Fort Hays State University has been awarded a $74,446 CIVIC Innovation Planning Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). 

The grant, titled “<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0TBLz8pdrhQKavqD9iv7cmvL8t2dzRrt-2FuL0-2FFwxowtXvi-2FbW6tJjYvsTk-2B2iASWoOqPkMBxh5VzbDrQ8XIHZV8gdKdWtMSgWNGS9heaqdEsjMKI_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOZRwRk5tcunCivpCVDIipVGkxFrFGct-2FhcQSmvPyLycNnN-2FuOCkOCOJmN8gv5ODZ7D435ftXFRy76ssBB6CkKPD-2BlgYfGRkb-2BSDHLmxutYofTyOmgw2HSzTJh1mb3R9xQCmg0aY4lpk6n1pZk4eEz1KExOfWwjkBQ0Xiww1G9inZtfzfYEIqgeyMd36O8uY9vj1zTrfvntsHRB1hGg9cklNOERpIP3mfh2MDBVSigZIlwgDMfWTnfdLyjdb4TILTp" target="_blank">Advancing Health Equity in Western Kansas Rural Communities Affected by Gender-Based Violence: A Survivor-Centered Advocacy Approach,”</a>&nbsp;will fund a six-month research development project beginning October 2024. This project is a critical first step in preparing for a subsequent one-year implementation grant to address service gaps for underrepresented communities.

The interdisciplinary project team includes key faculty members Ziwei Qi from Criminal Justice, Rachel Dolechek from Applied Business Studies, Naishuo Sun from Social Work, and experts from the Docking Institute. 

They will collaborate with Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (Hays and Colby) to drive the project’s initial planning phase. During this stage, the team aims to expand partnerships with additional on-campus programs, academic departments, educational institutions, and community and public health organizations.

The primary objective of the project is to enhance health equity for survivors of gender-based violence in rural western Kansas. 

The team plans to develop initiatives to create an equitable and healthy community for survivors by addressing the adaptive challenges and systemic barriers posed by resource scarcity. 

This effort will involve connecting community organizations and volunteers and preparing community leaders to bridge existing service gaps while fostering a survivor-centered advocacy approach. 

The initiatives will help community members better strategize resources, introducing new approaches to address individual needs, such as emergency housing, and systemic challenges, such as building a trauma-informed and supportive community to facilitate healing and recovery.

The project team has identified service gaps in rural communities, particularly in lack of transportation, affordable services, and care, which are crucial for the healing and recovery of victims of sexual violence.

“It’s important to note that in rural Western Kansas, there are many community members, organizations, and criminal legal sectors providing essential services to those in need,” Qi said. “Some of these services effectively address individuals’ immediate needs. However, we must also focus on long-term sustainable ways of supporting victims by addressing structural and systemic challenges.”

“I’d like us to explore how we, as a community, can tackle adaptive challenges by building stronger, connected communities.”

The NSF has recognized the importance of this work by publishing a public-facing summary of the project, which is available upon request.

To request a copy of the NSF summary, please contact Sara Kiesler,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:skiesler@nsf.gov">skiesler@nsf.gov</a>.

For more information or to request to collaborate, please contact Ziwei Qi at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:z_qi5@fhsu.edu">z_qi5@fhsu.edu</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724268776863.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsFort Hays State University has been awarded a $74,446 CIVIC Innovation Planning Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant, titled “<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0TBLz8pdrhQKavqD9iv7cmvL8t2dzRrt-2FuL0-2FFwxowtXvi-2FbW6tJjYvsTk-2B2iASWoOqPkMBxh5VzbDrQ8XIHZV8gdKdWtMSgWNGS9heaqdEsjMKI_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOZRwRk5tcunCivpCVDIipVGkxFrFGct-2FhcQSmvPyLycNnN-2FuOCkOCOJmN8gv5ODZ7D435ftXFRy76ssBB6CkKPD-2BlgYfGRkb-2BSDHLmxutYofTyOmgw2HSzTJh1mb3R9xQCmg0aY4lpk6n1pZk4eEz1KExOfWwjkBQ0Xiww1G9inZtfzfYEIqgeyMd36O8uY9vj1zTrfvntsHRB1hGg9cklNOERpIP3mfh2MDBVSigZIlwgDMfWTnfdLyjdb4TILTp" target="_blank">Advancing Health Equity in Western Kansas Rural Communities Affected by Gender-Based Violence: A Survivor-Centered Advocacy Approach,”</a>&nbsp;will fund a six-month research development project beginning October 2024. This project is a critical first step in preparing for a subsequent one-year implementation grant to address service gaps for underrepresented communities.The interdisciplinary project team includes key faculty members Ziwei Qi from Criminal Justice, Rachel Dolechek from Applied Business Studies, Naishuo Sun from Social Work, and experts from the Docking Institute. They will collaborate with Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (Hays and Colby) to drive the project’s initial planning phase. During this stage, the team aims to expand partnerships with additional on-campus programs, academic departments, educational institutions, and community and public health organizations.The primary objective of the project is to enhance health equity for survivors of gender-based violence in rural western Kansas. The team plans to develop initiatives to create an equitable and healthy community for survivors by addressing the adaptive challenges and systemic barriers posed by resource scarcity. This effort will involve connecting community organizations and volunteers and preparing community leaders to bridge existing service gaps while fostering a survivor-centered advocacy approach. The initiatives will help community members better strategize resources, introducing new approaches to address individual needs, such as emergency housing, and systemic challenges, such as building a trauma-informed and supportive community to facilitate healing and recovery.The project team has identified service gaps in rural communities, particularly in lack of transportation, affordable services, and care, which are crucial for the healing and recovery of victims of sexual violence.“It’s important to note that in rural Western Kansas, there are many community members, organizations, and criminal legal sectors providing essential services to those in need,” Qi said. “Some of these services effectively address individuals’ immediate needs. However, we must also focus on long-term sustainable ways of supporting victims by addressing structural and systemic challenges.”“I’d like us to explore how we, as a community, can tackle adaptive challenges by building stronger, connected communities.”The NSF has recognized the importance of this work by publishing a public-facing summary of the project, which is available upon request.To request a copy of the NSF summary, please contact Sara Kiesler,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:skiesler@nsf.gov">skiesler@nsf.gov</a>.For more information or to request to collaborate, please contact Ziwei Qi at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:z_qi5@fhsu.edu">z_qi5@fhsu.edu</a>.

FHSU awarded grant for health equity of gender-based violence survivors in W Kansas

RAWLINS COUNTY —A northwest Kansas man died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Thursday in Rawlins County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Ford passenger car driven by Mitchell C. Howard, 20, Atwood, was eastbound on Atwood Cemetery Road just west of Kansas 25 highway.

The car left the roadway to the right and struck a concrete bridge pillar. After impact the car spun 90 degrees counter clockwise and came to rest in the ditch facing north.

Howard was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Baalmann Mortuary. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

RAWLINS COUNTY —A northwest Kansas man died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Thursday in Rawlins County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Ford passenger car driven by Mitchell C. Howard, 20, Atwood, was eastbound on Atwood Cemetery Road just west of Kansas 25 highway.The car left the roadway to the right and struck a concrete bridge pillar. After impact the car spun 90 degrees counter clockwise and came to rest in the ditch facing north.Howard was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Baalmann Mortuary. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

NW Kansas man dead after car strikes concrete bridge pillar

Ellis County&nbsp;Environmental Department

The Ellis County Environmental Department has recently been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Local Environmental Protection Program. 

This grant will cover 85% of onsite wastewater system repair/replacement cost for households with income between 134% and 200% of the 2023 federal poverty level. This grant will also cover 100% of onsite wastewater system repair/replacement for households with income of 133% or less of 2023 federal poverty levels. 

This program will cover repair or replacement costs for failing wastewater systems owned and operated by low-income households within Ellis County, Kansas. 

Replacement of these failing systems will protect surface and groundwater resources that low-income communities rely on for safe drinking water. 

This LEPP grant will be utilized for the repair/replacement of failing onsite wastewater systems. 

The grant will help accomplish long term goals established in Bulletin 4-2:&nbsp;Minimum Standards for Design and Construction of Onsite Wastewater Systems, including:

• Ensuring the quality of surface and groundwater is protected for drinking water, recreation, aquatic life support, irrigation, and industrial uses. • Ensure a breeding place or habitat will not be created for insects, rodents, and other vectors that may later contact food, people, pets, or drinking water.

• Prevent wastewater from being exposed on the ground surface where it can be contacted by children and/or pets, creating a significant health hazard. • State and federal laws and local regulations governing water pollution or wastewater disposal will be met. • Nuisance conditions or obnoxious odors and unsightliness will be avoided.

The Ellis County Environmental Department will be the sponsoring organization. 

If you or someone you know possibly meet the criteria above, please contact the Environmental Department for an application and to discuss requirements. 

The funds will be distributed on a first-come first-served basis. The funds will carry over into future years and depending on need, may be replenished yearly with the grant application process. 

The Ellis County Environmental Department can be reached at 785.628.9449 or by emailing environmental@ellisco.net.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579287163220.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis County&nbsp;Environmental DepartmentThe Ellis County Environmental Department has recently been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Local Environmental Protection Program. This grant will cover 85% of onsite wastewater system repair/replacement cost for households with income between 134% and 200% of the 2023 federal poverty level. This grant will also cover 100% of onsite wastewater system repair/replacement for households with income of 133% or less of 2023 federal poverty levels. This program will cover repair or replacement costs for failing wastewater systems owned and operated by low-income households within Ellis County, Kansas. Replacement of these failing systems will protect surface and groundwater resources that low-income communities rely on for safe drinking water. This LEPP grant will be utilized for the repair/replacement of failing onsite wastewater systems. The grant will help accomplish long term goals established in Bulletin 4-2:&nbsp;Minimum Standards for Design and Construction of Onsite Wastewater Systems, including:• Ensuring the quality of surface and groundwater is protected for drinking water, recreation, aquatic life support, irrigation, and industrial uses. • Ensure a breeding place or habitat will not be created for insects, rodents, and other vectors that may later contact food, people, pets, or drinking water. • Prevent wastewater from being exposed on the ground surface where it can be contacted by children and/or pets, creating a significant health hazard. • State and federal laws and local regulations governing water pollution or wastewater disposal will be met. • Nuisance conditions or obnoxious odors and unsightliness will be avoided. The Ellis County Environmental Department will be the sponsoring organization. If you or someone you know possibly meet the criteria above, please contact the Environmental Department for an application and to discuss requirements. The funds will be distributed on a first-come first-served basis. The funds will carry over into future years and depending on need, may be replenished yearly with the grant application process. The Ellis County Environmental Department can be reached at 785.628.9449 or by emailing environmental@ellisco.net.&nbsp;

Grants available for repair/replacement of Ellis County onsite wastewater systems

By <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/08/12/kansas-foster-child-drank-too-much-foster-care-didnt-help/?utm_source=WICHITA+BEACON+EMAIL+SIGNUPS&amp;utm_campaign=d1b25961c2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_01_08_02_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-f286a863ba-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D">BLAISE MESA</a> The Beacon

A high school junior based in Salina regularly came home at night drunk.

Sometimes he passed out in the front yard of his mother’s home. Other times, he’d sleep off a night of heavy drinking in the passenger’s seat of a car.

The teen’s mother didn’t know what to do. She’d lost the boy’s father, a drinker, to liver failure. The boy didn’t see much of a problem. After all, lots of high schoolers drink.&nbsp;

The minor, who isn’t being named to protect his privacy, was in therapy — something his mother initiated.&nbsp;

But then she got a call from police that he’d been busted for underage drinking. She didn’t come pick him up.

Under Kansas law, the teenager couldn’t be forced into a drug treatment program when he was living with his mother. But if he was a ward of the state, a foster kid, he could. She hoped a short stint in foster care would get him sober. She struggled to find resources in the community and hoped this desperate effort would turn the child’s life around.

But foster care is the wrong place, experts say — so the child’s life got turned upside down.&nbsp;

This story is common. On average, 10 children a month in Kansas get left at police stations or community treatment programs because their overwhelmed parents refuse to pick them up. These parents are told to pick up the kids, but they can’t handle the stress and don’t have the resources to help these children. So the parents leave them behind.

Those children who are left by their parents aren’t technically foster kids. At least not automatically. Once left behind, it’s the job of the Kansas Department for Children and Families to find them the help and stable housing they need.&nbsp;

But their numbers, some 120 cases a year, is equal 4% of the state’s foster population. That’s on par with the number of kids who land in foster care because of a parent’s drug abuse or because of sexual abuse. It exceeds the cases stemming from a parent going to jail, caregivers hooked on meth or domestic violence.

The Beacon isn’t using the full names of anyone involved in the case to protect participants’ identities. But we talked to the child, who’s 16 now and living in a group foster home. We spoke to his mother, to an aunt who had custody for a time and to an attorney representing the child’s interests in custody matters. And we looked at court records.

The boy first entered state custody in October 2023. That’s when he was booked for underage drinking when he was&nbsp; found in the passenger seat of the car.&nbsp;

The mother didn’t come pick the child up that night.&nbsp;

St. Francis Ministries, the foster care agency running his case, didn’t find an opening with a foster family at first. So the boy spent the first few weeks at a group home in Andover, Kansas.&nbsp;

That’s when the child’s aunt stepped in and the boy went to live with her in November 2023.&nbsp;

The first few months were rocky. At one point, the boy sent a letter to the judge overseeing his case complaining about his situation.&nbsp;

“I have been borrowing and using other people’s stuff since I don’t have anything of my own,” the boy said in the letter. “I could be a normal teenager if I had some of my belongings.”

The child was short on clothes. He needed a winter coat. He wanted to apply for a job and needed his Social Security card. Eventually, he got those and other crucial items. He wanted the family dog to come with him, but that didn’t happen.&nbsp;

His aunt provided his home from November through April 2024. She had raised three boys of her own and had a spare room for a teenager. She assumed her experience raising children would make life as a foster care placement easy, but it didn’t.&nbsp;

The teenager had a lot of appointments — random drug tests, therapy appointments and other visits required by the foster care system.&nbsp;

His aunt felt like she was in a no-win situation. She missed so much work because of all the random appointments that she found herself in danger of losing her job. Still, she failed to get him to so many appointments that she got at odds with caseworkers.&nbsp;

“I’ve been a working mom of three kids for a whole lot of years,” she said. “I thought it was something I could handle and knew how to do. I was completely unprepared for the amount of time that all of those things were going to require.”&nbsp;

The aunt asked St. Francis for help with transportation to appointments. She said the private nonprofit foster agency offered options to make transportation easier. But days later, the agency decided to move him out of her home.&nbsp;

St. Francis has systems to help families make those appointments and assists families regularly.

“We remain committed to continuous improvement and delivering quality care and services,” an agency spokesperson said in an email. “Our primary focus is always on the well-being and safety of the children and families we serve.”

Failed drug tests weren’t the boy’s only issue. His mother and aunt disagreed on what medications he should take.

A court ordered the teenager to counseling and various doctor’s appointments. Those doctors prescribed medication that the aunt gave him. That upset the child’s mother, who didn’t want him taking the medications.

Parents in such cases retain a right to determine what medicines their kid takes. That meant the aunt was told one thing by the boy’s mother while a court order sent him to therapy and a therapist put him on medication.&nbsp;

This back-and-forth eventually led to a safety plan, a written plan that said to follow the mother’s wishes on things like taking him off the medication.&nbsp;

The aunt accused St. Francis of failing her and refused to sign the safety plan without a commitment of more help. St. Francis contends it was helpful and needed the aunt to promise to get him to more appointments. The mother was mad at her sister for how she was taking care of the child in general.&nbsp;

Eventually, the case managers sent the child to a new home. That upset him and he ran away. The child was found and put into a new placement — a group home in Bel Aire, Kansas.&nbsp;

The child has missed around 40% of school since the arrest that led to him leaving his mother’s home. Regular tests for substance abuse have gone well, but he’s hours away from his friends.

The relationships between the boy and his mother, with his aunt and between those two sisters grew increasingly tense. As caseworkers tried to build a plan that might eventually put him back in his mother’s home, the lawyer in this case secured a court order blocking contact with his aunt.&nbsp;

The aunt said the system has failed. If the boy had gotten help in Salina for his drinking, she contends, his chaotic path through the foster system could have been avoided. Instead, he’s living in a group home and she hasn’t had so much as a phone call with him for months.

“They took him out of a very healthy family situation where there were obvious indicators that he was being successful, and put him in a terrible situation where his options at a future are incredibly limited,” she said.

The teenager has since been moved to live with his grandparents.&nbsp;

Foster care lacks additional resources&nbsp;

The Salina case started because a mother thought foster care could get her help she couldn’t find elsewhere. Matt Stephens, vice president of foster care at St. Francis Ministries, said he’s heard that a lot.&nbsp;

“Every time I hear it,” he said, “I make sure to try to educate people that that’s just not a reality of the situation.”

DCF and the private nonprofit agencies it works with couldn’t run the foster care system without help from community counseling centers and other social service organizations that couldn’t help that mother in Salina.

Foster agencies offer some of those services, but mostly for kids in the system. The state offers some services, counseling and the like, aimed at keeping them in their families’ homes. Those services are just in short supply.

For example, the Salina teenager got counseling 160 miles from home, through the Johnson County Mental Health Center.&nbsp;

Kristalle Hedrick, vice president of FosterAdopt Connect, said foster care doesn’t have enough money to deal with everything that’s thrown at it.&nbsp;

Years ago, the Kansas Legislature passed a law that made it much harder to put minors in jail. Lawmakers reasoned that correctional facilities can’t provide the therapeutic services minors needed. But the Legislature didn’t invest enough additional funds into community support.&nbsp;

Hedrick said she’s heard stories from caseworkers who call the state corrections department looking for resources to help high-needs kids and get turned away. Caseworkers hear:&nbsp;They’re foster care kids. They’re not our responsibility.

“It’s sort of a hot-potato kind of issue,” she said.&nbsp;

The state has made gains. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-31/kansas-might-tighten-criminal-penalties-for-kids-after-loosening-them-six-years-ago">passed a law last year</a>&nbsp;compelling the prison system to work more closely with foster agencies to address underlying problems children in the foster care system face.

State lawmakers are considering spending more on therapy and other services to&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/03/07/kansas-lawmakers-proposing-million-cut-down-medical-waitlist/">whittle down waitlists that can stretch on for years</a>.

Laura Howard, secretary for the Department for Children and Families, said her agency has expanded services aimed at preventing kids from falling into foster care, added crisis hotlines and tapped into some federal programs.

For instance, she said a child behavioral intervention program brings therapists to the homes of children to work on behavioral and emotional management.

That program is also now a Medicaid service, which means families don’t need to enter foster care to get it.&nbsp;

“We have filled a lot of gaps in the system. We have more to fill. I mean, we’re not there yet,” she said. “(But) I’m definitely more optimistic today.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724172288047.png" alt="The child's aunt looks through the teen's room after he left her home. Photo by Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon" />
 <figcaption>The child's aunt looks through the teen's room after he left her home. Photo by Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon</figcaption>
 </figure>By <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/08/12/kansas-foster-child-drank-too-much-foster-care-didnt-help/?utm_source=WICHITA+BEACON+EMAIL+SIGNUPS&amp;utm_campaign=d1b25961c2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_01_08_02_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-f286a863ba-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D">BLAISE MESA</a> The BeaconA high school junior based in Salina regularly came home at night drunk.Sometimes he passed out in the front yard of his mother’s home. Other times, he’d sleep off a night of heavy drinking in the passenger’s seat of a car.The teen’s mother didn’t know what to do. She’d lost the boy’s father, a drinker, to liver failure. The boy didn’t see much of a problem. After all, lots of high schoolers drink.&nbsp;The minor, who isn’t being named to protect his privacy, was in therapy — something his mother initiated.&nbsp;But then she got a call from police that he’d been busted for underage drinking. She didn’t come pick him up.Under Kansas law, the teenager couldn’t be forced into a drug treatment program when he was living with his mother. But if he was a ward of the state, a foster kid, he could. She hoped a short stint in foster care would get him sober. She struggled to find resources in the community and hoped this desperate effort would turn the child’s life around.But foster care is the wrong place, experts say — so the child’s life got turned upside down.&nbsp;This story is common. On average, 10 children a month in Kansas get left at police stations or community treatment programs because their overwhelmed parents refuse to pick them up. These parents are told to pick up the kids, but they can’t handle the stress and don’t have the resources to help these children. So the parents leave them behind.Those children who are left by their parents aren’t technically foster kids. At least not automatically. Once left behind, it’s the job of the Kansas Department for Children and Families to find them the help and stable housing they need.&nbsp;But their numbers, some 120 cases a year, is equal 4% of the state’s foster population. That’s on par with the number of kids who land in foster care because of a parent’s drug abuse or because of sexual abuse. It exceeds the cases stemming from a parent going to jail, caregivers hooked on meth or domestic violence.<h2>Details about the case</h2>The Beacon isn’t using the full names of anyone involved in the case to protect participants’ identities. But we talked to the child, who’s 16 now and living in a group foster home. We spoke to his mother, to an aunt who had custody for a time and to an attorney representing the child’s interests in custody matters. And we looked at court records.The boy first entered state custody in October 2023. That’s when he was booked for underage drinking when he was&nbsp; found in the passenger seat of the car.&nbsp;The mother didn’t come pick the child up that night.&nbsp;St. Francis Ministries, the foster care agency running his case, didn’t find an opening with a foster family at first. So the boy spent the first few weeks at a group home in Andover, Kansas.&nbsp;That’s when the child’s aunt stepped in and the boy went to live with her in November 2023.&nbsp;The first few months were rocky. At one point, the boy sent a letter to the judge overseeing his case complaining about his situation.&nbsp;“I have been borrowing and using other people’s stuff since I don’t have anything of my own,” the boy said in the letter. “I could be a normal teenager if I had some of my belongings.”The child was short on clothes. He needed a winter coat. He wanted to apply for a job and needed his Social Security card. Eventually, he got those and other crucial items. He wanted the family dog to come with him, but that didn’t happen.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724172728670.png" alt="The family dog that the teen was missing. Photo by Blaise Mesa/The Beacon" />
 <figcaption>The family dog that the teen was missing. Photo by Blaise Mesa/The Beacon</figcaption>
 </figure>His aunt provided his home from November through April 2024. She had raised three boys of her own and had a spare room for a teenager. She assumed her experience raising children would make life as a foster care placement easy, but it didn’t.&nbsp;The teenager had a lot of appointments — random drug tests, therapy appointments and other visits required by the foster care system.&nbsp;His aunt felt like she was in a no-win situation. She missed so much work because of all the random appointments that she found herself in danger of losing her job. Still, she failed to get him to so many appointments that she got at odds with caseworkers.&nbsp;“I’ve been a working mom of three kids for a whole lot of years,” she said. “I thought it was something I could handle and knew how to do. I was completely unprepared for the amount of time that all of those things were going to require.”&nbsp;The aunt asked St. Francis for help with transportation to appointments. She said the private nonprofit foster agency offered options to make transportation easier. But days later, the agency decided to move him out of her home.&nbsp;St. Francis has systems to help families make those appointments and assists families regularly.“We remain committed to continuous improvement and delivering quality care and services,” an agency spokesperson said in an email. “Our primary focus is always on the well-being and safety of the children and families we serve.”Failed drug tests weren’t the boy’s only issue. His mother and aunt disagreed on what medications he should take.A court ordered the teenager to counseling and various doctor’s appointments. Those doctors prescribed medication that the aunt gave him. That upset the child’s mother, who didn’t want him taking the medications.Parents in such cases retain a right to determine what medicines their kid takes. That meant the aunt was told one thing by the boy’s mother while a court order sent him to therapy and a therapist put him on medication.&nbsp;This back-and-forth eventually led to a safety plan, a written plan that said to follow the mother’s wishes on things like taking him off the medication.&nbsp;The aunt accused St. Francis of failing her and refused to sign the safety plan without a commitment of more help. St. Francis contends it was helpful and needed the aunt to promise to get him to more appointments. The mother was mad at her sister for how she was taking care of the child in general.&nbsp;Eventually, the case managers sent the child to a new home. That upset him and he ran away. The child was found and put into a new placement — a group home in Bel Aire, Kansas.&nbsp;The child has missed around 40% of school since the arrest that led to him leaving his mother’s home. Regular tests for substance abuse have gone well, but he’s hours away from his friends.The relationships between the boy and his mother, with his aunt and between those two sisters grew increasingly tense. As caseworkers tried to build a plan that might eventually put him back in his mother’s home, the lawyer in this case secured a court order blocking contact with his aunt.&nbsp;The aunt said the system has failed. If the boy had gotten help in Salina for his drinking, she contends, his chaotic path through the foster system could have been avoided. Instead, he’s living in a group home and she hasn’t had so much as a phone call with him for months.“They took him out of a very healthy family situation where there were obvious indicators that he was being successful, and put him in a terrible situation where his options at a future are incredibly limited,” she said.The teenager has since been moved to live with his grandparents.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724172613105.png" alt="The child’s room at his biological mothers house. Some clothes were left behind.&nbsp; Photo by Blaise Mesa/The Beacon" />
 <figcaption>The child’s room at his biological mothers house. Some clothes were left behind.&nbsp; Photo by Blaise Mesa/The Beacon</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Foster care lacks additional resources&nbsp;</h2>The Salina case started because a mother thought foster care could get her help she couldn’t find elsewhere. Matt Stephens, vice president of foster care at St. Francis Ministries, said he’s heard that a lot.&nbsp;“Every time I hear it,” he said, “I make sure to try to educate people that that’s just not a reality of the situation.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724172509979.png" alt="A sign outside the Department for Children and Families building. Courtesy the Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A sign outside the Department for Children and Families building. Courtesy the Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>DCF and the private nonprofit agencies it works with couldn’t run the foster care system without help from community counseling centers and other social service organizations that couldn’t help that mother in Salina.Foster agencies offer some of those services, but mostly for kids in the system. The state offers some services, counseling and the like, aimed at keeping them in their families’ homes. Those services are just in short supply.For example, the Salina teenager got counseling 160 miles from home, through the Johnson County Mental Health Center.&nbsp;Kristalle Hedrick, vice president of FosterAdopt Connect, said foster care doesn’t have enough money to deal with everything that’s thrown at it.&nbsp;Years ago, the Kansas Legislature passed a law that made it much harder to put minors in jail. Lawmakers reasoned that correctional facilities can’t provide the therapeutic services minors needed. But the Legislature didn’t invest enough additional funds into community support.&nbsp;Hedrick said she’s heard stories from caseworkers who call the state corrections department looking for resources to help high-needs kids and get turned away. Caseworkers hear:&nbsp;They’re foster care kids. They’re not our responsibility.“It’s sort of a hot-potato kind of issue,” she said.&nbsp;<h2>Some possible fixes&nbsp;</h2>The state has made gains. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-31/kansas-might-tighten-criminal-penalties-for-kids-after-loosening-them-six-years-ago">passed a law last year</a>&nbsp;compelling the prison system to work more closely with foster agencies to address underlying problems children in the foster care system face.State lawmakers are considering spending more on therapy and other services to&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/03/07/kansas-lawmakers-proposing-million-cut-down-medical-waitlist/">whittle down waitlists that can stretch on for years</a>.Laura Howard, secretary for the Department for Children and Families, said her agency has expanded services aimed at preventing kids from falling into foster care, added crisis hotlines and tapped into some federal programs.For instance, she said a child behavioral intervention program brings therapists to the homes of children to work on behavioral and emotional management.That program is also now a Medicaid service, which means families don’t need to enter foster care to get it.&nbsp;“We have filled a lot of gaps in the system. We have more to fill. I mean, we’re not there yet,” she said. “(But) I’m definitely more optimistic today.”

Kansas teen handed over to state to get him sober. Now he’s in foster care

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724364962472.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

PHILLIPS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 10a.m. Thursday in Phillips County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chevy Silverado driven by Andy Manuel&nbsp;Jose-Mota, 21, Wichita, was eastbound on Kansas 9 highway two miles east of Glade.&nbsp; The pickup entered the south ditch. When the driver over corrected, the vehicle crossed the highway and rolled.

EMS transported&nbsp;Jose-Mota to the Phillips County Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

PHILLIPS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 10a.m. Thursday in Phillips County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chevy Silverado driven by Andy Manuel&nbsp;Jose-Mota, 21, Wichita, was eastbound on Kansas 9 highway two miles east of Glade.&nbsp; The pickup entered the south ditch. When the driver over corrected, the vehicle crossed the highway and rolled.EMS transported&nbsp;Jose-Mota to the Phillips County Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. man hospitalized after pickup rollover accident

TOPEKA— Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced 28 appointments to the following state boards, commissions, councils, and advisory group.

Kansas Board of Healing Arts Purpose: To regulate 11 health care professions and ensure these health care professionals meet and maintain certain qualifications to protect the public from incompetent practice, unprofessional conduct, and other proscribed behavior by individuals who have been credentialed to practice in Kansas.

Kansas Advisory Group on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Purpose: To determine, advocate for, and promote the best interests of juveniles in Kansas.

Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission Purpose: To coordinate, assist, and cooperate with the efforts of Kansas state departments, agencies, and public and private organizations to serve the needs of the Latino community, especially in the areas of culture, education, employment, health, housing, welfare, and recreation.

Board of Barbering Purpose: To regulate and license the barbering profession.

State Board of Mortuary Arts Purpose: To ensure that licensees perform their professional services in a manner providing maximum protection of the health, safety, and welfare for the people of Kansas.

Board of Accountancy Purpose: To carry out the laws and administrative regulations governing certified public accountants.&nbsp; The board is also disciplinary and conducts investigations.

KANSASWORKS State Board Purpose: To oversee and coordinate all employment and training programs and activities and provide information to the governor, legislature, public and private agencies, and the public on matters pertaining to employment and training programs, services, and facilities.

Kansas Sentencing Commission Purpose: To develop a sentencing guideline model or grid based on fairness and equity and provide a mechanism for linking justice and corrections policies.

988 Coordinating Council Purpose: To provide guidance to the Secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and gather feedback to make recommendations for hotline centers, local counties, and municipalities regarding the planning and implementation of the 988 hotline.

911 Coordinating Council Purpose: To monitor the delivery of 911 services, develop strategies for future enhancements to the 911 system, and distribute available grant funds to public safety answering points.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594401153901.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Gov. KellyTOPEKA— Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced 28 appointments to the following state boards, commissions, councils, and advisory group.Kansas Board of Healing Arts Purpose: To regulate 11 health care professions and ensure these health care professionals meet and maintain certain qualifications to protect the public from incompetent practice, unprofessional conduct, and other proscribed behavior by individuals who have been credentialed to practice in Kansas.<ul>
 <li>Stephanie Kuhlmann, Wichita</li>
 </ul>Kansas Advisory Group on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Purpose: To determine, advocate for, and promote the best interests of juveniles in Kansas.<ul>
 <li>Oletha Faust-Goudeau, Wichita</li><li>Marquetta Atkins, Wichita (reappointment)</li><li>Chrishayla Adams, Topeka (reappointment)</li><li>Beryl New, Topeka (reappointment)</li><li>Carole Cadue-Blackwood, Lawrence (reappointment)</li><li>Tyler Williams, Wichita, (reappointment)</li><li>Angela McHardie, Tecumseh (reappointment)</li><li>Peggy Pratt, Norton (reappointment)</li><li>Traci Dotson, Lawrence (reappointment)</li><li>Melody Pappan, Winfield (reappointment)</li><li>Bruce Johnson, Concordia (reappointment)</li>
 </ul>Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission Purpose: To coordinate, assist, and cooperate with the efforts of Kansas state departments, agencies, and public and private organizations to serve the needs of the Latino community, especially in the areas of culture, education, employment, health, housing, welfare, and recreation.<ul>
 <li>Derek Ramos, Garden City</li>
 </ul>Board of Barbering Purpose: To regulate and license the barbering profession.<ul>
 <li>Ronnell Jones, Kansas City</li>
 </ul>State Board of Mortuary Arts Purpose: To ensure that licensees perform their professional services in a manner providing maximum protection of the health, safety, and welfare for the people of Kansas.<ul>
 <li>Amy Elliot, Overland Park (reappointment)</li><li>Phillip Ziegler, Dodge City (reappointment)</li><li>Craig Boomhower, Dighton (reappointment)</li><li>Robert Steil, Lawrence (reappointment)</li>
 </ul>Board of Accountancy Purpose: To carry out the laws and administrative regulations governing certified public accountants.&nbsp; The board is also disciplinary and conducts investigations.<ul>
 <li>Steve Herron, Topeka</li><li>Marshal Hull, Augusta</li>
 </ul>KANSASWORKS State Board Purpose: To oversee and coordinate all employment and training programs and activities and provide information to the governor, legislature, public and private agencies, and the public on matters pertaining to employment and training programs, services, and facilities.<ul>
 <li>Page Bachman, Topeka</li>
 </ul>Kansas Sentencing Commission Purpose: To develop a sentencing guideline model or grid based on fairness and equity and provide a mechanism for linking justice and corrections policies.<ul>
 <li>Judge Benjamin Sexton, chairperson</li>
 </ul>988 Coordinating Council Purpose: To provide guidance to the Secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and gather feedback to make recommendations for hotline centers, local counties, and municipalities regarding the planning and implementation of the 988 hotline.<ul>
 <li>Andrew Brown, Topeka (reappointment)</li><li>Monica Kurz, Shawnee (reappointment)</li><li>Matt Fletcher, Topeka</li>
 </ul>911 Coordinating Council Purpose: To monitor the delivery of 911 services, develop strategies for future enhancements to the 911 system, and distribute available grant funds to public safety answering points.<ul>
 <li>Alyssa Boss, Abilene</li><li>Brandon Beck, Emporia (reappointment)</li><li>Krista Amaro, Ford (reappointment)</li>
 </ul>

Area residents reappointed to state boards by Gov. Kelly

By JULIA DEBES Kansas Wheat

Long, long ago in a land far, far away, bread wheat came into existence. Researchers are still unlocking the secrets of the wild relatives of that ancient wheat to improve modern-day varieties - and a collection of seeds housed on Kimball Avenue in Manhattan is key to this work.&nbsp;

Bikram Gill and John Raupp with K-State’s Wheat Genetics Resource Center sat down with Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations, on a recent episode of the “Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast to share wheat’s origin story and how the collection continues to provide valuable genetic resources for modern wheat breeding programs.&nbsp;

To understand this potential, one must go way back to the origin of wheat as a species in the Fertile Crescent - where the crop helped start human civilization more than 10,000 years ago. At that time, wheat did not yet exist. It would take two major evolutionary events that mixed three different grass species to make the first bread wheat genome.&nbsp;

The first stop on this timeline was the merger of two wild ancestors that resulted in the eventual creation of wild emmer wheat (genome formula AB).&nbsp;

“As a species in nature, nature produced bread wheat around half a million years ago,” Gill said. “Two grasses, they happened to have fun. They hybridized - and that produced bread wheat.”&nbsp;

The second stop on the timeline came more than 10,000 years ago when that wild emmer wheat was combined with an ancient goatgrass (genome formula D). That genetic mix resulted in the first crop cultivated by humankind.&nbsp;

“In some farmer’s field, some goat grass hybridized with emmer wheat, which originated in Syria,” Gill said. “And that farmer was smart enough, he selected that plant. And that’s our bread wheat.”&nbsp;

From there, Mother Nature kept mixing in wild wheat relatives to this new bread wheat - and farmers selected the most successful versions to plant again.&nbsp;

“After wheat originated, these wild wheats kept cross-hybridizing with domesticated wheat,” Gill said. “There were no breeders, but nature was doing breeding for the first 10,000 years. They were cross-pollinating and farmers were selecting new types out of that.”&nbsp;

This origin story is important because it explains why the wheat genome is so complex. Wheat is a hexaploid, meaning it has six sets of seven chromosomes. Most genes in wheat exist in three copies - one each from those A, B and D genomes. As a result, there are 16 billion DNA letters in the wheat genome - the human genome has three billion letters - meaning you could type out the genetic code of wheat in 12-point font and the type will go around the world.&nbsp;

This triplication and redundancy make wheat very hard to genetically analyze.&nbsp;

“It’s essentially three different genomes coexisting in one,” Gill said. “It’s like three married people living in one house. Each can be independent, so that causes the problem. How do you sleep in one room without messing it up? Wheat is a very elegant genetic system.”&nbsp;

While hard to pick through, that complexity also makes wheat a more durable crop.&nbsp;

“This is called genetic buffering,” Gill said. “It’s almost like there are three soldiers or three genes. So, one goes out, the second one is there. The second goes out, the third one is there. Wheat can tolerate the extremes of environment because of this buffering caused by the redundancy of the genes.”&nbsp;

With this understanding of the origin and complexity of wheat - how does that relate to wheat breeding programs? Fast forward to 1979 when Gill did a postdoctoral fellowship at K-State and was first exposed to the genetic stocks used to map genes and breed wheat. He took that experience with him to his second postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California-Riverside, where he was blown away by the genetic diversity of a collection of wild weeds.&nbsp;

Gill started to form a vision of a resource that would combine the two - a collection of wild wheat relatives with unlocked genetic potential and a wheat breeding program that could replicate Mother Nature’s process of pulling in traits to make better varieties for farmers to plant.&nbsp;

In 1980, Gill wrote a grant and flew on a small plane to Hutchinson, the then-headquarters of the Kansas Wheat Commission to pitch his idea.&nbsp;

“They had never funded K-State until then,” Gill said. “I presented my vision - we want to establish the Wheat Genetics Resource Center because that’s where we’re going next. A yield bump is going to come from this because of that genetic diversity. Nobody knew what wild wheats were in the Great Plains at that time. I said I know that this is where the next big evolution is.”&nbsp;

Backed by approval from K-State’s wheat breeder at the time, the commissioners agreed to provide the seed money. Gill gathered an initial collection of 500 genetic lines, including seeds from collections in Japan, Israel, Russia and other countries. He immediately dove into early projects identifying Hessian fly resistance and leaf rust resistance in lines of Aegilops tauschii (Tausch's goatgrass), which was relatively easy to cross into wheat.&nbsp;

“We are just doing what happened in nature,” Gill said. “That’s how bread wheat arose, so we are essentially repeating the same process except we’re doing it in the lab.”&nbsp;

Raupp has served as the curator of the Wheat Genetics Resource Center since August 1980. He noted the collection is up to about 4,200 lines, ranging from Aegilops tauschii which grows anywhere from Turkey to western China to one species that is only found in the Sinai peninsula of Egypt and a little bit into Israel.&nbsp;

It’s his job to maintain the stocks of this genetic material, making sure scientists and breeders have access to the seeds they need to complete projects. That doesn’t mean these seeds only sit in a gigantic refrigerator. To maintain their integrity, the seeds must be planted, grown either in a greenhouse or an outdoor plot and often hand-harvested to replenish seeds before they are no longer viable.&nbsp;

“While they’re easy to grow, they require a lot of time to clean and maintain,” Raupp said. “My biggest job is just maintaining the collection so we have enough seed on hand to provide the researchers so that they can do their work.”

Today, Raupp noted he annually fulfills about 100 different requests for those seeds from researchers in neighboring states to those in countries on the other side of the planet. Aided by modern research techniques like genetic sequencing and CRISPR, these researchers continue to unlock more of that ancient genetic potential to improve the wheat varieties of tomorrow - from sawfly resistance to higher protein content to how root morphologies aid drought resistance.&nbsp;

“It’s been a gold mine,” Harries said. “You go treasure hunting in this collection that you’ve created here. A lot of the traits that we have for stripe rust, leaf rust and viral traits all come from those wild wheat relatives. And that work is far from over.”&nbsp;

Learn more about wheat’s origin story and K-State’s Wheat Genetics Resource Center by listening to the full “Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast episode at&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001JuOekSeJQqvEsujwaZSZNxLe0ZyeBIEgstQoJpvLmFuUXIi29D2C02uDZ499BedEw7UHcLBpWTLslTbhkJdw5X3g96NAyiBolKzO5SNJTvA95NJFULCjpFVGT9lR8dAbhKRaBUBHKt52n3u7DvwBXuGjC4KCcJoj&amp;c=Z6hOwKg7yAzjOfPkqpA97z8KZYYk4R6Q27NRbpwlgmq3PL341IqdAg==&amp;ch=9hbAooPnAROPBq9viPE2wdFiy7wtc73joU1SH152VClPJhiQOrkXAg==" target="_blank">WheatsOnYourMind.com</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724161348857.png" alt="Kansas Wheat" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Wheat</figcaption>
 </figure>By JULIA DEBES Kansas WheatLong, long ago in a land far, far away, bread wheat came into existence. Researchers are still unlocking the secrets of the wild relatives of that ancient wheat to improve modern-day varieties - and a collection of seeds housed on Kimball Avenue in Manhattan is key to this work.&nbsp;Bikram Gill and John Raupp with K-State’s Wheat Genetics Resource Center sat down with Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations, on a recent episode of the “Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast to share wheat’s origin story and how the collection continues to provide valuable genetic resources for modern wheat breeding programs.&nbsp;To understand this potential, one must go way back to the origin of wheat as a species in the Fertile Crescent - where the crop helped start human civilization more than 10,000 years ago. At that time, wheat did not yet exist. It would take two major evolutionary events that mixed three different grass species to make the first bread wheat genome.&nbsp;The first stop on this timeline was the merger of two wild ancestors that resulted in the eventual creation of wild emmer wheat (genome formula AB).&nbsp;“As a species in nature, nature produced bread wheat around half a million years ago,” Gill said. “Two grasses, they happened to have fun. They hybridized - and that produced bread wheat.”&nbsp;The second stop on the timeline came more than 10,000 years ago when that wild emmer wheat was combined with an ancient goatgrass (genome formula D). That genetic mix resulted in the first crop cultivated by humankind.&nbsp;“In some farmer’s field, some goat grass hybridized with emmer wheat, which originated in Syria,” Gill said. “And that farmer was smart enough, he selected that plant. And that’s our bread wheat.”&nbsp;From there, Mother Nature kept mixing in wild wheat relatives to this new bread wheat - and farmers selected the most successful versions to plant again.&nbsp;“After wheat originated, these wild wheats kept cross-hybridizing with domesticated wheat,” Gill said. “There were no breeders, but nature was doing breeding for the first 10,000 years. They were cross-pollinating and farmers were selecting new types out of that.”&nbsp;This origin story is important because it explains why the wheat genome is so complex. Wheat is a hexaploid, meaning it has six sets of seven chromosomes. Most genes in wheat exist in three copies - one each from those A, B and D genomes. As a result, there are 16 billion DNA letters in the wheat genome - the human genome has three billion letters - meaning you could type out the genetic code of wheat in 12-point font and the type will go around the world.&nbsp;This triplication and redundancy make wheat very hard to genetically analyze.&nbsp;“It’s essentially three different genomes coexisting in one,” Gill said. “It’s like three married people living in one house. Each can be independent, so that causes the problem. How do you sleep in one room without messing it up? Wheat is a very elegant genetic system.”&nbsp;While hard to pick through, that complexity also makes wheat a more durable crop.&nbsp;“This is called genetic buffering,” Gill said. “It’s almost like there are three soldiers or three genes. So, one goes out, the second one is there. The second goes out, the third one is there. Wheat can tolerate the extremes of environment because of this buffering caused by the redundancy of the genes.”&nbsp;With this understanding of the origin and complexity of wheat - how does that relate to wheat breeding programs? Fast forward to 1979 when Gill did a postdoctoral fellowship at K-State and was first exposed to the genetic stocks used to map genes and breed wheat. He took that experience with him to his second postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California-Riverside, where he was blown away by the genetic diversity of a collection of wild weeds.&nbsp;Gill started to form a vision of a resource that would combine the two - a collection of wild wheat relatives with unlocked genetic potential and a wheat breeding program that could replicate Mother Nature’s process of pulling in traits to make better varieties for farmers to plant.&nbsp;In 1980, Gill wrote a grant and flew on a small plane to Hutchinson, the then-headquarters of the Kansas Wheat Commission to pitch his idea.&nbsp;“They had never funded K-State until then,” Gill said. “I presented my vision - we want to establish the Wheat Genetics Resource Center because that’s where we’re going next. A yield bump is going to come from this because of that genetic diversity. Nobody knew what wild wheats were in the Great Plains at that time. I said I know that this is where the next big evolution is.”&nbsp;Backed by approval from K-State’s wheat breeder at the time, the commissioners agreed to provide the seed money. Gill gathered an initial collection of 500 genetic lines, including seeds from collections in Japan, Israel, Russia and other countries. He immediately dove into early projects identifying Hessian fly resistance and leaf rust resistance in lines of Aegilops tauschii (Tausch's goatgrass), which was relatively easy to cross into wheat.&nbsp;“We are just doing what happened in nature,” Gill said. “That’s how bread wheat arose, so we are essentially repeating the same process except we’re doing it in the lab.”&nbsp;Raupp has served as the curator of the Wheat Genetics Resource Center since August 1980. He noted the collection is up to about 4,200 lines, ranging from Aegilops tauschii which grows anywhere from Turkey to western China to one species that is only found in the Sinai peninsula of Egypt and a little bit into Israel.&nbsp;It’s his job to maintain the stocks of this genetic material, making sure scientists and breeders have access to the seeds they need to complete projects. That doesn’t mean these seeds only sit in a gigantic refrigerator. To maintain their integrity, the seeds must be planted, grown either in a greenhouse or an outdoor plot and often hand-harvested to replenish seeds before they are no longer viable.&nbsp;“While they’re easy to grow, they require a lot of time to clean and maintain,” Raupp said. “My biggest job is just maintaining the collection so we have enough seed on hand to provide the researchers so that they can do their work.”Today, Raupp noted he annually fulfills about 100 different requests for those seeds from researchers in neighboring states to those in countries on the other side of the planet. Aided by modern research techniques like genetic sequencing and CRISPR, these researchers continue to unlock more of that ancient genetic potential to improve the wheat varieties of tomorrow - from sawfly resistance to higher protein content to how root morphologies aid drought resistance.&nbsp;“It’s been a gold mine,” Harries said. “You go treasure hunting in this collection that you’ve created here. A lot of the traits that we have for stripe rust, leaf rust and viral traits all come from those wild wheat relatives. And that work is far from over.”&nbsp;Learn more about wheat’s origin story and K-State’s Wheat Genetics Resource Center by listening to the full “Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast episode at&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001JuOekSeJQqvEsujwaZSZNxLe0ZyeBIEgstQoJpvLmFuUXIi29D2C02uDZ499BedEw7UHcLBpWTLslTbhkJdw5X3g96NAyiBolKzO5SNJTvA95NJFULCjpFVGT9lR8dAbhKRaBUBHKt52n3u7DvwBXuGjC4KCcJoj&amp;c=Z6hOwKg7yAzjOfPkqpA97z8KZYYk4R6Q27NRbpwlgmq3PL341IqdAg==&amp;ch=9hbAooPnAROPBq9viPE2wdFiy7wtc73joU1SH152VClPJhiQOrkXAg==" target="_blank">WheatsOnYourMind.com</a>.&nbsp;

KSU's Wheat Genetics Resource Center unlocks future potential by exploring wheat’s wild past

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Discover the creative realm of nature-inspired art at this year's Fall Art Walk featuring two artists, spanning multiple locations throughout downtown Hays.

Brenda Meder, director of the Hays Arts Council, said she is excited for Friday's annual art walk that starts at the Art Center, located at 112 E. 11th St.

"There are a lot of wonderful events and features that are part of this. We have a great lineup," she said.

The art center will showcase works by Glen Ediger from Wichita and Eric Stearns from Nebraska in this fall's exhibition that runs through October 11.

Ediger's innovative "Environmental Exposure" genre involves placing sheets of steel, copper, aluminum, or wood outdoors with materials on top, allowing them to weather for extended periods. This technique produces abstract landscapes through rust, dust and patina.

Stearns’ Raku fired ceramics draws on his interest in mathematics to create patterns that aim to evoke emotional responses. Each piece reflects his identity as both a person and an artist.

Titled "Element," the exhibit serves as the anchor of the art walk which Meder said is perfect for the works of Ediger and Stearns.

"I derive that name from its meaning, which is 'wild and powerful,' like the forces of nature," she said. "Both of our artists represent that."

Ediger is a retired Director of Design at<a href="https://www.vornado.com/"> Vornado Air LLC</a>, where he was involved in the design, engineering and development of Vornado products since 1985.

Stearns is the chairman of the art department at Doane University and also earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Fort Hays State University.

The opening reception for "Elemental" is from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Hays Art Center and the exhibit will be on display until October 11.

You can learn more about <a href="https://stearnsceramics.com/">Eric Stearns</a> and <a href="https://www.glenedigerart.com/">Glen Ediger</a> on their websites.

The Fall Art Walk includes various downtown locations and the FHSU campus, featuring exhibitions at the Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art and the Taylor Gallery.

The two campus exhibits showcase "Hypertopia" by graphic designer Sean Engler and "Base of Reasoning" sculptures by Dan Schluckbier, open from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

"One thing to remember is there's no order you have to follow things. We start campus a little early to give you a chance to catch that and make the evening even longer," Meder said.

The Hays Public Library, 1205 Main St., features "Sorting out Race," a Kansas Humanities touring exhibition with live music by Forrest McCurren.

Other locations you can explore on Friday include:

Victory Highway, now Highway 40, was constructed after World War I to connect the nation and honor returning veterans.

"It grew literally across the country," Meder said. "It's a touring exhibition that has been going around the state and region for quite some time. It's fascinating."

You can find a complete list of locations and information about displays <a href="https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/916bb38b-09bf-4c28-bf9f-4da5a0b67707/downloads/Fall%20Walk%2024%20inside%208-19.pdf?ver=1724080593886">here</a>.

The Hays Art Center is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

You can find more information on the Hays Art Council's&nbsp;<a href="https://haysartscouncil.org/">website&nbsp;</a>and follow them on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063746254684">Facebook</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259676348.jpeg" alt="Small wood framed wall pieces by artist Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Small wood framed wall pieces by artist Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostDiscover the creative realm of nature-inspired art at this year's Fall Art Walk featuring two artists, spanning multiple locations throughout downtown Hays.Brenda Meder, director of the Hays Arts Council, said she is excited for Friday's annual art walk that starts at the Art Center, located at 112 E. 11th St."There are a lot of wonderful events and features that are part of this. We have a great lineup," she said.The art center will showcase works by Glen Ediger from Wichita and Eric Stearns from Nebraska in this fall's exhibition that runs through October 11.Ediger's innovative "Environmental Exposure" genre involves placing sheets of steel, copper, aluminum, or wood outdoors with materials on top, allowing them to weather for extended periods. This technique produces abstract landscapes through rust, dust and patina.Stearns’ Raku fired ceramics draws on his interest in mathematics to create patterns that aim to evoke emotional responses. Each piece reflects his identity as both a person and an artist.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259728522.jpeg" alt="Small vessels by artist&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Small vessels by artist&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259766433.jpeg" alt="Fractured Triptych by artist&nbsp;Glen Ediger. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Fractured Triptych by artist&nbsp;Glen Ediger. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259808985.jpeg" alt="A small vessel by Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A small vessel by Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Titled "Element," the exhibit serves as the anchor of the art walk which Meder said is perfect for the works of Ediger and Stearns."I derive that name from its meaning, which is 'wild and powerful,' like the forces of nature," she said. "Both of our artists represent that."Ediger is a retired Director of Design at<a href="https://www.vornado.com/"> Vornado Air LLC</a>, where he was involved in the design, engineering and development of Vornado products since 1985.Stearns is the chairman of the art department at Doane University and also earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Fort Hays State University.The opening reception for "Elemental" is from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Hays Art Center and the exhibit will be on display until October 11.You can learn more about <a href="https://stearnsceramics.com/">Eric Stearns</a> and <a href="https://www.glenedigerart.com/">Glen Ediger</a> on their websites.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259902255.jpeg" alt="A small vessel by&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A small vessel by&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259916781.jpeg" alt="A flared bowl by&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A flared bowl by&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259931072.jpeg" alt="The High Plains by artist Glen Ediger. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The High Plains by artist Glen Ediger. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The Fall Art Walk includes various downtown locations and the FHSU campus, featuring exhibitions at the Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art and the Taylor Gallery.The two campus exhibits showcase "Hypertopia" by graphic designer Sean Engler and "Base of Reasoning" sculptures by Dan Schluckbier, open from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m."One thing to remember is there's no order you have to follow things. We start campus a little early to give you a chance to catch that and make the evening even longer," Meder said.The Hays Public Library, 1205 Main St., features "Sorting out Race," a Kansas Humanities touring exhibition with live music by Forrest McCurren.Other locations you can explore on Friday include:<ol>
 <li>Ceena's Massage and Retail, 106 W. 12th St. for Crystal and Gemstone Jewelry and Suncatchers by Jessica Hughes</li><li>Catholic Charities Offices, 122 E. 12th St. for&nbsp;Painting and Collage Quilt&nbsp;by Emily Schoeppner</li><li>Custom Creations, 1107 Main St. for&nbsp;“I Want to go to Brookfield Zoo”&nbsp;creations by Lucas Albers </li><li>Paisley Pear Wine Bar &amp; Bistro, 1100 Main St. for Ink &amp; Colored Pencil Dimensional Art&nbsp;by Kari Haas with live music by Wade Richards from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.</li><li>Madd Matter Frame Shop &amp; Gallery, 112 E. 11th St. for&nbsp;“Beyond the Frame:&nbsp;Picture the Possibilities”</li><li>Fusion by Manuel, 700 Main St. for "Work by Jacob"</li><li>Ellis County Historical Society, 100 W. 7th St. for&nbsp;“Hitting the Road: 100 Years on&nbsp;the Victory Highway” touring exhibition</li>
 </ol>Victory Highway, now Highway 40, was constructed after World War I to connect the nation and honor returning veterans."It grew literally across the country," Meder said. "It's a touring exhibition that has been going around the state and region for quite some time. It's fascinating."You can find a complete list of locations and information about displays <a href="https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/916bb38b-09bf-4c28-bf9f-4da5a0b67707/downloads/Fall%20Walk%2024%20inside%208-19.pdf?ver=1724080593886">here</a>.The Hays Art Center is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.You can find more information on the Hays Art Council's&nbsp;<a href="https://haysartscouncil.org/">website&nbsp;</a>and follow them on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063746254684">Facebook</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hays Art Council presents the 2024 Fall Art Walk on Friday 

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The Hays school district's five-year capital outlay plan was reviewed by USD 489 board members during their meeting Monday.

"This is a working document," said Ron Wilson, superintendent, who presented the plan.

Large expenses for this academic year include adding four more tennis courts to the new high school and the addition of bathrooms and concessions on the field of what will be come the new middle school.&nbsp;

"It shows we're taking care of our property now and being good stewards of our buildings," said Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp, board member.

The board also approved a recommended bid from Network Computer Solutions, Manhattan, for $67,629 for additional computer equipment for the Roosevelt Elementary School addition and the new Hays High School.

An E-rate funding commitment from Universal Service Administration Company to assist with network and hardware infrastructure needed for the project will cover 70% of the cost.&nbsp;

Personnel transactions were approved, following an update on custodial staffing restructuring.

The school district is contracting with Clean-Rite of Hays for its evening housekeeping positions.

"We've had an extremely difficult time keeping night staff," said Chris Hipp,&nbsp;assistant superintendent of business services.

Once the two bond projects are completed for the new high school and renovation of Roosevelt Elementary, there will be fewer managerial positions and more contracted people working housekeeping, primarily in classrooms.

Wilson said construction of the two projects is on schedule.&nbsp;

The 2024-25 student handbooks were unanimously adopted as presented.

Board member appointments to 2024-25 standing committees were also announced.&nbsp;Ken Brooks, Allen Park and Zampieri-Lillpopp will serve on the negotiations team.

An initial discussion about <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a8daf6b6-7bf6-4ce8-b9a8-f367aeb9494c">cell phone usage by students</a> and the district's policies was held. Board member Ruth Ruder asked for input from students and staff. The discussion will resume late this fall after the district receives recommended guidelines from the Kansas Association of School Boards task force.&nbsp;

The public hearing for the 2024-25 draft budget is Sept. 9.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724188737253.png" alt="Hays USD 489 Aug. 19 board meeting. Image courtesy Hays High School Tribe Broadcasting&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Hays USD 489 Aug. 19 board meeting. Image courtesy Hays High School Tribe Broadcasting&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe Hays school district's five-year capital outlay plan was reviewed by USD 489 board members during their meeting Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724183898816.png" alt="Hays USD 489 capital outlay plan for 2024-2025. USD 489" />
 <figcaption>Hays USD 489 capital outlay plan for 2024-2025. USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724183441006.png" alt="Hays USD 489 capital outlay planned projects for 2024-25 through 2028-29. USD 489" />
 <figcaption>Hays USD 489 capital outlay planned projects for 2024-25 through 2028-29. USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724184233264.png" alt="USD 489 projected cash balances. USD 489" />
 <figcaption>USD 489 projected cash balances. USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure>"This is a working document," said Ron Wilson, superintendent, who presented the plan.Large expenses for this academic year include adding four more tennis courts to the new high school and the addition of bathrooms and concessions on the field of what will be come the new middle school.&nbsp;"It shows we're taking care of our property now and being good stewards of our buildings," said Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp, board member.The board also approved a recommended bid from Network Computer Solutions, Manhattan, for $67,629 for additional computer equipment for the Roosevelt Elementary School addition and the new Hays High School.An E-rate funding commitment from Universal Service Administration Company to assist with network and hardware infrastructure needed for the project will cover 70% of the cost.&nbsp;Personnel transactions were approved, following an update on custodial staffing restructuring.The school district is contracting with Clean-Rite of Hays for its evening housekeeping positions."We've had an extremely difficult time keeping night staff," said Chris Hipp,&nbsp;assistant superintendent of business services.Once the two bond projects are completed for the new high school and renovation of Roosevelt Elementary, there will be fewer managerial positions and more contracted people working housekeeping, primarily in classrooms.Wilson said construction of the two projects is on schedule.&nbsp;The 2024-25 student handbooks were unanimously adopted as presented.Board member appointments to 2024-25 standing committees were also announced.&nbsp;Ken Brooks, Allen Park and Zampieri-Lillpopp will serve on the negotiations team.An initial discussion about <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a8daf6b6-7bf6-4ce8-b9a8-f367aeb9494c">cell phone usage by students</a> and the district's policies was held. Board member Ruth Ruder asked for input from students and staff. The discussion will resume late this fall after the district receives recommended guidelines from the Kansas Association of School Boards task force.&nbsp;The public hearing for the 2024-25 draft budget is Sept. 9.

Hays USD 489 reviews five-year capital outlay plan

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2024-08-13/low-income-kansans-are-going-into-debt-because-unpaid-traffic-tickets-rack-up-interest">By DYLAN LYSEN</a> KCUR

Critics argue adding additional fees and interest on unpaid traffic fines is unfair to low-income drivers. And it may not even be legal under Kansas law.

TOPEKA —&nbsp;On a snowy night in 2004, Jamie Kuykendall was driving home from the store in Topeka when she came up to a traffic light turning red.

There was a small amount of snow on the ground. When she hit the brakes, her car wouldn't stop and she slid through the intersection. A Topeka police officer gave Kuykendall a ticket because she did not have a valid driver’s license.

Now, 20 years later, she’s still paying for that ticket and another one from 2008 because she was not able to pay the original fines on time. The City of Topeka sent the $200 in fines to a collection agency and tacked on a service fee and interest.

Kuykendall, a low-income single mother, said her debt totaled $3,000 and she still has $900 left to pay.

Her license was suspended for years until she recently got a restricted one that lets her drive to places like work. While working, her paychecks were garnished to help pay off the debt.

“I'm mad,” Kuykendall said, “because that's money that I could have put to better my home, my kids, myself.”

Unpaid traffic tickets can end up costing low-income Kansans thousands of dollars when cities send unpaid fines and fees to collection agencies and add interest on top.

Critics say the system is unfair to lower income Kansans who already could not afford the initial fine and courts should consider alternatives to monetary punishment. It’s also unclear if it’s even legally allowed under Kansas law.

Proponents of the system argue it is legal, and communities need to be able to add interest to make sure some drivers who ignore traffic laws don’t go unpunished.

<a href="https://www.kansaslegalservices.org/" target="_blank">Kansas Legal Services</a>, a nonprofit legal agency, helps people like Kuykendall negotiate lower fines in Topeka courts when their debt spirals out of control.

The Topeka Municipal Court sends unpaid debt to a collection agency,&nbsp;<a href="http://cbofks.com/" target="_blank">CBK Inc.</a>, which has a contract with the city. That contract allows the collection agency to add a 30% fee on top of the debt as a service charge, according to a contract obtained through the Kansas Open Records Act.

Micah Tempel, an attorney for Kansas Legal Services, knows other municipal courts use collection agencies that add fees on top of the original fine, like Olathe and Wichita. That means low-income drivers across the state are likely facing similar debt.

In Topeka, Tempel said the court also adds up to 12% interest annually. He argues tacking on those fines and interest fees is unfair to low-income drivers.

“We have clients who couldn't afford originally,” Tempel said. “They definitely can't afford the thousands of dollars that it's turned into.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724161909512.png" alt="Jamie Kuykendall was charged $200 of fines for traffic tickets in 2004 and 2008. As a low-income mother, she could not pay for them and they racked up thousands of dollars of debt through interest and debt collection fines. Photo by by Dylan Lysen/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Jamie Kuykendall was charged $200 of fines for traffic tickets in 2004 and 2008. As a low-income mother, she could not pay for them and they racked up thousands of dollars of debt through interest and debt collection fines. Photo by by Dylan Lysen/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2024-08-13/low-income-kansans-are-going-into-debt-because-unpaid-traffic-tickets-rack-up-interest">By DYLAN LYSEN</a> KCUR<h2>Critics argue adding additional fees and interest on unpaid traffic fines is unfair to low-income drivers. And it may not even be legal under Kansas law.</h2>TOPEKA —&nbsp;On a snowy night in 2004, Jamie Kuykendall was driving home from the store in Topeka when she came up to a traffic light turning red.There was a small amount of snow on the ground. When she hit the brakes, her car wouldn't stop and she slid through the intersection. A Topeka police officer gave Kuykendall a ticket because she did not have a valid driver’s license.Now, 20 years later, she’s still paying for that ticket and another one from 2008 because she was not able to pay the original fines on time. The City of Topeka sent the $200 in fines to a collection agency and tacked on a service fee and interest.Kuykendall, a low-income single mother, said her debt totaled $3,000 and she still has $900 left to pay.Her license was suspended for years until she recently got a restricted one that lets her drive to places like work. While working, her paychecks were garnished to help pay off the debt.“I'm mad,” Kuykendall said, “because that's money that I could have put to better my home, my kids, myself.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724162035044.png" alt="The City of Topeka has charged Jamie Kuykendall interest for her unpaid traffic tickets on top of court fines and a service fee owed to a debt collection agency. Photo by Dylan Lysen/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The City of Topeka has charged Jamie Kuykendall interest for her unpaid traffic tickets on top of court fines and a service fee owed to a debt collection agency. Photo by Dylan Lysen/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Unpaid traffic tickets can end up costing low-income Kansans thousands of dollars when cities send unpaid fines and fees to collection agencies and add interest on top.Critics say the system is unfair to lower income Kansans who already could not afford the initial fine and courts should consider alternatives to monetary punishment. It’s also unclear if it’s even legally allowed under Kansas law.Proponents of the system argue it is legal, and communities need to be able to add interest to make sure some drivers who ignore traffic laws don’t go unpunished.<h2>Unfair fines</h2><a href="https://www.kansaslegalservices.org/" target="_blank">Kansas Legal Services</a>, a nonprofit legal agency, helps people like Kuykendall negotiate lower fines in Topeka courts when their debt spirals out of control.The Topeka Municipal Court sends unpaid debt to a collection agency,&nbsp;<a href="http://cbofks.com/" target="_blank">CBK Inc.</a>, which has a contract with the city. That contract allows the collection agency to add a 30% fee on top of the debt as a service charge, according to a contract obtained through the Kansas Open Records Act.Micah Tempel, an attorney for Kansas Legal Services, knows other municipal courts use collection agencies that add fees on top of the original fine, like Olathe and Wichita. That means low-income drivers across the state are likely facing similar debt.In Topeka, Tempel said the court also adds up to 12% interest annually. He argues tacking on those fines and interest fees is unfair to low-income drivers.“We have clients who couldn't afford originally,” Tempel said. “They definitely can't afford the thousands of dollars that it's turned into.”Tempel also questions if it's even legal to add interest on court fines and fees because there does not seem to be a state law that directly permits it. But there has not been a court ruling that sifts through that legal gray area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724162194528.png" alt="Attorney Micah Tempel of Kansas Legal Services said he would like to challenge the legality of adding interest on court fines and fees, but the City of Topeka has offered settlements to his clients to end the legal dispute. Photo by Dylan Lysen/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Attorney Micah Tempel of Kansas Legal Services said he would like to challenge the legality of adding interest on court fines and fees, but the City of Topeka has offered settlements to his clients to end the legal dispute. Photo by Dylan Lysen/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Tempel said he would like to challenge the practice through court appeals that would likely take a ruling from the Kansas Supreme Court to settle the issue. But none of his cases have gone that far, because Topeka has offered to wipe away his clients’ debt. That also means the city is not taking a strong stance on their interpretation of the law, either.But those settlements mean less time in the courtroom for Tempel’s clients and they also come with other certainties, like drivers getting the licenses back.“It’s a better deal for the client,” Tempel said.<h2>Enforcing the law</h2>Officials for the City of Topeka declined to answer questions about using a collection agency and adding interest on traffic court fines and fees.John Goodyear is legal counsel for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lkm.org/" target="_blank">League of Kansas Municipalities</a>, of which Topeka is a member. He said it’s common for municipal courts to use collection agencies on unpaid tickets to get some drivers to finally pay up.He said it’s a legally sound practice, as state law specifically allows courts to use collection agencies. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch12/012_041_0019.html" target="_blank">statute</a>&nbsp;stipulates collection agencies can add a service fee up to 33% of the amount collected. It also mentions adding interest, possibly meaning it’s legal, too.Goodyear said without the ability to add fines and fees, some people could simply flout traffic laws and never be punished.“We have to have something,” Goodyear said. “We have to have a tool in the toolbox to enforce these laws.However, Goodyear said his organization is also supports courts lowering fines and fees for people who are making a good-faith effort but are struggling to pay back the debt. He said courts should look at each case individually and make a determination on what is best — whether that’s providing relief to low-income drivers or tacking on interest for drivers who can pay it and continue to skirt the law.“Judicial discretion here is important,” he said.<h2>Better alternatives</h2>Meanwhile, Kansas lawmakers have made recent changes to the state law, making it easier for people with outstanding fines to get a restricted driver’s license. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2024-05-13/traffic-tickets-in-kansas-can-cost-low-income-drivers-their-licenses-theres-a-new-law-to-help" target="_blank">most recent law</a>, which goes into effect in January, provides relief by consolidating and reducing fines and fees drivers need to pay to get their license reinstated.Kuykendall said efforts from lawmakers helped her get back on the road, and it will likely lead to the state lifting the suspension on her driver's license early next year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724162358250.png" alt="The municipal court in Topeka uses a collection agency to force people to pay debt on unpaid traffic tickets. The court also add interest on top, leading to low-income drivers racking up debt. Photo by Dylan Lysen Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The municipal court in Topeka uses a collection agency to force people to pay debt on unpaid traffic tickets. The court also add interest on top, leading to low-income drivers racking up debt. Photo by Dylan Lysen Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>But those changes do not stop ticket fines and growing debt. Unless a court halts cities from adding interest, or lawmakers pass a law prohibiting it, drivers unable to pay will continue racking up debt.The&nbsp;<a href="https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/" target="_blank">Fines and Fees Justice Center</a>, a New York-based advocacy group, wants communities to rethink how they use fines and fees. For instance, the organization worked with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wycokck.org/Engage-With-Us/News-articles/2023-Court-Related-Fee-Elimination" target="_blank">to eliminate court fees</a>&nbsp;that were previously automatically charged when a violator pleaded guilty.Tim Curry, the policy and research director for the organization, said charging court fees and adding interest are an additional tax that disproportionately affects low-income violators.“You are being pulled into the system for longer,” Curry said. “You're incurring greater penalties, whether there are more fees, whether there are interest rates.”A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/steep-costs-criminal-justice-fees-and-fines" target="_blank">Brennan Center for Justice study in 2019</a>&nbsp;found that courts are increasingly reliant on fines and fees to fund their basic governmental duties. The study suggests that's an inefficient method to raising government revenue and it’s unclear if the use of fines and fees in criminal justice improves public safety.Curry recommends communities use different ways to hold low-income traffic violators accountable, like sliding fee scales based on a violator's income or community service instead of fines.Otherwise, cities like Topeka are using fines and fees to fund their government and that poses an excess burden on low-income residents, Curry said.