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Foster care task force gets initial OK from Kansas House

by Meg Wingerter, Kansas News Service

The Kansas House gave preliminary approval Friday to a bill creating a task force that will recommend improvements to the foster care system.

The House Children and Seniors Committee passed the bill in March after collecting testimony from foster parents, law enforcement officials and child welfare advocates. Many of those who testified expressed concerns about social worker caseloads and lack of coordination in the system.

Rep. Linda Gallagher, a Lenexa Republican and the committee’s vice chairwoman, said she hopes the task force will come up with solutions that state officials can put into action.

“The task force … is intended not just to issue another report that will go on the shelf,” she said.

Officials with the Kansas Department for Children and Families, which oversees the foster care system, had raised concerns the state could lose up to $48 million in federal funding if the task force’s “corrective action plan” forced changes that contradicted federal requirements.

But earlier this week the House committee adjusted the bill so that the task force’s recommendations wouldn’t be binding unless the Legislature endorsed them. It also changed the list of task force members to include representatives from DCF and its two foster care contractors, KVC Health Systems and Saint Francis Community Services.

If the House passes the bill on final action, it will go to the Senate for a vote on whether to concur. If the Senate doesn’t agree, it could go to a conference committee.

Meg Wingerter is a reporter for the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics. You can reach her on Twitter @MegWingerter. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to kcur.org.

See more at http://kcur.org/post/foster-care-task-force-gets-initial-ok-kansas-house.

No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams deny KCKCC national golf berth

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

The National Junior College Athletic Association did Kansas City Kansas Community College’s No. 10 ranked golf team absolutely no favors when it drew up a new format for the district golf championships this spring.

The top two ranked teams in the nation, No. 1 Tyler (Texas) and No. 2 Murray State (Okla.), were moved to the Region VI District played at Auburn Hills in Wichita Monday and Tuesday.

A perennial national power, Tyler had four of the top five finishers in finishing first at 867 with Murray State second at 892. KCKCC, which finished fifth a year ago, had to settle for third at 923 followed by Seminole State, 982; Coffeyville, 983; Allen County, 1000; and Independence, 1027.

While KCKCC as a team did not qualify for this year’s national tournament to be played at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz., two Blue Devils will compete individually in the national. Sophomore Evan Shartzer of Blue Valley North tied for sixth with a 76-73-76-225 and freshman Bobby Armstrong of Wichita tied for eighth at 78-75-74-227.

“It was kind of sad,” said KCKCC coach Gary Shrader. “The kids had a good season, one of our best conference seasons and we were the best Division II team in Region VI. We tried our best and within our region we were pretty good including No. 10 in the national rankings. The kids were disappointed not being to go to national as a team but excited for the two who are going.”

Shrader said no coaches were consulted when an NJCAA committee realigned district pairings.

“The idea was of getting more teams and individuals into the national tournament but it hurt us more than it helped,” he said. “Nobody told us we’d be getting teams out of the Sun Belt that were months ahead of us in playing time. The Tyler coach said he didn’t want to drive 650 miles to Wichita while other teams from his region were playing in Mississippi.”

While KCKCC had two players in the Top 10 in medalist competition, three others finished in the Top 20. Nick Wagner of Wichita Maize tied for 14th (78-83-75-236); Micah Morris of Guthrie, Okla., tied for 16th (86-76-78-241; and Jeremy Dunham Derby finished 19th (88-79-77-244). Wagner and Morris are both freshmen.

“Were we competing just against Region VI teams, Shartzer and Armstrong would have been No. 1 and No. 2 with Wagner fourth and Morris fifth,” Shrader said.

Marco Maldonado of Tyler was medalist, finished 3-under par with a 213 which was two shots better than Oliver White and four in front of Garrett White, his teammates.

Annual show brings out best of area quilting

Albertha Martin worked on an opportunity quilt at the 41st annual Grinter Quilt Show held April 28-29. The quilters raise funds for the historic museum at 78th and K-32 in Kansas City,
Kansas. (Staff photo)

Window on the West
Opinion column
by Mary Rupert

There was a story behind every quilt at the 41st annual Grinter Quilt Show held April 28 and 29 on the grounds of the historic Grinter Place museum at 78th and K-32.

Kay Felix had worked an entire year on an applique quilt she exhibited at the annual event at the Grinter barn.

She said she worked on the pieces by hand, completing one each month, and then it took her three months to put the entire quilt together.

Kay Felix spent more than a year working on an applique quilt that was on display April 28-29 at the Grinter barn. Funds raised at the event went toward the Grinter Place museum, a state historic site at 78th and K-32. (Staff photo)

Felix did a little machine quilting before retiring in 1998, and has increased her quilting in retirement. She has been volunteering with the Grinter Quilters for about five years.

The group usually meets once a week on Tuesdays. They also make an “opportunity quilt” each year that raises funds for the state historic site. Albertha Martin was working on the opportunity quilt on the day of the quilt show.

Felix said the Grinter Quilters hand-quilt for others, charging a fee, and then all the funds raised will go to the historic home.

The group recently bought drapes and curtains for Grinter House, a state museum that is one of the oldest homes standing in Wyandotte County. Built in 1857, it was the home of Moses and Annie Grinter, who ran a ferry across the Kansas River, and also operated a post office and trading post in the 1800s. Grinter Place was on a military road connecting Ft. Leavenworth with Ft. Scott, and was a stop for troops moving through Kansas in the 1850s.

Leslie Brillhart created this quilt for her granddaughter. It was one of many quilts on display April 28-29 at the Grinter barn in a fundraiser for Grinter Place Museum at 78th and K-32. (Staff photo)

Another Grinter Quilter volunteer, Leslie Brillhart, said she worked a butterfly color theme into a quilt she made for her granddaughter.

The Grinter Quilters also attended a program at Grinter Place about quilts from Barbara J. Eikmeier on April 29. A designer, she discussed her quilting and her line of fabrics.

Barbara J. Eikmeier was the guest speaker on April 29, presenting information about quilting and fabrics she had designed. The presentation was at the historic Grinter Place museum at 78th and K-32. (Staff photo)

While the quilt show ended April 29, a few quilt blocks made by Annie Grinter in the 1800s are part of the continuing exhibits at Grinter House. The home is decorated in the style of the late 1800s. For more information on hours and admission prices for Grinter Place museum, 1400 S. 78th St., Kansas City, Kansas, call 913-299-0373.

To reach Mary Rupert, editor, email [email protected].