Today mark's Kansas Day, also known as the birthday of Kansas.

Here are some YouTube videos I found to celebrate a little bit about the state's history – good and bad.

The KCK tornado in May 2003, the obligatory tornado video:

The obligatory Wizard of Oz reference in the form of the film's trailer:

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's D-Day Speech:

Quindaro Ruins Tour:

Brown v. Board of Education Cip:

The Birth of Kansas State Football:

The history of The Kansas Jayhawks basketball team:

With looming budget issues likely, tonight's State of the State Address should be interesting.

To listen, click here. You'll need to download some software if you haven't already. A recap of some kind is likely following tonight's Piper Board of Education meeting.

The Kansas City Star, via the Associated Press, reported this morning about a study that shows the State of Kansas would make just over $11 million if it implemented a "primary seat belt" law.

They want to remind people that is how many extra federal dollars Kansas would get to spend on highways if the Legislature passed a primary seat belt law.

Currently, state law only allows law enforcement officers to ticket someone for not wearing a seat belt if the driver stopped for another violation such as speeding.

A primary seat belt law would allow officers to stop drivers simply for not wearing their seat belts.
 

This was originally linked in the Regional Headlines, but it might be a piece to get some discussion and thoughts on.

After a large snowstorm caused problems on highways all across Kansas, something that generates more dollars will always receive attention. Plus, the state is under a massive budget crunch right now, making something like this more appealing.

However, the libertarian side of me says that drivers should be able to make up their own minds regarding what they do. While I wear a seat belt, it should not be mandated by law.

(PRESS RELEASE)

The Kansas chapter of the American Planning Association honored three University of Kansas graduate students for their study of regional high-occupancy vehicles — those capable of transporting more than one person — in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
 
Two of the honored KU students, Gabriel Scott Casner, of Kansas City, Kan., and Lance Christopher White, of St. Louis, earned master’s degrees in urban planning in spring 2009. Tyler O’Donnell Means, of Wichita, plans to graduate this semester with a master’s degree in urban planning.

Casner works for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County.

Casner and Means were able to attend the Nov. 5 meeting of the state chapter in Wichita to receive the 2009 New Horizon Award.

The annual award is given to a student or a team of students for a project that “pushes the boundaries of planning in creative and innovate ways.”

The KU graduate students were charged with developing a strategy for high-occupancy vehicle lanes — highway lanes devoted to vehicles with multiple passengers — in the Kansas City area for the Mid-America Regional Council. The students worked with a variety of stakeholders to develop a comprehensive strategy.

Ron Achelpohl, assistant director of transportation for the regional council, described the student work as “well-reasoned and thorough” and said it helped “the Kansas City metropolitan area advance its goal of more efficient, equitable and sustainable mobility.”

The study was the major assignment in Transportation Planning Implementation, taught by Marcy Smalley, adjunct professor in KU’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning. The 2010 class will tackle a regional transit plan for the greater Wichita area.

After Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson announced a transfer of $50 million from the State Highway Fund to the state's general fund, the Kansas Department of Transportation said the cuts will hurt the department in terms of jobs and quality.

So far this year, KDOT has had $229 million in revenue adjustments due to budget cuts.

“These reductions will have long-term fiscal consequences that will require additional spending in future fiscal years to return the system to good condition,” K-DOT Secretary Deb Miller said. "We are filling very few job vacancies and many of our maintenance crews are short-staffed. That means we are able to do less, and there is a consequence to that. If the winter season is significant and prolonged, costs that exceed our budget for salt, sand and overtime must be absorbed with our remaining operating budget authority."

The 2010 construction budget is about 40 percent of the annual construction spending the past 10 years.

KDOT will also limit equipment purchases by 50 percent, cancel several studies and suspend the purchase of equipment for various projects in Kansas.

There is some minor good news for the economy in Wyandotte County.

Latest statistics from the Kansas Department of Labor indicates that the unemployment rate in Wyandotte County has dipped from 10.4 percent in September to 10.1 percent in October.

But last year at this time, the rate was 7.8 percent.

Overall, the State of Kansas' unemployment rate also had a minor decrease in percentage.

The rate state-wide was 6.4 percent for October, down from 6.8 percent in September. Last October, the unemployment rate was at 4.3 percent.

"Kansas continued to experience a weak labor market in October," said Inayat Noormohmad, of the KDOL. "We have seen limited over-the-month growth, however, over-the-year job losses remain significant. While we’re seeing improvements in some economic indicators, we know recovery in the job markets remains uncertain for the near future."

According to the report, 57,700 have been lost during the year. However, in October, 11,700 jobs were gained across the state. Among the areas of increased employment are government, education and health services.

Meanwhile, manufacturing jobs have taken the biggest hit in Kansas, with over 25,500 jobs being lost so far this year.

Wyandotte County has the highest unemployment rate of any county in the State of Kansas.

In comparison to some nearby counties, the rate in Leavenworth County is 7.2 percent; 6.5 percent for Johnson County; 6.4 percent in Miami and 4.7 percent in Douglas.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will hold a press conference tomorrow afternoon in Topeka to discuss the H1N1 flu vaccine and how it will eventually be distributed to Kansans.

KDHE Secretary Roderick Bremby and the KDHE Director of Health Jason Eberhart-Phillips will speak at the conference.

The conference will be held at the Curtis State Office Building tomorrow at 1 p.m.

A 39-year-old woman and a 30-year-old woman from Kansas have died as a result of the 2009 H1N1 virus.

The total of deaths in Kansas from the disease now is six. Lab tests confirm the two women had the virus earlier this month.

“The deaths being reported today make it very clear that this illness can be extremely severe for people with underlying health conditions,” said Jason Eberhart-Phillips, Kansas State Health Officer.  “But severe complications and deaths have been reported among patients who have not had any underlying health problems that would have placed them at higher risk.  It is so critical that people take seriously the potential dangers of this disease and recognize the importance of working towards preventing further spread and receiving the H1N1 vaccine as soon as it becomes available.”

So far, the flu virus has hit 55 counties in Kansas and just over 1 million Americans have been confirmed with the virus so far.

Both cases occurred in northeast Kansas.

Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson spoke in Hutchinson, Kan., this week and met with members of the The Hutchinson News concerning the state's future budget prospects.

Parkinson told The News that no more budget cuts would be made, but rather the state's revenues would have to increase. Or, there would be a tax increase. The governor pointed out the tobacco tax as one example.

While the prospects of any tax increase in a down economic time isn't the greatest prospect in the world, there may be better news on the revenue front to avoid that solution:
 

That is "the only tax that I would be willing to identify," he added, saying he is optimistic state revenues will improve.

"The good news is it's very possible," he said.

He pointed out monthly tax revenue projections turned a corner this summer, with shortfalls steadily diminishing until August, when revenues came in about $7 million above the state's projection.

Parkinson sympathized with school districts - including Hutchinson USD 308 - that have joined Fair Funding Inc., which could initiate a lawsuit against the state over funding. However, he noted, the economic reality required everybody to take a hit.

Last summer, the state had a revenue shortfall of over $100 million and all school districts and local governments across the state had to slash jobs and budget funds for some services.

The portion in bold is probably welcomed in Wyandotte County.

The Unified Government had an eight-figure revenue shortfall and they had to implement furloughs and a 10 percent across the board budget cuts. The Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools District had to cut positions and services, incuding a 14 percent cut in its library budget. The Turner School District closed one of its schools.

School districts have also laid the ground for future cuts. Cuts in high school athletics are possible should the revenue situation not improve.