Kansas Hit Hard by Identity Theft During COVID-19 Pandemic
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Identity theft rose sharply last year during the COVID-19 pandemic, and no place was hit harder than Kansas. The Wichita Eagle reports that 43,211 Kansans alerted the Federal Trade Commission in 2020 that someone had stolen or tried to steal their identity. That was 2,272 more cases than in 2019. The state's 1,802% year-over-year increase was the highest among the states and more than three times the national average. Of all the 2020 identity theft reports in Kansas, 88% were classified as government documents or benefits fraud. The Kansas Department of Labor has cited a barrage of fraudulent unemployment claims since the coronavirus pandemic began.
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3 Teenagers Die, 1 Girl Injured, When Car Crashes into River
EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — Three teenagers died and a fourth teen was injured when the car they were riding in crashed into the Cottonwood River south of Emporia. The Lyon County Sheriff's office said the wreck was discovered around 6:30 pm Saturday after the injured girl, 15-year-old Ashley Edwards, was spotted walking down the road. Edwards told deputies that she had been a passenger in a car that crashed. Authorities pulled a 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix from the river with three people inside. The sheriff's office said 17-year-old Chase Luby, 13-year-old Paxton Luby and 17-year-old Shelby Phoenix were all dead. Edwards was taken to a hospital.
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Kansas Plan Could Give $500 Million in COVID Relief to Businesses
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republicans have pushed a plan through the Kansas Legislature that could provide roughly $500 million to small businesses to offset losses tied to state and local restrictions meant to check COVID-19's spread last year. The measure approved early Saturday would require the state, cities and counties to set aside part of their federal coronavirus relief funds to pay claims from small businesses. Supporters said creating a system for paying claims could avoid a larger total payout from potential lawsuits, but doing so would help small businesses that cannot afford to hire attorneys to sue state or local officials. Critics questioned whether the claims process would be transparent enough.
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Plan Ties Kansas School Tax to Break for Closed Businesses
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A measure approved by Kansas lawmakers ties the renewal of a tax that's crucial to funding public schools to a proposed tax break for businesses that are forced to shut down during future emergencies or pandemics. The bill approved early Saturday is a response from the GOP-controlled Legislature to frustrations that businesses shut down or restricted last year during the coronavirus pandemic still owed local property taxes. The votes were 35-0 in the Senate and 108-3 in the House, sending the measure to Democratic Governor Laura Kelly. Starting next year, counties would have to give property tax rebates to businesses shut down or restricted during a declared state of emergency.
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Kansas Lawmakers Want to Keep "Cocktails to Go" After Pandemic
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The state that made saloon smasher Carrie Nation famous is moving to allow people to get beer and cocktails to go after the coronavirus pandemic. Kansas lawmakers last week approved a bill to allow to-go beer and alcoholic drinks from clubs, bars and restaurants until 11 pm, as long as the drinks are in sealed containers and clear bags that discourage tampering. The measure is headed to Governor Laura Kelly after both chambers approved it Friday. It continues a policy Kelly set by executive order in April 2020 restaurants when Kansas was under a statewide stay-at-home order and that remained in effect through March.
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New Plan Keeps Kansas Governor in Decisions on COVID Funds
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature has backed off its effort to remove Democratic Governor Laura Kelly from final decisions on how federal coronavirus relief funds are spent. Budget legislation approved Friday gives top lawmakers more say but still allows Kelly to veto their proposals. The State Finance Council has been making the final decisions. It is Kelly and eight top lawmakers. Frustrated legislators last month approved a measure to give only their leaders the final say, and Kelly vetoed it. The new plan allows the Finance Council to still make final decisions, but proposals would first be approved by a task force with four of seven members appointed by legislative leaders.
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Kansas COVID-19 Case Count Over 310,000; Death Toll Tops 5,000
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reports there have been 310,927 cases of COVID-19, including 5,016 deaths related to the coronavirus, since the pandemic began. That's an increase of 345 cases and zero deaths since Friday. Another update is expected Wednesday.
- KPR's Coronavirus Information and Resources Guide
- Kansas COVID-19 Vaccination Information
- Kansas COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard
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Kansas COVID Shots Top 2 Million; Cities, Counties Due $1 Billion in Aid
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas reports that more than 2 million coronavirus vaccine shots have been administered in the state, as the federal government detailed plans to distribute nearly $1 billion in aid to Kansas cities and counties. The state health department said Monday that nearly 1.15 million people or 39.5% of the state’s population had received at least one vaccine shot. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department spelled out for the first time how it would distribute a majority of aid Kansas expects to receive from a federal coronavirus relief measure that became law in March. The aid includes $566 million to counties and $427 million for cities.
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Kansas State Changing Mask Policy, Cites CDC Guidance
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State University is altering its mask policy for outdoor settings, citing updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. WIBW-TV reports that starting May 17, those who are fully vaccinated can participate in campus outdoor activities and recreation without a mask, except in crowded settings and venues. Those exceptions may include live performances, parades and sporting events. The university says masks will still be required in all indoor spaces on university property. The CDC announced the new guidance in late April, saying fully vaccinated Americans don't need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers.
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Man Found Shot to Death Outside Kansas City Apartment
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City, Missouri, police are investigating after a man was found shot to death outside an apartment. The shooting happened just after midnight Saturday near 88th and Crystal Avenue. Arriving officers found the victim with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim has not been identified and no arrests have been made.
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Kansas High School Coach, Accused of Racial Slur, Fired
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas school board has fired a high school baseball coach for allegedly using a racial slur toward a Black player. The Kansas City Star reports that the Olathe board met this (MON) morning and announced the firing of Olathe North High School Coach Pete Flood. The father of the team's only Black player told the Star last week that his son was playing rap music through speakers during batting practice before a recent game. Tony Banks said Flood walked up to Banks' son and used a racial slur in describing rap music. Banks shared the story on social media, prompting an outcry.
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Third Small Earthquake this Week Reported in Kansas
ABILENE, Kan. (AP) — For the third time this week, a small earthquake has caused a little shaking in Kansas. KSNT-TV reports that the latest was a magnitude 3.2 earthquake detected southeast of Abilene just after 7 am Saturday. Like the two others, no major damage was reported. The earlier earthquakes this week were near Formoso in north-central Kansas, and in the south-central part of the state.
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Wichita Store Security Guard Dies, Days After Being Shot
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A man who worked security at a QuikTrip store in Wichita has died, two days after being shot. Will Robinson was shot Wednesday night at the downtown store. Wichita Police say he died Friday. He was 39 years old. A suspect is in custody in the shooting. Police say he has a long criminal record. Robinson had worked as a security guard at QuikTrip for about a year. Before that he was a Wichita police officer. He was a married father of two children. QuikTrip, in a statement, said it is "absolutely devastated and heartbroken by the tragic loss of Will."
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Driver Running Red Light Blamed in Fatal KCK Accident
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — One person is dead and another is hospitalized after a wreck in Kansas City, Kansas, that police believe was caused by a driver running a red light. The accident happened about 6:45 pm Sunday. Police say the initial investigation shows that a vehicle was speeding when the driver ran a red light and struck another vehicle in the intersection. The impact caused the vehicle that was struck to roll several times. The driver of that vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle that allegedly ran the red light was taken to the hospital with what police described as non-life-threatening injuries. An investigation continues.
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Kansas City Mayor: State Should Allow Local Gun Rules
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says a state law that prevents cities from enacting their own gun control measures hamstrings his efforts to address the city’s gun deaths. Lucas said he would like to promote city ordinances to stop easy access to illegal firearms, but a 2014 state law prohibits such local rules. A bill to repeal the state’s prohibition on cities passing their own gun measures was filed but did not get a hearing this session. Senator Eric Burlison, a Battlefield Republican, said Missouri’s high rate of gun deaths is not in any way connected to the state’s gun laws.
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Colorado Man Gets Life Sentence for Deaths of Man and Woman from Northeast Kansas
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A jury has convicted a Colorado Springs man in a 2018 double-slaying in which a woman and man were shot and left in a burning car in a scheme to steal marijuana. The Gazette reports the panel on Friday found Nashid Rayon Rivers guilty of of first-degree murder in the killings of Serena Garcia of Parker and Marcus Denton of Atchison, Kansas. Rivers also was convicted of aggravated robbery, tampering with human bodies and other counts. Fourth Judicial District Judge Frances Johnson imposed an automatic penalty of life in prison without parole. Rivers told the judge he was innocent.
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Wichita Police Work to Crack Down on Street Racing
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police are trying to crack down on street racing after several recent incidents involving injuries and deaths. The exact number of racing incidents is hard to pinpoint because police don't track them separately and often people caught racing are charged with other crimes, such as reckless driving, that carry tougher penalties. At least two people have been killed and two people injured in racing incidents over the past year. Sedgwick County Assistant District Attorney Aaron Breitenbach said street racing has been growing slowly over the past couple years.
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Commemorative Police Coin's Design Criticized as Offensive
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A commemorative coin that was designed to honor the Kansas City Police Department’s vice unit is being widely criticized. The coin, which was to feature an image of a pimp with a biracial complexion on one side and a handcuffed, brown-skinned woman on the other side, was never produced. Mayor Quinton Lucas said he has seen a rendering of the coin, which hasn’t been released publicly, and he told department leaders he was displeased. The Kansas City Star reports that Police Chief Rick Smith told the Board of Police Commissioners he found the image offensive and had launched an investigation into how it had been approved.
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St. Louis Bans Discrimination Based on Hairstyles
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones has signed a bill prohibiting race-based discrimination based on hairstyles. The Democratic mayor, elected last month, signed the bill Friday. Kansas City, Missouri, has a similar ordinance. Several states also have passed the CROWN Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair. The St. Louis bill was sponsored by Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard. It prohibits job, housing and hiring discrimination “based upon an individual’s hairstyle, protective hair, or natural or cultural hair texture or style.” A similar bill was recently introduced by the St. Louis County Council.
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Widow of Lead Plaintiff in Landmark Brown v. Board Case Turns 100
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The widow of the lead plaintiff in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case that led to school desegregation has turned 100. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Leola Brown Montgomery celebrated her birthday on Friday. Montgomery's husband, Oliver Brown, became the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit after attempting to enroll their daughter, Linda, in an all-white elementary school near the family's Topeka home in 1951. Oliver Brown was told she had to instead attend the all-Black Monroe School two miles away. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in 1954 that "separate but equal" schools violated the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.
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