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Headlines for Monday, June 27, 2022

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DEVELOPING: 3 Killed After Amtrak's Southwest Chief Passenger Tain Hits Truck, Derails East of Kansas City

MENDON, Mo. (AP/KPR) — Three people were killed and at least 40 others were injured when a passenger train traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago struck a dump truck and derailed in a remote, rural area of northern Missouri Monday afternoon. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the driver of the truck was killed as were two people onboard the train.  At least eight medical helicopters responded from around the state, according to Matt Daugherty, Lifeflight Eagle director of business development.  Daugherty said he knew there were a number of injuries and some people were in critical condition. The Southwest Chief was carrying 243 passengers and 12 crew members when the collision happened near Mendon, about 100 miles east of Kansas City.  The Missouri Highway Patrol says several train cars and two locomotives derailed. Authorities say two Boy Scout troops, on their way home from a trip to New Mexico, were among the passengers onboard the Southwest Chief. (This story is still developing.)

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Evergy Electric Bills Go Up for Some Kansas Customers, Down for Others

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Some Kansas customers will see an increase to their monthly electric bill next year, while others will earn a monthly credit. The Kansas Corporation Commission has signed off on the changes as part of a settlement agreement related to spiking energy costs during the deep freeze in February 2021. Evergy customers in central and eastern Kansas will see their monthly bill increase by just under $3 a month for a two year period, starting next April. The increase will help the company pay off about $122 million of unexpected energy costs stemming from the 2021 winter storm. Meanwhile, customers in the company’s Kansas City metro region will receive more than $6 in credit each month for a year. That comes from profits on $37 million worth of excess electricity sold during the same storm.

(-Related-)

Evergy Officials, Climate Change Activists Expected to Clash at Hearing

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Electric utility company Evergy is expected to butt heads with Kansas climate change activists at a hearing this (MON) evening. State regulators are considering Evergy’s plan to offer incentives such as rebates for energy efficiency improvements. The goal is to encourage households and businesses to reduce energy use. Beth Pauley is program director for the Climate and Energy Project in Hutchinson. She says Evergy’s plan does not do enough to help low-income Kansans, especially because energy prices are high right now.
“That’s not going to go away anytime soon. And when you pair that with these extreme heat waves, then this issue really becomes a public health crisis," she said. Evergy says its plan benefits customers and will help reduce the need for more power plants.

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Paola Man Faces Sentencing for Hate Crime Conviction

PAOLA, Kan. (KCUR) - Prosecutors and defense lawyers are asking that a Paola, Kansas, man be given a sentence of two years and three months in prison after he was convicted of a hate crime for threatening an African American juvenile with a knife. Colton Ray Donner pleaded guilty in February to a racially motivated hate crime. The judge is not bound by the sentencing recommendation – although he’s likely to follow it -- and could sentence Donner to a maximum of 10 years in prison. In September 2019, Donner got out of his car when he saw a Black juvenile on the sidewalk and approached him while brandishing a knife. He threatened him, shouted racial slurs and told him that Paola was "a white town."  Donner was also charged with domestic battery in May 2020, according to court filings. He pleaded guilty to that charge after spending 64 days in custody. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on the hate crime charge this Wednesday.

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Kansas City Named Best Place on Earth to Work Remotely

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Business Insider) - Kansas City has been voted the best place on earth to work remotely, according to new research from Icelandair. The city, which is home to around 500,000 people, was one of 150 analyzed by the airline, which ranked cities according to how easy, safe and healthy it is to work in them. Factors including internet speeds, quality of life, cost of living, and healthcare were all considered in the ranking, according to the research.  Business Insider magazine reports that Kansas City beat better-known international hubs like Vienna, Copenhagen, and Wellington to become the world's best city for accommodating remote workers. As well as Kansas City, Vienna, Copenhagen, and Wellington, the top 10 list was made up of Edinburgh, Perth, Frankfurt, Brisbane, Helsinki, and Victoria in Canada. ( Read more.)

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Topeka Police: Officers Fatally Shot Knife-Wielding Man

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Three Topeka police 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 am 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.

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KPR Completes "Quiet" Summer Fund Drive

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - With support from listeners, Kansas Public Radio raised more than $20,000 in what the station called its "quiet" summer membership drive. KPR Development Director Joanna Fewins said the station raised at least $22,245 in the past week or so, thanks to a $20,000 dollar-for-dollar matching grant provided by existing KPR listener-members. With the challenge grant and new money rasied, the station reeled in more than $42,000. In the past few years, the University of Kansas, which owns the radio station, has reduced university funding to KPR by a half million dollars. Fewins says the station now relies on listeners and local business underwriters for more than 84% of its operating budget. The station continues to take pledges from listeners on its website: KansasPublicRadio.org .

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Kansas Voters to Decide in August Whether State Constitution Protects Abortion

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - The federal ruling overturning nationwide abortion rights raises the stakes for the vote on a Kansas constitutional amendment. Kansans still have a right to abortion because of a 2019 state ruling that said the Kansas Constitution protects it. But voters will decide whether to remove that right in August. Critics say the amendment, known as Value Them Both, will put Kansas on the path to a total abortion ban. But Mackenzie Haddix, with a coalition supporting the amendment, says it only puts abortion policymaking back in the hands of lawmakers. “And limits should be decided by the people, not unelected judges. And so that is simply what 'Value Them Both' does," she said. Kansans will vote on the constitutional amendment August 2nd. ( Read more.)

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Gay Wichita Couple Marries as They Worry About Future Court Rulings

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita couple decided to get married Saturday at a pride event instead of waiting until later this year after a Supreme Court justice suggested the court should consider overturning rulings legalizing same-sex marriage and striking down laws criminalizing gay sex. Elliot and Juniper Chibs got married in front of hundreds of people at Naftzger Park in Wichita. Their marriage is legal now, but they worry that could change. Elliot Chibs told the Wichita Eagle that she's afraid the court will take away the right to gay marriage. Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple, who attended the pride event said the court's ruling is a wake-up that other rights are at risk now.

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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.

(Additional reporting...)

Missouri Bans Most Abortions in Wake of U.S. Supreme Court Ruling

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Most abortions are now illegal in Missouri following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that ended a constitutional protection for abortion. A 2019 Missouri law prohibits abortions “except in cases of medical emergency.” But that law had not taken effect because it contained a provision making it contingent upon verification by state officials that the Supreme Court had overruled its 1973 Roe v. Wade precedent. After Friday's Supreme Court ruling, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Governor Mike Parson both issued the necessary paperwork for the abortion-ban to take effect. Physicians who perform abortions could face felony charges punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Kansas voters will decide on a constitutional amendment August 2nd on whether the state constitution includes a right to abortion or not. ( Read more.)

Former President Trump Takes Credit as Abortion Law Returns to the States

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is taking credit for the Supreme Court’s abortion decision, which he is calling “the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation.” He says this ruling and others were possible because "I delivered everything as promised, including nominating and getting three highly respected and strong Constitutionalists confirmed to the United States Supreme Court. It was my great honor to do so!” The Supreme Court on Friday issued the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. Three of the justices voting in favor were Trump appointees: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

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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Investigation Underway into Union Pacific Train Derailment in Bonner Springs

BONNER SPRINGS, Kan. (KPR) - Twenty-five Union Pacific train cars, some carrying hazardous materials, derailed Friday evening in Bonner Springs.  Authorities say nothing was spilled and no one was injured. The Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department, which responded, reports nine of the train cars were tankers, carrying isobutane, a flammable gas used to make products ranging from aviation gasoline to plastics to food supplements. However, none of the hazardous materials were reported to have leaked. The derailment happened around 6:20 pm.  Fire officials say 21 of the cars were completely off the tracks. An investigation is underway. ( Read more.)

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Kansas County Settles Discrimination Lawsuit with $22,000

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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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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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 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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Olathe Man Sentenced to Prison for Deadly Hit-and-Run

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — An Olathe man has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for a 2018 hit-and-run crash that killed two people. Television station WDAF reports that 48-year-old Bradley Woodworth was sentenced last week to 19½ year in prison after pleading guilty in February to two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of 18-year-old Matthew Bloskey, of Overland Park, and 20-year-old Samuel Siebuhr, of Kansas City, Kansas. Investigators said the October 6 crash in Overland Park began as a road rage confrontation between Woodworth and Siebuhr before their vehicles collided. Siebuhr's car spun into oncoming traffic and the path of Bloskey's vehicle. That collision caused Siebuhr's car to burst into flames, and both Siebuhr and Bloskey died. Police say Woodworth sped away.

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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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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 Sen. 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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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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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.