Friends of the Kaw Celebrate Earth Day Early by Cleaning up the Kaw
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - About 160 people gathered along the banks of the Kansas River in Lawrence over the weekend for a major clean-up. Dawn Buehler is the executive director of Friends of the Kaw, said they had one mission in mind: "To clean-up trash and to protect the drinking water source of over 950,000 Kansans." Buehler said they pulled lots of trash from the water and banks of the river - "Everything you can imagine - furniture, plastic bottles, Styrofoam," she added. The Friends of the Kaw hold several clean-ups on the Kansas River every year. The group will host several more clean-ups this year in Manhattan, Topeka and Kansas City. Learn more at KansasRiver.org.
(Listen to KPR's interview with Kansas Riverkeeper Dawn Buehler.)
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Governor Urges Kansans to Get Measles Vaccination
UNDATED (KNS) – Governor Laura Kelly visited Garden City Tuesday amid a measles outbreak, asking people to get vaccinated for the highly contagious disease. This comes after officials warned the public of potential measles exposure at the Clarion Inn hotel in Garden City. State health officials have confirmed 37 measles cases in western Kansas, 30 of which have been in unvaccinated people. Governor Kelly stressed the importance of the vaccine that’s normally given to children. “I can't stress how important it is that this message came out to people all over southwest Kansas, how important it is that we be proactive in our approach,” she said at the event.
Adults who are unvaccinated can also get the measles shot. Health officials are working to spread awareness across the meatpacking plants in southwest Kansas. (Read more.)
(–Earlier reporting–)
Kansas Governor to Discuss Measles Outbreak in Garden City
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (KPR/KNS) - Governor Laura Kelly will join state health officials in Garden City Tuesday afternoon to update residents on the measles outbreak in southwest and south-central Kansas. The state has confirmed 37 cases in eight counties. Most of the cases involve unvaccinated children though seven of the cases involve adults.
Health officials have been warning people about potential measles exposure at a hotel in Garden City. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says people who were at Clarion Inn in Garden City between April 8th and 10th should watch for symptoms of measles for 21 days. But a spokesperson for the hotel says only one employee tested positive for measles. That employee took measures to isolate themselves. The spokesperson says it’s unfair to single out the business in a public alert.
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Kansas Catholics Remember Pope Francis
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Catholics in Kansas are paying tribute to Pope Francis following his death early Monday morning at the age of 88. The Kansas News Service reports that more than a hundred people gathered at the Wichita Cathedral Monday for mass and to pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis. That included Laura Martin, who says she’ll remember the Pope for his gentleness and kindness. “There’s been a lot of political strife and division, and stuff like that. And I think of him as a Pope, specifically, in this time, I just remember he really worked towards unity of people with different beliefs,” she added. She says she hopes the next Pope continues to emphasize that unity. Nearly 1 in 5 Kansans are Catholic, according to Pew Research Center.
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New Law Will Allow Kansans to Purchase Fireworks Year-Round
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – Kansans will soon be able to purchase fireworks year-round. But state fire officials say that could lead to more fires and injuries. Fireworks vendors in Kansas say the measure will help them compete with sellers in nearby states. They say states like Missouri let people buy fireworks for a longer period of time. Kansas Fire Marshal Mark Engholm does not oppose the new law. But he says it will likely increase the workload for firefighters. “The fire service is not really excited about the idea of more fires, more injuries, because that’s the reality,” Engholm said. Some veterans say fireworks can also cause distress in people who have post-traumatic stress disorder. The new law does not change when people can legally use fireworks. That’s still determined by local governments. The law could take effect as soon as this week.
(–Related–)
Fireworks Prices Expected to Rise with New Tariffs
UNDATED (KCUR) – If shooting off fireworks is part of your July Fourth Celebration, you may be looking at a much more expensive holiday. The fireworks industry says that a 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods could double the price of some pyrotechnics. KCUR reports that the president of the National Fireworks Association, Stacy Schneitter Blake says the tariff is already affecting plans for America’s 250th birthday next year. “The stresses of this going into the 250th anniversary, what that might look like, because there are a lot of celebrations that are already planned, and fireworks are going to be a big part of that,” she added. Blake says her family has been in the fireworks business for 130 years and has never seen a tariff problem this big. Kansas lawmakers recently legalized year-round fireworks sales in the state.
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International Dark Sky Week Calls Attention to Light Risks for Wildlife
UNDATED (KNS) – As migratory birds make their way through Kansas and Missouri, residents can help keep them safe. The Kansas News Service reports that this is International Dark Sky Week, a movement encouraging people to turn off their lights at night to protect and appreciate wildlife. DeAnn Gregory is with the Missouri Chapter of DarkSky International. She says a lot of birds migrate at night and they’re attracted to bright lights. “It pulls them into a very dangerous place where as we know, things sometimes do not go very well. They get exhausted,” she explained. Gregory says turning off outdoor lights overnight will help migrating birds stay on course. She says birds migrate through the region until the end of May.
(–Related–)
Group Seeks to Address Bird Fatality Causes in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KNS) - Every year, volunteers find hundreds of dead birds that died after flying into buildings in Kansas City. Bird Safe KC’s latest report shows that volunteers have found nearly 2,000 birds since 2019 that died by crashing into buildings. The total number of birds that die this way in Kansas City is unknown, but scientists put the nationwide estimate at about one billion per year. Reflections in windows can often confuse birds, making them fly into buildings. Tessa Poolman, from the Missouri River Bird Observatory, helps coordinate the project. She says birds support healthy ecosystems. “They’re seed dispersers, they’re pollinators, they keep our insect populations down. Not only that, but they’re just a joy to see, right?," she said. Dozens of volunteers check Kansas City buildings for these collisions, which often involve migrating birds. The goal is to educate property owners. The American Bird Conservancy website lists ways that property owners can prevent these fatalities. One way is to apply a transparent film with dots on it to windows that can help birds better see the windows. However, this can be expensive. (Learn more at BirdSafeKC.org.)
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Fortune 500 Company Fiserv to Bring 2,000 Jobs to Former Sprint Campus in Overland Park
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KPR/KCTV) - A Fortune 500 company is bringing thousands of jobs to the campus of the former Sprint Headquarters in Johnson County. Kansas Governor Kelly joined representatives from Fiserv, Incorporated, Monday to announce plans to open at the current Aspiria Campus in Overland Park. KCTV reports that the financial technology company will bring about 2,000 jobs to the area, averaging about $125,000 in yearly compensation. Fiserv is a company that offers account processing and digital banking solutions. Fiserv expects to open the Kansas office later this year.
(– Additional reporting –)
Financial Tech Firm Seeks to Open New Office in Overland Park
UNDATED (Johnson County Post) – A Fortune 500 company wants to open a new regional office with some 2,000 employees at a prominent site in Overland Park. The Johnson County Post reports that Milwaukee-based Fiserv has settled on Aspiria near 119th and Nall as the site for a new regional hub. The financial technology firm would occupy more than 400,000 square feet of existing office space at what used to be the Sprint World Headquarters. The company promises roughly 2,000 full-time, onsite employees would be based out of the new Overland Park office. To complete the deal, Overland Park officials are discussing a unique incentive arrangement in which Fiserv would get up to a 40% property tax rebate over its first 10 years at the site. The old Sprint campus is now owned by a Wichita-based developer who has designs to remake the area into a vast mixed-use development with housing, restaurants and entertainment venues.
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Insurance Claims for 2024 Kansas Storm Season Total $612 Million
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Insurance claims for last year's storm season in Kansas totaled more than $612 million. Johnson County saw the highest amount while Greeley County, in western Kansas, saw the lowest. Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt released the data last week. Her department collects data from companies writing property and casualty insurance in Kansas. This data includes the number of total claims as well as the amount paid for those claims across several types of storm losses including hail, wind, water damage, and other weather-related claim losses for homeowner and automobile policies.
(For a county by county breakdown of insurance claims, check the Kansas Insurance Department's website.)
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Tariffs Influencing Soybean Acreage Decisions
UNDATED (HPM) – Spring planting is underway in many Midwest states. Harvest Public Media reports that farmers are planning on fewer acres of soybeans this year amid the escalating trade war with China. Federal data shows farmers intend to plant about 4 percent fewer acres of soybeans in the U.S. compared to 2024. Soybean prices heavily depend on exports to China. And the continued exchange of tariffs started by President Donald Trump means the future of that market is uncertain. Wisconsin farmer Pat Mullooly sits on the state's Soybean Marketing Board. He says growers have struggled with the crop's profitability since the first Trump administration's trade war. "The soybean price is just kind of dwindling back on us, and the inputs are up, you know, in the last few years, and it's just hard to pencil in a profit," he explained. Corn — while facing similar issues to soybeans — is less dependent on exports, making it a safer bet during an uncertain year.
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Support Made Available to Shawnee Mission South Students Following Deadly Car Crash
UNDATED (KCUR) – More support was available Tuesday at Shawnee Mission South High School after two students died in a car crash over the weekend. KCUR reports that Itzel Guerra was a senior and Jose Placensia Castañeda was a junior at Shawnee Mission South. They were killed in a head-on collision Saturday night. The Kansas Highway Patrol says neither was wearing a seatbelt. A district spokesperson said additional support staff was at the high school on Tuesday to assist students and employees. The student services team will continue to monitor for support needed throughout the week. Two online fundraisers have been created to help Guerra and Castañeda’s families with funeral expenses.
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Former KU Runner Wins Women's Boston Marathon Title
UNDATED (KCUR) – A former University of Kansas runner won the women's Boston Marathon Monday — and broke a women’s course record in the process. KCUR reports that Sharon Lokedi ran for the Jayhawks from 2015 to 2019, and was named as a First-team All American seven times. This week, Lokedi cruised through Boston’s famous course in less than 2 hours, 17-and-a-half minutes. Lokedi’s Boston victory is her second major World Marathon win. She won the women's New York City Marathon in 2022.
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