Storms Roll Across Eastern Kansas, Knocking Out Power to 1,000+
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Severe storms with high winds rolled across eastern Kansas and western Missouri Wednesday night knocking out power to more than 1,0000 Evergy customers. The state's largest utility company says only a few hundred customers remained without power by mid-morning Thursday, with most of them in the Kansas City area.
Check out the Evergy Outage Map.
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Wyandotte County Approves Resolution to Provide Election Materials in Spanish
UNDATED (KNS) – A resolution passed unanimously Wednesday to improve election language access in Wyandotte County. The Kansas News Service reports that state and local advocacy groups have been asking the Kansas secretary of state and the Wyandotte County election commissioner to provide voting information, ballots and language assistance in Spanish. Supporters of the resolution said it would improve civic engagement in one of the state’s most diverse counties that also has some of the lowest voter turnout. Wyandotte County Commissioner Andrew Davis, who approved the resolution, said he does have some concerns about the cost, adding that “...one of my worries and concerns was, are we making a budget decision tonight... and if so, I would have some hesitation.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas says budget impacts would be minimal and well worth the cost.
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Could Kansas Go for Kamala or Are Democrats California Dreaming?
UNDATED (KPR) - Historically, Kansas votes for Republicans in presidential elections. But a new poll shows Republican nominee Donald Trump only ahead of Democratic rival Kamala Harris by a slim margin. This month, Fort Hays State University released the fall version of its "Kansas Speaks" survey. In it, 43% of registered voters said they would cast a ballot for Harris and 48% said they would vote for Trump. That's a five-point difference.
In the 2020 presidential election, Kansas voted Republican with 56% of votes going to Trump, compared to Biden’s 42%. The poll shows the candidates much closer than many would’ve guessed given the state’s republican voting record. The Kansas Speaks survey used a panel of 645 adult Kansans to assess their opinions on a variety of topics.
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Report: Childhood Food Insecurity on the Rise in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – More Kansas children are going hungry. Others don't know when they'll get their next meal. Advocates are calling for change after new research revealed that food insecurity rose among children in every county in Kansas between 2021 and 2022. Food insecurity is defined as not knowing where your next meal might come from. The nonprofit advocacy group Kansas Action for Children says 1 in 5 Kansas children experienced food insecurity in 2022. That year, the state also saw the highest spike in child food insecurity rates in 10 years.
The Kansas Kids Count report largely attributes that to the end of pandemic-era relief programs. But spokesperson Jessica Herrera Russell says state laws also create barriers to aid, “... which is making it harder on families to get the support they need to make sure that they and their children are fed.” Russell says state lawmakers should remove those barriers and consider other cost-saving measures for families.
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Report: Dual High School/College Credit Enrollment May Not Lead to Degree Completion
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – A growing number of Kansas students are earning college credit while in high school. But a new report raises questions about whether most of them go on to earn a college degree. The Kansas News Service reports that the Community College Research Center tracked more than 8,000 Kansas high school seniors who were enrolled in a dual-credit course in 2015. Four years later, about 60% had not earned any type of post-secondary degree. Still, Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson says the more college credit high school students earn, the better their chances are of completing a degree or certificate, adding that “...if a student can successfully complete around 15 credit hours, they’re more likely to go on to some kind of post-secondary education.” About a fourth of Kansas high-schoolers taking college classes are students of color.
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U.S. Supreme Court Sides with Kansas A-G; Virginia Must Remove Non-Citizens from Voter Rolls
TOPEKA, Kan. - The Commonwealth of Virginia can remove self-identified non-citizens from its voter registration rolls, after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision Wednesday. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach led a 27-state coalition in an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to take the case. “This is a big win for election integrity and the rule of law," Kobach said.
Kobach said Virginia’s law provides mechanisms to protect election integrity, while ensuring only U.S. citizens remain on voter rolls. “It has always been against the law for non-citizens to vote," he said. "Every vote cast by a non-citizen effectively cancels out the vote of a U.S. citizen. It is unconscionable that Democrats and activist judges are fighting to keep them on the voter rolls,” Kobach said.
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Kansas and Missouri Election Officials Stress Rules Against Electioneering
UNDATED (KCUR) – Kansas election officials say they’ve seen voters confused about the rules around promoting candidates at polling places - also known as electioneering. KCUR reports that Kansas laws prohibit voters from wearing or distributing anything displaying a candidate’s name within 250 feet of a polling location entrance. Johnson County election commissioner Fred Sherman says that he interprets that rule literally. "They cannot wear a hat or an item or button in there if it has the candidates name on them. Where it gets a little murky and kind of confusing is where there may be a slogan or symbols, whether it's a cat shirt or a MAGA hat," he explained. Missouri law also bans electioneering - and is even stricter about what clothing you can wear to the polls. In both states, electioneering is a crime punishable by a fine or jail time.
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FHSU Program at Topeka Correctional Facility Aids Prison Literacy
UNDATED (KNS) – Literacy among prison inmates is often below basic reading levels. A program for the only women’s prison in Kansas wants to change that. the Kansas News Service reports that the effort is also helping incarcerated mothers and grandmothers connect with their families. The program operated by Fort Hays State University helps some of the women at the Topeka Correctional Facility boost their reading abilities. It also gives them confidence to read aloud to their children and grandchildren when they visit – or provide recordings for their loved ones. Dani Essman, the coordinator for learning activities for the prison, says reading provides a temporary escape and improves mental health. “When you read a book, you can be in a whole other world. You’re not in prison when you are reading a book,” she explained. Studies show inmates who remain connected to their families are less likely to return to prison.
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FHSU Survey Shows Kansans Concerned About Water Conservation
ICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – About one-third of Kansans think state and local governments aren't doing enough to conserve water. KMUW reports that for the first time, the statewide survey by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University asked Kansans what they thought about water conservation. Parts of western and central Kansas have battled severe drought in the last several years. Wichita is currently enforcing outdoor watering restrictions as a result. Alexandra Middlewood, a political science professor at Wichita State University who worked on the survey, explained that "...if you, you know, read the comments on news articles, there are a lot of people who are upset about those restrictions. But what it looks like statewide is that that's actually not a larger trend, that that is a small minority." About 40% of respondents thought their local governments were doing the "right amount" of water conservation, while just 2% thought local government was doing too much.
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Kansas Game Wardens Rescue Hunters Trapped by Wildfires
OSAGE COUNTY, Kan. (KSNT) – Game wardens helped rescue some Kansas hunters after they became trapped by wildfires in Osage County. KSNT reports that five hunters became trapped by two large wildfires on Sunday at the Melvern Wildlife Area. The Osage County game warden and his K9 partner were able to locate the hunters and a dog and evacuate them from the area amid smoke and ash. No one was injured. The cause of the fires is under investigation.
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Movie Filmed in KC and Overland Park Expected to Be Released in January
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KC Star) - A new movie filmed in the Kansas City area is expected to be released next year. The historic streets of downtown Overland Park and other Kansas City area neighborhoods are featured in a film called "The Girl in the Garage,” which will premiere on the Lifetime channel January 18. The Kansas City Star reports that the movie was mostly shot around the metro - near Swope Park, inside Midtown Market grocery store and around downtown Overland Park. The producers of the film are keeping tight-lipped about the plot for now, but say the film is a psychological thriller based on a true story that did not take place in Kansas City.
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Efforts Underway to Preserve Spooky Endangered Beetle
UNDATED (HPM) – The American Burying Beetle was once found in 35 states, but it is now federally threatened. Harvest Public Media’ reports that efforts are underway to conserve this spooky beetle that’s native to the Midwest and Great Plains. At the St. Louis Zoo, buckets are filled with dirt, quail carcasses and American Burying Beetles. Underground, these bugs process dead animals into meatballs to feed to their babies. Burying beetles are basically the cleanup crew of the ecosystem, says Kayla Garcia, the Zoological Manager of invertebrates. “Without animals like burying beetles, you know, we'd have a lot more like, kind of dead, decaying stuff on the surface, and also a lot more flies.” A range of ecosystem changes are putting pressure on the American Burying Beetle. Experts say people can support these beetles and the animals they eat by planting native plants.
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KU Volleyball Remains Unbeaten in Big 12
LUBBOCK, Texas (KPR) - The 8th-ranked KU Jayhawks remain undefeated in the Big 12. Wednesday night, KU defeated Texas Tech in Lubbock, beating the Red Raiders in four sets. KU is 10-0 in the Big 12 conference and 19-1 overall. The Hawks will play at home Saturday at 1 pm against West Virginia.
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