UPDATE: Kansas Supreme Court Will Hear Coronavirus Case Saturday
MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court is set to hear arguments Saturday on Gov. Laura Kelly’s lawsuit against legislative leaders who overturned her executive order banning religious services of more than 10 attendees during the coronavirus pandemic. The Democratic governor filed the lawsuit Thursday after a Republican-dominated legislative panel overturned her order. Kelly and the panel generally agree that worshipers should stay home and watch livestreamed religious services during the pandemic, but they disagree on whether the state has the constitutional authority to order it. Kelly pointed to three religious gatherings that led to outbreaks of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Earlier reporting...
Kansas Governor Sues in Dispute over Size of Groups Gathering for Religious Services
MISSION, Kan. (AP) - A dispute continues in Topeka pitting religious freedom against public safety. The state's Democratic governor has filed a lawsuit after a Republican-dominated panel of legislative leaders overturned her executive order banning religious and funeral services of more than 10 attendees during the coronavirus pandemic. Governor Laura Kelly said yesterday (THUR) that "the last thing" she wants to do right now is get involved in a legal dispute, but the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council's ruling on Wednesday left her no choice because lives are potentially on the line. Kelly is asking the Kansas Supreme Court to expedite the case and hopes to have a ruling by Sunday, which is Easter. Easter is traditionally the most-attended church service of the year.
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UPDATE: Inmates Rampage Through Offices, Set Fires at Kansas Prison
LANSING, Kan. (AP) — Prison officials say inmates at a Kansas prison where at least 28 people have been sickened by the coronavirus rampaged through offices, breaking windows and setting small fires for several hours before the facility was secured. The disturbance involving about 20 men began about 3 p.m. Thursday in medium-security cell house C of the Lansing Correctional Facility. Two inmates had minor injuries and were treated at the site. Staff members were able to get out of the building when the disturbance began and no staff was injured. The cell house sustained “quite a bit of damage.”
Earlier reporting...
Lansing Prison Riot Ends, Order Restored After 10 Hours
LANSING, Kan. (AP / KPR) - It's all over in Lansing. A prison riot that erupted inside a medium security cell block has been resolved - about 10 hours after it first began. Around 3 pm Thursday, dozens of inmates at the Lansing Correctional Facility refused to return to their cells. Then they began rampaging through offices, breaking windows and setting small fires inside cell house C. By 1 am today (FRI), a prison official told NBC news that all inmates were secured. No injuries were reported. Staff members escaped the cell house safely after the disturbance first began. It's unclear what started the riot but prison officials are expected to release more information soon.
Inmates Out of Cells, Setting Fires and Destroying Property at Lansing State Prison
LANSING, Kan. (AP) - Some inmates at the state prison in Lansing have been rioting. Officials say prisoners in one cell house at the Lansing Correctional Facility got out of their cells and started destroying property yesterday (THUR) afternoon. A prison spokesman (Randy Bowman) says the riot started around 3 pm when several inmates refused to return to their cells. More than six hours later, some inmates had given up or gone back to their cells... but others continued to ransack offices, breaking windows and starting fires. Staff members escaped the cell house safely. Officials say it's unclear what started the riot. No injuries have been reported. Prison officials continued to monitor the inmates with video and with additional law enforcement officers on-site. We are still waiting on an update this (FRI) morning from the Department of Corrections.
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Kansas Surpassed 1,100 COVID-19 Cases Thursday, Including 42 Deaths
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - As of 11 am Thursday, Kansas health officials reported 1,106 cases of COVID-19 from 57 counties, including 42 deaths. Find more updates here.
- KPR's Coronavirus Information and Resources Guide
- What Kansans Need to Know About COVID-19 and Coronavirus, from the Kansas News Service
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Kansas Senator Jerry Moran Announces $325 Million for Kansas Hospitals and Health Care Providers
WASHINGTON (KPR) – Kansas Senator Jerry Moran has announced $325 million in relief funding for Kansas health care providers and hospitals. The information was confirmed to Moran by Vice President Mike Pence this (FRI) morning. The funding, which will support hospitals fighting COVID-19 on the frontlines, is part of the $100 billion provider relief fund established in Phase III of the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security). The funds are being administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). “As hospitals are seeing significant revenue losses and others see their costs go up because of COVID-19, these new resources will be a necessary benefit not just to our hospitals, but to the communities and patients they serve," said Moran. "In the fight against COVID-19, these new resources will put our health care providers in a better position to keep us healthy and meet the needs of Kansans.”
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CARES Act Provides More than $49 Million for Universities in Kansas
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Kansas Senator Pat Roberts has announced that the U.S. Department of Education will award more than $49 million to the state's six, four-year public universities. The money comes from the Higher Education Relief Fund established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities Act or "CARES" Act. Roberts says the grants will provide crucial emergency relief. The University of Kansas will get about $15 million. K-State will get $13.3 million. Emporia State will collect about $3.7 million and more than $9 million is going to Wichita State. Universities will use the federal funds for technology, course material, housing, food and healthcare expenses. Wichita State University says about half of the money it's receiving will be allocated as emergency financial aid grants to students.
Breakdown of grant allocations for Kansas' six public universities:
• University of Kansas - $15,090,000
• Kansas State University - $13,308,000
• Wichita State University - $9,033,000
• Pittsburg State University - $5,716,000
• Emporia State University - $3,700,000
• Fort Hays State University - $2,585,000
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ACLU Seeks Release of Kansas Inmates Vulnerable to COVID-19
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas has asked the Kansas Supreme Court to immediately release prisoners who have preexisting medical conditions that make them vulnerable to the new coronavirus. The civil liberties group on Thursday filed a class action petition on behalf of seven inmates at Lansing Correctional Facility, the Ellsworth Correctional Facility and the Topeka Correctional Facility. They are seeking an expedited hearing before the state’s highest court. The Kansas Department of Corrections says inmates and staff are especially at risk of infection and that officials have taken steps to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in corrections facilities. ( Read more about this story.)
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Union Seeks Reclassification of Meatpacking Plant Workers
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (HPPR / KNS) - Cases of the new coronavirus are showing up in rural Kansas counties with meatpacking plants. A union wants workers inside those plants classified as first responders. Last week, the United Food and Commercial Workers District Union Local Two sent Kansas Governor Laura Kelly a letter requesting that workers be designated as such. The union said doing so would allow grocery store, pharmacy and meatpacking plant employees access to state-funded child care while schools are closed. A National Beef worker in Dodge City has tested positive for COVID-19. And meatpacking plants in nearby states like Colorado and Iowa have cases, too. Tyson spokeswoman Liz Croston says workers have tested positive for COVID-19, but would not specify whether any were at the Garden City plant.
(-Related-)
COVID-19 Case Detected at Dodge City Packing Plant
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (HPPR / KNS) - At least one case of the coronavirus has been identified at the National Beef plant in Dodge City. But the meatpacker isn’t shutting down. A few meatpacking plants around the country, including plants in Iowa and Colorado, are seeing workers come down with COVID-19. National Beef said this week a worker had tested positive, but hadn’t been at work since last week. People may not show symptoms for up to 2 weeks after being exposed. Keith Welty with National Beef says workers who came into contact with the positive case have been notified and will have to quarantine. He also says National Beef began checking the temperatures of workers at its Dodge City and Liberal plants this week. The company has raised worker pay by $2 an hour and will pay people who are quarantined for up to two weeks. Both plants are still running normally.
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Spike in Law Enforcement Impersonations Reported in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating a spike in people impersonating law enforcement officers in Kansas. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said in a news release Friday that it has identified about 10 reports of suspected law enforcement impersonations in the past several weeks in multiple counties. There have no reports of injuries or thefts. The KBI says that the impersonator often questions whether the driver’s travel is “essential,” or asks for workplace documentation. The Kansas stay-at-home order doesn’t require people to carry or a letter, identification card, or other paper proving they are allowed to leave their home.
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Kansas Suspends Sales of Nonresident Turkey Hunting Permits
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has suspended sales of general nonresident turkey permits to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Gov. Laura Kelly says in a news release that while turkey hunting is largely a solitary activity, the potential for inadvertent spread of COVID-19 due to travel associated with nonresident participation is "something we simply cannot risk.” This was initially not an issue because nonresident permit sales were lagging behind last year, when 14,700 nonresident spring turkey permits were issued. But state officials became alarmed when nonresident demand for them in Kansas began to rise after hunting opportunities diminished in other states.
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Midwest Blood Banks Seek Recovered Patient Plasma for Tests
O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A blood bank operating in Missouri and three other Midwestern states is seeking plasma donations from people who have recovered from the coronavirus in hopes of helping those still battling the disease. A spokesman for the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center said Friday that the blood bank is seeking people who tested positive and have not had symptoms for at least 28 days. The blood bank operates in parts of Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. The therapy was used during the 1918 flu pandemic, and has been used in recent years to treat victims of Ebola, SARS and the H1N1 virus.
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Church Heads to Parishioners After Virus Halts Services
HOISINGTON, Kan. (Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune) — With the coronavirus halting Easter services, a Catholic church in central Kansas is going on the road to reach worshipers. The Great Bend Tribune reports that the pastor of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church will ride on a parade float Sunday through the town of Hoisington, with hymns blaring. The float features a hand-painted wooden replica of the steepled church. Church member Doug Axman says the the float will be driven past all the community’s churches, as well as the activity center, grocery store and and a senior living center.
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Police: Man Who Crashed Pickup into Kansas City Home Dies
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ Police say a man who crashed his pickup truck into a Kansas City house, causing both the truck and house to erupt in flames, has died of his injuries. Police say 29-year-old Robert Cox Jr., of Lee's Summit, died at a hospital Thursday, a day after police say his truck crashed into the home in the Terrace Lake Gardens neighborhood in south Kansas City. Police say the homeowner was in the house at the time of the crash, but managed to escape unhurt. Firefighters later rescued the man's German shepherd from the burning home and extinguished the fire.
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91,000 More People File for Unemployment in Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Roughly 91,000 more Missouri residents filed unemployment claims this past week as the economic toll from the coronavirus pandemic grew. That comes after more than 104,000 claims were filed in the previous week. The state has been overwhelmed with calls about filing for unemployment and is encouraging people to file claims online. The state’s social services agency says food banks will start handing out 25-pound food packages to people this week at mobile and drive-thru sites. Meanwhile, Gov. Mike Parson is ordering public schools to stay closed for the rest of the academic year.
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Missouri Tourism Industry Hopes to Rebound After Pandemic
O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Stay-at-home orders and social distancing have devastated businesses at the core of tourism, one of Missouri’s biggest industries. Worse yet, no one knows when some form of normalcy will return. Surveys indicate that while some people are simply postponing trips, others are canceling completely. In fiscal year 2019, Missouri had 42.9 million visitors, defined as those from out of state or traveling at least 50 miles in-state. Tourism employs about 304,000 people. Tourists spend about $17 billion annually in Missouri. From the Gateway Arch to the Lake of the Ozarks, tourism leaders concede 2020 will be difficult year.
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Wyandotte County Pays $50,000 to Inmate Beaten by Sergeant
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - Wyandotte County paid $50,000 to an inmate who was beaten by a sergeant. Sheriff Donald Ash said Thursday the sergeant, David Toland, was fired in February. Toland was accused punching the handcuffed prisoner and slamming his head against an elevator door while taking him from a drug search. Toland was charged in November with misdemeanor mistreatment of a confined person and aggravated battery. Another deputy, Marcus Johnson, was charged with misdemeanor mistreatment of a confined person and misdemeanor assault for another incident during the same search. Johnson was not fired and Ash would not say if he was disciplined. Their court cases are pending.
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Tornado or Virus? Pandemic Means Tough Sheltering Decisions During Severe Spring Weather
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Each day brings the United States closer to peak severe weather season, and Tornado Alley residents are faced with a question: Is it better to take on a twister outside a community shelter or to face the possibility of contracting the new coronavirus inside one? Tornado-prone states including Alabama and Kansas are recommending that people go into shelters if dangerous weather is approaching. Hundreds of people filled shelters in the Tennessee Valley during a weather threat last month. But some say they'd rather take their chances with a twister than COVID-19. The dilemma could get worse if the virus is still a threat when hurricane season starts June 1.
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Topeka Police Make Arrests in Man's Shooting Death
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Police have announced several arrests in the shooting death last week of a 28-year-old man in central Topeka. Police say 22-year-old James Boatwright and 26-year-old Davontra Alston were arrested Wednesday after officers served search warrants in the case. They have been charged with first-degree murder in the Saturday night shooting death of D'Angelo Payne. A third man, 21-year-old Jeffrey Walters, was arrested on suspicion of weapon and drug counts in the case. Police have said officers were called Saturday night to the scene of a crash and found Payne dead of gunshot wounds at the scene.
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Flood Risk Remains a Concern Along Eastern Missouri River
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The National Weather Service says flooding remains a concern in several states along the Missouri River, even though the weather has been kind so far this spring. The agency says the flood risk is high in eastern South Dakota, eastern North Dakota, eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, eastern Kansas and Missouri because the soil remains wet. However, a lack of rain and the warm temperatures this spring have allowed snow to melt gradually across the Plains without increasing the risk. Officials have trimmed their forecast for how much water will flow down the Missouri River in 2020, but it is still expected to be a wet year.
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What About Coronavirus and Kansas Farmer's Markets?
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) - What about Farmer's Markets in the Age of Coronavirus? Well, it depends on where you live. Officials in Overland Park have postponed their popular farmer's market amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, in Wichita, another farmer's market is set to open this Saturday. Like grocery stores, farmer's markets have been described in stay-at-home orders as "essential businesses" that can continue to operate. But city officials in Overland Park decided to postpone the opening of its market under pressure from the public. Meanwhile, in Wichita, the Kansas-Grown Farmers Market Board decided to proceed with extra safeguards in place.
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Missouri Health Director Wants to Collect Racial Data on CV Cases
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The head of the Missouri health department says he's directing medical professionals to provide racial data about patients who become sick or die from the new coronavirus. Health director Randall Williams said Wednesday that about 40% of providers have not been supplying that information to the state. So far, no racial data has been posted on the state's website, though it does show cases by age. Numbers from elsewhere show that black Americans have died from the virus at a disproportionately high rate. Some black lawmakers raised concerns Wednesday about the lack of data from Missouri about how the coronavirus is affecting racial groups.
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Second U.S. Study for COVID-19 Vaccine Uses Skin-Deep Shots
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. researchers have opened another safety test of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine, this one using a skin-deep shot instead of the usual deeper jab. Inovio Pharmaceuticals launched the small study this week with volunteers in Kansas City, Missouri, and Philadelphia to see if its vaccine candidate is safe enough for crucial larger tests. Kansas City researchers say there's no shortage of volunteers. It's the second study underway in the U.S., and multiple potential vaccines are being developed in labs around the world. Experts say it likely will take more than a year for any vaccine to be widely available.
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KPR's daily headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays and updated throughout the day. KPR's weekend summary is usually published by 1 pm Saturdays and Sundays.