Leavenworth Considers Reopening Former Private Prison as ICE Detention Center
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KCUR) — City leaders in Leavenworth appear open to allowing a private prison company to reopen its facility as an immigration detention center - with some additional oversight. Commissioners haven’t yet approved a permit for the company, CoreCivic. They heard testimony Tuesday and amended the permit. It would now require a community task force to oversee conditions at the facility. Protesting outside city hall, Leavenworth resident Darley Kasper said she opposes the facility reopening. "People are very against it. And if they're not super against it, they do not approve of the treatment of what's been happening with ICE across the states," she said. The city commission could make a final decision on the permit application as soon as March 10th. (Read more.)
==========
Developing Story: KCK Community College Places President on Administrative Leave
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KSHB) — The Kansas City, Kansas, Community College Board of Trustees has placed the school president on administrative leave. The board met in a special session Tuesday night and voted unanimously to put President Dr. Greg Mosier on paid administrative leave. KSHB TV reports that Executive Vice President Dr. Scott Balog will now serve as acting president. No reason was given for the vote. College officials say no additional details will be released at this time, citing the matter as a personnel issue.
==========
Manhattan Man Arrested in Connection with January Officer-Involved Shooting
POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY, Kan. (KPR) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Manhattan man in connection with his role in an officer-involved shooting. The shooting happened on January 3 in Manhattan, Kansas.
According to a KBI press release, KBI agents and officers from the KU Medical Center Department of Public Safety arrested 38-year-old Brian J. Lovgren on Wednesday. Lovgren was wanted on a warrant for two counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer. He was booked into the Wyandotte County Detention Center after being released from KU Medical Center, where he was being treated for his injuries.
The investigation into the January shooting is ongoing. The Pottawatomie County Attorney is expected to prosecute the case.
==========
Kansas Court of Appeals Hears Case Challenging Fusion Voting Ban
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Court of Appeals justices heard arguments Tuesday in a challenge to the state’s ban on fusion voting. That’s a system that lets candidates run under more than one party label. Kansas law says candidates who receive nominations from more than one political party must choose just one before appearing on the ballot. Fusion voting allows candidates to appear under multiple party lines. That's a practice still used in a handful of states, but not in Kansas. The third party United Kansas Party argues the state’s ban violates constitutional protections for free speech, political association and equal protection. Opponents of fusion voting say it could confuse voters. But Ori Lev, an attorney for the party, disagrees. “The states that allow it provide us very relevant...the most relevant data points. Is there any evidence of voter confusion there? I'm not aware of it,” Lev says. The court will issue a written decision at a later date.
==========
Kansas House Passes Series of Bills Changing Voting Laws
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR/KCUR) — Kansas lawmakers could change the way people vote in elections with a series of bills targeting advanced and noncitizen voting. The Kansas House passed a series of bills this month that would change election processes in the state. One of the bills would give people less time to advance vote, before elections. Another cracks down on noncitizen voting - which a 2017 study says is exceedingly rare. One bill would eliminate elections exclusively conducted by mail. House Elections Committee chair, Representative Pat Proctor, is behind many of these changes. Proctor said laws that make it easier to register to vote have turned Kansas into a “welfare voter state.” The bills go to the Kansas Senate next.
==========
Kansas Lawmakers Consider Bill Allowing Flexible Rent Payments
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas lawmakers discussed a plan this week that would allow renters the chance to make multiple payments to their landlords, as long as they pay on time. The bill, introduced by four Republican lawmakers, would give tenants a chance to split up their rent payments instead of having to pay their rent all at once. The partial payments would still need to be paid before the due date. Republican Rep. Leah Warren says the bill gives renters the same partial payment rights that homeowners already have. “I don't see why a renter should not have that individual liberty to do that, have that and have that flexibility also,” Warren argued. The proposal allows nontraditional income sources like Social Security, child support and disability payments to be considered on rental applications. Opponents worry that multiple payments could cause bookkeeping confusion for landlords. Lawmakers expect to make some changes to address those concerns.
==========
Kansas Bill Would Limit At-School Screen Time
UNDATED (KNS) — A bill introduced in Kansas would limit how much time students can use school-owned, digital devices each day. The Kansas News Service reports that students in kindergarten through fifth grade would not be allowed to use any digital devices in the classroom. Instruction and tests would have to be print-based or hands-on. Students in sixth through eighth grade would be limited to one hour of device use per day. High school students would get an hour-and-a-half. The bill is part of a recent push to reconsider how screen time affects developing minds. It comes as the state also considers a ban on student cell phones. Most districts would have to spend more on textbooks and printed materials. Also, Kansas students take state assessments on computers. The bill is set to get a hearing next week.
==========
Kansas Marijuana Debate: Tax Revenue vs. Crime Concerns
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) — The debate over legalizing marijuana in Kansas comes down to a contest pitting tax revenue against crime concerns. On Tuesday, Democrats in the Kansas House discussed separate bills to legalize recreational and medical marijuana use, citing a recent Kansas Speaks survey showing 70% of Kansans support medical legalization and 60% support recreational use.
Supporters say the legislation would generate revenue for affordable housing, childcare and property tax relief. Opponents say legalization would worsen the state’s mental health crisis and increase crime. WIBW TV reports that the bills were referred to the House Federal and State Affairs Committee. No hearing has been scheduled. Supporters said they do not expect the bills to advance this session but said they intend to continue raising the issue.
Democrats say legalizing weed could generate $1 billion and Representative Heather Meyer, of Overland Park, said Kansans are already crossing state lines to access cannabis.
Katie Patterson, a representative for Stand Up for Kansas who spent more than 18 years with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, opposes the bills. She says crime has increased in states where marijuana has been legalized in some form.
==========
More than 200 Workers Lose Manufacturing Jobs in Emporia and Edgerton
EDGERTON, Kan. (WDAF) — More than 200 workers have been laid off after the sale of a Kansas manufacturing plant fell through. WDAF TV reports that Hopkins Manufacturing, a global automotive parts company, filed notices with the state of Kansas this week alerting officials to the mass layoffs. The company has now closed two of its facilities in Emporia and Edgerton. As a result, hundreds of workers have lost their jobs, including 130 in Emporia and 81 at the facility in Edgerton.
Hopkins Manufacturing has faced financial trouble in the past few months. The company has been negotiating with various buyers but the latest deal fell through. News of the closure comes less than a month after the parent company of Hopkins Manufacturing, First Brands Group, LLC, made headlines in connection with a federal indictment for a multi-billion-dollar fraud scheme.
==========
EPA: Spill in Kansas River Involved Nearly 34,000 Gallons of Oil-Water Mixture
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Environmental Protection Agency is ordering an oil company to clean up a spill in the Chikaskia River in south-central Kansas. This week, the EPA issued an order to Houston-based Atlas Operating LLC - telling the company to stop the flow of oil and clean up the spill. KSNW TV reports that the spill happened February 15 at a system of oil tanks south of Spivey, in Kingman County. The EPA said 33,600 gallons of a mixture of brine production water and crude oil leaked into an unnamed tributary of the Chikaskia and into the river itself. The EPA wants the cleanup to be completed by March 13.
==========
Kansas City Star Journalist Trapped in Mexico Amid Violence
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) — A Kansas City Star journalist is stuck in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, following a wave of cartel violence triggered by the death of a powerful drug lord. Sports columnist Vahe Gregorian is struggling to get back home amid the chaos set off by the killing of Mexican cartel leader El Mencho. Retaliatory cartel violence over the weekend caused unrest in the city and halted travel for locals and tourists alike. Gregorian told KCUR that seeing the chaos firsthand felt like an out of body experience. “What was a little eerie out there was doing a 360 looking around at the sky and seeing probably dozens of clouds of smoke from fire,” he added. Gregorian and his wife are sheltering at their hotel until their rescheduled flights on Friday.
==========
Kansas Silent Film Festival in Topeka Features Buster Keaton Movies
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — The 29th annual Kansas Silent Film Festival gets underway Friday and Saturday in Topeka. All film screenings will take place at Washburn University's White Concert Hall and admission is free. This year's festival will focus on the films of Kansas-born Buster Keaton.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the debut of Keaton's classic silent film "The General," which will be the final feature shown. The festival, which has traditionally been held the last weekend of February, presents classic silent films with live accompaniment provided by locally and nationally recognized musicians. Buster Keaton's granddaughter, Melissa Talmadge Cox, will be a guest speaker at an optional dinner. (Read more.)
==========
Naturopathic Doctors Seek Prescription Authority in Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas naturopathic doctors are pushing for the ability to prescribe medications, but a bill to do that has slowed in the Statehouse. The Kansas News service reports that naturopathic doctors typically focus on holistic healing methods like lifestyle changes and acupuncture. But Kansas naturopaths want the ability to prescribe certain drugs, including antibiotics. A bill to do that stalled on a tie vote last week. The Kansas Medical Society opposes the change. Executive Director Rachelle Colombo says they don’t think naturopathic doctors have enough training to prescribe drugs. “They are trained in homeopathic and natural remedies. But not in invasive interventional medicine. So, really really different,” Colombo cautioned. Advocates for the bill say naturopathic doctors have similar training levels for prescribing drugs as medical doctors.
==========
New Kansas Bicycle Path Maps Now Available
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — For those who enjoying bicycling, the Kansas Department of Transportation has just released the latest official State Bicycle Map of Kansas. Transportation officials say this edition offers a variety of information to help bikers plan short trips or long rides all across the state. State bicycle maps and educational flyers with bicycle safety tips are free and can be ordered on KDOT’s website. Rail-Trails and the U.S. Bicycle Route System maps are included in the new edition.
The map features color-coded highways to help riders distinguish traffic levels and varying route widths to show where shoulders are paved and wider than 3 feet. For those wanting to avoid highways, county roads are also shown using the same color coding for traffic ranges and denote whether they are paved or unpaved.
Additional features include:
Rest areas and bike shops
State parks and scenic byways
Hospitals with 24-hour emergency care
Past Biking Across Kansas routes
==========
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).