KU Cancer Center Earns National Cancer Institute’s Most Prestigious Status
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KPR) — The University of Kansas Cancer Center has been designated as a “Comprehensive” cancer center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). It's the highest level of recognition awarded by the NCI and is the gold standard for cancer centers. In addition to Comprehensive status, the KU Cancer Center was awarded a five-year, $13.8 million grant to support the center’s research programs. It also received an “outstanding” rating by NCI reviewers.
“Comprehensive designation is a crucial milestone in our journey to conquer all cancers,” said Roy Jensen, M.D., director of the KU Cancer Center. “You might ask, ‘What does Comprehensive designation mean for people with cancer?’ As one of just 53 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation, it means patients will be cared for by the world’s leading cancer experts who have access to a robust portfolio of clinical trials. It also means we now have increased access to more federal funding and research dollars." The University of Kansas Cancer Center has nearly 350 researchers and 150 disease-specific oncologists. They conduct all phases of cancer research, from laboratory studies to clinical trials to population-based studies that address environmental and behavioral factors that contribute to cancer. The Stowers Institute for Medical Research and Children’s Mercy Kansas City are consortium partners with the KU Cancer Center, while The University of Kansas Health System is a clinical partner. ( Read more.)
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Governor: Kansas Still in the Running for $4 Billion Economic Development Project
TOPEKA, Kan. (LJW / KPR) - Governor Laura Kelly says Kansas is still in the running to land a $4 billion economic development project. Kelly told the Lawrence Journal-World that she believes Kansas is still the front-runner to win the huge, 4,000-job manufacturing facility. While the project has never been officially identified, previous reporting suggests the facility will be a Panasonic plant that will produce electric car batteries for Tesla and other electric vehicles. Other reports have suggested that the plant will be located on the grounds of the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant (SFAAP), south of De Soto, in Johnson County. State officials had expected an announcement on the project in the spring. Kansas reportedly is competing against Oklahoma for the project. As an announcement never materialized in the spring, there had been concern the project perhaps wasn’t moving forward or that Kansas no longer was being considered for it. On Wednesday, Kelly said that’s not the case. “I think we are very much still in the running,” Kelly said. “I think we will find out very soon for sure.”
Kelly didn’t confirm any of the speculation that the project is a Panasonic battery plant. State officials have signed nondisclosure agreements as they compete to land the project. But Kelly said the project stands to be special for the state. “It will be absolutely transformative for the entire state of Kansas,” Kelly said. “Right off the bat and then for years to come. It will be a game changer.” Kelly said that since the state approved the special incentive package — known as the Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion Act — the state’s Department of Commerce has fielded at least 12 calls from companies wanting to discuss $1 billion-plus economic development projects that could take advantage of similar incentives being offered to this project. “We haven’t had to go seek them out,” she said. “They’ve been coming to us," Kelly said. ( Read more.)
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Kansas Courts Will Make Changes that Could Help Those Facing Eviction
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Courts in Kansas will make changes that could help people facing eviction. The Kansas News Service reports that the state's highest court created a panel to review the best ways to deal with evictions. The court approved some of the panel’s recommendations, including giving judges materials that lay out how eviction proceedings should work. The courts will also create videos for the public that explain the eviction process. Judges will inform tenants and landlords about emergency rental assistance funds. The federal government and the state of Kansas blocked evictions when the pandemic hit, but those protections ended last fall. Evictions briefly spiked, then returned to pre-pandemic levels.
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Kansas State Troopers Association Endorses Derek Schmidt for Governor
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - An association of Kansas Highway Patrol troopers is endorsing Republican Derek Schmidt for governor. According to the Kansas News Service, the group says it's not supporting Democratic Governor Laura Kelly because of scandals during her tenure. The Kansas Highway Patrol superintendent appointed by Kelly was accused of sexual harassment and gender discrimination in 2020. An investigation eventually found no violations and Kelly publicly supported him. The troopers association says that and other leadership issues have tainted the highway patrol’s reputation and made recruiting troopers more difficult. Issues in the patrol aren’t new. A superintendent appointed by former Republican Governor Sam Brownback also faced allegations of mishandling sexual misconduct complaints.
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Kansas Faces What Could Be Worst Ever Teacher Shortage
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) - This fall, Kansas could face its worst educator shortage in modern history. According to the Kansas News Service, new research shows that frustration and stress — not low pay — lie at the heart of most teachers’ decision to leave. Researchers with the RAND Corporation surveyed thousands of teachers and principals this year. They wanted to gauge how teachers were feeling about their jobs coming out of the COVID pandemic, and whether they had considered leaving. Elizabeth Steiner, RAND’s director of research, said many educators surveyed painted a "a picture of stress and job dissatisfaction." Steiner says about three-fourths of teachers and 85% of principals experience frequent job-related stress. About one in four teachers said they were likely to leave their jobs by the end of the school year. “And teachers were more likely than other working adults to say that they were experiencing burnout," she said.
Kansas reported about 1,400 teacher vacancies this spring – nearly double the number two years ago. Numbers due in October will likely reveal an even worse teacher shortage. The same goes for principals and superintendents. Education Commissioner Randy Watson said, "We are worried that we’re going to have an educator shortage that may be the most severe we’ve ever seen.” The teacher shortage has been building for years, but mostly in specific areas like math, science and special education. ( Read more.)
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Kansas Families Will Need to Reapply for Free Meals When School Starts in the Fall
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Families will have to reapply for food assistance when school starts back up this fall, something they have not done in years. The Kansas News Service reports that changes in a federal program mean some people will have to start paying for meals again. Free lunch waivers were part of a pandemic-relief package. The program was designed to feed kids year round – even when not in school. Free lunches are not going away, but lower-income families must reapply for aid because Congress changed the program. Haley Kottler, with the advocacy group Kansas Appleseed, says this could mean families eligible for help might not get it. Families should contact their school district with questions. Kottler says changes at the federal level have not hurt free summer meal programs, and it is not too late to sign up.
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Kansas Wraps Up Fiscal Year with More Tax Revenue Collections than Expected
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas has wrapped up the fiscal year and collected more money in taxes than originally projected. The Kansas News Service reports that the revenue has helped the state build a financial reserve. Retail sales tax, and income tax collections beat projections as Kansas closed out the fiscal year June 30th. All told, the state brought in $438 million more than expected, or almost 5% more. The money could be used by lawmakers for tax cuts or increased spending when they return to Topeka in January. It could also help the state whether there is a drop in revenue if the economy stalls. The additional tax collections also allowed the state to make record-breaking deposits into a rainy-day fund, which now holds more than $950 million.
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Excessive Heat Warnings & Advisories Issued for KPR Listening Area Through Thursday Night
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Heat advisories and warnings are in effect for the entire KPR listening area for much of this week. An Excessive Heat Warning has been issued for Anderson, Coffey, Douglas, Franklin, Jefferson, Lyon, Morris, Osage, Shawnee, and Wabaunsee Counties. It remains in effect until 9 pm Thursday. Dangerously hot conditions are forecast, with heat index readings of 103 to 100. This includes the cities of Lawrence, Topeka, Emporia, and Council Grove. An Excessive Heat Warning has been issued for Johnson, Leavenworth, Linn, Miami, and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas, and Clay, Jackson, and Platte Counties in Missouri. It remains in effect through 11 pm Thursday. Heat index readings up to 108 are expected. This includes the entire Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area. An Excessive Heat Warning has been issued for Allen, Greenwood, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson Counties. It will be in effect until 8 pm Thursday. Heat index readings up to 108 are predicted. This includes the city of Chanute.
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Lawrence Adds 60 Acres to City Boundaries; Project Will Build 200 Homes
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) - The City of Lawrence will soon get larger. Citing the need for more housing, city leaders have approved a request to expand the city’s boundaries to encompass about 60 acres in northwest Lawrence for the purposes of a residential development. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the Lawrence City Commission voted 4-1 Tuesday, with Mayor Courtney Shipley opposed, to approve a request submitted by BG Consultants Inc. on behalf of Williams Management LLC to annex and rezone three parcels east of 1760 East 1100 Road. The annexation is the first requiring a developer to provide a community benefit under the area’s new comprehensive plan, and commissioners in favor of the request agreed that the project met those new requirements. Commissioner Brad Finkeldei said the community “desperately needed” residential lots and he thought the provision of housing in and of itself — the project will accommodate about 200 new homes — qualified as a community benefit. Officially, the project’s benefits include preserving woodlands and providing land for a school, and Finkeldei said he was happy to see the additional benefits. Adam Williams, the developer, also told commissioners the plan was to work with local nonprofit Tenants to Homeowners to provide at least three of the project’s approximately 200 lots for permanently affordable housing. ( Read more.)
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KU to Give Most Employees 5% Raise; Increase Will Show Up on August Paychecks
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) - Nearly every University of Kansas employee will receive a 5% pay increase for the next school year. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that KU officials said the August 21st paycheck would include a 5% raise for “most KU faculty and staff” who were on the KU payroll on June 30. In an unexpected development, KU said the pay increase won’t be a traditional merit-based increase where the size of the raise is determined by employee evaluations. Instead, everyone who receives a raise will get the same 5% increase. The 5% pay increase doesn’t apply to KU affiliate organizations, such as Kansas Athletics and the Kansas Union. However, leaders of those organizations will determine any pay increases for their employees. KU’s Lawrence and Edwards campuses had about 8,300 full- and part-time employees during the last school year. ( Read more.)
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Kansas Changes Legal Definition of Drug Possession
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas has changed the legal definition of drug possession to simplify the process of prosecuting people for drug charges. Prosecutors had complained that the old definition of possession was confusing for juries and had too many legal terms and requirements. Aaron Breitenbach, the deputy district attorney in Sedgwick County, told lawmakers that the old definition said people had to knowingly possess drugs. Breitenbach said that can create a legal loophole because defendants can argue they are innocent because they did not know the exact drug they were possessing. ”Possession is one of the most fundamental charges that we prosecute,"Breitenbach said. "To have a clear definition of what that means is really kind of a building block to a lot of our cases." Some defense attorneys oppose the change but others say it simplifies state law and will not make it too easy to prosecute people.
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Wichita Police Promote Officer Who Killed Man in "Swatting" Incident
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita Police Department has promoted an officer who killed an unarmed man in a “swatting” incident. The Wichita Eagle reported Sunday that Justin Rapp was promoted to detective on June 25. Interim Chief Lem Moore said Rapp qualified for promotion based on written and oral examinations. He added that the killing didn’t disqualify Rapp for promotion since he wasn’t disciplined. Rapp shot 28-year-old Andrew Finch while responding to a fake call of a hostage situation at Finch’s address. Rapp initially told detectives that he thought Finch had a gun but testified later that he didn’t see a weapon and shot him based on his hand motions.
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Court Permits Hays and Russell to Move Forward with Water Pipeline Plan
HAYS, Kan. (KNS) - Two northwest Kansas towns are one step closer to securing the water they need for their long-term survival. A plan for Hays and Russell to build a 70-mile water pipeline from a ranch three counties away has passed a major hurdle. Without the pipeline, officials in the two cities say, they face the possibility of running out of water over the next century. A district court has ruled, after decades of legal wrangling, that the plan can move forward. It’s a preview of what other western Kansas towns might have to do to survive as drought and aquifer depletion put municipal water sources at risk. Attorney John T. Bird led the Hays legal team. He says the impact of this decision on the future of life in northwest Kansas can’t be overstated. “It is one of the most important decisions by a court about water in the state of Kansas in the last 50 years” Bird says. City leaders promoting the project say securing a long-term water source is a matter of survival for Hays, which is the largest town and commercial center for northwest Kansas. Attorneys say it could take 3-5 years to get the remaining legal approvals and complete the pipeline.
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Sysco Accuses 4 Largest Beef Processors of Price Fixing
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The nation's largest food distributor has joined the other businesses accusing the four largest meat processors of working together to inflate beef prices. Sysco recently filed a federal lawsuit in Texas accusing Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill and National Beef of price fixing. The lawsuit said those companies have conspired to suppress the number of cattle slaughtered to help drive up the price of beef. The allegations are similar to ones in lawsuits filed by grocery stores, ranchers, restaurants and other wholesalers. The companies didn't immediately respond to questions about the new lawsuit Thursday, but they have defended their actions in the other cases. The industry maintains that supply and demand drive beef prices, not anticompetitive behavior.
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Invasive Asian Carp “Rebranded” to Entice Diners
URBANA Ill. (Harvest Public Media) - The fish species known as Asian carp has a new name. The rebrand is an effort to get more people to eat the invasive species. Copi is the new name of the fish that has invaded Midwestern waterways and threatened native fish species since first being identified in the 1990’s. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is hoping the new name, along with a marketing campaign, will take more fish out of the water and onto our dinner plates. The department’s Joe Parkos says he supports the rebrand, but that it’s just a start. “We need to remove as many of these fish as possible, so you can consider this one tool in the toolbox,” Parkos says. As for what he’ll call the species going forward, Parkos says he’ll stick with its scientific name: “The Hypophthalmichthys molitrix.” (Read more.)
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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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Kansas City Royals Partner with Community Blood Center to Collect Blood Donations
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) – The Kansas City Royals and Community Blood Center (CBC) are teaming up for a blood drive through July 9. Organizers say all donors at CBC donor centers will receive their choice of Royals tickets or a t-shirt. The blood supply continues to be impacted by low donor turn-out and local inventory currently stands at a 2-to-3-day level, well below the ideal inventory of 5-7 days. For more than 20 years, the Royals and CBC have partnered for Royals Weeks, a two-week long blood donation celebration. The annual celebration began as a way to address the community’s critical need for blood around the 4th of July holiday and continues amidst an on-going 2-year blood shortage that continues to impact the region’s healthcare system. Organizers say donating blood typically takes one hour and a single donation can save multiple lives. Community members are encouraged to make an appointment online to donate during Royals Weeks by visiting www.savealifenow.org/centers or by calling (877) 468-6844. Founded in 1958, Community Blood Center (CBC) provides over 90% of the blood used by hospitals throughout the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area, as well as eastern Kansas and western Missouri.
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Defending Big 12 Champ Baylor Tabbed Preseason Football Favorite
IRVING, Texas (AP) — Media who cover the Big 12 have tabbed defending champion Baylor as the preseason favorite to win the conference football title again. It is the first time Baylor has been favored in the preseason vote. The Bears got 17 of the 41 first-place votes. Oklahoma had 12 first-place votes and was picked second ahead of Oklahoma State, which lost 21-16 to Baylor in the Big 12 championship game last December. Texas junior running back Bijan Robinson was named the preseason offensive player of the year in the media vote. Kansas State junior linebacker Felix Anudike-Uzomah was picked as the top defender.
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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. And follow KPR News on Twitter.