at night. The ultimate tribute to turkey vultures can be found in the northeastern Ohio town of Hinckley.
A legend dating back to the turn of the century has it that the famous “Buzzards of Hinckley Ridge” arrive in the town of Hinckley Ohio every March 15th like clockwork. In the northeast corner of Medina County, just south of Cleveland are a series of cliffs and caverns known locally as old Whipp’s Ledges that are a popular roosting and nesting area for turkey vultures. So popular was the legend that in 1957 the first Sunday after March 15th was dubbed Buzzard Sunday and a festival was planned around the event that still takes place today.
Along with the legend of the vulture’s timed arrival is the story of how that came to be. The story says that when that area was first settled, farmers began losing livestock left-and-right to bears and wolves that were native to the area. Finally the farmers had enough and one fall, a huge mass hunt was organized resembling the coyote drives once popular here in Kansas where hundreds of hunters form a circle surrounding an entire section or township and slowly walk toward each other, tightening the circle.
As the circle tightened, wolves, bears, deer and most wildlife in the area were driven toward the center of the circle, where they were shot. The story goes on to say that after everything was skinned and butchered and all useable meat and hides were taken, the dozens or perhaps hundreds of resulting carcasses were left there for the winter. In the spring, returning turkey vultures were drawn to the scent and sight of the thawing carcasses, and once there to feed, the numerous natural nesting sites among the cliffs and caverns kept them there for the summer and to this day keep them coming back each year.
Sharon Hosko, Manager of Brecksville Nature Center in Cleveland’s metro area, and official “Buzzard Spotter” for Cleveland Metroparks, told me she saw 19 turkey vultures this year on March 15 when the vultures were “officially” welcomed back to Cleveland Metroparks. On Buzzard Sunday the 18th, 41 birds were spotted by her and 28 were seen at the second official spotting station at Hinckley proper. She has helped with the event since 1997 and the most buzzards she has seen in one day were 72 as they arrived on Buzzard Sunday in March of 2011. She estimates possibly 100 vultures remain to call the Hinckley area home for the summer each year.
Turkey vultures are amazing birds, and I often wonder what it would be like to glide and soar above the earth like they can. Everyone likes a good legend, and who knows what about Hinckley’s past that drew the buzzards there in the first place is true, and how much is just legend. One thing for sure is that vultures do arrive in Hinckley Ohio every March 15, and that they continue to arrive every year on Buzzard Sunday also. As an ex-Buckeye myself, I hope to take Joyce there some year to enjoy the spectacle, even if it means Enjoying Kansas Outdoors from afar.
Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].
Lifelong Goodland, Kansas, resident Rita Marie Erickson, 90, passed away on Friday, March 30, 2018 at Wheat Ridge Acres in Goodland. She was affectionately known as GMa or GG.
Rita was born on October 21, 1927 in Dodge, Nebraska, the daughter of Adolf and Bessie (Stecher) Evert. When Rita was a little girl, the family moved to Goodland. She attended school in Goodland, and graduated from Sherman County High School in 1945. She married Robert Andrew Erickson in Goodland on May 18, 1948. To this union, six children were born. Rita worked at Safeway for many years before retiring, and then worked as a cook for USD 352 at the Grant Jr. High School.
Rita was very active with Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church serving as President of the Ladies Auxiliary, helping deliver communion to the home bound members of the church community. Rita was also a very active member of the Lowell Coleman Post 1133 Ladies Auxiliary, serving as President and Conductress for several years. Rita is most known for her famous cinnamon rolls, crescent rolls and bread, in addition to making pies for the church fair booth.
Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband Robert, son William, sisters Delores, Wilma, Lorena, Dorothy, and brothers LeRoy, Robert John and Norval.
She is survived by her children; Mary Ann (Mike) Elliott of Goodland, KS, Richard (Teresa) Erickson of Tulsa, OK, Barbara (Kent) Whisler of Manhattan, KS, Phillip (Kathy) Erickson of Goodland, KS and Donna (Bob) Hagans of Severance, CO. She is also survived by eleven grandchildren and twenty-three great grandchildren, as well as two sisters; Loretta Boyington and Norma Graham.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, April 4, 2018 at 10:00 AM MT at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church with Father Norbert Dlabal officiating. Burial will follow in the Goodland Cemetery, Goodland, KS.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM MT at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, with a Vigil and Rosary service to begin at 7:00 PM MT.
Memorials are designated to the Veterans Home of Kansas or to the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Goodland, and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com.
Funeral services are entrusted to Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Goodland, Kansas.
Advancing to Nationals in FBLA are pictured from the left are TMP-M seniors Elly Lang, Trae Megaffin, Anna Speno and freshman Hunter Flax.By SHARRIS COOMES TMP-Marian FBLA adviser and business teacher
Kansas Expocentre in Topeka hosted the Future Business Leaders of America statewide leadership conference focused on the theme “Elevate Your Future.” Thomas More Prep-Marian competed at the conference on March 28-29. Four students placed at State and will be advancing to Nationals in Baltimore, Maryland June 28-July 1. Placing first as a group were Trae Megaffin, Elly Lang and Anna Speno in Management Information Systems. Hunter Flax placed fourth in Help Desk. Not forwarding to Nationals, but placing tenth was Trae Megaffin in Personal Finance.
“We see extremely tough competition at this conference each year. This was a great accomplishment and I am proud of these young men and ladies,” stated Sharris Coomes. Approximately 1,700 students and teachers and 112 schools attended the event.
“I was surprised about the outcome, but so glad and excited that we made it that far. It was a great way to finish our high school FBLA experience!” said Anna Speno.
Hunter Flax said, “I was quite nervous going in to both of my tests the first day, I was especially nervous going in to finals, and I was even more nervous going into the awards hoping I did good.”
The twenty-one students who competed in various events are pictured front row, Leanne Rack, Anna Speno, Tiffany Pfeifer and Kamryn Hudsonpillar; second row, Lane Werth, Elly Lang, Anne Wasinger, Katelyn Gottschalk, Kaitlyn Burd, Sophia Coulter, Karl Rack, and Hunter Flax; back row, Jack Johnson, Grant Ginther, Sasha Wasinger, Anna Gottschalk, Jackson Schulte, Trae Megaffin, Landon Dinkel, Ethan Rohr and Garrett Pfeifer.
Anne Wasinger added, “I’ve always been interested in medicine and FBLA gave me the opportunity to see the administration side of medicine. I took the Health Administration test. I learned a lot and overall had a great time at FBLA”.
“TMP-Marian provides a rare opportunity for one of the few northwest Kansas schools to participate in such a rewarding experience and offers our students a look into the business world. Business education teaches life-long skills and our FBLA club contributes to that. Many people are under the assumption that business education is only for students who expect to pursue a degree in business. It is my hope that every student will become a responsible adult that has a job; therefore, they will either work for a business or own a business. FBLA and business classes not only offer an education that is valuable to every student, but contributes to the success of our country. Everyone should have a general understanding of how our economy operates and the role that business plays in our country’s well-being, regardless of their career choice,” says Coomes. “It is essential for our students to be able to understand the importance of the various business aspects in both their personal and professional lives, like finance, technology, setting goals and creating fundamental skills in planning and decision-making.”
SHAWNEE COUNTY — A Sunday morning fire did considerable damage to a Kansas home.
Easter Sunday fire at this home in Topeka- photo courtesy WIBW TV
Just before noon Sunday, Fire crews responded to a fire located at a home in the 1000 Block SW Woodward Avenue in Topeka Kansas, according to a media release.
Crews found the two-story wood framed residential structure with smoke showing from the second story.
Firefighters began an offensive fire attack, keeping it confined to the structure of fire origin. Five occupants were out of the structure when firefighters arrived. Investigators determined the fire cause to be accidental, associated with a juvenile playing with a lighter.
Estimated dollar loss $10,000 structural loss and $2,000.00 contents loss. No working smoke detectors were located within the structure, according to the fire investigators.
Today Sunny, with a high near 64. Breezy, with a south wind 8 to 13 mph increasing to 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. Very windy, with a south southeast wind 20 to 30 mph becoming north northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.
Tuesday Mostly cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 47. Very windy, with a north northwest wind 33 to 37 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph.
Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 20. Blustery, with a north wind 18 to 23 mph becoming light and variable.
WednesdaySunny, with a high near 62. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 8 to 13 mph increasing to 18 to 23 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 36.
RUSSELL COUNTY— Two teens were injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Sunday in Russell County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Chevy 1500 driven by Layn Logsdon, 16, Russell, was southbound on 181st three miles west of Russell.
As the driver reached to get cell phone, the vehicle traveled into the west ditch, struck a residential driveway entrance, became airborne, struck the ground front end first causing the vehicle to flip end to end.
The vehicle then traveled through a post and barbed wire fence coming to rest on its wheels in a pasture.
Logsdon and a passenger Emme Pfannenstiel, 14, Russell, were transported to Russell Regional Medical Center.
Both were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
It was a big week in the Kansas Senate as we spent most of the week on the floor debating and voting on legislation. At this point in the session, most committees have wrapped up their work – only exempt committees, including Ways & Means, Assessment & Taxation and Federal & State Affairs, are still holding standing meetings. Additionally, Conference Committee work has begun to gear up, and we anticipate to vote on Conference Committee reports all next week. A Conference Committee is a small, bipartisan and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House’s and Senate’s version of a similar bill. Once the Conference Committee comes to a compromise, the committee’s version of the bill will be sent to both the House and the Senate for a final vote, before advancing the bill to the Governor’s desk. Next week is the last legislative week before first adjournment, so debating Conference Committee bills will be a top priority to ensure we can get as many bills to the Governor’s desk as possible before the break.
FLOOR ACTION
BUDGET BILL – APPROPRIATION REVISIONS: Substitute Senate Bill 269 creates appropriation revisions for FY 2018 and FY 2019 for various state agencies. In FY 2018, Sub. SB 269 recommends expenditures of $16.3 billion, including $6.7 billion from the State General Fund. The recommendation is an all funds reduction of $3.0 million and a State General Fund increase of $1.6 million from the Governor’s Recommendation for FY 2018. One key component for the FY 2018 appropriation revisions includes adding $1.5 million to fully fund the Technical Education Incentive for the Department of Education. For FY 2019, Sub. SB 269 recommends expenditures of $16.8 billion, including $6.8 billion from the State General Fund. The recommendation is a reduction of $79.2 million, including $80.7 million from the State General Fund, from the Governor’s Recommendation for FY 2019. The bill also reduces State General Fund revenue by $11.7 million for FY 2019. Some key components of the FY 2019 appropriation revisions include adding $22.1 million, including $10.0 million from the State General Fund, for an increase in nursing facility reimbursements rates, $4.7 million increase to including $2.1 million to provide a salary adjustment to all employees who did not receive a salary adjustment as part of the 2017 Legislative Pay Plan and adding $5.5 million to increase payments for foster care kinship placements from an average of $3 per day to an average of $10 per day for the Department of Children and Families.
INCREASED PENALTIES FOR FAKE POLICE CALLS: House Bill 2581 increases the criminal penalties for the crime of giving a false alarm in certain circumstances. The practice which is known as “swatting,” is when a person makes a call to the police with a false story of an ongoing crime in attempt to draw police officers to a particular address. Any false call for emergency help would be at least a misdemeanor, becoming a felony if the person uses a fake identity or electronically masks their identity. HB 2581 would make fake calls that result in death a felony comparable to second-degree murder.
HUNTING GUIDES AND OUTFITTER REGISTRATION: Senate Bill 301 requires hunting guides and outfitters to register with the Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism.
UNFAIR TRADE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION: House Bill 2580 eliminates consumer reporting agencies’ authority to charge certain fees related to consumer report security freezes.
COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE RENEWAL: House Bill 2511 would make commercial driver’s licenses renewable every five years. The bill would extend the period of time before expiration from four years to five years.
RENEWAL OF DRIVER’S LICENSES; VISION REQUIREMENT: HB 2606 specifies vision test requirements for qualifying applicants for electronic online driver’s license renewal. The bill would waive the requirement currently that a driver’s license examiner administer an eyesight exam prior to the electronic online renewal of a driver’s license only under certain conditions. An applicant for an online renewal must be at least 21 years old but less than 50 years old and confirm under penalty of law that their vision meets requirements currently in law of 20/40 or better in at least one eye as tested by the driver’s license examiner, or 20/60 or better in at least one eye submitted in a vision report from an ophthalmologist or optometrist. The applicant must certify they have undergone an examination by a licensed ophthalmologist or a licensed optometrist within the previous year and must authorize the exchange of vision and medical information between the Division of Vehicles and the applicant’s ophthalmologist or optometrist.
RAINY DAY FUND: House Bill 2419 concerns transfers to and expenditures from the budget stabilization fund. HB 2419 outlines that the rainy-day fund would earmark any excess revenue or over-projected estimates to be split in half, with 50 percent to pay off debt to the PMIB loan and the other 50 percent to be stored in a rainy-day fund for when projected revenues are short of projections. Historically, the legislature spends available money rather than set aside money to meet the statutory requirement of a seven percent remaining balance. This bill failed the Senate 21-19.
AMENDING THE UNIFORM ANATOMICAL GIFT ACT: House Bill 2472 amends the uniform anatomical gift act to give driver’s license applicants’ authorization to be listed as an organ, eye, and tissue donor in the Kansas donor registry. HB 2472 would require the word “Donor” be placed on the front of the driver’s license or identification card of an individual who provides authorization on an application for a driver’s license or an identification card to be listed in the Registry. The gift would become effective upon the death of the donor.
LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON DYSLEXIA: Substitute House Bill 2602 establishes the Legislative Task Force on Dyslexia and Other Reading Comprehension Impairments (Task Force), which would advise and make recommendations to the Governor, Legislature, and the Kansas State Board of Education regarding matters concerning the use of evidence-based practices for students with dyslexia and other reading comprehension impairments.
HEALTH OCCUPATIONS CREDENTIALING FEE FUND: House Bill 2501 would create the Health Occupations Credentialing Fee Fund to be administered by the Secretary for Aging and Disability Services.
OMBUDSMAN LONG-TERM CARE PROGRAM: House Bill 2590 amends the state long-term care ombudsman program, activities, and access to certain records.
NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND RADIATION CONTROL ACT: Senate Substitute for House Bill 2600 provides for the assessment of fees by the Department of Health and Environment for noncontiguous sites where radioactive material is stored or used. S Sub HB 2600 also directs the Secretary of Health and Environment to study and investigate maternal deaths in Kansas.
WORKERS COMPENSATION DEATH BENEFITS: Senate Substitute for House Bill 2184 amends workers compensation death benefits. The act allows for an initial payment to be shared between the surviving spouse and the dependent children.
GOLF CARTS ON CERTAIN STREETS AT NIGHT: House Bill 2486 allows golf carts to be driven on any public street or highway between sunset and sunrise if the golf cart has lights as required by law for motorcycles and has a properly mounted slow-moving vehicle emblem.
EXEMPTING DIVISION OF LEGISLATIVE POST AUDIT FROM PAYING MONUMENTAL BUILDING SURCHARGES: Senate Substitute for House Bill 2129 exempts the Division of Legislative Post Audit from paying any monumental building surcharge charged and collected by the Department of Administration or any other state agency that is levied against all state agency-leased square footage in Shawnee County.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS, CHOOSE LIFE AND WICHITA LICENSE PLATE: House Bill 2599 provides for the distinctive plates for Special Olympics, Choose Life, the Wichita city flag. The bill also authorizes special license plates for veterans of the Korean War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.
DESIGNATING SEDGWICK COUNTY AS URBAN AREA: House Bill 2597 designates Sedgwick County as an urban area, concerning nonprofit cemetery corporations in certain urban area counties. The designation would allow the Kansas Legislature to pass laws specific to those areas. Currently, Johnson, Wyandotte, Shawnee, and Greeley counties already have this designation. The designation only allows for a county to make a request for specific legislation.
NURSE LICENSURE COMPACT: House Bill 2496 creates the Nurse Licensure Compact and amend the Kansas Nurse Practice Act to enable the Board of Nursing to carry out the provisions of the Compact and establish the duties of registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) under the Compact. The Compact allows RNs and LPNs to have one multi-state license, with the privilege to practice in the home state of Kansas and in other Compact states physically, electronically, and/or telephonically.
THE CHILD CARE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND AND FINGERPRINTING FUND: House Bill 2639 requires local and state law enforcement officers and agencies to assist the Secretary of Health and Environment in taking and processing fingerprints of persons residing, working, or regularly volunteering in a child care facility and to release all records of adult convictions and nonconvictions and adult convictions or adjudications of another state or country to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The bill would create the Child Care Criminal Background and Fingerprinting Fund in the State Treasury to be administered by the Secretary.
DEFENDANT’S COMPETENCY AND COMMITMENT FOR TREATMENT: House Bill 2549 creates judicial determinations of defendant’s competency and commitment for treatment.
RESCUING VULNERABLE PERSON OR ANIMAL FROM A VEHICLE: House Bill 2516 provides immunity from civil liability for damage to a motor vehicle for a person who enters the vehicle, by force or otherwise, to remove a vulnerable person or domestic animal if they are in imminent danger.
SCRAP METAL THEFT REDUCTION ACT: Senate Bill 429 delays certain provisions of the Scrap Metal Theft Reduction Act until January 1, 2020.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE OFFICE OF SHERIFF: House Bill 2523 amends the statute setting forth the qualifications required of sheriffs. Specifically, the bill would narrow language disqualifying a person from holding the office of sheriff if the person has been convicted of a violation of any federal or state laws or city ordinances relating to gambling, liquor, or narcotics.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING CERTAIN STATEWIDE OFFICES: House Bill 2539 would amend qualifications for certain state offices. This legislation would require these positions to be a “qualified elector.” A qualified elector must be at least 30 years old when becoming a candidate for the office of the governor or lieutenant governor. Another provision is a candidate must be licensed to practice law in Kansas for the office of the attorney general. The House’s original age requirement for the office of governor and lieutenant governor was 18 before the Senate changed it to 30. The final age requirement will be settled in conference.
CORRUPT POLITICAL ADVERTISING: House Bill 2642 amends the “corrupt political advertising” statute. Currently, social media communication is exempt from the requirement to include “paid for” or “sponsored by” information if the limit of characters is 200. The amended bill increases that limit to 280 characters.
SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION FUNDING: Senate Bill 352 requires transportation funding for school districts from the state general fund, not the state highway fund; making and concerning appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR LICENSING OF PROFESSIONAL OCCUPATIONS: Senate Substitute for House Bill 2386 implements restrictions on requirements for licensing of professional occupations.
LOCAL OPTION BUDGET: Senate Bill 422 requires a minimum local option budget and requires school boards to notify the state board of education of their intent to increase local option budget authority. Any resolution increasing a district’s local option budget adopted prior to July 1, 2017, that was not subsequently submitted to and approved by a majority of the district’s qualified electors, would expire June 30, 2018. Districts that desire to increase their local option budget authority for the next school year would submit written notice of such intent to the State Board of Education by March 1.
STATEWIDE BROADBAND EXPANSION PLANNING TASK FORCE: Senate Substitute for House Bill 2701 creates a broadband expansion planning task force. The purpose of this task force is to develop a group to evaluate and expand broadband throughout Kansas.
SALES TAX AUTHORITY FOR THOMAS COUNTY (HB 2492): HB 2492, as amended, would make several changes relative to the local sales tax authority of Thomas, Russell, Jackson, and Dickinson counties; and would provide two new state and local sales tax exemptions. The bill would extend from five years to ten years the sunset on any 0.5 percent tax imposed by Russell County for economic development initiatives or public infrastructure projects all subject to voter approval.
ALLOWING CRIMINAL CASES TO BE STAYED DURING STATE APPEAL OF WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS: House Bill 2479 allows criminal cases to be stayed during state of appeal of writ of habeas corpus relief. HB 2479 creates procedures and limitations concerning contact with jurors following a criminal jury trial and clarifies grand jury proceedings.
COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY, MISTREATMENT LAWS, AND DEFINING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: House Bill 2458 defines counterfeiting currency as anything intended to defraud through forging currency. Another element of this bill combines the two laws into one that deal with mistreatment of a dependent adult and elder person. HB 2458 also amends the definition of law enforcement officer to include uniformed or properly identified while on duty.
AMEND CERTAIN SALES TAXATION FOR MOTOR VEHICLES: Senate Bill 367 amends current sales tax law that includes the value of a rebate from a manufacturer of a new vehicle to the potential buyer. Current law includes this amount to calculate sales tax liability. SB 367 requires the rebate to be paid directly to the retailer.
KANSAS RIGHT-TO-KNOW FEE FUND: House Bill 2577, as amended creates a maximum annual fee for the Right-To-Know Program that would only be used for the administration of the Program. Current law allows the fees to go into a general fund. The Program deals with hazardous substances.
CONTROL AND ERADICATION OF NOXIOUS WEEDS: House Bill 2583 clarifies definitions for terms related to noxious weeds. This legislation allows the Secretary of Agriculture to declare an emergency for noxious weeds that can be potentially harmful because of a natural disaster.
HIGH-PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM TAX CREDIT: Senate Bill 430 extends 50 percent of the unused High-Performance Incentive Program tax credits beyond the current carryforward limit, from 16 years to 25 years, for those taxpayers who initially claimed a HPIP credit prior to January 1, 2018. Taxpayers would be required annually to certify under oath to the Secretary of Commerce that they continue to meet HPIP requirements.
KANSAS ADOPTION AND RELINQUISHMENT ACT: House Bill 2481 provides several provisions to the Kansas Adoption and Relinquishment Act. An amendment on the bill which protects faith-based adoption agencies was adopted as well.
KANSAS PET ANIMAL ACT: House Bill 2477 would create several changes to the Kansas Pet Animal Act pertaining to licensure of those providing temporary care of dogs or cats, maximum license fees, notice of inspections, requested inspections, no-contact inspections, failed inspections, and license renewal dates.
INCOME TAX REFUND FOR CERTAIN NATIVE AMERICAN VETERANS: Substitute House Bill 2147 would create a process by which certain Native American military veterans would be able to apply for a refund of state personal income taxes improperly withheld from such veteran’s federal military income in the amount of income taxes paid plus interest.
REMOVING ALCOHOL AS A SPECIAL FUEL: House Bill 2488 would remove the word “alcohol” from the definition of “special fuels” under the motor-fuel tax law. The bill clarifies how fuels are taxed.
STATE FAIR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND: Senate Bill 415 creates a diversion of state sales tax receipts so that collections by the Kansas State Fair and retailers on the fairgrounds would be deposited into the State Fair Capital Improvements Fund, effective July 1, 2018. Current law allocates 83.8 percent of collections go to the State General Fund and 16.2 percent go to the State Highway Fund.
KANSAS SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS
On March 13th, seventeen small businesses from around the state that experienced successful growth and expansion by working with the Kansas Small Business Development Center were recognized in the Capitol rotunda. Kaid Baumann owner of Lost Creek Supply in Kensington was recognized as a 2018 Emerging Kansas Business of the Year. Congratulations Kaid!!
PAGES – MARCH 2018
Two groups of pages from Senate District 36 visited the Capitol this week. Rylan Reeves and Abby Myers from Russell along with Claire and Caroline Schmidt of Topeka were pages on March 26th and Davin Benfer and Bricen Benyshek of Concordia paged on March 28th. They met Governor Colyer, took the Dome tour, worked in my office and ran errands for the Senate during session.
Thank You for Engaging
Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at www.kslegislature.org. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website or watch live at YouTube Streaming: https://bit.ly/2CZj9O0 . The Senate will be in session each day at 10 a.m. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.
Senator Elaine Bowers
Kansas State Capitol Building
Room 223-E
300 SW 10th St.
Topeka, KS 66612 [email protected]
785-296-7389
FORT SCOTT – A Kansas woman was found guilty Thursday of mistreatment of a dependent adult, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
Adkins-photo Bourbon Co.
Denise Lynette Adkins, 55, of Fulton, pleaded guilty in Bourbon County District Court to one felony count of mistreatment of a dependent adult. The case stemmed from an investigation by the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office, which discovered that between June and July 2017, Adkins worked as an in-home caregiver for a dependent adult and made personal purchases on the victim’s credit card. The defendant also opened a credit card account in the victim’s name and made unauthorized purchases for herself. As part of the plea, Adkins agreed to pay $5,778.56 in restitution to the victim.
District Judge Mark Ward took the plea and scheduled sentencing for May 31 at 1:30 p.m.
The suspects took hundreds of dollars in merchandise, according to the surveillance images.
Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. Very windy, with a south southeast wind 20 to 30 mph becoming north northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.
