KS - January 21 2025

1. Kelly Proposes $5.5M for Free School Meals
2. Faith Groups Drive Local Policy Changes Statewide
3. K-State Plans $16M Beef Research Center
4. US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita
5. Vietnamese Lunar New Year Coffee in Wichita

GET THE CITIZEN JOURNAL APP - FREE!

1. Kelly Proposes $5.5M for Free School Meals

Gov. Laura Kelly wants Kansas taxpayers to pay for free school lunches for nearly 37,000 students who qualify for reduced price meals, including more than 2,000 attending Topeka-area schools. Kelly made the announcement during her State of the State address on Wednesday, and it was reiterated Thursday when her budget proposal was unveiled. The cost would be $5.5 million, said Adam Proffitt, the governor's budget director, in a Thursday budget presentation. The money would eliminate co-payments for students who qualify for reduced price meals.

Article Source: Topeka Capitol-Journal

2. Faith Groups Drive Local Policy Changes Statewide

Good Faith Network is only about three years old. But the group of Johnson County religious leaders is already five years ahead of schedule. When members started pushing the Johnson County Board of Commissioners to create a crisis stabilization center before 2025, the county said it was unlikely anything would get done before 2029.  But the Good Faith Network kept pushing, and the center is now slated to open soon. Each year across Kansas, elected officials stand on stages and pledge to implement wide-ranging policy proposals in front of thousands of religious congregants, organized as part of the DART network. DART, which stands for Direct Action and Research Training Center, has planted 31 advocacy groups across 10 states. It focuses mostly on laying the groundwork for local groups, which can choose the topics most suited to their communities.  There are five DART organizations in Kansas: Johnson County; Lawrence; Topeka; Kansas City, Kansas; and Sedgwick County. Members come from a range of faiths and denominations.  The groups have been a quiet force across the state, setting wide-ranging goals and often achieving them. The results include expansive housing projects, education initiatives, public transit upgrades and more.  “We are bringing proven solutions to public officials,” said Emily Fetsch, lead organizer for Justice Matters in Lawrence. “And the reason why we’re bringing it to public officials is because they are the ones who can implement things and get things funded.”

Article Source: KS Reflector

3. K-State Plans $16M Beef Research Center

Kansas State University is building a new Beef Cattle Research Center on the north side of Manhattan. The Kansas Board of Regents last week approved the capital improvement project to construct the new research center, which was on the consent agenda. The new, modernized facility will replace an outdated existing facility at the same location at 3115 College Ave., which is about a mile north of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The new facility includes a feedlot and has a capacity of 1,200 head of cattle, which is less than the old facility's capacity. "Beef cattle feeding is a cornerstone of Kansas' economy, contributing billions annually and supporting thousands of jobs across the state," said Ernie Minton, the dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension, in a statement to The Capital-Journal. "At Kansas State University, we are committed to advancing research and innovation to help grow this important industry sector." The feedlot and metabolism barn will be built in the first of two phases, at a cost of about $11.1 million, while the feed mill will be built in a second phase, at a cost of about $4.9 million. The total cost is about $16 million.

Article Source: Topeka Capitol-Journal

4. US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita

Nearly 200 of the best figure skaters in the country are competing for spots on the U.S. World and Junior championship teams. This week’s event at Intrust Bank Arena is the first U.S. Figure Skating Championship held in Kansas. Titles will be on the line in the women’s, men’s, pairs and ice dance disciplines at both the championship and junior levels, as well as in novice pairs and ice dance. This is the final event before the world championships. Competition begins for novice and junior events on Tuesday while the championship-level events start on Thursday. According to Visit Wichita, the event could generate $8 million for the Wichita economy.

Article Source: KWCH

5. Vietnamese Lunar New Year Coffee in Wichita

Lunar New Year won’t be celebrated until Jan. 29 this year. But a local coffee shop is getting a jump on celebrating the Year of the Snake with a special coffee release and event coming up on Wednesday. Andrew Gough, the owner of Reverie Coffee Roasters at 2202 E. Douglas will be celebrating the limited-time release of a single-origin coffee from Da Lat, Vietnam, which it’s calling Sweet Lunar. What makes this coffee special? Gough said that it’s made from a higher-quality arabica bean, where most coffees sourced from Vietnam are lower-end robusta beans. Arabica beans provide a smoother finished product.

Article Source: Wichita Eagle

Sponsors (click me!)

Sources

1. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/government/2025/01/21/kansas-could-pay-for-free-school-lunches-for-students-on-reduced-price/77744723007/

2. https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/21/faith-groups-across-kansas-are-diving-into-local-politics-and-getting-results/

3. https://www.cjonline.com/story/business/agricultural/2025/01/21/kansas-state-to-build-new-beef-cattle-research-center-in-manhattan/77744385007/

4. https://www.kwch.com/2025/01/21/countrys-top-figure-skaters-competing-wichita-us-championship/

5. https://www.kansas.com/entertainment/restaurants/dining-with-denise-neil/article298711128.html