Kansas Governor Recommends Masks for K-12 Schools
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Laura Kelly is recommending that nearly everyone inside K-12 schools or riding school buses in Kansas be required to wear a mask, and Kansas State University will require masks in its buildings. Kelly’s office issued updated guidance yesterday (FRI) for K-12 schools in response to a surge in new COVID-19 cases over the past five weeks tied to the more contagious delta variant. Her recommendations and the Kansas State University mandate will take effect Monday and apply even to people who've been vaccinated. Delta variant cases are doubling every two weeks in Kansas, with 1,653 cases confirmed as of yesterday (FRI), according to state data.
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Missouri Hospital Seeks Temporary Site for Overflow COVID Patients
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Health officials in Missouri sought, then withdrew their request for a temporary site to handle an overflow of COVID-19 patients because they said it couldn't be put up quickly enough. The Springfield-Greene County Health Department requested the site on July 14th. The agency says that while waiting for approval, the city's two hospitals hired additional staff and reallocated existing space. Elsewhere in the state, the surge has led to nursing home deaths, the reinstatement of mask mandates, and a call for state workers to get vaccinated.
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Third Arrest Made in Jail Theft Probe
CONCORDIA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says a third person has been arrested as part of an investigation into theft of public money at the Cloud County Jail. Nicholas Clanin, of Concordia, a former jail lieutenant, was arrested Friday on possible charges of theft, misuse of public funds, official misconduct, and destroying a written instrument. The KBI says an arrest warrant on a misdemeanor theft charge has been issued for 22-year-old Alexandra Wilcox, of Shawnee, Oklahoma, a former corrections officer at the jail. The jail's former administrator, Amber Lindberg, of Concordia, was arrested Wednesday on several possible counts. Her mother, 62-year-old Joyce Jasper, was also arrested on suspicion of theft.
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Sedgwick County Teen Gets Two Years Probation for Fatally Shooting Mother
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Sedgwick County teen who shot his mother to death has been sentenced to two years of probation. The teenager, who was never charged as an adult, shot 41-year-old Lisa Trimmell in June 2018 in Andover. He pleaded no contest last month to aggravated battery and criminal use of a weapon. KAKE-TV reports court documents indicate the boy, who was 14 at the time, shot his mother because she was attacking his younger brother. Attorney Dan Monnat said in a previous motion that Trimmell had a history of alcoholism and of abusing her sons.
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Kansas Court: Man who Killed Woman Not Required to Register as Sex Offender
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court says a man who beat an Overland Park woman and then left her to die does not have to register as a sex offender. Korrey Raine White Rinke was sentenced in December 2019 to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 25 years for the 2016 death of Julianna Pappas. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender. The state Supreme Court yesterday (FRI) reversed a lower court ruling and said Rinke did not have to register as a sex offender. The court said prosecutors did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Rinke kidnapped and killed Pappas for sexual gratification.
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Update: Kansans Compete in Olympics
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Lawrence-based Olympian Christina Clemons advanced to the semi-finals in the women's 100-meter hurdle. She'll compete again at 5:45 tomorrow (SUN) morning. Former University of Kansas track and field star Mason Finley finished 23rd in the discus. This is his second trip to the Olympics; he placed 11th in the discus five years ago in Rio. Meanwhile, swimmer and former Lawrence resident Michael Andrew is under fire for his refusal to wear a mask during interviews at the Tokyo Aquatics Center. The interviews took place yesterday (FRI) after Andrew placed 5th in the men's 200-meter medley.