Kansas

Candidates for Kansas Senate District 19 discuss school funding, Medicaid and more in forum

Published

6 months ago

July 14, 2024

Candidates for Kansas Senate District 19 discuss school funding, Medicaid and more in forum

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Candidates running to represent parts of Douglas and Shawnee counties in the Statehouse answered questions about topics including school funding, Medicaid expansion, renewable energy and more Saturday.

The forum included all five candidates running for Kansas Senate District 19: Democrats ShaMecha King Simms, Vic Miller and Patrick Schmidt, and Republicans Cynthia Smith and Tyler Wible.

The candidates will face off in the partisan Tuesday, Aug. 6 primary election. The winners will advance to the Tuesday, Nov. 5 general election.

Ursula Minor moderated the forum, hosted by the NAACP and League of Women Voters of Lawrence-Douglas County.

Candidates Marci Francisco and Christina Haswood, Democrats running to represent Senate District 2, also participated in the forum. We’ll link that story here once it’s published.

Where is District 19?

You can check your voter info at myvoteinfo.voteks.org to make sure you know which Senate district you’re in. A lot of districts have changed significantly in recent years.

Senate District 19 includes much of northern Douglas County and some parts of Lawrence north of Sixth Street. Its southernmost boundary is Sixth Street between Queens Road to the west and Kasold Drive to the east; its boundaries meander north along Kasold and east along Tomahawk Drive to include Deerfield Elementary School. North of Princeton Boulevard, homes west of Arrowhead Drive are included, as are the areas north of Interstate 70 but south and west of the Kansas River, which creates the district’s easternmost boundary. West of Lawrence, the district includes Lecompton and parts of rural Douglas County, and parts of Tecumseh and Topeka in Shawnee County.

Click here to see a map.

ShaMecha King Simms (Democrat)

Mac Moore/Lawrence Times ShaMecha King Simms

King Simms said in her work as an educator and particularly as a substitute teacher, her role has been “to walk into a space that is often dealing with chaos, and try to find some way forward. That is the gift that I bring to this opportunity.”

She said funding is not getting where it needs to go in schools, and there needs to be a conversation around that.

“Under the current conversations that we’re having, just around vouchers and open enrollment, I’m afraid that we still have some work to do,” she said.

King Simms said she would ask for hearings on Medicaid expansion as soon as possible if she were elected, and that the expansion “would be critical” to the people living in the low- and moderate-income neighborhoods in the 19th District.

In regards to sustainability and renewable energy, she said she thinks the Legislature’s role is “to provide a framework that local governments can use to be able to determine what their next steps need to be.”

King Simms said she wants to see more storytelling in the Legislature.

“You need a legislator who has the heart to engage conversations all across this district, so that you can see in Lawrence what’s happening in Topeka, and Topeka can see what’s going on and Lawrence and everything in between,” King Simms said in closing.

Vic Miller (Democrat)

Miller, of Topeka, currently represents Kansas’ House District 58. He’s currently serving as the House Minority Leader — but “I call it the Democratic Leader,” Miller said, “and I’m so proud of that title and the responsibilities that go with it.”

He noted that the Kansas Supreme Court recently released its control over school funding following a lengthy legal battle to force the Legislature to adequately fund public schools.

“I’m very hopeful that people on the other side got the message so that we don’t end up in court again,” he said. He also said he believes public dollars should go toward public education.

Miller said he voted in favor of Medicaid expansion when it passed the Legislature once, but former Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed it.

He said he’s been appalled by Republicans who hold the majority of seats in the Statehouse not even allowing expansion to make it to the floor for a vote. He said if expansion doesn’t pass in the upcoming session, it might be time for a citizen-led ballot initiative.

He said he believes the Legislature needs to keep an eye on the Kansas Corporation Commission to try to make sure their policies are friendly toward renewable energy, “and we have to be ready to pass legislation to respond if that is not the case,” he said.

In closing, Miller said the state needs to elect more Democrats if residents want to see change, and the senator for District 19 “has to understand the concentration of state employees and retirees in this district, and they have to be the principal spokesperson for that group of people.”

Patrick Schmidt (Democrat)

Mac Moore/Lawrence Times Patrick Schmidt

Schmidt said he is a veteran of the Navy, and the proud son of two teachers.

“I’m proud to have served aboard the USS Ronald Reagan. I’m proud to have served the Special Forces Unit in Bahrain, hunting Iranians,” he said.

He said after knocking doors, he knows people aren’t happy with the state of public education, and that they don’t believe the same resources are available from district to district.

“We can do more to lift all families, especially those with special needs kids, and take care of those in Kansas that need it most,” he said.

He said he thinks it’s “criminal that we have not expanded Medicaid in the state,” and he will do everything in his power to make that happen.

“I think everyone in this room has a story, knows how mental health is causing problems in our state and what needs to be done in Lawrence and Topeka,” he said. “Medicaid expansion would provide millions of dollars every year to help with that problem.”

He said he thinks the state should leverage tax credits to help people take the steps to fix up older homes to make them more energy-efficient, and to empower people to take advantage of energy that is cleaner, such as heat pumps and solar panels.

In closing, he said state legislatures need to “be that bulwark for families trying to get by and thrive in Kansas, just the same way that my family did when they settled here 160 years ago.”

Cynthia Smith (Republican)

Smith, of Lawrence, said she is an attorney, and most of her experience is in health care. She said she was on the legal team of the over-the-counter drug industry during the Tylenol tampering crisis, and she’s worked with a group of safety net hospitals.

She said she was present around the Statehouse for more than a decade, and oftentimes education lobbyists’ pleas for more funding are not always taken seriously. She said she’s heard that increases in school funding don’t make it to classrooms.

And “While private schools help public schools handle the numbers, I would oppose taxpayer dollars being used to fund Bible studies, for example,” she said.

Smith said she thinks the Affordable Care Act marketplace has evolved a lot, and “it’s my understanding that some of those who would benefit from Medicaid expansion actually already have access to very low-cost health insurance.”

“I don’t feel the taxpayers should foot the bill for health care when the working poor have health insurance options available to them for a very low cost,” she said.

She also said she worked for Kansas City Power & Light, and some companies are eager to take the lead on renewable energy.

“Generally, I believe that the market will look toward these goals, and little if any involvement by the state Legislature is really needed,” Smith said.

“I have the moxie to hit the ground running and be a great senator,” she said in closing. “Again, I am a moderate Republican — I’m a fiscal conservative and moderate on social justice issues. We need more of us in the Legislature.”

Tyler Wible (Republican)

Wible, of Topeka, said he grew up in poverty, but over time, and working two or three jobs, he was able to purchase his own home. He said he’s seen property taxes and cost of living increase, and he believes state representatives have a responsibility to keep taxes down.

He said he believes school districts’ spending should be regulated the way special education funding is to ensure that dollars reach the classrooms.

And he thinks taxpayer dollars from concerned parents “should be able to follow their student as to where they choose, whether that be private school or just changing school districts,” Wible said.

He said he doesn’t believe in Medicaid expansion but does believe in a “reconstruction” of Medicaid. He said private insurance companies should be lowering prices to fight for consumers.

“I do believe that we do need affordable health care, but I do believe the only way to do that is through private industry,” he said.

He said he believes wind energy is “ineffective and inefficient” and emphasized nature conservation.

“Renewable energy is nice to talk about, and green initiatives. But realistically, we’re hurting the nature around us, and that’s a huge problem,” he said.

He said young people are often “shunned by an older generation,” and that they need to be informed about voting and how to be part of society.

The last day to register to vote in order to cast a ballot in the Tuesday, Aug. 6 primary election is Tuesday, July 16. Early voting begins July 17.

Kansas voters can take care of their voter registration and request an advance ballot to vote by mail at ksvotes.org.

Look for more forum coverage and candidate questionnaires still to come at lawrencekstimes.com/election2024.

If our local journalism matters to you, please help us keep doing this work.

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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.

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Four candidate forums are coming up, featuring candidates running for Douglas County Commission as well as the Lawrence- and Douglas County-area candidates running in the primary elections for Kansas House and Senate.

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Candidates running for Douglas County Commission seats largely agreed during a forum Saturday that housing inequality and increasing property taxes are pervasive but shared differing viewpoints on environmentalism and equity strides.

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Much to his relief, Daniel Lassman’s yard, where he’s restoring native plants, was mowed by mistake rather than someone with ill intent. But other projects have been repeatedly destroyed by mystery mowers.

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Kansas

Block Of Snow Smashes Kansas Driver’s Windshield – Videos from The Weather Channel

Published

5 hours ago

January 10, 2025

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3 keys for UC Bearcats to beat Kansas who makes their 1st visit to Cincinnati since 1964

Published

13 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

3 keys for UC Bearcats to beat Kansas who makes their 1st visit to Cincinnati since 1964

The Kansas Jayhawks visited the Armory Fieldhouse just a few months after The Beatles appeared at Cincinnati Gardens in 1964. Then-coach Tay Baker’s squad beat them 76-72, which would be the last UC win in the series until last year’s Big 12 tournament.

After falling short at Allen Fieldhouse in January 2024, 74-69 UC beat the Jayhawks 72-52 last March 13 in Kansas City, just 47 miles from their home. To be fair, Kansas played without Big 12 First Team players Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr., but the game was in front of over 18,000 at the T-Mobile Center pulling for the Jayhawks.

Kansas coach Bill Self was none too pleased about exiting a tournament his team had owned for years. Now, Kansas is again a highly-ranked team with 7-foot-2 Dickinson back as they come to Cincinnati for the first time in over 60 years Saturday.

Saturday a tall order for Cincinnati Bearcats

This Kansas team has only lost three times. Wednesday, they came from behind against Arizona State at halftime to win by 19, 74-55. The Jayhawks fell against Quad 1 opponents in Missouri, Creighton and had a one-point home loss to West Virginia. The Bearcats and Jayhawks share one common opponent: Howard. Kansas began their regular season beating the Bison by 30, while UC beat them by 17 in early December.

The Bearcats are coming off their worst game of the season, a 68-48 thrashing at Baylor Tuesday in Waco. UC will look to bounce back with a sellout crowd at Fifth Third Arena.

“You know you’re going to hit tough stretches, that is part of this,” UC coach Wes Miller said of the 0-3 Big 12 start. “That doesn’t make it fun. It’s part of college basketball, it’s part of high-level competition. Going into the year, I went, ‘When we do, we’re going to be OK because of who we have in the locker room’. I’ve got high-character guys that are bought into this place and our program and they want to win.”

A boost from UC AD John Cunningham

Miller and company received support from athletic director John Cunningham Thursday as they await the powerhouse Jayhawks.

“It’s everything we always wanted when we got into the Big 12,” Cunningham said. “It does remind a lot of people of the competition we saw week in and week out when we were in the Big East. This is even more so.”

As for UC’s 0-3 start, Cunningham says the Bearcats are a really good team going through a tough stretch in a demanding league.

“I see no cracks in the armor in terms of the confidence of the team,” Cunningham said. “If I’m going to battle, I want Wes Miller and his staff right next to me. He’s the right man to get this thing moving the right direction. Honestly, sometimes the shots don’t drop. They’re going to start to drop.”

Tough travels for Cincinnati Bearcats

After waiting four hours to fly to Waco Monday night and arriving early on game day, the Bearcats were also delayed getting home. Though Miller mentioned it had nothing to do with the Baylor loss, he said UC didn’t arrive home until Wednesday afternoon due to flight complications. By NCAA rules, they took that day off and didn’t get back to practice until Thursday.

“We had to get a new plane so we slept in Waco and couldn’t leave until that morning,” Miller said. “This isn’t news to anyone who knows our program but the will, the want, the mindset, I believe it’s where he needs to be and I believe it’ll continue to be where it needs to be regardless of the results and circumstances. This team has the right internal stuff and internal fortitude. We’ll figure it out.”

A ‘Big O’ moment

On March 12, 1960 in an Elite Eight NCAA tournament game in Manhattan, Kansas, UC beat the Kansas Jayhawks 82-71 as Naismith Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson had 48 points and 14 rebounds.

3 keys for Cincinnati Bearcats to beat Kansas Jayhawks

1. Seize momentum on your home floor

The University of Cincinnati winter semester begins Monday and Fifth Third Arena will be packed for a matchup with a team that has briefly been No. 1 and for the most part in the Top 10.

While the Arizona game drew 11, 212, students were not yet back and the intensity was nowhere near Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout levels. Of course, the Bearcats didn’t help matters getting behind by 13 at halftime. With an 0-3 Big 12 start, the Bearcats could use every piece of motivation they can find.

“You have to go through difficult moments, speed bumps and hurdles in order to do the things you have to do to become who you’re trying to become,” Miller said. “My fire burns in these moments. It burns brightest when things are at their most difficult times.”

2. Hound Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson

UC was able to hold him to 10 points and six rebounds in Lawrence last year thanks to foul trouble. They also outrebounded the Jayhawks 40-29 and the game was tied at halftime 35-35. Getting the prolific pivot in foul trouble would be beneficial again, as would the glass advantage.

Dickinson is often good for 16 points and 10 rebounds. He finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds in their Arizona State win Wednesday.

“They’re the oldest team in the country, the most experienced team in the country,” Miller said of Kansas. “They’re a national championship contender. They present a load of challenges. The first is the depth and experience. You’re talking about guys on their roster that were the leading scorers at other high-major schools. They’re as deep as I’ve seen a college basketball team in the portal area.”

3. Let Dan Skillings Jr. get his minutes

Skillings was electric off the bench at Kansas last year with 16 points and even more so in the Big 12 tournament game when he popped in 25. When the 6-foot-6 wing is rolling, the Bearcats often follow suit. They didn’t on Tuesday, but maybe they do after a few spirited practices.

One solution might be to leave him on the floor. To date, Big 12 opponents are playing their starters more minutes than the UC starting five. No Bearcat has played 34 minutes yet and most games the starters are in for roughly 28 to 31 minutes of a 40-minute contest.

“We look at our coaching decisions after every game,” Miller said. “We always want to be consistent. I don’t ever want to be the guy that’s changing every game because I don’t think players can be effective like that. Over the course of time, we’re going to evaluate that. We have real data, real information, not just reactive information. We’ll adjust accordingly.”

Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks

Tip: Saturday, 2 p.m., Fifth Third Arena (12,012)

TV/Radio: ESPN+/700WLW

Series: UC leads 5-4 (Bearcats won March 13, 2024, in Big 12 tournament 72-52)

Kansas Jayhawks scouting report

Record: 11-3 (2-1 Big 12)

Coach: Bill Self (21st season, 599-146)

Offense: 78.9 ppg

Defense: 63.6 ppg

Projected starting lineup

(Position, Height, Stats)

Hunter Dickinson (C, 7’2″, 15.9 ppg, 10.4 reb)

Dajuan Harris (G, 6’2″, 10.3 ppg)

K.J. Adams (F, 6’7″, 8.5. ppg)

Zeke Mayo (G, 6’4″, 14.6 ppg)

Shakeel Moore (G, 6’1″, 3.3 ppg)

Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report

Record: 10-4 (0-3 Big 12)

Coach: Wes Miller (fourth season, 73-47, overall 258-182)

Offense: 75.4 ppg

Defense: 61 ppg

Projected starting lineup

Simas Lukošius (G-F, 6’8″, 13 ppg)

Dan Skillings Jr. (G-F, 6’6″, 13.1 ppg)

Dillon Mitchell (F, 6’8″, 10.9 ppg)

Jizzle James (G, 6’3″, 11.1 ppg)

Aziz Bandaogo (C, 7′, 9.4 ppg)

Players to watch

Hunter Dickinson is a fifth-year player who reliably has been at or near averaging a double-double since he began in 2020. He has seven double-doubles this year. If UC has another game where they’re destroyed in the paint (40-16 at Baylor) that means Dickinson had his way.

Dillon Mitchell has been UC’s double-double leader with three but he’s coming off a scoreless game where he had just two rebounds. He hasn’t been held without a point since his freshman year at Texas. For the Bearcats to have a chance, Mitchell must be productive.

Rankings

KenPom.com: Kansas is No. 10, Cincinnati is No. 33

NCAA NET: Kansas is No. 9, Cincinnati is No. 35

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Mayor Quinton Lucas grades Kansas City's snow response as A-minus

Published

21 hours ago

January 9, 2025

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Mayor Quinton Lucas grades Kansas City's snow response as A-minus

KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can send Charlie an email at charlie.keegan@kshb.com.

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The mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, applauded city staff for their efforts to plow snow following Sunday’s storm.

On Thursday, KCMO Mayor Quinton Lucas gave the city an A-minus grade for the job, even if the job isn’t totally complete. Drivers continue working in 12-hour shifts clearing the nearly one foot of snow which fell.

“Nobody is ever perfect,” Lucas said. “I think we continue to pursue getting every street addressed. But I think it was a really darn good response. I’d give an A-minus.”

Al Miller

Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Quinton Lucas

Lucas said the city’s made changes to its snow response in the past four years. Those changes are paying off in the way of improved service.

“When I was growing up in Kansas City, the story was, ‘You go to the suburbs and everything is perfect,’ ‘You go to the city, and everything is not,’” Lucas said as he reiterated a narrative KSHB 41 News has heard before. “With respect to all of our peers around the region, I think you’ve seen that change a bit.”

Changes to the snow plan were the product of KCMO City Manager Brian Platt, who took over in December of 2020.

The following the year, the city began implementing four main changes to its plow routine:

purchases newer trucks
shifted employees from other departments and trained them to drive snow plows (even Platt drove a plow this week)
those additional drivers allow the city to plow main streets and side streets simultaneously
the city keeps drivers assigned to snow duty for longer periods of time

snow covered streets.jpg — Snow-covered streets in Kansas City, Mo.

“It’s going to continue to get better. We’re not where we want to be, but we are going to get better,” KCMO director of Public Works Michael Shaw said. “So we have changed expectations because we are delivering a higher, better quality service.”

Michael Shaw.jpg — Kansas City, Mo., Public Works Director Michael Shaw

The changes seem to be changing opinions from residents.

“Considering how much snow came and how fast it was, I’m pretty satisfied,” Shawn Colby, a KCMO resident, said.

“This year seems to be better,” added Eileen Cohen. “It’s always the side streets, but what do you do? But I think they did a good job, it was a blizzard.”

“Honestly, I feel like they could do better with the side streets and stop pushing the snow people just shoveled back in front of their yard,” DJ Juan said, offering some advice to the city.

At Thursday’s council meeting, members introduced a resolution asking the city manager to review snow removal plans. The proposal should come up for more discussion next week.

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