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Headlines for Thursday, June 23, 2022

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Retired Oil Company Executive Selected as President of Emporia State University

EMPORIA, Kan. (KNS) - The Kansas Board of Regents has named a retired oil company executive to be the next president of Emporia State University. Ken Hush was born in Emporia and earned a business degree from Emporia State. He returned to the campus in November to serve as interim president. He previously worked at Koch Carbon, a subsidiary of Koch Industries. Hush says Emporia has a long history of supporting its university, starting with rebuilding after a fire in the late 1800s. “Our challenges are different today," he said, "but the solution is the same: All of us working together, finding better ways — the ESU way.” Those challenges include a university still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and dealing with declining enrollment.

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Susan B. Anthony Group to Spend $1.3 Million on Anti-Abortion Campaign in Kansas

UNDATED (KNS) - A national anti-abortion group says it will spend at least $1.3 million dollars in Kansas to campaign for the upcoming vote on a constitutional amendment about abortion. The Kansas News Service reports that the Susan B. Anthony List made the announcement Wednesday. The investment is in support of an amendment saying there is no right to an abortion contained in the Kansas Constitution. The amendment would overturn a 2019 decision by the Kansas Supreme Court. The initial investment is slightly more than what the Value Them Both political action committee received in all of 20-21, according to campaign finance reports. Value Them Both supports passage of the amendment, which will appear on the August 2nd primary ballot.

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Native American Leaders Push for Boarding School Commission

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland says the federal government has a responsibility to Native American tribes, Alaska Native villages and Native Hawaiian communities to fully support education, language and cultural practices that prior boarding school policies sought to destroy. She testified Wednesday before a U.S. Senate committee on legislation to establish a national commission on truth and healing to address ongoing trauma stemming from the legacy of Native American boarding schools in the United States. Tribal leaders and advocates from Maine to Alaska and Hawaii joined Haaland in voicing their support. They say a commission would offer a path for many to have their personal stories validated.

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K-State Program Aims to Help Low-Income High School Students Apply for College

WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) - Kansas education officials are expanding a program that helps low-income high school students apply for college. About a dozen high schools in Kansas have full-time college advisors paid for by the nonprofit College Advising Corps at Kansas State University. The advisors guide students through the confusing college admission process — everything from registering for the ACT to planning campus visits. They also help students fill out financial aid forms. The program started in Kansas City, Kansas, and Wichita. This fall, the Board of Regents and the state Department of Education plan to add nine more cities, including Hays, Great Bend, Salina and Hutchinson. Educators hope it will boost enrollment at the state’s universities, which is down nearly nine percent over the past five years.

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New Measure Aims to Make It Easier to Transfer College Credits in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - The Kansas Board of Regents has approved a measure that will make it easier for students to transfer between community colleges and state universities. The new statewide general education policy establishes a common set of classes that count as progress toward a bachelors or associates degree at any Kansas institution. Regents worked on the policy for nearly two years. They say it will simplify the advising process and make it easier for students to transfer or change majors. The framework features as many as 35 credit hours organized into seven areas, including English, communications, math, science and humanities. Each university or community college can require six more hours of their choosing. The new policy will go into effect in the fall of 2024.

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Kansas Board of Regents Issues New Deadline for University Employee Dismissal Framework Submissions

TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) – The Kansas Reflector reports that the Kansas Board of Regents has extended a deadline for public university officials to submit their plans for a controversial workforce-management policy. The policy would justify dismissing employees, including tenured faculty, without adhering to standard campus procedures. The original policy, creating what was called "an alternative pathway" to terminating employment, was adopted by the Board in January 2021 as a response to flat-to-declining enrollment trends, pressure to hold down tuition and fees, and lower state funding. Under the two-year policy, a university would not be required to stick to certain personnel management rules when downsizing its workforce. The Board of Regents voted in May to move the deadline for universities to have their plans for putting the policy in place approved to December 31. The board's deadline had been July 1, 2021, but none of the universities in the state system presented a plan. The policy was revised so university administrators could propose alternative plans until the end of 2022. University of Kansas faculty protested development of the policy early in 2021 because it would have reduced the requirements for removal of tenured professors. At the time, KU officials said they couldn't rule out implementing such a new policy. Douglas Girod, chancellor of the University of Kansas, subsequently said he wasn’t planning to implement the policy to reduce the university’s payroll.

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Kansas Governor Allocates Federal Funds for Childcare Worker Bonus Pay

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is allocating more than $50 million in federal funding for childcare worker bonuses. Childcare is a low-paying profession and Kansas workers earn some of the lowest wages in the country. Staff at licensed Kansas childcare facilities could get between a $750 to $2,500 dollar bonus. Workers who are eligible for the money will soon get a letter from the state. There is such a shortage of day care slots that some families are planning pregnancies around openings. Governor Kelly hopes this funding will retain employees and says the state is working with businesses to expand capacity. “Early childhood investment is the smartest investment a community can make in its future... One of the biggest barriers to entering the workforce or returning to the workforce post pandemic is the lack of access to quality childcare," she said.  Kansas lost hundreds of childcare facilities in the last few years, making the shortage of care options even worse.

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Adoptive and Foster Families Receive Lower Subsidies in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas officials say they are working to give foster parents a greater incentive to permanently adopt the children they take in. The current system tends to offer less money to adoptive parents. Whether families foster a child or adopt a child from the state, they are paid to care for that child. But adoptive families are paid much less than foster families. That’s why some parents say they cannot afford to adopt. Melinda Kline works for the state and says Kansas is considering changes to monthly adoption subsidies and that could mean giving them more money, “We want families who select adoption, to be able to support and care for and meet the needs of the child that they adopt,” Kline said. Foster families say the issue is worse for higher needs children who may need thousands of dollars a month in support. Kansas says it is considering changes to its system, but did not say what they are or when they could happen. 

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City of Wamego Fires Its Police Chief 

WAMEGO, Kan. (WIBW) – WIBW News reports that Mike Baker has been removed from his position as Chief of Police for the City of Wamego. Wamego City Manager Stacie Eichem told WIBW in an email that "Mike Baker's employment with the City of Wamego ended this morning on June 22, 2002." Baker had been suspended from his position last week. No reason was disclosed at the time. Deputy Chief of Police Paul Schliffke was named as interim Chief, and will hold that position until it can be filled permanently. Baker told WIBW that he had been given a letter with "unsubstantiated allegations" and said that he is in contact with legal counsel.    

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Volunteer Kansas Firefighter Dies from Injuries Suffered in Fire

PLEASANTON, Kan. (AP) — A 35-year-old volunteer firefighter who was injured while fighting a blaze has died. Officials say Joshua Haynes, of Pleasanton, died Wednesday. He was injured Monday while helping fight a fire at the Carpenter Chiropractor Clinic in Pleasanton. He was flown to the University of Kansas Hospital. Haynes volunteered with the Linn County rural fire department. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says the preliminary investigation found no evidence of foul play.

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15-Year-Old Pilot Hospitalized After Glider Crash in South Central Kansas

RENO COUNTY, Kan. (Hays Post) —Two people were injured in a glider accident late Wednesday morning in Reno County. According to the Hays Post, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 L-23 Super Blanik glider, piloted by a 15-year-old from Tulsa, was making a turn toward the runway at the Sunflower Aerodrome Airport in Yoder. The pilot lost control and crashed into a field. EMS transported the teen and a passenger, 71-year-old Carl Hallum of Adrian, Minnesota, to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.

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Kansas Oil Refinery to Pay $1.6 Million for Clean Air Violations

EL DORADO, Kan. (AP) — An oil refinery in El Dorado, where an employee died in 2017, will pay a $1.6 million fine for violating the federal clean air law. The Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday that HollyFrontier's failure to follow the law contributed to a fire that killed the employee. The EPA says the company did not comply with requirements intended to prevent the accidental release of hazardous substances. The federal agency says a heater tube ruptured at the refinery, causing the fire. The agency says a subsequent investigation found HollyFrontier did not design or maintain a safe facility or inspect and replace heater tubes.

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Ex-Teacher in Wichita Pleads Guilty to Having Sex with Student

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former teacher at a private Christian school in Wichita has pleaded guilty to one count of having sexual relations with a student under 16 and faces prison time when he's sentenced later this summer. Police arrested Matthew McFarren, who had been a high school teacher and assistant soccer coach at Trinity Academy in Wichita, early last year. Police began investigating after receiving a tip that McFarren, now 43, was in a relationship with a 16-year-old student. McFarren was fired from the K-12 school soon after he was arrested in March 2021. Television station KSN reports that McFarren is set to be sentenced on August 5.

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Scientists Put GPS Trackers on Flint Hills Cattle in Effort to Protect Wildlife and Vegetation

CHASE COUNTY, Kan. (KNS) - The worlds of agriculture and environmental conservation often conflict. But a new project in Kansas brings together scientists and ranchers to see if invisible GPS fencing can control cattle and keep them out of sensitive areas. Some cattle in the Flint Hills are now wearing GPS trackers designed to help ranchers control their herds and protect wildlife and the environment. The Kansas News Service traveled to the Kansas Flint Hills to learn more. ( Read more.)

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Toxic Algae Blooms Appear in Dozens of Kansas Lakes

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Toxic algae blooms are back and will probably hit about 30 or 40 Kansas lakes this summer. Not all algae are dangerous, but several lakes across the state are going through algae blooms now that can make people sick and can kill dogs that swim in it. The blooms can look like foam, paint or scum floating on the water, in a variety of colors. They’re fueled by fertilizer runoff. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) says people can check before heading to the lake. They can also ask park managers if algae are blooming or check the state’s website for algae reports.

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Parson Signs Law Exempting World Cup Tickets from Sales Tax

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed a bill that will exempt FIFA World Cup tickets from sales tax when the games are played in Kansas City in 2026. The governor signed the bill Thursday and praised the bipartisan effort to bring the games to Kansas City, which was chosen last week as a host city. Lawmakers passed the bill earlier this year after FIFA officials required tax breaks from cities hoping to host the games. Democratic state Senator John Rizzo, from the Kansas City-region, said estimates are the game could bring more than $600 million in revenue to the state.

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Kansas City Man Sentenced for Fatally Shooting Woman on ATV

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for fatally shooting a woman as she rode an all-terrain vehicle on a south Kansas City street two years ago. The Kansas City Star reports that 39-year-old Glenn Darren Rucker was sentenced Tuesday after earlier being convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the July 2020 death of 41-year-old Sharon Heifner-Douglas. Police say witnesses reported that Heifner-Douglas was operating the ATV with her dog walking alongside her in the grass when a sport utility vehicle pulled up and fired shots at her. Police later arrested Rucker and said a handgun found in his SUV matched to shell casings found at the scene of the shooting. 

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Former Mizzou Frat Members Charged in Hazing that Left Student Blind, Unable to Walk

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Two former members of a University of Missouri fraternity have been indicted for a hazing incident that left another student blind and unable to walk or communicate after drinking a liter of vodka in October. The Columbia Missourian reports that a Boone County grand jury on Friday indicted former Phi Gamma Delta fraternity members Ryan Delanty and Thomas Shultz, both of St. Louis County, in the hazing of 19-year-old Daniel Santulli of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Both are charged with felony hazing and misdemeanors of supplying liquor to a minor or intoxicated person. Shultz also faces a felony for tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.

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Missouri Lawyer Leaving January 6 Panel Amid Talk of Missouri Senate Run

UNDATED (AP) - An attorney working as a senior investigator for the U.S. House committee investigating the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol will leave the post amid calls urging him to run for a Missouri U.S. Senate seat as an independent. John F. Wood’s resignation was confirmed Wednesday by Steve Crim, a political consultant working with the group formed to back Wood as a Senate candidate. Crim says Wood has not declared a Senate run, but is exploring the possibility. The possible independent run comes as some Republicans are worried that former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens could win the August primary but lose to a Democrat in November.

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Lawsuit Challenges Missouri Voting Aid Restrictions

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal lawsuit is challenging a decades-old Missouri law that limits the extent to which volunteers can provide ballot-booth help to people who have disabilities or are unable to read or write. The lawsuit filed Wednesday targets a 1977 Missouri law that says people can only provide voting assistance to one other person per election, unless they are election judges or immediate family members. The suit contends that violates the Federal Voting Rights Act. The lawsuit is the latest among dozens of cases challenging election procedures across the country. A similar lawsuit is pending against an Arkansas law.

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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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Supreme Court Rules for GOP Lawmakers in Voter ID Case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court is giving Republican legislative leaders in North Carolina a win in an ongoing fight over the state's latest photo identification voting law. The 8-1 decision doesn't end the more than three-year dispute over the voter ID law, which is not currently in effect and has been challenged in both state and federal court. The decision just means that Republican legislative leaders can intervene in the federal lawsuit to defend the law. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented. A lower court had ruled the lawmakers' interests were already being adequately represented by the state's attorney general, Democrat Josh Stein.

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Five More Lawsuits Filed Against Missouri Boarding School

NEVADA, Mo. (AP) — Five additional lawsuits have been filed accusing a southwestern Missouri boarding school of abusing students. The lawsuits alleging physical and emotional abuse at Agape Boarding School were filed last week in Vernon County. All told, 19 lawsuits have been filed against the boarding school since early 2021. Agape’s doctor, David Smock, was charged in December with child sex crimes. He pleaded not guilty in March. Meanwhile, five employees were charged in September with abusing students. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has said he thinks many more workers should have been charged. The latest lawsuits were filed by former students who attended Agape at various times between 2014 and this year.

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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.