By&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/author/blaise-mesa/">BLAISE MESA</a> <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/02/25/kansas-property-tax-where-do-tax-cuts-stand-so-far/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=Free%20stories%20from%20The%20Beacon&amp;utm_campaign=Republishing%20email%2022525">The Beacon</a>

Debbie Detmer has a lot of memories in her house. She’s lived there 40 years and raised three children in it.&nbsp;

Detmer is retired now and lives on a fixed income in Johnson County. She hasn’t done any work on her house, yet she pays more in property taxes each year. The bill is rising so much it’s becoming too much to manage.&nbsp;

Last year, she paid $100 more a month and this year she is paying $50 more a month in property taxes. That’s before her homeowner’s insurance goes up because a more expensive house means more expensive insurance.&nbsp;

Her property taxes are making her choose between paying for taxes or other essentials — compromising her retirement.&nbsp;

“You keep turning the heat down. You keep (it) hotter in the summer,” she said. “You just got to cut back.”&nbsp;

Lawmakers have multiple tax proposals&nbsp;

Kansas lawmakers are trying to ease the property tax burden, but&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/02/21/new-kansas-laws-lawmakers-advance-dozens-of-bills/">halfway through the session</a>&nbsp;it doesn’t look like there’s consensus on how to do so.&nbsp;

Constitutional amendments on property taxes have headlined the tax cut debate so far.

The Senate passed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1603/">3% cap on valuation increases</a>. Property taxes could increase more than 3% in a year, but the appraised value of a home would be capped at 3% unless it was renovated or qualifies for other exemptions.

The House has a similar proposal that would use a rolling average of a home’s value, likely a six-year rolling average.

Both ideas would need to be approved by voters.&nbsp;

The Senate’s proposal passed with more than a two-thirds majority. But the House hasn’t acted on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hcr5011/">valuation cap proposal</a>.&nbsp;

House Committee on Taxation chair Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican, said these constitutional amendments are gimmicks that don’t provide real relief. He isn’t alone. Some Senate Republicans voted against the 3% cap and almost every Senate Democrat opposed it.&nbsp;

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said this is California tax policy that shouldn’t come to Kansas.&nbsp;

Senate Democrats have instead proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb217/">increasing property tax exemptions</a>&nbsp;from $75,000 to $125,000. Democrats will also get a hearing on a bill expanding “<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb215/">the property tax rebate program</a>&nbsp;for seniors and disabled veterans by excluding Social Security payments from the definition of household income and increasing the household income and appraised value thresholds for eligibility related to increased property tax homestead claims.”&nbsp;

Sen. Stephen Owens, a Hesston Republican, has another idea. He tried to amend the 3% cap during an early February floor debate to tie tax increases with inflation. Property taxes could only rise with the rate of inflation. Taxing bodies could still raise taxes higher than inflation, but that would require voters to approve of the increase.&nbsp;Owens’ amendment failed.&nbsp;

“We certainly cannot predict the actions of the other chamber,” Owens said during the Senate debate. “It is generally assumed that (<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1603/">this constitutional amendment</a>) is not the final product. If this is not the final product, we want to go in with the strongest position possible on truly giving our taxpayers a tax break.”&nbsp;

Concern about a 3% cap is simple. Capping the appraised value doesn’t stop governing bodies from just raising property taxes anyway. Agricultural associations and business lobbyists also worry that capping residential valuations would then shift more tax burden to farms and businesses.&nbsp;

Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican, is the chair of the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation. She is leading the push to pass the constitutional amendment. She disagrees that her 3% cap does nothing. She’s looked back at decades of tax rates and has seen valuations jump. Had the cap been in place, those valuations would not have jumped as high and those homeowners would pay less in property taxes.&nbsp;

The property tax cap also would start based on 2022 home values. That would cap property tax increases before a recent surge in valuations.

Tyson said she’s seen someone’s property tax rise even though they did no work on their house. The price jumped because their neighbor renovated their home. The current system doesn’t work, she said.&nbsp;

“We are not inventing the wheel here,” Tyson said at a past debate. “We have looked to other states to see what to model after.”

For Detmer, the homeowner on a fixed income, property tax relief needs to come soon. She might have to move, and depending where she buys, that could mean moving farther away from her grandchildren.&nbsp;

Property taxes mean cutting back, Detmer said. But she’s annoyed that the county government doesn’t cut back as hard as she does.&nbsp;

“When I bought it, I had no intention of moving,” Detmer said. “I raised my family here. I have no intentions of going anywhere unless (taxes) force me out.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740674495312.jpeg" alt="Lawmakers may be hashing out how to provide tax relief, but there is bipartisan consensus on the need to address property taxes. Photo by Niko Schmidt / The Beacon" />
 <figcaption>Lawmakers may be hashing out how to provide tax relief, but there is bipartisan consensus on the need to address property taxes. Photo by Niko Schmidt / The Beacon</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/author/blaise-mesa/">BLAISE MESA</a> <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/02/25/kansas-property-tax-where-do-tax-cuts-stand-so-far/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=Free%20stories%20from%20The%20Beacon&amp;utm_campaign=Republishing%20email%2022525">The Beacon</a>Debbie Detmer has a lot of memories in her house. She’s lived there 40 years and raised three children in it.&nbsp;Detmer is retired now and lives on a fixed income in Johnson County. She hasn’t done any work on her house, yet she pays more in property taxes each year. The bill is rising so much it’s becoming too much to manage.&nbsp;Last year, she paid $100 more a month and this year she is paying $50 more a month in property taxes. That’s before her homeowner’s insurance goes up because a more expensive house means more expensive insurance.&nbsp;Her property taxes are making her choose between paying for taxes or other essentials — compromising her retirement.&nbsp;“You keep turning the heat down. You keep (it) hotter in the summer,” she said. “You just got to cut back.”&nbsp;<h2>Lawmakers have multiple tax proposals&nbsp;</h2>Kansas lawmakers are trying to ease the property tax burden, but&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/02/21/new-kansas-laws-lawmakers-advance-dozens-of-bills/">halfway through the session</a>&nbsp;it doesn’t look like there’s consensus on how to do so.&nbsp;Constitutional amendments on property taxes have headlined the tax cut debate so far.The Senate passed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1603/">3% cap on valuation increases</a>. Property taxes could increase more than 3% in a year, but the appraised value of a home would be capped at 3% unless it was renovated or qualifies for other exemptions.The House has a similar proposal that would use a rolling average of a home’s value, likely a six-year rolling average.Both ideas would need to be approved by voters.&nbsp;The Senate’s proposal passed with more than a two-thirds majority. But the House hasn’t acted on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hcr5011/">valuation cap proposal</a>.&nbsp;House Committee on Taxation chair Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican, said these constitutional amendments are gimmicks that don’t provide real relief. He isn’t alone. Some Senate Republicans voted against the 3% cap and almost every Senate Democrat opposed it.&nbsp;Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said this is California tax policy that shouldn’t come to Kansas.&nbsp;Senate Democrats have instead proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb217/">increasing property tax exemptions</a>&nbsp;from $75,000 to $125,000. Democrats will also get a hearing on a bill expanding “<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb215/">the property tax rebate program</a>&nbsp;for seniors and disabled veterans by excluding Social Security payments from the definition of household income and increasing the household income and appraised value thresholds for eligibility related to increased property tax homestead claims.”&nbsp;Sen. Stephen Owens, a Hesston Republican, has another idea. He tried to amend the 3% cap during an early February floor debate to tie tax increases with inflation. Property taxes could only rise with the rate of inflation. Taxing bodies could still raise taxes higher than inflation, but that would require voters to approve of the increase.&nbsp;Owens’ amendment failed.&nbsp;“We certainly cannot predict the actions of the other chamber,” Owens said during the Senate debate. “It is generally assumed that (<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1603/">this constitutional amendment</a>) is not the final product. If this is not the final product, we want to go in with the strongest position possible on truly giving our taxpayers a tax break.”&nbsp;<h2>Debate over passed plans</h2>Concern about a 3% cap is simple. Capping the appraised value doesn’t stop governing bodies from just raising property taxes anyway. Agricultural associations and business lobbyists also worry that capping residential valuations would then shift more tax burden to farms and businesses.&nbsp;Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican, is the chair of the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation. She is leading the push to pass the constitutional amendment. She disagrees that her 3% cap does nothing. She’s looked back at decades of tax rates and has seen valuations jump. Had the cap been in place, those valuations would not have jumped as high and those homeowners would pay less in property taxes.&nbsp;The property tax cap also would start based on 2022 home values. That would cap property tax increases before a recent surge in valuations.Tyson said she’s seen someone’s property tax rise even though they did no work on their house. The price jumped because their neighbor renovated their home. The current system doesn’t work, she said.&nbsp;“We are not inventing the wheel here,” Tyson said at a past debate. “We have looked to other states to see what to model after.”For Detmer, the homeowner on a fixed income, property tax relief needs to come soon. She might have to move, and depending where she buys, that could mean moving farther away from her grandchildren.&nbsp;Property taxes mean cutting back, Detmer said. But she’s annoyed that the county government doesn’t cut back as hard as she does.&nbsp;“When I bought it, I had no intention of moving,” Detmer said. “I raised my family here. I have no intentions of going anywhere unless (taxes) force me out.”

Kansas lawmakers offer dueling ideas on property tax relief

For the first time in school history, the Manhattan High Schools Boys Wrestling&nbsp; Team has won back to back 6A State Championships. The Girls Team finished 8th. Hutchinson wins an individual state title for the 3rd consecutive year! 

USD 383 - Manhattan High School release-For the first time in school history, the Manhattan High Schools Boys Wrestling&nbsp; Team has won back to back 6A State Championships. The Girls Team finished 8th. Hutchinson wins an individual state title for the 3rd consecutive year! ChampionsBoys132lb: Caeleb HutchinsonGirls135lb: Alayna SliferBoys Placers:106: 5th Place - Franke Force113: 3rd Place - Jack Hutchinson126: 3rd Place - Cameron Coonrod 144: 2nd Place- Brecken Crist-Funk150: 3rd Place - Logan Lagerman175: 3rd Place - Max Evans-Pryor190: 6th Place - Ben Uher215: 2nd Place- Landon DobsonGirls placers:100: 4th Place - Eva Lucios125: 6th Place - Evelyn Thornburg130: 4th Place - Eleanor Radi 140: 6th Place - Tierra Young145: 5th Place - Sophia Hoeme

Manhattan High Boys win 6A State Wrestling Title for second straight year

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The most extensive database on Vietnam War causalities was the passion of a man from Hays.

The late Richard Coffelt, a longtime Hays attorney, spent years and his own money researching and amassing the <a href="https://www.coffeltdatabase.org/">Coffelt Database</a>, which is now available for free through the National Archives.

Although others contributed to the database and Coffelt wanted the record source named something more accessible, the database was named in honor of him.

Jo Ann Jennings, Coffelt's wife, recounted information about the database during a lecture at the Hays VFW on Feb. 16.

Coffelt was a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Korean War. He had no connection with the Vietnam War.

However, in 1980, he became acquainted with the mother of&nbsp;Gary Lee Binder of Hays. Gary Binder, who served with the Navy, was killed in action in 1967 in Vietnam, and Coffelt wanted to learn more about the circumstances of Binder's death.

Jennings explained this was before the rise of personal computing and Google, which meant hours spent at libraries, especially the&nbsp;Presidential Library of Lyndon Baines Johnson in Austin, Texas. She said she spent many vacations accompanying Richard on research trips, sometimes at his side in study rooms.

Johnson sent a letter of condolence to every family of a service member killed in Vietnam during his administration. Those letters included the unit numbers of the service members, which made them valuable in Coffelt's research.

Jennings said Richard spent countless hours taking notes on yellow legal pads.

Coffelt saw the need to connect soldiers with other soldiers. The men who served wanted to know what had happened to their buddies.

Jennings said Coffelt was interested in working on the research because the federal government didn't keep track of the units the men who were killed in action were from.

He said having a unit designation was the most important thing to know if you wanted to know what happened to your friend.

“I felt that if I just looked long enough, hard enough, I would hit the mother lode,” Coffelt was quoted as saying in a story published in the February 2012 edition of the VVA Veteran magazine. 

“I still felt that there had to be some government source that would have all this information. It became kind of a game to try and locate the information in some government repository somewhere.”

In 1993-94, after PCs had become commonplace, Tom Holloway (Emory University, Atlanta) changed the landscape by obtaining the Department of Defense's casualty database and the Army Adjutant General's database in digital form, according to the database's website.

"Using the university's mainframe computers to read the reel-to-reel computer tapes,&nbsp;Holloway integrated the two databases and converted the information into a commonly used small-computer format. The "Holloway Database" effectively became the public's sole source of information regarding all American Vietnam dead," the database website said.

The database website said that in the late 1990s, others joined Coffelt's effort, contributing information and collating the collected material into digital form using the Holloway database as a baseline, the database said.

"The additional resources allowed the project's scope to expand to include units of assignment information for all service branches," according to the database's website. "In 2002, an early version of the Coffelt Database was deeded to the National Archives, which made it available online as a searchable database," the database said.

Jennings said Coffelt amassed a library that filled a room floor to ceiling with more than 300 books on Vietnam. She said her husband had read every book.

She said her husband had an almost photographic memory of the information. She recalled a person from Australia writing Coffelt, asking him if he might know what happened to his uncle.&nbsp;

Without the need to look at any source, Coffelt was able to write him a page of the entire account of the battle in which the man's uncle was killed and what happened in that battle.

"He had super-detailed information just from his remembrance," Jennings said.

A Vietnam veteran who worked on the database with Coffelt spoke at his funeral and said, "Richard knew more about what happened in Vietnam than any soldier that was there, and he wasn't there."

Today, the database contains more than 60,000 names and more than 1 million pieces of information. Gary L. Noller, Co. B, 1/46th Infantry, Vietnam 1970-71, called the database a gift to and for Vietnam veterans and their families.

He said in a letter on the database, often, the child or grandchild of a Vietnam casualty wishes to contact a veteran who served with their deceased family member.

Prior to the Coffelt Database, a search of this kind was often overwhelming. The official record listed casualties by unit at the division or brigade level,&nbsp;Noller said in his letter.

Coffelt's research expanded the casualty database to list the company and battalion-level casualties, Noller said.

"This effectively reduced the search for a veteran from a magnitude of 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 100. It can be said that the Coffelt Database made the search at least 100 times easier to conduct,"&nbsp;Noller said.

Vietnam veteran Dick Arnold worked on the database with Coffelt.&nbsp;

In a 2011 letter published on the database's website, he said, "I consider my participation in the creation and continued improvement of The Coffelt Database to be one of the proudest parts of my life. I also consider it a singular honor to have known and worked with Richard these last few years. All of us Vietnam veterans owe him a huge debt ..."

Although Coffelt and the others who contributed to the database were offered money to privatize the data, Coffelt and his fellow researchers insisted the database remain a free, open-source of information, Jennings said.

By 2009, Coffelt developed Lewy body dementia. He died on Jan. 25, 2012.

Hays VVA Chapter 939&nbsp;dedicated a plaque at the Hays Regional Airport to honor Coffelt's work in creating the database.

Not only is the Coffelt database still available and in use today. But a story on the database sparked an unlikely friendship between Jennings and a WWII veteran who read a story on the database in a veterans magazine.

Frank Malizia, who was 92 at the time, read that story and recognized Hays as a familiar place. He had been stationed in Great Bend during the war and was familiar with Hays and Ellis County. This led him to contact Jennings.

Read more on Malizia and Jennings' long friendship and correspondents at&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/74f5a4c8-b37b-458a-b1a8-ddb7a744b869">NWester: WWII soldier laid to rest next to 'love of his life' in Antonino</a>.

You can access the Coffelt Database online for free. <a href="https://www.coffeltdatabase.org/">Click here for a link</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740765066874.png" alt="Richard Coffelt Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Richard Coffelt Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post The most extensive database on Vietnam War causalities was the passion of a man from Hays.The late Richard Coffelt, a longtime Hays attorney, spent years and his own money researching and amassing the <a href="https://www.coffeltdatabase.org/">Coffelt Database</a>, which is now available for free through the National Archives.Although others contributed to the database and Coffelt wanted the record source named something more accessible, the database was named in honor of him.Jo Ann Jennings, Coffelt's wife, recounted information about the database during a lecture at the Hays VFW on Feb. 16.Coffelt was a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Korean War. He had no connection with the Vietnam War.However, in 1980, he became acquainted with the mother of&nbsp;Gary Lee Binder of Hays. Gary Binder, who served with the Navy, was killed in action in 1967 in Vietnam, and Coffelt wanted to learn more about the circumstances of Binder's death.Jennings explained this was before the rise of personal computing and Google, which meant hours spent at libraries, especially the&nbsp;Presidential Library of Lyndon Baines Johnson in Austin, Texas. She said she spent many vacations accompanying Richard on research trips, sometimes at his side in study rooms.Johnson sent a letter of condolence to every family of a service member killed in Vietnam during his administration. Those letters included the unit numbers of the service members, which made them valuable in Coffelt's research.Jennings said Richard spent countless hours taking notes on yellow legal pads.Coffelt saw the need to connect soldiers with other soldiers. The men who served wanted to know what had happened to their buddies.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740519068072.png" alt="Richard Coffelt when he was in the service. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Richard Coffelt when he was in the service. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Jennings said Coffelt was interested in working on the research because the federal government didn't keep track of the units the men who were killed in action were from.He said having a unit designation was the most important thing to know if you wanted to know what happened to your friend.“I felt that if I just looked long enough, hard enough, I would hit the mother lode,” Coffelt was quoted as saying in a story published in the February 2012 edition of the VVA Veteran magazine. “I still felt that there had to be some government source that would have all this information. It became kind of a game to try and locate the information in some government repository somewhere.”In 1993-94, after PCs had become commonplace, Tom Holloway (Emory University, Atlanta) changed the landscape by obtaining the Department of Defense's casualty database and the Army Adjutant General's database in digital form, according to the database's website."Using the university's mainframe computers to read the reel-to-reel computer tapes,&nbsp;Holloway integrated the two databases and converted the information into a commonly used small-computer format. The "Holloway Database" effectively became the public's sole source of information regarding all American Vietnam dead," the database website said.The database website said that in the late 1990s, others joined Coffelt's effort, contributing information and collating the collected material into digital form using the Holloway database as a baseline, the database said."The additional resources allowed the project's scope to expand to include units of assignment information for all service branches," according to the database's website. "In 2002, an early version of the Coffelt Database was deeded to the National Archives, which made it available online as a searchable database," the database said.Jennings said Coffelt amassed a library that filled a room floor to ceiling with more than 300 books on Vietnam. She said her husband had read every book.She said her husband had an almost photographic memory of the information. She recalled a person from Australia writing Coffelt, asking him if he might know what happened to his uncle.&nbsp;Without the need to look at any source, Coffelt was able to write him a page of the entire account of the battle in which the man's uncle was killed and what happened in that battle."He had super-detailed information just from his remembrance," Jennings said.A Vietnam veteran who worked on the database with Coffelt spoke at his funeral and said, "Richard knew more about what happened in Vietnam than any soldier that was there, and he wasn't there."Today, the database contains more than 60,000 names and more than 1 million pieces of information. Gary L. Noller, Co. B, 1/46th Infantry, Vietnam 1970-71, called the database a gift to and for Vietnam veterans and their families.He said in a letter on the database, often, the child or grandchild of a Vietnam casualty wishes to contact a veteran who served with their deceased family member.Prior to the Coffelt Database, a search of this kind was often overwhelming. The official record listed casualties by unit at the division or brigade level,&nbsp;Noller said in his letter.Coffelt's research expanded the casualty database to list the company and battalion-level casualties, Noller said."This effectively reduced the search for a veteran from a magnitude of 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 100. It can be said that the Coffelt Database made the search at least 100 times easier to conduct,"&nbsp;Noller said.Vietnam veteran Dick Arnold worked on the database with Coffelt.&nbsp;In a 2011 letter published on the database's website, he said, "I consider my participation in the creation and continued improvement of The Coffelt Database to be one of the proudest parts of my life. I also consider it a singular honor to have known and worked with Richard these last few years. All of us Vietnam veterans owe him a huge debt ..."Although Coffelt and the others who contributed to the database were offered money to privatize the data, Coffelt and his fellow researchers insisted the database remain a free, open-source of information, Jennings said.By 2009, Coffelt developed Lewy body dementia. He died on Jan. 25, 2012.Hays VVA Chapter 939&nbsp;dedicated a plaque at the Hays Regional Airport to honor Coffelt's work in creating the database.Not only is the Coffelt database still available and in use today. But a story on the database sparked an unlikely friendship between Jennings and a WWII veteran who read a story on the database in a veterans magazine.Frank Malizia, who was 92 at the time, read that story and recognized Hays as a familiar place. He had been stationed in Great Bend during the war and was familiar with Hays and Ellis County. This led him to contact Jennings.Read more on Malizia and Jennings' long friendship and correspondents at&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/74f5a4c8-b37b-458a-b1a8-ddb7a744b869">NWester: WWII soldier laid to rest next to 'love of his life' in Antonino</a>.You can access the Coffelt Database online for free. <a href="https://www.coffeltdatabase.org/">Click here for a link</a>.

Coffelt Database on Americans killed in Vietnam was passion of Kan. attorney

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1740843741166.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1740843709733.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Riley County Arrest Report March 1

A new partnership with shared mobility provider, Veo, will return shared Shared electric scooters to Manhattan and kansas State University.

&nbsp;Beginning Saturday, March 1, Veo will deploy a fleet of 400 Astro scooters throughout the community.Through the end of March, riders can receive a $5 credit by using the promo code RIDE25. Launch promotions also are available through the Veo app. Riders with low incomes can visit the Veo Access page to apply for a discounted rate.Veo will be in the community every day, swapping out e-scooter batteries, addressing community concerns, and ensuring vehicles are properly parked to keep streets and sidewalks accessible.

If you need assistance, contact Veo at (855) 836-2256 or hello@veoride.com. For inquiries about a specific vehicle, please provide the vehicle’s location and, if possible, the vehicle number found between the handlebars, just below the QR code.Veo will also be available to answer questions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, March 3 at the K-State Student Union.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740774024226.jpeg" alt="( Courteesy City of Manhattan )" />
 <figcaption>( Courteesy City of Manhattan )</figcaption>
 </figure>A new partnership with shared mobility provider, Veo, will return shared Shared electric scooters to Manhattan and kansas State University.&nbsp;Beginning Saturday, March 1, Veo will deploy a fleet of 400 Astro scooters throughout the community.Through the end of March, riders can receive a $5 credit by using the promo code RIDE25. Launch promotions also are available through the Veo app. Riders with low incomes can visit the Veo Access page to apply for a discounted rate.Veo will be in the community every day, swapping out e-scooter batteries, addressing community concerns, and ensuring vehicles are properly parked to keep streets and sidewalks accessible.If you need assistance, contact Veo at (855) 836-2256 or hello@veoride.com. For inquiries about a specific vehicle, please provide the vehicle’s location and, if possible, the vehicle number found between the handlebars, just below the QR code.Veo will also be available to answer questions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, March 3 at the K-State Student Union.

Shared electric scooters are making a comeback

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/02/26/kansas-republicans-want-to-elect-state-supreme-court-justices/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=Free%20stories%20from%20The%20Beacon&amp;utm_campaign=Republishing%20email%2022825">The Beacon</a>

Robert Edmunds won three judicial elections in his home state of North Carolina. He was elected to the state Court of Appeals before serving two terms on the state’s Supreme Court.&nbsp;

Edmunds said he never would have risen through the ranks without elections. He didn’t have any political connections to the governor. He didn’t run any big-city law firm. Edmunds won his races because he proved to voters he was the most qualified.&nbsp;

“Elections tap into the biggest talent pool,” Edmunds told Kansas lawmakers. “Any lawyer in good standing who has ambitions to serve on the bench can take a shot at it.”

Kansas lawmakers are now debating that question. Should voters elect justices to the Kansas Supreme Court? Or should the state keep its merit-based nominating process?

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1611/">The proposal</a>&nbsp;is a “colossal sea change” from the state’s current system, said Fred Logan with the Kansas Bar Association, and it would require the Kansas Constitution to be amended. A majority of voters would need to approve the change.&nbsp;

Supporters of the change, which include the state attorney general’s office and Americans for Prosperity, say a direct election of justices is needed so everyday Kansans have a voice in the judicial system. But opponents say this proposal demolishes an already effective system and pours dark money into the courts.&nbsp;

The Kansas Supreme Court’s current system

Kansas does not use the federal system for picking justices. The governor alone does not pick someone and there is no Senate confirmation.&nbsp;

The current system has a nominating commission that includes four lawyers and four nonlawyers. Each congressional district must have a lawyer and nonlawyer appointed to the commission.&nbsp;

Nonlawyers are appointed by the governor and lawyers are elected by other lawyers in their congressional district. A ninth member — a lawyer and chair of the commission — is elected by a statewide pool of lawyers.

The commission questions candidates in public interviews then selects three names and the governor makes the final decision from there. This system was approved by voters in 1958 after a controversial selection to the state Supreme Court.&nbsp;

In 1956, then-Gov. Fred Hall lost reelection during the primary. Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court Bill Smith was also sick and considering retirement but worried the incoming Democratic governor would appoint a liberal to the Supreme Court. Hall, Smith and Lt. Gov. John McCuish hatched a plan.&nbsp;

Smith retired from the Supreme Court. Hall resigned as governor and was replaced by McCuish. McCuish was governor for 11 days and appointed Hall to the state Supreme Court. That infuriated Kansas voters, who reformed the system and created the merit-based process we have today.&nbsp;

Rashane Hamby, director of policy and research at the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said the current system works well and there’s no reason to change it.&nbsp;

Supporters of the bill who want to change the law acknowledged that elected judges and appointed judges are of the same quality. Those supporters also said the system needs to be overhauled to give voters more say in the state’s highest court. Kansans already vote on justices through retention elections where voters can kick justices off the bench if they want.&nbsp;

The current system lets the governor and the nominating commission grill candidates about their qualifications for the job, and that’s how the decision is made. Elections require candidates playing politics, Hamby said. Candidates aren’t always chosen based on qualifications but on money and donations from political groups that might have cases before the court.&nbsp;

“The Supreme Court should not be for sale to the highest bidder,” she said.&nbsp;

Almost two dozen states elect their judges. In Wisconsin, Hamby said, $51 million was spent on the 2023 Supreme Court race. The state’s race later this year is expected to top that spending and become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-musk-trump-spending-4d95c11f76be495cc5acadaf9981a42b">the most expensive Supreme Court race</a>.&nbsp;

Logan, with the Kansas Bar Association, said politics, fundraising and campaigning are all fine for the governor’s office or state officials. Not for the courts. Logan said the current system is free from politics and it should stay that way.&nbsp;

But Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, doesn’t agree that the current process is free from politics.&nbsp;

He said the process of getting selected by the commission has political jostling. Holding elections gives everyone a chance to have their voice heard, not just a small group of people.&nbsp;

“Elections are how we govern from the bottom up,” Masterson said.

Masterson and other Republicans say they support changing the system so people have a voice. Supporters of the change also said that Supreme Court justices can time their resignations based on what political party holds the governor’s office. Allowing a regular vote would remove the possibility of selections being timed in a partisan manner, supporters say.&nbsp;

Kansas lawmakers have tried to change how Supreme Court justices are picked before. These debates are more than a decade old, but the Kansas Supreme Court’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2022/07/28/kansas-vote-on-abortion/">uphold abortion rights</a>&nbsp;has raised the stakes on this debate.&nbsp;

“I would just comment that I would ask committee members and others to go out and read some of the justices’ opinions,” said Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican, during the debate.&nbsp;

“I have,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, “and there’s concern in there.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740770429634.jpeg" alt="State justices are appointed through a nominating commission, unlike the federal process. (Courtesy/The Kansas Supreme Court)" />
 <figcaption>State justices are appointed through a nominating commission, unlike the federal process. (Courtesy/The Kansas Supreme Court)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/02/26/kansas-republicans-want-to-elect-state-supreme-court-justices/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=Free%20stories%20from%20The%20Beacon&amp;utm_campaign=Republishing%20email%2022825">The Beacon</a>Robert Edmunds won three judicial elections in his home state of North Carolina. He was elected to the state Court of Appeals before serving two terms on the state’s Supreme Court.&nbsp;Edmunds said he never would have risen through the ranks without elections. He didn’t have any political connections to the governor. He didn’t run any big-city law firm. Edmunds won his races because he proved to voters he was the most qualified.&nbsp;“Elections tap into the biggest talent pool,” Edmunds told Kansas lawmakers. “Any lawyer in good standing who has ambitions to serve on the bench can take a shot at it.”Kansas lawmakers are now debating that question. Should voters elect justices to the Kansas Supreme Court? Or should the state keep its merit-based nominating process?<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1611/">The proposal</a>&nbsp;is a “colossal sea change” from the state’s current system, said Fred Logan with the Kansas Bar Association, and it would require the Kansas Constitution to be amended. A majority of voters would need to approve the change.&nbsp;Supporters of the change, which include the state attorney general’s office and Americans for Prosperity, say a direct election of justices is needed so everyday Kansans have a voice in the judicial system. But opponents say this proposal demolishes an already effective system and pours dark money into the courts.&nbsp;<h2>The Kansas Supreme Court’s current system</h2>Kansas does not use the federal system for picking justices. The governor alone does not pick someone and there is no Senate confirmation.&nbsp;The current system has a nominating commission that includes four lawyers and four nonlawyers. Each congressional district must have a lawyer and nonlawyer appointed to the commission.&nbsp;Nonlawyers are appointed by the governor and lawyers are elected by other lawyers in their congressional district. A ninth member — a lawyer and chair of the commission — is elected by a statewide pool of lawyers.The commission questions candidates in public interviews then selects three names and the governor makes the final decision from there. This system was approved by voters in 1958 after a controversial selection to the state Supreme Court.&nbsp;In 1956, then-Gov. Fred Hall lost reelection during the primary. Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court Bill Smith was also sick and considering retirement but worried the incoming Democratic governor would appoint a liberal to the Supreme Court. Hall, Smith and Lt. Gov. John McCuish hatched a plan.&nbsp;Smith retired from the Supreme Court. Hall resigned as governor and was replaced by McCuish. McCuish was governor for 11 days and appointed Hall to the state Supreme Court. That infuriated Kansas voters, who reformed the system and created the merit-based process we have today.&nbsp;<h2>The desire for change</h2>Rashane Hamby, director of policy and research at the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said the current system works well and there’s no reason to change it.&nbsp;Supporters of the bill who want to change the law acknowledged that elected judges and appointed judges are of the same quality. Those supporters also said the system needs to be overhauled to give voters more say in the state’s highest court. Kansans already vote on justices through retention elections where voters can kick justices off the bench if they want.&nbsp;The current system lets the governor and the nominating commission grill candidates about their qualifications for the job, and that’s how the decision is made. Elections require candidates playing politics, Hamby said. Candidates aren’t always chosen based on qualifications but on money and donations from political groups that might have cases before the court.&nbsp;“The Supreme Court should not be for sale to the highest bidder,” she said.&nbsp;Almost two dozen states elect their judges. In Wisconsin, Hamby said, $51 million was spent on the 2023 Supreme Court race. The state’s race later this year is expected to top that spending and become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-musk-trump-spending-4d95c11f76be495cc5acadaf9981a42b">the most expensive Supreme Court race</a>.&nbsp;Logan, with the Kansas Bar Association, said politics, fundraising and campaigning are all fine for the governor’s office or state officials. Not for the courts. Logan said the current system is free from politics and it should stay that way.&nbsp;But Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, doesn’t agree that the current process is free from politics.&nbsp;He said the process of getting selected by the commission has political jostling. Holding elections gives everyone a chance to have their voice heard, not just a small group of people.&nbsp;“Elections are how we govern from the bottom up,” Masterson said.Masterson and other Republicans say they support changing the system so people have a voice. Supporters of the change also said that Supreme Court justices can time their resignations based on what political party holds the governor’s office. Allowing a regular vote would remove the possibility of selections being timed in a partisan manner, supporters say.&nbsp;Kansas lawmakers have tried to change how Supreme Court justices are picked before. These debates are more than a decade old, but the Kansas Supreme Court’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2022/07/28/kansas-vote-on-abortion/">uphold abortion rights</a>&nbsp;has raised the stakes on this debate.&nbsp;“I would just comment that I would ask committee members and others to go out and read some of the justices’ opinions,” said Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican, during the debate.&nbsp;“I have,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, “and there’s concern in there.”

Lawmakers debate whether voters should elect Kansas Supreme Court justices

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740754929780.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Riley County Arrest Report February 28

FINNEY COUNTY —A jury has found a Manhattan man guilty of child sex crimes.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, the Finney County Attorney reported 76-year-old Dale Bolton was convicted of rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent solicitation of a child. The crimes involving a victim under the age of 7 and occurred in March of 2024, according to the KBI Offender Registry.

Since this was a "Jessica's Law" case, Bolton faces a mandatory life sentence.&nbsp; The Garden City&nbsp; Police Department investigated the crimes. Bolton is being held in the El Dorado Correctional Facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740656378097.png" alt="Bolton photo Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Bolton photo Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —A jury has found a Manhattan man guilty of child sex crimes.&nbsp;On Wednesday, the Finney County Attorney reported 76-year-old Dale Bolton was convicted of rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent solicitation of a child. The crimes involving a victim under the age of 7 and occurred in March of 2024, according to the KBI Offender Registry.Since this was a "Jessica's Law" case, Bolton faces a mandatory life sentence.&nbsp; The Garden City&nbsp; Police Department investigated the crimes. Bolton is being held in the El Dorado Correctional Facility.

Life in Kansas prison for multiple child sex crimes

JUNCTION CITY, KS – The Junction City/Geary County Economic Development Council (JC/GC EDC) proudly supports the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) decision to move forward with the replacement of the Taylor Road Bridge. This significant investment not only addresses current traffic and safety needs but also incorporates a design that allows for a future interchange, demonstrating KDOT’s commitment to long-term infrastructure planning.

“KDOT’s continued investment in Geary County is nothing short of transformational,” said Mickey Fornaro-Dean, Director of Operations of JC/GC EDC. “From capacity enhancements to interchange improvements, these projects are strengthening our transportation network and fueling economic growth for years to come.”

The Taylor Road Bridge is just one of several major infrastructure projects KDOT has undertaken in Geary County in recent years. Other key investments include:

· McDowell Creek (Exit #307) overpass replacement and reconstruction

· K-18/I-70 (Exit #303) interchange improvement

· J Hill Road (Exit #299) overpass replacement and reconstruction

· I-70 road bed replacement and reconstruction across Grandview Plaza and Junction City

· Taylor Road overpass replacement and interchange preparation

These projects represent a massive financial commitment from KDOT over the past four to five years, ensuring Geary County remains a hub for safe, efficient transportation and continued economic expansion.

The JC/GC EDC remains dedicated to working alongside KDOT, local officials, and stakeholders to advocate for and support infrastructure projects that enhance connectivity, safety, and economic development.

JUNCTION CITY, KS – The Junction City/Geary County Economic Development Council (JC/GC EDC) proudly supports the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) decision to move forward with the replacement of the Taylor Road Bridge. This significant investment not only addresses current traffic and safety needs but also incorporates a design that allows for a future interchange, demonstrating KDOT’s commitment to long-term infrastructure planning.“KDOT’s continued investment in Geary County is nothing short of transformational,” said Mickey Fornaro-Dean, Director of Operations of JC/GC EDC. “From capacity enhancements to interchange improvements, these projects are strengthening our transportation network and fueling economic growth for years to come.”The Taylor Road Bridge is just one of several major infrastructure projects KDOT has undertaken in Geary County in recent years. Other key investments include:· K-177 capacity enhancements· McDowell Creek (Exit #307) overpass replacement and reconstruction· K-18/I-70 (Exit #303) interchange improvement· J Hill Road (Exit #299) overpass replacement and reconstruction· I-70 road bed replacement and reconstruction across Grandview Plaza and Junction City· US-77 capacity enhancements· Taylor Road overpass replacement and interchange preparationThese projects represent a massive financial commitment from KDOT over the past four to five years, ensuring Geary County remains a hub for safe, efficient transportation and continued economic expansion.The JC/GC EDC remains dedicated to working alongside KDOT, local officials, and stakeholders to advocate for and support infrastructure projects that enhance connectivity, safety, and economic development.

JC/GC Economic Development Council Applauds KDOT’s Commitment to Major Investments in Geary County

First Lieutenant Alma Cooper, who is the current Miss USA, spoke to a large crowd on Thursday at the Military Affairs Council monthly breakfast in Junction City.

First Lieutenant Cooper was crowned Miss USA in August 2024 after winning Miss Michigan earlier that year. She is the first active-duty officer to be crowned Miss USA.

From a young age, Cooper believed that her purpose was to serve.  During her junior year of high school, she received a letter in the mail from West Point, where she later graduated in 2023. 

Her life motto is “Demand Excellence”, and she has.  She is active duty in the army and is pursuing a master's degree from the University of Stanford while being Miss USA. (Cooper is the youngest recipient of the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship which is a full-ride to Stanford).

While in the Flint Hills Region, First Lieutenant Cooper spoke at the Military Affairs Council Breakfast in Junction City, to students at Junction City and Manhattan High School, spent time on Fort Riley, and attended a dinner at Kansas State University.

Her message to these students was, “If you can see me, you can be me”. She told students and community members that does not mean everyone has to go out and try to be Miss USA, but that there is no limitation that you face that you can’t overcome.

By Anthony GorgesJC Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740677287357.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>First Lieutenant Alma Cooper, who is the current Miss USA, spoke to a large crowd on Thursday at the Military Affairs Council monthly breakfast in Junction City.First Lieutenant Cooper was crowned Miss USA in August 2024 after winning Miss Michigan earlier that year. She is the first active-duty officer to be crowned Miss USA.From a young age, Cooper believed that her purpose was to serve. During her junior year of high school, she received a letter in the mail from West Point, where she later graduated in 2023. Her life motto is “Demand Excellence”, and she has. She is active duty in the army and is pursuing a master's degree from the University of Stanford while being Miss USA. (Cooper is the youngest recipient of the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship which is a full-ride to Stanford).While in the Flint Hills Region, First Lieutenant Cooper spoke at the Military Affairs Council Breakfast in Junction City, to students at Junction City and Manhattan High School, spent time on Fort Riley, and attended a dinner at Kansas State University.Her message to these students was, “If you can see me, you can be me”. She told students and community members that does not mean everyone has to go out and try to be Miss USA, but that there is no limitation that you face that you can’t overcome.

Miss USA was the featured speaker at the MAC Breakfast in Junction City

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged scam in Manhattan.

Just before 8:30a.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report of theft in the 100 block of Sarber Lane, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Dillons reported the store was scammed for cash by an unknown subject. Total loss associated with this report is $16,348.58. &nbsp;

Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://ks-rileycountypolice.civicplus.com/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged scam in Manhattan.Just before 8:30a.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report of theft in the 100 block of Sarber Lane, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.Dillons reported the store was scammed for cash by an unknown subject. Total loss associated with this report is $16,348.58. &nbsp;Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://ks-rileycountypolice.civicplus.com/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Local retailer lost $16,000 in alleged scam

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740669232772.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Riley County Arrest Report February 27

KDOT has announced that they are updating the K-18 and I-70 Interchange in Geary County. Several near-fatal crashes have raised concerns about the safety of the current interchange design. Heavy traffic during weekday peak hours and Kansas State University football games further magnifies these safety risks due to congestion.&nbsp;

KDOT said that they studied several options to improve the intersection from I-70 eastbound to K-18 northbound, and a flyover bridge design has been identified as the preferred option. The flyover bridge will span over the existing bridge across I-70. Additional improvements are planned for the southbound to westbound I-70 onramp. The project will also update the north access point of the interchange and add a two-mile auxiliary lane on I-70 (eastbound only). The existing interchange, including the bridge, will remain open both during and after construction

Construction will begin this year with completion scheduled in 2027. The cost of the project is estimated at $31 million.

KDOT releaseKDOT has announced that they are updating the K-18 and I-70 Interchange in Geary County. Several near-fatal crashes have raised concerns about the safety of the current interchange design. Heavy traffic during weekday peak hours and Kansas State University football games further magnifies these safety risks due to congestion.&nbsp;KDOT said that they studied several options to improve the intersection from I-70 eastbound to K-18 northbound, and a flyover bridge design has been identified as the preferred option. The flyover bridge will span over the existing bridge across I-70. Additional improvements are planned for the southbound to westbound I-70 onramp. The project will also update the north access point of the interchange and add a two-mile auxiliary lane on I-70 (eastbound only). The existing interchange, including the bridge, will remain open both during and after constructionConstruction will begin this year with completion scheduled in 2027. The cost of the project is estimated at $31 million.

Improvements are planned for I-70 - K-18 interchange

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a> TOPEKA — Thirty-five opponents and three advocates waded into the Kansas House’s debate on legislation striking the principle that tenure awarded at Kansas public universities and colleges carried with it an employment property interest.

The bill drafted by an Emporia State University attorney, who is a defendant in an ongoing ESU labor dispute and recently renounced his tenure, was the subject of a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee attracting state and national attention. A dozen faculty from Fort Hays State University have objected to the legislation, while a half-dozen from University of Kansas and Washburn University shared displeasure. There was criticism from Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University and Baker University.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/10/kansas-house-bill-strives-to-strip-property-interest-from-definition-of-university-college-tenure/">bottom line among opponents</a>&nbsp;was that the bill’s broad language would fracture a fundamental safeguard of academic freedom.

“When faculty members can lose their positions because of their speech, publications or research findings, they cannot properly fulfill their core responsibilities to advance and transmit knowledge,” said Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors in Washington, D.C. “The common good is not served when business, political or other entities can threaten the livelihood of researchers and instructors and thereby suppress the results of their work or modify their judgments.”

House Bill 2348 hasn’t advanced beyond the Feb. 11 hearing at the Kansas Capitol, despite maneuvering by House Republicans to bounce it to another committee before returning it to House judiciary.

Gov. Laura Kelly, who holds a master’s degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, said she was convinced the tenure bill lacked traction in the Legislature. She predicted it wouldn’t pass the House and Senate in the 2025 session.

“I’d be very surprised if it gets to my desk,” Kelly said in an interview.

ESU attorney Steven Lovett, the university’s general counsel since 2023, developed the tenure bill through some sort of rogue, covert operation leading to its introduction by Rep. Steven Howe, R-Salina. Lovett is a defendant in ESU’s legal battle with former university employees that has been winding through state and federal court. In 2022, ESU fired 30 tenured or tenure-track faculty. A portion of those individuals filed a lawsuit to challenge their ouster.

ESU officials said Lovett worked on the tenure reform legislation as a “private citizen” rather than in his capacity as a top university attorney. The CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents, the state’s higher education governing board, said Lovett appeared to have violated policy by directing a bill to the Legislature without consent of the state Board of Regents.

The office of Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/fisc_note_hb2348_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">Attorney General Kris Kobach anticipated possible legal challenges</a>&nbsp;if the bill became law, and indicated legal costs could be $250,000.

During the House committee hearing on the bill, Lovett outlined reasons the property interest inherent in tenure had to be repealed for thousands working at six state universities, 19 community colleges, six technical colleges and Washburn University.

His initiative was lauded by Christine Curley, who worked at Wichita State University and Southwestern College in Winfield. In testimony, she said faculty tenure hid administrative incompetence and unethical behavior. Tenure reflected “a systematic failure in leadership and accountability within higher education institutions,” she said.

The other proponent was Selayoa Lovett, who holds a master’s degree from ESU and is spouse of the bill’s designer — ESU’s Steven Lovett.

Selayoa Lovett’s testimony asserted Kansas law made it nearly impossible to dismiss underperforming tenured faculty, including professors at ESU.

“Faculty with a sense of entitlement often exhibit attitudes of superiority, dismissing others as less qualified simply because they lack tenure,” Selayoa Lovett said. “In my current position in the private sector, I frequently go above and beyond my job description to contribute to the success of my company. Why should faculty members not be held to the same standards?”

She said “around 30% of faculty fail to contribute at a meaningful level, relying on tenure as a shield from accountability.”

“The unfortunate reality is that many tenured professors choose to do the bare minimum, working only 20 hours a week and neglecting their students and the need for continuous growth and relevance,” Selayoa Lovett said.

Joseph Cohn, director of policy with the conservative Heterodox Academy, said the 2024 Legislature in Kansas took a positive step toward protecting academic freedom by enacting a law aimed at weakening diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Last year’s House Bill 2105, he said, prohibited public universities from using political litmus tests in faculty hiring and promotion decisions.

“But enactment of HB 2348 would be a tremendous step backward,” Cohn said. “HB 2348 would end tenure at Kansas’ public institutions of higher education both prospectively and retroactively. Ending tenure — especially in legislation that offers no alternative protections for academic freedom — would compromise the health of Kansas’ public colleges and universities because it would leave faculty without key protections that allow for open inquiry to thrive.”

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/11/kansas-university-leaders-condemn-bill-abolishing-property-rights-of-faculty-tenure/">Other opponents of the bill</a>&nbsp;took Cohn’s argument a step further.

Lori Kniffin, an assistant professor up for tenure at Fort Hays State, said academic freedom in the education system and wider freedoms espoused in a democracy were at stake. She earned a doctorate at University of North Carolina at Greensboro after receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Kansas State. She works in the School of Criminal Justice, Leadership and Sociology at FHSU.

“I have provided outstanding teaching, research and service through FHSU for the last five years,” Kniffin said. “The tenure process is developmental and rigorous. Tenure is earned, not given.”

Daniel Hoyt, a Kansas State professor and president of the Kansas state chapter of AAUP, said the KSU faculty handbook defined the purpose of awarding tenure as the quest to hire faculty of the highest caliber and to deliver full academic freedom in pursuit of ideas or inquiries without fear of retribution.

“HB 2348 eviscerates the faculty’s freedom to do their work without censorship,” Hoyt said. “We need more support and funding, not political attacks on faculty.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740495916145.jpeg" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly said she was skeptical the House and Senate would approve during the 2025 legislative session a bill that retroactively undermined property rights for thousands of tenured faculty at public universities, community colleges and technical colleges across Kansas. Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly said she was skeptical the House and Senate would approve during the 2025 legislative session a bill that retroactively undermined property rights for thousands of tenured faculty at public universities, community colleges and technical colleges across Kansas. Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a> TOPEKA — Thirty-five opponents and three advocates waded into the Kansas House’s debate on legislation striking the principle that tenure awarded at Kansas public universities and colleges carried with it an employment property interest.The bill drafted by an Emporia State University attorney, who is a defendant in an ongoing ESU labor dispute and recently renounced his tenure, was the subject of a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee attracting state and national attention. A dozen faculty from Fort Hays State University have objected to the legislation, while a half-dozen from University of Kansas and Washburn University shared displeasure. There was criticism from Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University and Baker University.The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/10/kansas-house-bill-strives-to-strip-property-interest-from-definition-of-university-college-tenure/">bottom line among opponents</a>&nbsp;was that the bill’s broad language would fracture a fundamental safeguard of academic freedom.“When faculty members can lose their positions because of their speech, publications or research findings, they cannot properly fulfill their core responsibilities to advance and transmit knowledge,” said Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors in Washington, D.C. “The common good is not served when business, political or other entities can threaten the livelihood of researchers and instructors and thereby suppress the results of their work or modify their judgments.”House Bill 2348 hasn’t advanced beyond the Feb. 11 hearing at the Kansas Capitol, despite maneuvering by House Republicans to bounce it to another committee before returning it to House judiciary.Gov. Laura Kelly, who holds a master’s degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, said she was convinced the tenure bill lacked traction in the Legislature. She predicted it wouldn’t pass the House and Senate in the 2025 session.“I’d be very surprised if it gets to my desk,” Kelly said in an interview.<h2>Team Lovett</h2>ESU attorney Steven Lovett, the university’s general counsel since 2023, developed the tenure bill through some sort of rogue, covert operation leading to its introduction by Rep. Steven Howe, R-Salina. Lovett is a defendant in ESU’s legal battle with former university employees that has been winding through state and federal court. In 2022, ESU fired 30 tenured or tenure-track faculty. A portion of those individuals filed a lawsuit to challenge their ouster.ESU officials said Lovett worked on the tenure reform legislation as a “private citizen” rather than in his capacity as a top university attorney. The CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents, the state’s higher education governing board, said Lovett appeared to have violated policy by directing a bill to the Legislature without consent of the state Board of Regents.The office of Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/fisc_note_hb2348_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">Attorney General Kris Kobach anticipated possible legal challenges</a>&nbsp;if the bill became law, and indicated legal costs could be $250,000.During the House committee hearing on the bill, Lovett outlined reasons the property interest inherent in tenure had to be repealed for thousands working at six state universities, 19 community colleges, six technical colleges and Washburn University.His initiative was lauded by Christine Curley, who worked at Wichita State University and Southwestern College in Winfield. In testimony, she said faculty tenure hid administrative incompetence and unethical behavior. Tenure reflected “a systematic failure in leadership and accountability within higher education institutions,” she said.The other proponent was Selayoa Lovett, who holds a master’s degree from ESU and is spouse of the bill’s designer — ESU’s Steven Lovett.Selayoa Lovett’s testimony asserted Kansas law made it nearly impossible to dismiss underperforming tenured faculty, including professors at ESU.“Faculty with a sense of entitlement often exhibit attitudes of superiority, dismissing others as less qualified simply because they lack tenure,” Selayoa Lovett said. “In my current position in the private sector, I frequently go above and beyond my job description to contribute to the success of my company. Why should faculty members not be held to the same standards?”She said “around 30% of faculty fail to contribute at a meaningful level, relying on tenure as a shield from accountability.”“The unfortunate reality is that many tenured professors choose to do the bare minimum, working only 20 hours a week and neglecting their students and the need for continuous growth and relevance,” Selayoa Lovett said.<h2>Step backward</h2>Joseph Cohn, director of policy with the conservative Heterodox Academy, said the 2024 Legislature in Kansas took a positive step toward protecting academic freedom by enacting a law aimed at weakening diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Last year’s House Bill 2105, he said, prohibited public universities from using political litmus tests in faculty hiring and promotion decisions.“But enactment of HB 2348 would be a tremendous step backward,” Cohn said. “HB 2348 would end tenure at Kansas’ public institutions of higher education both prospectively and retroactively. Ending tenure — especially in legislation that offers no alternative protections for academic freedom — would compromise the health of Kansas’ public colleges and universities because it would leave faculty without key protections that allow for open inquiry to thrive.”<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/11/kansas-university-leaders-condemn-bill-abolishing-property-rights-of-faculty-tenure/">Other opponents of the bill</a>&nbsp;took Cohn’s argument a step further.Lori Kniffin, an assistant professor up for tenure at Fort Hays State, said academic freedom in the education system and wider freedoms espoused in a democracy were at stake. She earned a doctorate at University of North Carolina at Greensboro after receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Kansas State. She works in the School of Criminal Justice, Leadership and Sociology at FHSU.“I have provided outstanding teaching, research and service through FHSU for the last five years,” Kniffin said. “The tenure process is developmental and rigorous. Tenure is earned, not given.”Daniel Hoyt, a Kansas State professor and president of the Kansas state chapter of AAUP, said the KSU faculty handbook defined the purpose of awarding tenure as the quest to hire faculty of the highest caliber and to deliver full academic freedom in pursuit of ideas or inquiries without fear of retribution.“HB 2348 eviscerates the faculty’s freedom to do their work without censorship,” Hoyt said. “We need more support and funding, not political attacks on faculty.”

Gov. Kelly skeptical Kansas House’s anti-tenure legislation will reach her desk

This legislative session, Kansas legislators are considering whether to restrict what low-income households can buy with their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Specifically, Senate Bill 79 requests authorization from the federal government to prohibit the use of those funds to buy candy and soda.

Even if the bill passes, the federal government will still have the final say on granting a waiver. However, this issue represents a broader debate in U.S. politics about the proper purpose and scope of government involvement in our day-to-day lives.

In other words, is this something that the Kansas Legislature should do, or is the government meddling too much in people's private decisions?

Proponents of these restrictions contend that excluding sugar-filled beverages and snacks aligns with the SNAP program's initial objective of assisting low-income families in purchasing nutritious food. They argue that limiting unhealthy purchases would help ensure those taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

They also suggest that these restrictions could even lead to lower healthcare costs down the line.

In contrast, critics argue that this kind of policy unfairly targets low-income people. Restricting their purchases implies they can’t or shouldn’t make their own food choices. SNAP recipients already face the stigma of using government assistance. Under these rules, they might face even more frustration when they face growing restrictions on what they can and cannot buy.

Furthermore, there isn’t universal consensus on what counts as “unhealthy.” Many processed foods have sugar in them, but they’re also a staple for families who don’t have easy access to fresh produce.

Enforcing these rules would also be complicated and not just for government agencies. Stores would have to keep track of which products are allowed, and benefit recipients would need to be informed of this change, which could cause confusion at the checkout.

The question is whether the potential health benefits are worth the extra hassle.

This is not the first time a state has tried to restrict SNAP purchases. However, past efforts to impose SNAP purchasing limits have been stopped by strong lobbying efforts from the beverage

and food retail sectors, bureaucratic resistance within the USDA and congressional agricultural committees, and hesitance from those who prioritize the program’s role in supporting low-income households without added burden or stigma.

It is also important to note that research on whether these types of disincentives actually change purchase and consumption behavior show mixed results.

However, there’s a growing push for policies that limit government aid and what people can do with it. In fact, some wonder if policies like this will see new life under Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s call to “Make America Healthy Again.”

Kansas lawmakers face a choice. While encouraging healthier eating and making better use of public funds sounds good in theory, the practical and ethical issues can’t be ignored. In the end, Kansas must ask: Will restricting SNAP purchases help, or is it just more government interference?

Brianne Heidbreder, PhD is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University.

By Brianne HeidbrederThis legislative session, Kansas legislators are considering whether to restrict what low-income households can buy with their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Specifically, Senate Bill 79 requests authorization from the federal government to prohibit the use of those funds to buy candy and soda.Even if the bill passes, the federal government will still have the final say on granting a waiver. However, this issue represents a broader debate in U.S. politics about the proper purpose and scope of government involvement in our day-to-day lives.In other words, is this something that the Kansas Legislature should do, or is the government meddling too much in people's private decisions?Proponents of these restrictions contend that excluding sugar-filled beverages and snacks aligns with the SNAP program's initial objective of assisting low-income families in purchasing nutritious food. They argue that limiting unhealthy purchases would help ensure those taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.They also suggest that these restrictions could even lead to lower healthcare costs down the line.In contrast, critics argue that this kind of policy unfairly targets low-income people. Restricting their purchases implies they can’t or shouldn’t make their own food choices. SNAP recipients already face the stigma of using government assistance. Under these rules, they might face even more frustration when they face growing restrictions on what they can and cannot buy.Furthermore, there isn’t universal consensus on what counts as “unhealthy.” Many processed foods have sugar in them, but they’re also a staple for families who don’t have easy access to fresh produce.Enforcing these rules would also be complicated and not just for government agencies. Stores would have to keep track of which products are allowed, and benefit recipients would need to be informed of this change, which could cause confusion at the checkout.The question is whether the potential health benefits are worth the extra hassle.This is not the first time a state has tried to restrict SNAP purchases. However, past efforts to impose SNAP purchasing limits have been stopped by strong lobbying efforts from the beverageand food retail sectors, bureaucratic resistance within the USDA and congressional agricultural committees, and hesitance from those who prioritize the program’s role in supporting low-income households without added burden or stigma.It is also important to note that research on whether these types of disincentives actually change purchase and consumption behavior show mixed results.However, there’s a growing push for policies that limit government aid and what people can do with it. In fact, some wonder if policies like this will see new life under Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s call to “Make America Healthy Again.”Kansas lawmakers face a choice. While encouraging healthier eating and making better use of public funds sounds good in theory, the practical and ethical issues can’t be ignored. In the end, Kansas must ask: Will restricting SNAP purchases help, or is it just more government interference?Brianne Heidbreder, PhD is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University.

Should Kansas Restrict SNAP Purchases of Soda and Candy?

&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland encourages jobseekers and employers interested in Manufacturing, Aviation and Aerospace to take advantage of March’s Virtual Job Fair, hosted by&nbsp;KANSASWORKS, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 5.

“Kansans are builders and doers, and nothing demonstrates this more than our strong and robust manufacturing industry across the state,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Kansas’ outstanding manufacturing and aerospace employers are looking for skilled talent to join their ranks across every region of our state — don’t miss this opportunity to connect and explore the high-growth professions here in Kansas.”

The virtual job fair allows for anyone searching for a new position to fill out applications, chat live and interview virtually with participating employers.

The Virtual Job Fair portal features helpful information such as a jobseeker training video, a list of participating employers and channels for attendees to register and log in. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as employers may request to engage in a video interview.

Candidates can participate through any digital device. Any individual with a disability may request accommodation by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581613096219.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland encourages jobseekers and employers interested in Manufacturing, Aviation and Aerospace to take advantage of March’s Virtual Job Fair, hosted by&nbsp;KANSASWORKS, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 5.“Kansans are builders and doers, and nothing demonstrates this more than our strong and robust manufacturing industry across the state,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Kansas’ outstanding manufacturing and aerospace employers are looking for skilled talent to join their ranks across every region of our state — don’t miss this opportunity to connect and explore the high-growth professions here in Kansas.”The virtual job fair allows for anyone searching for a new position to fill out applications, chat live and interview virtually with participating employers.The Virtual Job Fair portal features helpful information such as a jobseeker training video, a list of participating employers and channels for attendees to register and log in. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as employers may request to engage in a video interview.Candidates can participate through any digital device. Any individual with a disability may request accommodation by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.

KANSASWORKS Hosts Manufacturing and Aerospace Job Fair March 1 

Today, the Social Security Administration announced it is immediately beginning to pay retroactive benefits and will increase monthly benefit payments to people whose benefits have been affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions reduced or eliminated the Social Security benefits for over 3.2 million people who receive a pension based on work that was not covered by Social Security (a "non-covered pension") because they did not pay Social Security taxes. The Social Security Fairness Act ends WEP and GPO.

“Social Security’s aggressive schedule to start issuing retroactive payments in February and increase monthly benefit payments beginning in April supports President Trump’s priority to implement the Social Security Fairness Act as quickly as possible,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “The agency’s original estimate of taking a year or more now will only apply to complex cases that cannot be processed by automation. The American people deserve to get their due benefits as quickly as possible.”

People who will benefit from the new law include some teachers, firefighters, and police officers in many states; federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System; and people whose work had been covered by a foreign social security system.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634133091707.png" alt="Social Security" />
 <figcaption>Social Security</figcaption>
 </figure>SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATIONToday, the Social Security Administration announced it is immediately beginning to pay retroactive benefits and will increase monthly benefit payments to people whose benefits have been affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions reduced or eliminated the Social Security benefits for over 3.2 million people who receive a pension based on work that was not covered by Social Security (a "non-covered pension") because they did not pay Social Security taxes. The Social Security Fairness Act ends WEP and GPO.“Social Security’s aggressive schedule to start issuing retroactive payments in February and increase monthly benefit payments beginning in April supports President Trump’s priority to implement the Social Security Fairness Act as quickly as possible,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “The agency’s original estimate of taking a year or more now will only apply to complex cases that cannot be processed by automation. The American people deserve to get their due benefits as quickly as possible.”People who will benefit from the new law include some teachers, firefighters, and police officers in many states; federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System; and people whose work had been covered by a foreign social security system.Many beneficiaries will be due a retroactive payment because the WEP and GPO offset no longer apply as of January 2024. Most people will receive their one-time retroactive payment by the end of March, which will be deposited into their bank account on record with Social Security.Many of these people will also receive higher monthly benefits, which will first be reflected in the benefit payment they receive in April. Depending on factors such as the type of Social Security benefit received and the amount of the person's pension, the change in payment amount will vary from person to person.Anyone whose monthly benefit is adjusted, or who will get a retroactive payment, will receive a mailed notice from Social Security explaining the benefit change or retroactive payment. Most people will receive their retroactive payment two to three weeks before they receive their notice in the mail, because the President understands how important it is to pay people what they are due right away. Social Security is expediting payments using automation and will continue to handle many complex cases that must be done manually, on an individual case-by-case basis. Those complex cases will take additional time to update the beneficiary record and pay the correct benefits.Social Security urges beneficiaries to wait until April to ask about the status of their retroactive payment, since these payments will process incrementally into March. Since the new monthly payment amount will begin with the April payment, beneficiaries should wait until after receiving their April payment, before contacting Social Security with questions about their monthly benefit amount.