KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Kansas is getting about $21 million to expand community health centers in five cities. The Department of Health and Human Services said in a release Tuesday that the $20 million is from the Affordable Care Act. The federal act provides about $9.5 billion to expand services over five years and $1.5 billion to support construction and renovation projects at community health centers. The Kansas centers receiving money under the program are Prairiestar Health Center in Hutchinson, which will get $5 million; Konza Prairie Community Health Center, which gets about $4.5 million; Community Health Center of Southeast…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas House has approved a compromise bill involving the rights of grandparents in custody cases. The bill approved Monday gives “substantial consideration” to grandparents of children who have been removed from their parents’ custody. The Wichita Eagle reports the bill is not as strong as one originally passed by the House, which would have given grandparents “preference” in custody disputes. After the Senate passed a version that would have required courts to give “consideration” to grandparents, the compromise bill was worked out. Under the bill, if a judge decides not to place a grandchild with grandparents,…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A bill designed to help overworked dentists in urban and rural clinics is on its way to Gov. Sam Brownback’s desk. Under the bill approved unanimously Monday by the Kansas House, specially trained dental hygienists will be allowed to do temporary fillings, pull baby teeth and perform other basic dental services. The bill creates a new class of “Level III” hygienists who would receive more training than regular hygienists. The Senate approved the bill last week. A separate bill that would have allowed non-dentists to provide even more services failed after opposition from dentists. The Wichita Eagle…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Senate has rejected a bill that would have eliminated discounts to the state parks for senior citizens and the disabled. The bill rejected Monday also would have allowed people to buy yearly state park passes with their vehicle registration. It would have reduced the cost of park permits for drivers who bought them while renewing their car license plates. But it would have increased the cost for senior citizens and the disabled to $5. The Wichita Eagle reports supporters said the bill would make it easier for people to buy park passes and would bring…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says the number of methamphetamine labs in the state increased dramatically between 2010 and 2011. The KBI says the number of meth lab reports increased from 143 in 2010 to 204 last year. Kansas law enforcement reported 24 meth lab incidents in the first three months of this year. The Lawrence Journal-World reports Cherokee and Montgomery counties lead the state in reports this year with six and five incidents, respectively. Experts say the number of methamphetamine labs has risen across the nation. They attribute the increase to the popularity of methods that…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Wichita City Manager Robert Layton says he is disappointed that the union representing the city’s firefighters is seeking the resignation of Fire Chief Ron Blackwell and two other fire department administrators. The union says its members want Blackwell and Deputy Chief Ron Aaron or Division Chief Billy Wenzel to resign. But Layton said on Monday that he has complete confidence in the administrators. The Wichita Eagle reports Blackwell responded in a statement that he hoped the union would focus on working together with administrators to provide effective fire services. Union president Matt Schulte says one of the…
PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) Pittsburg State University has received a $1.2 million gift to renovate John Lance Arena. The money comes from Pittsburg State graduates Alan and Roberta Whetzel. He played basketball and she was a cheerleader. They met on a Pittsburg State basketball trip in 1958. The Whetzels went on to teach and coach. Later, they founded an electronic business supply company based in Wichita. The school says the couple’s gift will allow it to move quickly on the first phase of a multi-stage project to renovate the Weede Athletic Complex. One goal is to create an indoor event center.
HAYS, Kan. (AP) Officials of a northwestern Kansas county are looking into overcrowding at their jail, and whether the facility should be replaced. Ellis County Administrator Greg Sund told The Hays Daily News that he’s asked for proposals from jail consultants to address overcrowding at the jail. Proposals from three consultants will be presented Wednesday to the county commission’s group on space needs. Sund said consultants could help the county decide how a new jail could be financed, including sales tax or a property tax. Costs for the jail have been estimated at $1 million to $5 million. But Sund…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Senate is preparing to debate a bill redrawing the districts of its members, an issue that has caused a bitter dispute among majority Republicans. Some GOP conservatives believe the bill is designed to protect the Senate’s current Republican leaders by averting primary challenges to some incumbents. The measure on Tuesday’s agenda draws at least three conservatives out of the districts of the moderate incumbents they plan to challenge. Supporters of the plan argue that they drew the lines where they made sense, without considering where challengers lived. Backers of the plan also say alternatives are…
If you need to transfer titles, or do other administrative work with your motor vehicle you may be out of luck for a few days. Starting today until May 7th, the Riley County Motor Vehicle office along with the rest of the state, will not be handling transactions. “The system is down state-wide to convert all of our records and get us up-and-running in the new system,” Riley County Treasurer Eileen King says. The only services that remain active in the Motor Vehicle office relate to the collection of motor vehicle taxes. For more information on the new vehicle management system,…