Tyson to Close Emporia Meat Plant, Cutting More than 800 Jobs
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Tyson Foods says it will permanently close a beef and pork plant in Emporia. Reuters reports that the Emporia plant employs more than 800 people. The meat processor announced the closure Monday. Tyson has also closed six U.S. chicken plants since the start of 2023 and an Iowa pork plant, laying off thousands of workers.
Tyson faces financial pressure as the nation's cattle herd has dwindled to its smallest size in decades, raising the price for the animals the company processes into beef. Tyson will shut down its plant around February 14, terminating 804 employees. Company officials encouraged employees to apply for other jobs at the company and said it is working with state and local officials to provide workers with resources.
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Long-Running Corruption and Sexual Assault Case Ends Following Death of Former KCK Police Detective
UNDATED (KCUR) – The long case of disgraced Kansas City, Kansas, Police Detective Roger Golubski came to a dramatic end Monday. KCUR reports that Golubski didn’t show up for the start of his federal trial in Topeka and the judge issued a warrant for his arrest. But soon, Golubski’s attorneys were back in court to say he was dead. Golubski shot himself on the back porch of his home in Edwardsville at 9 this morning. Neighbor Mark Wilson told KCUR he’s convinced the former cop was guilty of horrible crimes, and that his suicide comes as no surprise. "A man like that won’t make it in prison." Wilson says the neighborhood feels a sense of relief at the death.
Prosecutors have now dismissed the case. Golubski was charged with using the power of his badge to violate the civil rights of two women by rape, kidnapping and sexual assault. A statement from the U.S .Department of Justice said it is difficult when a case is unable to be fully and fairly heard in a public trial and determined by a jury. Golubski’s victims now wonder if there will ever be any accountability.
(–Earlier reporting–)
Former KCK Detective Misses Court Date; Reportedly Dead by Suicide
TOPEKA, Kan. (KC Star) – Multiple news outlets, including The Kansas City Star, report that ex-Kansas City, Kansas, police detective Roger Golubski is dead. Golubski failed to appear in federal court in Topeka Monday morning on charges of rape, kidnapping, and sexual assault. Two sources familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Star that the former officer died by suicide. Golubski died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his Edwardsville home, according to a third source familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition their name not be used. (Read more.)
This is a developing story. Please check back later in the day as more details become available.
Trial Begins for Former KCK Detective Accused of Rape and Kidnapping
TOPEKA, Kan. (KC Star /KNS) -The federal trial of former Kansas City, Kansas, Police Detective Roger Golubski is beginning Monday, December 2nd in Topeka. Federal authorities have charged him with rape, kidnapping and sexual assault. The 71-year-old was a KCK officer between 1975 and 2010. Golubski, who is white, is accused of targeting vulnerable Black women and sexually exploiting several women he encountered while on the job.
The Kansas City Star reports that prosecutors have charged him with six felony counts of depriving the civil rights of two women, one of whom was as young as 13 years old when the alleged abuse began. Both women are expected to testify about alleged instances of rape and sexual misconduct by Golubski during the 1990s and early 2000s. He is accused of repeatedly forcing himself on them, in his patrol vehicle or in the case of one in her home, under the threat of death.
Golubski has been on home monitoring since his arrest two years ago. The trial is set to last through January. It will only be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays because Golubski receives dialysis treatment on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
(–Related–)
Group to Continue Push for Accountability Following Golubski Death
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Former Kansas City, Kansas, police detective Roger Golubski was supposed to go to trial Monday on charges of corruption and sexually assaulting women. But after failing to appear in court, he was found dead at his Edwardsville home, an apparent suicide. Dozens of community members and victims’ advocates called for justice outside the U.S. district courthouse in Topeka, where Golubski’s trial was set to begin Monday. “We’ve seen him in courtrooms over and over again on these exoneration cases, and he just...he hasn’t had to pay for this at all,” said Lora McDonald, executive director of the nonprofit MORE2. The group organized the rally outside the courthouse. She says the group will continue to push for accountability in other cases of police misconduct and abuse in the Kansas City area.
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Kansas Fire Marshal: Two Dead in Oswego House Fire
OSWEGO, Kan. Two people have been killed in a house fire in southeast Kansas. On Sunday, the Labette County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the State Fire Marshal to investigate the fatality fire (at 630 Iowa Street) in Oswego. Two Special Agents have been assigned to the case. Investigators say there's nothing suspicious about the fire but the cause remains unknown. The single-family home was occupied by two adult victims who were pulled from the structure by emergency responders. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful and both victims died from their injuries. Identification of the victims is still ongoing, and autopsies are pending. It is unknown if the home had smoke detectors.
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KC Apartment Fire Displaces 16 Adults, 7 Children
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) - A fire at an apartment complex in Kansas City has displaced 16 adults and seven children. WDAF TV reports that the fire broke out Sunday morning at Orchard Apartments (at East 48th Terrace, south of Highway 40). No one was injured. Fire officials are still investigating the cause.
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KBI Investigates Officer-involved Shooting in Shawnee County
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in in Topeka Friday night. The Kansas Highway Patrol initiated a traffic stop near the 2400 block of SE 45th street on a suspected impaired driver. During of standardized field sobriety tests, the driver ran from the scene. A press release from the KBI says that after a short foot chase, an altercation occurred between a trooper and the male subject. The trooper deployed a Taser and pepper spray, then fired his weapon, striking the man. The unidentified subject was transported to a Topeka hospital and is currently listed as being in stable condition. The KBI is conducting an independent investigation into the shooting.
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Layoffs Go Into Effect at Kansas City, Kansas GM Assembly Plant
Kansas City, Kan. (KNS) - About half of the workers at the General Motors assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas, are temporarily out of work as the plant reduces production ahead of a major retooling. About 700 second shift workers have started what they expect to be a year-long layoff. General Motors is overhauling its Fairfax Assembly plant in KCK so it can build electric vehicles there. UAW Local 31 union president Dontay Wilson says the cuts were planned, but not welcome. “There is no version of a layoff that that feels good.” Wilson said. “It damn sure don't feel good right around the holidays.”
About 190 workers will lose their jobs permanently. A total of about 1400 will be temporarily laid off and will continue to draw about 75% of their normal pay until they’re brought back on to build the Chevy Bolt E-V. The pause in production at Fairfax has triggered more than 750 job losses in Riverside, Missouri. Manufacturers clustered there supply parts for the GM plant.
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Kansas Tax Revenue Fails to Meet Expectations in November
UNDATED (KNS) – Kansas tax revenue came in below expectations last month, just weeks after officials updated the estimate to account for tax cuts. The Kansas News Service reports that state budget officials are saying Kansas tax collections were more than 3% short in November, or $25 million. The decrease is largely thanks to lower revenues from individual and corporate income taxes. Revenues from income taxes on individuals have gone up since this time last year, but corporate income tax revenues are down overall. Republican lawmakers are pushing for further tax cuts going into the 2025 legislative session.
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Satte Sales Tax on Kansas Grocery Items Expiring January 1
UNDATED (KNS) – Kansans won’t have to pay state taxes on grocery store food beginning January 1. The Kansas News Service reports that experts say this may reduce health disparities. Samiyah Para-Cremer Moore is a senior analyst for the Kansas Health Institute. She says more research is needed on the positive health impacts of reducing or eliminating sales tax on food. She says current research shows high taxes on food have a negative impact on people, especially if they are low income. “The implementation of these grocery sales taxes are associated with higher rates of food insecurity, changes in where people go to purchase their groceries and how much they purchase and poorer health outcomes,” she explained. Para-Cremer Moore says though the state sales tax will be reduced to 0% next month, some Kansans may still have to pay municipal and county taxes on food.
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Riley County Police Respond to Two Weekend Shootings
MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) - The Riley County Police Department is investigating two shootings reported over the weekend in Manhattan. RCPD officers investigated a shooting on Saturday night in College Heights. Officers found a 23-year-old female with a gunshot wound. WIBW TV reports that the victim was transported to Ascension Via Christi Hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Officers are also investigating a shooting on Claflin Rd. just east of Kansas State University early Sunday morning. Three individuals were found there with gunshot wounds. EMS transported all three to Ascension Via Christi for treatment. RCPD urges anyone with information about either incident to contact the department. Tips can be submitted by calling the RCPD non-emergency line at 785-537-2112 or through Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777.
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Kansas Farmers Facing Uncertainty Due to Trump Tariff Threats
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KNS) -- President-elect Donald Trump is promising to raise tariffs on foreign goods. Kansas farmers say the move could hurt their profits. If Trump follows through on his campaign promises, U.S. companies could end up paying up to 60% extra on products imported from China, and 25% from Canada and Mexico. But a lot of soy, corn and wheat farmers in Kansas rely on those countries to buy their products. Nick Levendofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union, says producers may end up losing foreign business and paying higher prices for farm equipment. “The cost is passed on to the consumer.” Levendofsky says, “...and in this case, the consumer is the farmer.” Republican lawmakers argue tariffs are a way to boost domestic manufacturing and negotiate better trade deals with other countries.
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Staffing Levels Improve at Kansas Prisons
UNDATED (KNS) – Security staffing levels at Kansas prisons have steadily improved in recent years. State officials say better pay is helping retain employees. The Kansas News Service reports that in January 2022, about 470 security positions were vacant at Kansas prisons. That was more than 25% of total officer positions. By July of this year, fewer than 200 positions, or about 11%, were unfilled. State lawmakers have increased base pay each year since 2022. Secretary Jeff Zmuda of the Kansas Department of Corrections says retaining employees also improves performance, adding that he believes “...it takes about two years to kind of get your feet under you get a sense of it kind of start hitting your stride.” Zmuda says the state is now focusing on building experience among newer staff.
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Lawrence Community Shelter Seeks Another $750,000 from The City Commission
LAWRENCE, Kan. – (Lawrence Times) – On Tuesday, Lawrence city commissioners will consider adding more than $750,000 to its 2024 agreement with the Lawrence Community Shelter to construct new Pallet shelters and address maintenance issues in a group of tiny homes behind the community shelter in east Lawrence. The Lawrence Times reports that the shelter has received final approval to construct 24 additional Pallet homes. The new project will operate differently from the Pallet village on North Michigan Street, which is intended to serve guests for multiple months as they transition into permanent housing. At the new Pallet shelter, LCS plans to have two people assigned randomly to each unit for overnight shelter on a night-by-night basis. Pallet shelters get their name from the Washington-based company that produces them, they are not made from pallets. The shelter is also requesting funds for maintenance of Monarch Village, a group of 12 tiny-home units behind the main shelter. It first opened to guests in 2021. The units’ airtightness led to moisture and mold issues and they had to be temporarily closed in April because they weren’t safe for guests. If the city commission approves the proposal at Tuesday’s meeting, the amended agreement will bring the city’s total funding for Lawrence Community Shelter for this year to $3,424,249.
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Missouri State Park Recognized as Protecting Night Skies
UNDATED (KNS) – Thousand Hills State Park is the first state park in Missouri or Kansas to be recognized for protecting night skies. The Kansas News Service reports that at Thousand Hills State Park near Kirksville, Missouri, park workers are almost done replacing white light bulbs with amber ones – and adding shields so the fixtures illuminate the ground and not the sky. Park superintendent Ryan Persinger says this helps birds and other animals. “If lights are too bright outside, it can affect migration, hunting, reproduction – a lot of different aspects of wildlife living outside,” he explained. Dark Sky International named Thousand Hills an Urban Night Sky spot. Efforts to protect night skies are more common in the U.S. Southwest but are gaining some traction in the lower Midwest.
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