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Closing The Kansas Budget Gap, Author Uses Poetry To Heal and Educate

Ken Doll
/
Kansas Center for Economic Growth

The Sunflower State's budget is a mess and lawmakers in Topeka are struggling to solve the state's fiscal woes. Today, a former budget director evaluates the precarious situation. Also, we speak with novelist Ellen Hopkins, who experienced thekidnapping of one daughter and the drug addiction of another. She tells us how these tragedies show up in her novels for young adults, and about her activism for high-risk youth. This week's Statehouse Blend Kansas features state Sen. Barbara Bollier (R-Mission Hills). 

Duane Goossen will take part in a panel discussion called 'Kansas' Cautionary Tax Tale: A  Model of What Not to Do,' which takes place at the Matt Ross Community Center at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 16. For more information, visit MainStreamCoalition.org.

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.