Kansas Department of Agriculture Launches New Online Business License Renewals

Restaurants and Lodging Establishments Now Have Easy Online Access to Renew Business Licenses

TOPEKA, Kan. - Restaurants and lodging establishments now have easier access to renew their state licenses. The Kansas Department of Agriculture partnered with Kansas.gov to launch online business license renewal services at http://www.kansas.gov/lodging and http://www.kansas.gov/restaurant. These businesses now have 24/7 access to renew and securely pay for their license renewals online.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture is responsible for licensing and inspecting more than 10,000 restaurants and nearly 900 lodging establishments statewide. To accomplish the annual license renewal process the department has had to hire temporary help. Now, by providing businesses the option to renew licenses online, the department hopes to minimize the impact the annual license renewal has on its staff.

Restaurant and lodging establishment licenses expire December 31 each year, and online renewals will be available from November 1 through January 31. Business owners who need a new license, or who want to renew between February 1 and October 31, must contact Nancy Anderson at the Kansas Department of Agriculture at (785) 296-5193.

About Kansas Department of Agriculture

The Kansas Department of Agriculture is a regulatory agency that serves all Kansans. It is charged by law to ensure: a safe food supply; responsible and judicious use of pesticides and nutrients; the protection of Kansas' natural and cultivated plants; integrity of weighing and measuring devices in commerce; and, that the state's waters are put to beneficial use.

2009 Kansas State Fair

The Kansas State Fairground gates will open this Saturday, September 11, to kick off the annual Kansas State Fair. This year’s event will run September 11–20. More than 340,000 people from across Kansas and neighboring states are expected to attend.
This year’s fair will feature hundreds of commercial exhibits, agricultural and educational displays, carnival rides and once again, the famous butter sculpture. If it’s competitive exhibits you wish to see, there are more than 30,000 entries this year, ranging from blue-ribbon animals to homemade crafts.

Visit the Kansas State Fair Web site at http://www.kansasstatefair.com/ to view the 2009 events calendar, ticket information, maps and directions and information about the Kansas State Fair.

The 2009 Kansas State Fair is "going social" by communicating across online social networks. Keep track of event news and updates posted on the following 2009 State Fair accounts:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/KansasStateFair/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=36969568213

Live on UStream TV: http://www.ustream.tv/KansasStateFair

WordPress Blog: http://kansasstatefair.wordpress.com

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/ksstatefair

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/KansasStateFair

As stated on their FaceBook page, the Kansas State Fair promises to be “weird, wild and wonderful...with a world-class Midway, blue-ribbon animals galore and activities for the whole family, the fair is pure Americana — an event not to be missed.”

Hope to see you there!

New Web Site Connects Kansans to More than 175 Mentoring Programs Across the State

Kansas Mentors launches new and improved Web site at http://www.kansasmentors.org to better connect young people with mentors

TOPEKA, Kan., – August 3, 2009 – Kansans will now find it easier to connect with mentoring efforts around the state with today’s launch of Kansas Mentors’ newly redesigned Web site at www.kansasmentors.org, a partnership with Kansas.gov.

“Since our beginning in 2006, we have been dedicated to recruiting mentors for every young Kansan,” said Kansas State head football coach, Bill Snyder, Chair of Kansas Mentors. “With more people communicating electronically, our enhanced site will be a crucial component to provide every Kansan with the resources they need to make a difference in a young person’s life.”

The redesigned Kansas Mentors site includes information for Kansans interested in mentoring as well as a directory of more than 175 mentoring programs in the state that individuals can contact directly to begin volunteering. In addition, the enhanced Web site provides an in-depth resource center for the state’s mentoring efforts ensuring that all young Kansans are served by quality and effective programs.

“With the launch of this site we are not only excited to connect more Kansans with the rewards of a caring mentoring relationship, we are also very pleased to provide additional resources to our partner programs as they continue to effectively serve our youth with reduced resources,” said Ella Todd, Program Director of Kansas Mentors.

Kansans interested in mentoring are encouraged to visit the new site at www.kansasmentors.org to learn more about how they can serve as a role model to our youth and to connect with mentoring efforts in their area of the state.

About Kansas Mentors

Kansas Mentors, a statewide mentoring partnership, is partnered with over 175 mentoring programs serving 86 Kansas counties. The organization is committed to providing every young Kansan access to a caring and quality mentor and in reflection of that mission provides resources to the state’s existing and developing mentoring efforts while encouraging Kansans to get involved. To learn more, visit http://www.kansasmentors.org or call the Kansas Mentors office at (785) 296-8873.

KanSite Enables Easy Web Site Development for Kansas Governments

Now any Kansas government agency, city or county can have an online presence with no programming or design expertise needed.

KanSite (http://www.kansas.gov/kansite) was created as a Web site content management system for Kansas governmental entities. KanSite is easy to use, improves public access to government services, reduces service-processing costs, and enables governments to deliver a higher quality of services to their constituents. KanSite provides the ability to easily create and maintain a Web site without prior programming or design experience.

This content management system is specifically designed for state and municipal governments and offers a full range of solutions for Web design and management. The system utilizes common templates, which were created to provide a cohesive look-and-feel throughout state & local government, including common navigation items. KanSite is administered completely from the Web, so the Web site can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

The KanSite package provides the following for government agencies:
Setup
Site Design
Template Development
Information Architecture
Search Engine
Support
System Maintenance
Hosting
Security
Training
Marketing
Press Releases
Social Networking Integration
Kansas.gov Site Promotions
Flyers

KanSite is a simple, cost-effective way for state and local government agencies to go online. KanSite is maintained and supported by Kansas.gov, the state’s official Web site. Contact Kansas.gov to get started: 1-800-4-KANSAS.

“Kansas.gov delivers successful digital government services to agencies across Kansas government. Our staff is trained to help state and local government agencies get started in building their organization’s Web site by using this simple tool to connect businesses, citizens, and government," said Lisa Counts, Kansas.gov General Manager.

KPTS - New Season of Kansas Health Watch

Wichita, KS – May 1, 2009 – Thursday, May 7 at 8:00 p.m., Kansas Health Watch begins it's fifth season with "The Policy of Health"; an in-depth examination of state health reform and the vital role it plays in the future of Kansas' health.

Betty Ann Bowser, health reporter for NEWSHOUR with Jim Lehrer, tells Kansas Health Watch, "This is the first time in history when everybody's miserable. There was a time when farmer was happy, doctor was happy and the hospitals were happy...now, no one's happy. And when everyone's unhappy you might have a chance to get something done...but who knows."

The state faces a huge challenge in addressing the critical need for state health reform, amidst a recession and looming state deficit.

The Kansas Health Policy Authority, or KHPA, has been tasked with presenting health reform priorities and recommendations. The KHPA accounts for $2 billion a year in state spending, but not everyone agrees with their state health reform efforts.

State Legislative representative Brenda Landwher charges that the KHPA has become a "lobbying group" and last year she spearheaded a major re-examination of the agency.

In examining the role the KHPA plays in the state's health care and the future of health care in Kansas, Kansas Health Watch speaks with Marci Neilson, the KHPA's Executive Director; Barb Langner, the agency's Policy Director; and Sen. Jim Barnett, who helped create the KHPA four years ago.

Kansas Health Watch is produced by KPTS and is funded, in part, by Kansas.gov, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas, Kansas Hospital Association, Wichita Medical Research and Educational Foundation, and Sedgwick County Health Department.

This episode of Kansas Health Watch airs Thursday, May 7 at 8:00 p.m. on KPTS 8.1 and will be rebroadcast on Monday, May 11 at 7:00 p.m. on KPTS Explore 8.2.

KPTS is a locally owned, not-for-profit public television station serving south central Kansas since 1970. The station thrives to provide high-quality telecommunications services that deliver knowledge, information and entertainment. In addition, KPTS programming reflects the diversity of the region through local initiatives.

Hurry! Today is the FINAL Day to File Your 2008 Kansas Individual Income Tax Return Online with WebFile.

With a deadline of today, April 15th, this is the FINAL day to file 2008 Kansas income tax returns. Kansas WebFile provides a fast, easy, and secure way to file Kansas individual income tax returns online and the service is FREE for most filers. Those filing a 2008 Kansas individual income tax return can do so 24 hours a day at https://www.accesskansas.org/ssrv-webfile/index.html.

Kansas WebFile offers the following services:- File your individual 2008 income taxes- File an amendment to your individual 2008 tax return- Pay taxes due

All Kansas residents and non-residents who filed a Kansas income tax return last year can use WebFile, even if the return is itemized.Kansas WebFile performs the necessary financial calculations , automatically submits the return to the Department of Revenue, and provides a personal confirmation number to verify the return was filed. If there is an overpayment, the refund can be deposited directly into a checking or savings account. For a balance due, users may schedule their payment submission by electronic check or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express). The process is fast, secure, and completely paper-free.

Kansas Board of Examiners in Optometry (KSBEO) Launches New Online License Renewal & Verification

Optometrists and Insurers Now Have Easy Online Access to License Renewal and Verification at http://www.kansas.gov/optometry.

TOPEKA, Kan., – April, 7, 2009 – Today, optometrists have easier access to the tools they need to renew their licenses. The Kansas Board of Examiners in Optometry (KSBEO) partnered with Kansas.gov to launch its enhanced Web site at http://www.kansas.gov/optometry. Optometrists now have 24/7 access to renew and securely pay for their licenses online.
The online renewal system is using OE TRACKER to integrate continuing education information directly into the renewal process. When a license is renewed online, hours that are stored will automatically be integrated into the Kansas license renewal system. This system will replace the long-standing tradition of mailing stacks of paper copies of continuing education certificates to the Board.
Entities that provide malpractice insurance coverage for optometrists will also find the new system convenient. These companies can now access and verify optometrists’ license information online at any time. Information available includes license renewal deadlines and status, as well as any disciplinary actions.
The KSBEO currently licenses 652 optometrists throughout the state of Kansas. The enhanced Web site’s online license renewal and verification services provide convenience to optometrists and insurers.
About Kansas Board of Examiners in Optometry:
The Kansas Board of Examiners in Optometry administer and enforce the provisions of Kansas Optometry Law to ensure the highest quality of comprehensive eye care is available to the citizens of Kansas and delivered by qualified optometric practitioners.