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Headlines for Tuesday, March 5, 2024

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Emily DeMarchi
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KPR

UPDATE: GOP Split Thwarted Election Conspiracy Promoters in Kansas and Sank Tighter Mail Ballot Rules

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A deep split among Republican lawmakers in Kansas on Tuesday doomed proposals from election conspiracy promoters to upend how the state conducts elections and also sank an effort with broader GOP support to shorten the time voters have to return mail ballots.

The state Senate rejected, 18-22, a bill that would have banned remote ballot drops boxes and, starting next year, barred local election officials from using electronic machines to count ballots. Far-right Republicans across the U.S. have targeted drop boxes and advocated a return to hand-counting ballots, spreading baseless claims that elections are rife with fraud and amplifying former President Donald Trump's lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.

Republican senators added those provisions during a debate Monday to a bill that would have eliminated the three days after Election Day that Kansas voters have to return mail ballots to local election officials. Many Republicans argue that the grace period undermines confidence in the state’s election results, though there’s no evidence of significant problems from the policy.

Even if the GOP-controlled Senate had approved the bill, Republicans in the GOP-controlled House saw no chance that the provisions on vote-tabulating machines and ballot drop boxes would pass there.

Ending the grace period for mail ballots was an iffy proposition by itself because Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly opposes the idea, and GOP leaders didn’t have the two-thirds majority necessary to override her veto of a similar bill last year.

Still, some Republicans had hoped they could pass a narrow bill this year and keep the Legislature’s GOP supermajorities together to override a certain Kelly veto. GOP senators who voted no Tuesday said they would have supported a bill only ending the grace period and argued that the other proposals weren't vetted.

“It's a bridge too far for me to support,” said Sen. Ron Ryckman Sr., a Republican from western Kansas.

Eleven of the Senate's 29 Republicans joined all 11 Democrats in voting no, an unusual show of dissent within the GOP supermajority.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab had criticized the legislation after the Senate rewrote it Monday, saying the changes “further undermine voter confidence and compromise election integrity.” Schwab is a conservative Republican who has repeatedly vouched for the integrity of Kansas elections and promoted ballot drop boxes.

“It’s unfortunate that elected officials lack trust in the democratic system that brought them into office,” Schwab said in his statement.

Schwab is neutral on whether Kansas should eliminate the grace period. Lawmakers enacted the policy in 2017 over concerns that the U.S. Postal Service's processing of mail was slowing.

More than 30 states require mail ballots to arrive at election offices by Election Day to be counted, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, and their politics vary widely. Among the remaining states, the deadlines vary from 5 p.m. the day after polls close in Texas to no set deadline in Washington state.

Voting rights advocates argue that giving Kansas voters less time to return their ballots could disenfranchise thousands of them and particularly disadvantage poor, disabled and older voters and people of color.

In the House, the Republican Elections Committee's chair, Rep. Pat Proctor, said Monday that there's no appetite in the House for banning or greatly restricting ballot drop boxes.

“Kansans that are not neck-deep in politics — they see absolutely no issue with voting machines and, frankly, neither do I," he said.

During the Senate's debate, conservative Republicans brushed aside criticism that returning to hand-counting would take the administration of elections back decades. They also incorrectly characterized mysterious letters sent in November to election offices in Kansas and at least four other states — including some containing the dangerous opioid fentanyl — as ballots left in drop boxes.

“The pursuit toward safe and secure elections never rests and never ends," Sen. Mark Steffen, a conservative Republican from central Kansas who wrote the provision to bar vote-tabulating machines, said Tuesday in explaining his support of the bill.

(–Earlier Reporting–)

Republican-Backed Bill Would Change Mail-In Ballot Receipt Date

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas voters would have to return mail-in ballots by the end of Election Day under a bill advanced Monday by Republicans in the state Senate. Current Kansas law gives mail-in ballots three days to arrive and be counted, as long as they’re postmarked by Election Day. Some Republicans say they want to end that practice so it doesn’t look like results are changing after the day of an election. But critics call the bill voter suppression. They say results aren’t finalized on Election Day anyway. Democratic state Senator Mary Ware says the bill would make voting harder for Kansans with disabilities who rely on mail-in ballots. “They have trouble getting to the polling place,” Ware said. “They have trouble getting inside the building; they have trouble with the steps.” The bill would also ban counties from using remote ballot drop boxes. The measure still needs a final vote in the Senate before going to the House. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed similar legislation last year.

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Kansas Lawmakers Seek to Change U.S. Senate Vacancy Replacement Process

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas lawmakers want to put more restrictions on filling vacancies in the U.S. Senate. The Kansas News Service reports that the proposed restrictions seem to be in anticipation of a Republican winning the presidency and offering a job in their administration to a Republican senator from Kansas. Under current law, if a U.S. senator from Kansas were to resign, Democratic Governor Laura Kelly could choose a replacement from either party to finish their term. A bill in the legislature would require the governor to appoint someone who has been in the same political party as the outgoing U.S. senator for at least 10 years. The bill would also require the Kansas Senate to confirm the replacement U.S. senator.

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Bill Guaranteeing In-Person Visitation at Hospitals Passes Kansas Senate, Awaits Committee Approval in House

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas patients would be entitled to in-person visits while in the hospital under a bill being considered by lawmakers. The Kansas News Service reports that the bill would prevent hospitals and other medical facilities from barring visits from certain people, including close relatives. Republican state Senator Mark Steffen is pushing for the change in response to COVID protocols that left some people unable to visit family members. But Tara Mays of the Kansas Hospital Association says hospitals need the discretion to limit visitation when it’s not safe, adding “...we were all frustrated when the federal government said, carte blanche, ‘You cannot allow visitors in hospitals.’ But the answer is not for the state government to say, carte blanche, ‘You can never get rid of visitors.’” The bill has passed the Senate but awaits committee approval in the House.

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Wichita School Board Votes to Close Six Schools

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) - The Wichita school board voted 5-2 Monday night to close two middle schools and four elementary schools at the end of this academic year to help bridge a $42 million shortfall in the district’s budget. A majority of board members said closing the six schools is the only way to avoid massive job cuts. Families pleaded with the board to explore other alternatives, saying the schools are a crucial part of their students’ lives. The board's two newest members voted against the closures. Member Ngoc Vuong said the plan was rushed through without a clear explanation or enough time for parents and school employees to give feedback on the plan. "True financial oversight of our school district has been violated,” Vuong said. “I cannot vote for this package. I want all options on the table moving forward." The closures will require about 2,200 students to attend different schools when school begins in August. Employees at closed schools will have the option to be reassigned to schools elsewhere in the district.

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UPDATE: State Representative Leaves Vice Chair Role Following Arrest; Stays on Committee

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – State Representative Carl Maughan, a Republican from Colwich, has given up his role as Vice Chair of the Kansas House Judiciary Committee following his arrest on multiple charges Monday in Shawnee County. WIBW reports that Maughan was arrested on the charges of possession of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; failure to signal when changing lanes or turning; and improper driving on laned roadway. The arrest took place near 29th and Topeka Boulevard Monday morning around 12:30 a.m., following a traffic stop. Maughan bonded out of jail on $2500 bail. A spokesperson for the Speaker of the Kansas House confirmed to WIBW that Maughan stepped down from his Vice Chair position, but will remain on the judiciary committee. A new Vice Chair will be appointed.

(–Earlier reporting–)

State Representative Arrested on Traffic Charges, Gun Possession While Under the Influence

TOPEKA, Kan. (KC Star) – A Kansas lawmaker was arrested Monday on suspicion of traffic violations and a firearms violation. The Kansas City Star reports that state Representative Carl Maughan, a Republican from Colwich representing District 90, was arrested by Topeka police and booked into the Shawnee County Jail early Monday morning. It is alleged that Maughan failed to use his turn signal, engaged in "improper driving on laned roadway," and was in possession of a firearm while under the influence. Maughan bonded out of jail on $2500 bail, and is scheduled to appear in court Friday morning.

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Kansas House Approves SOUL Family Program for State Foster Care

UNDATED (KNS) – Kansas teenagers in the state’s foster care system may soon have the ability to choose their families if state lawmakers approve a new program. The Kansas News Service reports that the SOUL Family program would allow foster children 16 and older to select one or more adults to be responsible for them. Yusef Presley is an organizer with the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas. He says as a young person, he lived in many different foster homes and having the ability to choose his placement might have changed that. “You actually get to tell them, you know, ‘Hey, this is where I need to be, this is where I want to be, and this is, this is gonna help me get where I need to go,” he explained. As written, the SOUL program has fewer legal requirements than adoption and a teenager’s chosen family would require court approval. The House has already passed a bill establishing the program, and a Senate committee hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

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City of Wichita Repeals Campaign Finance Contribution Restrictions for Corporations, LLCs

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – The Wichita City Council has repealed its ban on campaign finance contributions by corporations and limited liability companies. The Kansas News Service reports that after hours of debate, council members came to a compromise to allow corporate campaign contributions if a principal owner is listed along with the donation. Kansas state law caps contributions at $500 dollars to a candidate each election cycle. Council member Dalton Glasscock says the disclosure increases campaign finance transparency. “It offers accountability, it offers a person, an individual who can still be reached out if someone has concerns or comments about undue influence,” he expanded. An ordinance banning corporate contributions to city election campaigns was narrowly passed before the new council was sworn-in last January. The ordinance change followed record fundraising activity in last fall's mayoral race by Lily Wu.

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Missouri Supreme Court Declines to Hear Appeal of Ex-Kansas City Detective Convicted of Manslaughter

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday announced it will not hear an appeal from a former Missouri detective convicted in the 2019 shooting death of a Black man.

The state Supreme Court denied former Kansas City detective Eric J. DeValkenaere's motion to hear his case. The Western District Missouri Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction in September.

Messages were left with DeValkenaere's attorney.

DeValkenaere is serving a six-year sentence for second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action. He was convicted of fatally shooting Cameron Lamb in the driveway of Lamb's home on Dec. 3, 2019.

Republican Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office in June asked the appeals court to reverse DeValkenaere’s conviction or order a new trial. That was unusual because the attorney general’s office typically defends convictions, rather than appeals them.

A message was left with Bailey's office.

Police said DeValkenaere, who is white, and his partner went to Lamb’s home after reports he had been chasing his girlfriend’s convertible in a stolen pickup truck. DeValkenaere said he fired after Lamb pointed a gun at another detective.

But Judge J. Dale Youngs, who found DeValkenaere guilty in a bench trial, said the officers had no probable cause to believe any crime had been committed, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest, and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property. Police were the initial aggressors and had a duty to retreat, the judge said.

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February Tax Collections in Kansas Fall Below Estimates

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – February marked the fifth month in a row that Kansas tax collections came in below estimates. The Kansas News Service reports that Kansas tax collections last month were 6% less than state estimates, or $33 million short, … largely due to income and sales taxes not meeting targets. Total tax revenue is also down compared to this time last year. The state has built up a revenue surplus in recent years but has fallen short of monthly estimates since October. As lawmakers work to pass tax cuts this session and return some of that surplus to taxpayers, Democratic Governor Laura Kelly says she’ll only approve cuts that keep the state’s budget balanced.

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Kansas Lawmakers Consider Offering Tax Breaks as Incentive to Draw More Electric Vehicle Manufacturers

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas lawmakers are considering new tax breaks to attract electric vehicle manufacturers to the state. The Kansas News Service reports that a qualified company could receive up to $35 million in incentives, including an investment tax credit and a sales tax exemption on construction costs. Proponents say such tax breaks are an effective way to draw in new businesses and boost the economy. But critics say projects supported by incentives often don’t meet economic expectations. In 2022, the legislature passed more than $800 million in tax breaks for Panasonic to build a factory in De Soto. That factory will produce batteries for electric vehicles starting next year.

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Frustrations Grow Over Evergy Power Outage Issues

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Severe storms in Kansas have knocked out power for thousands of residents twice recently. That’s led to frustration from people who want more reliable service. But electric service upgrades would come with a sharp cost increase on everyone’s energy bills. When a severe thunderstorm hit the eastern part of Kansas last July, roughly 200,000 homes lost power. Many neighborhood with overhead power lines lost service because of downed tree limbs. But, other power customers who had buried power lines saw no interruption in power. The situation, many residents believe is too just bury all the power lines. The state’s largest electricity provider, Evergy, says that would be a massive project and would be extremely expensive. Evergy estimates that replacing all of its overhead lines with buried ones would raise its residential power infrastructure costs from millions to billions. Those costs would be passed on to customers and every Kansas household would see a major hike on their monthly electricity bills. Evergy says it would also have to dig through existing obstacles to bury power lines and some homeowners don’t want their landscaping and fencing damaged. Evergy officials say the company has plans to replace aging power line poles with newer ones. But that might be the extent of the infrastructures updates, for now.

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Severe Weather Awareness Week Begins; Statewide Tornado Drill Wednesday

TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week. The National Weather Service in Topeka says the time to prepare for summertime storms is now, and that Kansans should make a plan to get weather notifications, communicate with family members, and prepare their homes for possible tornadoes and storms. Each day this week will focus on a particular weather hazard, and the National Weather Service will hold a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday.

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Windy, Dry Weather Puts Kansas Meteorologists on High Alert for Wildfire Conditions

LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas is on high alert for wildfires as windy, dry conditions persist. The Kansas News Service reports that after two large fires scorched areas of Texas and Nebraska, Kansas State University meteorologists have become increasingly concerned about the risk for Kansas. A wet season last year has actually increased fire risks right now. Christopher Redmond, a meteorologist at K-State says the rain helped crop production, but also created more fuel that can burn in dry times. “It was really important for agriculture to have a wet year like that after so many dry years. But you always know that okay, that was the positive and the negative unfortunately, is the grass load going into fire season,” he explained. Redmond says relief may not come until late April when grasses start to green up.

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Research Shows Regional Cold Snaps Becoming Shorter in Duration

UNDATED (KNS) - People in Kansas and Missouri face shorter cold snaps than they once did. The Kansas News Service reports that Climate Central - a nonprofit group that compiles weather data - analyzed the longest cold streaks that nearly 250 cities across the country see each winter. Almost all of them are seeing shorter cold streaks than they did 50 years ago. In Topeka, winter’s longest cold streaks are two weeks shorter now than they used to be. Wichita, Kansas City, Joplin, Jefferson City have all seen their longest cold streaks get shorter, too. Climate Central says snowfall also has decreased over the past 50 years in most of the Kansas and Missouri cities it studied.

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State of Kansas Considers $40 Million Fund for Local Governments to Aid with Homeless Services

TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) – Kansas lawmakers are considering the creation of a $40 million fund to provide support for communities struggling to provide shelter and services for the unhoused. The Kansas Reflector reports that the House Committee on Welfare Reform heard testimony Thursday from Andy Brown, deputy secretary for programs at the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, on potential ways to reduce homelessness in the state.

“The fact that we have a high percentage of unsheltered folks means that the visibility of homelessness is high,” Brown said. “As we’re able to reduce the percentage of our homeless that are unsheltered, it will become something where it’s more difficult to see.”

During last year’s legislative session, reform committee lawmakers heard a bill criminalizing homeless people, which fizzled after public outcry. This session, committee chairman Rep. Francis Awerkamp, a St. Marys Republican, called homelessness in Kansas not “a massive issue,” but “certainly something we need to consider addressing.” House Bill 2723 would create a program that would be administered by KDADS to address homelessness on the local level. The $40 million would administered for one year, in fiscal year 2025, and would provide Kansas local governments with grants to build or improve shelters and homelessness services. The committee will hold a hearing on the bill March 5.

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KSU Chemical Engineer Receives Grant to Reduce Medical Use of Animal Testing

UNDATED (KNS) – A Kansas researcher is trying to reduce the medical industry's use of animal testing and streamline drug development. The Kansas News Service reports that Davood Pourkargar, a chemical engineer at Kansas State University, will help build a computer model that predicts how diseases progress in the human body and how drugs interact. To do so, he’ll use data from drug testing experiments that use cells from human organs, instead of animals. He says many times, things like adverse side effects aren’t caught in animal trials, explaining that “...for example a drug might work well in a mouse but not in a person because their bodies process things differently.” Pourkargar says ultimately, the study aims to speed up drug development, make clinical trials more efficient and reduce the risk of side effects. The two-year study is funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation.

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Environmental Group Voices Concerns over USDA Conservation Program

UNDATED (HPM) – An environmental group is accusing a US Department of Agriculture conservation program of adding unproven farming practices to a list of those eligible for compensation. Harvest Public Media reports that the USDA’s EQIP program pays farmers to use practices that promote conservation and curb climate change. But Environmental Working Group ag economist Anne Schechinger says many practices deemed eligible for Inflation Reduction Act funding are unproven. “USDA says that they have literature showing that these practices have climate benefits. But they don’t actually have any quantifiable data showing that these practices reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” she explained. In response, a USDA spokesman says they use a rigorous evaluation process to select their “climate smart” farming practices.

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Boeing Confirms It's in Talks to Buy Spirit AeroSystems

DALLAS (AP) — Boeing said Friday that it is in preliminary talks to buy Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages for Boeing 737 Max jetliners, including the one that suffered a door-panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

Boeing used to own Spirit, and it said that bringing the supplier back into the Boeing fold would improve plane quality and safety, which has come under increasing scrutiny by regulators, Congress and airlines.

Buying Spirit back would reverse a longtime Boeing strategy of outsourcing key work on its passenger planes. That approach has been criticized as problems at Spirit have disrupted production and delivery of popular Boeing jetliners including 737s and 787s.

Concerns about quality came to a head after the Jan. 5 blowout of a panel on an Alaska 737 Max 9 at 16,000 feet over Oregon.

Days after the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration announced increased oversight of Boeing and Spirit. This week, the FAA gave Boeing 90 days to submit a plan to improve quality and address safety concerns raised by a panel of experts who spent a year studying the company.

Boeing CEO David Calhoun has long defended the outsourcing strategy, but his tone changed after the blowout. On Jan. 31, as Boeing reported a fourth-quarter loss, Calhoun said that outsourcing probably went too far.

In a statement Friday, the company said, “We believe that the reintegration of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems’ manufacturing operations would further strengthen aviation safety, improve quality and serve the interests of our customers, employees, and shareholders."

A deal would give Boeing more control over its production chain, but fixing Spirit would present Boeing with new challenges while regulators are pressuring the company to improve its own work. And it could add to Boeing’s debt load, already at $52 billion.

Spirit AeroSystems also confirmed the talks, while cautioning that it could not make any promises about closing a deal or its terms.

Shares of Spirit rose more than 15% after media reports that the two companies were talking about a sale.

Boeing spun off Spirit in 2005. In recent years, quality problems have mounted at Spirit, including fuselage panels that didn't fit together precisely enough and holes that were improperly drilled.

Spirit — which is not related to Spirit Airlines — removed its CEO in October and replaced him with Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who served as acting defense secretary in the Trump administration.

Things seemed to be going more smoothly until the Alaska Airlines incident. Investigators said a panel used in place of an extra emergency door had been removed at a Boeing factory to let Spirit workers fix damaged rivets, and bolts that help hold the panel in place were missing after the repair job. It is not clear who removed the bolts and failed to put them back.

Two weeks later, during a tour of the Spirit factory in Wichita, Calhoun and Shanahan pledged to work together to improve manufacturing quality. “We will restore confidence," Shanahan vowed.

About 70% of Spirit AeroSystems' revenue last year came from work done for Boeing, according to Spirit's latest annual report. That is up from 60% two years earlier. Most of the company's other revenue comes from making parts for Airbus, Boeing’s European rival.

The talks between Boeing and Spirit were first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which said Spirit hired bankers to consider strategic options and had held preliminary discussions about a sale to Boeing. Spirit also is looking into selling operations in Ireland that make parts for Airbus, the newspaper reported.

Spirit lost $616 million last year and hasn't turned a full-year profit since 2019. Since then, it has lost more than $2.5 billion. Boeing agreed in October to give more financial help to Spirit. Boeing said it would provide $100 million for Spirit to retool its factory and adjust prices to give the supplier another $455 million over two years.

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Grand Jury Indicts Mother in Death of 5-Year-Old Who Fell from Apartment Window

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A grand jury has indicted the mother of a 5-year-old who fell to his death from a Downtown Kansas City apartment building in November. Grayson O'Connor was found dead on November 27 near 10th Street and Grand. WDAF reports that Corrinne O’Connor was indicted with endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree, which is a Class A felony. She was formally charged in January. The indictment states that O’Connor acted in a manner that created a substantial risk to the life, body and health of a child. It also stated she failed to supervise the child while she and Grayson were together in a 17-story apartment with a fully open window that was accessible to him, which resulted in the death of the child. Conviction of a Class A felony in Missouri carries a minimum of 10 years imprisonment up to 30 years or life imprisonment.

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Grand Jury Indicts Junction City Couple for Defrauding V-A

TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – A federal grand jury in Topeka has returned an indictment that charges a Kansas couple with defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas announced Monday via press release that 47-year-old James Bradford and 45-year-old Equanda Bradford of Junction City have been charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of theft of public money, property or records. James Bradford is a U.S. Army veteran. He and his wife, Equanda, are accused of providing false and fraudulent information to the VA about his caregiver needs and her caregiver work. They're accused of taking $172,426 in disability compensation to which they were not entitled. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the General Services Administration are investigating the case. An indictment is only an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament Seedings Announced

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) – The Big 12 women’s basketball regular season ended yesterday (SUN), and the final seedings for the conference tournament in Kansas City this weekend are set. As the No. 3 seed, Kansas State will get two days' rest before playing Saturday night. The No. 7 seed Kansas Jayhawks will play on Friday against BYU. The Jayhawks have underperformed this season but there are bright spots, including rising star S’mya Nichols. The freshman from Shawnee Mission West credits her teammates for much of her progress, saying "I’m allowed to make mistakes and they are definitely forgiving and accepting of me. I feel like their opinions of me are the only ones that should matter." Nichols scored a career-high 29 points in KU’s weekend win over Oklahoma...who happens to be the number 1 seed in the upcoming tournament.

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Head Coach of KU Track and Field Named to Lead Team USA Track and Field at 2024 Summer Olympics

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) – Stanley Redwine, the University of Kansas Track and Field Head Coach, has been chosen as the Head Coach of Team USA Men’s Track and Field for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The appointment was announced Tuesday.

Redwine is currently in his 24th season at KU, and is one of the most decorated track and field coaches in the nation. He is a five-time Big 12 Champion coach, a five-time Big 12 Coach of the Year, and is the longest-tenured coach in KU history.

Redwine has previously served as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2015 Pan-American Games, as well as earning a spot as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He served as the Team USA Men’s Head Coach at the 2022 IAAF World Outdoor Championship, before his appointment as the Head Coach for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26.

He said via KU Athletics press release that he is "...honored for the opportunity and am excited that I get to be around the other coaches from other schools and just to help Team USA get better. Being around those athletes, there's not a lot that they really need from me, but I will get more out of it than they will. Just to serve them is a great opportunity."

Redwine will be joined by former Kansas Relays Meet Director and KU graduate Tim Weaver, who was named Event Manager for Team USA.

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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.