State board of ed receives details on composition of task force created to study students’ cell phone usage

Posted on by Matt Resnick

The Kansas State Board of Education on Tuesday received an introductory overview of the newly minted task force formed to study students’ cellphone usage during class time. 

Education Commissioner Randy Watson previously asked for a 30-member “blue ribbon” committee, but board members were informed during their meeting that the task force will comprise 36 members. 

The committee is slated to meet Thursdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m., with six total meetings planned, beginning Aug. 22. Additionally, meetings will be publicly viewable via Zoom, and the committee will have a website and email address for questions and general feedback. 

The committee plans to concentrate on three primary topics: personal devices in school, parental oversight of district-issued devices, and screen time and mental health. 

“One of the hardest things about this is that technology is in every corner of our lives, so we’re narrowing the focus to those sub-areas,” said Jake Steel, education strategist for the Kansas State Department of Education. 

As part of the process, committee members are asked to study the book “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness,” which explores youth mental health in the era of smartphones, social media and big tech.

Calls for cellphone ban 

Debate on the topic is picking up steam throughout the state. Ahead of students’ return to the classroom this week, the Lawrence school board heard from a proponent of the stricter cellphone policies. 

The board was apprised of a petition with over 100 signatures calling for a strict district-wide ban of cellphones in classrooms. Justin Blumenstiel, a University of Kansas professor and parent of a Lawrence Free State High School student, described a perceived rise in cellphone usage negatively impacting students’ mental health. He traced the evolution to the advent of smartphones in 2007, followed by the emergence of Instagram on smartphones in 2010. 

“Major depression, especially in teenage girls, has increased dramatically since 2010,” said Blumenstiel, adding that it’s a global epidemic. “The amount of depression in U.K. girls has increased as a function of how much time they spend on their smartphones.

“Across the entire world, loneliness is increasing in schools.” 

But Blumenstiel also noted that correlation does not necessarily equal causation. He said districts that have implemented or promoted cellphone “interventions” resulted in positive outcomes in students’ mental health due to a marked decrease in anxiety levels.

Committee breakdown

The task force was designed to have equitable representation among K-12 school districts and other related job professions across the state. 

The committee is composed of: 

  • Superintendents: Travis Githens, Cherryvale; Brian Huff, Gardner Edgerton; Brad Kempf, Jefferson County North; Troy Pitsch, Wabaunsee; Tonya Merrigan, Blue Valley 
  • Principals: Eric Hofer–Holdeman, Wichita Public Schools; Brian Houghton, Fredonia; Kathleen Brennan, Fort Riley Middle School; John Niehues, Greeley County; Kamiel Evans, Jefferson Elementary School
  • Teachers: Tawna Hall, Derby Public Schools; José Martínez, Wichita Public Schools; Carol Budde, Newton Schools; Anna Luke, Beloit Junior-Senior High School; Connie Martin, Shawnee Mission South High School
  • Students: Jessica Claire, Leavenworth High School; Ananya Agrawal, Blue Valley West High School; Ava Gustin, Mission Valley High School; Lane Lamping, Basehor-Linwood High School; Alexa Hernandez, Dodge City High School
  • Parents: Amy Warren, Wichita; Kim Whitman, Shawnee Mission; Erika Sheets, Blue Valley Northwest High School; Korin Poppe, Republic County Unified School District 109; Lori Barnes, Arkansas City
  • Local school board members: Sue Bolley, Topeka Public Schools; Jackie Gigot, Garden City Public Schools; Katie Allen, Manhattan-Ogden Public Schools; Laura Corey, Hutchinson Public Schools; Trisha Moritz, Attica Public Schools
  • IT staff: Travis True, Topeka Public Schools; Lyndsay Noble, Rockhurst University
  • Legislators: Rep. Scott Hill, R-Abilene; Sen. Chase Blasi, R-Wichita
  • State board of education members: Melanie Haas, District 2; Danny Zeck, District 1

Board member Jim McNiece, District 10, told State Affairs he was pleased with the composition of the committee. 

“There are a lot of people with a stake in the pie,” he said. “What you don’t want to do is leave people out.” 

Having spent nearly three decades as a high school principal, McNiece said he’s unsure if there will ever be a comprehensive answer to cellphone usage in classrooms. 

“It has certainly gone in a different direction than I ever imagined,” he said, “when you have mothers that want to make sure they’re in contact with their kids all the time.” 

The issue, McNiece said, extends beyond students and K-12 classrooms. 

“I talk to my friends who are in business and they’re facing the same problem: ‘How do I keep my people off these communication devices?’” he said. “So when somebody figures it out, I think it will be universally appreciated.” 

Matt Resnick is a statehouse reporter at State Affairs Pro Kansas/Hawver’s Capitol Report. Reach him at [email protected].

House District 51 primary tightens; final canvass set for Thursday

Posted on by Brett Stover

The 51st House District Republican primary race between Megan Steele and Eli Kormanik has tightened since election night.

Steele led by 28 votes on election night, triggering an automatic close-race audit. That margin narrowed to 12 after counties tallied late-arriving advance ballots, and Wabaunsee County completed its canvass Monday. 

Wabaunsee’s final count added 18 provisional ballots for Kormanik and 12 provisional ballots for Steele, County Clerk Abby Amick said. The total count now is 1,541 to 1,553 in favor of Steele.

The other two counties in the district, Pottawatomie and Riley, will hold their final canvasses Thursday morning.

According to the Pottawatomie County Clerk’s Office, at least 24 provisional ballots are expected to be counted in the 51st District primary. Five more recommended ballots also await signatures.

The Riley County Clerk’s Office said it only has one provisional ballot in the race, and that ballot is recommended to not be counted.

Kormanik said he didn’t have any comment and is waiting to see how the process plays out. Steele couldn’t be reached for comment.

The close-race audit, triggered because the race was within 1% on election night, required the district’s three counties to hand-count ballots in 10% of the race’s precincts. The Secretary of State’s Office confirmed Tuesday that the process has been completed.

The winner will face Democrat Linda Morse, a former Manhattan mayor, in the general election.

Brett Stover is a Statehouse reporter at State Affairs Pro Kansas/Hawver’s Capitol Report. Reach him at [email protected] or on X @BrettStoverKS.

Gary’s gun industry lawsuit lives on despite new state law

Posted on by Tom Davies

The author of a state law intended to quash the City of Gary’s long-running lawsuit against gun manufacturers said Tuesday he was confident a judge’s decision allowing the case to proceed would be overturned on appeal.

Legislative Republicans during this year’s session pushed through House Enrolled Act 1235, which prohibits local governments from filing lawsuits against the gun industry in matters such as distribution, marketing or criminal use. The law gives only the state attorney general such authority. 

Lake County judge rejects dismissal

Lake County Superior Court Judge John Sedia issued a decision Monday rejecting a motion to dismiss that was filed by gun-makers three days after Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill into law in March. Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office filed a brief in support of the dismissal request.

Sedia ruled that dismissing Gary’s lawsuit “would violate years of vested rights and constitutional guarantees.”

Sedia wrote that the General Assembly could correct what it perceives as a legal defect “by requiring that all future actions against gun manufacturers by political subdivisions be brought on their behalf by the Attorney General.”

“It cannot end this lawsuit which the appellate courts of this state have found to be permitted by prior statute,” Sedia wrote. “To avoid manifest injustice, the substance of this lawsuit must be taken to its conclusion.”

Gary’s lawsuit claiming that misconduct by gun-makers was fueling gun violence in the city has inched through the court process since it was filed in 1999. Republican lawmakers pushed through a similar bill in 2015 that intended to cut off the lawsuit, but the state Supreme Court in 2019 declined to take up an appeal of lower court rulings allowing the lawsuit to continue.

Law’s author expects successful appeal

The author of this year’s bill, Republican Rep. Chris Jeter of Fishers, said he was confident that the judge’s ruling would be “corrected on appeal” and that the Legislature was within its authority to limit what types of lawsuits local governments can pursue.

Reps. Chris Jeter, right, and Lori Goss-Reaves talk on the House floor in January 2024. (Credit: Ronni Moore)

“This really isn’t new, we’ve reserved powers as it relates to opioid litigation, tobacco litigation,” Jeter told State Affairs.

Nine attorneys representing various companies named in the lawsuit did not immediately respond to State Affairs’ messages seeking comment Tuesday.

Jeter said legislators have been clear they “don’t favor these lawsuits.”

“I would suggest that it’s more manifestly unjust to require an industry to pay millions of dollars to spend a quarter of a century defending a lawsuit,” he said.

Legislature’s chipping of local authority at issue

Sedia has overseen the lawsuit since 2008, when he was a Lake County courts magistrate and appointed as special judge in the case. Then-Gov. Mitch Daniels appointed Sedia as a Superior Court judge in 2012.

Sedia ruled against the City of Gary’s arguments that the 2024 law violated the Indiana Constitution as special legislation affecting only the city.

The judge also ruled the law did not eliminate the ability of local governments to sue the gun industry by requiring them to do so through the attorney general.

Sedia, however, chided legislators for their persistent eroding of local government authority.

“The statute fits into the history of the Indiana General Assembly, to, once again, not trust local government, across the board, for well or for ill, with yet another one of its functions,” Sedia wrote.

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton commended Sedia for “acknowledging the Legislature’s ongoing interference in local issues and for his commitment to ensuring that Gary’s rights are protected and upheld.”

“I am pleased with the decision of the court to uphold the lawsuit,” Melton said in a statement. “It is a significant step in affirming and protecting the vested rights and constitutional guarantees of the citizens of the City of Gary.”

Melton, who became mayor in January after seven years in the state Senate, argued before a Senate committee in February that local governments should be allowed to “fight back against bad actors” who they believe are harming their communities.

“Gary has played by the rules for over 25 years while the defendants have been dragging their feet,” Melton said.

Philip Bangle, an attorney representing Gary in the lawsuit, told legislators he expected the law would extend the litigation by four years while the sides fight out its fate in court appeals.

2025 legislative action not anticipated

This year’s bill passed by wide margins in the House and Senate although only a single Democratic legislator voted in support on final passage.

Jeter, an attorney who is chair of the House Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday he was comfortable with how the bill was written and did not anticipate amending the law during the 2025 legislative session.

“I think the appetite will be to let this kind of play out, see where it all shakes out again,” Jeter said. “I think the appeals process is just going to get worked out. My strong feeling is that we’ll probably let that process happen.”

Tom Davies is a Statehouse reporter for State Affairs Pro Indiana. Reach him at [email protected] or on X at @TomDaviesIND.

Report: Probe clears Nashville airport CEO of wrongdoing

Posted on by Erik Schelzig

An investigation conducted behind closed doors at the Metro Nashville Airport Authority found “no evidence of wrongdoing” by CEO Doug Kreulen, according to the Nashville Business Journal.

The findings were included in an Aug. 2 email sent by Kreulen after he held one-on-one meetings with each of the seven board members. 

“I was notified of the complaint on June 15th, and the investigator concluded the investigation on July 22nd when she debriefed Chair [Nancy] Sullivan and I that there was no evidence of wrongdoing,” Kreulen wrote in the email obtained by the newspaper.

Board members had held two executive sessions to discuss the inquiry. One of the law firms involved, Frost Todd Brown LLP, often represents companies and executives in employment discrimination and other labor matters. 

“As with any investigation, there are always lessons learned, but I want to reassure you that I remain 100% confident and committed to leading a professional organization,” Kreulen said in the email.

Kreulen has been CEO of the airport since 2017 and remains under contract until 2026.

The airport board has been the subject of legal upheaval since state lawmakers last year passed a law to wrest six board appointments from the Nashville mayor and instead assign them to the governor and speakers of the House and Senate. While Kreulen said he was neutral on the effort, critics saw him as tacitly favoring the change in governance. 

The airport takeover bill was thrown out by a three-judge panel. The state is mounting a challenge with the state Court of Appeals. 

New Georgia law gets tougher on illegal drag racing — and not just the drivers

Posted on by Nava Rawls

The Peach State is cracking down harder on illegal drag racing — and not just when it comes to the drivers.

Senate Bill 10, which went into effect July 1, imposes harsher penalties on people associated with illegal drag racing.

Also known as street racing, these unlawful competitions feature modified cars traveling at high speeds in secret locations. The races are often promoted and documented on social media, and participants illegally block off roads, streets and even highways to conduct the events.

Atlanta has become a hub for these races, many of which are publicly shared and promoted online despite their illicit nature. 

Some experts say the recent surge in street racing can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2020, less than a month before pandemic-related shutdowns, the Atlanta Police Department reported 36 calls related to illegal drag racing. That October, the department received 568.

Three years ago, Sen. Emanuel Jones was approached by DeKalb County resident Bobbie Sanford, who lost her daughter-in-law, Jaye Sanford, in a street racing-related crash in November 2020. The mother of two was driving with her teenage daughter when a racer slammed head-on into their vehicle. 

Continue reading “New Georgia law gets tougher on illegal drag racing — and not just the drivers”

Our History: Gov. Mike Foster

Posted on by David Jacobs

Murphy J. “Mike” Foster, who served a relatively calm eight years as governor between two of the most tumultuous administrations in state history, was born 94 years ago this month in Shreveport. His namesake grandfather had governed Louisiana from 1892 until 1900. 

His family moved to Centerville, where he attended public schools. He enrolled at Virginia Military Institute in 1948 before transferring to LSU, where he graduated with a degree in chemistry. 

Foster joined the Air Force and served in the Korean War. After returning home to Franklin, he began farming sugar cane and soon after formed Bayou Sale Contractors, primarily as a means to keep his farm crew together during the offseason.

“I wasn’t one of those gentlemen farmers,” he reportedly said, even though he was sometimes described as a “wealthy planter” in the press. “I fixed my own tractors.”

Despite his background, Foster didn’t initially show much interest in politics. But after his state senator, Tony Guarisco, wouldn’t return his phone calls, Foster got mad and challenged the incumbent in 1987 and went on to trounce him with 64 percent of the vote.

Foster was 64 in 1994 when he launched his campaign for governor in a stacked field that included former Gov. Buddy Roemer, Lt. Gov. Melinda Schwegmann, state Treasurer Mary Landrieu, Sen. Cleo Fields and former Rep. David Duke. He switched his registration from Democrat to Republican, and following the advice of his political consultant Roy Fletcher, staked out staunchly conservative positions on social issues.

Foster cut a deal with Duke that led Duke to get out of the race and endorse Foster. The relationship led to arguably the only scandal of Foster’s political career, when it was revealed that Foster had a secret deal with Duke and purchased a list of Duke’s contributors and supporters. Foster paid a $20,000 fine for not reporting the payment to Duke, making him the first governor to be fined by the Board of Ethics.

Fletcher put Foster atop a tractor in one ad, and behind a welding mask in another, creating a working-class image for a candidate that financed his campaign with $2 million of his own money. 

Foster ran first in the primary with 26 percent of the vote and trounced Fields in the runoff with almost 64 percent. He won reelection in the first round with 62 percent of the vote over then-Congressman Bill Jefferson.

Foster oversaw creation of the TOPS scholarship program and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. The growing national economy boosted state coffers, allowing lawmakers to increase teacher pay, reduce state debt and boost funding for higher education. 

Foster helped create a deal to keep the Saints in New Orleans, approved using state money to expand the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and was instrumental in getting the Charlotte Hornets (now the New Orleans Pelicans) to move to Louisiana. He also signed off on the Stelly Plan, a fiscal overhaul that made the state’s tax system less regressive but was unwound under his successors. 

His Commissioner of Administration Mark Drennen oversaw the consolidation of state workers downtown, issuing bonds to build at least 10 buildings in downtown Baton Rouge. Meant to save the state money over the long term, the project also spurred the revitalization of the city’s core. 

Foster’s outside interests spurred criticism of the sometimes-absentee governor. He learned to fly helicopters and took law classes at Southern University, graduating in 2004, the year he left office. 

Foster was a relatively hands-off governor, trusting his appointees to manage affairs in their areas. They included former Gov. Bobby Jindal, who Foster tapped to lead the state health department at age 24. 

After leaving the Governor’s Mansion, he and his wife, Alice, retired to Oaklawn Manor on the Bayou Teche. He died in 2020.

Editor’s note: The information for this piece came from The Advocate, The New York Times and the Secretary of State’s office. 

This piece first ran in the July 18, 2024 edition of LaPolitics Weekly. Wish you could have read it then? Subscribe today!

What you might have missed in LaPolitics (08.13.24)

Posted on by David Jacobs

Here’s what you may have missed in the latest issue of LaPolitics Weekly, published last week…

— GIVING YOU PROPS: Louisiana voters will wade through more than 50 municipal and parish propositions on the November ballot, including a handful that could substantively reshape how local governments and administrations function…

— LaPOLITICS Q&A: “We are treating this as Louisiana’s Super Bowl. We will have a general, all-Louisiana approach to our business messaging. We will also have a very targeted approach in our outreach, using this tremendous opportunity to showcase Louisiana as a premier destination for business investment,” Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said…

— NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES: Tax policy, K-12 education funding and housing are among this year’s top issues noted by state fiscal analysts across the country…

— FIELD NOTES: Louisiana’s Future is Now, Inc., headquartered in McLean, Virginia, has created and shared an attack video targeting Senate Judiciary A Chair Greg Miller, claiming he “continuously blocks or weakens legislation intended to reduce the influence of personal injury lawyers on our insurance costs”…

— SHOP TALK: The havoc extreme heat wreaks on aging infrastructure…

— OUR HISTORY: Edwin Washington Edwards, who defined late-20th-century Louisiana politics, for better or worse, was born in Avoyelles Parish on yesterday’s date in 1927…

— THEY SAID IT: “Tell your child not to look at them.” —Gov. Jeff Landry’s message to parents who don’t support posting the Ten Commandments in public schools. 

Wish you would have read these stories last week? Subscribe today to www.LaPoliticsWeekly.com. 

Kansas Daily News Wire August 13, 2024

Posted on by State Affairs

Welcome to the Kansas Daily News Wire, your daily roundup of top state and political stories from newsrooms across Kansas. — Hawver’s Capitol Report/State Affairs

STATE

Flint Hills vanity plate design flattens competition in online public contest: Splashy new imagery will soon adorn the vehicles of Kansas drivers opting for a personalized license plate. (Resnick, State Affairs)

Sedgwick County considers restrictions on solar farms that could disqualify $200M project: Sedgwick County commissioners could adopt a new slate of restrictions this week that significantly limit where industrial solar farms can be built and how much space they can take up. (The Wichita Eagle)

Kelly on ‘Face the Nation’: Walz understands rural America: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz understands rural America, which makes him “a huge asset” for Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Laura Kelly said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” (Richardson, State Affairs)

Evergy records $207m earnings this quarter, cites warm weather as reason: Last week, Evergy announced its second quarter 2024 earnings. The company made $20.9 million more this quarter compared to Q2 last year. (KSNT)

Steam locomotive ‘Big Boy’ to return to Kansas in October: The Union Pacific historic steam locomotive Big Boy No. 4014 is expected to charge though Kansas in just over two months. (KAKE)

LOCAL

Why a growing number of Topekans are being cited for grass growing too high: A rising number of Topeka property owners are being ticketed for letting their grass, weeds or other vegetation grow more than 12 inches tall. (Topeka Capital-Journal)

Parents petition to ban cell phones in Lawrence schools: More than 100 parents of students in the Lawrence school district have signed a petition in support of a districtwide ban of cell phones in classrooms. (The Lawrence Times)

Judge dismisses larger discrimination claims while allowing lawsuit against Topeka Police Department to continue: A gender discrimination lawsuit against the Topeka Police Department will continue, in part. (WIBW)

Reno County issues health alert about ‘recent unusual spike in overdoses’: Reno County issued a health alert on Monday concerning what it described as “a recent unusual spike in overdoses.” (KWCH)

Local landlord says mayor physically attacked his wife during lease discussion: A local landlord says Manhattan mayor Susan Adamchak attacked his wife during an argument about a lease agreement. (Manhattan Mercury)

Headlines & Bylines (08.13.24)

Posted on by David Jacobs

— The Advocate: Lawmakers promote bills that benefit their industries

— WGNO: Broadband rollout in Louisiana begins second phase, faces rural challenges

— The Advocate: After last year’s drought, Louisiana agriculture doing much better, but crawfish face challenges

— Illuminator: How big is Louisiana’s budget deficit next year? It depends on teacher pay

— The Advocate: Cash floods the Baton Rouge mayoral race, with $1.3 million already donated to top candidates

— The Advocate: Greenfield elevator scuttled as Corps weighed site’s significance to slave, plantation history

— Bloomberg Law: Public is safe under Louisiana carbon capture program, EPA says

— 10/12 Industry Report: EV battery component manufacturing poised to be Louisiana’s next big industry

— WWL: New rules to expand EV charging in Louisiana

— Oil & Gas Journal: Williams to start work on Louisiana natural gas pipeline despite ongoing dispute

Political Chatter (08.13.24)

Posted on by David Jacobs

— WATCHING THE SUPREMES: The Louisiana Supreme Court could end up effectively picking its next member. Leslie Chambers, who the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal ruled last week is not eligible to run for the newly created majority-minority Supreme Court seat, is asking the high court to review that decision. Meanwhile, the plaintiff who challenged the candidacy of Chambers and Judge Marcus Hunter is asking the Supremes to overrule the 4th Circuit’s decision that Hunter can stay in the race. As of Monday afternoon, the Supreme Court had not announced whether it would take up either writ, though a decision is expected this week. If both candidates are ruled ineligible, Judge John Michael Guidry would win by default. The most recent campaign finance reports available online showed Chambers leading the money chase with $179,884 on hand, while Guidry had $140,137.75 and Hunter had $3,345.13. 

— LANE ON GREG MILLER ATTACK: Several Capitol insiders say Lane Grigsby is behind Louisiana’s Future is Now, Inc., which has created a video and a mailer attacking Senate Judiciary A Chair Greg Miller. Grigsby said that’s not the case, though he did give the entity money, and stressed that the policy issues are more important than who might be paying for an ad. During the regular session, Miller’s committee blocked or watered down tort reform measures that advocates argued could help bring down auto insurance rates, while advancing a bill tort reformers opposed. “We didn’t get anything done in the last session that’s going to be meaningful for the taxpaying public,” Grigsby said, while acknowledging that Miller didn’t block tort reform alone. “A lot of it falls on the governor.” 

— MAJOR CANDIDATES TO SKIP CD6 DEBATE: A Congressional District 6 debate KALB is planning for Aug. 22 will not include the major parties’ endorsed candidates. Cleo Fields and Elbert Guillory, endorsed by the state Democrats and Republicans respectively, do not plan to participate, both candidates told The Tracker. As of Monday, the debate was still on, and Democratic candidates Quentin Anderson and Peter Williams had confirmed their participation, said Colin Vedros, the KALB reporter and anchor who is slated to moderate. Wilken Jones Jr., a Democrat from Opelousas, also qualified for the race. 

— NEW ORLEANS VENDOR CONFUSION: The city of New Orleans cannot accurately determine how long it takes to pay vendors, which leads to payment delays, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor reports. Multiple vendors said invoicing the city is often a cumbersome process, and that required forms sometimes change without notice.

— MORE FROM LLA: Ascension Parish had 22 reportable instances of theft of public funds totaling $39,469 between September and December 2023, all but one of which was discovered by parish officials. An auditor also found the parish failed to comply with its water disconnection policy for two industrial customers that had outstanding balances totaling $63,222 and failed to adopt an itemized, ranked listing of road projects for the first fiscal year of a three-year program, as required by the Parish Transportation Act. In a separate report, an auditor noted that the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District was the victim of a business email compromise scam in March 2023, and a total of $149,749 was transferred. The district immediately reported the theft to authorities and all funds were recovered.

— TREASURER RAPS BANK OF AMERICA: Treasurer John Fleming says Bank of America should not be approved as an authorized fiscal agent for the state “because there is evidence that Bank of America is deliberately denying banking services to customers and potential customers (de-banking) of religious organizations, gun manufacturers, fossil fuel producers and others based simply on their political perspectives and activities, not because of any bank policy or law violations.” 

— LADA TACKLES LITTER: The Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association is partnering with Keep Louisiana Beautiful and Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser to display banners about the need to reduce roadway litter and supply litter prevention kits to new car buyers. The kits will include a car litter bag, a portable ashtray, an informational rack card, a bumper sticker, and a car coaster with the litter hotline number: 855-La-Litter.

— LCA ON DENKA’S FIGHT WITH FEDS: Denka Performance Elastomer, which employs more than 200 people in LaPlace, has been in a decade-long fight with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has “used enforcement actions, lawsuits, emergency orders and new rules in an attempt to strong-arm the facility into spending millions on emissions reduction and monitoring equipment—or shut down,” says Greg Bowser, who leads the Louisiana Chemical Association. Bowser defends the company in an exclusive column for tomorrow’s edition of Beltway Beat. 

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