Kansas kids are winners!

Participation in the annual Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day Poster Contest gives Kansas children greater awareness of traffic safety.  The hope is that their greater awareness will help keep them safe on roadways.  All Kansas kids ages 5-13 are eligible to participate.

In addition to reinforcing safety messages, the contest gives participants a chance to win great prizes! Regional contest winners receive bicycles and helmets, and statewide winners receive family packages to Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure and the Courtyard by Marriott of Salina in addition to fuel cards from KwikTrip Corporation.

CONTEST RULES can be seen by CLICKING HERE. Entries must be postmarked by September 14. If you have any questions, please contact Kim Stich at KDOT’s Transportation Information office at 785-296-3585. The Kansas DOT, the Kansas Highway Patrol and numerous other safety-related transportation organizations sponsor this contest.

We also have a Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day Facebook page – check it out and like our page!

https://www.facebook.com/PutTheBrakesOnFatalitiesDay?ref=tn_tnmn

Thanks for your help!

And here is a list of winners from the past five years –

2011 Poster Contest Winners

Northeast Kansas – Sierra de Koning, Axtell; Reagan de Koning, Axtell; Neeharika Kothapalli, Overland Park.

North Central Kansas – Elijah Schmidt, Junction City; Breckyn Martens, McPherson; Zoey Rankin, Ottawa.

Northwest Kansas – Aaron Moore, Oakley; Indigo Guise, WaKeeney; Donnovan Schroeder, Herndon.

Southeast Kansas – Abigail Balson, Coffeyville; Macie Ables, Fredonia; Nathan Cunningham, Iola.

South Central Kansas – Heath David Moeckel, Plevna; Britton Maclaughlin, Arkansas City; Jack Kelly Lynch, Wichita.

Southwest Kansas – Emmi Lott, Rolla; Emily Allen, Garden City; John Dohogne, Garden City.

2010 Poster Contest Winners

Northeast Kansas – Corissa Bandel, Oskaloosa; Youna Song, Manhattan; Ashley Grimm, Morrill.

North Central Kansas – Makayla Sanderson, Courtland; Breckyn Martens, McPherson; Dylan Hollerich, Tipton.

Northwest Kansas – Jailey Gallentine, Gove; Reanna Harman, Hays; Morgan Kathleen Beougher, Stockton.

Southeast Kansas – Abigail Balson, Coffeyville; Riley Brown, Humboldt; Madi McDonald, Chanute.

South Central Kansas – Calli Hatfield, Wellington; Taya Wilson, Sterling; Morgan Friesen, Andover.

Southwest Kansas – Monserrat Acosta, Dodge City; Grace Lang, Fowler; Ana Maria Chairez-Almeda, Garden City.

2009 Poster Contest Winners

Northeast Kansas – Jared Rokey, Sabetha; Chad Goodman, Sabetha; Hannah Rokey, Sabetha.

North Central Kansas – Lillia Diggs, McPherson; Rebekah Thompson, Gypsum; Taylor Vogan, Salina.

Northwest Kansas – Shayanna Smith, Goodland, Elizabeth Fulcher, Goodland, Alex Goodwin, Goodland.

Southeast Kansas - Clayton Saporito, Columbus; Makaylah McCall, Humboldt; Katy Short, Pittsburg.

South Central Kansas - Spencer MacLaughlin, Arkansas City; Karli Packard, Kingman; Ally Harrelsoncrowell, Wellington.

Southwest Kansas – Clara Bartlett, Cimarron; Zoe McCallum, Garden City; Caroline Hall, Garden City.

2008 Poster Contest Winners

Northeast Kansas – Allen Su, Manhattan; Trevor Neis, Eudora; Joseph Bennett, Manhattan.

North central Kansas – Catlin Blomenkamp, Junction City; Jade Souhup, Lindsborg; Hannah Ediger, Inman.

Northwest Kansas – Johanna Renyer, Quinter; Katelyn Lee, Quinter; Tanner Samuelson, Quinter.

Southeast Kansas – Shawn Robinson, Columbus; Logan Proffitt, Columbus; Rebecca Jean Cunningham, Iola.

South central Kansas – Kassie Zimmer, LaCrosse; Hazel May, Derby; Marissa Thelen, Wichita.

Southwest Kansas – Stephanie Barrientos, Dodge City; Alexis Estrada, Dodge City; Monica Reza, Morton.

2007 POSTER CONTEST WINNERS

Northeast Kansas – Matthew Joseph Feldkamp, Seneca; Jacy Johnston, Westmoreland; Heidi Prockish, Westmoreland.

North central Kansas – Shea Walk, McPherson; Ashlyn Weinhold, Wilson; Katherine Geist, McPherson.

Northwest Kansas – Kayla Lynn Garvert, Plainville; Kaitlyn Nolde, Dorrance; Katlynn Krug, Russell.

Southeast Kansas – Jessie VanDyne, Independence; Sarah Grace Brown, Spring Hill; Christine Loganbill, Cherryvale.

South central Kansas – Kylie O’Neal, Derby; Taylor R. Burris, Bushton.

Southwest Kansas – Katie Roberts, Scott City; Rodolfo Cabral, Garden City; Noelle C. Doty, Garden City.

State waives fees to renew tags online

By The Capital-Journal

The Kansas Department of Revenue is waiving online fees for renewing vehicle tags.

Credit card and electronic check processing fees will be waived for 12 months, the department said in a news release Wednesday.

The announcement follows the implementation of new computer software that has resulted in long waits at some county treasurer offices. The release said online renewals can help Kansans save time and gas.

Vehicles director Donna Shelite said in the release KDOR wants to make sure people know “they can conveniently renew vehicle registrations from the comfort of home.”

They can do so by going to https://KSWebTags.org.

Most people can renew online or by mail, the department said. The online option is available to those who have a vehicle registered in Kansas, whose address on the renewal is current and who have vehicle insurance.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 2, 2012

Contact

: Sherriene Jones-Sontag Angela de Rocha Office of the Governor DCF/KDADS 785.368.7138 785.250.8113 media@ks.gov angela.derocha@dcf.ks.gov

State Cuts Ribbons on New Agencies focused on Protecting Kansans

Topeka

– Kansans from across the state joined Gov. Sam Brownback and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, M.D. to cut the ribbon on two new state agencies focused on protecting the state’s children, families and most vulnerable. Created by Executive Reorganization Order No. 41, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) are part of the Brownback Administration’s ongoing reorganization efforts to increase efficiency among state agencies and improve services and programs.

“This is a momentous day in the history of Kansas government,” Gov. Brownback said. “This historic reorganization will ensure we serve the children and families of Kansas as well as older adults and persons with disabilities in ways suited to the unique needs of our state and the unique needs of those who depend upon state services and programs.”

Lt. Gov. Colyer said the reorganization is key to the administration’s reform of the state’s Medicaid system.

“When we took office, the state’s Medicaid system was in serious trouble from a lack of coordinated care and exploding costs,” Dr. Colyer said. “As we worked to improve services and health outcomes, we realized that the state agencies and programs involved needed to be streamlined to better facilitate their functions and communications.”

Department for Children and Families

The DCF replaces the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Monday as the Kansas agency responsible for the protection of children and the promotion of healthy families.

The responsibilities of DCF include children and adult protection services, adoption services, foster care support, child support services, welfare and food assistance programs, as well as services dedicated to vocational rehabilitation, among others. The agency has a budget of $600 million.

“DCF is a completely focused on serving our clients and on the wellbeing of children and families in the state of Kansas,” DCF Secretary Phyllis Gilmore said. “We have a vitally important mission—to protect children, promote healthy families, and encourage personal responsibility.”

Gilmore said the goals of the new agency are to strengthen families, safely reduce the number of children in care, promote employment, responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds and to build public and private partnerships. She noted services to the more than 500,000 Kansans the agency works with in various capacities have gone uninterrupted during the transition.

The new Department for Children and Families website launched Sunday. The completely redesigned site is more intuitive and easy to use. The website,

www.dcf.ks.gov

, was designed and coded entirely by DCF employees.

The four major programs that serve clients have been renamed. Children and Family Services is now Prevention and Protection Services; Child Support Enforcement is now Child Support Services; Economic and Employment Support is now Economic and Employment Services; Rehabilitation Services is now Vocational Rehabilitation Services.

DCF Central Office will remain at the same address in Docking State Office Building, 915 SW Harrison, Topeka, KS 66612. All 39 service centers across Kansas will remain at the same locations. Customer service can still be reached at

1-888-369-4777.

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services

The KDADS merges the former Department on Aging, the Disability and Behavioral Health Services Division at SRS and parts of the Health Occupations Credentialing Division.

The new agency will administer services to older adults; Mental Health, Addiction and Prevention Programs; State Hospitals and Institutions; Home and Community-based Services Waiver Programs and some health occupations credentialing. It will be the second largest in state government, with a budget of $1.7 billion for fiscal year 2013. The total includes $154.9 million for state hospitals.

“There are differences between the older adults and persons with disabilities whom we will serve under the new agency, but they also represent many common challenges: helping people to stay independent and healthy as long as possible, the need for quality housing and competent caregivers and the necessity of navigating a fragmented health care system,” KDADS Secretary Shawn Sullivan said.

Sullivan said KDADS’ goals are to keep older adults and persons with disabilities at home and independent as long as possible. He said the agency will work towards providing an integrated and coordinated Medicaid system to help them achieve this goal.

“The quality Older Americans Act services that KDOA has focused on since its inception will continue to help us fulfill our new agency’s mission,” Sullivan said. “If older adults or persons with disabilities live in one of our state’s adult care homes, state hospitals or other supportive living environments, our agency will continue its efforts to ensure that quality care and services are provided in a place as much like home as possible.”

Additional information can be found on the department’s new website,

www.kdads.ks.gov.

All aging programs will continue to be housed at the New England building, 503 S. Kansas Ave., in downtown Topeka. Disability services will remain housed for the time being in the Docking Building at 915 SW Harrison in downtown Topeka.

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INFORMATION CONCERNING 2012 PERMIT RENEWALS

Permit renewal applications will be mailed out May 4, 2012 to permit

holders whose permits expire June 30, 2012.

Online renewals will be available; however, in some cases, a person may

not be able to renew online.

Please refer to the instructions that accompany the renewal application

and if you have any questions concerning your permit renewal, please contact

the Board office at 785-296-2162, or by email at

info@ksboa.ks.gov

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 June 27, 2012                                                                                                                         

 CONTACT:   Lieutenant Joshua Kellerman (785) 296-6800

KANSAS HIGHWAY PATROL CELEBRATING 75 YEARS

 The Kansas Highway Patrol is in the midst of its 75^th Anniversary celebration. On Saturday, June 9, the Patrol celebrated the 75^th anniversary in conjunction with the graduation of the Patrol’s 50^th recruit class at the Patrol’s Training Academy in Salina.

 “This is a great time for the Kansas Highway Patrol, as we celebrate 75 years of serving the citizens of Kansas,” Colonel Ernest E. Garcia, Superintendent of the Patrol, said.

The Kansas Highway Patrol was established in 1937 to help stop the bank robberies and crime sprees of that time. Since then, the agency has grown to incorporate so many more functions and responsibilities. One thing that has remained constant through the rich, 75-year history is the Patrol’s dedication to provide Service, Courtesy, and Protection to all of those travelling within the great state of Kansas.

The Patrol also marked the 75^th anniversary year by issuing 14 75^th anniversary Crown Victoria’s, painted in the Patrol’s retro blue and gray paint scheme, with the cherry beacon on top. The cars are spread throughout the state, with two issued per field troop. The response from members of the agency, past and present, as well as from the public has been great.

 “To me, this agency’s biggest success lies in its history, its pride, and its traditions.  All of this plays into our ability to help people. History, pride, and traditions which all of our personnel—those past, those present, and certainly those in our future—learn about and incorporate as they work to serve the great state of Kansas,” Garcia said. “With an agency built on the values of Service, Courtesy, and Protection, and so deeply rooted in where we came from, that is why we are relied upon, and that is why we take such pride in doing the work that each of us do every single day.”

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