Trump Administration Seeks Dismissal of Mifepristone Lawsuit
UNDATED (KNS) – The Trump administration has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general from Kansas, Missouri and Idaho targeting the abortion pill mifepristone. The Kansas News Service reports that it’s unclear what the administration’s intentions are. Kansas and the other states are requesting that the Food and Drug Administration reinstate much more stringent restrictions on mifepristone, including a ban on telehealth prescriptions. Trump’s Justice Department lawyers now say the lawsuit is flawed and the states lack standing, just as the Biden administration did previously. The move is unexpected, but David Cohen at Drexel University School of Law says Trump could still try to restrict access to medication abortion in the future. “Maybe this is a fight they’re waiting to fight in three months. I really do think we should take care not to read too much into this,” Cohen cautioned. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said on social media that he will continue to demand the FDA reinstate the old restrictions.
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach did not respond to a request for comment.
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KHP Identifies 8 Victims Killed in Fiery Franklin County Crash
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Kan. (KMBC) — The eight people killed Sunday night in a two-vehicle crash in Franklin County have now been identified. The Highway Patrol says a GMC Yukon was carrying members of a youth basketball team and family members returning to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Four people in the Yukon were killed. One person survived. KMBC TV reports that the Yukon was attempting to pass a slower vehicle. It collided with a Subaru head-on, killing all four people onboard. The victims in the Subaru were from Iowa and St. Louis.
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KBI: Son Arrested for Killing Father, Wounding Step-Mother
RUSSELL COUNTY, Kan. (KAKE) — A man in Russell County is accused of fatally shooting his father and wounding his step-mother. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says last week's shooting in Russell claimed the life of 49-year-old Robert Torres and injured 49-year-old Deborah Torres. Shortly after the shooting, 33-year-old Bobby James Torres was taken into custody. He's now charged with murder and attempted murder. The KBI confirmed to KAKE TV that the suspect is the victim's son. The suspect's step-mother is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
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Governor Appeals to Kansas Congressional Delegation to Protect Medicaid Funding
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is asking the state Congressional Delegation to protect residents from potential federal cuts to Medicaid funding. The Kansas News Service reports that proposed changes would likely require steep cuts to the health care program. Under the GOP plan, Kelly says Kansas could lose billions in federal Medicaid funding over the next decade. Kelly, a Democrat, says that would hurt vulnerable Kansans and rural hospitals. Medicaid provides health care to over 400 thousand low-income Kansans. The majority are children. Most Republicans support the budget plan but some, including U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, have warned that it could harm rural communities in states like Kansas. Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Republican, says Kelly is fear-mongering. He says the plan would make the Medicaid program more sustainable.
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Kansas Loses Millions in AmeriCorps Funding
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas recently lost more than $3 million in federal funding through AmeriCorps, a national public service organization. The Kansas News Service reports that the cut in funding is hurting nonprofit groups in the state. The reduction in federal money is part of President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting measures. Kelsey Dachman with the Center For Supportive Communities in Lawrence says her organization will lose 20 AmeriCorps members. Those members help provide mental health services to kids in crisis in Douglas County. “A lot of families will be left without the critical support that they desperately need and rely on. So the ripple effects will definitely be felt across the whole community,” Dachman says. She added that she’s urging the community to donate to organizations like her own to help cover funding shortfalls.
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Pork and Soybean Producers Watching New Tariff Issues Closely
UNDATED (HPM) — A month after the Trump administration announced sweeping tariffs on imports to the U.S., the pork and soybean industries are closely watching how countries respond. Harvest Public Media reports that weekly export sales for U.S. pork recently hit a marketing year low, in part because China cancelled 12,000 metric tons. Iowa State Extension economist Chad Hart says agricultural export sales fluctuate, but aggregate data over the last four months shows countries are buying less U.S. pork. “We've been seeing a fairly downward trend, and I think pork producers have been factoring that in as they're looking at how they're marketing their animals over time,” he explained. Hart emphasizes THAT the tariff impacts vary by industry. The time of year matters, too. He says the majority of soybean export sales have already been made and delivered this marketing year, which ends in August. The US-China trade war could have a much greater impact on the soybean industry if retaliatory tariffs are still in place this fall.
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Wichita's Trust Women Clinic Appoints New President, Board Members
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Trust Women, the Wichita clinic that provides abortions, has appointed a new president and three new board members. The Kansas News Service reports that the new president, Kathryn Boyd, previously led Planned Parenthood in Utah. Three doctors are joining the board. It’s the clinic’s latest leadership change following significant turmoil that temporarily shuttered it last summer. The clinic canceled appointments and closed for two months after its board fired its prior executive directors and many staff resigned in protest. Trust Women is historically the largest abortion provider in Kansas.
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Man Killed in Small Plane Crash in Rural Ellsworth County
ELLSWORTH COUNTY, Kan. (KWCH) — One person was killed after a small plane crash Sunday afternoon, near the town of Wilson in rural Ellsworth County. KWCH TV reports that 77-year-old Ronnie Thompson was flying from Lucas in Russell County back to Wichita. According to a witness, the plane went down for no apparent reason. The National Transportation Safety Board, FAA and Kansas Highway Patrol are investigating.
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99 Victims Identified Through Child Porn Files Found on KC Man's Computer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) — Authorities say they have identified 99 girls as victims of child sex abuse. They identified the girls from thousands of files of child pornography allegedly found on a Kansas City man's computer. KCTV reports that 66-year-old John C. Menard has been charged with possessing child pornography in Platte County, Missouri. Investigators say a forensic review of Menard's computer revealed more than 2,000 files depicting toddlers and young girls.
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Longtime KU Basketball Assistant Retires
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Norm Roberts, the long-time assistant to Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self, has announced his retirement from coaching. Roberts was an assistant at KU for 14 years, including the 2022 national championship season. Roberts was also an assistant under Self at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois before coming to KU. He left to become head coach at St. John’s University before rejoining Self at KU as an assistant.
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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers. Our headlines are generally published by 10 am weekdays and are updated through 7 pm. This ad-free news summary is made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on X (formerly Twitter).