Stay up to date on LWV happenings in Topeka and Shawnee County!
Calendar of Events
Thursday | January 29 | 9am | Kansas State Capitol
LWV Kansas League Day at the Capitol. Register Here. The deadline to register is January 22 TODAY, and the cost is $10 due at time of check-in at the event. Lunch included.
Tuesday | February 3 | Noon | Marvin 101BC at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Tuesday Topics Speaker: Justice Carol Beier (Retired) will educate about the processes of amending the Kansas Constitution and the selection of Supreme Court Judges. View more information.
Friday | February 13 | 11am | Anton Room, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Book: Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond
Tuesday | February 17 at 12pm | LWVTSC Climate Committee | Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
All members welcome to join, please contact Vicki Arnett.
For dates of upcoming Voter Education, Voter Registration, Board Meetings, and more, please view the events calendar on our website.
Presidents Perspective
Greetings and Happy Valentine’s Month,
You each are loved for what you do to make our world a better place. Who would think that such efforts would become challenging but we continue to face negative energy every day. We must stay resilient in strengthening our democracy or it shall fade; we must stay purposeful in protecting and promoting voting rights or they will be diminished, and we must be mindful of educating those unaware of how important democracy is and why it is necessary or they will become forgotten forms of our imagination. Read More.
Local Observer Reports
LWV observers keep you informed about what is happening in local government. The Local Observer Corps volunteers attend city, county and school board meetings and take notes.
Each month, LWV volunteers attend city, council, and school board meetings. Their observer reports help keep us informed.
Observer Reports will be posted on our website to help get our members this useful and actionable information in a more timely manner.
Have you renewed your league membership for 2026?
Renewing has never been easier, just follow this link to the Join/Renew section of our website. Everything you need to know is there.
Become a Member Today | LWVTSC
If you’re not sure its time for you to renew, send me an email and I’ll check for you: allanpqz@gmail.com
-Allan Foster, Membership Chair
Tuesday Topics is February 3
Join us at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library for our monthly civic education presentation. For February, we will hear from the Honorable Carol Beier, retired Kansas Supreme Court Justice, on our state’s judicial selection process. The presentation is on Tuesday, February 3, from 12pm to 1pm. View all the event details, including how to join by Zoom, on the library’s website.
January Recap:
On Tuesday, January 6, 2026, Detective Joe Kinnett of the Topeka Police Department Financial Crimes Unit spoke about avoiding consumer fraud and scams. A 23-year veteran of TPD, Detective Kinnett has spent the last 10 years in the Financial Crimes Unit. Kinnett holds multiple certifications, including Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Anti Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Crypto Compliance Specialist and Advanced Crypto Investigator through TRM Labs. He also serves on the federal Cyber Fraud Task Force and is proud to be a part of Operation Shamrock, a group that is leading the charge to combat specific cyber-based scams.
WHO TO CONTACT FOR HELP FIRST
The type of account or issue someone experiences impacts who they contact for help first.
• Bank account/wire transfer – Your financial institution
• Credit card – Credit card company
• Deed – Register of Deeds
• Car Title – Kansas Department of Revenue (ksrevenue.gov)
• Identity theft – Federal Trade Commission (ftc.gov) or – IC3 (ic3.gov)
• Cryptocurrency – Cryptocurrency ATM or Exchange
Chainabuse (chainabuse.com); Operation Shamrock (operationshamrock.org)
• Securities – Securities and Exchange Commission (sec.gov)
• Consumer Protection – Kansas Attorney General’s Office (ag.ks.gov)
Additional resources that Detective Kinnett mentioned are available under the public library’s Legal Resources regarding Avoiding Scams and Fraud
https://tscpl.org/research-tools#legal-resources
Especially recommended for support after a scam or fraud incident, AARP Fraud Watch Network is a free resource for everyone of any age; you do not have to be an AARP member. Helpline: 877-908-3360 is available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Speak with trained specialists who can provide support and guidance on what to do next and how to avoid scams in the future.
As he began his talk, Detective Joe Kinnett of the Topeka Police Department Financial Crimes Unit joked with the audience that we would not be doing “trust falls” together but that the information he shared might give us “trust issues.” Throughout his talk, he shared examples of the ways that criminals victimize people by raising their emotional response and pushing them to act quickly.
Join the LWVTSC Book Club
The LWVTSC book club meets at 11 am on the second Friday of every month. We’re currently meeting in the Anton Room on the 2nd floor of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Lunch in the Millennium Café following the discussion is optional. Anyone is welcome. Contact Carole Jordan for more information.
Upcoming titles:
February 13 – Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
March 13 – Stolen Pride, by Arlie Russell Hochschild
April 10 – Maus, by Art Spiegelman
LWV Board Updates
- The Youth Advocacy Academy will include a certification process.
- Our League will not have a separate Day at the Capitol this year. Sign up for the LWVK Legislative Day on January 29th.
- We have 119 new Facebook followers! Keep sharing our content.
Unite and Rise 8.5: A LWVUS Initiative to Defend Democracy
Unite & Rise 8.5 aims to build a movement of 8.5 million individuals to unite and rise up against the anti-democratic actions of this administration. Launching in May 2025 and running until the 2026 midterm elections, this initiative is part of our Women Defend Democracy campaign.
Unite and Rise 8.5 will fight for our democracy on multiple fronts, from the courts to the streets. More actions will be outlined in the future, but there are several actions along with more information at https://www.lwv.org/uniteandrise.
