Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is making two stops in Emporia on Tuesday.
The governor will appear at Emporia Child Care, 1320 C of E Drive, for a Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy roundtable discussion. The focus will be on how Medicaid expansion, if it finally comes to fruition, would benefit the childcare workforce. The governor will meet with the media afterward.
The roundtable begins at 10:30 am Tuesday and may last up to an hour.
This comes as the importance of childcare, especially for nontraditional hours, has become more widely discussed in local and state economic development circles the past three years. It also comes as the Emporia Area Chamber Foundation has recently secured close to $1.85 million in grant funds to purchase the former Maynard Early Childhood Center and transform that former preschool space into a 24-7 daycare — and it comes as Emporia Child Care Director Deb Crowl prepares to retire after better than 30 years with that agency.
Following the summit, the governor has a second Emporia stop. Imaginarium co-owner Dell Jacob says Governor Kelly will visit the business for a short conversation beginning at around 11:45 am.
