A panel of early childhood leaders in Kansas is calling on state leaders to reduce "red tape" regarding the childcare system. Kansas Early Childhood Transition Task Force (ECTTF), established by Governor Laura Kelly through the first executive order of her second term, presented its final report for 2023 on Monday. Gov. Kelly responded to questions about what she'd be able to get done on her "wishlist" for early childhood education during next year's session. "I don't see it as a wishlist. I see it as a roadmap and a blueprint for how we can rearrange programs that we're already providing, but do it [...]

The City of Hutchinson is seeing a rise in the homeless population, and community leaders said they want to do what they can to help. People sleeping under bridges is becoming more of a common sight in Hutchinson, but community advocates say this growing issue goes beyond not having a place to stay. "On a larger scale, there's cuts and budgets with health care and mental health concerns and substance abuse so that directly affect homelessness, and that's definitely something that we feel the weight and burden of that right now," Jerome Bernard, the manager at Noel Lodge, said. The United Way of [...]

Kansans have less than a week to vote on the state's new license plate design. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly shared how Kansans will be able to weigh in on Monday. Kansans have until Friday, Dec. 15, to choose from five designs. Residents can go to KSPlates.kansas.gov to vote for their favorite plate. “Kansans have offered their thoughts on our state’s next license plate through social media and elsewhere, even sending potential designs to my office. Many of these designs were beautiful, but we’re moving forward with this voting process to ensure law enforcement can easily read the selected license plate and to get safer plates [...]