Prosecutors: KC-Area Doctor Sexually Assaulted Amish Girls, Women for Decades
OAK GROVE, Mo. (KC Star) — Prosecutors say a suburban Kansas City doctor sexually assaulted women and girls, mostly from Amish communities, for decades under the guise of performing routine breast and pelvic exams. The Kansas City Star reports that 70-year-old David B. Clark, of Independence, is charged with six felonies in Jackson County, Missouri, following a long-running investigation led by the FBI. Clark, who is licensed as a chiropractor, is accused of assaulting patients at his Health+Plus clinic in Oak Grove, a small town about 30 miles east of Kansas City. He was arrested Monday.
Clark allegedly molested his patients — describing the acts as “treatment” — during pelvic and breast exams. Sometimes the abuse occurred while family members of the patients were present in the room. Authorities allege Clark concealed the sexual abuse from his patients by saying his actions were medically necessary. Prosecutors say he “targeted” girls and women from Amish communities who would have little if any experience with a gynecologist or obstetrician.
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KBI: Woman’s Body Found in Southeast Kansas Field
LABETTE COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW/KPR) — The body of a young woman has been found in a field several miles outside of Parsons. A man called 911 Sunday afternoon to report the discovery. The Labette County Sheriff’s Office asked the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to help with the case. The KBI’s Crime Scene Response Team determined that the woman had been murdered. KSNW TV reports that the victim has been identified as 28-year-old Kylie Caldwell, who had last been seen early Sunday morning. The KBI, sheriff’s office and the Parsons Police Department are investigating her death. Anyone with information is urged to call the KBI at (800) KS-CRIME.
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Kansas Governor Vows to Again Push for Medicaid Expansion
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPPR/KNS) — Kansas Democratic Governor Laura Kelly is once again making her case for expanding Medicaid, but Republican leaders seem unlikely to go along. Kelly is touring Kansas in support of Medicaid expansion, which she has indicated will be her top priority next legislative session. She says expanding access to health insurance will grow the Kansas economy. “We have left six-and-a-half-billion dollars of Kansas taxpayer money in Washington D.C. to be distributed to other states for them to take care of their folks," she said. Republican leaders announced last week they will fight expansion saying it is too costly and provides benefits to people who choose not to work. Kelly says that expanded health care coverage would also create thousands of jobs in Kansas. “Those are our taxpayer dollars that should be coming back here so that we can spend it on our citizens, on our hospitals, our communities," she said. Kansas is one of 10 states that has not adopted Medicaid expansion.
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Activists Fear the End of Extra SNAP Benefits Is Leading to Worsening Child Hunger
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansans are getting $14.5 million less in food assistance a month after the end of increased pandemic benefits. Monthly food stamp allotments were increased during the pandemic. But those extra benefits ended in February. A new report says the decreased benefits are affecting 63,000 Kansas households. People getting the minimum benefit amount used to get $281 a month. Now, they get just $23. Gina Plata-Nino is the SNAP deputy director for the Food Research and Action Center. She’s urging states and the federal government to invest more in the program. “Whether or not they take action, hunger is (still) there," she said. "How do they address it?” The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature has added more restrictions to SNAP benefits in recent years, making an expansion of benefits unlikely. “The majority of SNAP users – almost 70% – are kids, children," Plata-Nino said.
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Influential Kansas House Committee Leader to Step Down Next Month
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An influential Kansas House committee leader who helped temper fellow Republicans' drive to limit what state and local officials can do during pandemics plans to give up his legislative seat next month. Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Fred Patton announced Monday that he will step down October 16 to spend more time with his family, and focus on community activities and his legal practice as an attorney. Patton is from Topeka and has served in the House since 2015.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Patton often was a moderating influence on fellow Republicans as the GOP-controlled Legislature pushed Democratic Governor Laura Kelly to accept limits on her power and the power of other officials to require masks or close schools and businesses. Republicans in Patton's district will pick a replacement to hold his seat until after the 2024 elections. Patton said he timed his resignation to give his replacement an extra year of experience and seniority.
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Ottawa Allows Beekeeping, Other Urban Farming Activities
OTTAWA, Kan. (KNS) — Ottawa will allow urban farming after an aspiring beekeeper sued the city, and other residents pushed for the right to keep chickens. Ottawa city commissioners voted to create a new city code for urban farming. Now people can sell eggs, vegetables, fruits and honey from their own property at farmers’ markets. And there are guidelines for beekeeping and chicken coops. People can’t have roosters, for example. The new rules bring an end to a lawsuit by a resident who wants to sell honey and fruit. Some other cities, such as Lawrence, have also changed their codes in recent years to let people produce more food in residential areas. (Read more.)
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Glitch Caused Kansas, Other States, to Incorrectly Disenroll Thousands of Medicaid Recipients
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Federal officials say a glitch caused Kansas and 29 other states to inappropriately disenroll half a million children and families from Medicaid over the last few months. This is the latest bump in the process known as Medicaid unwinding. Up to 12,000 Kansans — many of them children — were wrongly dropped from the low-income health insurance program. They lost coverage even though state officials had information showing they remained eligible. Officials say they’re working on reinstating coverage for those people. They have temporarily halted new disenrollments while they work on fixing the issue going forward. Children make up a majority of the 81-thousand total Kansans who’ve been disenrolled from Medicaid since the state resumed reviewing Medicaid rolls in the spring after a three-year pandemic pause.
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Study: Efficient Soil Management Leads to Increased Ag Profits
UNDATED (HPM) — Farming practices that improve soil health might also have economic benefits for farmers. That's according to a new study from the Soil Health Institute. The study looked at 30 farms across the United States. The soil management practices included no-till, which means leaving soil undisturbed, and cover crops, plants that are primarily used to keep soil in place between growing seasons. On average, these practices increased net farm income by $65 an acre per year, says Wayne Honeycutt, the president of the soil health institute. "Not only is it more profitable, but these practices can really help (farmers) build resilience to those more extreme weather events," he said. The institute found similar results in a 2021 study that focused on 100 farms across the Midwest.
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Virtual State Job Fair Highlights Hundreds of Open State Agency Positions
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas jobseekers are encouraged to attend the state agency virtual job fair this week. This month’s virtual fair, hosted by KANSASWORKS, will feature employment opportunities available across the state’s 98 government agencies. Currently, there are more than 700 vacancies across Kansas. The virtual job fair will be held from 8 am to 5 pm Wednesday, September 27. "These are good-paying jobs with great benefits," said Kansas Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland.
Registration is required to participate in the event, regardless of previous participation. The Virtual Job Fair portal features a jobseeker training video, a list of participating employers, and channels for attendees to register and log in. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as employers might request to engage in a video interview.
Candidates can participate through any digital device, but it is highly recommended to use a computer to be most effective during the job fairs. If a jobseeker does not have access to a personal computer, they are available at KANSASWORKS offices as well as local libraries throughout the state. Any individual with a disability may request accommodations by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.
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More Kansans Working From Home
JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. (KCUR) — A new audit says that nearly a third of all Kansas state employees work full-time or part-time from home and that could increase. The non-partisan Legislative Post Audit division found that 30% of the state’s 18,000 employees now work from home. But Kansas could potentially accommodate up to 45% of its workforce remotely. The audit found the biggest benefit was in hiring and retaining staff. In fact, some workers were willing to take a slightly lower salary if they could work from home. Agencies reported that productivity slightly increased because remote workers took fewer sick days, traveled less and were happier overall. The audit found little impact on cost, although there was a small upfront increase as agencies invested in more laptops.
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Kansas Senator Jerry Moran and other U.S. Lawmakers Try to Cut Food Waste in Half
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A bipartisan coalition of U.S. lawmakers has introduced a proposal designed to cut food waste in half by 2030. The lawmakers submitted their legislation last week and said it would improve collaboration between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and regional waste prevention and food recovery organizations. The lawmakers said the proposal would also support new technological innovations and bolster the federal government's approach to food waste. Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine and Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York proposed the bill in the U.S. House, and Kansas GOP Senator Jerry Moran and Democratic Delaware Senator Chris Coons did so in the U.S. Senate.
Pingree said an estimated 30% to 40% of the U.S. food supply is discarded every year, and that is both bad for the environment and a contributor to food insecurity. Pingree said the proposal "would strengthen the federal government's approach to food loss by tackling waste in every step of our food system - from prevention research and education to composting and donation programs." The proposal would also establish an Office of Food Loss and Waste within the USDA.
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Grant Will Help Kansans Regain Driving Privileges
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — A more than $300,000 grant will help more Kansans get their driving privileges back. The grant comes as more than 200,000 Kansas drivers have a suspended license. The money will help Kansas Legal Services hire staff who will focus on drivers license work. The group already has two programs to help drivers get back on the road — one in Kansas City, Kansas, and one in Wichita. Kansas Legal Services Executive Director Matthew Keenan says those programs have tremendous demand. “It's very time consuming. It takes months for a client to start in the application process and for them to ultimately have their driver's license restored," he said. "This could all start with a simple speeding ticket. They can’t pay it off, they lose their license and lose their way to get to places like work or the grocery store." Lawmakers are considering changes to take away fewer licenses.
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Missouri Tigers, Kansas Jayhawks Enter AP Top 25 Football Poll
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) — The Missouri Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks now have something in common. The Kansas City Star reports that both schools now have football teams ranked in the new AP Top 25 College Football poll. The Tigers enter the poll ranked No. 23 after beating Memphis on Saturday. MU is 4-0 for the first time since 2013. KU enters the poll right behind Mizzou, at No. 24. The Jayhawks are 4-0 for the second consecutive season — the first time that’s happened since 1914-15 — after defeating previously unbeaten BYU on Saturday.
Like Missouri, this is the first appearance for KU in the Top 25 this season. It’s also the first time KU has been ranked since a No. 19 assessment on October 19, 2022. Meanwhile, K-State (3-1, 1-0) is unranked after defeating UCF 44-31 Saturday in Manhattan. The Wildcats are knocking on the door, however, leading the “others receiving votes” category with 57 votes. K-State started the 2023 season ranked but fell out of the Top 25 with a road loss to Mizzou.
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K-State Agrees with Hoops Coach Jerome Tang on New 7-Year Contract
UNDATED (AP) — Kansas State University and Jerome Tang agreed to a new seven-year contract Monday. The deal comes after the men’s basketball coach took a program that had just two returning players and was picked last in the Big 12 to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last season. Tang was working on a six-year deal that he signed last year. He will be paid $3 million for the upcoming season with $100,000 raises each year, finishing with $3.6 million for the 2029-30 season. He also will earn $200,000 retention bonuses after the next four seasons.
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KU Basketball Nails Down Commitment from Four Star Recruit
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KC Star) — Kansas men’s basketball has just picked up a commitment for its 2024 team. The Kansas City Star reports that four-star point guard Labaron Philon announced his commitment to the Jayhawks Monday night. The 6'3, 175-lb Alabama native chose Kansas over Alabama, Cincinnati, and Ole Miss. Philon says he chose KU because he feels his style of play will be a good fit with the Jayhawk’s system and says he looks forward to working for Coach Bill Self. Philon is joining 5-star prospect Flory Bidunga in the Jayhawks’ Class of 2024 basketball squad.
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Steelers' Team Plane Makes Emergency Landing at KCI, No Injuries Reported
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers' charter flight home following a Sunday night win in Las Vegas made an emergency landing in Kansas City early Monday. Team spokesman Burt Lauten posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that every one on the plane is safe and the team is making plans to arrive in Pittsburgh later in the day. The team was originally scheduled to arrive in Pittsburgh around 5:30 am EDT after improving to 2-1 by holding off the Raiders.
KDKA TV, which has a pair of journalists on the team plane, reported the plane landed in Kansas City while trying to address an oil pressure failure in one of the engines. Veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward had a little fun with the situation, joking on X with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and pop star Taylor Swift that the team needed a ride to Pittsburgh. Swift attended Kansas City's blowout victory over Chicago on Sunday as a guest of Kelce's. The Steelers were given Monday off by head coach Mike Tomlin. They travel to Houston on October 1.
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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. You can also follow KPR News on Twitter.