ACLU Challenges Kansas Death Penalty
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) - A Sedgwick County judge is considering a challenge to the Kansas death penalty from the American Civil Liberties Union. The group says capital punishment is racially discriminatory and unconstitutional. A third of those currently on death row in Kansas are Black, while Black people only make up 6% of the state’s population. The ACLU is making that argument today (MON) at a hearing in the case of Kyle Young, a Black man accused of killing two people in Wichita in 2020. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Young.
Cassandra Stubbs is with the ACLU capital punishment project. She says the state’s process of jury selection is also inherently racist. “What we’ve seen is that that process, called death qualification, removes Black jurors disproportionately, and in particular, we found in Sedgwick County, Black women jurors," she said. According to the ACLU capital punishment project, Black people and women in particular are disproportionately excluded from jury selection in death penalty cases. “That process changes the jury pool," Stubbs said. "And it removes those jurors who are less likely to convict because they’re more likely to ask hard questions about the evidence.” Republican Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennet said in a court filing the issue has already been litigated in Kansas.
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China Upset that America Shot Down Suspected Spy Balloon
BEIJING (AP/KPR) - The U.S. shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the weekend. China is now accusing the U.S. of indiscriminate use of force, saying the action "seriously damaged efforts to stabilize Sino-U.S. relations." The U.S. shot down the balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. Last Friday, the Chinese balloon was seen in the skies above Kansas and Missouri. China insisted the flyover was an accident involving a civilian aircraft. U.S. President Joe Biden issued the shootdown order after he was advised that the best time for the operation would be when the vessel was over water. Military officials determined that bringing down the balloon over land from an altitude of 60,000 feet would pose an undue risk to people on the ground. China has insisted the balloon was a civil, unmanned airship that blew into U.S. airspace by mistake.
Balloons thought or known to be Chinese have been spotted from Latin America to Japan. China confirmed that a balloon recently spotted over Latin American was also Chinese, describing it as a civilian airship that accidentally drifted off course.
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KCK Police Responding to Overdose Call Shoot, Kill Man
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - Police in Kansas City, Kansas, say an officer shot and killed an armed man after he fled from the scene of an opioid overdose on a bicycle. The KCK Police Department says officers spotted the man pedaling away Friday night from a home where they found a man and woman unresponsive. While emergency crews used a rescue drug to revive the two overdose victims, officers broadcast the fleeing man's description. Another officer found the man a half-mile from the home and tried to make contact with him. Police said that during that interaction, the officer fired at the man, killing him. Police say a gun was recovered near the man, but no other details have been released about what led up to the shooting. No officers were hurt in the incident. The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy and pending an investigation.
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Kansas Lawmakers Consider Legalizing Marijuana
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ/KPR) - Should Kansas legalize marijuana - medical or otherwise? That's the question state lawmakers are grappling with this session. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly is in favor of legalizing medical marijuana. Three of the four states surrounding Kansas -- Colorado, Oklahoma and Missouri -- have all legalized marijuana to one degree or another. Today's (MON) edition of the Topeka Capital-Journal reports on efforts to make Kansas the 38th state in the country to legalize medical pot.
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In Leaving Topeka, Hill's Pet Nutrition Gets $3 Million from Taxpayers to Keep Headquarters in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) - Kansas taxpayers will give $3 million in economic development incentives to Hill's Pet Nutrition as part of the company's relocation of its headquarters from Topeka to Overland Park. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the company didn't mention the taxpayer-funded incentives when it announced January 11 that it was moving its headquarters — despite a provision in the contract apparently requiring them to acknowledge the support of the Kansas Department of Commerce. While their reelection efforts featured heavy campaigning on economic development, Governor Laura Kelly and Lt. Governor David Toland, who is also commerce secretary, didn't publicly promote this incentive package as they did with other Hill's projects. Meanwhile, local economic development officials were aware of Hill's plans to leave Topeka before they were publicly announced. It is unclear what, if anything, they did to keep the company in its hometown.
Topeka will see some benefit from the incentive agreement, which requires additional investment in the remaining research facilities, located in northeast Topeka. The company also has a manufacturing plant in Emporia and is building a new wet pet food facility in Tonganoxie that is expected to open 2023. It will also receive state incentives. The deal also requires investment in a new warehouse and distribution facility at an undisclosed location in Kansas, though it appears Topeka isn't in consideration.
The company is getting $3 million from taxpayers over the next five years, even as it rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars in profits. While Hill's Pet Nutrition provided a statement to The Capital-Journal, the statement largely didn't answer a list of submitted questions, including why state incentives were necessary.
It is unclear when Topeka officials became aware of Hill's plans to find a new headquarters and whether any efforts were made to keep them in the capital city using local incentives. Topeka has been home to Hill's since its founding more than 75 years ago.
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Wichita Hopeful New Eco-Devo Project Draws Other Business to South Central Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) - Leaders in Wichita say a new economic development project could attract more businesses to the city if it’s successful. Last week, the state announced $300 million dollars in tax incentives to help Integra Technologies build a $1.8 billion facility in Wichita to manufacture computer chips. Jeff Fluhr is president of the Greater Wichita Partnership. He says the facility is a good fit for Wichita and its existing industries. “There’s a high concentration of engineers that are educated in our community, as well as our technical college system with WSU Tech and others," he said. The incentives package is contingent on Integra also securing funds from the federal government. The U.S. has been trying to produce more microchips domestically after they became scarce during the pandemic. It’s estimated the facility would create about 2,000 jobs.
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U.S. States Take Control of Abortion Debate with Funding Focus
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. abortion debate is shifting to funding as states take control of policymaking. Liberal cities and states are funding efforts to provide access to abortion, while Republican-led states are seeking new ways to financially support anti-abortion centers. Just months after Kansas voters affirmed abortion rights in August, the state's Republican-controlled Legislature is considering millions of dollars in state funds for such centers and millions more in income tax credits to their donors. Supporters say the effort to financially support the centers shows the anti-abortion movement is addressing the social and financial needs of women and families. Critics say the efforts fall short of what’s necessary.
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State Awards $230,000 to Fund Kansas Suicide Prevention Efforts
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – A state agency has awarded the Kansas Suicide Prevention Headquarters (KSPHQ) more than $230,000 to support suicide prevention efforts across the state. Laura Howard, secretary for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), has announced the agency has awarded $231,616 to KSPHQ. The funds will be used in part to organize an in-person meeting of the Kansas Suicide Prevention Coalition that includes suicide prevention/intervention training. The money will also help advocates review and update a statewide suicide prevention plan.
Kansas communities interested in pursuing funding opportunities for suicide prevention projects should visit this part of the KDADS website.
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Zack Greinke Can Earn $15 Million This Year in Deal with Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zack Greinke can earn up to $15 million in his one-year contract to return to the Kansas City Royals. The 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner rejoined the Royals last year for the first time since 2010 and went 4-9 with a 3.68 ERA in 26 starts and 137 innings. He had a $13 million salary last year, and his deal calls for an $8.5 million salary for this year. If he pitches 135 innings, he would earn at least $13 million. Greinke has $7.5 million in performance bonuses for innings fro 90 through 185.
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Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles Land in Phoenix, Prepare for Super Bowl 57
PHOENIX (AP) - Superbowl Week is underway in Glendale, Arizona. A few minutes after the Kansas City Chiefs landed in Phoenix, the pilot hung a "Chiefs Kingdom" flag out of the window as players, coaches and staff got off the plane and walked across the runway.
About an hour later, it was the Philadelphia Eagles who arrived in Arizona, with a "Philly flag" fluttering in the runway as players and coaches made their way to a fleet of buses. The Chiefs face the Eagles this Sunday in Super Bowl 57 in Glendale, Arizona.
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Chiefs Activate RB Edwards-Helaire off IR for Super Bowl
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs activated running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire from injured reserve Monday and placed wide receiver Mecole Hardman on the list for the second time as they finalize their roster for the Super Bowl. Edwards-Helaire, a 2020 first-round pick, has been out since sustaining a high ankle sprain during a win over the Chargers on Nov. 20. He was designated to return on Jan. 17, opening a three-week window in which he could be activated. Edwards-Helaire started the first six games of the season before ceding time to seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco, who has become one of the Chiefs’ breakout stars.
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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Tom Parkinson and Kaye McIntyre. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays. These ad-free headlines are made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.