Category: News

Highway Patrol to be out in force on Labor Day weekend

The Kansas Highway Patrol is planning an increased presence on highways over Labor Day weekend.

The patrol will participate in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort).

A spokesman for the highway patrol encouraged residents to plan for a safe weekend.

Speed, inattention and impaired driving are leading causes of traffic crashes, according to the spokesman. Troopers will be on the roadways enforcing Kansas laws and also available to assist motorists.

The highway patrol is participating in the annual Special Traffic Enforcement Program, “You Drink, You Drive, You Lose” campaign.

For this enforcement, the Kansas Department of Transportation has provided funding for troopers to work overtime so they can have more law enforcement officers patrolling the roadways, helping reduce the number and severity of crashes.

“As the summer travel season comes to a close, the Kansas Highway Patrol will be working to ensure our travelers make it to their destinations safely. As you celebrate the upcoming Labor Day weekend, we urge everyone to play it safe and have a sober driver or use a rideshare service if you will be drinking,” said Lt. Candice Breshears, public information officer. “If you are traveling and suspect another motorist may be impaired, please dial 911.”

If you’re traveling for the Labor Day holiday, the patrol offers these tips:


• Always wear your seatbelt every trip, every time. It’s your best defense against impaired drivers.
• Check your vehicle’s condition, including tires, fluid levels and mechanical equipment.
• Check road conditions at www.kandrive.org to look for construction or delays on your route.
• Allow plenty of time to arrive at your destination.
• Buckle up and make sure your children are in the appropriately fitted child safety seats.
• Have an emergency kit in your vehicle with essentials such as water, flashlights, chargers, blankets and non-perishable food.
• Always have a sober driver before you drink alcohol away from home or take a sober ride to and from the location if you will be consuming alcohol. Remember, this is your decision.
• Before you take a new prescription medication, check your medication for driving warnings.
• Before you choose to drive after drinking, know that Kansas Ignition Interlock laws require that any driver convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) must install an Ignition Interlock Device, including an electronic log device, on every vehicle you own or which is registered to you.
• Before you choose to drink and drive, think about your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors.

Motorists who need assistance on a Kansas highway may call KHP for assistance at 47 (HP), or for those traveling on the Kansas Turnpike, call 582 (KTA).

Kelly, Schmidt agree to take part in two debates, one forum in governor’s race

Democratic governor invites independent Pyle to participate in each

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Republican challenger Derek Schmidt plan to take part in two campaign debates and a question-and-answer forum over the next five weeks.

The first on the calendar would be the election forum hosted by the Kansas Chamber Sept. 7 in Olathe, in which the candidates appear alone with a moderator on a stage to answer a series of questions.

The next would be the colorful debate Sept. 10 hosted by WIBW Radio and Kansas Radio Networks at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson.

The other appearance would be the debate broadcast by Kansas City PBS television and organized by the Johnson County Bar Association on Oct. 5.

Kelly, who was elected in 2018 and seeks reelection to another four-year term, said she would welcome participation by independent gubernatorial candidate Dennis Pyle, but it wasn’t clear if the conservative state senator from Hiawatha could be part of those three events.

Pyle, who has urged Kansans not to vote for Kelly or Schmidt, was expected to draw more support from the GOP nominee than the governor. Exclusion from the prominent campaign events would limit his ability to gain traction ahead of the November election.

“Debates are vital to the democratic process and every voter deserves to go to the polls knowing where the candidates stand on the issues,” said Lauren Fitzgerald, a spokeswoman for Kelly’s campaign.

She said Kelly looked forward to opportunities to speak to Kansans about funding of K-12 public schools, work on the state’s transportation infrastructure and “growing the Kansas economy and strengthening our workforce.”

C.J. Grover, spokesperson for Schmidt’s campaign, said the attorney general’s preference would be to engage in more one-on-one debates.

He indicated the Schmidt campaign would propose dates for joint appearances with Kelly, but didn’t mention potential of including Pyle. There is potential of gubernatorial debates hosted by Kansas television stations, the Schmidt campaign said.

“We challenge her to do more real debates where she will have to give an account for the policies that have made the lives of Kansans more difficult every single day,” Grover said. “Laura Kelly cannot run from Kansas voters’ questions.”

Schmidt, who has served Kansas as attorney general since 2011, previously was a member of the Kansas Senate with Kelly and Pyle.

Seth Cordell, the Libertarian Party’s nominee for governor, said he was interested in participating in forums and debates in the general election.

Kelly’s campaign referred to the Kansas Chamber event as a debate, but it takes the form of stand alone interview with Alan Cobb, president and chief executive officer of the state business lobbying organization. In those gatherings, candidates are given a series of questions about 10 minutes before taking the stage.

The Johnson County Bar Association and Kansas State Fair events would be conducted in debate formats.

Kansas Reflector stories, www.kansasreflector.com, may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

See more at https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kelly-schmidt-agree-to-take-part-in-two-debates-one-forum-in-governors-race/.