Governor Laura Kelly today signed Senate Bill 19, bipartisan legislation that creates the state’s suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline and behavioral health intervention teams. Kansans will soon be able to call 9-8-8 to receive support during a mental health emergency. The 9-8-8 hotline will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a … Read more
Surrounded by small business leaders in downtown Topeka, Governor Laura Kelly today signed bipartisan House Bill 2136, which will invest $50 million to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Providing $50 million of financial assistance for small businesses is just one more way my Administration is working to make Kansas the most pro-business … Read more
June 4 and 5 are Free Fishing Days in Kansas, when anyone can fish on any public waters without a fishing license. The free weekend provides the perfect opportunity to introduce someone to the joys of angling; kind of a “try it before you buy it” opportunity. In Kansas, anyone age 16-74 must have a … Read more
The Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) formally kicked off a $48 million, 26-month-long effort to modernize the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) system. Kansas’ current mainframe system used to process UI benefits was created in the 1970s. The last major push to modernize began under Governor Sebelius in 2005 but was subsequently abandoned in 2011 by … Read more
Governor Laura Kelly announced today that nearly $50 million in federal, state, and private investments is going to two rail projects – the Southwest Kansas Infrastructure Upgrade Project and the KYLE Railroad Gateway Project – in northcentral and southwest Kansas. $20 million of that amount comes through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant … Read more
Governor Laura Kelly announced today that total tax collections for May were $910.1 million – $239.5 million, or 35.7%, higher than the estimate for the month. Individual income tax collections were $518.4 million. That is $198.4 million, or 62.0%, above the estimate. Corporate income tax collections were $51.4 million –$33.4 million, or 185.6%, more than … Read more
Effective August 1st, 2022, the Arkansas City Police Department phone number (620)441-4444 and the Winfield Police Department phone number (620)221-5555 will no longer connect to Cowley County Emergency Communications (dispatch). The police departments and the sheriff’s office have provided the following numbers to be used for administrative and records related calls. • Arkansas City Police … Read more
From the City of Ark City: Just a reminder that the street resurfacing project on North Summit between Kansas and Radio Lane started yesterday.Traffic control is being setup to close the outside lanes in both directions for this portion of the project.
The Southwestern College men’s basketball team along with the Winfield Recreation Commission recently hosted a basketball camp for first grade to ninth grade boys and girls. Matt O’Brien, head men’s basketball coach at Southwestern College, along with his staff and players Andrew O’Brien and Abe Rodriguez led the camp. According to O’Brien, 45 campers participated … Read more
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced today that it is partnered with The Rockefeller Foundation’s public charity, RF Catalytic Capital, and Project Access to Covid Tests (Project ACT) to offer free at-home COVID-19 tests directly to Kansans in vulnerable communities. Kansas can now visit AccessCovidTests.org to check if their zip code is … Read more