Kansas receives tobacco settlement payment

Kansas has received $62.2 million in its annual tobacco settlement payment.

According to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the payment resulted from a legal settlement that Kansas entered into in 2012 with several tobacco companies to resolve a long-running dispute. The settlement term sheet was approved by an arbitration panel of retired federal judges in 2013.

Without the settlement, the dispute had threatened to cause a catastrophic reduction in future years’ payments to Kansas, according to Schmidt.

“As we said last year, the settlement in principle is having the effect of stabilizing Kansas’ annual payments,” Schmidt said. “We are managing the settlement proceeds in a way calculated to minimize the spikes or drops in receipts from year to year so that legislators and other Kansans can plan reliably.”

As it does each year, the annual payment will reimburse the state for funds previously appropriated by the Legislature to pay the current fiscal year’s cost of programs financed from tobacco settlement proceeds. Because of the timing of the annual tobacco payment in comparison with the state budget cycle, the Legislature each year appropriates the funds that will not be received until the following April and then reimburses that amount when the annual payment is received.

Each April, Kansas receives a payment pursuant to the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. The amount of the payment fluctuates based on several variables, including annual sales of certain tobacco products.

Legends Outlets to add two places to eat

Two new businesses have been announced for The Legends Outlets in Kansas City, Kan.
They are Pizza Studio, a fast casual restaurant chain based in Los Angeles, Calif., and sweetFrog, a frozen yogurt chain based in Richmond, Va.
The yogurt store will open this spring and the Pizza Studio plans to open this summer.
Both restaurants offer customers a “create your own” food format.
The yogurt store, with 1,588 square feet, to be located across from Uniform Destination, allows customers to make their own soft-serve creations from many flavors and toppings. Yogurt options include many flavors as well as nonfat, low-fat, sugar-free and sorbet options.
The Pizza Studio, with 2,542 square feet, allows customers to create their own custom, individual-sized pizza. Customers choose from an assortment of crusts, sauces, cheeses, meats and vegetables. The restaurant is known for its light and thin, crispy crusts with unlimited toppings for custom-built pizzas. It also offers specialty pizzas and salads.
The restaurant’s location at The Legends Outlets, next to Christopher and Banks, will be the first of at least six Pizza Studios in Greater Kansas City as the chain expands into the Midwest.

Piper results

Piper’s 4×400 boys relay team took first place at the KU Relays in the boys 4×400 meter relay Sunflower High School competition. The 4×400 Piper relay members included Dion Saunders, Ibrahima Bah, Logan Stacer and Sean Pahls. (Photo from Piper High School)

Piper High School – track at KU Relays
– boys 4×400 relay took 1st place
– first ever Sunflower Showdown for Piper.
– Dion Saunders, Ibrahima Bah, Logan Stacer, Sean Pahls
Piper High School  – forensics at Lansing
4th in Sweeps Overall
Zeb Jackson – 1st in Poetry – Qualified for State Champs
Alex Moran – 2nd in Poetry – Qualified for State Champs
Gabi Kempf – 3rd in Prose
Jared Davis – 2nd in Prose – Qualified for State Champs
Patricia Telthorst – 5th in Poetry
Keegan Sparks and Drew Waters – 4th in Duet Acting
Cailin O’Mara and Patricia Telthorst – 6th in Duet Acting

Piper High School  – soccer vs. Baldwin
– Varsity won 8-2
– goal by Woolley (4), Gunnels (2), Lauritzen, & Brownell. Assist by Woolley (2), Gunnels, Trzok, and Cahill (throw).
– Information from Doug Key, Piper activities director