Kansas Department of Health and Environment

A new food safety website has been launched by two state agencies in Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) have partnered to launch FoodSafetyKansas.org.

The website can be used to submit instances of food-related illnesses and health-related complaints regarding restaurants and events such as with pests or employees not washing their hands. Complaints about food items purchased at a grocery or convenience store can also be submitted.

Low-income seniors in Butler, Sedgwick and Harvey Counties could be eligible to receive food assistance at farmers markets throughout the state.

The Kansas Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program provides seniors who meet certain age and income requirements with a total of $30 in checks to spend at local farmers markets. Participants can use the money to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and honey produced in Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has released a preliminary report on abortions in Kansas.

According to Kansas state law, providers of abortion services must keep records and provide them to KDHE. The Women's Right To Know Act requires that certain information is given to those who seek abortions, as well as a report to KDHE about the number of informed consents.

Sedgwick County commissioners signed off on two grants on Wednesday for programs at the County Health Department and the Regional Forensic Science Center.

The commissioners voted 5-0 to accept a $1.9 million grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Health Department Director Adrienne Byrne told commissioners the grant is a longstanding funding source for various health department programs.

"Without this funding, many of our programs would be drastically reduced or services not be able to be provided," Byrne said.

All that Michael Sykes has to show for his months-long quest to get his mother’s nursing home bed covered by KanCare is a pile of paperwork.

Sykes has already appealed an initial denial of his mom’s coverage and been turned down again. He’s mulling his options. But even before the denials, he was struggling to get answers.