Author: David Hicks
Research shows states not expanding Medicaid spend much less per enrollee
New York’s Empire Center analyzed data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and found that the ten states that have…
Unanswered questions remain into allegations of insurance fraud in Council Grove government
What began with an anonymous source alleging disability insurance fraud in Council Grove City Hall has devolved into a Wall…
Lansing USD 469 school board to debate budget with a 24% property tax hike
USD 469 taxpayers will gather in Lansing to hear a presentation on the 2024-2025 budget that will exceed revenue-neutral. A…
Lansing USD 469 sponsors scholarship fundraiser featuring mock drag show, lap dance
The Lansing School District raised eyebrows and money for scholarships at a recent “Lip Sync Battle 2024” fundraiser, which featured…
Lansing mom warns State Board of Education about effects of Second Step middle school curriculum
Kirsten Workman of Lansing says her research shows the Second Step Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) program for middle schoolers is ineffective in improving…
USD 475 employee David Wild made $631,000 last year, but no one will explain his duties
According to salary figures from USD 475 Geary County, David Wild was paid over $631,071.87 for the 2023-24 school year.…
Leavenworth, Lansing superintendents prepare deceptive property tax presentation
Leavenworth USD 453 Superintendent Dr. Kellen Adams and Lansing USD 469 Superintendent Marty Kobza will discuss property taxes before the…
Easton USD 449 gives taxpayers a win with revenue-neutral budget in upcoming school year
Despite ever-increasing property assessments statewide, school patrons in Leavenworth County’s Easton School District will not pay additional property taxes in…
KASB refuses to provide agenda for upcoming Title IX workshop
Weeks after a federal court placed a hold on implementing a new federal Department of Education (DOE) rule in Kansas,…
City of Edgerton falsely claims people are paying less in property tax
The City of Edgerton claims property taxes have declined for the average homeowner since 2008. That’s the message to residents in…
144,000 Kansas voters are “inactive”, counties work to reduce backlog
With elections approaching, nearly 144,000 Kansas voters are listed as “inactive”, defined in statute as a registered voter who has…
JoCo moving forward with hotel as new homeless shelter, wants cities to buy-in
After approving late last year a plan to spend $6 million in COVID relief funds to purchase the LaQuinta Inn…
Employment of non-teachers rose since 2015 in Kansas while outcomes and enrollment decline
The hiring of non-teachers (administrators and all other employees who are not teachers) has continued an upward trend in Kansas…
USD 434 Santa Fe Trail administration won’t answer questions on declining student achievement
State assessment scores at Santa Fe Trail USD 434 overwhelmingly lagged behind state averages this year, but despite repeated efforts…
Shawnee County schools offer different approaches to upcoming Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment debuts in Kansas K-12 this fall. The bipartisan legislation signed into law in 2022 allows students to transfer…
Kansas lawmakers send governor another tax cut bill
After multiple vetoes, the Kansas Legislature believes “Groundhog Day” has ended, and Governor Laura Kelly says she will sign its…
“Scoop and Score” makes false claim, won’t substantiate rosy economic impact of bringing the Chiefs to Kansas
Much like quarterbacks use the “silent count” in noisy situations near vocal opponents, the organizers of “Scoop and Score” working…
Cowley County dog trainers win appeal; case on warrantless searches will proceed
The Fourth Amendment lawsuit filed by award-winning bird dog trainers Scott Johnson and his wife, Harlene Hoyt of Cowley County,…
Critics throw flag on billion dollar scheme to lure Chiefs across border
“The rich tradition and history of the Chiefs are beloved across the entire Kansas City region and throughout Kansas. The…
KPI urges Legislature to pass constitutional amendment to limit property valuation increases
The Kansas Legislature, in its upcoming Special Session, should approve a constitutional amendment limiting the annual increases in property valuations,…
More than $50,000 in overtime paid to 95 public employees in 2023
More than $50,000 in overtime was paid to 33 municipal employees in Kansas in 2023. There were 28 county workers, primarily…
Clock ticking on Leavenworth County Treasurer Office probe of $10,000 theft
In 2019, about $10,000 went missing from the Leavenworth County Treasurer’s Office. Then-Treasurer Janice Van Parys determined it was taken…
The promise of Brown v. Board of Education is still “unfulfilled”
The 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawing state-sanctioned segregation in schools…
New state assessment at odds with Legislature’s improvement targets
Deputy Education Commissioner Dr. Ben Proctor revealed that a new state assessment plan will be given to students during the…