Kansas Colleges Open Food Pantries
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Several colleges in Kansas and Missouri are starting food pantries to help students survive the ever-increasing costs of higher education. Emporia State University and Washburn University opened pantries this month, while Pittsburg State opened one in October. The Kansas City Star reports that the University of Missouri-Kansas City student activities office is working on opening a food pantry in March. The nonprofit Feeding America said in its 2014 report on hunger that one in 10 hungry U.S. adults is a student. Two million are attending school full-time, and 1 million go part-time. Feeding America spokeswoman Elaine Waxman says her agency has seen an increase in calls from colleges and universities inquiring about starting a campus food pantry.
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Animal Shelter Offers Black Friday Deals
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas shelter is offering Thanksgiving weekend deals on hard-to-adopt black pets.The Wichita Eagle reports that black animals often are overlooked at shelters in part because of superstition. Besides black pets, dogs 6 months and older and kittens of any color will be $50 this weekend at the Kansas Humane Society in Wichita. Adult cats are always free, though donations are accepted.
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Kansas Farm Bureau Event to Focus on Public Policy
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — More than 1,000 farmers are expected to gather in Manhattan next week to layout the roadmap for public policy issues the Kansas Farm Bureau members consider of importance to agriculture. Among the featured speakers for the two-day event that begins Monday is American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman.Workshop topics include succession planning, advocating for agriculture, the 2014 farm bill, and water and agriculture technology. This year's convention marks the end of the 12-year tenure of retiring Kansas Farm Bureau President Steve Baccus. A celebration of his service will be held at Monday evening's banquet, which will be attended by Governor Sam Brownback and U.S. Senator Pat Roberts.The convention ends Tuesday with the election of a new president to replace Baccus.
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Utility Board Continues Without Budget
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas law requiring a public entity to run underground utility notifications remains in flux six years after its passage. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that a private-sector nonprofit called Kansas One Call has been responsible for running a call center and educating people about the need to call before digging since the 1980s. But a 2008 law required a public notification entity. After the Kansas Supreme Court determined that Kansas One Call isn't a public, the state created a new entity called the Kansas Underground Utility Notification Center to oversee the notification center. The Kansas Corporation Commission appointed Kansas One Call as the interim operator of the notification center so there wouldn't be any disruption in services. The eventual plan is to seek bids for running the notification center.
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K-State to Break Ground on Stadium Renovations
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State will break ground on its latest renovation of Bill Snyder Family Stadium during halftime of today's (SAT) game against rival Kansas. The school spent about $90 million last year to rebuild the west side of the stadium. The new construction will enclose the north end zone, replace the existing football offices and locker rooms, and include an expanded academic learning center, improved team spaces and state-of-the-art sports medicine facilities. It will also improve seating, fan amenities and overall aesthetics. Kansas State has already raised $48 million for the project, which is expected to cost about $69 million. School officials anticipate it being done for the start of next season. The current Vanier Football Complex will be demolished beginning December 8th.