News

The nation’s chief agricultural negotiator plans to meet with Kansas producers to talk about trade issues.

Isi Siddiqui is a presidential appointee in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. He planned several stops in Kansas today to discuss efforts to bring down trade barriers and increase U.S. farm exports.

In Johnson County, Siddiqui is to tour Bayer Animal Health Company and Kansas State University’s research lab. He also plans to tour the Cargill Innovation Center in Wichita and host a roundtable meeting with the Wichita Agribusiness Council.

The City of Wichita anticipates a quarter million dollars in projected hotel cash flow from the city-owned downtown Hyatt as part of the proposed 2013-14 budget.

Wichita City Manager Bob Layton gave an overview of the proposed budget as part of a formal public hearing during Tuesday’s city council meeting.  Layton told council members one issue that helped shape the budget has to do with the Hyatt.

“This budget anticipates for the first time, a revenue flow to the city from the Hyatt operations,” said Layton.

Marc Bennett won the Republican primary for Sedgwick County district attorney over Kevin O’Connor.  There was no Democratic candidate.

Karl Peterjohn kept his seat on the Sedgwick County Commission winning over Wichita City Council member Jeff Longwell.

Jeff Easter defeated incumbent Bob Hinshaw in the Republican primary for Sedgwick County sheriff.

I recently attended one of the most avant-garde art events I've seen in Wichita for some time. This event brought together local art, music, and food trucks to Abode Venue for a dynamic night of cutting edge culture.

Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration resubmitted a Medicaid waiver proposal to the federal government after the first proposal needed to be withdrawn.

The state needs the waiver in order to use federal Medicaid dollars for the Brownback administration’s managed care plan, called KanCare.

State officials withdrew a proposal that was submitted April 26 after realizing that they had not notified Haskell Health Center in Lawrence and the White Cloud Health Station.

Composer Carl Stalling created some of the most recognizable musical scores of the last century, the sounds that fueled many Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons.

[Music: Carl Stalling: “Coyote and Road Runner”]

You may not know Carl Stalling’s name but you do know his work.  He was the composer who scored the music for Warner Brothers’ Looney Tunes cartoons, the music that was the perfect accompaniment to sugar-cereal-fueled Saturday mornings, the music we associate with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn, and their various escapades.

European airplane maker Airbus Monday announced plans to double investments in the US at the first Air Capital Supplier Summit in Wichita.

Senator Jerry Moran and Airbus Americas Chairman Allan McArtor hosted the event.

Moran says the partnership between Airbus and Kansas suppliers is aimed at growing the aviation industry in the state through more contracts with the France-based aircraft maker.

Airbus has an engineering center here in Wichita with more than 350 employees, making the Wichita facility the company’s largest engineering center outside of Europe.

It’s a little bit later than planned, but the State of Kansas has resubmitted its request for federal authority to overhaul the state’s Medicaid program.

The primary election is Tuesday and for the second time in Sedgwick County history, photo identification will be required.

This primary election is the second time voters will need to show their ID when they go to the polls in Sedgwick county.

It also also carries more weight than most.

A number of races will likely be decided tomorrow, including the race for Sedgwick County District Attorney, Sedgwick county Sheriff, state Board of Education in district 8, Sedgwick county commissioner in district 3 and 5 of the 6 open seats in the 18th judicial district.