Abortion Clinic Sues Kansas to Help Meet Demand
WICHITA, Kan. (TCJ) — A Wichita abortion clinic is suing the state of Kansas to overturn a law that prohibits some health-care providers from prescribing abortion pills. The law bans advanced practice registered nurses, or APRNs, from prescribing the pills. APRNs are registered nurses who have completed advanced education, typically at the master's or doctoral level. The clinic, Aria Medical, says demand for abortion care is so high that it “struggles to find enough doctors to cover appointments." The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the defendants in the suit, including the Kansas State Board of Nursing and Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, have moved to have the case dismissed.
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Amazon to Start Drone Deliveries in KC Metro Area
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) — Amazon says it will soon begin delivering some packages in the Kansas City area by drone. Company officials demonstrated the service, dubbed Amazon Prime Air, on Wednesday. The drone weighs 80 pounds and can travel up to 70 miles an hour. Amazon says the new service can deliver items to customers in 60 minutes or less. KCTV reports the drones will operate out of two fulfillment centers, one in Kansas City, Missouri, the other in Kansas City, Kansas. The new delivery service will initially be available only to customers living within seven-and-a-half miles of one of the fulfillment centers.
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Mega-Wealthy Donor Gives KU Athletics $300 Million
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — The University of Kansas announced Wednesday that an alum is giving the school’s athletic department $300 million, one of the largest donations in the history of college athletics. The donor, David G. Booth, is a 78-year-old Lawrence native who founded Dimensional Fund Advisors, a global investment firm that manages more than $800 billion in assets. His $300 million dollar gift will help pay for the next phase of renovations on the school’s football stadium, which is already named after him. KU says the rest of the money will “generate a stream of income that will strengthen Kansas Athletics across generations.” The announcement comes as the KU football team prepares for its season opener on August 23.
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Lawrence City Commission OKs Tax Incentives for KU's Gateway District
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LT) — Lawrence city commissioners voted on Tuesday to approve tax incentives of more than $94 million for the University of Kansas to develop the Gateway District. The Gateway Project’s first phase included partial renovation of the KU football stadium and construction of a conference center. The Lawrence Times reports the next phase will finish the stadium renovation and develop a large “mixed-use district” around the stadium. That district will include an outdoor plaza, hotel, student housing, parking, and retail stores. STAR bonds will make up the majority of the incentive package.
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Washburn U. Approves $10 Million Plan for Athletics
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — Washburn University’s Board of Regents has approved a new $10 million plan to refurbish the school’s athletic facilities. KSNT reports the money will pay for improvements to the football locker room, tennis complex, a new tailgate plaza, and enhanced pedestrian pathways. The school hopes the improvements will attract more recruits. The plan will be funded privately.
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Federal Policy Change to Exclude Many Immigrants from Some Health Services
UNDATED (KNS) — Many immigrants in Kansas will be excluded from certain health services under a new federal policy change. The Kansas News Service reports that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is adding 13 programs to a list of federal public benefits restricted to certain immigrants, like those who are in the country illegally and some who are here lawfully. The now-banned services include community health centers and mental and behavioral health programs. Monica Bennett is the legal director for the ACLU of Kansas. She says the change is meant to create worse living conditions for immigrants in the country. “This is just another way of making it more difficult for immigrants to exist in our society. It’s a way of pressuring people,” she explained. A 2023 national survey showed 30% of immigrant adults use community health centers for health care.
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Dozen People Arrested in Connection with Human Trafficking in KC Metro, Northland
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — A dozen people have been arrested in the Kansas City area in connection with an alleged human trafficking operation. Last week, a coalition of law enforcement agencies in Missouri worked together to curb human trafficking in communities north and east of Kansas City. In a social media post, the Ray County Sheriff’s Office said the operation was designed to combat sex trafficking and support potential victims, especially children who have been enslaved by the commercial sex industry.
WDAF TV reports that seven suspects were arrested for trying to buy sex with a child. Three other suspects were arrested for attempting to buy sex with an adult. Two people were arrested for promoting prostitution. A victim-survivor was recovered and placed into aftercare. Eight potential sex trafficking survivors met with local advocates. Many of them are now receiving advocacy and aftercare support.
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KBI Opens Investigation into Cross-Country Runner's Heat-Related Injury
UNDATED (KCUR/KWCH) — For the first time it appears authorities have opened a criminal investigation into a heat-related injury of a Kansas college athlete. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says it was called to investigate what appears to be a heat-related injury of a Dodge City Community College cross-country runner. KCUR reports that the KBI says the unidentified woman was discovered in a field last Thursday after practice. She was taken to a local hospital and then flown to Wichita where, the statement says, she is in critical condition. The Ford County Sheriff's Office called the KBI in. KWCH in Wichita reports a second student also suffered a heat related medical incident the same day, but he was treated and released. Dodge City Community College has provided little information.
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Some Kansas Parents Seek More Limits on In-School Tech
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Some Kansas parents are pushing for more limits on screen time in schools, and not just with cell phones. State education leaders say they have heard from families and teachers who want schools to shift away from computer screens and back to traditional textbooks and pencil-and-paper learning. Kim Whitman, who has two teenagers in Shawnee Mission schools, urged the Kansas State Board of Education to reduce schools’ dependency on technology when it comes to classroom instruction. “Let us return to research-based, traditional teaching methods that foster growth — not just intellectually, but socially, emotionally and physically,” she said. The Kansas News Service reports that state education leaders are compiling data on how much Kansas school districts spend on technology and how it is used. School board members will get that report this fall.
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Sedgwick County Commissioners May Consider New Sales Tax
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Some Sedgwick County commissioners say the county should consider a new, quarter-cent sales tax in an effort to reduce property taxes. The Kansas News Service reports that the sales tax would fund arts, recreation and cultural services. Republican Commissioner Jim Howell says that means the county could reserve property tax dollars for essential services like EMS. “People are losing their homes over property taxes. It better be really important – when I take someone’s money and they’re losing their home over it, it better be very important,” Howell added. A sales tax would generally have a wider tax base than property taxes, as visitors from outside the county would also contribute. But some groups that get county funding say revenue from a sales tax could fluctuate more than from property taxes. Three other commissioners say they’re open to the idea. Howell says he hopes they’ll put the proposal on the November 2026 ballot.
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