Kansas Senator Limits Attendance at His Public Events
UNDATED (KWCH) — If you want to attend one of Senator Roger Marshall’s town halls, you’ll need an invitation. Citing fears of political violence, the Kansas Republican says his events in Kansas won’t be open to the general public for the time being. KWCH reports Marshall’s events will be limited to “specific locations and individuals, for safety’s sake.” Marshall says the limitations will remain in place “until political tempers die down.” The senator has been criticized in the past for not making himself available to voters. But Marshall insists he’s “got [his] finger on the pulse of Kansans and what they’re thinking.”
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Report: 108,000 Kansas Could Lose Healthcare if Congress Doesn’t Act
UNDATED (Kansas Reflector) — A new report predicts more than 100,000 Kansans who get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace could lose coverage if Congress does not extend tax credits for the program. In the report, the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund and REACH Healthcare Foundation say more than 200,000 Kansans are currently enrolled in the ACA Marketplace.
But if the tax credits end, rates could increase by 77% over the next ten years. As a result, the report says, 108,000 Kansans would lose their coverage. The Kansas Reflector reports Kansas governor Laura Kelly called on Congress Wednesday to extend the tax credits before the next enrollment period begins on November 1. If Congress fails to act, Kelly says the effects would be “disastrous.”
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Police Search for Suspects Who Stole Hard Drive From Salina ATM
SALINA, Kan. (JC Post) — Police are searching for suspects after an ATM machine was tampered with in Salina. Police say the hard drive was removed from the machine at Solomon State Bank on Sunday. The hard drive is valued at $1,500. But the Junction City Post reports the real motive for the theft may have been an attempt at so-called “jackpotting.” That’s when malware is installed on an ATM’s hard drive, forcing the machine to dispense large amounts of cash. It’s believed an ATM at the Exchange Bank in Salina was also tampered with.
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KCK Board of Public Utilities Removes President
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (WDAF) — The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities has voted to remove and censure its president. WDAF reports the BPU board removed and reprimanded David Haley after an ethics investigation. Haley, who is also a Kansas state senator, was accused of using his public office for private gain. The investigation found Haley listed his long-term domestic partner as his wife when he enrolled in the BPU health insurance plan, which was not allowed. But Haley says the BPU human resources office told him it was OK to list his domestic partner as his spouse.
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Topeka Zoo Cheetah Euthanized
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — A cheetah at the Topeka Zoo has been euthanized after it was found the animal was suffering from a broken spine. Animal care staff at the zoo noticed the cheetah named Leopold was limping on September 18. WIBW-TV reports a subsequent CT scan revealed a fractured vertebra, which could not be surgically repaired. Zoo officials say the animal may have been injured when he became “visibly excited” by activity outside his enclosure. Leopold was eight years old.
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Kansas Health Officials Warn of Dangers of Synthetic Drug 7-OH
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is alerting Kansans to the dangers of a product known as 7-OH that is widely sold in smoke shops, gas stations, and convenience stores. 7-OH is an unregulated synthetic drug, a highly potent opioid-like compound. The Health Department says the product is highly addictive, and using it “in combination with alcohol or other sedatives can cause severe respiratory depression, and in some cases, even death.” Health officials say the product can be “extremely harmful, even in small doses,” and urge consumers to avoid all products containing 7-OH.
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Kansas to Give Voter Information to Texas
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — If you’re a registered voter in Kansas, election officials in Texas will be taking a look at your registration information. Kansas secretary of state Scott Schwab says he’s swapping voter info with the Lone Star State to “improve the accuracy of voter registration records.” Schwab is a Republican who is also running for governor. The Kansas Reflector reports Texas has agreements with eight other states besides Kansas to share voter info. The states say they've agreed to share the data while “adhering to strict confidentiality and cybersecurity protocols.”
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Kansas Board of Regents to Study Reduced-Credit College Degrees
UNDATED (KNS) — The Kansas Board of Regents is convening a task force to study the pros and cons of reduced-credit bachelor’s degrees. The Kansas News Service reports that the move comes as Kansas State University is proposing a 90-credit-hour degree in un-crewed aircraft systems, or drones. It would require the Regents to waive a policy mandating 120 credit hours for an undergraduate degree. Regents president Blake Flanders says any reduced-credit program should not erode the value of a traditional bachelor's degree.
"If we're thinking about, 'Well, let's just skinny-down or gut the systemwide general education and get all of our savings out of those credits,' I think this board would believe that would be a huge mistake," he explained.
A growing number of universities are creating three-year degree programs with fewer credit hours to save students time and money, and to get them into the workforce faster.
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Wichita City Council Faces Opposition to Anti-Camping Ordinance
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) — Wichita police and housing officials pushed back against a call by some city council members for stricter enforcement of a ban aimed at reducing homeless encampments. KMUW reports that a request by Mayor Lily Wu for a status report on enforcement of the city’s camping ban came with a clear message from Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. “Enforcement is not the answer to this problem. And we’ve seen around this country, time and time again...too often...tragedies that have occurred because of confrontations between police and unhoused citizens,” he said. Earlier this year, the council updated Wichita’s camping ordinance to allow citations for camping in certain areas. The ordinance doesn’t allow citations for homeless people who are camping when no shelter beds are available. Since April, the department has not issued any citations in the 184 encampment cases it has handled.
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KPR Seeks New Kansas Statehouse Bureau Chief
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Public Radio is seeking a new Statehouse Bureau Chief. This position works primarily at the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka and is primarily responsible for reporting on state government. This includes, but is not limited to, covering the Kansas Legislature, the governor, attorney general, supreme court, the state's congressional delegation and statewide elections. (Click here for more details.)
Best radio and multimedia news job in Kansas? Maybe. Must apply online.
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Frozen Shrimp Sold in Kansas Recalled Due to Possible Contamination
UNDATED (KPR) — Frozen shrimp sold at Dillons supermarkets in Kansas has been recalled for potential contamination. Kansas is one of 31 states where the shrimp was sold in the Kroger chain, which includes Dillons. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said three varieties of shrimp sold at those stores may be contaminated with cesium-137, a radioactive isotope used in industrial equipment. It’s the second recall of frozen shrimp products with elevated levels of the isotope in less than two months. This latest recall affects shrimp sold under the AquaStar and Kroger brands. The FDA says no illnesses have been reported so far.
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