Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jill Stein File for Ballot Access in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Third-party presidential candidates Robert F. Kennedy Junior and Jill Stein are filing to get on the ballot in Kansas for the November general election. The Kansas News Service reports that Kennedy is an independent who consistently ranks third in national polls, with about 5% of voters saying he’s their first choice. Candidates who don’t belong to a party recognized in Kansas need 5,000 signatures to secure ballot access. Kennedy’s campaign says he’s turned in nearly twice that many. Jill Stein secured about 850 signatures. She’s running with the Green Party for the third time, but will likely have to run as a write-in candidate in Kansas.
The other candidates set to appear on the ballot are Democrat Kamala Harris, Republican Donald Trump, and Libertarian Chase Oliver.
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Southeastern Kansas Health Center to Expand
UNDATED (KNS) – A health center in Southeast Kansas, where health ratings are generally low, is expanding to improve health access and outcomes. The Kansas News Service reports that Labette Health is adding to its rural health clinic and emergency room in Independence so patients in the region have access to more services. Brian Williams, Labette Health president and CEO, says the expansion is a step in the right direction. But he says to build a sustainable health care model, Southeast Kansas cities need to create a regional health system. “We need to aggregate our population, aggregate our resources, so that we can provide a better future and a better life for the people that depend upon us to do it,” he explained. Williams says the expansion is estimated to be complete next summer.
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Kansas Man Drowns at Lake of the Ozarks
MORGAN COUNTY, Mo. (KTTN) — A drowning at Lake of the Ozarks has claimed the life of a Kansas man. The Missouri Highway Patrol says 33-year-old Delphine Mwombeki, of Lenexa, drowned on Saturday. KTTN Radio reports that the man intentionally went into the water from a nearby dock but never surfaced.
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Johnson County Minimum-Security Inmate Back in Custody
GARDNER, Kan. (KPR) — A Johnson County minimum-security inmate is back in custody. Authorities say Ricardo Marin-Valadez had been placed on escape status after he failed to report for his scheduled shift Friday morning at the Adult Residential Center. He was taken into custody without incident Sunday night in Kansas City.
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Wichita Schools' Teacher Vacancies Hit Lowest Level in More than a Decade
WICHITA, Kan. (KN S) – The Wichita school district will start this school year with the lowest number of teacher vacancies in more than a decade. The Kansas News Service reports that Wichita closed six schools as a budget-cutting measure earlier this year, so that reduced the overall number of vacancies. But the district also ramped up recruiting and raised the starting teacher salary. Jenna Shaban with Wichita schools says the district started offering a $3,000 signing bonus for special education teachers, which are traditionally hard jobs to fill. "So we offered it all of last year and we are still offering it this year -- very, very attractive for our special education teachers," she explained. Kansas still faces a severe teacher shortage, with more than 1,800 vacancies statewide. State education leaders have eased some requirements for people to become teachers.
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One Person Arrested After Sunday Standoff in KC
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — One person has been arrested in Kansas City following a standoff with police Sunday afternoon. Officers responded to a residence (near 62nd and Indiana Avenue) around 2 pm, where an armed person was barricaded inside a home. WDAF TV reports that some two hours later, the suspect was taken into custody. No one was hurt.
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Kansans Vote for Flint Hills License Plate Design
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas officials have revealed the next design for the state's new personalized license plates. Five designs were put up for public vote online earlier this month. After more than 30,000 votes were cast, people across the state chose the design showcasing the iconic Flint Hills. The Kansas Department of Revenue says the Flint Hills design received more than 56% of the vote. Here's what the new personalized tags will look like:
When the new design is available, Kansans can visit their local county treasurer’s office to purchase the new plate for $45.50.
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Man Drowns in KC Canoeing Accident
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — Officials are investigating the drowning of a man in a Kansas City pond. KMBC reports that a 23-year-old man and an 8-year-old child were canoeing Saturday when their boat capsized. The child was able to swim to shore, but the man drowned. Neither victim was wearing a life jacket. The Kansas City Fire Department was able to retrieve the man's body; his identity has not yet been released.
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Kansas Driver Cited for Going 114 MPH with Unrestrained Child in Car
ELLSWORTH COUNTY, Kan. (KAKE) — A driver in central Kansas was ticketed for allegedly driving 114 miles-per-hour with an unrestrained child in the vehicle. The Kansas Highway Patrol says a motorist in a BMW was pulled over Saturday night on I-70 in Ellsworth County. KAKE TV reports that the motorist was also cited for failing to drive in the right lane and for having an unrestrained child in the car.
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Some Forms of Water Pollution Still Affecting Kansas Rivers
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) — The water in the Kansas River is safer for humans than it was half a century ago, but the Kansas News Service reports some forms of pollution remain a problem. Fifty years after the federal Clean Water Act passed, better sewage treatment and stricter rules for wastewater disposal have greatly improved some problems in the Kansas River. Such as dangerous bacteria. Tom Stiles at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says in dry weather, water quality is good enough for recreation on the river. “Once the rain starts and we start seeing runoff, all bets are off. Then the quality starts to diminish.” That’s largely because of pollution sources not regulated by the 1972 Clean Water Act, such as fertilizers on our lawns and farms.
Dangerous bacteria are much less common since federal legislation was drafted 50 years ago to regulate wastewater. Tom Stiles directs the water bureau at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “We don’t feel like we’re ready to declare ‘mission accomplished’ in any way, shape or form," he said. "There’s still things that we’re battling.” Stiles says water quality gets worse especially after heavy rain. That’s because animal waste and fertilizers run off of lawns, farms and feedlots.
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Farming Can Affect Local Weather Due to Evaporation Issues
UNDATED (KNS) — The way Kansans farm could not only impact long-term climate change, but also affect local weather right now. The Kansas News Service reports that climatologists at Kansas State University measure how much water is lost from the average crop due to evaporation. This loss is higher in western Kansas compared to the rest of the state due to heat and high wind speeds. Matthew Sittel, climatologist for K-State, says it’s an invisible process, so it’s hard for farmers to know if their irrigation is effective. “You may lose all that moisture you added in if you are in a weather pattern that's got high winds and low relative humidities and high temperatures, he explained. All of that moisture and higher added humidity can make it feel hotter than it is for these communities surrounded by agriculture.
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Serial Killer Book - One of Two Selected to Represent Kansas
UNDATED (KPR) — Each year, the National Center for the Book comes up with a list of books representing each state. For Kansas... the book chosen involved a re-telling of the infamous Bender family of Labette County. Susan Jonusas is the author of "Hell's Half-Acre: The Untold Story of the Benders, a Serial Killer Family on the American Frontier." KPR's Kaye McIntyre spoke to her about her book involving the "Bloody Benders." (Learn more.)
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KBI Releases Grisly Details of Marshall County Murder
BLUE RAPIDS, Kan. (KSNT) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has released new details of the brutal murder of a Blue Rapids man. KSNT reports that the body of 36-year-old Camoran Shoptese was found in a barrel in rural Marshall County in July. An autopsy shows that Shoptese had been dismembered. KSNT reports that 31-year-old James Winkenwader has been charged with first-degree murder; he remains in custody awaiting trial.
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Hostess to Close Its Johnson County Headquarters
JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. (Jo Co Post) — Hostess Brands is closing its Johnson County headquarters and laying off dozens of employees. The Johnson County Post reports that the iconic maker of snack cakes like Twinkies and Ho Hos has made its corporate home in Lenexa since 2019, when it jumped across the state line from Kansas City. A year ago, Hostess was acquired by J.M. Smucker, and the move to shutter its corporate office appears to be related to that. The action means 79 employees at the Lenexa office will be laid off in multiple phases starting next month. It’s not clear how the move will impact a Hostess distribution center in Edgerton, Kansas, or a bakery in Emporia.
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Former KU Basketball Star Wins Olympic Gold
PARIS, France (KPR/GE) — As a member of the USA's Basketball team, former Kansas Jayhawk Joel Embiid has won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Embiid played at KU during the 2013-14 season before turning professional. He's the first former KU basketball player to win a gold medal since Sasha Kaun -- a member of the 2008 national championship team -- while playing for Russia in the 2012 Olympics. Embiid was born in Cameroon, but chose to play for Team USA.
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KC Chiefs Receiver Hollywood Brown Out with Shoulder Injury
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (KPR) — Kansas City Chiefs receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown dislocated his clavicle during Saturday night's pre-season loss to the Jaguars in Jacksonville, Florida. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid says he'll be out for a while. In March, Brown signed a one-year, $17-million contract. The Chiefs will be back in Kansas City next Saturday, hosting the Detroit Lions.
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