Kansas, Missouri AGs Challenge FDA on Abortion Pill
UNDATED (KCUR/KPR) — The attorneys general in Kansas and Missouri are suing the federal Food and Drug Administration to block the agency’s recent approval of a new generic form of an abortion drug. Idaho’s attorney general is also a plaintiff in the suit. The FDA approved a generic form of mifepristone in September. In the suit filed Thursday, the three attorneys general say the FDA’s approval of the drug undermines public safety and state laws. KCUR reports the suit seeks to reinstate pre-2016 safety standards for mifepristone, including prohibiting its distribution through the mail.
==========
Senator Roger Marshall Wants to Replace ACA, Not Extend Subsidies
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas Senator Roger Marshall wants to replace the Affordable Care Act, rather than extend subsidies for plans purchased through the marketplace. The Kansas News Service reports that the credits help more than 200,000 Kansans pay for health insurance, and they are set to expire in December. But Senator Marshall says the system is flawed. He wants to use the federal funds meant for those subsidies as individual health savings accounts instead. “Rather than give that money, or at least not all of it, to the big insurance companies, I want to give it to you, the consumer,” he explained. Experts say that it will not lower insurance premiums, but it could help consumers with out-of-pocket costs. Disagreements over extending the credits were a major reason for the government shutdown.
==========
Kansas, Missouri Swapping Voter Information
UNDATED (Kansas Reflector) — The secretaries of state in Kansas and Missouri will share each state’s voter information. That includes personal information on 1.8 million voters in Kansas and more than four million in Missouri. The secretaries of state, both Republicans, say the information exchange will help them identify voters who are registered in both states. They say the information will be shared “securely.” The Kansas Reflector reports election watchdogs doubt the effectiveness of such interstate voter roll swaps.
==========
End to Federal Shutdown Hasn't Eased Demand for Food Assistance
UNDATED (KCUR) — The demand for food assistance in Kansas and Missouri hasn’t subsided after the federal government shutdown ended last week (Nov. 13). The food bank Harvesters says requests for food assistance doubled for some of their agencies during the shutdown, and food is going out to pantries as fast as it's coming onto their shelves. Valerie Nicholson-Watson is Harvesters’ interim president and CEO. She says families were already stretched thin financially before the shutdown began. "Now they also have to start preparing for colder weather, higher utility bills, the cost of food, as we all know, has been rising. So that is a continuous stressor," she added. Staff say cash donations go further for the food bank, but canned goods are helpful to address immediate needs during supply chain delays.
==========
Rides from Kansas City Airport to 2 Johnson County Spots Will Be Free During 2026 World Cup
UNDATED (KCUR) — Travelers can ride for free from Kansas City’s airport to two Johnson County locations during next year’s World Cup. KCUR reports that Lenexa and Overland Park will contribute two hundred thousand dollars each to a new bus line connecting MCI to the Lenexa City Center and Overland Park Convention Center. That funding adds to a two million dollar grant Johnson County received for the drop-and-ride pilot program. The service could stick around if there’s still demand after the World Cup. Mike Nolan is Lenexa’s assistant city manager. "This is really to test whether or not something like this is going to have demand and have use on an ongoing basis," he added. In Kansas City, World Cup planners previously announced they leased 200 buses to expand public transit metro-wide during the tournament.
==========
FBI Seeks Topeka KFC Robber, Offers Reward
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — The FBI is offering a $3,000 reward for information about the robbery of a Topeka fast food restaurant. WIBW-TV reports the reward is being offered for information about the August 19 robbery at the KFC at 3920 SW 21st Street. The FBI says the suspect was armed with a handgun and demanded money from the employees. The subject fled the scene on foot and to the north. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI’s Kansas City office.
==========
Kansans Warned of Misleading “Economic Relief” Mailer
UNDATED (KMBC) — If you get a piece of mail promising “economic relief for affected Kansas families,” it’s not a check from the government, it’s an ad for an unsecured loan. Consumer advocates are warning Kanans to be on the lookout for such a letter and others like it that seem to be offering government aid. KMBC reports one letter looks like a government-issued check, including the fine print and a reference to the United States Code. Kansas Legal Services says that’s just meant to dupe recipients into believing the letter is urgent and legitimate. Their advice when it comes to mailers like this: “Be cautious and be suspicious.”
==========
Shelter in Place Lifted in New Century, Gardner after Fire
NEW CENTURY, Kan. (KPR) — A shelter-in-place order for residents of New Century and Gardner, Kansas, has been lifted. The order was put in place Thursday afternoon when a fire was reported in New Century in a commercial building where hazardous materials were stored. The order was lifted Thursday night at 9:15. Fire officials say the order was simply precautionary. No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
==========
Dozens of Animals Rescued from Tonganoxie Home
TONGANOXIE, Kan. (KPR) — Dozens of animals in poor health have been rescued from the home of a Tonganoxie woman who was ordered to surrender them months ago. The Leavenworth County Humane Society announced the rescues on Thursday. The woman who kept the animals, Amanda Fleer, 42, first came to the attention of animal welfare authorities in April 2024. Fleer is already on probation for pleading no contest to animal cruelty charges earlier this year. She was prohibited from keeping animals, but this month, animal control officers seized at least 18 dogs from her home, as well as many reptiles and birds. Many of the dogs were covered in fleas. Fleer now faces additional charges.
==========
Sen. Moran Warns Shutdown Could Still Affect Thanksgiving Air Travel
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KNS) — Republican senator Jerry Moran of Kansas says the recently concluded government shutdown could still impact Thanksgiving air travel. Moran recently held a hearing to discuss the effect of the 43-day shutdown on the country’s aviation system. Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest travel period of the year, and officials expect 31 million people to fly. "While we anticipate the airlines will be fully, or nearly fully, recovered,” Moran said, “lingering strain and fatigue on the system perhaps is to be expected."
Moran says he would like to see Congress approve legislation he introduced in March. It would allow the Federal Aviation Administration to access funds during a shutdown in order to pay air traffic controllers and maintain operations. Moran says the U.S. Travel Association estimated losses of about $6 billion dollars during the shutdown because people were concerned about flying.
==========
Small Business Owners Reporting Lower Confidence Levels for Holiday Season
(UNDATED (HPM) — Business owners with fewer than three full-time employees reported lower confidence levels for this year’s holiday season, according to a Main Street America national survey. Harvest Public Media reports that tariffs, inflation and a downturn in consumer spending were big factors for many of the survey respondents. Melissa Fabian, owner of Simply Nourished Market & Mercantile in Mason City, Iowa, says she’s seen a drop in revenue this year with less foot traffic. Small Business Saturday after Thanksgiving is typically her biggest day of the year. “Believe me, we appreciate it, and we need people there to do that. But we really need the people there to come every week. People can't shop one day a year with us and be surprised six months later that we're gone,” she cautioned. Fabian says supporting small businesses circulates dollars locally and helps downtowns thrive.
==========
Kansas Board of Regents Moves Toward Changing Tenure Rules
TOPEKA, Kan. (LJW) — The Kansas Board of Regents has taken another step toward tightening the rules on faculty tenure. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the issue was discussed at Wednesday’s board meeting. New rules under consideration would require tenured faculty to undergo a comprehensive review every five years instead of the current seven. Two consecutive unsatisfactory reviews could lead to dismissal. The Board of Regents is expected to vote on the new rules at its next meeting in December.
==========
Federal Judge Rules for Restaurant Owner in Salina Mural Dispute
UNDATED (KNS) — A federal judge says the city of Salina violated the First Amendment by blocking a local burger joint from painting a UFO-themed mural. The Kansas News Service reports that the planned artwork at the Cozy Inn would show aliens shooting ketchup and mustard out of flying saucers shaped like hamburgers. An artist started the mural in 2023. But the city told him to stop, arguing the mural would violate city codes around advertising signs. A judge this week said that regulation violated the restaurant owner’s right to free expression. Sam MacRoberts with the Kansas Justice Institute represented Cozy Inn. “This case is important because it means that cities across the state of Kansas can't pick and choose which murals stay and which murals go based on the content of the painting,” he explained. The city of Salina says it is working with attorneys to determine what the ruling means for local laws and possible next steps.
==========
Families Sue to Temporarily Block Kansas Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Young People
UNDATED (KNS) — The families of two transgender teens in Kansas are suing to temporarily block a ban on gender-affirming care for young people. The Kansas News Service reports that the lawsuit started in a Lawrence court Wednesday. Blocking the law would allow young Kansans to resume hormone therapies and other treatments that will soon be prohibited. Harper Seldin is an attorney from the American Civil Liberties Union representing the families. He says the law passed in February is discriminatory and violates rights to bodily autonomy. “We trust parents and their adolescent children to, with their doctors, come to the decision that makes sense for them and their families,” he argued. Attorneys for the state of Kansas argue the state has a legitimate interest in keeping children from making irreversible medical decisions. (Read more.)
==========
Regional Food Banks Brace for Holiday Demand
UNDATED (HPM) — Funding for food assistance has returned with the end of the federal shutdown. Harvest Public Media reports that food banks and pantries across the central U.S. say they’re expecting continued demand through the holiday season. Beth Corbett, with the Central Texas Food Bank, says a lot more people turned to food resources this month, explaining that “...we're seeing at minimum, really in these last couple of weeks, a 50% increase in folks accessing our distributions. Some sites we've seen up to a 300% increase.” Corbett says people took on additional debt or tapped into their savings during the shutdown November and December are always times of increased need, and she expects this year will be even higher.
The Urban Mission in Oklahoma City says it experienced record demand during the federal shutdown. Program director Alex Jackson says extra donations helped the organization get food to more families, and she projects that the coming holidays will also step up demand. “I would expect even because of the holiday season, we're still going to be busy. So I think we'll meet capacity today. I bet we meet capacity for the rest of the year,” she added. Jackson says she’s seen demand increase every year since she started working for the mission more than a decade ago. She says the federal shutdown brought more attention to food insecurity, and she hopes people continue to donate and volunteer. (Read more.)
==========
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).