City Clerk in Peabody Is Missing; Money May Be Missing Too
MARION COUNTY, Kan. (Marion County Record) - The interim city clerk in Peabody, Kansas, is missing. Some grant money from the state might be missing too. The Marion County Record reports that Jonathan Clayton has been missing since August 3rd. That's the same weekend that a state lawyer demanded the return of $740,000 in COVID assistance that Clayton had helped the city obtain.
Before the demand became known publicly, city officials repeatedly suggested there had been no financial wrongdoing connected to Clayton, whose husband is a member of the Peabody city council. Clayton is a former employee of the Kansas Department of Commerce. He's also a convicted felon and several officials in Peabody were apparently aware of this.
In 2016, Clayton was convicted of forgery and theft in Pennsylvania. The Marion County Record reports that he is late in making court-ordered restitution. In March of 2018 Clayton was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay $210,000. Last month, he still owed nearly $196,000.
More information is available in the Marion County Record.
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CDC: Kansas and Missouri Among States with "Very High" Levels of COVID-19 in Wastewater
UNDATED (KNS) – Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show Kansas and Missouri are two of 27 states with, quote, “very high” levels of COVID-19 in wastewater. When a person has COVID, the virus can be detected in their waste even before they’re symptomatic. That’s why researchers across the nation monitor wastewater to determine how high COVID levels are in a community. The Kansas News Service reports that Marc Johnson, a professor at the University of Missouri, tracks COVID in Missouri wastewater. He says other forms of COVID testing, like the tests doctors or clinics administer, are happening less. Johnson says wastewater testing is a good indicator of how much COVID is going around. “What this probably means is, if you feel like you might have COVID, you probably have COVID. It’s there, it’s circulating. People are being exposed to it,” he explained. Johnson says levels still aren’t as high as they were during previous outbreaks, but they’re nearing the highest he’s seen in two years.
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Lawrence Police: 800 Fentanyl Pills Seized During Traffic Stop
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR/LJW) - Lawrence police have seized hundreds of fentanyl pills. Police say more than 800 of the pills were confiscated from a suspected drug dealer last week, on the same day that 33 pounds of methamphetamine and 1.26 pounds of cocaine were seized. In that case, a police officer and his canine partner "Shadow" were conducting a routine security sweep of a transportation facility. Shadow stopped at a piece of luggage and indicated the presence of drugs. Police have not identified the transportation facility or the owner of the luggage. Both incidents presumably took place on August 7 and were apparently not related. Police did not say why they waited until Thursday to announce news of the second bust. (Read more in the Lawrence Journal-World.)
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Kansas Attorney General Urging U.S. Supreme Court to Reinstate Arizona Voter Registration Law
UNDATED (KNS) – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate an Arizona law that requires proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The Kansas News Service reports that Kobach and 23 other top Republican legal officers are submitting a brief in favor of reinstatement. Republican National Committee also wants the U.S. Supreme Court to revive Arizona’s 2022 law, which a lower court has blocked. If the Supreme Court upholds the law, that could open the door for similar registration requirements across the country. In 2018, a federal judge struck down a similar provision in Kansas, arguing that proof-of-citizenship requirements burdened tens of thousands of potential registered voters. The law’s supporters say it’s needed to prevent noncitizens from voting in elections, though there is not significant evidence of voter fraud.
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Kansas Homeless Problem Blamed on Lack of Affordable Housing
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KNS) – A lack of affordable housing in Kansas may be driving an increase in homelessness. The Kansas News Service reports that a new study shows a nearly 7% increase of people experiencing homelessness in the state. An official count of people experiencing homelessness in Kansas grew by 179 people this year compared to 2023. The Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition report shows more than 2,800 people were homeless on a single night in January. The report counts both sheltered and unsheltered people. Eric Arganbright of the coalition says Kansas communities need more affordable and permanent housing options to end homelessness. “The problem is if we don't have the permanent housing to move folks out of the shelters, we're just keeping people on the streets,” he stressed. He says increases in rent and home prices are outpacing wage growth.
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Heat-Related Deaths in Midwest Likely Higher than Statistics Indicate
UNDATED (HPM) – Heat is the deadliest climate-driven disaster in the U.S. Already in the Midwest and Great Plains, there have been several reports of heat-related deaths this year. According to Harvest Public Media, experts say many more people likely die of heat than the numbers show. Extreme heat can cause all kinds of life-threatening health effects. Some are explicitly related to high temperatures, like heat stroke. But something like a heart attack spurred by heat can be harder to track. Dr. Alok Sengupta is an emergency medicine physician and Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Hospital St. Louis. “If heat illness or heat exhaustion or heat stroke isn't listed as a cause, you're not going to know that that was a contributing factor. So it's definitely underreported,” Sengupta said. Even without a clear picture of the data, the National Weather Service says heat kills more people every year than hurricanes, tornadoes and floods.
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Ranchers, Farmers Coping with Higher Production Costs Due to Inflation
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – After years of drought and supply chain interruptions that have hurt the agriculture industry, Kansas farmers are still reeling from the impact of inflation. The Kansas News Service reports that the rising cost of groceries can be a symbol of inflation for consumers, but Kansas farmers have also faced higher prices to produce those groceries. In 2022, fertilizer costs increased by 300% and western Kansas had one of its worst droughts in almost a century. Farmers are still trying to recover. Glynn Tonsor, agriculture economist for Kansas State University, says based on how the beef industry is set, higher prices for consumers do not guarantee farmers will benefit. "A lot of people look at the sticker price, and jump to the conclusion that whoever's selling that to them, are making money, and that isn't enough to guarantee it,” he added. What's more, younger farmers trying to keep their operations going are often significantly adversely affected by inflation. But inflation is expected to decline this fall, and a study from Kansas State Research and Extension predicts farmers’ incomes will bounce back this year after a good harvest.
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Kansas Parents Less Insistent that Their Kids Attend College
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS/KMUW) — A new survey shows that Kansas parents are less insistent about their children going to college. Slightly more than half of Kansas parents say they hope their child attends a four-year college after high school graduation. That’s down from nearly 63% just five years ago. A growing percentage of parents said they’d be happy if their child went to a technical school or community college - or pursued a skilled trade. Kristin Brighton, director of HirePaths, which conducted the survey, says parents are concerned about the cost of higher education and seeing their kids rack up student debt. “After high school, their students have a buffet of options," she said. "All of them are possible paths to success. The kid and the family have to work together to choose what is the best path for them and their personal situation.” A larger percentage of parents support apprenticeships, saying they’re a good way to explore careers while making money. Parents' opinions of community colleges, trade schools, and apprenticeships are on the rise. And State Board of Education member Jim Porter says schools are getting better at presenting a variety of options to students.
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$50,000 Settlement Approved in Transgender Discrimination Lawsuit
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS/AP) – A panel of Kansas lawmakers and the governor approved a settlement Thursday for a former state employee, who alleged discrimination based on their transgender identity. The Kansas News Service reports that William Dawes filed a discrimination claim against the Kansas Highway Patrol in January 2023. The lawsuit accused the agency of firing Dawes because of a gender transition. Attorneys for the Highway Patrol argued the agency terminated Dawes for failing to cooperate in a sexual misconduct investigation related to emails Dawes sent to a coworker. A District Judge ruled that argument was not enough to dismiss the discrimination case. The State Finance Council, a small group of Kansas lawmakers, unanimously voted to approve a settlement, but didn’t immediately make the terms public. However, the Associated Press reports that the settlement was in the amount of $50,000.
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Kansas Lawmakers to Hold Marijuana Hearings
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Will Kansas ever legalize medical marijuana? Some say yes and now, state lawmakers say they'll hold at least two hearings on the issue this fall. The meetings will be held in October. Lawmakers formed the committee on medical marijuana after a federal proposal to reschedule the drug - which would lower criminal penalties and allow more medical research. The hearings will focus on how other states legalized cannabis and how a change to federal law could impact the state.
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Kansas City Current Plays in Women's Cup Championship Saturday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) - Before the regular season in the National Women’s Soccer League resumes, the Kansas City Current will wrap up what’s being called their “International Summer of Soccer” with a title match at home Saturday night. After defeating the Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa Wednesday night, the Current will face Atletico Madrid from Spain in the Women’s Cup championship match. Current forward Michelle Cooper, who scored one of the Current’s three goals on Wednesday, says playing a team they haven’t faced means quick adjustments. "There are similarities in them and teams that we’ve played," she said. "But it’s little things that make the differences. Being able to play against them and playing against other teams from the world stage is really awesome. It’s a great opportunity." After the Women’s Cup title match, the Current will return to NWSL play with a road match against the Washington Spirit on August 25. The Current are in second place in the NWSL standings. Kickoff is at 8 pm Saturday at CPKC Stadium.
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Kansas City Mayor Discusses Possible Routes to Keeping Royals in KCMO
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – The Kansas City Royals are quietly evaluating a potential new site for a baseball stadium: Washington Square Park, between Union Station and Crown Center. Mayor Quinton Lucas and other officials have remained in talks with the Royals to keep the team in Kansas City, Missouri. KCUR reports that Lucas says the city would consider ways to pay for a new ballpark without putting it to a public vote. “I don't think however, that means that there is no public engagement, that there aren't public meetings, that there isn't a truly public process,” he clarified. Jackson County, Missouri, voters in April overwhelmingly rejected a measure renewing a stadium sales tax for the Royals and Chiefs. In response, the Kansas Legislature passed a financing package aimed at luring both teams across the state line.
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Noted Game Show Host Peter Marshall Dies, Age 98; Had Special Connection to Kansas City Region
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) – Peter Marshall, who was perhaps best known for being the game show host of the original Hollywood Squares, died this week in Southern California at the age of 98. Marshall took a liking to Kansas City when his son played for the Kansas City Royals. Marshall’s son was Pete LaCock, a first baseman on the 1980 Royals team that made the franchise’s first trip to the World Series. Long before actor Paul Rudd and his celebrity friends established the Big Slick events to raise money in Kansas City for charity, Peter Marshall did it and LaCock says he has fond memories of his father's involvement. "We’d have a big show, a comedy show and everybody from Alex Trebek to Fred McMurray. There were really some great people that came into Kansas City through my dad," LaCock said. During LaCock’s four seasons in Kansas City, Marshall brought with him the Hollywood friends he had made through Hollywood Squares, which he started hosting in 1966. The Emmy-winning Marshall was host to more than 5,000 episodes of the game show.
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