Have you got the 2-1-1?

The United Way of the Plains has a telephone line which facilitates critical connections between individuals and families seeking services, volunteer opportunities, or both, and appropriate human services agencies, including community-based and faith-based organizations and government agencies. To access this number, all you have to do is dial 2-1-1 on your phone or cell phone.

You can also access the 2-1-1 service online at:
http://www.211kansas.org/211findhelp/Program/Search.aspx

When she was a Senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton introduced Senate Bill 211Congress that, if passed, would allow for grants that would encourage expansion of the 2-1-1 service. The full text of Senate Bill 211 and its related House Bill 211 , aptly numbered, may be found at:
http://thomas.loc.gov (type in sb 211 in the field provided to bring up the text)

Your Kansas State Government agencies also have various directories available online:

The Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) department has a similar search service to that of 2-1-1 which helps connect Kansans to the various programs it provides:
http://www.srskansas.org/services.htm

SRS also has an alphabetical list of Kansas area phone number hotlines for various services at:
http://www.srskansas.org/800list/A_800_list.htm

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has a list of phone numbers for their available services:
http://www.kdheks.gov/contact.html

A partnership of state agencies has an alphabetical directory of the services and programs available from several state agencies at:
http://services.ks.gov/

The Dykes Library at the University of Kansas Medical Center teamed up with libraries statewide to provide Kansans with Go Local- a free directory of health facilities, providers and services available in Kansas:
http://apps.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/local/kansas/homepage.cfm?areaid=45

Check out the Kansas Mentoring Program directory of volunteer opportunities listed by county:
http://kansasmentors.kansas.gov/Pages/FindaProgram.aspx

Article Contact: Kim Harp

Nuclear Power

Whether you love it, hate it or have mixed feelings about it, nuclear power is back in the news. President Obama has approved financial assistance in the construction and opening of two nuclear power plants in Georgia opening the possibilities of more plants around the country.

Below are links to government resources on nuclear power at the national and state level. Also included are a few news stories regarding recent events as well as the continued concerns that go with nuclear energy.

Nuclear Power 2010 Program (NP2010)
http://nuclear.energy.gov/np2010/overview.html
http://nuclear.gov/neac/neacPDFs/JohnsonApr02NERAC_NP2010.pdf
(Begun in 2002, the Nuclear Power 2010 program is a joint government/industry cost-shared effort to identify sites for new nuclear power plants, develop and bring to market advanced nuclear plant technologies, evaluate the business case for building new nuclear power plants and demonstrate untested regulatory processes)

Information on Nuclear Power 2010 Program from ExpectMore.gov
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/detail/10000116.2008.html
(Detailed information on the Program from the Executive Branch)

Nuclear Power Energy
http://www.nuclear.energy.gov/pdfFiles/factSheets/NP2010.pdf
(Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Energy)

Nuclear Energy: An Overview
http://www.ne.doe.gov/pdfFiles/factSheets/2010_Overview_Factsheet.pdf

U.S. Office of Nuclear Energy 2011 Budget Request Program Fact Sheets
http://www.ne.doe.gov/events.html

U.S. Office of Nuclear Energy YouTube Videos
http://www.youtube.com/user/nuclearenergygov

Idaho National Laboratory
https://inlportal.inl.gov/
(Idaho National Laboratory is the Department of Energy's lead nuclear energy research and development facility)

List of Currently Operating Nuclear Power Units
http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/list-power-reactor-units.html
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/at_a_glance/reactors/nuke1.html
(Two sites with information on the nuclear power generators currently in operation in the US)

States with Commercial Nuclear Industries
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/at_a_glance/reactors/states.html
(From U.S. Energy Information Administration)

U.S. Nuclear Power Reactor Status Reports
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event-status/reactor-status/
(From US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Power levels of nuclear power plants in the U.S. currently in operation)

Nuclear Waste
http://www.nrc.gov/waste.html
(An online aid in finding the locations of low-level waste disposal, high-level waste disposal, and uranium recovery facilities, as well as disposal facilities for waste incidental to reprocessing)

Basic Introduction to Nuclear Power
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/intro.html
(From U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Nuclear Reactor History
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/nuc_reactors/superla.html
(From U.S. Energy Information Administration)

KANSAS AND THE WOLF CREEK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Kansas Nuclear Industry
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/at_a_glance/states/statesks.html

Wolf Creek Official Website
http://www.wcnoc.com/

Basic information on Wolf Creek
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/at_a_glance/reactors/wolfcreek.html
(From U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit 1 Information
http://www.nrc.gov/info-finder/reactor/wc.html
(From US Nuclear Regulatory Commission)

Kansas Technological Hazards Section
http://www.kansas.gov/kdem/hazards/techhazards_overview.shtml
(The Technological Hazards Section program provides necessary direction and planning concerning potential accidents involving hazardous substances such as toxic chemicals, radioactive substances, and potential releases from nuclear power plants)

Wolf Creek Emergency Preparedness
http://www.wcnoc.com/news/preparedness.pdf
(Information from Wolf Creek Nuclear Power website)

Kansas Radiochemistry Laboratory
http://www.kdheks.gov/radchem/
(The laboratory provides radioanalytical support for Kansas Department of Health and Environment's monitoring of Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Generating Station in Burlington, Kansas)

The Neosho River Basin
http://webs.wichita.edu/cehh/neosho.htm
(From: Center for Environment and Human Health, Wichita State University. Wolf Creek lies within the Neosho River Basin)

Kansas Energy Report, 2009
http://kec.kansas.gov/energy_plan/energy_plan_09.pdf
(From Kansas Energy Commission)

Comparison of Nuclear Power with Other Energy Sources
http://kec.kansas.gov/documents/Quillian_KE_Energy_Comm_081507.ppt
(PowerPoint presentation at the Kansas Energy Commission website. 2007)

NEWS ARTICLE/STORIES

"U.S. Supports New Nuclear Reactors in Georgia"
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/business/energy-environment/17nukes.html
(N.Y. Times article, Feb. 17, 2010)

"Fed Loan Guarantees May Boost Nuclear Power’s Return"
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/feb/17/fed-loan-guarantees-may-boost-nuclear-powers-retur/
(From Lawrence Journal-World, Feb 17, 2010)

"Obama's Nuclear Power Push Faces Obstacle: Waste"
http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/84583602.html
(WIBW TV, Feb 17, 2010)

"Wolf Creek's License Extended 20 Years"
http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=23678
(2008 short article)

"Nuclear Power Regaining Its Luster"
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1273290/nuclear_power_regaining_its_luster/index.html (From Kansas City Star. Although an older article.. 2008.. a good look at the return to nuclear power as an energy source in Kansas)


Article contact: Bill Sowers
(Check out recent additions to our collection here

Kansas Government and Schools

In order to compensate for budget cuts, several Kansas school districts are considering major changes: district or school consolidations. Schools are looking to consolidate administrative functions, custodial services, and other ways to prevent duplication between neighboring districts. Two schools are being consolidated through an Executive Order, the Kansas School for the Blind (KSSB) and the Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD).

Governor Parkinson's Executive Order requiring the consolidation:
http://governor.ks.gov/issues-a-initiatives/executive-orders/569-01262010-executive-order-10-02-kansas-advisory-committee-for-the-blind-and-visually-impaired

Read the Governor's Facilities Closure and Realignment Commission report which includes recommendations to consolidate KSSB and KSD:
http://governor.ks.gov/files/Facilities_Closure_and_Realignment_Commission_Report.pdf

Minutes from the Governor's Facilities Closure and Realignment Commission regarding KSSB and KSD:
9/28/2009 http://governor.ks.gov/issues-a-initiatives/53-balancing-the-budget/422-09282009-minutes-for-kansas-state-school-for-the-deaf-and-school-for-the-blind

8/17/2009 http://governor.ks.gov/issues-a-initiatives/53-balancing-the-budget/421-08172009-minutes-for-kansas-state-school-for-the-deaf-and-school-for-the-blind

Read KSSB Superintendant Madeline Burkindine's remarks regarding consolidation:
http://www.kssb.net/node/72

Read KSD Superintendant Dr. Bob Maile's remarks regarding consolidation:
http://www.ksdeaf.org/

See the summary of the superintendants' report to the Kansas Department of Education:
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=36&ctl=Details&mid=1030&ItemID=450

Post Audit Report regarding possible savings garnered from school consolidation:
http://www.kslegislature.org/postaudit/audits_perform/10pa07a.pdf

Want to learn more about your school district's finances?

Report detailing operating expenditures for school districts in Kansas:
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=3519

Compare Kansas school districts’ performance and financial systems:
http://cpfs.ksde.org/cpfs/

School district information by county:
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=223

Read school districts’ report cards at:
http://online.ksde.org/rcard/

A chart that lists the estimated cuts in state aid for school districts:
http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=pDrv68NXirc%3d&tabid=119&mid=8049

High-speed rail- coming to Kansas?

The Federal and state governments are looking at ways to build safe, functional, ecological and convenient methods of travel including high-speed passenger rail systems. The Federal government has been behind a national push to coordinate rail systems. The Kansas Legislature has introduced four bills that would help to direct and facilitate funding for rail systems in Kansas: House Bills 2382 and 2552, Senate Bills 409 and 502, House Concurrent Resolution 5014, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 1617. These bills may be found at http://www.kslegislature.org/- click on "full text of bills" from the menu at the top and then type in the bill number.

Kansas Department of Transportation's Long Range Plan:
http://www.ksdot.org/lrtp2008/

President Obama's 2010 State of the Union speech:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTMrs9vpoqg

See President Obama and Vice President Biden discuss passenger rail at a town hall-type meeting:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/01/29/one-step-closer-future-high-speed-rail

Press release regarding President Obama and Vice President Biden announcing funds for high-speed rail projects:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/press-releases/341

Read the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood's blog post regarding rail:
http://fastlane.dot.gov/2010/01/president-obama-delivers-on-american-highspeed-rail.html

High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/2243

FRA Vision for High-Speed Rail:
http://www.northflyer.org/resources/FRA_HSR_Plan.pdf

Amtrak Kansas Fact Sheet:
http://www.northflyer.org/resources/KANSAS08.pdf

High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program- a short legislative and executive history:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/2325

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Federal Rail Administration:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/2153

Methodology for Determining the Avoidable and Fully Allocated Costs of Amtrak Routes, Vol. I, Main Report (December 2009):
http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/Research/ORD0916_Vol_1.pdf

Article Contact: Kim Harp