Special to the Leader & Times

Last Wednesday, Gov. Laura Kelly announced $34,587,786 in state grants to strengthen and maintain services for adult and child victims and survivors of crime. The funding supports nonprofit organizations that provide services for victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence as well as child abuse and neglect, including the Liberal Area Rape Crisis/Domestic Violence Services for $782,413.

“Through these grants, we are providing crucial support to survivors of crime as they heal and move forward with their lives,” Gov. Kelly said. “It is essential that these nonprofit organizations have the resources they need to make Kansas a stronger and safer state.”

Kansas Department of Transportation

With highway construction continuing and the beginning of the school year fast approaching, the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Kansas State Department of Education are reminding drivers of a new law aimed at reducing distracted driving in construction and school zones.

Senate Bill 366 prohibits handheld mobile device use in active construction and school zones across the state. Gov. Laura Kelly signed the bill this spring, which then became law on July 1. Devices are still allowed to be used in hands-free mode.

ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

The announcement from Jason Maxwell earlier this year that he planned to step away from the Liberal Municipal Court for a new position in Kansas City left a vacancy on the bench.

That vacancy will be filled by a new yet familiar face with Lane Frymire, who has much experience in Liberal and in the law field. As he tells it, his interest in the field was sparked at a young age.

ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

The 2026-27 school year may have just started for USD 480 students, but district leadership is still thinking about goals from the 2025-26 school year.

Assistant Superintendent of Academics Dr. Maria Gomez-Rocque said results recently came in from the CAP state assessment.

“The CAP state assessment ‘grades’ students to one of four levels – Level 1 students show a limited ability to demonstrate their knowledge of skills at their grade level, Level 2 students show a basic ability to demonstrate their knowledge of skills at their grade level, Level 3 students show a proficient ability to demonstrate their knowledge of skills at their grade level, and Level 4 students show an advanced ability to demonstrate their knowledge of skills at their grade level,” Gomez-Rocque said. “When we created the targets in 2025, they were approved by the USD 480 school board in April 2025. In 2024, once we received the information, our targets for that year were ELA at 48 percent, math at 49 percent, and science at 44 percent. In 2025, our targets were ELA at 51 percent, math at 52 percent, and science at 48 percent. The goal is, by 2029 or 2030, to be at 65 percent in all content areas.”