Posted inState Government

Kansas nearing ‘constitutional crisis’ as small-town lawyers become a scarcity

Kansas judges in rural counties struggle to find qualified attorneys to represent defendants in cases where the right to a lawyer is guaranteed.  “We are approaching a constitutional crisis,” said Kansas Supreme Court Justice Keynen “K.J.” Wall.  Forty-seven rural counties are legal deserts, or areas without adequate access to legal help. One-third of rural attorneys […]

Posted inKansas State Government

Nearly a million Kansans lack quality internet. This grant might fix that.

Once considered a luxury, high-speed internet is now considered a necessity by many policymakers, said Jade Piros de Carvalho, director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development. Quality internet is especially valuable in rural communities where it may be required for access to health care and other services.

“I think what the pandemic did is it really highlighted that communities that don’t have broadband aren’t going to be able to innovate in the same way,” Piros de Carvalho said. “They’re not going to be able to grow and thrive.”

Gift this article