Sweeping a four-game non-conference series over the weekend highlighted by a no-hit pitching performance by Leslie Ford, Kansas City Kansas Community College returns to Jayhawk Conference play with four doubleheaders in five days.
Weather permitting, the Lady Blue Devils will play host to Fort Scott Tuesday and Barton County Wednesday and then play at Cowley Friday and Independence Saturday. All four twin bills will have 2 and 4 p.m. starts.
The Blue Devils got big hits at the most opportune times in defeating Maple Woods 5-0 and 4-3 Friday before routing a club team from the University of Kansas 8-0 and 11-3 Saturday. The sweep improved the Blue Devils overall record to 16-6.
Ford got two wins and a save in the four games. After blanking Maple Woods 5-0 in Friday’s opener, Ford got the save with one inning of one-hit relief in the 4-3 nightcap, then came back with a 5-inning no-hitter over KU in Saturday’s 8-0 opening win. She struck out six and had a perfect game until walking the leadoff hitter in the fifth.
Ford also delivered one of the two biggest hits in the 5-0 win over Maple Woods, a two-run double following singles by Amanda Holroyd and Hanna Barnhart in the second inning. The other big hit came in the fourth, a two-out bases-loaded triple by Justice Scales after a single by Laura Vanderheiden and two errors had loaded the bases. Scales and Barnhart each had two hits in the win.
Vanderheiden and Ashley Henington delivered the big blows in the 4-3 nightcap win. Vanderheiden lashed a 3-run triple run in the second after KCKCC had loaded the bases on three walks. Maple Woods had taken a 2-0 lead, scoring runs in each of the first two innings and then tying the game on a double and two singles in the third. Henington provided her own support for the pitching win by breaking the 3-3 tie with a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the sixth. Henington gave up one hit and struck out one in two innings in relief of starter Elizabeth Seimears.
The Blue Devils lashed out 10 hits in the 8-0 win over KU. Holroyd led with three singles while Lacey Santiago added two hits. Mierra Morisette’s 2-run triple following a leadoff single by Santiago and a double by Scales highlighted a 4-run first inning.
KCKCC added 17 more hits in the 11-3 5-inning nightcap. Morisette and Santiago each had four hits while Scales and Holroyd each drove in three runs with a double and single. Vanderheiden also had had two hits while Ford doubled and drove in two runs. Henington pitched the first two innings, allowing three hits and no earned runs while Seimears pitched the last three, allowing just a pair of hits and striking out six.
Legislative update from Rep. Pam Curtis, D-32nd Dist.
The Legislature stayed very busy last week, as we debated and voted on the House floor all day Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Complete daily calendars are available at www.kslegislature.org along with other useful information. I am also working to keep constituents more informed via Facebook and Twitter, so be sure to follow me at https://www.facebook.com/PamCurtisKCK and https://twitter.com/pcurtiskck . I am privileged and honored to be your voice in the Kansas Capitol. If I can ever be of assistance to you, please feel free to contact me at home or in Topeka.
In this issue:
• Buy American amendment proposed
• House rejects Senate decision to strike down energy standards
• House adopts proposed amendment to the Constitution on charitable raffles
• Nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities releases new report on Kansas tax policy
• House passes Student Data Privacy bill
• Stay in touch
House Dems propose Buy American Act
On Tuesday, the House voted on HB 2675. HB 2675 revises the provisions of the State Use Law as it pertains to certified businesses and negotiating committees.
The bill passed on the floor, but an important amendment to HB 2675 was rejected. The amendment, introduced by Rep. Whipple, was created in an attempt to implement the Kansas Buy American Act.
The amendment would require any public building or public work contract made by a state agency must use goods that are manufactured in the United States, under the oversight of the Department of Administration.
Exceptions would be made in cases where it is found that needed U.S.-made materials are not sufficiently produced or readily available, or that the inclusion of domestic materials would increase the project cost by more than 25 percent.
I voted yes on the Whipple Amendment to HB 2675 because I believe that Buy American provisions are helpful in creating jobs and would be beneficial to our nation’s economy.
Resources for public projects funded by taxpayers’ dollars should be purchased from America, and specifically Kansas when possible.
Since 2001, America has lost more than 2.5 million manufacturing jobs. Kansas has seen a 12 percent decline in manufacturing jobs. The amendment was rejected on a voice vote 52 – 70.
House rejects Senate decision to strike down energy standards
On Tuesday, March 25, the Kansas Senate voted 25-15 to repeal existing energy standards regarding renewable energy.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted on whether to concur with the Senate’s decision.
Current law requires utility companies to obtain 15 percent of power through renewable sources by 2015, and 20 percent by 2020.
With states moving toward renewable energy regulation, many see the repeal as a step backwards for the energy industry and, most importantly, the Kansas economy.
Many representatives from both sides of the aisle, including several from western Kansas, came down to the well to speak in favor of Renewable Portfolio Standards.
Rep. Ewy of Jetmore, Kan., said he knew firsthand of families that have been able to come back to western Kansas because of wind farms.
Opponents of the law argued that the wind industry should stand on its own.
Rep. Marc Rhoades claimed that the law raises utility costs for citizens by 40 percent. Americans for Prosperity claim that rates have risen 15 percent under the RPS. This is all untrue. Kansas electricity prices may have risen since 2009, but according to the Kansas Corporation Commission, the RPS is not the main culprit.
In a Retail Rate Report released this month, the KCC attributed wind power’s impact on rates at less than two-tenths of a cent. The motion to concur with the Senate’s decision was rejected 44-77, keeping current law intact.
House adopts proposed amendment to the Constitution on charitable raffles
In November, voters will have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment to allow charitable raffles for certain non-profits including religious, fraternal, educational, and veterans organizations.
Nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities releases new report on Kansas tax policy
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, an organization that studies fiscal policy and public programs that affect low-and moderate-income families and individuals, released a new report entitled “Lessons for Other States from Kansas’ Massive Income Tax Cuts.”
The report uses our state as a “cautionary tale,” stating that the shot of adrenaline to the economy that Gov. Brownback promised is failing.
According to the report, the tax cuts enacted in 2012 have diminished state revenue, damaged state programs, harmed the poor, and haven’t brought promised jobs and economic growth to the state.
One of the numbers that stands out in the report is that if Gov. Brownback’s future recommendations are adopted, we will have cut per-pupil spending by 17 percent (adjusted for inflation) since the start of the recession.
Below is a link to the report that clearly states the serious issues that our state is encountering, in the short term and in the long term, under Gov. Brownback’s reckless tax plan. http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=4110.
House passes Student Data Privacy bill
The House debated SB 367, the student data privacy protection bill.
The bill provides restrictions on what data contained in a student’s educational record can be disclosed, and to whom it may be disclosed.
It requires that any student data submitted to and maintained by a statewide longitudinal student data system could be disclosed only to certain individuals or organizations Rep. Rothlisberg offered 2 amendments.
The first would require school districts to count and report the number of children of undocumented workers being educated. The amendment was declared not germane and it was withdrawn. The second amendment would have defunded the KIDS data system at the state Department of Education. Rothlisberg argued that we “did not need to gather dossiers on the kids.” This amendment drew sharp opposition. It was overwhelmingly voted down. The bill was then advanced and later passed on final action 119 – 4.
Keep in touch
It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I value and need your input on the various issues facing state government. Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address is Room 173-W, 300 SW 10th, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at 785-296-7371 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me. Additionally, you can email me at [email protected]. You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.
Members of the Kansas City Kansas Community College golf team took a few minutes for a photo on a railway car while competing in the Bethel Spring Invitational Saturday and Sunday in Newton and Hesston. (KCKCC photo by Gary Shrader)
by Alan Hoskins
One of only two community colleges in the 19-team field, Kansas City Kansas Community College finished second in the Bethel Spring Golf Invitational Saturday and Sunday.
Bethany took top honors in the 36-hole tourney played in 40 mile an hour wins with an even 600 with KCKCC edging a second Bethany team 639-640 for second place.
“The wind was brutal the second day,” said KCKCC coach Gary Shrader. “Everyone’s score soared, most by 8-10 strokes but several by as many as 20 or 30.”
Doane College finished fourth (644) followed by Ottawa (645), Pittsburg State and Dakota Wesleyan (648), Hastings (650). Kansas Wesleyan (662) and Briar Cliff (670).
The tourney was played at Sand Creek in Newton and Hesston Golf Club.
Freshmen Lane Pauls of Newton and Seve Sites of Shawnee Mission West finished in a tie for sixth to lead the Blue Devils. Pauls had rounds of 73-82-155 and Sites 72-83-155.
Sophomore Collin Herron of Topeka Hayden tied for 37th (79-87-166), freshman Montana Fasching of Piper shared 41st (78-90-168) and Newton frosh Dalton Ayres rounded out the scoring, tying for 73rd with a 178 after an opening 74.
The Blue Devils return to Jayhawk Conference play Saturday and Sunday, competing in the second spring designated tournament at Rolling Meadows in Junction City.
