Liberal author on TV with Brownback aide

Thomas Frank, author of the best-selling “What’s the Matter With Kansas?” will square off with Sen. Sam Brownback’s former chief of staff, David Kensinger, at 12:30 p.m. today on public television’s “On The Record” on Sunflower Broadband Channel 11.

Kensinger, a conservative, is head of the Kansas chapter of the anti-tax organization Club For Growth. He previously served as executive director of GOPAC, the national Republican fund-raising organization dedicated to electing Republicans across the country.

Frank, a liberal, has been the subject of national attention for his analysis of the consequences of the conservatives’ control of much of the nation’s political structure.

City

Nominations sought for education award

Lawrence Mayor Boog Highberger is seeking nominations for the Mayor’s Excellence in Education Award.

The city is accepting applications through Wednesday. Any Lawrence educator serving pre-school, elementary, junior high or high school students is eligible. Nomination forms are available on the city’s website at www.lawrenceks.org, or at the City Manager’s office on the fourth floor of City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.

The awards will be presented at the June 7 City Commission meeting.

Environment

Monarch Watch has milkweed left over

Though more than 500 people attended its May 14 open house, Kansas University’s Monarch Watch program has about 200 milkweed plants left over.

“Anybody who didn’t get to come by or who needs more is welcome to stop by Foley Hall between noon and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday,” said Monarch Watch director Chip Taylor. “We’ll get them fixed up.”

Milkweed provides critical habitat for monarch butterflies.

Monarch Watch recently launched a campaign aimed at creating 10,000 milkweed plantings – called way stations – over the next three years to help sustain monarch populations.

“We’re accepting donations for the plants,” Taylor said.

State

Memorial Day program planned at Capitol

Topeka – The state of Kansas will recognize soldiers who have died while serving their country during a Memorial Day ceremony on May 30.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius will preside over the ceremony, which will begin at 9 a.m. on the south lawn of the Capitol, near the Veterans Memorial.

Sebelius has ordered all flags to be lowered to half-staff until noon on Memorial Day.

The 18 Kansas soldiers and 47 Fort Riley soldiers who have been killed in Iraq will be recognized, and Col. Bart Howard, commander of the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, will present a flag to Sebelius. The flag flew over Camp Junction City in Iraq.

Former resident rises in Ed Department

Lawrence native Christina Erland Culver has been named acting assistant secretary for the Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education.

She is responsible for external relations on the No Child Left Behind Act.

Culver has worked in the Washington political and public policy arena for 17 years. She worked at the White House for President George H.W. Bush, and in the U.S. Department of Education under Secretary Lamar Alexander, where she worked on education reform programs.

From 1998-2003 Culver was volunteer president and curriculum advisor for Lawrence-based Innovative Learning Systems, a non-profit organization that does educational research.

Culver is a Kansas University graduate and is attending the U.S. Naval War College working toward a graduate degree in National Security and Strategic Studies.