Kansas Department for Children and Families

Kansans with low income are receiving a little extra help paying their utility bills this month, thanks to the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP).

Supplemental benefit payments are now being distributed throughout the state.

“Although we’re enjoying a nice comfortable week of weather and summer is winding down, those cooling bills may be piling up,” Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Phyllis Gilmore said in a news release Tuesday. “This extra assistance will help Kansas families with that expense.”

LIEAP provides an annual benefit to help qualifying households pay winter heating bills. Persons with disabilities, older adults and families with children are the primary groups assisted. In the winter of 2015, slightly more than 44,000 households received an average benefit of $412. The supplemental benefit amount varies, but will be approximately 38 percent of the original benefit each household received. Statewide this amount averages to be $157.

This year, funding is available to provide an additional benefit to those households for energy costs. This is not a new application period. Households that applied for and received a benefit during the regular application period will automatically be issued a supplemental benefit. Households receiving the supplemental benefit will receive written notice of the specific benefit amount they will receive. Supplemental benefits will be paid in the same manner and to the same vendor as they were for the regular benefit. The supplemental funds are in the process of being dispersed.

LIEAP funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Service through the Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

For more information on the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, visit http://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/Energy/EnergyAssistance.aspx or call 1-800-432-0043 toll free.

Kansas Department of Agriculture

MANHATTAN–Kansas State Fair visitors can expect to try new recipes, discover From the Land of Kansas members goods and learn more about local, Kansas products at the From the Land of Kansas booth at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson Sept. 11-20. The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s trademark program will feature numerous Kansas products and ingredients for fair goers to sample and shop from at the booth.

Kansans visiting the From the Land of Kansas booth will be able to learn how to cook using From the Land of Kansas member ingredients from Chef Alli’s cooking demonstrations on both weekends of the fair. Visitors can also take home a collection of Savor the Season recipe cards. The Savor the Season cards feature fruits and vegetables that can be found at local farmers’ markets and grocery stores and offer nutrition tips and techniques on how to select, store and prepare.

“We are excited to be sharing more of Chef Alli’s recipes featuring more of our member’s Kansas-made products to Kansas State Fair visitors,” said Julie Roller, From the Land of Kansas specialist. “Fair visitors will enjoy sampling Chef Alli’s creations and learning how to incorporate Kansas ingredients into easy-to-make recipes.”

Located in the Pride of Kansas building, the From the Land of Kansas booth will also feature products from:

· Cashmere Popcorn, Topeka
· Fine Vines Artisanal Ketchup, Leawood
· Grandma Hoerner’s, Alma
· Hildebrand Farms Dairy, Junction City
· Jose Pepper’s, Overland Park
· Prairie Harvest Market, Newton
· Thrill’s Kettle Corn, Burlingame
· Tonja’s Toffee, Modoc

From the Land of Kansas team members will be available to answer questions about the program and help in purchasing products.

Providing an environment that enhances and encourages economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy, KDA’s From the Land of Kansas program seeks to grow and support Kansas businesses that grow, produce, process or manufacture products in Kansas.

For those who do not make it to the state fair, all products available for sale at the From the Land of Kansas booth can be found at www.ShopFromtheLandofKansas.com. Savor the Season recipe cards are available at your local farmers’ market or from specialty crop growers in your area. Recipes featuring From the Land of Kansas members’ products, along with those created by Chef Alli for the fair, are also available at www.FromtheLandofKansas.com/recipes.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) will have an informational booth at the 2015 Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, to provide information about Congressional actions that impact Kansas.

Sen. Moran’s staff will be available to answer questions at booth #4 in the Pride of Kansas Building during the 10-day event–Friday, Sept. 11 through Sunday, Sept. 20.

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced he is accepting applications for congressional internships in his Washington, D.C., and Kansas offices for spring 2016.

“Congressional internships offer Kansas students a great opportunity to learn about Congress and the legislative process,” Sen. Moran said in a news release. “I hope to give Kansans an opportunity similar to the one I had serving in a Congressional office years ago.”

An internship in Sen. Moran’s office provides a unique opportunity to work closely with Senate staff on behalf of the state of Kansas. Legislative interns will gain a better understanding of the legislative process in the U.S. Congress, and develop knowledge and professional skills valuable to future career pursuits.

The intern program is open to qualified undergraduate and graduate students – or recent graduates – who have strong interest in public service and government and have achieved academic excellence.

The application deadline for spring 2016 internships is Oct. 30, 2015. Application forms can be obtained and completed under the “Services” section of Sen. Moran’s website at www.moran.senate.gov. Applicants should submit a completed application form, resume, academic transcript, two letters of recommendation and a cover letter explaining the applicant’s interest in public service and goals of serving as an intern. Please submit required materials to: [email protected]

For questions, please contact Sen. Moran’s office at [email protected] or call (202) 224-6521 and request to speak with the intern coordinator.

Office of the State Treasurer

TOPEKA–State Treasurer Ron Estes is urging this year’s 2015 Kansas State Fair attendees to visit his unclaimed property booth to check if a portion of $301 million in missing money belongs to them.

The State Treasurer’s Unclaimed Property booth will be located in the Meadowlark Building and fully equipped with a computerized database and staff ready to assist Kansans as they search for and claim property during the fair from Sept. 11 – 20th.

“We had great success during last year’s Kansas State Fair, where we matched more than $750,000 to respective owners,” said Kansas State Treasurer Ron Estes. “This year we hope to achieve even better results. I encourage everyone to stop by and check for their name and the names of family and friends. Already in 2015 we have returned more than $13 million to Kansans.”

Unclaimed property comes from forgotten bank accounts, stocks, bonds, insurance premium overpayments, refunds, abandoned safe deposit boxes and other property. It is the treasurer’s goal to locate as many rightful owners and heirs as possible for unclaimed assets currently held by the state of Kansas.

Kansans are encouraged to continue searching for unclaimed property throughout the year by visiting www.KansasCash.com or calling 1-800-432-0386.

TOPEKA–The Kansas Book Festival will hold its fifth annual festival from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Capitol building. The festival is a family-friendly event focused on enforcing the importance of reading and will feature current authors and books.

“By bringing authors together with the people of Kansas, we’re able to help develop a bond and a love for reading in people of all ages,” said First Lady Mary Brownback in a news release. This year’s authors are some of the best we’ve had and I am looking forward to hearing them present.”

Headlining this year’s event will be mystery novelist Sara Paretsky (Brush Back). Paretsky was raised in Kansas and is a University of Kansas alumna. She is credited with transforming the role and image of women in crime novels. She currently resides in Chicago.

More than 30 authors are set to speak, including James Beard Foundation winner, restaurant owners and cookbook authors Colby and Megan Garrelts (Made in America), Nancy Geise (Auschwitz #34207), former Royals scout Art Stewart (The Art of Scouting) and children’s authors Refe and Susan Tuma (What the Dinosaurs did Last Night). Along with author presentations, there will also be additional authors featured as vendors, book sales and signings, entertainment, live music, appearances by Clifford the Big Red Dog and Pete the Cat and activities for children of all ages.

This event is free and open to the public.

Last year’s event drew an estimated 2,000 people. For more details concerning the Kansas Book Festival and a full list of slated authors visit our Facebook page.

Environmental Protection Agency

LENEXA–EPA Region 7 expects to begin its next round of residential yard soil remediation work during the week of September 21 at the Former United Zinc and Associated Smelters Superfund Site in Iola.

EPA began testing residential soil for lead contamination at the site in 2006. Approximately 1,500 properties were tested by the time sampling concluded in 2007. Cleanups of properties with lead in soil at levels of 800 parts per million (ppm) or more were performed during the testing effort. In 2013, EPA returned to Iola to test residential properties that were not tested in 2006-2007.

A total of approximately 2,500 residential properties at the site have now been tested. About 1,050 of these properties have lead in soil above 400 ppm, and approximately 350 of the 1,050 properties have lead above 800 ppm. Levels above 400 ppm are considered unsafe for children six years of age or younger. Lead is a toxic metal that has been known to cause a variety of health problems, including permanent damage to the brain, kidneys and other vital organs, as well as the nervous system.

EPA sent individual letters this week to owners of properties sampled in 2013, informing them of specific soil sampling results for their properties, and providing further information about the upcoming start of cleanup activity. This next round of cleanup work in Iola will focus initially on the priority group of 350 properties above 800 ppm. Cleanups of the other 700 properties with lead between 400 and 800 ppm will begin sometime next year.

As with previous soil remediation that EPA performed at the Iola site during the 2006-2007 effort, all future remediation work will be completed at no cost to property owners. Property owners will be notified individually so that EPA and its contractors can make specific arrangements to remove contaminated soil and replace it with new soil.

In May 2013, the Former United Zinc and Associated Smelters Superfund Site was placed on EPA’s National Priority List, making it eligible for significant long-term response funding authorized by Congress under the Superfund program.

The history of environmental contamination at the site goes back to the early 1900s. Located on the east side of Iola, the main Former United Zinc property was first operated by William Lanyon in 1901 and 1902, then was sold to the United Zinc company and continued under operations until approximately 1912. It was one of several zinc and lead smelting operations in the area between 1902 and 1925. Those operations resulted in residential and commercial properties throughout Iola being contaminated with elevated levels of lead.

Office of the Governor

TOPEKA–To highlight the abundant energy resources in Kansas, and the benefits of efficient energy consumption, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback signed a proclamation that recognizes September 11th – September 20th as Energy Week in Kansas.

Energy Week coincides with the Kansas Corporation Commission’s second annual Kansas Energy Expo to be held at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson.

Currently, Kansas ranks 10th in the nation for oil production, and southwest Kansas is home to one of the top-producing natural gas fields in the United States. In addition, roughly one-fifth of net electricity generation in Kansas comes from wind energy.

“The Commissioners and I are thankful to Governor Brownback for highlighting the importance of energy issues in Kansas with this proclamation. We hope to continue educating Kansans about energy at the Energy Expo during the State Fair, and beyond. We encourage all Kansans to visit the Energy Expo when attending the Kansas State Fair,” said KCC Commission Chair Shari Feist Albrecht.

The Kansas Energy Expo will occupy nearly 14,000 square feet in the Ad Astra Pavilion on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. The Expo will be organized into five sectors: Transportation, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Utilities, and Oil and Gas.

Altogether, there will be a total of more than 30 interactive displays that make up the Kansas Energy Expo. The Expo will provide an opportunity for Kansans of all ages to learn about the state’s vast energy resources and how those resources are harnessed.

The Kansas Energy Expo is made possible through a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. For more information about the Kansas Energy Expo, visit www.kansasenergyexpo.com.

Kansas Water Office

TOPEKA–The Kansas Water Office (KWO) announced the Governor’s Water Conference will be held Wednesday, November 18, and Thursday, November 19, 2015, at the Hilton Garden Inn & Conference Center in Manhattan.

In the past, the conference has been more focused on our state’s water supply and addressing the declines within the aquifer, but we also know our reservoirs are a huge priority. This year the conference will be more focused on implementation of the Kansas Water Vision and more about the strategies which will accomplish this. Changing habits and helping others see the value of our water is vital to success. Conference speakers include:

· Dominic Jones, Minnesota Red Rock Rural Water System Manager

· Dr. Stacy Nelson, VitalSmarts-Crucial Conversations, Crucial Accountability, Influencer, Change Anything

· Tristan Surtees and Charles Blanc, Sans façon: WATERSHED+ Project Implementation & Development

· Rex Buchanan, Kansas Geological Survey Interim Director

Legislators, water managers, scientists, state, federal, city and county administrators as well as organizations, irrigators and citizens who share an interest in Kansas water resources are encouraged to attend.

Registration is now available online at www.kwo.org. The registration deadline is November 2. Conference details, brochure, speakers and sponsors can be found online as well.

The Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas is hosted by the KWO and K-State /Kansas Water Resource Institute. Sponsors for the event come from multiple diverse water interests. Major sponsors for the event include Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock.

Office of the State Fire Marshal

TOPEKA– Governor Sam Brownback has signed a proclamation declaring September as Campus Fire Safety Month.

As college students settle into dormitories, residence halls and off-campus housing, State Fire Marshal Doug Jorgensen urges students to take the threat of fire seriously.

“Many students are living away from home for the first time and simply don’t realize the fire risk,” said Jorgen­sen. “Awareness and fire safety education of our college students are essential in reducing the number of fires, and are lessons that last a lifetime.”

National Campus Fire Safety Month provides an opportunity for colleges and universities across the nation to educate students about the dangers of fire and their role in creating a fire-safe environment.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal offers the following safety tips for students:

· Make yourself familiar with college or university policy on improper use of appliances, decorations, smoking and candles.
· Familiarize yourself with what your response will be in the event of a fire and practice your response.
· Do not obstruct or disable smoke alarms or any other fire protection devices.
· Do not play jokes with fire alarms. False alarms get people hurt.
· Never neglect a fire alarm signal as a false alarm. Respond to every alarm as an actual fire event.
· Alcohol use has been strongly associated with fire fatalities.
· Take personal responsibility for your safety.

Additional information on campus fire safety is available online at www.FireSafeCollege.com.

Kansas Department for Children and Families

TOPEKA–The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has issued a warning regarding impostors utilizing what appears to be the federal SNAP toll-free information hotline number, 1-800-221-5689, to solicit private information from individuals.

The statement issued by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), which operates under the United States Department of Agriculture, reported that unsolicited callers are requesting personal information by offering assistance for filling out a SNAP application or other non-SNAP related services such as home security systems. These imposters utilizing the federal SNAP toll free information hotline number are not affiliated with either FNS or SNAP.

The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) administers the food assistance program in Kansas. DCF has not been made aware that any clients in Kansas have been victimized by this scam. DCF Secretary Phyllis Gilmore reminds all Kansans that they should never provide personal information or credit card numbers over the phone to unsolicited callers.

“Although this scam did not originate in Kansas, our clients could be impacted,” Secretary Gilmore said. “If you have any concerns, please contact your local DCF service center right away.”

FNS said in its statement Thursday, that if anyone suspects they are receiving illegitimate calls from 1-800-221-5689, they may file a complaint with the FCC. If anyone has already fallen victim to this or a similar scam, they can visit http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ for more information on identity theft.

If you suspect a person is receiving public assistance in Kansas to which they are not entitled, please call the DCF Fraud Hotline at 1-800-432-3913. We will take the information provided and investigate. Reporters to this hotline can choose to remain anonymous, but they should provide as much detailed information as possible, including the location of the individual who is allegedly committing fraud.

Kansas Department of Commerce

TOPEKA–Kansas has received a State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) Grant of $296,533 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The Kansas Departments of Agriculture and Commerce will partner to leverage the grant funding to promote exports.

“Kansas has a proud and rich tradition in agriculture and understands that the international market is the key to growth of the industry. This grant will allow us to explore emerging markets for Kansas agricultural products,” stated Kansas Department of Agriculture Secretary Jackie McClaskey. “Kansas had more than $4.9 billion in agriculture exports in 2014.”

“Trade is critical to the health of the Kansas economy,” Kansas Commerce Interim Secretary Michael Copeland said. “The STEP Grant will allow us to continue to support the efforts of the great businesses in our state to grow and expand in markets across the world.”

The STEP Grant will be used to help businesses begin exporting for the first time or to grow their existing exports. The Kansas STEP team will focus on several areas to accomplish this goal. It will facilitate export training for small and medium-sized enterprises through seminars and courses. The team will also provide exhibition opportunities at international trade shows and support for participation in international trade missions. In addition, the grant will provide market entry support through the U.S. Commercial Service’s expertise and programs.

The STEP program is a pilot export initiative to make matching-fund awards to states to assist small businesses in entering and succeeding in the international marketplace. The program’s objectives are to increase the number of U.S. small businesses that export and to increase the value of exports by small businesses. STEP activities are managed and provided at the local level by state government organizations. The program is managed at the national level by the SBA’s Office of International Trade.

Detailed information about how Kansas businesses may apply for funding through the STEP grant will be available soon.