Senator Marshall Expresses Concerns About Possible Shutdown
TOPEKA (KSNT) – As a federal government shutdown looms, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas is speaking out about his concerns over what could happen if Congress fails to reach a budget agreement before Saturday's deadline. Congress remains divided on the budget. If they don’t pass spending bills this week, federal workers could be furloughed. Some federal assistance programs like SNAP and WIC would stop. KSNT TV reports that Sen. Marshall calls the standoff a financial crisis and he says it’s a bi-partisan problem because neither party has been able to live within a budget. If the House can’t come to a decision by Saturday night, the federal government will shut down until they can. If that happens, Marshall said Social Security checks will still go out. It’s considered a mandatory program and isn’t funding by shorter-term appropriations bills. Medicare and Veterans Affairs benefits will also continue. 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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Stormont Vail Drops COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Employees
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Stormont Vail Health in Topeka will no longer require healthcare workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The move comes as updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are now starting to become available. Hospital officials say that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ended the requirement that healthcare workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 on July 25. As a result, several regional systems have ended their own vaccine requirements. WIBW TV reports that the health network will continue to follow all infection prevention protocols while caring for those with suspected or confirmed respiratory illnesses, that includes appropriate PPE and facial protection. Any hospital employee who does catch the virus must report that information to their manager. Hospital administrators are strongly recommending that staff members, volunteers, vendors, and others receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available but after tomorrow, Oct. 1, it will not be required.
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Lawmaker Threatens KDWP Funding over Potential Deer Baiting Ban
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - A Republican state lawmaker has threatened to strip funding from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks if it bans people from baiting deer with piles of food. The state’s wildlife commissioners are considering a restriction on deer baiting to slow the spread of fatal chronic wasting disease. Representative Lewis Bloom, is a farmer in Clay Center and serves on a committee that oversees the wildlife agency’s budget. He told commissioners that he will retaliate by proposing an immediate $1 million cut if the panel approves a ban. Bloom’s threat came at a public hearing as the state’s wildlife commissioners consider restricting deer baiting to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease, which is related to mad cow disease and fatally damages the brains of deer. Kansas is one of only a few states that still allows baiting. State wildlife officials say they are also concerned about other problems, such as damage to crops and natural areas caused by high deer and raccoon concentrations around feeders. Representative Bloom also said another lawmaker, who owns a hunting lodge, would help him make the cuts. The lodge owner, Republican Representative Ken Corbet, brushed off concerns that it was a conflict of interest. He says any cuts would need to be proposed and debated in the committee.
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Farm Bill Extension Facing Deadline
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Harvest Public Media) — On Saturday, September 30th, the federal government runs out of money. The government will also let the farm bill lapse if lawmakers don’t pass a new one or extend the old one. Congress missing farm bill deadlines has become common in the 21st century, but a delay could have long-reaching implications for agriculture in Kansas and throughout the Midwest. 2002 was the last farm bill passed without needing an extension. Since then, farm bills have been approved by congress well after their fiscal year deadlines. One of the reasons it’s become common to blow by the fall deadline: the negative impacts don’t come until January. That’s when the U-S would fall back on nearly 75-year-old farm bills. It’s what policy experts call “permanent legislation. It’s widely expected that lawmakers will extend the farm bill until the end of the year. Exactly how the government funding fight plays into that extension is unclear.
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Kobach Proposes Bill to Ban Foreign Land Sales in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has proposed a bill banning foreign entities from buying up Kansas farmland. Kobach’s proposal would bar foreign people or corporations from buying more than 10 acres of land in Kansas. He told lawmakers the measure is needed to preserve national security and protect the food supply from Chinese-owned companies. During a legislative committee meeting, Bob Fu of the nonprofit group ChinaAid said he supports Kobach’s plan because large land purchases could strengthen China’s government. “This piece of legislation has nothing to do with race, ethnicity or even nationality. It’s about the threat to our state and country,” Fu said. Twenty-four states have passed similar laws. Kobach’s proposal echoes several bills introduced in the Kansas Legislature last session that did not make it to a vote.
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Governor Issues State of Disaster Emergency for Wildfires
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Governor Laura Kelly issued a verbal state of disaster emergency proclamation Thursday, due to an increase in fire weather conditions expected to continue through the middle of next week. The governor's office said through a release that warm, windy conditions and low relative humidity will create high to very-high fire weather danger, especially in the central and western parts of the state. The declaration allows the Kansas Forest Service and other state agencies to be prepared with resources if they're needed. The Kansas Division of Emergency Management is at an enhanced steady state to assist counties and local authorities if needed.
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DOJ Awards Funds for Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force in Shawnee County
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The US Department of Justice has announced that the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office will receive more than $650,000 in federal funding for anti-human trafficking efforts. Shawnee County District Attorney Michael Kagay announced the new funding to support a dedicated Human Trafficking Intelligence Analyst for the Sheriff’s Office, and a Task Force Coordinator to work from the District Attorney’s Office. WIBW TV reports that the new personnel will work together to amplify the work of the Kaw Valley Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce, which has local, state and federal partners working in Shawnee, Osage and Jackson Counties. This funding is a result of the county’s application for the federal Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking Grant program which brings law enforcement and victim service providers together to provide victim-centered and trauma-informed investigations and services.
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Enrollment Up at Most Kansas Universities
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Enrollment at most Kansas universities increased this fall. The Kansas Board of Regents has just released enrollment figures showing a trend toward reversal of long-term declines in enrollment. The Board says that, in all, there are 168,422 students enrolled in the state's public higher education system. The University of Kansas just welcomed its largest-ever freshman class with 5,259 new Jayhawks attending classes this fall, that’s up 18% from last year. Wichita State University says this fall’s enrollment is the highest in its 128-year history with 17,548 students. That is an increase of 3.7% over last year. And Kansas State University in Manhattan saw its first enrollment increase in nine years with 19,745 students enrolled. Headcounts are up across the state’s higher education system, which experienced a 2% overall increase compared to last year. Technical colleges grew the most, increasing 8.6%. One outlier is Emporia State University, which is down more than 12%. Emporia State fired dozens of tenured faculty members last fall and eliminated several programs and majors.
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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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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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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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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 Player Arterio Morris Charged with Rape, Dismissed from Men's Team
UNDATED (AP) — University of Kansas basketball player Arterio Morris was charged Friday with one count of rape and dismissed from the Jayhawks' program, the latest in a string of legal trouble that has followed the former prep standout from his days at Texas.
Morris was booked in Douglas County and his bond was set at $75,000, public records showed.
His arrest came after an incident report came to light this month that detailed an alleged rape that occurred at McCarthy Hall, which houses the men's basketball team along with other residents and is located near Allen Fieldhouse. The criminal complaint alleged that a sexual assault involving an 18-year-old victim occurred on August 26.
Morris was not named in the incident report, but he was subsequently suspended from the basketball program.
“We are now aware he has been arrested and charged, and he was dismissed from the program,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said in a statement to The Associated Press. "As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further at this time.”
No attorney is listed for Morris in online court records and he didn’t have a listed phone number.
Morris transferred to KU despite facing a misdemeanor assault charge in Texas, where he spent his freshman season playing for the Longhorns. According to Frisco police, he was arrested after officers were called to his ex-girlfriend’s house, where she told police that he had grabbed her arm, pulled her off a bed and caused an injury to her neck.
The 20-year-old Morris was scheduled to appear at a jury trial next week, but it was canceled earlier this month, when he entered a no contest plea to a Class C charge and ordered to pay a $362 fine.
In announcing that Morris had transferred to Kansas, Self said the school was aware of the charges he was facing in Texas, and that school administrators had spoken with compliance officers at the University of Texas and within its athletic department.
“Based on these discussions, we are comfortable welcoming Arterio to the University of Kansas," Self said at the time, "and he is well aware of the high standards and expectations that come with being a member of the Kansas men’s basketball program. We fully expect him to meet those daily.”
Morris was a top-20 recruit coming out of Kimball High School in Dallas. He signed with the Longhorns and appeared in 38 games last season, helping beat them Kansas in the Big 12 title game and advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
But the 6-foot-3 guard never made the impact that most expected in Austin, averaging just 4.6 points, and Morris hoped that by transferring to Kansas his basketball career would get off to a fresh start.
Even without him on the roster, the Jayhawks are likely to be preseason No. 1 when the AP Top 25 debuts next month. They return starters Dajuan Harris Jr., KJ Adams and Kevin McCullar Jr., welcome a trio of elite freshman recruits and landed two of the nation's top transfers in former Michigan forward Hunter Dickinson and Towson sharpshooter Nick Timberlake.
Kansas begins the season November 6 against North Carolina Central.
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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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No. 24 Kansas and No. 3 Texas Square off in Battle of Big 12 Unbeatens
UNDATED (AP) – No. 24 Kansas plays at No. 3 Texas in a battle of two of the Big 12's last three unbeaten. And it is another big chance for a program-elevating win for Kansas and coach Lance Leipold. Kansas stunned Texas in double overtime in 2021 and have been on the rise since. The Jayhawks are 4-0 for the second consecutive season for the first time in 108 years. Texas has been dominant on defense through the first four games but faces its best opposing quarterback yet in the Jayhawks' Jalon Daniels. Texas has 13 sacks and six interceptions this season. Here's an overview of this weekend's game, by the numbers.
No. 24 Kansas (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) at No. 3 Texas (4-0, 1-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Line: Texas by 16 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Texas leads 17-4.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
The matchup of two of the last three undefeated teams in the Big 12 is another big chance for a program-elevating win for Kansas and coach Lance Leipold. The Jayhawks stunned the Longhorns in Austin in overtime in 2021 and have been on the rise since. It is the first of consecutive games for Texas against ranked opponents. Texas plays arch rival Oklahoma next.
KEY MATCHUP
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels vs. the Texas defensive line. Daniels is the best quarterback Texas has faced this season and brings a combination of poise, passing and mobility that makes him a unique challenge to defend. He'll need confidence to make quick decisions against a Texas defense that has 13 sacks.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kansas: Jayhawks running back Devin Neal averages 99 yards per game, including an impressive 6.9 yards per carry, and has five touchdowns. A big game from him is vital for the Jayhawks to keep Texas' up-front pressure off of Daniels. Texas has allowed just 87 yards per game and one rushing touchdown this season.
Texas: Tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders is the not-so-secret weapon in the Texas passing attack, yet he still seems to get lost in the secondary for big catches. Sanders has elite hands and averages a whopping 22 yards per catch with two 100-yard games already this season. He is the first Longhorns tight end with multiple 100-yard games in a career.
FACTS & FIGURES
Kansas has started 4-0 in consecutive seasons for the first time in 108 years. Texas is 4-0 for the first time since 2012...The Longhorns and Jayhawks defenses both already have six interceptions...Texas fumbled two punts and a kickoff last week against Baylor, turning it over twice...The Jayhawks scored two defensive touchdowns last week against BYU on fumble and interception returns.
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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.