Kansas Deal with Panasonic Lacks Job, Salary Requirements
TOPEKA, Kan. (KC Star / KNS) - A deal to bring a $4 billion Panasonic plant to Kansas lacks requirements for how many jobs it will create or how much those employees will earn. The Kansas City Star reports that Kansas is giving more than half of the $830 million of incentives to Panasonic just for building the plant, even if it never employs anyone. Government subsidy experts say that’s unusual and a huge gamble. Panasonic could then fall short of the 4,000 new jobs touted in the deal. And the company can pay employees low wages, causing the state to collect little income tax. Governor Laura Kelly’s office said she is confident Panasonic will hire enough workers to make the deal beneficial to Kansas. The plant is slated to be built near De Soto, in western Johnson County.
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Abortion Question Boosts Early Voting for Kansas Primary
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Early voting is surging in Kansas head of next week’s statewide abortion vote and the electorate so far is leaning more Democratic than usual. The Kansas secretary of state's office reported Tuesday that more than 2½ times as many people had cast early ballots compared to the same point in 2018. Voters will decide Aug. 2 whether to amend the Kansas Constitution to allow the Legislature to further restrict or ban abortion. In early voting, 42% have been cast by Democrats. Over the past 10 years, Republicans have cast twice as many ballots as Democrats in primaries. Polling suggests that Democrats are stronger abortion rights supporters.
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Republican AGs Sue US Agency over LGBTQ School Guidance
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — More than 20 Republican attorneys general, including Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, have filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over a Department of Agriculture school meal program that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The challenge claims that the federal government is attempting to force states and schools to follow antidiscrimination requirements that misconstrue the law. In June, the USDA announced it would include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity as a violation to Title IX. But it was not clear whether the federal government would hold back funding for school meal programs as part of its enforcement.
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KBI Investigates Homicide of Topeka Man in Chanute
NEOSHO COUNTY, Kan. (KPR) – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Chanute Police Department have launched a murder investigation into the shooting death of a Topeka man. Just after midnight Monday, a woman called 911 to report hearing a gunshot in Chanute. When officers arrived, they found a male bystander conducting CPR on another man who had been shot in an alley. The shooting victim was later identified as 34-year-old Blake A. Pearson, of Topeka. Pearson was taken to an area hospital but died from his injuries. Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME or the Chanute Police Department.
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Authorities Seize $4 Million Worth of Meth in Wabaunsee County
WABAUNSEE COUNTY (KSNT) – Authorities have seized more than 120 pounds of methamphetamine in Wabaunsee County. Topeka television station KSNT reports that the drugs were confiscated during a three-day operation by multiple law enforcement agencies. According to the Junction City Police Department, an operation targeting “major criminals” ended with multiple arrests and the seizure of $4.4 million worth of meth. Fourteen law enforcement agencies worked together during the operation, including the Department of Homeland Security and several local sheriff’s offices.
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2 Dead Following Suspicious Apartment Fire in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Two people are dead following an early-morning apartment fire in Kansas City that investigators are calling “suspicious." Kansas City television station KCTV reports that firefighters responded to the Vivion Oaks apartment complex in Kansas City just before 4:30 am Monday and found the structure fully engulfed by flames. While clearing the building, authorities found two people dead inside. The Bomb and Arson Unit responded to the scene and deemed the blaze suspicious. Multiple families were displaced by the fire.
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Thousands of Dead Cattle Buried, Dumped at Southwest Kansas Landfill
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Top U.S. cattle feeding companies sent 1,000-pound carcasses to a landfill in southwest Kansas, following a June heatwave that killed thousands of cows. According to Reuters, some cattle were buried in unlined graves. Burying cattle in unlined pits is one of the riskiest disposal methods because waste can seep into groundwater, said Hannah Connor, senior attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity. The mass deaths and subsequent scramble to deal with decaying livestock carcasses sparked a push for changes in the meat industry in Kansas. Although state officials authorized companies to dispose of carcasses at the Seward County Landfill in Liberal, they are now considering alternatives to decrease the risks for foul smells and other problems if more deaths occur, the landfill's director said. ( Read more.)
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Congress to Unveil Amelia Earhart Statue Years After Kansas Pushed to Honor Atchison Aviator
ATCHISON, Kan. (Topeka Capital-Journal) - Kansas aviation pioneer and advocate for women's equal rights Amelia Earhart will be honored this week with a bronze statue in Congress, an effort that has taken more than two decades to accomplish. Congress will unveil the statue Wednesday, making Earhart the 11th woman enshrined in the National Statuary Hall Collection. According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, the Kansas Legislature voted in 1999 to replace the state's two statues with Earhart and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It took four years to get Eisenhower's statue in Congress. Karen Seaberg, founder and president of the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation, said "The time is long overdue for Amelia Earhart to take her rightful place in American history at the U.S. Capitol." "The new Amelia Earhart statue will stand as a symbol of her determination, tenacity and courage that will inspire future generations — particularly women and girls," she said. Sunday marked 125 years since Earhart's birth. She was born July 24, 1897, in Atchison. In 1932, she was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She disappeared in 1937, along with her plane and navigator Fred Noonan, while trying to circumnavigate the world. ( Read more.)
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Kansas Public Schools Sweep National Policy Debate Titles
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) - Three Kansas public high schools won all four national policy debate championships this year, an unprecedented accomplishment in an arena dominated by private schools. The Kansas Reflector reports that this is the first time Kansas schools have placed first at all four national tournaments. Those three schools are Lawrence Free State High School, Washburn Rural and Shawnee Mission South. Policy debate is when a team of two supports a suggested policy change while the opposing team of two argues the opposite. An example topic from one of this year’s competitions: The U.S. federal government should substantially increase its protection of water resources. ( Read more.)
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One Northeast Kansas Town Received Nearly 6 Inches of Rain Between Sunday and Monday
TOPEKA, Kan. (Topeka Capital-Journal) - The National Weather Service reports that 5.75 inches of rain fell Sunday night and Monday morning across parts of southwest Shawnee County. That total was reported via social media after being recorded at Auburn. According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, that figure was the highest rainfall amount recorded in northeast Kansas after storms swept through the area Sunday and Monday. Baldwin City, in Douglas County, received 5.5 inches of rain during the same time period. An area west of Dover, in Wabaunsee County, recorded 4.5 inches and parts of Franklin County recorded 4 inches. ( Read more.)
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Former Kansas Family Members Fatally Shot in Tent at Iowa Park, Fundraiser for Surviving Son Raises $224,000
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) - A 9-year-old boy who was camping at an Iowa state park with his parents and 6-year-old sister survived a shooting that killed the rest of his family. The victims were found in their tent early Friday at the Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground, about 180 miles east of Des Moines. They were 42-year-old Tyler Schmidt, his wife, 42-year-old Sarah Schmidt, and their 6-year-old daughter, Lula. The Schmidts' 9-year-old son, Arlo, survived the shooting without injury. A GoFundMe page set up to help him had raised more than $224,000. Investigators have provided no motive, but named the suspected gunman as 23-year-old Anthony Sherwin, of La Vista, Nebraska. Sherwin's body was found at the park with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green said in a Facebook post that Sarah Schmidt was his neighbor and worked for the city's public library.
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Western Kansas Armed Robbery Leads to Crash
HAYS, Kan. (KAKE) - Authorities say an armed robbery in Hays led to a pursuit in which a highway patrol trooper's vehicle rolled off the road, trapping the trooper inside. KAKE TV reports that late Sunday morning, police learned of an armed robbery taking place at a Dollar General store in Hays. The cashier at the store reported that a Black man with a handgun robbed the store and left the building. No one in the store was injured. It was later learned that there were three suspects that left the scene in a black Ford pickup truck with a topper. A state trooper located the vehicle at a Sonic in Oakley. A pursuit began in which the suspect vehicle drove west bound in the east-bound lane on Interstate 70. The trooper performed a "Tactical Vehicle Intervention" and both vehicles rolled, trapping the trooper in his vehicle. However, the trooper only sustained minor injuries. All three suspects were apprehended. A female suspect was taken to the hospital in Oakley for treatment of injuries sustained in the roll over. Two male suspects were transported to the Ellis County Jail and are being held for armed robbery.
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State Fairs Gearing Up Across the Midwest
UNDATED (HPM) - State Fairs around the Midwest are gearing up for what they hope are normal conditions following two years of pandemic cancellations and restrictions. Harvest Public Media reports that numerous state fairs were canceled in 2020, and last year, many saw scaled back events. But this year, state fair directors are hoping to see pre pandemic attendance numbers. Rebecca Clark is the Illinois State Fair Manager. She says while COVID-19 might not be as big of a concern this year, inflation might lead some people to skip the event. "We’ve been proactive in looking for ways to make the fair affordable. So we have several days, Monday through Thursday, where adult admission (at the Illinois State Fair) is half-priced," she said.
The Kansas State Fair runs September 9 through 18 in Hutchinson.
Missouri saw more than 330,000 attend last year’s fair, which is about 10% lower than pre pandemic levels, and its director is expecting to be back to average this year. Mark Wolfe is director of the Missouri State Fair. He says there will not be a proof of vaccination requirement to attend the fair, but there will be masks available. "We have a lot more hand washing/sanitizing stations around the facility than we used to have. The way we do our janitorial disinfecting things, we’ve really stepped that up. I don’t see us not continuing to do that," he said.
The Iowa State Fair is reinstating its Farm to Fair dinner, an event where 400 people eat locally grown food with the farmers who produced it. That event was canceled last year due to COVID concerns.
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102-Year-Old WW II Veteran from Segregated Mail Unit Honored
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A 102-year-old woman is being honored for her service with an all-female, all-Black military unit that got mail to U.S. troops in Europe during World War II. Romay Davis will be recognized for her service during an event in her home of Montgomery, Alabama, today (TUE). The honor follows President Joe Biden's decision in March to sign a bill authorizing the Congressional Gold Medal for her unit, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. The U.S. military was still segregated by race during the war. The unit went to Europe to clear out massive amounts of mail that had accumulated in warehouses. Their motto was "No Mail, Low Morale."
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New WSU Project Documents Latino Culture in Southwest Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (HPPR/KNS) - A new project will document Latino cultural celebrations in predominantly Hispanic cities of southwest Kansas. For Latino families, gathering to make tamales, go to church or have a birthday party can be a way to pass down traditions through the generations. A team from Wichita State University is now documenting those types of celebrations as part of a Library of Congress-funded effort to capture the cultures of underrepresented communities. Professor Rocio Del Aguila is leading the project. She says it’s a chance to highlight the joy of immigrant families who work long hours to make these celebrations possible. "When I see a party like this, I'm like, ‘Oh my God, all this work is for this. It’s to keep your family together, to keep your traditions together," she said. Aguila says the goal is to not only highlight Latino culture in an often overlooked region, but also to showcase the diversity within these Hispanic communities. “There's so many different traditions, they have been modified through time. There are new ways of learning and enjoying them. And so don't limit yourself to this monolithic idea of what Latino culture is because that doesn't work," she said. The research will wrap up next spring with a documentary and the public release of the project’s photos and videos.
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Hays Board Asked to Remove Satanism Reference in Dress Code
HAYS, Kan. (AP) — The Hays School District is reconsidering its dress code for elementary and middle school students after a parent asked that a ban on clothes referring to satanism be removed. Mary Turner, who has three children in the district, told the board last week that her family belongs to the Satanic Temple. She noted the district has a policy that says it doesn't discriminate against students based on their religion. But the dress code bans middle school and elementary students from wearing apparel referencing satanism. After discussion by the board, Superintendent Ron Wilson said he would talk with school administrators and bring the dress code back for administrators to consider on August 5.
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Kansas AG Tries to Tamp Down Fears About Abortion Ballot Measure
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The attorney general of Kansas is trying to get ahead of arguments that an anti-abortion measure up for a statewide vote next week would hinder medical care for patients with life-threatening pregnancies. Attorney General Derek Schmidt argues in a legal opinion filed Friday that ending ectopic pregnancies does not fall under Kansas' legal definition of abortion. Schmidt is a Republican running for governor who supports the anti-abortion measure. It's on the ballot August 2 and would amend the Kansas Constitution to allow the Legislature to further restrict or possibly ban abortion. Opponents of the measure weren't impressed with Schmidt's analysis, saying the measure would allow lawmakers to redefine abortion.
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Kansas Governor's Primary Opponent Is a "Pro-Life" Democrat
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT / KPR) — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has stayed tight-lipped on the campaign trail about the “Value Them Both” amendment, which could change the future of abortion rights in the state. Meanwhile, her opponent in the primary election says he’s a "pro-life" Democrat. While Democrats are known for supporting abortion rights, Richard Karnowski, a Democrat from Seneca, who’s facing off with the Governor on August 2, told KSNT TV that there are still party members, like himself, who are anti-abortion. Former Kansas Governor Joan Finney was the state's last pro-life Democratic governor. Karnowski is a former Republican and a Catholic who grew up in a large family with 13 siblings. He says that's one of the reasons he’s taking an anti-abortion stance.
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Sedgwick County Abortion Amendment Ballot Contains Two Misspellings
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Sedgwick County residents voting on a proposal that could remove abortion rights from the Kansas Constitution will see two misspellings on their August 2 ballots. The proposal's text on ballots in Sedgwick County misspells the words pregnancy and circumstances. Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Angela Caudillo said the two typos will not have any impact on the validity of the ballot. According to The Kansas City Star, Caudillo says state law says administrative errors are not a basis for overturning elections. If voters approve the proposal, it would remove abortion rights from the state constitution and give the Legislature the power to more strictly regulate or ban abortion in Kansas.
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Kansas Governor Orders Flags Flown at Half-Staff in Honor of North Kansas City Police Officer
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has directed flags to be flown at half-staff at all state grounds, buildings, and facilities from sunup to sundown Wednesday in honor of 32-year-old Officer Daniel Vasquez, a North Kansas City police officer from Kansas City, Kansas, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop while on duty on July 19. Officer Vasquez began his service with the North Kansas City Police Department in 2021. He will be interred during services held on Wednesday, July 27, 2022.
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Man Accused of Killing North Kansas City Officer Pleads Not Guilty, Officer's Funeral Wednesday
UNDATED (KC Star / KPR) - A judge in Clay County, Missouri, has entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Joshua Rocha, the man accused of fatally shooting a North Kansas City police officer during a traffic stop. The Kansas City Star reports that Rocha made his first court appearance last week, where he was charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing North Kansas City police officer Daniel Vasquez. Rocha could face the death penalty or life in prison without parole if convicted. Funeral services have been announced for officer Vasquez. A public visitation will be held today (TUE) from 5 to 9 pm at the Vineyard Church in Kansas City. Funeral services will be held Wednesday morning, also at Vineyard Church.
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Monarch Butterflies Placed on Endangered List by Conservation Group
UNDATED (KNS) - The North American migrating monarch butterfly is now on one group's list of endangered species. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature cites habitat loss and climate change for its designation. The monarch butterfly population has dropped during the past decade. Chip Taylor, founder and director of the Lawrence-based organization Monarch Watch, says he's doubtful that the species will go extinct, but says the endangered status is still cause for concern. "There's reason to look at this as a wake up call to action," he said. Monarch butterflies have not yet been designated as endangered under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and thus have no federal protections. Monarchs migrate through parts of Kansas in the fall and spring.
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Nicodemus Preparing for Annual Homecoming Celebration
NICODEMUS, Kan. (KPR) – The only remaining all-Black town west of the Mississippi River is holding its annual homecoming weekend to honor its 144 years of heritage and history. The northwest Kansas community will hold its annual Homecoming Emancipation Celebration July 28th, 29th, 30th, and 31st. Nicodemus was founded shortly after the Civil War by former enslaved African Americans from Kentucky, who had the dream of building a town they could call their own. Every July, descendants of Nicodemus return to reacquaint themselves with old friends and family, as well as celebrate the community’s history. The town currently is comprised of five historic buildings representing church, self-government, education, home, and business. The multi-day event will feature guest speakers and performers.
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Chiefs Report to Camp Without Longtime Club Cornerstones
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Tyreek Hill didn't walk into Kansas City Chiefs camp Monday. Neither did Tyrann Mathieu. And how the Chiefs replace two of the cornerstones of their four straight trips to the AFC title game will largely affect whether their division run of dominance continues this season. In Hill's case, the Chiefs signed JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling while drafting Skyy Moore as replacements. And for Mathieu, they signed Justin Reid and drafted Bryan Cook and Nazeeh Johnson. Whether any of it works will be decided beginning Wednesday with the first full-squad workout of training camp.
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Kansas Public Radio Hosts Ice Cream Social Thursday
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Public Radio, based at the University of Kansas, will host an ice cream social Thursday to show appreciation for its listener-member community. The public radio station will serve complimentary Hy-Vee ice cream treats while supplies last from 5-7 pm at Maceli’s in downtown Lawrence. Local artist Sky Smeed will perform live music. This is a KPR member-exclusive event, and members will have the chance to claim their own KPR mug commemorating the station’s 70th anniversary. KPR will offer one mug per household, while supplies last. All listeners have the opportunity to become a member by contributing to KPR.
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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.