WASHINGTON, DC - Congress' willingness to extend a tax break for wind energy may predict the future of Kansas' flourishing wind power industry. Republican Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas proposed a one-year extension over two weeks ago but it has yet to be voted on. The tax break, which has been in effect since 1992, was part of President Obama's stimulus plan and therefore is likely to gain opposition from both deficit hawks and Obama detractors running for re-election.

TOPEKA, Kan. - On February 15, Kansans presented hundreds of Freedom of Information requests to Secretary of State Kris Kobach asking where has he been since taking office in January 2011.

Kobach has made many trips outside the state to promote his extreme, anti-immigrant agenda. He continues to "moonlight" as an attorney for city and states where his anti-immigrant legislation is undergoing court challenges.

TOPEKA, Kan. - As reported in a recent Topeka Capitol Journal article, KanVote exposed a major discrepancy in new voting restrictions which has
resulted in a functional poll tax.

KanVote found that in order to obtain a free voter ID, voters without access to necessary proof of citizenship would be forced to pay for a birth certificate. KanVote made the discrepancy known this week at a rules and regulations hearing held by the Secretary of State's office.

After hearing KanVote's findings, Kris Kobach stated that free birth certificates are available for accessing the free voter ID. He claimed the discrepancy was mere confusion caused by his senator, Kelly Kultala. Kobach blames Kultala for postponing the implementation of voter registration regulations and creating confusion among related agencies regarding when free birth certificates are available.

Upon further investigation, KanVote discovered that the new voting restrictions do not make free birth certificates available to those applying for a voter ID.

WICHITA, Kan. - The recent enactment of Kansas' controversial voter ID law has many concerned that some citizens will not have equal access to the polls on election day and for the soon-to-come referendums.

Those concerned with the law fear that citizens who lack access to the photo ID now required to vote will be disenfranchised this election year. Though the new law requires all DMV's to provide free voter ID's, there has been little effort to educate voters on the new requirements and how to access the free ID's. The Kansas Secretary of State's Website contains incomplete instruction on how to access a free photo ID, and many doubt that DMV employees are prepared to answer these questions.

With Cimarron's first test of this bill happening on Tuesday and Wichita's on Feb 28th a coalition of concerned citizens are ready to take action to ensure that nobody is disenfranchised.

WICHITA, Kan. - The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) is calling on The Boeing Company to meet all commitments to employees here who worked diligently to help secure the $35 billion U.S. Air Force KC-767 tanker program only to learn Wednesday morning the plant is being shuttered and their work is going elsewhere.

WICHITA, Kan. - It was a rainy Saturday in Wichita on October 8, but there was still a decent turnout for the Occupy Wichita (OW) event on E. Douglass. There were about 50 to 80 people there. Perhaps a little more than the previous Sunday. The crowd fell short of the 500 that some of the OW activists were hoping for. But it was a spirited gathering. It didn't seem to be just the same people as on Sunday. For one thing, there were a number of union folks present, from the SEIU, IAM, APWU, IBEW, and Teamsters. I also talked, as well as members of Move-on, Wichita Democratic Socialists, Sunflower Community Action, and the Tequila Party.

There is a nightly gathering around 4:30 - 5 pm at the Chester Lewis Reflection Park Square, on E Douglas between Broadway and Market.

A bigger rally is planned for Saturday October 15 at noon on the theme of "jobs, not cuts." If NYC Mayor Bloomberg follows through with plans to disperse Occupy Wall Street on Friday, there could be an even bigger turnout.

WICHITA, Kan. - The Occupy Wall Street movement sparked by demonstrations on Wall Street has spread across the country, even to Kansas.

Here is a video from Wichita's first occupy moment on Sunday, October 2.

TOPEKA, Kan. - Jane Carter, executive director of the Kansas Organization of State Employees (KOSE), issued the following statement in response to Governor Brownback's proposals for voluntary retirement incentives:

I am quite disappointed by the Administration's announcement of the Voluntary Retirement Incentive proposal. To be very clear, KOSE is not opposed to voluntary retirement plans in general. However, it is essential that all factors be considered before enacting a Voluntary Retirement Incentive. The State has not, at this point, considered those factors nor met its legal obligations to KOSE. [Read more here]

WICHITA, Kan. - Governor Sam Brownback has already used his administration to make Kansas one of the most social conservative in the nation. Kansas has become the first state to end public funding of the arts and has narrowly missed being the first state to do end abortions.

Now, Brownback is developing a plan to promote marriage. To head up this effort, Brownback has hired Robert Siedlecki. Ironically, Siedlicki is divorced, but he is an advocate of "faith-based" solutions and an opponent of gay marriage. And, he's from Florida, as if Kansas has a shortage of religious right activists.

Tim Carpenter reported recently some juicy details about a secret April meeting to design Brownback's marriage agenda. The Topeka Capital-Journal uncovered some through a Kansas Open Records request.

The Kansas government spent $13,000 to bring together 20 mostly far-right marriage "experts" for the closed door meeting.

Participants to stand with Wisconsin in national day of action and to focus on issues of concern to all Kansans.

TOPEKA, Kan. - On Saturday, February 26, local Kansas citizens, including teachers and other public sector workers, will hold a rally outside of the state capitol building in Topeka to 'Save the American Dream.'

The noon rally is being held in solidarity with Wisconsinites who like Kansans are under attack from extremist legislative action.

We want to send a message that common values like good schools, social services and responsible government remain mainstream Kansas values and individuals that try to erode those are out of touch with what Kansans want.