Author: KMAN Staff
Following is a news release from the Kansas Department of Transportation regarding K-18 work beginning next week: Weather permitting, on Monday, February 27, numerous traffic changes will take place as construction work resumes on the K-18 improvement project in Riley County. Both the eastbound and westbound lanes of K-18 will be affected during project construction. Beginning on Monday, February 27, at approximately 8:00 a.m., the following traffic changes will occur for Fort Riley Boulevard/K-18 drivers. These traffic changes (except for Walnut Street and Davis Drive closures) will be in place through late May 2012, weather permitting. Please click on this…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The United States Postal Service plans to consolidate seven mail processing centers in Kansas to reduce costs. The Postal Service said in a news release Thursday that processing centers in Hays, Salina, Dodge City and Hutchinson will be consolidated with the processing and distribution center in Wichita. It says work at the Liberal processing center will be moved to Amarillo, Texas; the processing center in Topeka will be consolidated with one in Kansas City, Mo., and the Colby processing center operations will move to North Platte, Neb. No specific dates have been set for the consolidation. Once…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) House Democrats have successfully amended a bill to provide $90 million in property tax relief over the next two years to Kansas cities and counties. The measure was added Thursday during debate on a bill that would restrict the growth of property taxes in municipalities if the overall property valuation increases. The entire bill advanced on voice vote to final action on Friday. Democrats tried earlier in the week to get $45 million in property tax relief inserted in a bill, a move defeated largely along party lines. Rep. Jim Ward of Wichita renewed the effort Thursday,…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas House has approved Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s bill to require some potential voters to prove their U.S. citizenship ahead of this year’s presidential election. The House’s 81-43 vote Thursday sends the measure to the Senate, where some of Kobach’s fellow Republicans are cooler to the idea than they are in the House. Legislators enacted a proof-of-citizenship rule last year for people registering to vote for the first time in Kansas. But at the Senate’s insistence, the requirement doesn’t take effect until Jan. 1, 2013. Kobach wants to move the effective date up to June…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) House members have approved a bill that would amend Kansas laws regarding mandatory reporting of alleged child abuse. Thursday’s 123-1 vote sends the measure to the Senate. Supporters say the changes were in response to the allegations of child sex abuse at Penn State University involving former football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. The bill expands the list of individuals required to report allegations of child abuse to authorities for investigation. It also strengthens the penalty for failure to report cases of suspected sexual abuse. It also would remove the defense that a person believed someone else was…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas House has approved a bill that would let Kansas residents contribute to arts programs when they pay their income taxes. The measure, passed on a 95-29 vote Thursday, creates a new income tax check-off for the Kansas Arts Commission. The bill goes to the Senate. The proposal, sponsored by 40 Republicans, is in line with GOP Gov. Sam Brownback’s push to have arts programs rely more heavily on private funds. Last year, Brownback vetoed the Arts Commission’s entire $689,000 budget, making Kansas the first state in the nation to eliminate its arts funding. This year,…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A piece of Gov. Sam Brownback’s school finance proposal has cleared the Senate, modifying Kansas technical education programs. Senators voted 40-0 on Thursday to send the proposal to the House. Brownback’s measure provides incentives for high school students who don’t plan to pursue four-year degrees and are interested in a career in a vocational or technical program. The plan would allow them to earn certificates in qualified programs through community or technical colleges while still in high school. Financial incentives would be included to encourage high schools and technical schools to develop the certificate programs and get…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) For the hundreds of Kansas students who serve each year as legislative pages, the check will no longer be in the mail. Senators approved a bill on Thursday that would end the practice of paying each page with a $3 check for their day’s service. Instead, legislators have decided to give them a $5 voucher to be used at the Statehouse snack shop. The Senate approved the bill 40-0, sending it to Gov. Sam Brownback for his signature. The House approved the bill 109-2 on Feb. 17. Sen. Dick Kelsey, a Goddard Republican, says the present practice…