Kelly Will Not Use Executive Powers to Legalize Medical Marijuana
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) – Governor Laura Kelly says she will not use her executive powers to allow for medical marijuana possession in Kansas. The Topeka Capital Journal reports that Kelly says Kansas law will not allow her to exercise that option. Democratic governors in some other states have used executive orders to legalize use of cannabis. Proponents of legal marijuana have been disappointed as hopes have faded in recent years for the Kansas Legislature to pass meaningful marijuana legislation, even as neighboring states like Missouri and Oklahoma have legalized cannabis for either medical or recreational use. Kansas is one of 12 states without legal medical or recreational marijuana. Until recently, Kentucky was also on that list, but Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, issued an executive order in 2022 allowing for possession of medical marijuana if it was purchased legally outside the state. Kelly said Kansas law doesn't allow for a similar tactic. Lawmakers left Topeka in April without any movement on medical marijuana.
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Two Charged In Shooting of KCK Toddler Back in Kansas
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — Two people who were arrested in South Dakota in connection with the May 4 murder of a six-year-old boy in Kansas City, Kansas, have been extradited back to Wyandotte County. KSHB TV reports that the child, Sir-Antonio Brown, was shot to death as he played outside a home in the 3100 block of Greeley Avenue. An adult family member was also outside and police believe he was the intended target. KCK Police have confirmed that 20-year-old Lakevis Sloan was booked into the Wyandotte County Jail and an unnamed 17-year-old was booked into the Wyandotte County Juvenile Detention Center earlier this week. The two were arrested while getting off a Greyhound bus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on May 18. Investigators say three men fired at least 37 rounds in what was described as a “targeted ambush.” Police continue to search for a third suspected shooter.
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Lansing Prison Cutting Visitation Hours for Family, Friends of Inmates
LANSING, Kan. (KNS) – The Lansing Correctional Facility is cutting the number of hours that friends and families can visit each inmate. Visitation hours will be reduced from six hours a week to three. Prison officials say appointments for visitation were filling up so quickly that the system couldn’t handle the volume. They say says the cuts will help because the move will double the number of people who can visit inmates. Prison families though, say this is another barrier to seeing their incarcerated family member. Families of prison inmates say visitation is crucial because it builds a support system for inmates and helps maintain family connections they can rely on once released. Corrections experts say a strong support system on the outside can help reduce the odds that someone goes back to prison. But the families say, visitation has become increasingly difficult in recent years with fewer days and fewer hours available. They say the new rules make it very difficult to stay in touch. (Read More)
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Study Shows Black People and Families with Kids More Likely to Be Evicted
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) – A new study from researchers at the University of Kansas has found that people of color and families with children are most likely to be evicted from their homes. The study found between 2010 and 2016, evictions in Kansas City, Missouri, most frequently occurred in predominantly Black neighborhoods and among renters who had children. The University of Kansas researchers say that racial makeup and family type are strong factors leading to eviction. Stronger than having low income or living in a high-rent neighborhood. Those findings matched similar studies in other cities. The study also found areas with higher federal rent assistance had lower eviction rates.
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Northeast Kansas Accumulates 2 to 5 Inches of Rain Tuesday and Wednesday
LAWRENCE, Kan. (TCJ) - Rain gauges were filling rapidly in northeast Kansas early this week. Rainfall in many eastern parts of the state ranged between two and five inches on Tuesday and Wednesday. Topeka saw 2.48 inches of rain, the highest single-day rainfall total since May 31, 2022. Nearly four inches of rain was reported in Lawrence. Intermittent rain is expected to continue Friday and through the weekend. The rain chances may combine with hot temperatures to create unpredictable conditions but the National Weather Service in Topeka says they are not expecting severe storms. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that afternoon high temperatures on Saturday and Sunday are predicted to be in the upper 80's.
Get the latest weather from the National Weather Service.
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Missouri Judge Seals Case Against Accused Shooter of Black Teen
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) — The case against Andrew Lester, the 84-year-old white man charged with shooting 17-year-old Black teenager Ralph Yarl, has been sealed. That means documents including evidence, names of witnesses and other information about the case are not available to the public. Andrew Lester shot Ralph Yarl, a Black 17-year-old, twice after Yarl accidentally rang his doorbell. Lester’s attorney says he’s had to move three times because of his property being vandalized and because of threats and harassment from around the country due to media coverage of the shooting. A Clay County judge found that leaving the case public would deprive Lester of a fair and impartial trial. Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson opposed the move, saying any and all trials should play out in public. After the judge sealed the case, Thompson said in a statement that his office would continue to be, quote, “as transparent as legally permitted.” (Read More)
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Summit in Topeka Addresses Food Insecurity
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Advocates for low-income Kansans say pandemic food-assistance policies reduced food insecurity, and they would like to see those programs extended. Various anti-poverty advocacy groups met at the Hunger Action Summit in Topeka to discuss how to tackle the problem of access to healthy food. Haley Kottler of Kansas Appleseed says the group wants federal lawmakers to consider extending pandemic programs that increased food stamps and made school lunches free. “The pandemic era flexibilities and waivers that we saw to address and tackle food insecurity worked, and we need them to continue,” Kottler said. She’s concerned that new work requirements for food assistance that Kansas lawmakers passed into law this year will mean more Kansans will lack access to healthy meals.
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KDOC Seeks Help Identifying Slow Internet Spots
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - The Kansas Department of Commerce is asking residents to help identify where internet speed improvements are most needed. Feedback from the survey will help the agency decide how to allocate funding for broadband development. The state government created an internet speed test to collect information about home internet connections. The Kansas Office of Broadband Development says households are also being asked to fill out a digital equity survey to help determine where broadband is strong and where it is not available at all. The internet speed test is available at broadband KS dot com. If you do not have internet access at your home or business, state officials ask that you contact the Kansas broadband development office directly by phone at (785) 296-3481.
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Revised DACA Program Again Debated Before Texas Judge Who Previously Ruled Against It
HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge did not make an immediate decision Thursday on the fate of a revised version of a federal policy that prevents the deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.
During a court hearing, attorneys representing the nine states that have sued to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program argued the updated policy is essentially the same as the 2012 memo that first created it and asked U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen to again find the program illegal.
In 2021, Hanen declared DACA illegal, ruling that the program had not been subjected to public notice and comment periods required under the federal Administrative Procedures Act. Hanen also said the states seeking to stop it had standing to file their lawsuit because they had been harmed by the program.
"Every aspect of this program is...unlawful," said Ryan Walters, with the Texas Attorney General's Office, which is representing the states that filed the lawsuit. The states have also argued that the White House overstepped its authority by granting immigration benefits that are for Congress to decide.
The states have claimed they incur hundreds of millions of dollars in health care, education and other costs when immigrants are allowed to remain in the country illegally. The states that sued are Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, West Virginia, Kansas and Mississippi.
Lawyers for the U.S. Justice Department, DACA recipients and the state of New Jersey argued during the hearing the states have failed to present any evidence that any of the costs they allege they have incurred because of illegal immigration have been tied to DACA recipients.
They also argued Congress has given the Department of Homeland Security the legal authority to set immigration enforcement policies.
But the lawyers arguing for DACA, acknowledging that Hanen could again rule against them, also asked Hanen to not completely end the program if that's what he would ultimately decide to do. They instead asked Hanen to only end those parts of the program he would deem as illegal. Lawyers for the states asked that the entire program be shut down within a four-year period after a final ruling.
Texas and the other states filed their lawsuit because they disagree with immigration policy and not because of concerns over the implementation of laws, said Nina Perales, with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, who spoke before Hanen on behalf of DACA recipients.
Hanen did not immediately rule after Thursday’s court hearing or give a timeframe for when he would issue a ruling.
“We will rule on this as expeditiously as we can," said Hanen, who was appointed by then-President George W. Bush in 2002.
Ahead of the hearing on Thursday morning, more than 50 people gathered at a park near the courthouse to show their support for DACA.
Many of them held up signs that read: “Immigration Reform Now,” “Protect DACA” and “Immigrant Power Immigrant Rights.”
In 2022, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans upheld Hanen’s earlier ruling declaring DACA illegal, but sent the case back to him to review changes made to the program by the Biden administration.
The new version of DACA took effect in October and was subject to public comments as part of a formal rule-making process.
Hanen has left the Obama-era program intact for those already benefiting from it. But he previously ruled there can be no new applicants while appeals are pending.
There were 580,310 people enrolled in DACA at the end of December, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Whatever decision Hanen makes is expected to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court for a third time.
In 2016, the Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 over an expanded DACA and a version of the program for parents of DACA recipients. In 2020, the high court ruled 5-4 that the Trump administration improperly ended DACA, allowing it to stay in place.
President Joe Biden and advocacy groups have called on Congress to pass permanent protections for “ Dreamers,” which is what people protected by DACA are commonly called. Congress has failed multiple times to pass proposals called the DREAM Act to protect DACA recipients.
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Judge Rules in Favor of Employees in Starbucks Dispute
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) - A federal judge has ruled that management at a Wichita Starbucks coffee shop broke federal labor law when they tried to discourage workers unionizing last year. The ruling says managers at the Starbucks at 21st and Amidon, northwest of downtown Wichita, falsely told employees they could lose their benefits if they unionized. Management also told the workers they had reduced store hours and stopped hiring new employees because of the union drive. The judge ordered that Starbucks management must provide a document to employees outlining their rights to organize and details about the store’s violations of labor law. There is no fine associated with the offense. Workers at the coffee shop were the first in Wichita to organize a union drive at Starbucks in May of 2022. The union drive failed three months later. The National Labor Relations Board has found that Starbucks has broken labor law at least 130 times since workers in several states began organizing in 2021, according to a report from the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Kansas News Service. (Read More)
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Nearly 100 Kansas Congregations Leaving United Methodist Church
TOPEKA, Kan. (Midwest Newsroom) – Ninety-seven United Methodist Church congregations in Kansas are parting ways with their denomination. A wide majority of representatives from the Great Plains U.M.C. conference voted in favor of the process called “dis-affiliation” for the churches. The move to “dis-affiliate” comes after U-M-C representatives from across Kansas and Nebraska voted Wednesday night. Bishop David Wilson leads the Great Plains U-M-C region. He says the departing congregations disagree with the United Methodist Church’s embrace and inclusion of L-B-G-T-Q members, who have been the targets of discrimination and anti-trans legislation. “We still have about 750 churches,” Wilson said. “These are folks who are more like minded in terms of how we do ministry, even around issues of human sexuality.” The departing churches will settle matters of property and staff pensions with the U-M-C, and then chart their own futures. After Wednesday night's vote, more than 60 Nebraska congregations will also leave the United Methodist Church. (Read More)
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These Are the Top 10 Fastest-Growing and Fastest Shrinking Counties in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Earlier this month, the U.S. Census Bureau released new data showing how the U.S. population has changed in the 10 years between 2010 and 2020. This includes statistics for counties in the Sunflower State experiencing the largest and smallest population growth. Pottawatomie County comes in first with a 17.3% population increase. On the flip side, Morton County, in southwest Kansas, experienced the biggest population drop at 16.5%. KSNT TV reports that the five fastest growing counties in Kansas are Pottawatomie, Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth and Douglas.
Here are the 10 Kansas counties with the largest population growth:
Pottawatomie County
Percent change – 17.3%
2020 population – 25,384
2010 population – 21,604
Johnson County
Percent change – 12.1%
2020 population – 609,863
2010 population – 544,179
Wyandotte County
Percent change – 7.5%
2020 population – 169,245
2010 population – 157,505
Leavenworth County
Percent change – 7.4%
2020 population – 81,881
2010 population – 76,227
Douglas County
Percent change – 7.2%
2020 population – 118,785
2010 population – 110,826
Geary County
Percent change – 6.9%
2020 population – 36,739
2010 population – 34,362
Sedgwick County
Percent change – 5.1%
2020 population – 523,824
2010 population – 498,365
Finney County
Percent change – 4.6%
2020 population – 38,470
2010 population – 36,776
Scott County
Percent change – 4.4%
2020 population – 5,151
2010 population – 4,936
Miami County
Percent change – 4.3%
2020 population – 34,191
2010 population – 32,787
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Prediction: Kansas Will See the Smallest Wheat Harvest in 60 Years
HAYS, Kan. (KNS) — Deep, persistent drought has withered the wheat crop across much of Kansas and farmers are predicting the smallest harvest in more than 60 years. Western Kansas farmers have enjoyed some rain within the last few days, but months of drought stunted or killed much of the crop. Mike McClellan, who farms near Palco northwest of Hays, says he may abandon all 1,500 acres of wheat he planted this year because it won't be worth the cost of harvesting it. Kansas is traditionally a major exporter of wheat, but supplies of the commodity are so tight now that some Kansas flour mills will likely use wheat imported from Europe.
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Agriculture Groups Welcome SCOTUS Clean Water Act Decision
WASHINGTON (HPM) – A U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last week means the Clean Water Act does not reach as many streams and wetlands as it legally has for the past 50 years. That sharply limits the jurisdiction of federal agencies to regulate water quality and water pollution. The court’s majority opinion whittled down a longstanding “significant nexus” test to determine which waters and wetlands qualified for federal protections. The court’s 5-4 opinion holds that the act now only covers navigable waters and wetlands with an uninterrupted connection to those water bodies. Previously, waters didn’t have to actually be connected to be protected. Many farmers, ranchers and agricultural groups said the Clean Water Act amounted to regulatory overreach by the federal government. The regulations were already in court and had been enjoined in 26 states including Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa. The EPA will now have to rewrite the regulations. EPA administrator Michael Regan called the court’s decision a disappointment and said the agency is now carefully reviewing its next steps.
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Study: Vaccine Hesitancy on the Rise
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — A report says more Americans are doubting the need for vaccines in places like public school. The national trend is reflected in bills chipping away at vaccine requirements in the Kansas Legislature. A Pew Research study found a 12% drop in support for vaccine requirements in public schools. Republicans and evangelicals appear to be the driving force behind that shift. Cary Funk was on the team that performed the latest research. “One of the things that stands out in the findings from this survey is really that people have mixed evaluations of vaccines," Funk said. While people agree that vaccines have saved millions of lives, more people are seeing childhood vaccines as optional. One bill in the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature would have expanded religious exemptions, making it easier for kids in schools or daycare centers to avoid vaccine requirements. The bill did not pass.
The CDC says low vaccination rates in some communities have driven up the frequency of measles outbreaks over the past decade. Some other childhood diseases, thought to have nearly disappeared, such as polio, have made a slight resurgence in some communities. The Pew Center survey finds overall public confidence in the value of childhood vaccines is still very high with about 72% of Americans rating the preventative health benefits of vaccines as high or very high.
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States Tackle Reforms to Victims Compensation Programs
UNDATED (AP) — Thousands of people turn to state victim compensation programs each year for help with funeral costs, medical bills or other expenses after becoming the victim of a violent crime. The programs disburse millions of dollars, but The Associated Press found racial inequities and other barriers in how claims are denied in many states. Legislatures in more than half of U.S. states have passed measures to improve their programs in recent years. Victims who have been denied compensation have largely driven the changes and are advocating for a federal overhaul of compensation guidelines that officials at the U.S. Office for Victims of Crime confirm is underway.
The AP examined reforms being made around the country and found a range of changes: A victim's criminal history is no longer an automatic disqualifier in Illinois. The time limit to apply for help was increased from three to seven years in California. In Michigan, the cap on aid will nearly double to $45,000 this year and more people like caretakers of crime victims will be eligible for survivor benefits.
While every state offers some kind of victim compensation, Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma are among the states that have passed reforms within recent years. (Kansas HB 2574 in 2022 and HB 2077 in 2021).
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Portions of I-70 in East Kansas City to Close in Both Directions this Weekend
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — Preparations are underway to close both directions of Interstate 70 in east Kansas City this weekend. Between 2 am Saturday and 5 am Monday, I-70 in Jackson County, Missouri, will be closed in both directions as crews demolish the Blue Ridge Boulevard Bridge. KSHB TV reports that the bridge sits just east of the former Blue Ridge Mall site. Demolition preparation is already underway. The closures will affect motorists in the area, as well as Kansas City Royals fans. The team is set to host the Colorado Rockies Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
The Missouri Department of Transportation said eastbound I-70 will be closed between Interstate 435 and Noland Road as part of the weekend work. Westbound I-70 will be closed between Interstate 470 and Blue Ridge Boulevard.
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Deaths from Suicide and Substance Abuse Rise in Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Deaths due to substance misuse and suicide are up across the country, but they’re rising even faster in Kansas. More people died of alcohol-related causes and suicide in Kansas in 2021 than in the country overall. And the state’s overdose death rate is growing much faster. Opioid deaths rose nearly four times quicker in Kansas as they did nationally. Brandon Reavis, with Trust for America’s Health, says the problem is worse in rural communities. “Deaths arise out of chronic physical and emotional pain that can be related to lack of opportunity, other social economic conditions," he said. Experts say addressing the issue will require removing barriers to mental health care in rural areas. Kansas recently ranked last in the country on mental health issues and access to treatment. Lawmakers recently passed legislation to make it easier for therapists to get licensed, but a mental health care worker shortage persists.
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Lack of Child Care Stymies Parents Seeking Drug Treatment
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Treating addiction is difficult for anyone but for parents of young children, finding child care while the parent is in rehab makes the situation much more complicated. Addiction experts say the lack of adequate child care is one of the factors that can keep people who need treatment from seeking help. But there will soon be more options for parents of young children who are fighting addiction. This summer, a new program in Salina will become one of the few places in the state where a mother can take her child to addiction treatment with her. Shane Hudson, president and CEO of CKF Addiction Treatment in Salina, says the new programs will be especially important for longer stays in addiction treatment. (Read more.)
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City Officials Hold Press Conference After KCMO Sees 7 Homicides over Memorial Day Weekend
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — It was a violent Memorial Day weekend in Kansas City, Missouri. Seven people were victims of deadly violence in the city in just over 72 hours. KSHB TV reports that the trend of violence in Kansas City has taken the lives of 75 people so far this year. City leaders, including Mayor Quinton Lucas and KCMO Police Chief Stacey Graves held a press conference Wednesday to address the continuing violence and discuss steps the city is taking to make Kansas City safer. Lucas said the city is working closely with the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office to overcome the challenges of gun violence. The city is also investing in activities for teens throughout the summer including night basketball, city internship programs, and other events.
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Abilene Retains Title as “Best Small Town to Visit" and Lindsborg Makes Top 5
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSNW/KPR) — Albilene has earned the title of “Best Small Town to Visit in the U.S.” by TravelAwaits - for the third year in a row. The Dickinson County town is famous as the boyhood home of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. KSNW TV reports that Abilene has received other national travel awards as well. The town is known for tourist attractions such as the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum; historic homes, a century-old railroad and a historic downtown area.
Securing a spot at number five on the list is another Kansas town: Lindsborg. Located in McPherson County, Lindsborg is widely known for its Swedish heritage. It was settled in 1869 by a group of Swedish immigrants. Of the town's 3,500 residents, about 1/3 are of Swedish descent. Affectionately called Little Sweden, the small town embraces its heritage which can be found in its architecture, food, and festivals.
TravelAwaits’ 14 Best Small Towns To Visit In The U.S.
1. Abilene, Kansas
2. Corning, New York
3. Traverse City, Michigan
4. Key West, Florida
5. Lindsborg, Kansas
6. Sedona, Arizona
7. Newport, Rhode Island
8. Clear Lake, Iowa
9. Eureka Springs, Arkansas
10. Bardstown, Kentucky
11. Taos, New Mexico
12. Lahaina, Hawaii
13. Kalispell, Montana
14. Pismo Beach, California
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Expansion Still a Focus for Big 12 After Record $440 Million in Revenue for 10 Current Schools
UNDATED (AP) – Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said expansion remains a focus for the conference, which wrapped up its spring meetings Friday with a record revenue distribution of $440 million to split among its 10 current schools. Less than a year after becoming the commissioner, Yormark said there was a “great discussion” about expansion during the meetings held for the first time in West Virginia.
"We have a plan. As I’ve said all along, we have an appetite to be a national conference in our makeup from coast to coast. And we do believe in the upside of basketball moving forward as a collective group,” Yormark said. “That being said, we love our current composition, love the four new schools that are coming in next month. However, if the opportunity presents itself to create value, we will pursue it.”
The Big 12 will expand from 10 to 14 schools on July 1 when BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston officially join the league. Those additions come a year before the departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the Southeastern Conference. The $440 million distribution for the 2022-23 school year is up from $426 million last year, and Yormark said that number will continue to grow in the future. Big 12 officials last fall extended their media rights deal with ESPN and Fox Sports through the 2030-31 school year, which goes through the upcoming departures of the only current members with football national championships. That deal, which includes football and basketball broadcasts, was set to expire in two years. While Yormark didn't get into specifics about potential expansion, he acknowledged “football is the driver,” but the league would explore all options and considerations at the proper times.
Yormark was asked if future expansion candidates would have to be full members, or could there be potential additions without football, such as a school like Gonzaga. “We see the upside in basketball moving forward for all the right reasons. We think it’s undervalued and there’s a chance for us to double down as the No. 1 basketball conference in America,” Yormark said.
“There have been conversations, obviously, about what would happen in that next TV cycle. Certainly nothing can be done now, nor should i in fact,” he said. “But as we think about the future and ways to create value, there is always that option to decouple basketball from football, to see if there is further value we can create for the conference. And we have positioned ourselves to do so at that point in time, if the opportunity presents itself and it makes sense.”
Among other items from the spring meetings:
— Yormark said the league is doing a branding refresh over the next year, but it won't include changing the league's name or logo. “A refresh is just taking the current visual identity and just contemporizing it and modernizing it,” he said. “We’re not changing our logo at this point in time. But how do we showcase it maybe with different colors and different applications.”
— There were discussions about extending contracts with the league's existing championship sites, including AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for football, as well as Kansas City for men's and women's basketball, and Oklahoma City for softball.
— The league plans to unveil as early as next week an international strategy focused on Mexico. “It will outline our strategic plan why we’re doing it, the rationale behind it, how we’re going to enter the market, who we’re partnering with,” Yormark said. “We’re truly excited about our international plans and and getting into that market sooner than later. ”
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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 and updated throughout the day. These ad-free headlines are made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.