Northern and Northeast Kansas Brace for Another Blizzard
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Lawrence, Topeka, Manhattan and Kansas City are bracing for a blizzard Tuesday night. Meteorologist Sarah Teefey, a forecaster for the National Weather Service, says a Blizzard Warning takes effect at 8 pm for Manhattan, Topeka, Lawrence and the Kansas City Metro. "We have a lot going on with this storm system. Looks like rain and some more thunderstorms will fill in on the radar as we go through the day. Then, this evening, is when things get really interesting, as the rain changes over to all snow," she said. Teefey says about 1-3 inches of snow are expected.
Strong northwest winds will gust up to 60 or 65 miles-per-hour, reducing visibility and possibly knocking down trees and power lines, which could lead to power outages.
A High Wind Warning will be in effect for the KPR listening area from noon Tuesday through noon Wednesday.
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Evergy Takes Steps to Mitigate Risk of Weather-Related Power Outages
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – The National Weather Service is forecasting winds up to 70 miles per hour in Kansas Tuesday night and Wednesday. KCUR reports that energy utility company Evergy says it’s taking steps to mitigate the risk of power outages. Evergy spokesperson Courtney Lewis said that while this season’s winter storms haven’t led to any mass outages yet, the company has its own crews and contract workers at the ready. She said Evergy has been working on modernizing and upgrading their equipment in general, explaining that "...we replace transmission poles that are generally wood with steel poles whenever possible. Steel poles are more resilient to weather like wind, ice, et cetera, than wood ones were." In the case of a temporary outage, Lewis suggested putting together an emergency kit with non-perishable food, water, and flashlights.
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KU Study Shows Wide Variation in Costs of Cancer Screenings Across Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) – A University of Kansas study found costs for cancer screenings in Kansas vary based on where you live. Nicole Freund, a professor at the KU School of Medicine in Wichita, co-authored the study. She told the Kansas News Service that researchers analyzed costs at 124 hospitals across the state. They found urban Kansans pay more for lung cancer screenings, whereas rural Kansans pay more for mammograms and colonoscopies. But Freund says costs also vary from hospital to hospital in the same region. “So wide swings in cost can really deter people from doing that preventative care. Which ultimately ends up costing more down the road,” she explained. Freund says lawmakers should consider policy changes so all Kansans can access preventive care regardless of their insurance status or where they live.
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February Tax Receipts in KS Surpass Estimate by $121.9 Million
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Total Kansas tax collections in February came in $122 million above the estimate. Tax collections are up more than 5% from February of last year. All told, Kansas collected $548 million in tax revenue last month.
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Kansas Legislature Considers Bill Allowing Taxpayers to Deduct Gambling Losses
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – State lawmakers are considering a bill that would let Kansans claim certain gambling losses on their taxes. The Kansas News Service reports that under current law, Kansans have to pay state income tax on earnings from gambling, but are not allowed to deduct losses. The bill would let Kansas taxpayers deduct their losses before paying on earnings from sports betting, lottery tickets or casinos. That’s already law at the federal level. Jason Watkins, a lobbyist for Golden Circle near Wichita, argued that “...the majority of states that have legalized wagering of some form allow you to deduct against your winnings.” Critics of the bill say the state should not cover people’s losses. The bill would cost Kansas nearly $16 million per year. That’s more than the state’s total revenue from sports betting last fiscal year.
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Kansas Senator Jerry Moran Continues to Support Ukraine
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – Kansas Republican U.S. Senator Jerry Moran remains steadfast in his support of Ukraine despite an explosive meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday that reshuffled Congressional support for the country. KMUW reports that Senator Moran said in a visit to Wichita that difficult times demand strength from the United States. He says his view of Ukraine remains unchanged despite a fiery head to head between Trump and Zelenskyy. “In my view, the world is a safer place, and most particularly, the United States is safer whenever we are aligned with our allies and we're in a continued effort to push the Russians and Putin out of Ukraine,” Moran said. Moran says the current moment requires the U.S. to be sure of its ability to defend itself and its allies. His statement comes in contrast to fellow Kansas Republican U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, who said the U.S. should end financial support to the nation.
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Kansas Legislature Considering Child Tax Credit
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas lawmakers are considering a child tax credit for parents of children five years old and younger. The Kansas News Service reports that the bill has bipartisan support. The Kansas birth rate is declining. Republican Senator Chase Blasi and Democratic Senator Dinah Sykes say that could be due to the high cost of childcare. Their bill would give parents — depending on income — a tax credit of up to $600 for every dependent child five and under. Nathan Kessler with Kansas Action for Children says a child tax credit is one of the most effective ways to lift children out of poverty. “This one policy can simultaneously feed hungry children, stimulate economic activity and better align our tax code with the interests of the working class and our state’s family values,” Kessler said in a hearing. Nobody opposed the bill. It’s projected to cost about $51 million in reduced tax revenue in its first year.
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Missouri Legislator Optimistic About Chiefs and Royals Staying in Show Me State
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – Jackson County, Missouri, Legislator Sean Smith feels optimistic the Royals and Chiefs will stay in his state, rather than move to Kansas. KCUR reports that Smith met with Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe last week about the issue. Smith believes part of the reason voters rejected the 3⁄8th-cent sales tax extension that would have helped the Royals and Chiefs pay for their stadiums was because residents couldn’t trust the county after botched property tax increases. He says if the state legislature makes the county assessor an elected position and protects taxpayers from large increases, then voters may support giving money to the teams. He framed the issues as a question for the voters, which is essentially "...we've now given you permanent protection from that ever happening again. Will you now offer us your trust in whatever contribution we need to make, in order to make sure that we preserve our teams at the Jackson County Sports Complex?" Smith says the governor seems on board with the property tax changes.
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Kansas City Planned Parenthood Clinic Now Accepting Appointments for Surgical Procedures
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – The Kansas City, Missouri, Planned Parenthood clinic is now accepting appointments for surgical abortions. KCUR reports that medication abortions are still on hold there, but they are available in Kansas. Clinics in Kansas City and Columbia are offering surgical abortions for the first time since the procedure was banned in 2022. That’s after a judge temporarily blocked a final regulation abortion providers say was preventing the procedure. But even though Missouri voters enshrined the right to an abortion in the state constitution last November medication abortions are still on hold. That’s because the state has not yet approved Planned Parenthood’s medication abortion complication plan. There’s no indication of how long the state may take to review the plan. Until then, people in the western part of the state can continue to access medication abortions in Kansas.
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Western Kansas Police Arrest Juvenile Suspected in Wisconsin Double Homicide
WAKEENEY, Kan. (CBS) — A police officer in western Kansas pulled over a vehicle suspected of running a stop sign and ended up arresting a juvenile believed to be connected to a double homicide in Wisconsin. CBS News reports that the juvenile was taken into custody Saturday in WaKeeney, in Trego County, because his vehicle was reportedly stolen. That juvenile is now awaiting extradition to Wisconsin.
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Haskell Women's Basketball to Play in NAIA National Tournament
UNDATED (KPR) – The women’s basketball team at Haskell Indian Nations University is bound for the NAIA national tournament, under a coach who was fired as part of cutbacks at the federally-funded institution. Adam Strom, who was informed on Valentine’s Day that his services were no longer needed, decided to continue coaching the women’s team at Haskell without pay. Now Haskell, with a 13-13 record, has qualified for the NAIA national tournament and will learn its opponent on Thursday. Haskell, which was seeded at No. 2 in its conference tournament, defeated top-seeded Northern New Mexico on Sunday, 57-52, to win the automatic bid that comes with winning the tournament. The 48-year old Strom is in his fourth season coaching at Haskell. He’s among the approximately one-quarter of the total work force at Haskell that was informed they were fired as part of the Trump administration plan to reduce the federal work force.
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