Democratic Kansas Governor Questions Biden Vaccine Mandates
LAKE QUIVIRA, Kan. (AP) _ Democratic Governor Laura Kelly is suggesting that mandates like those imposed by the federal government for vaccinating workers against COVID-19 aren't likely to work. But she also promised Thursday to look for what she called a Kansas-focused way to meet them. Her comments after a Kansas City-area event were her first public statements on the vaccine mandates. She noted that Kansas has focused on encouraging people to get vaccinated instead of trying mandates and then told reporters that, in her words, she understands that those kinds of things tend not to work. She also called the mandates tough to deal with after states developed their own coronavirus responses. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt already has brought Kansas into a federal lawsuit filed by multiple states against the requirement for government contractors.
(–Related–)
GOP State Officials Push Back on Employer Vaccine Mandate
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Republican governors, lawmakers and attorneys general are forming a wall of opposition to President Joe Biden's plan to require vaccinations or COVID-19 testing at all private employers of 100 workers or more. They have adopted laws to exempt employers in their state, filed lawsuits and in some cases are ensuring that workers who are fired for refusing a vaccine will have access to unemployment insurance. They question the constitutionality of the federal regulation, saying the federal workplace safety agency does not have the power to impose vaccine mandates. The Biden administration says it does.
==========
Kansas to Promote School COVID Vaccine Clinics for Younger Kids
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Laura Kelly says Kansas will encourage its public schools to hold clinics for vaccinating children ages 5 through 11 against COVID-19. She says some doses already have arrived in the state. Kansas expects to receive nearly 128,000 doses of a vaccine for younger children manufactured by Pfizer by next week. The Democratic governor announced Wednesday that all children in that age group immediately will be eligible for shots, that some doses already have arrived and most should be in the state by Friday. The doses would be enough for 46% of the state's children ages 5 through 11 to get the first of two shots.
==========
Kansas City Leaders Rescind Mask Mandate Outside of Schools
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council has rescinded its order requiring masks in public places to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The City Council voted 11-2 on Thursday to continue to require masks in school buildings and on school buses through December 2. A mask order for everyone 5 years and older expired Thursday afternoon. Mayor Quinton Lucas said the COVID-19 case numbers for adults have trended down, while numbers for children have gone up. The city health department says nearly 49% of Kansas Citians have been vaccinated. There continue to be mask rules in place for city buildings, federal buildings and the Kansas City International Airport, and private businesses still can choose to require them.
==========
Corrections Officer Injured in Attack at Kansas Prison
LANSING, Kan. (AP) — A corrections officer at the Lansing Correctional Facility is hospitalized in stable condition after being attacked. The Kansas Department of Corrections says the incident happened Wednesday when the officer "was injured by a resident." Officials say the incident remains under investigation. The Kansas Organization of State Employees, the union representing the prison's corrections officers, told KSNW-TV that a male inmate attacked the female officer around the time of the shift change at 5 pm. The union's president says the prison is understaffed and the union has long advocated for additional staffing.
==========
Kansas Man Convicted of Providing Illegal Autopsies
ALMA, Kan. (AP) — A 42-year-old Kansas man has been convicted of six counts related to providing illegal autopsies in Wabaunsee County. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Thursday that Shawn Parcells was convicted of three counts of felony theft and three misdemeanors counts of criminal desecration. The jury found that Parcells illegally obtained money from Wabaunsee County to perform three autopsies. He also performed three autopsies without a pathologist, which violates state law. Parcells is a self-taught pathology assistant with no formal education. He is also facing state and federal lawsuits related to performing the autopsies and fees he collected.
==========
Criminal Case Leads Kansas Lawmaker to Step Aside for One Week
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 21-year-old Kansas lawmaker charged with domestic battery over a disturbance involving his brother says he’s stepping away from his legislative duties for a week. Freshman Democratic state Rep. Aaron Coleman of Kansas City tweeted Thursday that he’s taking what he called a leave of absence following a Johnson County district judge’s order Monday that he undergo a mental health evaluation. Coleman said the order means he must check himself into a mental health facility. He didn't immediately respond to messages seeking further details. His tweet called the prosecution of him frivolous. He's pleaded not guilty to the battery charge, and it stems from an incident Saturday night.
==========
Southeast Kansas Man Pleads Guilty in Two Killings
COLUMBUS, Kan. (AP) — A southeastern Kansas man faces sentencing December 27 after pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree premeditated murder for killing two people in 2020. The office of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt on Wednesday announced the guilty plea of 30-year-old Mark Hopkins II of Columbus. Blaze Shank of Scammon and Kylan Shook of Pittsburg were shot to death in rural northeastern Cherokee County in June 2020. Hopkins and another inmate escaped from jail in May but were captured days later in Oklahoma. Charges against a second suspect in the shootings are still pending.
==========
Woman Pleads Guilty in Death of 3-Year-Old Kansas Girl
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A woman has pleaded guilty in the death of her boyfriend’s 3-year-old daughter whose body was found in a shallow grave in Kansas City, Kansas. The girl was found dead after her grandparents raised concerns about her safety in a case that drew attention to the state agency responsible for overseeing young children. Thirty-four-year-old Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder, child abuse and interference with law enforcement in the death of Olivia Ann Jansen. Court records show the girl had signs of physical abuse. Her father also was charged with murder. Kirkpatrick is scheduled to be sentenced December 20. The father's trial is set for May 2.
==========
Kansas Audio-Reader Network Celebrates 50 Years on the Air
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - The Kansas Audio-Reader Network is celebrating 50 years on the air, broadcasting to blind and vision-impaired listeners in Kansas and Missouri. Based at the University of Kansas, the radio reading service is holding an anniversary celebration tonight (FRI) at Abe and Jake's Landing in Lawrence. The second oldest radio reading service in the nation, Audio-Reader utilizes more than 450 volunteers who read newspapers, books and magazines to visually-impaired people. In addition to its radio broadcasts, Audio-Reader provides reading services online and through its Telephone Reader operation. Audio-Reader also provides specially trained audio descriptors who help blind people better enjoy live theater performances in Lawrence and Kansas City. (Learn more at READER.KU.EDU.)
==========
Prosecutor Declines to File Charges in Fatal Police Shooting
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A prosecutor says that a Wichita police officer who fatally shot a fleeing bank robbery suspect last year is immune from prosecution under Kansas law. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett released his findings Thursday into the December 21 death of Paul Peraza following a robbery at the Golden Plains Credit Union in Wichita and the subsequent police chase. He concluded no criminal charges would be filed against the officer. Bennett says the officer’s explanation that he believed Peraza posed a danger to the other officer and the public is supported by the facts.
==========
Sedgwick County Homeless Man Convicted of Killing Woman Who Helped Him
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A homeless man will be sentenced in December for killing a 72-year-old Wichita woman who had sometimes provided him with food and a place to stay. Sedgwick County court records show 57-year-old John Darwin Pepper was convicted last week of first-degree murder and criminal sodomy in the July 2019 death of Rita Golden. Prosecutors said Pepper killed Golden during the commission of a sex crime. Police said Golden let Pepper stay in her backyard and sometimes let him take naps and eat inside her home. An autopsy determined Golden died from a heart condition, but she also had injuries associated with smothering and sexual assault.
==========
Kansas and Missouri Drivers Warned to Watch Out for "Lusty" Deer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police officials and the AAA auto club are urging drivers to be especially cautious this time of year as collisions with deer become more frequent. The Kansas City Star reports that cooler weather and shorter daylight hours mean it’s breeding season for deer. Kansas City, Missouri, police said on Twitter that “lusty deer” are on the move “and won’t let your car get in the way of their quest for loving.” In 2020, the Missouri State Highway Patrol cited 3,639 crashes involving deer, killing five people and injuring 348. In Kansas, 9,670 deer crashes killed four people and injured 471 others.
==========
Packers-Chiefs Game in KC Shaping up to Be Different than Anyone Expected
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Packers-Chiefs game Sunday will hardly be what anyone expected at the beginning of the season. The showdown between Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes is off after the Green Bay quarterback and reigning league MVP tested positive for COVID-19. And the potential Super Bowl preview is hard to picture given the Chiefs are wallowing at .500 eight games into the season. But the game is still crucial for both Green Bay and Kansas City not only in their divisional race but also for their postseason potential.
===========
Reminder: The transition from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time takes place Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 2 am local time. Clocks should be set back one hour Saturday night.
==========
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. This news summary is made possible by KPR listener-members. Become one today!