Wyandotte County Extends Mask Mandate
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Most Wyandotte County residents will be required to wear masks in indoor public spaces into mid-November. The mask requirement applies in Kansas City, Kansas, and to residents aged 5 and older, in businesses and houses of worship. Wyandotte County imposed the mandate in August, and it is now set to remain in place through November 18th. The county commission voted this past week to extend the mandate by two months. Meanwhile, Kansas aviation companies are set to receive nearly $104 million in federal COVID-19 relief fundsThe Wichita Eagle reports that 31 companies will receive federal relief funds to keep a total of nearly 4,300 jobs.
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Local Agencies: KC Area Could Welcome 625 Afghan Refugees
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Resettlement agencies in the Kansas City area have told the federal government that they have the capacity to welcome 625 refugees from Afghanistan. The Kansas City Star reports that three organizations designated by the U.S. State Department as resettlement agencies submitted the figure in a proposal to the agency in late August. The agencies are Della Lamb Community Center, Jewish Vocational Services and Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. But Della Lamb Executive Director Ryan Hudnall said the figure is subject to change depending on who chooses to come to Kansas and who has existing relationships in the area.
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Kansas Agrees to $1.9 Million for Attorneys Who Fought Voting Law
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas appears likely to pay $1.9 million to attorneys who succeeded in getting the federal courts to strike down a state proof-of-citizenship requirement for new voters. The amount arose from negotiations between attorneys for the state and lawyers for Kansas residents who filed two federal lawsuits against a state law requiring people to provide citizenship documents when registering to vote. They jointly asked Friday for U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson to sign off. The lawsuits successfully argued that the proof-of-citizenship requirement denied voting rights to thousands of citizens while doing little or nothing to stop fraud. The law was championed by former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.
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Thieves Steal Crops from KC Churches
LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) - Thieves in the Kansas City area have taken two churches' fruit harvests in the past month. WDAF-TV reports that Hosanna! Lutheran Church in Liberty had planned to harvest its grapes after a Sunday workship service earlier this month. But members discovered that all 1,500 pounds of grapes had been stolen. The church had the grapes bottled for communion wine. Meanwhile, St. Peter and All Saints Episcopal Church in Kansas City recently had four of its apple and pear trees picked clean. The anticipated harvest was three or four years in the making and the fruit was destined for a food pantry and a homeless shelter.
