Kansas Attorney General Kris W. Kobach’s office is urging residents in areas damaged by recent storms to use caution and avoid scams by transient roofing contractors.

“After storm damage, our instinct is to clean up and make repairs as quickly as possible,” said Don Borneman, Director of the Roofing Registration Unit of the Office of the Attorney General. “When considering roofing work on a home or business, it is important that consumers make sure their roofing contractor is properly registered before signing any contract or having any work done. Consumers should request a copy of their roofer’s registration certificate and then should check our agency’s website to confirm that the registration remains active.”

Staff from the attorney general’s Roofing Registration Unit are in contact with local officials in storm-damaged areas to assist in responding to contractors and consumers.

The requirement to register with the attorney general’s office is in addition to any other local requirements that may be imposed by cities or counties. The online directory of registrations is available at www.InYourCornerKansas.org.

With few exceptions, the Kansas Roofing Contractor Registration Act requires roofing contractors to obtain a registration certificate from the Kansas Attorney General in order to legally solicit or provide commercial or residential roofing services in Kansas. It is designed to ensure that legitimate roofing contractors comply with state requirements, such as carrying appropriate insurance, and to help prevent fly-by-night operators from taking advantage of Kansas consumers.

Working with a registered roofer is a bare minimum to help prevent problems. The attorney general’s office also recommends the following tips in dealing with contractors, including roofers:

• Get recommendations and references.
• Get at least three written estimates from different contractors.
• Check contractor complaint records with the Better Business Bureau.
• Understand your payment options and right to cancel.

Any Kansans who have problems with roofing contractors or other companies that follow storms may file a request for the attorney general’s Public Protection Division to investigate at (800) 432-2310 or at www.InYourCornerKansas.org. The attorney general requests that Kansans promptly report any unregistered person or company attempting to sell roofing services.

MANHATTAN, Kansas — The beauty of Kansas agriculture has been celebrated throughout the state’s ag industry, and we encourage photographers to capture that beauty and share it with others through the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s annual photo contest. KDA began accepting photos on July 19, and will continue accepting entries through the end of August.

This year’s KDA Photo Contest categories were selected to promote different aspects of Kansas agriculture: Farm Fresh, Technology in Agriculture, Kansas Critters, and Kansas Life. These categories allow you to showcase Kansas agriculture in many ways — the various products of our labor that feed our local communities, the scientific and technological advancements that increase efficiency and value, the many animals that play a role in agriculture, and the overall beauty of Kansas agriculture and what it means to live in this scenic state. And for the third year, a video category will welcome drone footage, harvest videos, or other short clips of under 30 seconds that showcase Kansas agriculture. As always, there is a separate Youth division, for young photographers under age 19. Prizes will be awarded to the top two winners in each of the six categories.

KDA serves to advocate for agriculture, the state’s largest industry and economic driver. Photos which best capture the categories will be used throughout the year as we tell the story of Kansas agriculture. After submission, KDA is granted permission to use any photograph for publications, social media, websites, displays, etc. without payment or other consideration from the photographer.

Photo entries should be sent in .jpg format to [email protected]. Videos should be sent in .mp4 or .mov format. Entries must include a title and brief description, where and when the photo/video was taken, the photographer’s full name and age, entry category hometown and email address.

Guidelines for the KDA Photo Contest, including deadlines, categories and prizes, can be found at agriculture.ks.gov/PhotoContest. Voting to select finalists will begin on KDA’s social media sites in late August. For more information, contact Heather Lansdowne, KDA director of communications, at [email protected] or 785-564-6706.

I was surprised to hear from Roger. He told me that he had been in the hospital up in Wichita for a few days. But he was excited about changing rooms and starting physical therapy. Sadly a few days later we received word that he had passed. Roger had been one of the weekly columnists in the Rural Messenger for many years. We had even hosted a book signing for him, when his second book came out.
Roger had written several books and was near completion on a current book. He had written Eccentric Kansas, Kansas Oddities, Cowboys, Plowboys and Country Folk and True Tales of Kansas. While some of you may be familiar with his books, most of you are familiar with his weekly column.
Last December Cartoonist Bryan Clark presented us with a cartoon depiction of all the writers in the paper. Roger was in the back on a horse rearing up with an American Flag. While Roger might not have been able to ride a horse, and gallop around with a waving flag, I did think that was how Roger envisioned himself. He didn’t really care what anyone thought of his opinions and ideas. For that I will always admire him.
Thank you to Roger for his friendship and writing contributions. Roger had one of our most read columns and will be missed. Because of Roger so many Kansas stories will go on living as a result of him gathering them and putting them together in his books.
Anita Stuckey,
Jennifer Long
and Tammie Hoeme