Looming Federal Shutdown Could Affect Kansans
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – A potential government shutdown could have wide-reaching ramifications for Kansans who work for the federal government or who rely on federal assistance programs. An October 1st shutdown would not impact Social Security or Medicare. But it would threaten food assistance for 47,000 women, infants and children in Kansas. The WIC program would run out of money within a few days. Thousands of federal employees in Kansas would be forced to continue working without pay. Active duty military personnel would stop getting paychecks along with other federal workers such as air traffic controllers, TSA agents, and others deemed critical. That could lead to economic fallout for restaurants, stores and other businesses as those workers wait to see if they’ll receive retroactive pay.
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Kansas Republicans Renew Push for Flat Income Tax
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas Republican leaders are touring the state to garner support for reviving a flat state income tax that was vetoed by Democratic Governor Laura Kelly in the last legislative session. Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins says the flat tax will be one of his top priorities in the upcoming session. GOP lawmakers failed to override the governor’s veto of a flat tax last session by just one vote. The measure would eliminate the current tiered income tax system and put a single tax rate in place. Governor Kelly says the plan mostly benefits wealthy people. She is unlikely to sign such a bill if it lands on her desk again but proponents think there will be enough votes in the upcoming session to override her veto. “I think that certainly, we have some work to do,” Hawkins says,” but this is an election year, and an election year tends to change things.” Kelly says she still opposes the plan and calls it fiscally irresponsible.
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Kansas Governor Vows to Again Push for Medicaid Expansion
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR/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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Biden Vetoes Two Republican-Led Bills to Revoke Protections for Lesser Prairie Chicken and Northern Bat
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has vetoed Republican-sponsored bills intended to undo federal protections for two endangered species that have seen their populations plummet over the years: the lesser prairie chicken and northern long-eared bat.
The two GOP measures would overturn “science-based rulemaking" that offers important protections for the once-abundant species and would undermine the Endangered Species Act, Biden said.
“The lesser prairie-chicken serves as an indicator for healthy grasslands and prairies, making the species an important measure of the overall health of America’s grasslands,'' the White House wrote late Tuesday in a veto statement about the prairie bird. It's a member of the grouse family found in parts of the Midwest and Southwest, including the oil-rich Permian Basin in New Mexico and Texas. The bird’s range also extends into parts of Colorado, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Environmentalists have long sought stronger federal protections for the prairie bird, which they consider severely at risk due to oil and gas development, livestock grazing and farming, along with roads and power lines. The crow-size, terrestrial birds are known for spring courtship rituals that include flamboyant dances by the males as they make a cacophony of clucking, cackling and booming sounds.
The long-eared bat is one of 12 bat types decimated by a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome. The disease has spread across nearly 80% of the bat's historic range in the eastern and north-central United States and has caused estimated population declines of at least 97%.
“Bats are critical to healthy, functioning ecosystems and contribute at least $3 billion annually to the United States agriculture economy through pest control and pollination,'' Biden said in a separate veto statement. He said the GOP bill "would undermine America’s proud wildlife conservation traditions and risk extinction of the species.''
The two bills approved by Congress were backed mostly by Republicans and represent rare congressional involvement in matters usually left to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The Endangered Species Act tasks the executive agencies with deciding which animals and plants to list as endangered or threatened and how to rebuild their populations.
Republicans say protections for the lesser prairie chicken interfere with U.S. oil and gas production and jeopardize thousands of American jobs.
Designation of the bird as an endangered species “is another attack on low-cost energy for the American taxpayers,'' said Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. “It's an attack on jobs in America and it’s making us more dependent″ on hostile countries in the Middle East and South America, he said.
Republicans and the logging industry also criticized the endangered listing for the long-eared bat, contending it would hamper logging and other land uses that aren’t responsible for the bat’s sharp decline. The bat is found in 37 eastern and north-central states, plus Washington, D.C., and much of Canada.
The American Loggers Council, an industry group, said in a statement that changing the bat's status from “threatened” to endangered would “do nothing to reduce the mortality of the bat, but will contribute to the declining numbers of loggers in the U.S. and threaten the forest products industry.''
Citing criteria used by the Fish and Wildlife Service, “the American logger should be considered for listing as threatened or endangered and afforded the same protection,″ the group said.
Environmental groups hailed Biden's actions.
Veto of the lesser-prairie chicken measure puts the bird "on a more certain path to recovery,” said Michael Parr, president of American Bird Conservancy. “Present-day populations are thought to average a mere 32,000 birds. Every coordinated effort is needed to ensure a safer future for this iconic species.”
Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, said conservationists are grateful for Biden's actions “but remain greatly troubled that his veto is the only thing standing between grossly misguided, anti-wildlife members of Congress and the future of wildlife. The American public, regardless of party affiliation, overwhelmingly supports the Endangered Species Act and believes it should be fully funded to protect species from extinction. Congress needs to wake up to this fact and cease their continual attacks.''
West Virginia's Joe Manchin was the only Democratic senator to back repeal of protections for the lesser prairie chicken, while Manchin and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., voted with unanimous Republicans to remove protections for the long-eared bat.
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Man Arrested in Connection with Labette County Homicide
LABETTE COUNTY, Kan. (KPR) – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Labette County Sheriff’s Office, and the Parsons Police Department have arrested a man connected to the death of 28-year-old Kylie Caldwell.
The KBI issued a release stating that 53-year-old Derrick W. Curry of Parsons was arrested Monday afternoon and booked into the Labette County Jail for interference with the judicial process to conceal or destroy evidence of a crime.
KBI agents and investigators executed search warrants at Curry's apartment in Parsons on Monday and Tuesday. An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for Curry for second degree murder in the death of Kylie Caldwell. That warrant was served to Curry while he was in custody at the jail.
Curry and Caldwell were acquaintances. The investigation is ongoing.
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CVS Responds Quickly After Pharmacists Frustrated with Their Workload Don't Show Up
UNDATED (AP) — CVS pharmacists are experiencing a lot of pain on the job these days.
The company found the right prescription on Wednesday to keep its stores open in the Kansas City area and avoid a repeat of last week's work stoppage. It promised to boost hiring to ease overwhelming workloads that sometimes make it hard to take a bathroom break.
But it won’t be easy to resolve the problems that have been growing as pharmacists at CVS and other drug stores in the U.S. took on more duties in recent years and are gearing up to deliver this year’s latest flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
“It all relates to not enough dollars going in to hire the appropriate staff to be able to deliver the services,” said Ron Fitzwater, CEO of the Missouri Pharmacy Association.
Pharmacists in at least a dozen Kansas City-area CVS pharmacies did not show up for work last Thursday and Friday and planned to be out again this Wednesday until the company sent its chief pharmacy officer with promises to fill open positions and increase staffing levels.
It was one of the latest examples nationwide of workers fed up enough to take action. But unlike in the ongoing strikes at the automakers or in Hollywood, the pharmacists weren't demanding raises or more vacation, but more workers to help them.
CVS spokeswoman Amy Thibault said the company is “focused on addressing the concerns raised by our pharmacists so we can continue to deliver the high-quality care our patients depend on.”
Chief Pharmacy Officer Prem Shah apologized for not addressing concerns sooner in a memo to Kansas City-area staff that was obtained by USA Today. He promised to remain in the city until the problems are addressed and come back regularly to check on the progress.
“We want you, our valued pharmacy teams, to be in a position to succeed. We are working hard to support you and are here to help and create sustainable solutions,” Shah said as he encouraged the pharmacists to continue to share their concerns even anonymously.
It's unclear why workload concerns that are common industrywide led to a work stoppage in Kansas City. The pharmacists involved are not in a union and haven't spoken publicly, so it's not entirely clear how satisfied they are with the company's response.
Jeff Jonas, a portfolio manager for Gabelli Funds, said there’s a nationwide shortage of pharmacy workers, prompting companies to push long work hours with few bathroom and lunch breaks. At the same time, the industry is “not really unionized, so I wouldn’t expect a big, coordinated action” to be inspired by the Kansas City demonstration, he said.
At stores with only one pharmacist on duty, the pharmacy has to shut down every time that person leaves the area because a pharmacist must be present to supervise technicians in their work.
The American Pharmacists Association said in a statement that it supports the stand the Kansas City pharmacists took.
“Pharmacists who find themselves in situations where the welfare of others is in question should always pause, evaluate the situation, and take the steps necessary to ensure safe, optimal patient care,” the group said.
CVS Health has about 300,000 employees and runs prescription drug plans through one of the nation’s largest pharmacy benefits managers. Its Aetna insurance arm covers more than 25 million people, and the company has nearly 10,000 drugstores.
The company said last month that operating income at its drugstores fell 17% as reimbursement rates from patient's insurance providers for drugs remained tight. CVS eliminated about 5,000 jobs, but company officials said none of those involved dealing with customers.
Bled Tanoe, a hospital pharmacist in Oklahoma who previously worked for Walgreens, runs a social media campaign called “Pizza Is Not Working” aimed at raising awareness about the industry's working conditions. Its name comes from the pizzas that are routinely given to overwhelmed medical workers to raise morale. Tanoe said she was “wowed” by the CVS demonstration.
“They pretty much risk their reputation, their livelihood to take a stand because serving the patients is so important to them,” Tanoe said.
Amanda Applegate with the Kansas Pharmacists Association said pharmacists have always had a lot on their plate.
“When we are not valued as health care professionals, it doesn’t allow the job that needs to be done to be done," she said. "And that’s keeping you know, patients safe — right drug, right patient, right time, right dose.”
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Topeka Zoo Director Announces Resignation, Move to Texas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Brendan Wiley, longtime director of the Topeka Zoo is leaving to take a new role as CEO of the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas. His last day will be November 10th. KSNT TV reports that the Topeka Zoo hired Wiley in 2010. He was leading an animal rescue shelter in Merriam at the time. Before that, he was an animal curator at the Kansas City Zoo. Wiley came to Topeka at a time when the zoo faced criticism for animal care issues. The 90-year-old zoo was under scrutiny from animal rights groups after several animals died. Wiley embraced the criticism and made positive changes to regain the community’s support for the zoo. In 2021, the zoo was removed from oversight by the city government, allowing Wiley to pursue expansion projects without dealing with excessive red tape. That year, the zoo said set a new attendance record, welcoming more than 230,000 guests. Among the first major improvements under his tenure was an expansion of the elephant area in 2012 after a City Council vote expressing support for the zoo to continue housing an elephant exhibit. Wiley was also responsible for other major expansions at the zoo, including the Kay McFarland Japanese Gardens and, most recently, the Giraffe and Friends exhibit area. The zoo will conduct a nationwide search for a new director.
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McPherson First Grader Struck by Stray Arrow
McPHERSON, Kan. (KWCH) - A first-grade student is recovering after being struck by a stray arrow while on the playground at Roosevelt Elementary School in McPherson. McPherson School District officials say a man at his home near the school was target practicing with a bow and arrow when the arrow went wide, sailed about half a block to the school playground, and struck the seven-year-old in the arm. KWCH TV says the student was taken to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita and is expected to fully recover. The archer contacted authorities on the scene and told them what had happened, taking full responsibility. Police arrested the man and booked him into the McPherson County Jail for aggravated battery and aggravated child endangerment. His bond is set at $12,500. Authorities have not identified the man or the young student.
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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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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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Composting Businesses Spread Across Midwest in Effort to Combat Food Waste
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Harvest Public Media) — Composting services are popping up in cities across the Midwest, working to divert food waste from landfills and reduce climate impacts. Food waste is the largest category of trash going to landfills, according to an estimate from the U-S Environmental Protection Agency. It also produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Community composting operations are popping up in cities across the country in an effort to keep that waste out of landfills and return nutrients to the soil. Sending less food waste to landfills saves municipalities money and reduces climate impacts. But not all cities are welcoming them, especially when neighbors complain about smells and pests. Composting advocates say city governments often don’t have updated zoning rules to specifically address composting. The challenge for cities is figuring out how to not only support compost operations but also how to regulate them before the problems start. (Read More)
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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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KU Athletics Releases Basketball 2023-24 Schedule
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) —The University of Kansas has released details about the Jayhawks basketball schedule including the date for the, so-called, Border Showdown rivalry against the University of Missouri Tigers. That game is set to air on ESPN at 4:15 Saturday, December 9th. The Jayhawks will officially begin the 2023-24 season with the 39th annual Late Night in the Phog on Friday, October 6th, in Allen Fieldhouse. After warming up with a couple of exhibition games, Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, and Fort Hays State at home in Lawrence, the Jayhawks will begin regular season play when they host North Carolina Central at Allen Fieldhouse on November 6th. KU will also face a number of challenging opponents as the season progresses including Oklahoma, West Virginia, Baylor and TCU. The intrastate rivalry between KU and Kansas State will play out in Manhattan on February 5th and in Lawrence on March 5th.
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College Football Picks: 'Hoops' Schools No. 17 Duke, No. 24 Kansas, Kentucky Try to Stay Unbeaten
UNDATED (AP) — It feels a little bit like March Madness in September. Basketball blue bloods step into the spotlight in Week 5 of the college football season with No. 17 Duke, No. 24 Kansas and Kentucky all undefeated. The three have combined for 17 NCAA championships in men’s basketball and are a 12-0 on the gridiron this year. The Blue Devils get the biggest stage, facing No. 11 Notre Dame. For the first time, ESPN’s football “College GameDay” program comes to the Durham, North Carolina campus for the first time.
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Travis Kelce Notes Taylor Swift's 'Bold' Appearance at Chiefs Game but Is Mum About Any Relationship
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Travis Kelce called an appearance by Taylor Swift at the Kansas City Chiefs' victory over the Chicago Bears last weekend “pretty bold,” but the All-Pro tight end insisted Wednesday that he wants to keep future details about their relationship private.
Kelce discussed the pop superstar's well-publicized appearance in a suite at Arrowhead Stadium on his podcast, “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce.” The younger of the Kelce brothers said it was “awesome” how everyone treated Swift during her time in his suite, and he was in awe of the way the 12-time Grammy Award-winner connected with his mom, Donna.
“She looked amazing,” said Kelce, who had invited Swift to the game after trying — and failing — to gift her a friendship bracelet when her Eras Tour made its stop in Kansas City. “Everybody was talking about her and in a great light. And on top of that, you know, the day went perfect for Chiefs fans. Of course, we script it all, ladies and gentlemen.”
Kelce had a game-high seven catches for 69 yards and a touchdown in the 41-10 victory over the Bears.
After his touchdown catch, when Kelce was supposed to break outside on the route but ducked inside to catch the perfectly thrown pass from Patrick Mahomes, cameras showed Swift pounding on the glass in celebration.
At one point, Swift even chest-bumped Kameron Saunders, one of her backup dancers and the brother of former Chiefs and current New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Khalen Saunders.
Kelce and Swift were seen leaving the stadium afterward, with the two-time Super Bowl winner joking they “slid off into the getaway car.” The convertible wound up heading to Prime Social Rooftop, a place to be seen in the upscale Country Club Plaza neighborhood of Kansas City, which Kelce had rented out for a postgame soiree with the rest of the team.
“I met her. She was really good. Good people,” Mahomes said before practice Wednesday, the first in the Chiefs' prep for Sunday night's game at the New York Jets. "Like Travis said, I'm going to let them have their privacy and keep it moving.”
Kelce acknowledged on his podcast Wednesday the widespread interest in him with Swift, adding that he has seen paparazzi suddenly staking out his Kansas City-area home. When his brother, Jason, asked how he knew they were paparazzi, Kelce replied: “They have a camera in their hands and they're screaming my name.”
Jersey sales for Kelce spiked before and after last Sunday's game, a spokesperson for apparel and merchandise company Fanatics told The Associated Press, making his No. 87 one of the five top-selling jerseys over the weekend.
“Sounds like the Swifties are also part of Chiefs Kingdom,” Kelce said.
Kelce, who was not available to reporters Wednesday, is known for his public persona. He frequently attends major sports and entertainment events — Kelce and Mahomes upset the Warriors' Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in a made-for-TV golf match over the summer — and even starred in a reality dating show in 2016 called “Catching Kelce.”
Yet with Swift known for keeping her personal life private, Kelce apparently has decided to begin doing the same.
“What’s real is that it is my personal life. I want to respect both of our lives," Kelce said on his podcast. "She’s not in the media as much as I am doing this show every single week and having fun during the NFL season doing other guys’ shows like the McAfee show and any other show I go on from here on out.
“I’m enjoying life and I sure as hell enjoyed this weekend,” he added. “So everything moving forward, I think talking about sports and saying ‘alright now’ will have to be kind of where I keep it.”
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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.