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Headlines for Friday, January 26, 2024

A graphic representation of eight radios of various vintages, underneath the words "Kansas Public Radio News Summary"
Emily DeMarchi
/
KPR

Governor Laura Kelly Vetoes GOP-Sponsored Single-Rate Income Tax Measure

Kansas Democratic Governor Laura Kelly on Friday vetoed a Republican-sponsored tax package that includes a flat income tax. The Kansas News Service reports that Kelly supports some tax cuts in the plan, but she remains opposed to Republicans’ proposal for a single-rate state income tax. The bill would set a rate of 5.25 percent on all annual income over roughly $6,000. Republicans who support a flat tax say it’s fair and would boost the economy. Kelly and most Democrats say it would mostly benefit the wealthy and hurt state infrastructure. GOP leaders say they’ll try to override the governor’s veto. The House seems to have the two-thirds majority it needs for that, but the Senate does not. (Read more.)

(–Additional reporting–)

Kansas Governor Vetoes Tax Cuts She Says Would Favor 'Super Wealthy'

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Governor Laura Kelly on Friday fulfilled her pledge to veto a broad package of tax cuts approved by the Republican-led Legislature, saying the income tax changes would overwhelmingly favor the wealthy.

Kelly's action immediately set up an effort by Republican legislative leaders to override her veto. It appeared they have the two-thirds majority necessary in the House but are falling at least one vote short in the Senate. The bill's supporters must attempt an override within 30 days or the veto will stand.

The measure would cut income, sales and property taxes by nearly $1.6 billion over the next three years. Kelly opposed the package because it would move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate of 5.25% to replace three rates that now top out at 5.7%.

“This flat tax experiment would overwhelmingly benefit the super wealthy, and I’m not going to put our public schools, roads, and stable economy at risk just to give a break to those at the very top,” Kelly said in a statement. “I am dead set on making sure working Kansans get a tax cut this year.”

Top Republicans have said their plan exempts roughly 310,000 more filers from taxes, on top of the 40,000 poorest ones, by excluding at least the first $20,300 of a married couple's income from taxes.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson criticized the governor's veto.

Hawkins said Kelly was “choosing political wins over increasing Kansans' paychecks,” and Masterson said she “put her radical ideology ahead of the people.”

Republican leaders had married the income tax proposals to a proposal from Kelly to eliminate the state’s 2% sales tax on groceries starting April 1, along with plans that she embraced to exempt all of retirees’ Social Security income from taxes and to lower homeowners’ property taxes.

Masterson and other Republicans said that the mix of cuts in the plan means all taxpayers will benefit, and that they have produced data showing the savings spread across the state.

But the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy reported that even with the changes designed to benefit poorer taxpayers, 70% of the savings in raw dollars will go to the 20% of filers earning more than $143,000 a year.

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KBI: Two Arrested in Connection with Franklin County Homicide

TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says two people have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a man in Franklin County last year. Authorities say 42-year-old Nathan Boggs, of Ottawa, was killed in July of 2023 near Princeton, in rural Franklin County. The KBI says a man and a woman from Ottawa have now been arrested: 41-year-old Timothy S. Corn and 33-year-old Jessica Smith. Corn and Smith were arrested without incident and booked into the Franklin County Jail.

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Kansas Proposal Expands Custodial Options for Older Foster Children

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas teenagers in foster care may benefit from a proposed alternative to finding a permanent home. A bill in the Kansas House would allow foster children over the age of 16 to enter into custodial arrangements with relatives and close friends. The bill would allow multiple adults to serve as a custodian and also would require the teen's consent to the arrangement. Older foster children currently can be placed with foster parents or put up for adoption. But many children end up bouncing around homes and aging out of care at 18 without being adopted. Advocate Nykia Gatson says she entered foster care when she was a teenager. But she never found a permanent home. “And my hope is that no other young person endures an abandonment, and they get connected to a family that they can call theirs.” Supporters of the bill say Kansas could be the first state to establish this arrangement. The bill needs committee approval to advance to the House for consideration.

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Kansas House Bill Would Reduce In-Person Early Voting Hours

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas lawmakers are considering reducing the amount of time voters have to vote early in person. Under current state law, early voting is held until noon the Monday before an election. But a bill in the Kansas House would end early voting by 7 pm the Sunday before Election Day. Clay Barker, with the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office, says some counties struggle to staff early voting the day before Election Day. “This can create a problem at counties where people are trying to vote at the same time the county election staff is trying to prepare for Election Day on Tuesday," he said. Some opponents of the bill say that if early voting is no longer held on Monday, county officials should be required to host early voting the weekend before an election. (Read more.)

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CDC Says COVID Vaccines Could Reduce Blood Clot Risk

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Research published by the CDC suggests COVID vaccines can reduce the risk of blood clots in certain groups. The Kansas News Service reports that Kansas doctors say it’s another reason residents should stay up-to-date on their vaccines. The data found that, contrary to claims by vaccine skeptics, bivalent COVID vaccines reduced the risk of developing blood clots for older adults and people with renal disease. Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention at the University of Kansas Health System, said “...what it showed is that those people that received a bivalent booster compared with those who just received the original vaccines did have a 50% decreased risk of blood clots.” He added that the news is further evidence Kansans should continue to get vaccinated and boosted against the virus. COVID hospitalizations are trending down in Kansas after a spike around the winter holidays, but the virus remains in circulation.

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KC Royals Make Negro Leagues Museum Free in February

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) - For the third straight year, admission to the National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City will be free for the month of February. The Kansas City Royals are again picking up the tab for everyone's admission to the museum during Black History Month. The Kansas City Star reports that last year, the Royals paid $120,000 for more than 14,000 people to visit the museum.

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Wichita Police Seek Jackie Robinson Statue Stolen from Park

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A prized statue of Jackie Robinson was stolen from a public park in Kansas, spurring a police search Friday and outrage across the city of Wichita.

The statue honors the first player to break Major League Baseball's color barrier in 1947. Surveillance video was released of two people hauling the sculpture away in the dark. Wichita police said in a Facebook post that it went missing Thursday morning

The statue was cut at the ankles to be removed. All that remained of the statue Friday were Robinson's feet.

“I’m frustrated by the actions of those individuals who had the audacity to take the statue of Jackie Robinson from a park where kids and families in our community gather to learn the history of Jackie Robinson, an American icon, and play the game of baseball,” Wichita police Chief Joe Sullivan said during a news conference Friday. “This should upset all of us.”

He said even more troubling was the statue's theft shortly before Black History Month.

Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, paving the way for generations of Black American ballplayers. He's considered not only a sports legend but also a civil rights icon.

Wichita City Council member Brandon Johnson called the theft “horrendous” and “disgusting,” and said that residents are feeling hurt and angry, and demanding justice.

“Many people want to find those folks before law enforcement,” Johnson said. "So again, like the chief and the (district attorney) said, if you’ve got that statue, bring it here today. Now."

The Wichita Metro Crime Commission offered a reward Friday of up to $2,500 for tips leading to arrests and another $5,000 for tips that lead to the statue's recovery.

Sullivan said he hopes area salvage yards will contact police if the statue is brought in for money.

“Once the statue is returned, we also want the individuals who robbed our community of a treasure to be held accountable for their actions,” Sullivan said. “And I assure you, they will. The resources of the Wichita Police Department have been mobilized.”

Little League nonprofit League 42, named after Robinson's number with the Dodgers, paid about $50,000 for the model of him, Executive Director Bob Lutz said. The sculpture was installed in 2021 in McAdams Park, where the roughly 600 children play in the youth baseball league.

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Stevens County Dairy Products Plant Closes

UNDATED (KNS) – A dairy plant in southwest Kansas has closed, leaving 150 people without a job, and the effects could spread to surrounding areas and industries. The Kansas News Service reports that Kansas Dairy Ingredients, one of the biggest employers in Stevens County, opened 10 years ago, and announced a $45 million expansion two years ago. But now the plant has closed, despite the dairy industry growing and expanding further into Kansas. Jeremy Hill, economic and business researcher at Wichita State University, says the risk of statewide economic impact is low, but the effects will be felt in the region. “These households have less money to spend retail, health care, all those services, and they're going to cut back spending and is going to have this trickle effect over there,” he added. Hill went on to say the immediate impact will be felt in farming, trucking, and ranching in the region. Kansas Dairy Ingredients has not said why it closed.

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KPR Community Spotlight Shines on Foster Village Lawrence

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Foster Village Lawrence is in the KPR Community Spotlight this month. Jenny Lichte says her non-profit organization helps bridge the gap between foster families and those who want to help them by meeting practical needs. "The most common thing we do is provide welcome packs for families when children first come into placement in the homes. And each welcome pack - for sure - will have a water bottle, a stuffed animal, a blanket, a book and then it depends on the children's ages... usually a hygiene kit," she said. Foster Village Lawrence is a non-profit aimed at helping foster families and foster children in Douglas and surrounding counties. (Read more.)

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Sedgwick County Announces Location for New State Mental Health Facility

WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – After months of gathering feedback, the Sedgwick County Commission moved forward Friday on finalizing a location for a new state mental health hospital. KMUW reports that the commission voted unanimously to begin negotiations to acquire an 11-acre plot of land on the northwest corner of Meridian and MacArthur in south Wichita. The decision was made in conjunction with the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, which will run the hospital. (Read more.)

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Study: Urban Farms Have Larger Carbon Footprint

UNDATED (HPM) - Fruits and vegetables grown on urban farms and gardens have a carbon footprint that’s six times larger than conventionally-grown produce. That’s according to a new study from the University of Michigan. It’s the infrastructure increases urban farms’ carbon footprint. It takes a lot of carbon to build the raised beds, compost bins and sheds that a city garden needs. Meanwhile, conventional farms are massive economies of scale and efficiency. But Jason Hawes, a lead author on the study, says conventional produce loses to urban growers when it travels by air. "Asparagus is the one that we highlight as a case where things are flown in from, for example, Chile. That's a really big carbon investment that you could offset by using urban agriculture," he said. The study also suggests city farms preserve their infrastructure as long as possible and try to use recycled materials to build their raised beds and sheds.

The study contends that lettuce, potatoes, onions and other crops from urban farms have a much greater carbon footprint than produce from conventional farms. That's mostly because the infrastructure at urban farms - like raised beds and compost bins - have a shorter lifespan and aren’t as efficient as large-scale farms. But there are a couple of bright spots. For example, urban tomatoes beat out conventional tomatoes, which are often raised in carbon-intensive greenhouses. The study's lead author, Jason Hawes, says the research can help urban growers take steps to mitigate their carbon impacts. "Urban agriculture is not inherently going to sort of save the planet," he said. "But that doesn't mean that it couldn't be designed in such a way that it's good for the climate. It just takes conscious intentionality." Hawes adds that urban farms have other benefits. Studies have found they improve mental health, food security and social networks.

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Kansas Lawmaker Wants New Rules for School, Library Book Bans

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) - Banning books from a school or public library would be more difficult under a law being proposed by one Kansas lawmaker. Democratic Senator Cindy Holscher, of Overland Park, introduced a bill that would require anyone protesting a book to read it in full and give a detailed list of reasons why they think it should be removed. It says people filing complaints must live in the community served by the library. And the bill would require 5% of residents in a school district to sign a petition before a book ban could be requested. Holscher says outside actors have unfairly attacked certain books. “Parents have been voicing frustration that they want business to kind of return to normal vs. all of these side shows of people coming in from other areas, challenging books.”

Holscher says libraries serve all types of families and readers. "If my child brings home a book that I don’t want them to read, it’s up to me to say, ‘OK, I don’t want you reading that book.’ But I shouldn’t have the power to take it away from everybody," she said. A majority of books removed from Kansas libraries deal with issues like sexuality, gender or race. Holscher's bill has been referred to committee, but so far no hearing is scheduled.

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Advocates in Kansas Still Pushing for Medical Marijuana

TOPEKA, Kan. (KWCH) - Another push is underway in Kansas to approve the use of medical marijuana. Kansas is one of the few states where marijuana remains illegal. KWCH TV reports that a bill introduced last year went nowhere but remains in play this session. Cheryl Kumberg, president of the Kansas Cannabis Coalition, says the FDA now reports there is medicinal value to the drug, and she's hoping to educate more lawmakers about the benefits. Governor Laura Kelly supports the legalization of medical marijuana. So far, the Republican leadership in the Legislature has opposed it.

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Letters Pour into Kansas Ag Department to Support Ban on Pear Trees

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - More than 350 people have written to the Kansas Department of Agriculture about restricting invasive pear trees - with more than 90% in favor of a ban. Kansas officials want to ban the sale of Callery trees starting in 2027. The trees are commonly called Bradford pear trees. Carol Baldwin is a rangeland management specialist with Kansas State University Research and Extension. She supports a ban to protect ranches and prairies. “If you look across the state line into Oklahoma, you can see the absolute devastating damage that these trees have done to the native rangelands," she said. The trees are spreading wild in at least 50 Kansas counties. And ranchers have a hard time stopping these trees from eating up grassland because prescribed burns usually don't kill them.

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Iconic Steam Engine Could Become New Symbol for State of Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Kansas already has an official state flower, tree, animal, insect and reptile. Now, state lawmakers are considering whether to add an official state train, in this case, a 100-year-old historic locomotive, to the list of official state symbols. A bill introduced in the Kansas House this month (HB 2501) seeks to designate the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe train #3415 as the official state locomotive. KSNT reports that the bill has been referred to a committee. The locomotive in question was built in 1919 and currently sits at the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad yard, where it was moved to in 1996. It was previously located in the city park in Abilene for about 40 years.

Kansas Day is Monday, January 29th, when Kansas will turn 163 years old.

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Chiefs Battle Ravens in Baltimore Sunday Afternoon

UNDATED (KPR) - The Kansas City Chiefs have made it to the AFC championship game for the sixth straight year. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are headed to Baltimore to play the Ravens. On the line Sunday afternoon: a spot in the Super Bowl. Kickoff is set for 2 pm.

(Additional reporting...)

Mahomes vs. Jackson for First Time in the Playoffs

BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is one AFC quarterback whom Patrick Mahomes has never run into - in the postseason. That will change Sunday afternoon, when Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs play in Baltimore. The Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions. The Ravens have the NFL’s best record this season. Kickoff is set for 2 pm Sunday in the AFC Championship Game. On the line: a trip to the Super Bowl.

(Even more additional reporting...)

Analysis: Mahomes and the Chiefs Must Win a Super Bowl this Season to Challenge Patriots' Dynasty

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - If Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are going to challenge Tom Brady and the New England Patriots’ unprecedented two-decade run of success, they have to win a Super Bowl this season. Mahomes and the defending champion Chiefs are facing their toughest road yet to a Lombardi Trophy. They have to go to Baltimore and take down the No. 1 seed Ravens in front of a hostile crowd. After hosting the last five AFC championship games, the Chiefs finished with the No. 3 seed so they didn’t get a bye or home-field advantage. They shut down Miami at home in the wild-card round and stunned Bills Mafia in Buffalo last week to advance. Now, it’s on to Baltimore.

Mahomes and the defending champion Chiefs are facing their toughest road yet to a Lombardi Trophy. They have to go to Baltimore and take down the No. 1 seed Ravens in front of a hostile crowd.
After hosting the last five AFC championship games, the Chiefs finished with the No. 3 seed so they didn’t get a bye or home-field advantage. They shut down Miami at home in the wild-card round and stunned Bills Mafia in Buffalo last week to advance. Now, it’s on to Baltimore for Mahomes’ second career playoff game outside Arrowhead Stadium except for three Super Bowls.

Road teams are 35-71 in conference championship games. Brady’s teams own four of those wins. Brady was 4-3 with the Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road in conference title games. Each of those four wins, including one over Mahomes and the Chiefs in 2019, led to a Super Bowl victory.

Mahomes proved against the Bills he can lead his team to a tough win as an underdog in a harsh environment. He has to do it again Sunday to really have a shot at making a run at Brady’s seven rings.
Mahomes and coach Andy Reid have won two Super Bowls together in their first six seasons. Brady and Bill Belichick won six in 20 years. “We’ve still got a long way to go,” Mahomes said. “They did it for 20 years. All we can do is take it year in, year out, week in, week out and every single day. That’s the long goal, to win that many championships and bring those titles to this organization, but all we can do is focus on the Ravens this week and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Mahomes is only 28. Brady won his third Super Bowl at age 27 but didn’t get his fourth until 10 years later. Sure, Mahomes should have plenty of opportunities left even he doesn’t play until he’s 45 like Brady did. But getting to this point isn’t easy. There are no guarantees. Mahomes already is lacking a true No. 1 wide receiver. It’s unknown how much longer he’ll have star tight end Travis Kelce, who is 34.

And, the AFC West just became much more competitive. The Los Angeles Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh on Wednesday, pairing a proven winner with a franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert. No doubt Harbaugh has his sight set on ending Kansas City’s eight-year run of dominance in the division.

That’s why the Chiefs have to take advantage of this opportunity. They’re two wins away from another parade. These are the hardest two wins of all but they’re within reach.

This wasn’t Mahomes’ best season. Statistically, he had a career-low passer rating. He didn’t get much help from his receivers, who led the NFL with 44 drops. But this is when the greats step it up. “Pat is a perfectionist, and he’s competitive,” Reid said. “He’s as competitive as any of us right here and more so. He wants it right around him, but he’s willing to teach which — that’s the unique part — he’s willing to share what he sees with the guys from his sight and help the guys get into position. As long as the guys are willing to work, he’s all in. That’s what I saw, and the frustration is more off of feeling urgency and winning games. I mean that’s what he’s all about. I’m not sure there was a frustration other than, ‘Hey, let’s go. We’re playing at the highest level in the world, and if you’re going to be as good as we think we’re going to be, then our error margin is like this big (small gesture) so you’ve got to tighten it down.‘”

Kansas City has its best defensive unit during Mahomes’ career so he has help, even if it’s not the guys catching his passes. The Patriots relied more on their defense for their first three titles. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit, anchored by All-Pro tackle Chris Jones, was one of the best in the league, allowing the second-fewest points in the NFL. The Ravens were the stingiest. When he was the with the New York Giants, Spagnuolo devised a scheme that shut down Brady, Randy Moss and the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl 16 years ago. He has to find a way to slow down All-Pro QB Lamar Jackson. “It’s challenging, the way he’s able to just be a competitor and just score the football obviously,” Mahomes said about Jackson. “Then, their entire team, it’s a tall task. You have to go out there and play your best football, and if you make any mistakes, it seems like the game’s going to go the other way.”

The Ravens dominated top teams throughout the season, especially down the stretch. Mahomes can’t let that happen to the Chiefs. They’re still working on their dynasty.

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Chiefs to Be Without Injured All-Pro Offensive Guard Joe Thuney for AFC Title Game

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will be without All-Pro offensive guard Joe Thuney and run-stuffing defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi when they play the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC championship game on Sunday.

Thuney, who has helped to anchor one of the best interior offensive lines in the league, was ruled out Friday with a pectoral injury that he sustained in a divisional round win over the Buffalo Bills. Thuney underwent an MRI exam early in the week that revealed a strain, and it became increasingly clear that he would be unavailable when he was unable to practice.

The Chiefs will replace him veteran Nick Allegretti, who has appeared in 14 playoff games over the past five seasons. Most of those snaps have come on special teams, but he also started along the offensive line throughout the 2021 postseason, including the Chiefs' loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl.

“All of the guys look at him like he’s a starter, so everybody’s got confidence that he can come in and do a nice job,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "Tough kid. Not everything is the prettiest thing that you’ve ever seen, but he’s going to fight you right to the end, and he’s smart. Good combination.”

Nnadi was ruled out of the AFC championship game with a triceps injury.

The Chiefs are hopeful that they will have running back Isiah Pacheco, linebacker Willie Gay Jr., safety Mike Edwards and wide receiver Kadarius Toney available, listing each of them as questionable to face the Ravens.

Pacheco, who led the Chiefs with nearly 1,000 yards rushing despite a shoulder injury that limited him to 14 regular-season games, looked spry in the portion of practice open to reporters Friday. He missed work earlier in the week with a toe injury, went through a walkthrough Thursday but appeared to be going full speed in the final practice before leaving for Baltimore.

“Just working with the training room, doing a great job in there,” Pacheco said earlier this week. “Getting better every day.”

Gay, who has been dealing with a neck injury, could be crucial to slowing down Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. He was the designated spy for Kansas City last weekend against Josh Allen, and once Gay had to leave the game, the Buffalo quarterback piled up a big chunk of his 72 yards rushing.

“Willie is a big part of our defense,” Reid said. "I would not slight Drue (Tranquill) for the job he did coming in, but Willie is a good player. He’s part of the success that we’ve had.”

Edwards was back at practice Thursday after sustaining a concussion against the Bills, while Toney — who has been under intense scrutiny from dropped passes and mental mistakes all season — has been dealing with a hip injury.

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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers. Our headlines are generally published by 10 am weekdays and are updated through 7 pm. This ad-free news summary is made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.