Supreme Court Overturns Roe; States Can Now Decide to Allow, Limit or Ban Procedure
WASHINGTON (AP/KPR) — The U.S. Supreme Court has ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years — a decision by its conservative majority to overturn the court's landmark abortion case known as Roe v. Wade. The high court's decision doesn't outlaw abortion across the country, but leaves it up to individual states to decide whether to limit, ban or protect the procedure. The decision is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states. The decision was the culmination of decades of efforts by abortion opponents, made possible by an emboldened right side of the court that has been fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump. The ruling came more than a month after the stunning leak of a draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito.
Kansas voters will decide on a constitutional amendment August 2nd on whether the state constitution includes a right to abortion or not. ( Read more.)
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U.S. Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade; Missouri Moves to Ban Procedure
WASHINGTON (AP) — The state of Missouri is acting quickly to enforce a state law banning abortion in the wake of a pivotal U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limits abortion rights for millions of women. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said he was acting immediately to enforce a state law banning abortion except in "cases of medical emergency." The 2019 Missouri law included a trigger provision making effective upon notification by the attorney general that the U.S. Supreme Court had overruled Roe v. Wade in whole or in part. The court issued its ruling today (FRI), which ended nearly 50 years of constitutional protection for abortion. Schmitt is a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate.
(Additional reporting...)
U.S. States Now Able to Ban, Limit or Protect Abortion Access
UNDATED (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that had provided a constitutional right to abortion. Today's (FRI) ruling is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states. In anticipation of the decision, several states led by Democrats have taken steps to protect abortion access. The decision also sets up the potential for legal fights between the states over whether providers and those who help women obtain abortions can be sued or prosecuted.
With Roe Over, Some Fear Rollback of LGBTQ and Other Rights
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision allowing states to ban abortion is stirring alarm among LGBTQ advocates. They fear that the ruling could someday allow a rollback of legal protections for gay relationships, including the right for same-sex couples to marry. In the majority opinion issued Friday that overturns the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, Justice Samuel Alito said the decision applied only to abortion. But critics discounted that statement. In a separate concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas said the court should review other precedents, including decisions legalizing same-sex marriage and striking down laws criminalizing gay sex. A protester at a Topeka abortion-rights rally said conservatives would not stop with abortion.
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Susan B. Anthony Group to Spend $1.3 Million on Anti-Abortion Campaign in Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) - A national anti-abortion group says it will spend at least $1.3 million dollars in Kansas to campaign for the upcoming vote on a constitutional amendment about abortion. The Kansas News Service reports that the Susan B. Anthony List made the announcement Wednesday. The investment is in support of an amendment saying there is no right to an abortion contained in the Kansas Constitution. The amendment would overturn a 2019 decision by the Kansas Supreme Court. The initial investment is slightly more than what the Value Them Both political action committee received in all of 2021, according to campaign finance reports. Value Them Both supports passage of the amendment, which will appear on the August 2nd primary ballot.
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Retired Oil Company Executive Selected as President of Emporia State University
EMPORIA, Kan. (KNS) - The Kansas Board of Regents has named a retired oil company executive to be the next president of Emporia State University. Ken Hush was born in Emporia and earned a business degree from Emporia State. He returned to the campus in November to serve as interim president. He previously worked at Koch Carbon, a subsidiary of Koch Industries. Hush says Emporia has a long history of supporting its university, starting with rebuilding after a fire in the late 1800s. “Our challenges are different today," he said, "but the solution is the same: All of us working together, finding better ways — the ESU way.” Those challenges include a university still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and dealing with declining enrollment.
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Native American Leaders Push for Boarding School Commission
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland says the federal government has a responsibility to Native American tribes, Alaska Native villages and Native Hawaiian communities to fully support education, language and cultural practices that prior boarding school policies sought to destroy. She testified Wednesday before a U.S. Senate committee on legislation to establish a national commission on truth and healing to address ongoing trauma stemming from the legacy of Native American boarding schools in the United States. Tribal leaders and advocates from Maine to Alaska and Hawaii joined Haaland in voicing their support. They say a commission would offer a path for many to have their personal stories validated.
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Kansas County Settles Discrimination Lawsuit with $22,000 Payment
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Sedgwick County has agreed to pay $22,000 to a former employee to settle his racial discrimination lawsuit. David Partridge, who is biracial, sued the county last year, saying a coworker on a county work crew called him “boy” or the “colored guy" and sang slavery-era songs with his name added to the lyrics. Partridge's lawsuit said that after he complained, a county investigation verified the racial discrimination, and he was offered another position at lower pay but was fired when he refused. The Wichita Eagle reports that attorneys for Partridge and the county informed a judge Wednesday of the settlement.
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Topeka Police Say Officers Fatally Shot Knife-Wielding Man
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ Police in Topeka say three officers have been placed on paid leave after fatally shooting a knife-wielding man at an Amtrak station Friday morning. Police say the shooting happened after police were called to the station around 10 a.m. for reports of a man armed with a knife who was chasing and threatening people. Police say the officers made several attempts to negotiate with the man and used less-than-lethal munitions to try to subdue the man, but failed. Police say the officers shot the man when he charged them. The man was taken to a hospital, where he later died of his injuries. Police have not released the man's name or the names of the officers involved.
(–Earlier Reporting–)
Officer-Involved Shooting Leaves One Person Dead in Topeka
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - One person is dead following an altercation with police officers in downtown Topeka. The Topeka Police Department said on Twitter that no officers were injured in the shooting. Police say three officers responded to a report of an armed individual threatening people near the Amtrak train station around 10:30 this (FRI) morning. Police say multiple witnesses reported seeing a subject armed with a knife chasing and threatening people. The subject was taken to a local hospital with critical injuries and was later pronounced dead. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation will investigate the incident. Per departmental policy, Topeka police say officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
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K-State Program Aims to Help Low-Income High School Students Apply for College
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) - Kansas education officials are expanding a program that helps low-income high school students apply for college. About a dozen high schools in Kansas have full-time college advisors paid for by the nonprofit College Advising Corps at Kansas State University. The advisors guide students through the confusing college admission process — everything from registering for the ACT to planning campus visits. They also help students fill out financial aid forms. The program started in Kansas City, Kansas, and Wichita. This fall, the Board of Regents and the state Department of Education plan to add nine more cities, including Hays, Great Bend, Salina and Hutchinson. Educators hope it will boost enrollment at the state’s universities, which is down nearly nine percent over the past five years.
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Kansas Board of Regents Issues New Deadline for University Employee Dismissal Framework Submissions
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) – The Kansas Reflector reports that the Kansas Board of Regents has extended a deadline for public university officials to submit their plans for a controversial workforce-management policy. The policy would justify dismissing employees, including tenured faculty, without adhering to standard campus procedures. The original policy, creating what was called "an alternative pathway" to terminating employment, was adopted by the Board in January 2021 as a response to flat-to-declining enrollment trends, pressure to hold down tuition and fees, and lower state funding. Under the two-year policy, a university would not be required to stick to certain personnel management rules when downsizing its workforce. The Board of Regents voted in May to move the deadline for universities to have their plans for putting the policy in place approved to December 31. The board's deadline had been July 1, 2021, but none of the universities in the state system presented a plan. The policy was revised so university administrators could propose alternative plans until the end of 2022. University of Kansas faculty protested development of the policy early in 2021 because it would have reduced the requirements for removal of tenured professors. At the time, KU officials said they couldn't rule out implementing such a new policy. Douglas Girod, chancellor of the University of Kansas, subsequently said he wasn’t planning to implement the policy to reduce the university’s payroll.
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City of Wamego Fires Its Police Chief
WAMEGO, Kan. (WIBW) – WIBW News reports that Mike Baker has been removed from his position as Chief of Police for the City of Wamego. Wamego City Manager Stacie Eichem told WIBW in an email that "Mike Baker's employment with the City of Wamego ended on June 22, 2002." Baker had been suspended from his position last week. No reason was disclosed at the time. Deputy Chief of Police Paul Schliffke was named as interim Chief, and will hold that position until it can be filled permanently. Baker told WIBW that he had been given a letter with "unsubstantiated allegations" and said that he is in contact with legal counsel.
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New Measure Aims to Make It Easier to Transfer College Credits in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - The Kansas Board of Regents has approved a measure that will make it easier for students to transfer between community colleges and state universities. The new statewide general education policy establishes a common set of classes that count as progress toward a bachelors or associates degree at any Kansas institution. Regents worked on the policy for nearly two years. They say it will simplify the advising process and make it easier for students to transfer or change majors. The framework features as many as 35 credit hours organized into seven areas, including English, communications, math, science and humanities. Each university or community college can require six more hours of their choosing. The new policy will go into effect in the fall of 2024.
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Kansas Public Radio Is Hiring a New Membership Director
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Kansas Public Radio is hiring a new Membership Director. The position is open due to an internal promotion. Former Membership Director Joanna Fewins has become the station's new Development Director. Learn more about this position and how to apply. Unnamed sources tell KPR News that the University of Kansas-based radio station, on the air since 1952, is a "great place to work, with good benefits and mildly interesting employees."
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15-Year-Old Pilot Hospitalized After Glider Crash in South Central Kansas
RENO COUNTY, Kan. (Hays Post) —Two people were injured in a glider accident late Wednesday morning in Reno County. According to the Hays Post, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 L-23 Super Blanik glider, piloted by a 15-year-old from Tulsa, was making a turn toward the runway at the Sunflower Aerodrome Airport in Yoder. The pilot lost control and crashed into a field. EMS transported the teen and a passenger, 71-year-old Carl Hallum of Adrian, Minnesota, to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.
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Kansas Oil Refinery to Pay $1.6 Million for Clean Air Violations
EL DORADO, Kan. (AP) — An oil refinery in El Dorado, where an employee died in 2017, will pay a $1.6 million fine for violating the federal clean air law. The Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday that HollyFrontier's failure to follow the law contributed to a fire that killed the employee. The EPA says the company did not comply with requirements intended to prevent the accidental release of hazardous substances. The federal agency says a heater tube ruptured at the refinery, causing the fire. The agency says a subsequent investigation found HollyFrontier did not design or maintain a safe facility or inspect and replace heater tubes.
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Kansas Governor Allocates Federal Funds for Childcare Worker Bonus Pay
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is allocating more than $50 million in federal funding for childcare worker bonuses. Childcare is a low-paying profession and Kansas workers earn some of the lowest wages in the country. Staff at licensed Kansas childcare facilities could get between a $750 to $2,500 dollar bonus. Workers who are eligible for the money will soon get a letter from the state. There is such a shortage of day care slots that some families are planning pregnancies around openings. Governor Kelly hopes this funding will retain employees and says the state is working with businesses to expand capacity. “Early childhood investment is the smartest investment a community can make in its future... One of the biggest barriers to entering the workforce or returning to the workforce post pandemic is the lack of access to quality childcare," she said. Kansas lost hundreds of childcare facilities in the last few years, making the shortage of care options even worse.
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Adoptive and Foster Families Receive Lower Subsidies in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas officials say they are working to give foster parents a greater incentive to permanently adopt the children they take in. The current system tends to offer less money to adoptive parents. Whether families foster a child or adopt a child from the state, they are paid to care for that child. But adoptive families are paid much less than foster families. That’s why some parents say they cannot afford to adopt. Melinda Kline works for the state and says Kansas is considering changes to monthly adoption subsidies and that could mean giving them more money, “We want families who select adoption, to be able to support and care for and meet the needs of the child that they adopt,” Kline said. Foster families say the issue is worse for higher needs children who may need thousands of dollars a month in support. Kansas says it is considering changes to its system, but did not say what they are or when they could happen.
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Scientists Put GPS Trackers on Flint Hills Cattle in Effort to Protect Wildlife and Vegetation
CHASE COUNTY, Kan. (KNS) - The worlds of agriculture and environmental conservation often conflict. But a new project in Kansas brings together scientists and ranchers to see if invisible GPS fencing can control cattle and keep them out of sensitive areas. Some cattle in the Flint Hills are now wearing GPS trackers designed to help ranchers control their herds and protect wildlife and the environment. The Kansas News Service traveled to the Kansas Flint Hills to learn more. ( Read more.)
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Toxic Algae Blooms Appear in Dozens of Kansas Lakes
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Toxic algae blooms are back and will probably hit about 30 or 40 Kansas lakes this summer. Not all algae are dangerous, but several lakes across the state are going through algae blooms now that can make people sick and can kill dogs that swim in it. The blooms can look like foam, paint or scum floating on the water, in a variety of colors. They’re fueled by fertilizer runoff. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) says people can check before heading to the lake. They can also ask park managers if algae are blooming or check the state’s website for algae reports.
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Missouri Governor Signs Law Exempting World Cup Tickets from Sales Tax
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed a bill that will exempt FIFA World Cup tickets from sales tax when the games are played in Kansas City in 2026. The governor signed the bill Thursday and praised the bipartisan effort to bring the games to Kansas City, which was chosen last week as a host city. Lawmakers passed the bill earlier this year after FIFA officials required tax breaks from cities hoping to host the games. Democratic state Senator John Rizzo, from the Kansas City-region, said estimates are the game could bring more than $600 million in revenue to the state.
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Denver Nuggets Draft KU's Christian Braun
DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets selected Kansas guard Christian Braun with the 21st pick of the NBA draft. The 6-foot-6 Braun averaged 14.1 points and 6.5 rebounds for the Jayhawks last season. His 12 points and 12 rebounds helped Kansas beat North Carolina in the national championship game on April 4. He played the entire game. This is the first draft with general manager Calvin Booth as the primary decisionmaker for Denver. The Nuggets also acquired the rights to the 30th pick and final pick of the first round, UCLA freshman Peyton Watson from Oklahoma City.
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Cleveland Cavaliers Select KU's Ochai Agbaji in NBA Draft
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers added some championship pedigree, selecting Kansas forward Ochai Agbaji with the No. 14 overall pick in the NBA draft. The Cavs were looking to land a wing player and believe they got a good one in the 6-foot-5 Agbaji, who led Kansas to the NCAA title last season. Agbaji was named the most outstanding player at the Final Four. The 22-year-old averaged 18.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and made 41% of his 3-pointers last season. He'll join one of the league's most intriguing young rosters in Cleveland, and a team with playoff aspirations following a turnaround season. In the second round, the Cavs took Isaiah Mobley, the older brother of Cleveland forward Evan Mobley.
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These area headlines are curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Kaye McIntyre, and Tom Parkinson. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays, 11 am weekends. This news summary is made possible by KPR listener-members. Become one today.