UPDATE: Kansas Court Wrestles with Barring Political Gerrymandering
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A top Kansas government attorney has argued that congressional redistricting is naturally political and the Kansas Supreme Court shouldn't try to decide when partisanship goes too far. But Kansas Solicitor General Brant Laue found himself chastised Monday by one of the justices for making what the justice called a "boys will be boys" argument. The Supreme Court heard arguments in the state's appeal of a lower court ruling striking down a Republican congressional redistricting law making it harder for the only Democrat in the state's congressional delegation to win reelection this year. Justice Dan Biles challenged Laue and suggested that partisan gerrymandering can never be a legitimate state interest.
(–Earlier Reporting–)
Kansas Supreme Court Begins Hearing on Redistricting
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — The Kansas Supreme Court has started hearing arguments in a challenge to the state’s congressional redistricting plan. The case will decide whether lawmakers unfairly drew the districts and whether gerrymandering is legal in Kansas. A Wyandotte County judge struck down a map for the four congressional districts in Kansas that was drawn by the Republican-led Legislature. He said it divided racially diverse and Democratic-leaning areas. The judge ruled the map was politically and racially gerrymandered. But the state appealed the case. Attorneys defending the map are expected to argue that no state laws prevent political gerrymandering. They will also argue racial gerrymandering did not occur. The court will need to act quickly. The state’s candidate registration deadline is June 10.
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Kansas Governor Vetoes Bill Banning Mask Mandates
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Governor Laura Kelly has vetoed a bill that would prohibit government mask mandates in Kansas and curb the power of state and local health officials during outbreaks of infectious diseases. The measure vetoed Friday was the Republican-controlled Legislature’s response to mask mandates and other restrictions that outraged many conservative constituents during the coronavirus pandemic. It would prevent state and local government officials from issuing mask mandates and prevent state and local health officials from ordering law enforcement agencies to help them enforce orders dealing with infectious diseases. But the measure passed with less than the two-thirds majorities in both chambers needed to override a veto.
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Kansas Legalizes Sports Betting, Then Gets Sued by Casino
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has legalized sports betting. But the state was sued almost immediately Thursday by a state-owned casino operator over an unrelated part of the law designed to revive a long-closed greyhound track in its area. State officials and others weren’t sure ahead of Kelly's signing of sports betting legislation Thursday when sports fans would be able to start making wagers. The lawsuit is from the Kansas Star Casino operated by Boyd Gaming about 15 miles south of Wichita. The casino has a contract with the lottery and says that contract has been breached because the new law allows improper competition from new gambling devices at Wichita Greyhound Park.
(–Related–)
Governor Kelly Signs Bill Legalizing Sports Betting in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansans will soon be able to legally place bets on their favorite sports teams. Governor Laura Kelly has signed a bill into law to legalize sports gambling. The new law will allow people in the state to use cellphone or computer apps to bet on sporting events and to place bets at state-owned casinos or up to 50 other locations chosen by each casino. Gambling will be legal beginning July 1. The measure dedicates most of the the state’s share of revenues to efforts to lure the Kansas City Chiefs from Missouri to Kansas. Supporters of the law say it was time to legalize sports betting because people were already doing it. They also say it will help raise tax revenue. The state estimates legal sports betting will bring in up to $10 million a year by 2025. Kansas joins dozens of other states that have made sports gambling legal in recent years.
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Haskell University Graduation Features U.S. Interior Secretary Haaland
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - The U.S. Secretary of Interior congratulated graduates of Haskell Indian Nations University at this year's commencement. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Secretary Deb Haaland called on Haskell graduates last Friday (May 13) to work to preserve Native American languages and culture. This follows a report released last week by the Interior Department that details forced assimilation of Native American children in the late 1800s at government-run boarding schools, including Haskell. Haaland, who is Laguna Pueblo, is the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary.
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Abortion Rights Supporters Rally in KC, Nationwide
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Hundreds of people turned out in Kansas City to demonstrate in support of abortion rights. The Kansas City Star reports that about 300 people joined protestors nationwide for the "Bans Off Our Bodies" rally. The rallies were organized nationwide by Planned Parenthood in response to a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court indicating that Roe v. Wade may be overturned.
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Man Charged in Fatal Hit-and-Run Outside Arrowhead Stadium
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police say a man has been charged in a fatal hit-and-run crash that happened last year outside of Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Television station WDAF reports that 19-year-old Thomas Weyer is charged with one count of leaving the scene of a fatal crash in the October 10 death of 66-year-old Steven Hickle, of Wichita. Investigators say Hickle had left the stadium during a rain delay of a Chiefs game and was crossing a street when he was hit by two vehicles that left the scene. Court documents say an anonymous tip led police to Weyer, who initially denied involvement, but later admitted hitting Hickle after being told police had learned his vehicle was at the scene of the fatality at the time of the hit-and-run crash.
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Kansas Woman Arrested in 2002 Missouri Hospital Patient's Death
CHILLICOTHE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say they've arrested a former respiratory therapist who is charged with first-degree murder in the death of a patient 20 years ago. The Livingston County Sheriff's Office says deputies in northeastern Kansas arrested 41-year-old Jennifer Hall on Thursday evening, under the name Jennifer Semaboye, of Overland Park, Kansas. She was charged this month in the 2002 death of Fern Franco — one of nine people who died at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe over several months in 2002. Authorities say Hall worked as a respiratory therapist at the hospital when the patients all died from cardiac collapse. Matthew O'Connor, who has represented Hall in the past, said no evidence exists to connect Hall to the deaths. Hall has previously denied any involvement.
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Kansas Governor Signs Bill to Shore up State Employee Retirement Fund
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has signed a bill aimed at shoring up the state employee retirement fund, known as KPERS. The $1 billion infusion of cash is intended to fix problems caused by the state’s last budget crisis. Revenue shortfalls caused in part by tax cuts during Republican Governor Sam Brownback’s administration forced the state to delay contributions to the retirement fund and skip some debt payments. The money in the bill will make up for those missed contributions pay off long-term debts. It will also help close a gap between the fund’s projected assets and what will be needed decades from now to pay benefits. Republicans pushed for the bill arguing that a current budget surplus gave the state a rare opportunity to fix a series of lingering problems with the retirement fund, which has more than 150,000 active members.
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Kansas Governor Signs Law Mandating Labels for Alternative "Meat" Products
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansas will no longer allow products like veggie burgers and plant-based sausages on grocery store shelves without a label clearly stating they are not made from meat. Governor Laura Kelly has signed a bill into law that adds the labeling requirements for meat alternatives. The Kansas Livestock Association has wanted the law for years. It’s part of a nationwide effort to push back against meat alternatives. KLA lobbyist Aaron Popelka says the law was necessary to help shoppers know when they're buying vegetarian products rather than animal meats. “It became pretty clear they were using deceptive labels to try to market their products.” Popelka said, “When consumers go to the grocery store, they will now exactly what they are buying.” Critics say consumers are not confused and that very few consumers accidentally buy alternative meat products. They say the law is putting needless restrictions on the businesses that produce vegetarian products. Meanwhile, plant-based meat alternatives continue to grow in popularity, with retail data showing more than $7 billion in sales in recent years.
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"From Crisis to Death:" Probing Wichita Teen's Last, Desperate Hours
MISSION, Kan. (AP) — When Wichita police were called to deal with a teenager in the throes of a mental health crisis, everything went wrong. Cedric “C.J.” Lofton had had a troubled life, and his final hours were horrendous — he was dragged from the porch of his foster home, taken to a Sedgwick County juvenile detention facility instead of a mental hospital, and shackled face down until he lost consciousness. No one has been charged in C.J.'s death; the prosecutor in the case raised questions about nearly everyone involved in C.J.’s care, from the juvenile workers to the foster care system, and said this death never should have happened.
(–Related–)
Corrections Staffing Issues Lead to Closure of Sedgwick Juvenile Facility
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) - Sedgwick County's continuing problems with staffing in its corrections programs has led to the closure of a residential juvenile facility. Corrections officials say they were forced to close the juvenile residential facility to provide adequate staffing for the county’s juvenile detention facility. The residential facility allows juveniles to serve their sentences without confinement. Even with pay increases and bonuses, the county says current staffers are leaving due to burnout. County Commissioners say they were blind-sided by the news. Commissioner Jim Howell says closing the facility is not the right answer. "We’re simply, because of money, backing away from any type of effective program that actually helps these kids not reoffend and not become issues in the community and not end up in a penitentiary in the future,” Howell said. The closure comes as a community task force set up by the city of Wichita and Sedgwick County pushes for a restorative justice program to keep youth out of jails.
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Advocates Continue to Seek Legalization of Fentanyl Test Strips in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Advocates for legalizing fentanyl screening kits. Fentanyl is a leading cause of overdoses and supporters say allowing people to use the kits could save lives in the opioid epidemic. Sometimes people die after taking cocaine or other drugs that were spiked with the powerful opioid. Some states are legalizing kits that let people screen drugs for fentanyl contamination. The Kansas House wanted to follow suit but the Senate did not. Some lawmakers said they fear that legalizing fentanyl test kits would encourage drug use. But advocates say the test strips help people stay safe while they work on overcoming their addiction disorders. Kaiser Health News reports the kits are legal in about half of states.
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Kansas City Chiefs Announce 2022 Season Schedule
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KNS) —The Kansas City Chiefs will get plenty of national TV exposure with the 2022 schedule. There will be five televised prime-time games including three at Arrowhead Stadium starting with the Chiefs home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs will open the season on the road, Sunday, September 11 at Arizona. The other prime time games at Arrowhead will be against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, October 10, and Sunday night, November 6, against Tennessee. The regular season concludes on the second weekend of January in Las Vegas.
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Royals Fire Hitting Coach Bradshaw, Promote Zumwalt to Job
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have fired hitting coach Terry Bradshaw and promoted Alex Zumwalt in a shakeup of the coaching staff that they hope will wake up one of the worst offenses in the majors. The Royals have scored 118 runs through their first 32 games, better only than the Tigers, Orioles and White Sox. Their 21 home runs trail only the Tigers and Red Sox for the worst total in the big leagues. Keoni DeRenne will remain the assistant hitting coach and Mike Tosar the special assignment hitting coach.
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Vision of Hamlin, Jordan Comes into Focus with Win at Kansas Speedway
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin founded 23XI Racing with a vision that extended far beyond the race track. They wanted to expand diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in auto racing. All of which is a whole lot easier to accomplish after days like Sunday. Kurt Busch won a thriller at Kansas Speedway in the No. 45 car decked out in Jordan Brand-themed graphics. It gave the team a second Cup Series triumph. Bubba Wallace won last year at Talladega.
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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!