Union Sues Spirit AeroSystems
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ The Machinists union has sued Wichita-based aircraft parts maker Spirit AeroSystems over its reported efforts to sell off its fabrication operations. The union filed the lawsuit yesterday (FRI) in U.S. District Court, seeking a preliminary order prohibiting Spirit from selling off any off its fabrication assets or laying off workers pending arbitration. The Machinists contend potential outsourcing would violate its labor contract and cost 1,400 jobs. Spirit says believes it is in compliance with its labor agreements. It says evaluation of its strategic vision is ongoing and it has made no decision. The lawsuit contends Machinists gave up the right to strike and accepted pay cuts and smaller wage increases in a 10-year contract negotiated in 2010. It contends that in exchange, Spirit agreed to maintain major manufacturing operations in Wichita.
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New Kansas Figures Predict Shortfalls
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ New budget projections from the Kansas Legislature's nonpartisan research staff show a state budget shortfall developing by July 2016.The projections released yesterday (FRI) by the Legislative Research Department also show a lower figure for the state's cash reserves on June 30th than Governor Sam Brownback's administration reported last month. The department provided the figures to The Associated Press exclusively after releasing them to legislators. The department first said the state would face a $262 million shortfall by July 2016. A short time later, it revised the figure to $238 million. Kansas has cut income taxes aggressively. The department also said the state's cash reserves on June 30 were $380 million, not the nearly $435 million Brownback's administration reported. The department factored in bills that were still pending on June 30th.
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Mainstream GOP Upbeat after Primaries
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Mainstream conservatives ran the table in Senate Republican primaries as tea party upstarts lost all six challenges to GOP incumbents. The results left the establishment upbeat about midterm elections, and the insurgent movement beaten but unbowed. Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander's narrow win Thursday night and Kansas Senator Pat Roberts' triumph on Tuesday dashed the tea party's last hopes of knocking out a sitting senator. Earlier this year, incumbents prevailed in
Texas, Kentucky, South Carolina and Mississippi for a party intent on nominating viable candidates and winning Senate control in November's contests.Republicans need to net six seats for the majority. Democrats currently hold a 55-45 advantage. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said the GOP has produced the best nominee possible in each state.
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Independence Editor/Publisher Dies
INDEPENDENCE, Kan. (AP) _ Herbert A. ``Hub'' Meyer the Third, editor and publisher of the Independence Daily Reporter for over 43 years, has died at the age of 67. The newspaper reported Meyer died Thursday afternoon at his home after suffering from prostate cancer. Meyer became publisher of The Reporter in June of 1971, taking over after his father's death. His grandfather, Herbert A. Meyer Senior bought the newspaper in 1940. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1969 and worked for the Lawrence Journal-World before returning to Independence. Meyer was a past chairman of the Kansas-Missouri Associated Press Publishers and Editors group. He also was involved with the Kansas Press Association and Independence and Montgomery County economic development efforts.Meyer is survived by his wife, Kristin; three children, a sister and five grandchildren.
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Police Seek Help in Lawrence Homicide Case
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ Police in Lawrence want to hear from anyone who may have given a ride to a suspect in a July homicide. Thirty-eight-year-old Angelica Marie Kulp is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Christine Kaplan. The 56-year-old victim was found July 26 in her Lawrence home, where Kulp may have stayed. Kulp remains in the Shawnee County Jail in Topeka on unrelated theft charges. Authorities say she'll be returned to Lawrence when the other case is resolved. The Lawrence Journal-World reports Kulp did not have a vehicle and often asked for rides. Police have now released photographs of a car whose driver is thought to have taken Kulp to a supermarket on July 22nd. Authorities say the driver is not considered a suspect but may have helpful information.
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Pedestrian dead, 1 Injured in OP Accident
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) _ Overland Park police say one pedestrian was killed and another was seriously injured when they were hit by a car. Police say in a news release that 52-year-old Kevin Moroney of Overland Park and Maureen Hogg of Kansas City, Missouri, were standing next to a car on an Overland Park street Thursday when a car driven by a 17-year-old male hit them and the car. Moroney died at the scene and Hogg was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the car was not injured. An investigation is continuing.