Latest news with #TheTopekaCapital-Journal
Winnipeg Free Press
20-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Kansas businesses hit by Trump's trade war are wooing Canadian customers
OTTAWA – The head of the Topeka Kansas Chamber of Commerce is in Ottawa this week seeking to strengthen ties as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs continue to rattle cross-border business relationships. Juliet Abdel is meeting with federal and provincial officials, Canadian mayors and officials with the Canadian Pacific Kansas City rail network. She says Trump's tariffs and Canada's retaliatory tariffs threaten her region's economy. A man walks past the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka, Kan., June 17, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evert Nelson/The Topeka Capital-Journal via AP Abdel says about 20 per cent of the local workforce relies on international trade and that Kansas trades billions of dollars worth of goods and services with Canada every year. The state is linked to Canada through agriculture, chemicals, and auto and aerospace manufacturing. Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Business Weekly Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Abdel says she also wants to find ways to reduce the backlash in her region caused by Canadian consumers shunning American-made goods and avoiding travel south of the border. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2025.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas recognized 101 workers with 40 and 50 years of employment
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly honored longtime state employees at a ceremony on April 28. The Kansas Department of Administration held the ceremony for employees who have been with the state for 40 and 50 years. There were 92 employees recognized for 40 years of continuous employment with the state, and nine employees recognized for 50 years of continuous employment. 'I multiplied all that and came up with a combined, staggering, 4,130 years of service, sitting in this room,' Kelly said. 'I want to take a moment to sincerely acknowledge your unwavering dedication to the state of Kansas.' Kelly also noted that the past five years has been challenging for state employees. She said Kansas's employees had to adapt to alternative working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and intense public backlash to public servants. 'I'm also aware that we are currently in an environment that tends to undervalue and undermine public service at both the federal and state level, jeopardizing the central services Kansans rely on, threatening critical agency objectives to keep our people safe and healthy,' Kelly said. After her remarks, all 101 employees were asked to walk to podium to receive a certificate recognizing their years of service, and take a photo with Kelly and their respective agency heads. Jack Harvel is a Statehouse Reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at JHarvel@ This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas gov. honors state employees at Capitol ceremony
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Laura Kelly's cat Frances has died, leaving 'big paw print as First Cat of Kansas'
Frances, the First Cat of Kansas, who spent the last six years of her life greeting visitors to the governor's mansion in Topeka, has died. Gov. Laura Kelly announced the death of her calico cat April 15. "I'm sad to share that Frances, the First Cat of KS, was laid to rest today," Kelly said in a post on X. "She lived a long, adventurous life & greeted Cedar Crest visitors with pride & demand for affection. Although all good things come to an end, she no doubt left a big paw print as the First Cat of Kansas." Frances had served her "pet-stituents" as the First Cat and "ferocious protector of Cedar Crest" — the governor's mansion — since Kelly's inauguration in January 2019. The bio on her X account said she "prefers long naps and catnip." The last post on X by Frances' account, @FirstCatofKS, was on April 11. "Petstituents, remind your purrrents that today is National Pet Day," Frances said. "Celebrate accordingly with lots of pets and treats." Kelly previously shared how Frances got her name. "My grandmother's and my mother's middle names," Kelly said. "My confirmation name." Frances' account regularly celebrated cultural days and months, from Women's History Month and Valentine's Day, to cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs on Super Bowl Sunday and sharing her Thanksgiving plans for laying on the couch with a food coma. The cat also raised awareness of registering to vote, how to care for pets during severe weather and the opening of a cat cafe in Topeka. Frances occasionally engaged in political advocacy, like advocating for "Meow-dicaid expansion" of "CatKare." In June 2020, the First Cat account made a post of Frances wearing a rainbow cape and said "LGBTQ+ Kansans are meowgnificent." "Frances has asked me to share her very important message for LGBTQ+ Kansans," Kelly said when sharing the cat account's post. "We agreed that her message of inclusion and equality needs to be spread far and wide." Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@ Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Laura Kelly's calico cat Frances, the First Cat of Kansas, has died
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
No more FAFSA mandate: Kansas cuts new high school graduation requirement
Kansas education officials nixed a controversial high school graduation requirement less than a year after enacting it. The Kansas State Board of Education on Tuesday voted 8-2 to repeal the new requirement that high school students completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA requirement was added in May 2024 as part of a slate of changes to high school graduation requirements. Those changes were the culmination of years of work to update the minimum graduation requirements for the first time in two decades. But the FAFSA requirement caused consternation among some board members as well as lawmakers on an oversight committee, and the board decided in July to backtrack. Due to the slow speed of the regulatory process, it took until now to formally repeal it. R. Scott Gordon, general counsel for the Kansas State Department of Education, said public comment during the regulatory process was universally opposed to the FAFSA requirement. "It was attached to graduation, to a diploma, and that was not OK for me," said board chair Cathy Hopkins, R-Hays. "Should schools be putting it out there? Absolutely, 100%. Everybody needs to know what's available to them. ... I just don't think it should be a requirement to graduate." Board member Jim Porter, R-Fredonia, was one of the two no votes. He said he had concerns about the FAFSA requirement but had supported it because there were safeguards. "The fact is we have people that believe that we are emphasizing non-college over college, and it's not a zero-sum game," Porter said. "I believe that we're emphasizing both, and I think that removing the FAFSA sort of plays into that scenario. I believe there will be many first-generation students that won't know what their options that would probably have more options had they gone through that process." The graduation requirement had mandated that every student fill out a FAFSA, starting with this academic year's freshman class, unless their parent opted them out or their superintendent exempts them. Educators said the intent was to get students to take advantage of federal financial aid that they may not have known they qualified for had they not applied. Opponents of the idea had suggested that parents shouldn't have to submit information to the federal government, that schools shouldn't have data on whether students completed a FAFSA, that it places a burden on students and families and that it's not an appropriate thing to have as a graduation requirement. State education officials have said they will look to accomplish the goal in a different way, such as through the accreditation process. Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@ Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas repeals new FAFSA requirement for high school graduation
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Here are the women who will lead the Republican and Democratic parties in Kansas
Kansas Republicans have elected a new party chair to lead the GOP into the 2026 election cycle, while Democrats reelected their party chair. Republicans met over the weekend in Goodland for their annual convention. Meanwhile, Democrats met in Topeka for their annual convention, known as Washington Days. Part of the state conventions was electing party leadership, who will lead their parties in the next election cycle, which features an open gubernatorial race in 2026 and congressional midterms. Republicans elected Danedri Herbert as chair. "It is an honor to lead the Republican Party of the greatest state in the nation," Herbert said in a statement to The Capital-Journal. "Kansas has long been the heart of the conservative movement, and our party is committed to continuing the fight for limited government and individual liberty. Over the next two years, I look forward to working with Kansas Republicans to grow our party, to stand firm for conservative values, and most importantly, to elect a Republican Governor in 2026." Herbert, who is a spokesperson for Attorney General Kris Kobach, replaces outgoing chair Mike Brown. Republicans also elected conservative talk radio host Andy Hooser as vice chair, Roger Lomshek as treasurer and Amanda Schlyer as secretary. Democrats reelected party chair Jeanna Repass. "Democrats are ready to fight for the shared values of Kansans during this time of uncertainty in our state and country," Repass said in a news release. "Unelected billionaires and their friends are cutting jobs and funding that has a direct impact on veterans, farmers, and other working families. These are not Kansas values and we will be unwavering as we stand up for every Kansan." Delegates also reelected vice chair Shaun Junkins and elected former Sen. Usha Reddi as treasurer and Nik Cabrini as secretary. Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@ Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas Republicans and Democrats elect state party chairs
