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Politicians Worry a Trade War Could Damage Kansas Industries

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By STEPHEN KORANDA

Kansas politicians are closely watching developing trade policies with an eye to whether they could start a trade war that might hurt industries in the state that rely on exports.

President Donald Trump’s administration has been in talks with Canada and Mexico to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.

Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer said he supports the negotiations. Yet Colyer and industry trade groups asked Trump in a letter last week not to scrap the deal because that could hurt major Kansas export industries such as agriculture and aviation.

“We want to make sure that Kansas industries continue to thrive and grow,” the governor said. “We’re a very competitive state.”

Canada and Mexico are key destinations for Kansas farm commodities, said Josh Roe, the deputy secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

“There have certainly been years where Mexico and Canada are number one and number two,” Roe said last year.

Roe said that in 2016, agriculture and aviation accounted for more than half the dollar value of the state’s exports.

Trump also announced tariffs on steel and aluminum last week — critical supplies for Kansas manufacturing.

“A strong steel and aluminum industry are vital to our national security, absolutely vital,” Trump said at a ceremony announcing the tariffs.

State Rep. Jim Ward, the top Democrat in the Kansas House, said he’s concerned Trump’s actions could spark retaliatory tariffs, which could impact industries beyond manufacturing.

“Agriculture would be devastated by tariffs or a trade war,” Ward said

The south central part of Kansas is highly focused on manufacturing, specifically aviation.

At a recent stop at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran pointed to an airplane fuselage as an item that could be impacted by aluminum tariffs.

“The fuselage that we’re celebrating here at Spirit is 100 percent aluminum,” Moran said. “(A tariff) has a consequence in the price.”

Aerospace Industries Association CEO Eric Fanning said commercial aviation relies on imported aluminum and steel.

President Trump’s tariff on the metals was softened, though, by excluding Canada and Mexico.

Canada has been the top source of imported aluminum in the U.S. in recent years, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for KPR, a partner in the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @kprkoranda. 

3 cases of measles confirmed at Kan. child care facility

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OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Three cases of the measles have been confirmed at a child care facility in suburban Kansas City.

CDC photo-skin of a patient after 3 days of measles infection

The Johnson County, Kansas, Department of Health and Environment says on its website Tuesday that all three cases are in children under the age of 1, who are too young to be vaccinated. The department says it has reached out to contact those at risk for the disease.

The affected children and people they have been in contact with will be excluded from the facility for three weeks.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. Cases in the U.S. are rare since creation of the vaccine, but the illness kills 146,000 people worldwide each year.

The disease is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing.

Kan. delegation praises Trump’s choice of Pompeo

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WASHINGTON— Member of the Kansas congressional delegation are applauding President Trump’s nomination of Mike Pompeo, former 4th District Congressman from Kansas and current CIA Director, to be Secretary of State

 

Kan. police recruit arrested for alleged domestic battery

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Wichita Police Department recruit after a weekend arrest.

Just after 11:30 a.m. Sunday, March 11, police were contacted by a 21- year-old woman at the patrol west police station, according to officer Paul Cruz.

She reported an incident in which she was battered and her property was damaged by her 21-year-old boyfriend.

Police arrested and booked the boyfriend, a WPD recruit, into jail for domestic battery and criminal damage to property.

The recruit began his employment in January 2018 and has been attending the police academy. This recruit is no longer employed with the WPD, according to Cruz.

The investigation is being handled by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office as part of an agreement to investigate potential criminal cases involving WPD personnel.

Cruz did not release the name of the recruit.

 

KWEC to host several spring break activities

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FHSU University Relations

Fort Hays State University’s Kansas Wetlands Education Center is hosting several free activities over spring break (Saturday, March 17 through Sunday, March 25).

The KWEC, 592 NE K-156 Highway, is at the southeast side of Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, northeast of Great Bend. KWEC’s spring break hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Programs are listed by date:

Saturday, March 17: “Casting Skills” – Visitors who want to show off their fish casting skills can put their talent to the test at the KWEC for a chance to win a prize. FHSU graduate student Jared Engelbert will give instructions on how to make the perfect cast. After some practice, it’s time for a little contest for children. Those that are able to drop the end of their line in the target area will have their names put into a raffle for a prize.

Sunday, March 18, and Monday, March 19: “Birds and Bernoulli” – How do birds fly? Birds are the masters of aeronautical engineering. Curtis Wolf, KWEC director, will use some simple methods to show the concepts of bird flight. Visitors can then put what they learn into practice by making a paper airplane bird.

Tuesday, March 20: “A Bird’s Life” – FHSU graduate student Katya Frank will explore the life of birds, beginning with an activity to learn some important ways to help identify common local birds. Then, visitors can build their own bird feeders or nesting material balls to take home and help their backyard feathered friends flourish this spring.

Wednesday, March 21: “Casting Skills, Take Two” ­– For those who could not make Saturday, here’s a second chance to hone fish-casting skills! Engelbert is back with a fish casting workshop and contest. Prizes are available to the best casters.

Thursday, March 22: “Ready to Rock?” – Young geologists can join FHSU graduate student Gentry Holaday to learn about some of the awesome properties of rocks and minerals.

Friday, March 23, and Saturday, March 24: “A Photosynthesis Battle” – FHSU graduate student Tayler Kriss will give the ins and outs of photosynthesis using corn and wheat plants to teach how plants use light and air differently from each other. Visitors will also be able to plant seeds to take home to watch grow.

Sunday, March 25: “Ready to Rock, Again?” – Holaday returns to repeat Thursday’s program for those who just can’t get enough of rocks, or who could not be there the first time around.

The free, come-and-go activities are open to all ages. For more information, visit wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu or call 877-243-9268.

RAHJES REPORT: March 13

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Rep. Ken Rahjes (R-Agra) 110th House Dist.

Hello from Topeka!

Congratulations to the Northern Valley Huskies on their state basketball championship over the weekend.

We are anticipating the arrival of the cost study report on K-12 education as the legislature forms the response to the Kansas Supreme Court on the school funding formula which was ruled unconstitutional last year.  Once the numbers are analyzed, it is the hope the response is delivered back to the court by the March 30 deadline.

Speaking of schools, last week, House Republicans unveiled the Kansas Safe and Secure Schools Act, a comprehensive approach to make schools safer for our kids by ensuring coordination with schools and local law enforcement to improve school security infrastructure.  Principally, HB 2773 would do the following:

  1. Coordinate with the Kansas State Board of Education and other agencies to develop statewide standards for safe and secure school buildings.
  2. Empower local school districts to coordinate with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies to review and evaluate current building infrastructure policies and procedures.
  3. Establish the Safe and Secure Schools Grant Program with funds that can be used for improvements to any facet of the school safety and security plan including infrastructure and training.
  4. Provide standardized firearm safety education programs that may be offered by school districts.
  5. Appropriate funds to the Department of Education, which will be used for two FTE positions to review and evaluate school safety and security plans.

The provisions of this bill would encourage schools to make improvements, such as reinforced doors, additional security cameras, and training opportunities to enhance the overall security of school grounds.  The Safe and Secure Schools Act will advance communication between local school districts and law enforcement.  A safe and secure learning environment is one of the highest priorities in our state, and this establishes an opportunity for all Kansas school districts.  Additionally, for the purposes of promoting the safety and protection of students via education, the State Board of Education would be required to establish curriculum guidelines for a standardized firearm safety education program.

I serve on the House Taxation Committee and we worked HB 2572, which concerns making economic incentives data more centralized and transparent.  House Sub. for HB 2572 requires that the Department of Commerce collect data from economic development incentive programs that provide more than $50,000 in annual incentives.  This data from multiple years would be stored in a database and would be searchable on the Department’s website.  Specific information would be provided, including names or counties and recipients who receive benefits from various programs, including STAR bonds.  Descriptions and histories of the programs, along with purpose, goals, and qualifications would also be included.  Another component is the program cost and return on investment.  The Committee adopted the Substitute bill amendment and advanced it favorably to the House for its consideration.  On Thursday, the House Committee of the Whole debated the measure.  On Friday, the bill passed the House with a vote of 114-7.

Over the past week, fires have burned across the state, fueled by dangerously dry conditions and strong winds.  Governor Jeff Colyer issued disaster declarations for the following counties: Barber, Clark, Ellis, Greenwood, Harper, Kingman, Logan, Reno, Smith, and Stevens.

The National Guard reported approximately 50 fires were reported to the State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka since Monday, burning more than 25,000 acres. Aerial and ground firefighting resources were coordinated by the SEOC through the Kansas Forest Service and Kansas Army National Guard to augment fire suppression efforts by local responders. Soldiers of the Kansas National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation, along with troopers from the Kansas Highway Patrol and personnel from the Kansas Forest Service provided aerial and ground support to local crews battling fires.

The State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka is providing support and coordination of state and federal resources as requested by the counties. County emergency managers may continue to report incidents and request state assistance to augment local response and recovery actions through the state’s 24-hour emergency notification line.

A big thank you to the volunteer firefighters and first responders! Please continue to pray for rain.

Oh by the way, I have moved offices in the statehouse.  I am now on the 5th floor at 512-N.  The phone number stays the same. Please feel free to reach out with concerns and questions, I will do my best to respond it a timely manner. My phone number is (785) 296-7463 and email is: [email protected], my cell number is (785) 302-8416.   You can also check out kenforkansas.com.

It is my honor to be your representative.

Hays Post’s Bracket Challenge: Make your picks for a chance to win $1M

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Hays Post is launching its inaugural Triple-Chance Bracket Challenge! Enter your picks for the upcoming men’s college basketball championship and have a chance to win $250 CASH or Popt Gourmet Popcorn gift baskets.

Click HERE to play! Fill out the simple registration form, and make your picks.

Plus, pick all 63 games correctly, and you have a chance to win $1 million!

Brought to you by Popt Gourmet Popcorn, Hays Greenhouse, Kaiser Liquor and Wendy’s of Hays.

Trump names former Kan. congressman Sec. of State

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WASHINGTON —Rex Tillerson is out as secretary of state. President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday morning that he’s naming CIA director Mike Pompeo to replace Tillerson.

Pompeo is to be replaced at CIA by Gina Haspel, Pompeo’s deputy at CIA. She would be the first woman in that role.

Tillerson had just returned from a shortened trip to Africa hours before Trump’s announcement. Trump offered no explanation for the change.

Pompeo was elected to the 4th District congressional seat in Kansas during the tea party wave of 2010. He is now fourth in line of presidential succession behind the vice president, speaker of the house and president pro temper of the senate.

Russell Community Theater announces 2018 season

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RUSSELL – Russell Community Theater has announced its 2018 slate of plays.

“Cheating Cheaters”, written by John Patrick and directed by Bob Roe, opens the season April 17-21, 2018 at the RCT Playhouse located at 5th and Kansas in Russell.

Theresa and Angelica have been impersonating nuns and begging for donations in order to send their orphaned niece to art school. A cat burglar plans to steal their ill-gotten gains, and a suspicious policeman arrives to investigate the sisters. What might be the beginning of big trouble turns out to be the beginning of big opportunities.

When the young art student turns up unannounced, the sisters decide to clean up their act. But before the adventure is over, the aunts realize their niece is not quite as innocent as she seems – and they’ll all reap the rewards of her secret talents!

“The Nerd”, written by Larry Shue and directed by Mitch Eaton, will entertain audiences as the annual Dinner Theater production at the Russell Elks Lodge this summer.

Willum has often told his friends about the debt he owes to Rick, a fellow GI whom he never met but who saved his life after he was seriously wounded in Vietnam.

Willum is delighted when Rick shows up unexpectedly at his apartment but his delight soon fades as it becomes apparent that Rick is a bumbling oaf with no social sense, little intelligence and less tact.

As Rick stays on and on, his continued presence leads to one uproarious incident after another.

The season wraps up at the RCT Playhouse in October with “A Bad Year for Tomatoes”, written by John Patrick and directed by Mitchell Hunsley.

Myra Marlowe, fed up with the pressures of her acting career, leases a house in a tiny New England town. Her long time agent is finally letting her relax a bit, but her nosy neighbors are a different matter.

In an attempt to gain some privacy, she invents a crazy sister who is “locked in an upstairs room”. Complications arise when the local handyman develops feelings for “Sister Sadie” and the church ladies decide it is their duty to save Sadie’s soul.

A desperate announcement from Myra brings on the sheriff and an accusation of murder!

Russell Community Theater is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit, corporation that was organized in 1986. Its ultimate governing body is its stockholders. The theater’s Board of Directors is elected annually by the stockholders. The sole purpose of RCT is to produce theater for the community and surrounding area. The theater is supported financially solely through the sale of tickets to its productions and by gifts from those supportive of community theater and the arts generally. RCT has a performance space at the corner of 5th and Kansas Streets, Russell. It also has offices, a warehouse, and scene shop located at 839 Main, Russell. For more information, call 785-483-4057. Please find us on Facebook.

Health insurance options to control costs

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Western Kansas Human Resource Management Association will hold its meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Wed., April 11, at the Fort Hays State University Robbins Center (Eagle Communication Hall), One Tiger Place.  Registration is from 11:15 to 11:30 a.m., with a short business meeting starting at 11:30 a.m.

The program for the April meeting will be “Strategic Health Insurance Options to Control Costs” presented by Julie Yarmer, Freedom Claims Management.  The program will be submitted for HRCI and SHRM continuing education credits.

If interested in attending as a guest, RSVP to wkhrma.shrm.org no later than noon on April 6.

WKHRMA is an affiliate chapter of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), a local professional organization for persons engaged in personal or human resource management.  For more information on WKHRMA, visit wkhrma.shrm.org.

State Sen. Bowers selected to participate in Dept. of Defense program

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Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Sen. District

OFFICE OF SEN. BOWERS

TOPEKA- State Sen. Elaine Bowers (36th District, R-Concordia) has been selected to participate in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC) hosted by the U.S. Secretary of Defense. The JCOC program is the oldest and most prestigious public liaison program in the Department of Defense.

As a JCOC participant, Senator Bowers will spend several intense days from June 10-16, 2018 at military installations, engaging with senior military officials and U.S. service members. In addition to participating in tactical training exercises, Sen. Bowers will gain a better understanding of the roles and mission of the U.S. Armed Forces; their skills, capabilities, and equipment employed in defense of the nation.

The JCOC program is directly linked to the Department of Defense’s new initiative, This Is Your Military. The goal of the initiative is to educate and accurately inform the American public on the military’s relevance, innovativeness, and how it is a force for good. The program also seeks to introduce the American public to those who currently serve and to dispel common misperceptions about the military.

“We are extremely excited and proud of Senator Bowers for being selected to participate in the JCOC program,” Senate President Susan Wagle said. “It is so important to understand and appreciate the sacrifices that those in the U.S. Armed Forces make daily to keep our nation safe. This is a great program and we are lucky to have Senator Bowers represent us this summer at JCOC.”

Participants of Joint Civilian Orientation Conference walk the flight line to board a C-2A Greyhound at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., Aug. 19, 2016. (Photo courtesy DOD)

The objective of the JCOC public liaison program is to help bridge the growing military-civilian divide by:

  • Educating and informing participants about the strength and readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces through personal observation of Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard operations.
  • Providing a better understanding of the rewards of military service.
  • Providing the American public opportunities to obtain a better understanding of national defense policies and programs through the eyes of opinion leaders who have spent time with their military.

Hydrant flushing Tuesday in east Hays

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HFD

The city of Hays Fire Department will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants on Tue., March 13, 2018 in the area from Canterbury Dr. to Commerce Parkway between 13th St. and 22nd St.

This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually.

Kansas corn farmers concerned about Renewable Fuel Standards

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Eight of the ten ethanol plants in Kansas are in the First Congressional District of western Kansas.

OFFICE OF REP. MARSHALL

LYONS – On Saturday, First District Congressman Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, met with ethanol producers and agriculture industry leaders at the Kansas Ethanol LLC facility, Lyons, to discuss the preservation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and current Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) structure. In the discussion, producers made it clear that a cap on RINs would have serious implications on the Big First.

“At the moment we’re at about a 12-year low in farm income,” said first generation Reno County farmer Geoff Burgess. “This coming season we’re just getting started, and it’s already projected to be a 6.7 percent reduction further. It’s gonna hurt demand for corn and drive our prices down even more, and that will be really hard to swallow. There’s a lot at stake here.”

It’s been recently reported that the administration is considering capping the price of RINs. Multiple studies indicate a RINs price cap would reduce ethanol demand by more than 750 million gallons and cost corn farmers as much as 25 cents per bushel.

“Back in 2000, we had roughly 3.4 million acres of corn. Last year we were at 5.3. We have basically gone from a corn importer to a corn exporter just due to the amount of corn that is being produced in our area. With that being said, for us, not having the ethanol plant as an end user in our area would be huge,” Dustin Campbell, from Team Marketing Alliance, said.

Based on current corn prices, a cap on RINs would mean a $4 billion decline in farm income at a time when producers earnings are already struggling to break event. This hit to our Kansas farmers would devastate our communities.

“I’m a fifth-generation farmer – came back to take over the farm when my father died. We’ve grown substantially in size, and a lot of it’s due to the ethanol plant. We’ve got a steady, reliable market that pays at levels we can make profitable on our farm,” said Matt Splitter, who farms in Rice County and sits on the board of the Kansas Association of Corn Growers and Central Prairie Coop.

Ethanol not only benefits Kansas farmers but provides a higher-octane, cleaner-burning fuel alternative for drivers across the country.

“The car makers are saying they want a higher octane fuel, and that’s the value of ethanol because it boosts the octane value of fuel,” said Kansas Ethanol CEO and President Mike Chisam. “We’re willing to work with (the refiners), and I think it’s in the best interest of both industries to work together to figure out a solution to all of this.”

With ten ethanol plants in the state and eight of them in Congressman Marshall’s district, Kansas is in a position to be a top ethanol exporter and leader in renewable fuel production. Tom Willis, CEO of Conestoga Energy, the largest ethanol producer in the state, was unable to attend the meeting but still expressed his concerns from possible RINs cap to the Rep. Marshall.

“This proposal would hit Kansas agriculture hard, lowering corn and sorghum prices when our farmers are already under water,” Willis said.

As members in the administration work to negotiate with oil refiners and ethanol producers, Rep. Marshall made it clear to the producers he met with that he shared their concerns with a RINs cap.

“These discussions between ethanol producers and refiners must lead to a win-win solution that support jobs across our energy industry,” Congressman Marshall said.

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