Food Safety

With over 1,000 cases of salmonella poisoning across the country and the recall of about a half billion eggs from stores, restaurants and homes food production safety and inspection have come to the forefront of the news lately.

As Federal and state health officials continue to investigate it's good to know what resources are available to you on food safety. We've included some links below to state and federal information:

INFORMATION ON THE CURRENT OUTBREAK AND RECALL

Salmonella Enteritidis Outbreak in Shell Eggs
http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/WhatsNewinFood/ucm222684.htm
(From the US Food and Drug Administration's What's New in Food)

Investigation Update: Multistate Outbreak of Human Salmonella Enteritidis Infections Associated with Shell Eggs
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/enteritidis/
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's web page on salmonella)

How can I tell if my eggs have been recalled?
http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/WhatsNewinFood/ucm223536.htm
(From the US Food and Drug Administration's What's New in Food)

FoodSafety.gov
http://www.foodsafety.gov/
(Information from the federal government on home food safety, food poisoning, inspections and compliance, etc.)

KANSAS FOOD SAFETY

Kansas Food Safety and Consumer Protection
http://www.ksfoodsafety.org/
(Kansas Department of Health and Environment)

Kansas Department of Agriculture
http://www.ksda.gov/food_safety/
(The Department's Food Safety and Lodging web page. Includes information on dairy inspection, meat and poultry inpection, as well as a food safety and lodging inspection results database)

Kansas Department of Health and Envrionment
http://www.kdheks.gov/epi/index.html
(The Department's Bureau of Surveillance & Epidemiology web page. Includes information on disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and education. Among the duties of the the Bureau is the investigation of foodborne ilnesses)

GENERAL FOOD SAFETY INFORMATION

Keep Food Safe! Food Safety Basics
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Keep_Food_Safe_Food_Safety_Basics/index.asp
(US Dept of Agriculture)

K-State Extension Food Safety
http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/foodsafety/DesktopDefault.aspx
(A website from Kansas State University educating consumers on safe food handling with food preparation, food preservation, food service and more)

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

League of Kansas Municipalities

2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the League of Kansas Municipalities (LKM). The League is not a state government agency but "a voluntary, nonpartisan organization of over 500 Kansas cities. It operates as a public agency and is defined by state law as an instrumentality of its member cities. The powers and duties of the League are prescribed by state law and in bylaws adopted by the voting delegates of its member cities." [from the League's website]

Besides working as an advocate and resource center for municipalities in Kansas the League of Kansas Municipalities also offers up a treasure trove of information on city-related topics, much of which is available to the general public on the League's website.

Below are links to resources on the LKM's website along with links to some other local government organizations in Kansas:

LEAGUE OF KANSAS MUNICIPALITIES (Main Page)
http://www.lkm.org/

Directory of Kansas Public Officials
http://www.lkm.org/directory/
(The Directory allows searching by city, county, public school district and by personal name. There is also a clickable map. General contact information is supplied not only for local officials but for state and federal legislative representatives in the city sections too.

Sample Ordinances
http://www.lkm.org/resources/ordinances/
(Grouped by topics such as animals, cell phones and motor vehicles, concealed carry and zoning the League provides simple examples of ordinances which can be modified by local government attorneys to meet the needs of municipalities)

Legislative Guide
http://www.lkm.org/legislative/guide/
(The League puts out an annual guide to the Legislature with contact information as well as information on committee membership, legislative leadership, key session dates, and support staff contacts)

Fiscal Year Budget Tips
http://www.lkm.org/resources/budgettips/
(Some basic information on taxes, government funds and budget preparation to assist local officials in preparing their operating budgets for the coming year)

Kansas Cities on the Web
http://www.lkm.org/links/local/cities.php
(The League provides links to over 200 official city websites in Kansas)

LEAGUE PUBLICATIONS

Kansas Government Journal
http://www.lkm.org/journal/
(Includes an online archive of past articles going back to 1914)

League News
http://www.lkm.org/leaguenews/
(Newsletter with back issues available online)

Comprehensive Publications List
http://www.lkm.org/publications/
(Includes League of Kansas Municipalities publications available for sale)

Legislative Alerts
http://www.lkm.org/legislative/alerts/
("Breaking news" bulletins)

Standard Traffic Ordinance (STO)
Uniform Public Offense Code (UPOC)
http://www.lkm.org/publications/stoupoc.php
(Order form link page)

OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESOURCES

Kansas Association of Chiefs of P0lice
http://www.kacp.cc/

Kansas Association of Code Enforcement
http://kace-ks.org/

Kansas Association of Counties
http://www.kansascounties.org/

Kansas Association of Local Health Departments
http://www.kalhd.org/

Kansas Association of School Boards
http://www.kasb.org/

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

Back to School!

Holidays are enticing only for the first week or so. After that, it is no longer such a novelty to rise late and have little to do.
- Margaret Laurence

Yes, it's that time of year when parents are shuffling through school supply lists and checking to see whether back packs are still intact. Preschoolers are psyching themselves up for their first year at Kindergarten. Big kids are making their last few visits to the pool and getting excited to see old friends. High schoolers are squeezing as much sleep as they can out of their last few days of summer. College students are comparing prices on mini-fridges and asking mom to do their laundry one last time. It's also the time of year when your Kansas and local governments are ramping up to tackle another school year.

See Commissioner of Education Dr. Diane DeBacker's welcome back to school message at:
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2601

Can't remember which vaccinations your child needs before heading back? Learn more at:
http://www.kdheks.gov/immunize/index.html

Need assistance with preschool tuition?
http://www.srs.ks.gov/agency/ees/Pages/Child_Care/Child%20Care%20and%20Early%20Education.aspx

Learn more about your school or district by reading its "report card":
http://online.ksde.org/rcard/

Read about the Kansas curricular standards at:
http://www.kerc-ks.org/index.aspx

Want to learn online this year? Find a list of Kansas virtual schools at:
http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=r6o84oLXhio%3d&tabid=455&mid=6785&forcedownload=true

Learn more about the charter school option at:
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=449

Full list of Kansas education associations and organizations:
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1968

Article contact: Kim Harp