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Headlines for Tuesday, June 11, 2024

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

Electronic Records Access for Ascension Facilities Now Restored, More than a Month After Cyberattack

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Ascension Via Christi says all of its Kansas hospitals and clinics have restored access to electronic medical records, more than a month after a large-scale cyberattack took them offline. The health care nonprofit announced Tuesday that its hospital in Manhattan and its health center in Wamego have regained access. It said Monday that facilities in Wichita and Pittsburg also had restored access. Ascension says patients should see improved efficiency and shorter wait times. It says it’s still working to restore some other systems. The attack is suspected to be tied to a cybercriminal group called Black Basta. Ascension has not yet said whether patient data was stolen.

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Gas Prices Dropping; Kansas and Missouri Among States with Cheapest Costs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – Gasoline prices are dropping, and Kansas and Missouri are among the cheapest states to fill your tank. KCUR reports that prices should remain steady as summer approaches. The American Automobile Association (AAA) says the average price in Kansas is $3.05 a gallon, down 20 cents from a year ago. In Missouri, the average price is down 12 cents from last year and stands at $3.08. In some locations, gas is below three dollars. AAA spokesman Nick Chabarria says it’s all about crude oil prices. “Just this week crude oil reached a six-month low and crude oil accounts for about 50-to-60 percent of what drivers pay at the pump,” he explained. Chabarria says typically summer blend gas is more expensive but right now, demand for gas is lower than usual.

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Evergy Using New Strategies to Rebuild Grid After Power Outages

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – When thunderstorms taking out power lines, companies are rebuilding the grid differently. KCUR reports that’s a direct response to climate change. As storms knock down high voltage lines this year, power companies are replacing them with stronger stuff. Ryan Mulvany, vice president of distribution at Evergy, says that new power poles, for instance, are typically 20-to-25 percent bigger than old ones. "The things that we are replacing, our assets that are down and typically aged, are beefier, are stronger, because we know things are getting more severe over time," he explained. It’s not just thunderstorms and tornadoes. Derecho wind storms are growing more common. Temperatures swinging between record cold days in winter and record hot ones in summer also stress the grid.

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2024 an Active Year for Tornadoes and Severe Storms

UNDATED (HPM) – It’s been an extremely active year for tornadoes and other severe storms in the middle of the U.S. Harvest Public Media reports that there were more than 6,000 severe storms across the country in May, many occurring in the Midwest and Great Plains. That makes last month the second-most active May for tornadoes and other big storms in the past 20 years. Weather conditions were ripe, according to Patrick Marsh, the chief of science and support for the national Storm Prediction Center. “We’ve had ingredients in place for supercell thunderstorms over the Plains for pretty much the entire month of May. And when you have that many of these kinds of thunderstorms, inevitably you will have an increase in tornadoes as well,” he added. Marsh and others studying storms anticipate tornado activity to wind down early this month. Beyond that, Marsh says it’s difficult to know exactly what to expect.

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Drought Emergency Warnings Updated for Kansas

LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – The state of Kansas has updated drought emergency warnings just before summer starts to heat up. The Kansas News Service reports that Ness, Pawnee, Hodgeman and Rush counties in western Kansas were placed into emergency status this week. As temperatures heat up, the Kansas Water Office in a news release says counties under drought warnings should be mindful of water usage as less precipitation is expected. Western Kansas depends on irrigated grain crops, but as the state experiences major drop-offs in water resources, drought can cause the overpumping of that vital source. The Kansas Water Office will continue to monitor drought conditions and make recommendations to balance the water supply with farming needs. (Check out the U.S. Drought Monitor.)

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Flood Waters Lead to Road Closures in Southeast Kansas

FT. SCOTT, Kan. (KSN) — Heavy rainfall in southeast Kansas forced the closure of many roads and even a large section of a park in Fort Scott. Rainfall amounts of more than four inches fell across portions of southeast Kansas Saturday night and Sunday morning in Bourbon County. Flood waters rushed through Gunn Park in Fort Scott, forcing the city to shut down a large section on the west side where the river had run over the bank. KSN reports that by Monday night, most of the flood waters had receded.

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Wichita's Trust Women Clinic Remains Closed Following Leadership Shakeup

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Wichita’s largest abortion clinic remains closed more than three weeks after it stopped seeing patients. The Kansas News Service reports that Trust Women was a major abortion access point for women across the South and Midwest, providing several hundred abortions each month. Upwards of 80% of them were administered to patients traveling from states with abortion bans. That was before the clinic temporarily closed last month and canceled appointments amid reports of leadership turmoil. Sources who asked to remain anonymous say Trust Women’s board recently fired its executive directors and medical director. A majority of the clinic’s doctors then resigned, as did other key staff and two board members. Board president Sapphire Garcia declined to comment on the reports or say when the clinic will reopen. She says more information is coming next week, adding that “...I don’t want to speak prematurely, but we will have some very good news very soon.”

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Wichita School District Leaders Hear Plan for Bond Issue

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Wichita school leaders heard a plan Monday night for a $450 million dollar bond issue to rebuild and consolidate schools. The Kansas News Service reports that consultants hired by the district say Wichita needs to reduce its number of older, smaller schools and build new ones designed for the way kids learn today. They say a bond issue would not require a tax increase. Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld says the plan calls for rebuilding several elementary schools and two middle schools and closing nearly a dozen buildings. "If we want to continue to invest in our kids and we want to continue to invest in the future, it's important that we continue to invest in facilities," he explained. A learning center in northeast Wichita would be turned into an early childhood center, and a building south of East High would become a career center for construction trades.

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Kansas City Royals Hire Lobbyists for Special Legislative Session

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – The Kansas City Royals want in on the conversation about jumping the state line into Kansas. KCUR reports that the organization plans to lobby legislators during the June 18th special session. Kansas Secretary of State records show that the Royals have hired eight lobbyists. Lawmakers are expected to discuss a plan to use STAR bonds to help pay for a new Chiefs stadium. In a statement, the Royals said that the team needs a place to play baseball in the near future and, quote, “the recent STAR bond discussions in Kansas provide a path for us to explore.” The Royals hired two big lobbying firms in Topeka plus Lawrence lawyer Paul Davis, the 2014 Democratic candidate for governor. Last Tuesday Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins released a letter to the Chiefs saying they had an exciting opportunity for the team. Hawkins told a local radio station that the Royals previously seemed uninterested in Kansas. “The Royals hadn’t really shown any interest. The Royals were focused on downtown Kansas City, Missouri,” Hawkins said. Royals spokesman Sam Mellinger says the team has always kept its options open since losing that sales tax vote in April. He wouldn’t say exactly when the team hired the lobbyists – only noting that it would be safe to say "recently".

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Dozens of Open Seats in the Kansas Legislature Could Tip Scales of Power in Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. (Wichita Eagle) - Every seat in the Kansas Legislature is up for election this year. There are 125 seats in the House and 40 seats in the state Senate. Republicans will attempt to hold onto and possibly expand their veto-proof majorities in both chambers. That would allow the GOP to pass laws without support from Democratic lawmakers or Democratic Governor Laura Kelly.

The Wichita Eagle reports that Democrats will try to break the veto-proof majorities and could do so by picking up an additional three seats in the Senate and two seats in the House. The 2024 statehouse races could reshape the Legislature in an election cycle that looks to be competitive. Across the state, Republicans will have 32 primary races — 12 in the Senate and 20 in the House — while Democrats will have 11 contested primary races — four in the Senate and seven in the House.

On the other hand, dozens of legislators could win their races by default. Forty-four candidates for the Legislature are so far the only candidate — of either party — to run for a particular seat.

Neal Allen, a political science professor at Wichita State University, says he expects the Kansas legislative elections to largely depend on national issues in the presidential race. “Democrats are going to try to make this election about abortion and women’s reproductive rights as much as possible, and that will help Democrats a lot in northeast Kansas and will help them some in the Wichita area as well,” Allen said. “Republicans are going to try to run on immigration as much as they can and tying Democrats to Joe Biden,” Allen said. Taxes, Medicaid and marijuana are also likely to dominate campaign messaging, Allen said.

The next class of Kansas lawmakers will be making more money next year. The Legislature nearly doubled its members’ pay for 2025, bumping up annual wages from about $30,000 a year for rank-and-file lawmakers to nearly $58,000. The Legislature is usually in session for the first five months of the year.

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Wichita Announces New Homeless Shelter

WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – The City of Wichita announced it's planning to use the former Park Elementary school as a new shelter for people who are homeless. KMUW reports that the city has been looking for a location for what it calls a multi-agency center: a facility with emergency shelter beds, affordable housing units and social services. Now, the city has settled on the former school north of downtown Wichita. Wichita Public Schools shuttered it earlier this year as the district faced a budget deficit. "Given its close proximity to multiple homeless service providers, the location is ideal for referrals and coordinated services...the project is also more financially feasible as the property will be effectively donated to the city," assistant city manager Troy Anderson explained. Anderson says the building will provide between 150 to 200 shelter beds. The city hopes to have it ready to use as a winter shelter this year.

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K-State Launches Agriculture Innovation Initiative

MANHATTAN, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas State University has broken ground on its Agriculture Innovation Initiative to attract more students from diverse backgrounds into the state’s ag industry. The Kansas News Service reports that Kansas farmers are aging and there’s a need for a new generation to contribute to the multibillion dollar ag industry. K-State hopes to bolster its agriculture department with new buildings and programs to study the challenges Kansas farmers and ranchers face. Ernie Minton is dean of the College of Agriculture at K-State. He says the initiative will also focus on lesser-known parts of the industry, like the pet food corridor that stretches from Wichita to central Missouri. “In order to sustain a student population, we're going to have to find things that are also attractive to students from more urban settings,” he explained. The new academic programs are slated to start in 2026.

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Bird Flu in Dairy Cattle Confirmed in Iowa and Minnesota

UNDATED (HPM) – Iowa and Minnesota are now the 10th and 11th states to confirm bird flu infections in dairy cattle. Harvest Public Media reports that two poultry farms recently experienced a bird flu outbreak in Iowa. Now the state’s Department of Agriculture says it will test dairy farms around those sites. The announcement came after two dairies in northwest Iowa tested positive for avian influenza. Teri Bos is the director of Community Health Partners in Sioux County, Iowa, and said “...at the national level, at the state level but also at the county level, this is something that is an emerging illness and we are taking it very seriously.” Bos says the risk for the general public remains low, and the Food and Drug Administration says the commercial milk supply is safe.

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Kansas and Missouri Continue to Lose Wetlands

UNDATED (KNS) - Experts say Kansas and Missouri continue to lose wetlands that are vital to fighting pollution and floods. Missouri had already lost most of its wetlands since Europeans arrived. And Kansas, about half. The latest 10-year survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows the trend continued in eastern Kansas, south-central Kansas and southern Missouri. Low land susceptible to being wet gets filled in or drained to build on it or farm. Ponds get added to consolidate surface water into smaller areas. But eliminating wetlands makes floods and droughts hit harder. And exposes people to more water pollution.

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Tick Season Underway Across Kansas and Missouri

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Ticks are likely creeping around your neck of the woods. Entomologists say tick season generally runs from April to September and some of these ticks could be carrying crippling diseases. WIBW TV reports that ticks in Kansas can contain 4 virulent strains of bacteria that can make people sick, including Lyme disease. The best way to avoid getting a tick bite is to dress appropriately: wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts tucked into your pants can help. Insect repellant containing Deet can also help. But even with precautions, those who spend time in the woods should check their bodies after going outdoors.

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Bear Tunnels Out of Zoo Enclosure in Southeast Kansas, Almost Escapes

INDEPENDENCE, Kan. (KSNW) - Some tense moments Sunday at a zoo in southeast Kansas when a bear went missing. KSNW TV reports that the Siberian bear appeared to be missing from its enclosure at the Ralph Mitchell Zoo in Independence. Within minutes, the entire zoo was cleared of all visitors. A few minutes later, the bear was located. The female bear partially tunneled out of her enclosure and under the public viewing platform. City officials say the bear never made it out of the enclosure itself but was briefly out of sight of zoo workers. Staff members eventually coaxed the bear back into her pen.

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Kansas Wildlife Officials Hope to Reintroduce Alligator Snapping Turtle to the State

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Officials with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks hope to reintroduce a species that hasn't been seen in the state for more than 30 years. Efforts are underway to bring the alligator snapping turtle back to Kansas. The last confirmed sighting of the reptile in Kansas was in 1991 in a tributary of the Verdigris River. The alligator snapping turtle is larger than the average snapping turtle, with a larger head, a hooked beak and star-shaped eyes. KSNT reports that the reptile can weigh more than 200 pounds and live for more than 100 years. The turtles used to be abundant in the Neosho and Verdigris Rivers near Emporia, but the population suffered greatly due to over-hunting. Wildlife officials hope to reintroduce the alligator snapping turtles by the fall of 2024.

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Royals Put Renfroe on Injured List with Toe Fracture; Frazier on Bereavement List

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals placed outfielder Hunter Renfroe on the injured list with a fractured toe and infielder Adam Frazier on the bereavement list ahead of the second game of their four-game set against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.

The Royals recalled outfielder Drew Waters and infielder Nick Pratto from Triple-A Omaha to take their place.

Renfroe was riding a nine-game hitting streak into Monday night's game when he squared off with Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón in the third inning. Renfroe fouled consecutive pitches off his left foot during the 12-pitch at-bat, but nothing appeared to be amiss until the Royals removed him from the game a couple of innings later in an eventual 4-2 loss.

Renfroe got off to a slow start this season but had bumped his batting average to .200 with six homers and 26 RBIs.

The Royals had been watching Waters closely at Omaha, where the 25-year-old switch-hitter was hitting .277 with seven homers and 33 RBIs through 50 games. Pratto was hitting .234 with seven homers and 30 RBIs in 53 games there.

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Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce Says He Wants to Keep Playing Football 'Until the Wheels Come Off'

UNDATED (AP) – Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who signed a new two-year deal in April, said Tuesday that he wants to keep playing football “until the wheels come off" after the first day of the team's mandatory three-day minicamp.

The 34-year-old Kelce signed a four-year, $57.25 million extension with Kansas City in 2020, which followed a $46 million, five-year deal that he signed in 2016. The latest $34.25 million pact ties Kelce to the team through the 2025 season.

“Kansas City has been home for me for the past 11 years. I'm reminded that every time I come back to the city,” Kelce said. “I do take the off-seasons to get away and kind of recharge, but at the same time, I'm a football player. I love playing in the NFL."

Still, Kelce acknowledged that the end of his career is much closer than the beginning, and that has fueled his desire to cross over into different avenues of sports and entertainment. He hosts one of the most popular podcasts across several genres with his brother and former Eagles center Jason Kelce, and he will soon host a quiz show on Amazon Prime.

He also has made appearances on such shows as “Saturday Night Live” and intends to continue dabbling in acting.

Then there is Kelce's relationship with pop icon Taylor Swift, which has elevated him to another level of celebrity. It has helped him become of the NFL's most widely known players, despite playing a position often considered far from glamorous.

“I can't put a timeframe on it,” Kelce said of retirement. "Man, I love coming to work every single day. I know there's opportunity outside of football for me, and I think you got to keep in perspective that I'm a little kid when I come into this building, man.

“I know I'm 34 years old — about to be 35 (in October) — but I have a lot to do right here, in the middle of the heat in June,” he continued. “I love coming to work every single day doing this. I'm going to do it until the wheels come off. Hopefully that doesn't happen any time soon. But I definitely know it's closer to the end of the road than the beginning of it.”

Kelce was chosen by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 draft, and despite missing almost all of his rookie season to a knee injury, has already become their career leader with 11,328 yards receiving. He needs 10 receptions to reach 917 and pass Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez for that record, and three touchdown catches would give him 77, dropping Gonzalez to No. 2 on that franchise list — both marks that he should reach in the first couple of weeks of this upcoming season.

“The odds of someone playing this far into their 30s is low,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach admitted recently, “but it does happen. There are unicorns in the profession and Travis is one of those. He’s shown no signs of slowing down.”

In other news Tuesday, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker was absent with an illness while guard Joe Thuney was missing while continuing his recovery from surgery on a pectoral injury. Defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, defensive end Charles Omenihu and wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury, were present but did not practice.

The three-day minicamp concludes Thursday, when the Chiefs have their Super Bowl ring ceremony.

“I’m sure when I unbox that ring it’s going to be special," Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill said. "There’s going to be a sentimental value attached to that that you can’t necessarily replicate. It’s going to be a fun night with teammates, seeing guys that are no longer here anymore and being able to reunite with those guys. It’s going to be fun.”

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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 X (formerly Twitter,).