Kansas Hits Lowest Unemployment Rate in Recorded State History
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Governor Laura Kelly says she's celebrating the lowest Kansas unemployment rate in recorded state history. The rate, now at 2.3%, has been declining, even as the national unemployment rate remains flat. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Kansas currently has the sixth lowest unemployment rate in the country. The Kansas rate is more than a full percentage point lower than the national average. Kansas began keeping records of monthly unemployment rates in January 1976. Preliminary estimates from the Kansas Department of Labor revealed a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 2.3% in May. That's down from 2.4% in April and a decrease from 3.4% this time last year.
(Additional reporting...)
Kansas Records Record Low Unemployment Rate
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - A preliminary labor report shows the unemployment rate in Kansas fell to a historic low of 2.3% in May, the lowest rate in recorded state history. The labor market report shows a slight increase to employment in Kansas. That dropped the state’s jobless rate by a tenth of one percent. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly says that slight decrease means the state reached a record low for unemployment since the state began tracking the rate in 1976. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Kansas has the sixth lowest unemployment rate in the country. Since May 2021, Kansas has added just over 18,000 jobs to the state’s workforce.
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Is it Pot... or Is It Not? Hemp Advocates Want Kansas to Clarify Law
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas hemp advocates want state lawmakers to clear up a legal gray area that could lead to businesses being prosecuted for selling some products derived from cannabis. The calls come after the Douglas County district attorney said her office will join other counties in prosecuting the sale of Delta 8 THC products, a chemical in marijuana that gets users high. Delta 8 THC products are legal in Kansas only if they are derived from industrial hemp and have less than three-tenths of one percent of THC. But District Attorney Suzanne Valdez recently said she will prosecute businesses for selling products containing a controlled substance. Kelly Rippel, a hemp advocate, says Kansas law enforcement can’t tell the difference between Delta 8 THC made from hemp or marijuana. They’re both just different varieties of the same plant. “This is only going to cause, and is causing currently, trust-building issues within communities and law enforcement," Ripple said. Rippel says the Kansas Legislature needs to pass new laws next year to better regulate Delta 8 THC products.
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Officials: 2 Killed in Suburban Kansas City House Fire
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say two people have died and a third has been injured in a house fire in suburban Kansas City, Kansas. The Overland Park Fire Department says fire crews from Overland Park and Lenexa were called to the home around 1:30 am today (MON) and found the home ablaze. Firefighters also learned that people were trapped inside. Firefighters immediately searched the home while working to extinguish the fire and found two people inside who had died and third person injured. The injured person was rushed to a hospital and later listed in stable condition. Officials have not released the names of those killed and injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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Officials Find First Likely Case of Monkeypox in Missouri, in Kansas City Area
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Health officials say they have identified what is likely to be the first case of monkeypox in Missouri in the Kansas City area. State and local health officials are waiting for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm the results. In the meantime, officials are notifying people who may have been in contact with the infected person who didn't have to be hospitalized. The disease that first causes flu-like symptoms before progressing to a rash on the face and body is commonly found in parts of central and west Africa. But this year, 1,880 infections have been reported in more than 30 countries where monkeypox isn’t typically found.
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Cowley County Deputies Cleared in Woman's Shooting Death
WINFIELD, Kan. (AP) — The Cowley County Attorney says three sheriff's deputies who fatally shot a woman near Winfield in April were justified in their actions. County Attorney Larry Schwartz says in a report that the shooting of Andrea Barrow was "lawful and justified." Schwartz's report says the deputies were responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle when they encountered Barrow, of Arkansas City, who was acting erratically. He says the woman refused repeated orders to get out of her vehicle and eventually pulled a handgun and fired at the deputies. All three deputies were injured. Two deputies returned fire, killing Barrow.
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Child Drowns in Pond in Western Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office confirms that a child drowned while swimming in a pond over the weekend in southwest Kansas. KWCH TV reports that the sheriff’s office received a 911 call for a possible drowning of two children at Sam’s Pond, near Syracuse. Hamilton County EMS, City of Syracuse Fire Department and Scuba Ventures, of Liberal, recovered one child. That child was then transported to a nearby hospital. The other child remained missing, but their body was later recovered from the pond.
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Kansas Woman’s Body Found After Fatal ATV Crash
AUGUSTA, Kan. (KSNW) — The body of 21-year-old Carley Bullard was found Sunday after she went missing in the early hours of Saturday, June 18. KSNW TV reports that Bullard was involved in an ATV crash south of Augusta. According to Butler County authorities, Bullard was involved in the crash around 3:25 am along the Walnut River, about 1.5 miles south of Augusta. After the crash, Bullard could not be located. Family and friends then searched the area and found her.
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Cleanup Underway After Massive Coal Train Derailment North of Lawrence
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. (KPR) — Douglas County authorities and Union Pacific railroad officials are investigating a massive coal train derailment north of Lawrence. The derailment took place late Friday afternoon when coal cars detached from an engine on Union Pacific tracks at North 1900 Road. The Lawrence Police Department used infrared technology to assist the Douglas County Sheriff’s aerial drone team in determining there were no dangerous hot spots or fires in the massive pile-up of coal. UAV pilots were also able to share a live link with Union Pacific personnel to help their teams coordinate a response and plan clean up strategies. Clean up efforts continue.
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Kansas Public Radio Is Hiring a New Membership Director and a New Receptionist
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Kansas Public Radio is hiring a new Membership Director. In addition, the University of Kansas-based radio station is hiring a new Operations Coordinator (receptionist+administrative assistant). The Membership Director position is open due to an internal promotion. Former Membership Director Joanna Fewins has become the station's new Development Director. Learn about both positions here.
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Kansas Employers Struggle to Offer Affordable Health Insurance
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas employers are struggling to offer affordable health insurance. The Kansas Health Institute says premiums for health insurance climbed twice as fast as general inflation from 2010 to 2020. That’s for health insurance plans through jobs in the private sector. Workers now shoulder a bigger chunk of the cost, too. Average premiums in Kansas were nearly $12,000 as of 2020. That’s typical nationwide, but it takes a bigger bite out of paychecks in Kansas, because wages here run below the national average.
Editor's note: The Kansas Health Institute is funded by the Kansas Health Foundation in Wichita, which also provides funding for the Kansas News Service and its partner stations, including Kansas Public Radio.
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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 right 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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Kansas Court of Appeals Dismisses Challenge to Election Worker Law
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - The Kansas Court of Appeals has dismissed a challenge to a state law that makes it illegal to pose as an election worker. Voting rights groups argued that the law violates their free speech rights to educate voters about elections. The court found the four civic groups lacked standing to challenge the law because their concerns were unfounded. They argued that people could mistake group members as election workers, breaking the law. A panel of judges said the groups’ efforts to educate voters are not deceptive, so they would not be violating the rule. One of the groups, Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, says the ruling does not address concerns that the policy is unconstitutional. Some of the groups suspended their voting drive efforts after the rule went into effect.
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KCK Teenager Sentenced to Life in Prison in Death of 12-Year-Old Boy
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas teenager has been sentenced to life in prison in the shooting death of a 12-year-old boy during a botched gun deal. WDAF-TV reports that a jury convicted 18-year-old Jaylen LaRon Johnson of Kansas City, Kansas, of first-degree murder last month. Sentencing was Friday. Prosecutors say Johnson and two other men drove to Leavenworth to purchase a gun on April 14, 2021. The sellers allegedly sold a BB gun to one of Johnson's friends. Authorities say Johnson began shooting when he realized it wasn't the gun they wanted. Eleven bullets struck the seller's car. Twelve-year-old Brian Henderson Jr. was in the backseat and died in the shooting.
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Two Former Mizzou Frat Members Charged in Hazing Incident
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Two former members of a University of Missouri fraternity have been indicted for a hazing incident that left another student blind and unable to walk or communicate. The injured student was allegedly forced to drink a liter of vodka in October. The Columbia Missourian reports that on Friday, a Boone County grand jury indicted former Phi Gamma Delta fraternity members Ryan Delanty and Thomas Shultz, both of St. Louis County, in the hazing of 19-year-old Daniel Santulli of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Both are charged with felony hazing and misdemeanors of supplying liquor to a minor or intoxicated person. Shultz also faces a felony for tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.
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What Will Hosting the World Cup Cost Kansas City?
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KNS/KCUR) - Kansas Citians are celebrating the big news that the city will host World Cup games in 2026. But staging the event in Kansas City for an international audience will take massive resources. The games for the men’s World Cup tournament will be held at Arrowhead Stadium. KCUR Radio reports that KC Mayor Quinton Lucas said on Twitter updating the 50-year-old stadium will require about $50 million dollars, which he said would be paid for with both public and private money. Kathy Nelson of the Kansas City Sports Commission says the World Cup will require a lot of human resources as well. “When we have, you know, tens of thousands of fans in our city, when you think about the hoteliers, the housekeepers that will be needed, the transportation people, all of that matters," she said. Nelson says next steps include forming a private committee in Kansas City to oversee logistics of the World Cup games. ( Read more.)
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Former NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer Involved in Fatal Crash
LAKE OZARK, Mo. (AP) — Former NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer was involved in a crash that killed a pedestrian in southwest Missouri earlier this month. Police say Bowyer's vehicle struck a woman walking on an exit ramp on June 5 near Osage Beach. Bowyer stopped immediately and called 911. Police say 47-year-old Mary Jane Simmons of Camdenton died at the scene. The crash report says Bowyer, a native of Emporia, provided a roadside blood sample that recorded no alcohol. Bowyer, a Fox Sports racing analyst, retired from NASCAR in 2020 after winning 10 Cup Series races in 15 years.
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Five More Lawsuits Filed Against Missouri Boarding School
NEVADA, Mo. (AP) — Five additional lawsuits have been filed accusing a southwestern Missouri boarding school of abusing students. The lawsuits alleging physical and emotional abuse at Agape Boarding School were filed Wednesday in Vernon County. All told, 19 lawsuits have been filed against the boarding school since early 2021. Agape’s doctor, David Smock, was charged in December with child sex crimes. He pleaded not guilty in March. Meanwhile, five employees were charged in September with abusing students. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has said he thinks many more workers should have been charged. The latest lawsuits were filed by former students who attended Agape at various times between 2014 and this year.
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Heat Stress Blamed for Thousands of Cattle Deaths in Kansas
BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Industry officials say thousands of cattle in feedlots in southwest Kansas died of heat stress due to soaring temperatures, high humidity and little wind in recent days. The final cattle death toll remains unclear, but as of last week, at least 2,000 heat-related deaths had been reported to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the state agency that assists in disposing of carcasses. That number could rise as more losses from this week's heat wave are reported. The cattle deaths have sparked unsubstantiated rumors on social media that something besides the weather was at play, but Kansas agriculture officials say no other cause is evident.
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Inflation Taking Bite Out of New Infrastructure Projects
UNDATED (AP) - Inflation is taking a toll on infrastructure projects across the U.S. Rising prices for materials such as asphalt, steel and iron pipes are driving up the costs to build roads, bridges, rail lines and water mains. The prices for some infrastructure materials have risen even faster than general consumer prices. State and local officials say inflation is diminishing the value of a $1 trillion federal infrastructure law signed by President Joe Biden just seven months ago. Some officials say inflation has forced them to delay or scale back the scope of projects.
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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.