KS Department of Agriculture

MANHATTAN–Does the bounty of Kansas-grown produce at the local farmers’ market seem overwhelming with its vast array of colors, unusual vegetables and wide assortment of varieties? The fresh asparagus and colorful peppers might be enticing, but how should they be prepared?

Without knowledge of selection, storage, and preparation tips, purchasing fresh ingredients can be intimidating. Put aside your fear and look for the Savor the Season recipe and preparation card when shopping at your favorite farmers market this summer.

From the Land of Kansas, has partnered with Kansas Farm Bureau, to spotlight the excitement of cooking with fresh Kansas grown ingredients. Savor the Season is a campaign designed to educate and motivate consumers to cook with Kansas specialty crops. The campaign highlights at least one fruit, vegetable or herb in each recipe. Each recipe card also provides tips on the selection, storage, nutrition and kitchen tips for the seasonal crop. A full nutrition panel, composed by the Kansas Value Added Center, housed at Kansas State University, will accompany each recipe from a registered dietician and chef. Kansas’ very own Chef Alli has created each individual recipe

“Savor the Season is an excellent way to help make Kansas-grown produce and herbs seem more approachable in farmers’ markets,” Stacy Mayo, From the Land of Kansas director said. “We understand many consumers want to put fresh fruits and vegetables on their tables. Our Savor the Season cards removes the consumer’s hesitancy to try new ingredients. Featured recipes are also versatile and easy; they are great for entertaining, family meals or on-the-go lunches.”

Savor the Season recipe cards are available at your local farmers’ market or from specialty crop growers in your area. The recipes are also available at: FromtheLandofKansas.com/SavortheSeason.

Providing support and assistance to help make Kansas businesses more successful, grow rural communities, expand markets for Kansas agricultural products, level the playing field, grow the agricultural workforce, and encourage more farms, ranches and other agriculture businesses to expand in Kansas is a core mission for the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

Take charge of your shopping list and conquer the farmers’ market with confidence. Once you’ve put those new skills of cooking and preparing tasty dishes to use, show off the fruits of your labors. On Instagram, tag @FromtheLandof KS and use #showusyourdish, #cookingks and #savortheseason to share pictures of your creations. Weekly, one winner will be randomly selected each week from @FromtheLandofKS tagged posts. Search #winnerwednesday to see if your dish was selected as the winner of the random drawing.

For more information about the Savor the Season promotion, or to learn more about other From the Land of Kansas programs, visit: FromtheLandofKansas.com/SavortheSeason.

Washington--Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, introduced an amendment to the fiscal year 2016 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill to restrict the use of funds for enforcement of the decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife to list the lesser prairie chicken (LPC) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The amendment passed with a majority vote.

“I was pleased the Senate Appropriations Committee acted today to protect Kansas and rural America from the consequences of the listing of the lesser prairie chicken,” Sen. Moran said in a news release. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acted prematurely when listing the lesser prairie chicken. The five states with habitat area – Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas – came together with stakeholders to develop a broadly supported plan to conserve the bird. However, they were not given adequate time to implement the conservation plan due to the federal government unnecessarily stepping in and listing the bird as a threatened species.”

“I am confident there are ways to conserve the species without burdensome regulations from the federal government that hinder economic development in rural communities,” Sen. Moran continued. “Rainfall this spring and conservation efforts at the state and local level will be far more effective at replenishing the lesser prairie chicken population than rules and regulations coming from Washington, D.C.”

During the hearing, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) opposed the amendment suggesting: “We should be supporting the Fish and Wildlife Service in its efforts, not blocking the agency from doing its job.”

In January 2015, Sen. Moran successfully secured a vote on a similar LPC amendment to Keystone XL pipeline legislation (S.1). Although the measure received the support of a bipartisan majority, it was not adopted because of a 60-vote threshold set for his amendment. Sen. Moran has continued to advocate for this important issue with his Senate colleagues, including by offering his amendment today to restrict funds related to the listing.

Approximately half of the LPC population is found in Kansas, while the bird’s range also includes Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The lesser prairie chicken population decreased during a historic drought that severely impacted much of the bird’s habitat area. However, from 2013 to 2014, annual aerial surveys show the LPC population increased by 20 percent, largely due to rainfall conditions in much of the habitat area that were closer to historic norms.

Office of Kansas Adjutant General

TOPEKA–Members of Topeka’s 190th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) recently returned home from a four-month deployment supporting contingency operations against ISIS.

Throughout the deployment, aircrews provided critical aerial refueling with the wing’s KC-135R Stratotankers, an in-flight refueling aircraft. The personnel were based at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.

Forbes Field Air National Guard Base is the home of the Kansas Air National Guard’s 190th ARW and nearly 1,000 full-time and part-time military members.

Throughout the deployment – which started in February and ended in June – the wing flew more than 500 combat sorties and provided coalition aircraft with more than 3.5 million gallons of fuel, enough to fill approximately 230,000 cars. Aircrews logged more than 3600 flight hours in that time as well, eclipsing more flight hours in the four months than the unit normally flies in a year.

“The United States is providing 95 percent of the aerial refueling missions supporting Operation Inherent Resolve and has formed the logistical backbone of the entire operation,” said 190th ARW Commander Col. Jarrod Frantz in a news release. “The men and women of the 190th Air Refueling Wing have proven time and time again that we do it better than anyone else and I’m extremely proud of them.”

Many of the wing members deployed are traditional Guardsmen, who hold full-time jobs outside their military commitment.

“For the wing to be successful and for our Airman to focus on their mission, we ask a lot of the companies who employ our members. We have such tremendous support from the business community and the community at-large; I could not be any more grateful for their support,” Frantz said.

Beyond the Middle East, the 190th ARW supports both worldwide operations and homeland security. Never busier, the demand for Air National Guard KC-135Rs continues to set records with the 190th on pace to set a new flying hour record this year above 7,000 hours. The final number is likely to exceed the 6,107 hours achieved in 2011 while supporting contingency operations in three theaters.

Many of the same Airmen will deploy again within the year to support flying operations in the Pacific and Southwest Asia theatres. The forecast for this record pace of operations will likely continue for the next several years, underscoring the challenge to manage an operational force while maintaining the integrity of a historically reserve force.

The 190th provides global reach for the United States Air Force through the in-flight refueling of fighters, bombers and other aircraft using its 12 KC-135 Stratotankers. It is one of the largest employers in Topeka and Shawnee County with an annual payroll of more than $32 million.

TOPEKA–Governor Sam Brownback today announced that Commerce Secretary Pat George will step down from his post in July. George has served as Commerce Secretary since 2011.

“I am grateful to Pat for his service to Kansas,” said Governor Brownback. “Through his leadership, the Department of Commerce has evolved into a world-class organization serving the needs of our existing businesses and helping bring new business to Kansas. I wish him much success in his new venture. I treasure his friendship.”

George will become the President and CEO of the Valley Hope Association, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of alcoholism and substance abuse treatment.

“I feel honored and humbled to have been appointed Secretary of Commerce and will be forever grateful to Governor Brownback for the opportunity to serve the people of this great state,” George said. “I have been blessed to work alongside colleagues who have devoted their talents and time to making Kansas a better place and I know that the agency and its mission are in good hands. I also look forward to joining a dedicated Valley Hope team that has been successful in giving so many people help and hope for a life free from addiction.”

The mission of the Commerce Department is to lead the state’s economic development by creating jobs, attracting investment and providing workforce training.

Kansas Department of Commerce

Area Development, a leading publication covering site selection and facility planning, has announced its 2015 Gold and Silver Shovel Awards, naming Kansas a Silver Shovel recipient. The award recognizes a significant number of high-value-added new jobs and investment in the state in 2014.

“Area Development has once again recognized Kansas as a leader in economic development,” Kansas Commerce Secretary Pat George said in a news release. “With a great business environment, world class workforce and outstanding infrastructure, our state is an ideal place to invest and create jobs, and we will continue to work with businesses to help them grow and expand in Kansas.”

In 2014, the Department helped facilitate 177 projects that created or retained more than 11,000 jobs and resulted in $1.2 billion in capital investment. Those results helped Kansas win its ninth Shovel Award in the past 10 years.

The annual Shovel Awards recognize states for their achievements in attracting high value investment projects that will create a significant number of new jobs in their communities.

Area Development collected information from all 50 states about their top-10 job creation and investment projects. Only those projects that began to materialize in 2014 were considered. The Shovel Awards were given to the states with the highest weighted scores based on factors including the number of new jobs created relative to a state’s population, the combined dollar amount of the investments, the number of new facilities and the diversity of industries represented.

For more information about Area Development’s Shovel Awards, visit www.areadevelopment.com/awards.

Kansas State Library

TOPEKA–The State Library of Kansas is pleased to announce 15 books featuring quality titles with wide public appeal, either written by Kansans or about a Kansas-related topic. The Kansas Notable Book List is the only honor for Kansas books by Kansans, highlighting our lively contemporary writing community and encouraging readers to enjoy some of the best writing of the authors among us.

A committee of Kansas Center for the Book (KCFB) Affiliates, Fellows, librarians and authors of previous Notable Books identifies these titles from among those published the previous year, and the State Librarian makes the selection for the final List. An awards ceremony will be held at the Kansas Book Festival, September 12, 2015, to recognize the talented Notable Book authors.

Throughout the award year, KCFB promotes all the titles on that year’s List electronically, at literary events, and among librarians and booksellers.

For more information about the Kansas Notable Book project, call (785) 296-3296, visit www.kslib.info/notablebooks or email [email protected].

2014 Kansas Notable Books

999 Kansas Characters: Ad Astra, a Biographical Series
by Dave Webb, Terry Rombeck, and Beccy Tanner
Published by the Kansas Heritage Center
This fact-filled, fully illustrated book features biographical articles about 161 characters with Kansas connections: adventurers, astronauts, discoverers, explorers, pilots, pioneers and scientists. Their adventures and discoveries have helped define the Sunflower State and its colorful heritage. Includes well-known Kansans such as George Washington Carver and Charles and George Sternberg — plus dozens more, like physicist Worth Seagondollar, Elmer McCollum, the discoverer of vitamin B, and cancer researcher Carol Fabian. This is the first in a 3 part planned biographical series.

Bluebird
by Lindsey Yankey
Published by Simply Read Books
The wind is missing! Little Bluebird has never flown without her friend the wind before and is afraid to try. So she sets off on an adventure to find it. Is it making wishes with the dandelions? Playing with the kites? Tickling the grass? Dancing with the balloons? She searches everywhere. In the end, she finds more than her favorite friend–she finds confidence too! This debut book by Lawrence author and illustrator is sure to capture the hearts of children with their enchanting illustrations.

A Carol Dickens Christmas: A Novel
by Thomas Fox Averill
Published by University of New Mexico Press
It’s Christmas and Carol Dickens’s life is in a major transition. Her son Finn, a talented trumpeter player, is about to leave for college. Her ex-husband, a real-estate wheeler-dealer, wants to sell their properties in Kansas and move to Arizona. Her wheelchair-bound friend, Laurence, has fallen in love with her. To top it all off, Scraps, the family dog, is dying. As her world spins out of control, Carol seeks refuge in her research on the use of the semicolon- and in her ritual of cooking the perfect series of Victorian holiday meals inspired by A Christmas Carol.

Chasing Weather: Tornadoes, Tempests, and Thunderous Skies in Word and Image
by Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg and Stephen Locke
Published by Ice Cube Press
“The sky is made of rivers before and after they became rivers,” writes Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg. Weather subtly shapes our day, infuses our moods and interactions, and at times, completely re-orients our lives. Catching moments of stunning beauty and surprising shifts in the sky helps make the vibrant world more visible. This book pairs Kansas Poet Laureate Emeritus Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg’s evocative poetry with photographer Stephen Locke’s stirring imagery for a unique collaboration.

The Darkest Period: The Kanza Indians and Their Last Homeland, 1846-1873
by Ronald D. Parks
Published by University of Oklahoma Press
Before their relocation to the Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma, the Kanza Indians spent twenty-seven years on a reservation near Council Grove. This is the story of those years of decline in Kanza history following the loss of the tribe’s original homeland in Kansas. The Kanzas’ story is not reduced to one of hapless Indian victims maligned by the American government, but rather demonstrates how the Kanzas persisted in their struggle to exercise political autonomy while maintaining traditional social customs up to the time of removal and beyond.

The Devil’s Workshop: A Novel of Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad
by Alex Grecian
Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons
London, 1890: Four vicious murderers have escaped from prison, part of a plan gone terribly wrong, and now it is up to Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad to hunt down the convicts before the men can resume their bloody spree. But they might already be too late. The killers have retribution in mind, and one of them is heading straight toward a member of the Murder Squad—and his family. And that isn’t even the worst of it. During the escape, the killers have stumbled upon the location of another notorious murderer: Jack the Ripper is loose once more.

Field Guide to the Common Grasses of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska
by Iralee Barnard
Published by University Press of Kansas
From the more familiar, like buffalograss, to the less recognized, such as ticklegrass, each of the seventy species profiled in these pages appears in full-color to aide both novice and expert in identifying field grasses. Features such as a handy system of “finding lists” allow quick navigation for identification of an unknown grass. An illustrated glossary, leaf comparison section, and table of flowering dates provide additional information for recognizing and appreciating various species.

Girl in Reverse
by Barbara Stuber
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books
With the Korean War raging and the fear of “Commies” everywhere, Lily’s Asian heritage makes her a target at school. She is sick of the racism she faces, a fact her adoptive parents won’t take seriously. Then her brainy little brother, Ralph, finds a box containing clues to her past that lead them to rare Chinese artifacts at the art museum. With help from Ralph, the school janitor, and an artistic genius named Elliot, Lily summons the courage to confront her own remarkable story.

The Kansas Relays: Track and Field Tradition in the Heartland
by Joe D. Schrag
Published by Adina Publishing
This is the first book devoted to the rich history of the classic track and field celebration that makes up the Kansas Relays. The author introduces readers to historic events, talented people, and unique moments that have made Lawrence, Kansas a springtime destination for track and field enthusiasts since 1923. This well researched collection of compelling stories, both familiar and new, is illustrated with photos of people and memorabilia from the Relays. Includes six appendices of historical information.

Michael Pearce’s Taste of the Kansas Outdoors Cookbook
by Michael Pearce
Published by the Wichita Eagle and Beacon Publishing Co.
This undeniably Kansas cookbook contains more than 50 proven recipes mixed with some of outdoor journalist, Michael Pearce’s favorite hunting and fishing stories and photographs. These recipes with accompanying photos encourage readers to experience the unique flavor of the Kansas Outdoors. The recipes range from simple to complex and often include step-by-step procedures on how to prepare the game. Venison Hawaiian Sliders, Pheasant Macaroons, Mustard Fried Crappie — you won’t find these recipes on the menu at…well, pretty much anywhere. But make no mistake, it’s Kansas dining at its finest.

Music I Once Could Dance To
by Roy J. Beckemeyer
Published by Coal City Press
This first collection of poetry by Roy Beckemeyer uses the theme of music to poetically travel to the interior and across the prairie and the earth. Whether writing about the cold morning moon of January (“the glossy white 20-pound bond moon/ the cotton-ball moon”) or how “center-pivot sprinklers/ dance a spindly-legged/ ballet around the fields” in August in western Kansas, he helps readers see the extraordinary in the ordinary. He instinctively trusts the image of the poem to convey the poem’s layers of meaning, and he also leaps off any familiar edge to try new forms and inspirations.

The Ogallala Road: A Memoir of Love and Reckoning
by Julene Bair
Published by Viking/Penguin
Julene Bair has inherited part of a large farm and fallen in love with a rancher from Kansas’s beautiful Smoky Valley. A single mother, she means to provide her son with the father he longs for and preserve the Bair farm for the next generation, honoring her own father’s wish and commandment, “Hang on to your land!” But part of her legacy is a share of the ecological harm the Bair Farm has done: each growing season her family—like many other irrigators—pumps over two hundred million gallons out of the Ogallala aquifer. The rapidly disappearing aquifer is the sole source of water on the vast western plains, and her family’s role in its depletion haunts her.

Railroad Empire across the Heartland: Rephotographing Alexander Gardner’s Westward Journey
by James E. Sherow, photographs by John R. Charlton
Published by University of New Mexico Press
Photographer Alexander Gardner documented the construction of the Union Pacific Railway across Kansas in 1867. This book presents 90 pairs of recent photographs by John R. Charlton paired with scenes Gardner recorded, duplicating the exact location and time of day of the originals. James E. Sherow uses the paired images to show how Indian and Anglo-American land-use practices affected the landscape. Charlton’s rephotography captures the transformation of the grasslands, harnessed by the powerful forces of the railroad.

Soldiers in the Army of Freedom: The 1st Kansas Colored, the Civil War’s First African American Combat Unit
by Ian Michael Spurgeon
Published by University of Oklahoma Press
Composed primarily of former slaves, the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry saw major combat in the trans-Mississippi theater of the Civil War. The author draws upon sources such as pension applications to chart military service, and to reveal the regiment’s role in countering white prejudices by defying stereotypes. Despite naysayers’ bigoted predictions, these black soldiers proved themselves as capable as their white counterparts, and so helped shape the evolving attitudes of leading politicians. This long-overdue reconstruction of the regiment brings to life the men of the 1st Kansas Colored as they battled both the Confederate forces and skepticism within Union ranks.

Waiting on the Sky: More Flyover People Essays
by Cheryl Unruh
Published by Quincy Press
In this collection of 72 essays, Cheryl Unruh once again connects with Kansas on a personal level. She writes about growing up on this open land, seeing the Arkansas River at flood stage in 1965, the virtues of wing windows in cars, and about telling ghost stories with her brother and cousins in the spooky upstairs of her grandmother’s farmhouse. The Kansas sky and weather are characters in her lifelong story. “We who live on the prairie love our sky. It is as much a part of the landscape as the land itself. While the earth gives us roots … the sky gives us flight, imagination…”

 

Environmental Protection Agency

WASHINGTON–The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released EJSCREEN, an environmental justice screening and mapping tool that uses high resolution maps combined with demographic and environmental data to identify places with potentially elevated environmental burdens and vulnerable populations.

EJSCREEN’s simple to understand color-coded maps, bar charts, and reports enable users to better understand areas in need of increased environmental protection, health care access, housing, infrastructure improvement, community revitalization, and climate resilience.

“EJSCREEN provides essential information to anyone seeking greater visibility and awareness about the impacts of pollution in American communities,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “EJSCREEN has been a valuable resource for EPA to advance our commitment to protect Americans most vulnerable to pollution. I’m excited to share this tool with the public to broaden its impact, build transparency, and foster collaboration with partners working to achieve environmental justice.

“State environmental agencies appreciate EPA’s collaborative work on the use and release of this important tool,” said Dick Pedersen, Director of Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality and past President of the Environmental Council of States. “Citizens having access to environmental and demographic data is extremely important in helping states implement environmental programs and ensure public health and environmental protection for all. To that end, EJSCREEN facilitates vital citizen engagement.”

EJSCREEN can help governments, academic institutions, local communities, and other stakeholders to highlight communities with greater risk of exposure to pollution based on 8 pollution and environmental indicators, including traffic proximity, particulate matter, and proximity to superfund sites. These indicators are combined with demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community 5-year Summary Survey enabling users to identify areas with minority or low-income populations who also face potential pollution issues.

EJSCREEN’s capabilities could provide support for educational programs, grant writing, and community awareness efforts so that users can participate meaningfully in decision-making processes that impact their health and environment. While EJSCREEN is being shared publicly to improve work on environmental justice, EPA is not mandating state governments or other entities use the tool or its underlying data.

EJSCREEN does not direct EPA decisions; it does not provide a basis for identifying areas as EJ communities, and it is not an appropriate standalone tool for making a risk assessment. As a screening tool, its data may have levels of uncertainty, and is therefore incomplete in capturing the total number of pollution problems people face.

The release of EJSCREEN initiates a stakeholder engagement period over the next six months. EPA will collect feedback on the datasets and design of the tool – as well as how it could be further enhanced – and will release a revised version in 2016.

Environmental justice is defined as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. EPA’s goal is to provide all people with equal access to the environmental decision-making process to maintain a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.

To access the tool, visit: http://www2.epa.gov/ejscreen.

Kansas Department of Agriculture

MANHATTAN–The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s state trademark program, From the Land of Kansas, introduces a new, online marketplace.

This new site will make Kansas-made and produced products more readily available to consumers, providing the ease and convenience of online shopping. To shop on the From the Land of Kansas Marketplace, visit Shop.FromTheLandOfKansas.com.

The online marketplace is a first of its kind allowing consumers to purchase not only From the Land of Kansas branded merchandise, but also making available items from From the Land of Kansas members from one convenient location. Products and companies range from Kansas BBQ sauces, brownie mixes, gourmet pet treats to handcrafted mugs and more.

“The From the Land of Kansas Marketplace is an exciting program that highlights all the great things that businesses in Kansas have to offer,” said Tim Curtis, Sr. Vice President of Marketing, Jack Stack Barbecue. “We are excited to join the From the Land of Kansas Marketplace to sell Jack Stack’s renowned signature sauces and rubs to a larger audience in order to give everyone an opportunity to taste and enjoy what makes our community unique.”

Vicki Williams, from Pet Delights, Topeka, is another company who has products included in the Marketplace. “This program allows me the opportunity to have a greater online presence,” she said. “Reaching new consumers and expanding my e-commerce presence would not have been possible without the assistance of the trademark program.”

The From the Land of Kansas program seeks to promote and support Kansas farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses that grow, raise or manufacture agriculture products or products for agriculture use, according to Stacy Mayo, From the Land of Kansas program director. “The online Marketplace is another tool available to trademark members to help them develop their businesses. Some of our members’ websites do not have the capability to sell products online. The Marketplace allows members to have an online presence and connect with more customers. Make sure to bookmark the site, as it will continue to feature new companies and additional products.”

For more information about From the Land of Kansas, its services, benefits and initiatives, visit FromtheLandofKansas.com or connect with the program on its social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

TOPEKA–The Kansas Department of Commerce Office of Minority and Women Business Development is accepting nominations for Kansas minority and/or women owned businesses, advocates, young entrepreneurs and corporations. These nominations celebrate Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, and nominees will be recognized at the annual Kansas Minority and Women Business Awards Luncheon to be held on Oct. 13 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Topeka.

“Minority Enterprise Development Week offers us the opportunity to recognize the many outstanding minority and women owned businesses in our state,” said Kansas Commerce Secretary Pat George. “These businesses make Kansas a better place to live and work by creating jobs and giving back to their communities.”

The deadline to nominate a business or individual is Friday, July 17. Online nomination forms can be accessed at KansasCommerce.com/MEDweek. To request a hard copy of the form, please contact Rhonda Harris at [email protected] or (785) 296-3425. All forms submitted by mail must be postmarked by July 17. Forms can be mailed to Rhonda Harris, Office of Minority and Women Business Development, Kansas Department of Commerce, 1000 S.W. Jackson St., Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66612; faxed to (785) 296-3490; or emailed to [email protected].

The Office of Minority and Women Business Development provides assistance in business management, identifying resources for financing and establishing contacts in the public and private sectors. The office is responsible for certifying minority- and women-owned businesses as small disadvantaged businesses for procurement and subcontracting opportunities.

A list of 2014 winners follows.

2014 Women-Owned Businesses of the Year
· RFB Construction Co. Inc. – Pittsburg (Construction Firm)

· Global Aviation Technologies, LLC – Wichita (Manufacturing Firm)

· New Birth Company, LLC – Overland Park (Professional Service Firm)

· Prairiebrooke Arts – Overland Park (Retail Firm)

· R Wilson Chiropractic Center, PA – El Dorado (Service Industry Firm)

· Premier Promotions, LLC – Leawood (Supplier/Distributor Firm)

2014 Minority-Owned Businesses of the Year
· Agua Fina Irrigation & Landscape, LLC – Kansas City (Construction Firm)

· MASS Medical Storage, LLC – Lenexa (Manufacturing Firm)

· Chelsoft Solutions Co. – Olathe (Professional Service Firm)

· Tequilas Mexican Grill – Garden City (Retail Firm)

· God’s Distribution Enterprises, LLC dba Goin’ Postal – Kansas City (Service Industry Firm)

· Evolv Solutions, LLC – Overland Park (Supplier/Distributor Firm)

2014 Women Business Advocate
· Bonnie Fullinwider, Beechcraft Corporation – Wichita

2014 Minority Business Advocate
· Carol Wei, Mid-America Asian Culture Association – Olathe

2014 Young Entrepreneur
· Daryl Bugner, Design Brilliance, LLC – Lawrence

2014 Corporation of the Year
· KCP&L – Kansas City

Kansas Department of Agriculture

MANHATTAN–The Kansas Department of Agriculture is seeking individuals to participate on agricultural trade missions to Argentina and Uruguay.

Tentatively, the Argentina mission will take place July 26 to Aug. 1, 2015, and the Uruguay mission Sept. 13-19, 2015.

The goal of these missions is to provide an opportunity for Kansas purebred beef cattle producers and allied industry to continue developing relationships with livestock producers in Argentina and Uruguay in an effort to increase market opportunities for U.S. and Kansas beef genetics.

The primary activity during each mission will be to interact with breeders and promote the use of U.S. beef genetics while attending major livestock shows including the Expocisión Rural (Palermo) in Argentina or ExpoPrado in Uruguay. Kansas ranchers and related agribusinesses specializing in Angus and Hereford genetics are invited to participate.

This trade mission is funded in part by the United States Livestock Genetic Export, Inc. Selected participants will be eligible for $1,000 travel stipends for airfare depending upon number of applicants and fund availability. Participants will be responsible for the cost of hotels, meals and other incidental expenses.

KDA strives to encourage and enhance economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy by exploring and expanding both domestic and international marketing opportunities.

Those individuals interested in participating in the trade mission should complete the application forms available online on the KDA website. The deadline for submitting applications for consideration is Friday, June 19.

For more information on the trade missions, contact Billy Brown, [email protected] or (785) 564-6752.

Kansas Department for Children and Families

TOPEKA– Having children placed in foster care can be devastating to a family. But Family Reunification Month is a reminder that it doesn’t have to be the end of the story.

Children can be placed temporarily in foster care for numerous reasons, and in nearly 60 percent of cases, the children will be returned to their homes, due in large part to the efforts of the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) and its partners to help families be reunified.

The state has seen a 7 percent increase in reunified families over the past five years.

Governor Brownback has designated June as Family Reunification Month—a time to call attention to the work parents do to ensure that their children can return to a safe and loving home. During a May 22 proclamation signing at the State Capitol Building in Topeka, the Governor met with a family that was reunified after out-of home placement—a process that is overseen by the court, DCF and assigned foster care agencies.

The Topeka family says without the supports and services from DCF and its partners, they would not be where they are today—providing a healthy, loving environment for their children in their home.

“It is always our goal to keep children in their homes when that is a safe option,” DCF Secretary Phyllis Gilmore said. “When it’s not, we work with the parents to resolve their issues so that their children can be returned as quickly and safely as possible.”

Families in the reunification process receive support in building independence, addressing safety concerns, increasing skills and connections in the community. Reintegration services are offered to parents by KVC in DCF’s Kansas City and East Regions and by Saint Francis Community Services in DCF’s West, and Wichita Regions.

“Families being together, being connected is beneficial for society as a whole,” KVC social worker Marcy Scott said. “We believe children grow best in families, and this is so important because they can then build connections, understanding and respect for others. When that can happen in their own homes, it promotes stability in the child’s life and eases the burden on the State to care for them.”

In the reunification process, families address the initial safety and stability concern that prompted removal. Once the family is reunified, robust aftercare services ensure the family continues to make positive strides.

More than 90 percent of children reunified with their families do not return to foster care within 12 months.

A Kansas man is charged in an eighteen-count indictment unsealed Tuesday with removing, altering or obliterating manufacturer’s serial numbers, causing other individuals to make straw purchases of firearms and exporting firearms overseas, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said in a news release

Michael Andrew Ryan, also known as “Brad Jones” and “GunRunner,” 35, of Manhattan, was charged in an indictment filed on June 3, 2015, in Topeka with knowingly making false statements to licensed firearms dealers; possession of firearms from which the manufacturer’s serial numbers had been removed, altered and obliterated; and exporting and/or attempting to export these firearms in different packages from the United States to individuals located in other countries.

According to allegations in the indictment, Ryan knowingly possessed a total of nine guns, including a Glock model 27 .40 caliber pistol, from which the manufacturer’s serial numbers had been removed, altered and obliterated, 318 rounds of assorted ammunition and eight magazines, which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce in violation of federal law.

According to allegations in the indictment, Ryan had also exported and attempted to export these firearms in different packages from the United States to individuals located in Cork, Ireland; Mallow, Ireland; Pinner, England; Edinburgh, Scotland; and Victoria, Australia.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kansas City Field Division; Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations Topeka Divisions; the Manhattan Police Department and Riley County Police Department; with assistance from the ATF Washington D.C. Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough of the District of Kansas, Senior Counsels Marie-Flore Johnson and Gavin Corn of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.