Governor Says Kansas Could Exhaust Protective Gear Next Week
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly says Kansas could run out of personal protective equipment for medical personnel and others dealing directly with the coronavirus pandemic by the middle of next week. Kelly issued her warning Friday as the state saw its largest spike in COVID-19-related deaths. Kelly says Kansas received a shipment of personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves late Thursday night but still has six requests for more equipment yet to be filled by the federal government. She said the current supply will last until Tuesday. Coronavirus-related deaths jumped by five Friday to 18.
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Advocates Urge Change as Virus Sickens Jail, Prison Workers
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Advocates are urging Kansas officials to release and safeguard inmates after the state prison system reported its first COVID-19 cases. COVID-19 was detected in three staff members at the prison in Lansing. Another case sickened at least one jail worker in the state's largest city, Wichita. At the Sedgwick County Jail, where officials confirmed Thursday that a detention deputy had tested positive, about 200 inmates have been released since mid-March over concerns about the virus. So far, state officials have no plans to release prisoners ahead of scheduled release dates. Governor Laura Kelly says her office is "at the exploratory phase" in determining whether to take action regarding prisons.
- KPR's Coronavirus Information and Resources Guide.
- The Kansas News Service maintains this resource about the pandemic: Updated Regularly: What Kansans Need to Know About COVID-19 and Coronavirus
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Kansas Governor Calls Out Feds; Says U.S. Officials Unprepared for COVID-19
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is strongly criticizing the U.S. government, saying its unprepared for the coronavirus pandemic. The Democratic governor said Thursday that her state hasn't gotten needed supplies despite multiple requests that were approved in mid-March. She said Kansas has sought "hundreds of thousands of everything," including masks, gloves, gowns and testing kits to deal with the outbreak of the virus. The state also has been overwhelmed by questions and claims from people seeking unemployment benefits. Trump has said his administration is backing up governors. The number of Kansas coronavirus cases rose Thursday to more than 550. Thirteen people have died in the state from COVID-19.
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State Government's Review of Kansas Cellphone GPS Data Raises Privacy Concerns
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is facing questions over the state's monitoring of GPS data gleaned from people's cellphones about how residents have cut down on travel during the coronavirus pandemic. But Kelly on Thursday defended the state Department of Health and Environment's use of the data. She called its compilation "harmless" to individuals and said it helps the state focus efforts to promote social distancing where they're needed most. The public-interest law firm Kansas Justice Institute is demanding that Kelly provide more information about how the information is collected and used. Unacast said in a statement Thursday that its data never reveals an individual's behavior.
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Kansas Governor Signs Bill to Launch New Transportation Plan
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has signed legislation to launch a new, 10-year transportation program she and other officials see as a $10 billion stimulus to counter the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic. The program will use existing funds to pay for $1 billion a year in projects, with projects designated every two years. The measure Kelly signed Friday allows the state to expedite $300 million worth of big projects with a fast-track, designing-while-building process. The program commits $85 million over 10 years to improving the infrastructure for broadband service. The legislation also allows the state to build three toll roads.
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March Tax Revenue in Kansas $8.6 Million Short of Estimate
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The coronavirus pandemic has yet to fully hit the Kansas state budget. Tax collections fell only $8.6 million short of expectations in March. The state Department of Revenue reported Wednesday that tax collections last month were $523.4 million when the state projected collections of $532 million. The shortfall was 1.6%. The lower-than-expected revenues can be attributed largely to insurance companies paying the state tax on their premiums early. State officials expect job losses and a decrease in economic activity to cut into state revenues starting next month. Governor Laura Kelly issued a statewide stay-at-home order, which remains in effect until at least April 19.
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Court Permanently Bans Enforcement of Kansas 'Ag-Gag' Law
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has blocked enforcement of provisions in a Kansas law that ban secret filming at slaughterhouses and other livestock facilities. U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil issued a permanent injunction Friday after finding in January that the state’s “Ag-Gag” law unconstitutionally criminalized free speech. The Kansas law was enacted in 1990. It had made it a crime for anyone to take a picture or video at animal facilities without the owner’s consent or to enter them under false pretenses.
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KU Med Students Graduate Early to Help with Pandemic
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — More than 50 University of Kansas medical students are graduating early to participate in a program that will deploy them throughout the state to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The University of Kansas Medical Center said in a news release that the program will allow seniors to serve in areas of “critical need” before their residencies start in July at various locations throughout the country. Students from all three of the medical school’s campuses, in Kansas City, Salina and Wichita, have volunteered.
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Arrest Made in Pedestrian's Hit-and-Run Death in Parsons
PARSONS, Kan. (AP) — A woman is jailed after she allegedly hit and killed a pedestrian while driving under the influence in Parsons this week. Police say 29-year-old William Treiber, of St. Paul, died when he was hit Wednesday night as he walked in the shoulder of a highway in Parsons. The driver left the scene. The Wichita Eagle reports 29-year-old Tiffany Jakee, of Parsons, is jailed in the Labette County jail on possible charges including involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence. A Kansas Highway Patrol crash report says Jakee passed another vehicle in a no-passing zone, then drove onto the shoulder, where Treiber was struck.
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2 More Charged in Shooting at Kansas City Entertainment Area
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two more suspects have been charged in the fatal shooting of a teenager in a Kansas City entertainment district. The Jackson County prosecutors announced Thursday that 18-year-old Lavont Carter and 20-year-old Christien Woody, both of Kansas City, Kansas, are charged with second-degree murder and three other charges. Three other people are already charged in the February death of 17-year-old Devin Harris. Four other people were injured in the shooting in the Westport district. Investigators said Carter and Woody were with other people in a vehicle from which shots were fired.
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Missouri's Governor Won't, So Smaller Communities Issue their Own Stay-at-Home Orders
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Smaller Missouri cities and counties are issuing stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the absence of action by the governor. Republican Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday again stressed local control and personal responsibility. He says he'll give an update on statewide orders Friday. Stay-at-home orders took effect more than a week ago in the state's biggest cities, including Kansas City and St. Louis. But smaller counties with few or no COVID-19 cases are getting in on the act and telling residents to only leave home for essential reasons, such as to buy groceries or medicine.
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Kansas Man Allegedly Threatened to Infect Girl with Coronavirus
SCOTT CITY, Kan. (AP) — A western Kansas man is jailed after he allegedly coughed on an 11-year-old girl and told her he was going to give her the coronavirus. Scott County police 31-year-old Chance Archie Seamans, of Scott City, is being held in the county jail on possible charges of terrorism and criminal threat. Chief David Post says police were called to a Dollar General store in Scott City Tuesday night after a man allegedly told the girl he was going to give her the virus and then coughed in her face. No further details were released.
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Court: Utilities Cannot Charge Energy-Making Customers More
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled utilities cannot charge customers who produce some of their own energy more than other customers. The decision Friday strikes down a proposed rate design by Westar and Kansas Gas and Electric, finding it constitutes price discrimination against residential customers who use solar panels or windmills to generate some or all of their electricity. It notes lawmakers codified into state law the goal of incentivizing renewable energy production by private parties.
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Overland Park Police Investigate Body Found Near Highway
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Police in Overland Park are asking for witnesses to come forward after a body was found last week along Interstate 435. The Kansas City Star reports police believe the person died after being hit by a vehicle on March 26. Officer John Lacy says the person apparently was hit in the westbound lanes of the interstate under the Roe Avenue bridge. The victim's identity has not been released.
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President of Kansas Seminary Resigned Following "Ethical Lapse"
SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — Officials with the the Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Shawnee say the school's longtime president resigned last month because of an "ethical lapse." The school issued a statement this week but did not provide further details on the resignation of the Rev. Molly Marshall. She resigned March 1 after being school president since 2004. The seminary's headquarters are in Shawnee and it has nine other locations across the country serving 500 students. The Rev. Pamela Durso, president of the Baptist Women in Ministry, will become the seminary's new president on June 1.
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Woman Struck and Killed While Walking Dog in Johnson County
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a driver struck and killed a 61-year-old woman as she was walking a dog in suburban Kansas City. Police in Olathe say the crash happened just before noon Tuesday. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name has not been released. Police say the dog also was injured and was taken to an animal hospital for treatment. The driver wasn't injured and remained on scene. The crash remains under investigation.
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Former Missouri Governor Re-Emerges, Fuels Speculation of Political Comeback
O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens has re-emerged after nearly two years out of the public eye, fueling speculation that his resignation after a tawdry scandal hasn't killed his political aspirations. He won’t run for governor this year, not at least as a Republican. The filing deadline was Tuesday. But Greitens could run as an independent, if he can gather 10,000 petition signatures by late July. Local media have mentioned him as a possible candidate for U.S. Senate. Greitens has said only that “anything is possible.” He resigned in June 2018 in the midst of investigations over an extramarital affair and campaign finance issues.
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Kansas Company Hiring 150+ Workers in Iowa to Help that State's Unemployment Agency
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Kansas-based company intends to hire more than 150 new employees in West Des Moines as that state's unemployment claims continue to soar from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. SelectQuote said Thursday it's filling the positions as part of plan to add more than 1,000 more staffers across the company. The company, based in Overland Park, provides insurance price comparisons. Many of the positions are in insurance sales, and agents can work from home. SelectQuote is looking for new hires to begin as early as this month.
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