Kansas Governor Calls Medicaid Expansion Top Priority for Next Session
TOPEKA, Kan (KPR / KNS) -- Democratic Kansas Governor Laura Kelly calls Medicaid expansion her top priority for the legislative session next year, but she’s warning lawmakers to avoid some restrictions that other states have tried. Kelly created a panel to suggest strategies for expanding Medicaid, and at the group’s first meeting today (MON) she discouraged restrictions like work requirements. If expansion passes, more than 130,000 low-income, elderly and disabled Kansans could get health care coverage. Senate Republicans are developing their own expansion plan and Senator Gene Suellentrop says it could include employment incentives.
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Kansas Conservatives Push to Undo Abortion Rights Ruling
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Anti-abortion legislators in Kansas have launched a push to overturn a state Supreme Court decision that protects abortion rights. Their efforts guarantee an election-year fight over amending the state constitution. A legislative committee opened two days of hearings Tuesday on a ruling in April by the state's highest court that access to abortion is a fundamental right under the Kansas Constitution. The Republican-led committee is expected to urge the full, GOP-controlled Legislature to put a proposed constitutional change on the statewide ballot next year. Anti-abortion groups and lawmakers don't yet have a specific proposal. But if their effort succeeds, Kansas would be among a handful of states in which voters have added provisions to their state constitutions to declare that they don't grant a right to an abortion.
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Kansas Tax Collections Exceed Expectations by $43 Million in September
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is reporting that it collected $43 million more in taxes than anticipated in September. The Department of Revenue said Tuesday that the state collected $744 million in taxes during the month when its official revenue forecast predicted $701 million. The surplus is nearly 6.2%. Revenue Secretary Mark Burghart called it an encouraging end to the first quarter of the 2020 state budget year that began in July. For those three months, tax collections were more than $1.7 billion and exceeded expectations by $48 million, or 2.8%. Tax collections for the current fiscal year are running about 2.9% ahead of tax collections for the 2019 fiscal year. Tax collections also have exceeded expectations 27 of the past 28 months.
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11 Earthquakes Rattle Same Northern Kansas County in About 24 Hours
RANDALL, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Geological Survey reports 11 earthquakes were recorded in a northern Kansas county during the weekend. The agency's data shows the cluster of quakes struck north and east of Randall in Jewell County Saturday and Sunday. Four of the earthquakes had a magnitude of at least 3.0. The Wichita Eagle reports the first quakes were recorded with a 3.3 magnitude about 6:45 p.m. Saturday, with another quake about a minute later. The others were reported early Sunday. The strongest quake had a 3.5 magnitude. The Geological Survey says three earthquakes were reported in Reno County Saturday and one was recorded in Osborne County. The strongest magnitude was 2.9. The Kansas Corporation Commission is investigating a cluster of earthquakes in Reno County about a month ago. The investigation is focusing on the underground disposal of oilfield waste.
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Federal Judge in Kansas Reprimanded for Sexual Harassment, Affair
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A federal judge in Kansas has been publicly reprimanded after acknowledging that he sexually harassed female employees and had an extramarital affair with an offender. The Judicial Council for the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order yesterday (MON) sanctioning U.S. District Judge Carlos Murguia. The Judicial Council says Murguia's actions made him vulnerable to blackmail. The judge apologized in a statement and said he takes responsibility for his actions but, he also said his actions did not "interfere with the fair administration of justice." ( Read more about this story.)
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Director Named for National Biodefense Lab in Manhattan
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A permanent director has been named for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Kansas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that Alfonso Clavijo will take over Oct. 13 at the $1.25 billion national research and diagnostic plant in Manhattan, Kansas. The Manhattan Mercury reports Clavijo will oversee the plant's transition from construction to full operation by 2023. He will also lead the facility's transition from the Department of Homeland Security to the USDA. Clavijo has been laboratory executive director of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's National Centres for Animal Disease. He also has had leadership or advisory positions Texas A&M University, the Pan American Health Organization and National University in Bogota, Colombia. He was a professor in Kansas State's College of Veterinary Medicine during the 2015-16 school year.
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Man Who Attacked WIBW Employees Charged in Jail Assault
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man who attacked staff members at a Topeka television station in 2012 is now charged with assaulting a county corrections officer. Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay announced Monday that Ray Miles is charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery. Prosecutors allege Miles attacked Shawnee County Corrections Officer Kourtney Flynn in July while she was trying to get him to return a phone. Investigators say the attack continued until other officers intervened. Flynn was treated at a hospital for several injuries. During a court appearance Tuesday, Miles said he wanted to represent himself. Miles assaulted several employees of WIBW-TV in May 2012, stabbing two of them. His sentence was scheduled to end in November. He is being held on $500,000 bond on the new charges.
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Paper: Wichita Mayor Steered Water Plant Contract to Friends
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A newspaper reports say Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell recommended reversing a decision to award a contract for the city's new water plant to award the contract to his political supporters and friends. The Wichita Eagle reports it searched thousands of pages of public records while investigating how the city awarded a $524 million contract for the new water plant to Wichita Water Partners. A city selection committee recommended awarding the contract to Jacobs Engineering, a national firm that specializes in water treatment plants. Instead, at Longwell's urging, the City Council gave the contract to Wichita Water Partners. Longwell acknowledged he is friends with the presidents of two companies involved with Wichita Water Partners. But he said after 25 years, he has developed many friendships in the community and denied that he steered the contract to his friends.
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Suspect in Random Attack in Wichita Remains in Custody
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 30-year-old man accused in a random attack on a Wichita woman last week will remain in custody pending trial. Wade Dunn was charged Monday in federal court with aggravated escape from custody. KAKE-TV reports a criminal complaint accuses him of escaping from the Mirror Residential Reentry Center on Sept. 23. Prosecutors say he left the halfway house and stabbed a 28-year-old woman who was standing outside. Officials said during the weekend that the victim is improving and is assisting investigators. Police arrested Dunn just after midnight Saturday. He has not made a court appearance on charges related to the attack. Dunn was sentenced in July of 2017 to 33 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was transferred to the halfway house in July.
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Highway Patrol Asks for Help Identifying Woman Killed in Hit-and-Run
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Highway Patrol is asking the public for help identifying a woman who apparently died in a hit-and-run crash during the weekend. The patrol says the woman, who is Hispanic with brown hair and brown eyes, had several tattoos, including "Michael" on the right wrist, "Aaliagah" on the left upper arm, "Gabriel 4ever" on the left wrist and "Alanno" on the left ankle. She is about 5-feet-4-inches and 160 pounds. The woman was last seen late Friday walking northbound on Interstate 35 near Seventh Street Trafficway in Kansas City, Kansas. The patrol says she was hit by a vehicle or vehicles a short time later and died at the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call the Kansas Highway Patrol or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).
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Kansas Highway Patrol: Fleeing Driver Kills Illinois Man in Crash
BONNER SPRINGS, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a man fleeing from police in the Kansas City area has caused a crash that killed an Illinois man. The Kansas City Star reports that the crash happened Monday afternoon after a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper attempted to stop the Kansas City, Kansas, suspect for a registration violation. The man fled westbound on Interstate 70 before turning around near Bonner Springs and driving eastbound into oncoming traffic. Patrol Captain Joe Bott says the fleeing motorist and the driver of another vehicle swerved before crashing head-on. The patrol identified the victim as 19-year-old Nathan Pena, of Brookfield, Illinois. Bott says the fleeing driver had minor injuries and was taken into custody at the scene. No charges were immediately filed.
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Icelandair to Discontinue Flights to and from Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Icelandair plans to drop its flights to and from Kansas City next summer. The airline company said in a news release it is ending flights between Kansas City and Keflavik Airport near Reykjavik, Iceland, for "commercial reasons." It also plans to discontinue nonstop service to San Francisco. Icelandair also said it is reviewing its routes to improve profitability and reduce risk because of the suspension of the Boeing MAX aircraft, which was grounded in March after two crashes killed more than 300 people. Icelandair leases five of the jets during the summer season. The Kansas City Star reports when the flight was announced in 2018, it was the Kansas City airport's first transatlantic route. City officials said they hoped it would lead to more overseas flights from Kansas City.
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Wichita Mom, Her Boyfriend Arrested in 2-Year-Old's Death
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A 24-year-old Wichita woman and her boyfriend are jailed after her 2-year-old son was found dead Sunday at their home. Police say the case is currently considered a child death investigation. An autopsy will determine how the boy died. Police say Stephanie Aviles is being held on suspicion of aggravated child endangerment and 31-year-old Bernardo Gonzalez-Mejia faces possible child abuse charges. Police say the boy had extensive bruising on his body at the time of his death. Other young children living at the home have been taken into protective custody.
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Kansas Man Dies from Injuries Suffered in Fight
ATCHISON, Kan. (AP) _ A man has died from head injuries he suffered more than a week ago during a fight at a party in northeast Kansas. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says 42-year-old Jason Pantle, of Cummings, died Saturday at a hospital. After he was hurt September 22, a family member brought him to a home in nearby Atchison, where police and emergency crews were called. Three people later were arrested on aggravated battery charges. The KBI says charges are expected to be amended because of Pantle's death.
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Kansas AG: New Policy for Taxing Online Sales Is Invalid
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has issued a legal opinion declaring that a new and aggressive state policy for taxing online sales is invalid. Top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature have now demanded that Democratic Governor Laura Kelly require the Department of Revenue to rescind the policy. The department issued a notice in August saying any "remote seller" doing business with Kansas residents must collect sales taxes and forward the revenues to the state, starting today (TUE).
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Leavenworth Woman Pleads Not Guilty in Young Son's Death
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A 31-year-old Leavenworth woman has pleaded not guilty in the death of her 19-month-old son. Catherine Smith is charged with second-degree murder after her son's death in November 2018. She pleaded on Monday. The Leavenworth Times reports Smith allegedly left her son in a room where the temperature exceeded 90 degrees without checking on him for an extended time. Smith is free on bond. Court records indicate she was released Sept. 16 on a $25,000 bond. The trial is scheduled for Jan. 21.
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Former Hospital Chief to Plead Guilty in Insurance Scheme
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The former chief executive of a north-central Missouri hospital has agreed to plead guilty to participating in a scheme to submit millions of dollars in fraudulent reimbursement claims to insurance companies for a 15-bed hospital in Unionville. David Lane Byrns, the ex-chief executive of Putnam County Memorial Hospital, has been charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Prosecutors allege Byrns submitted fraudulent reimbursement claims on laboratory tests on behalf of the hospital for patients who never visited the facility. The Kansas City Star reports the case will be transferred from Kansas City to a federal court in Florida for his plea and sentencing. Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway released an audit in 2017 alleging that Putnam County Memorial Hospital received $90 million in questionable insurance payments in less than a year.
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Cougar that Escaped from Southeast Kansas Zoo Recaptured
INDEPENDENCE, Kan. (AP) - Some tense moments for people in the southeast Kansas town of Independence. That's where a cougar escaped from the Ralph Mitchell Zoo in Riverside Park. The cougar got out of its enclosure yesterday (MON) morning, but after walking free for awhile... the cat was recaptured. City officials say the animal never left the zoo.
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Survey Suggests Little or No Midwest Economic Growth in View
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A September survey of business supply manager suggests a slump in economic growth still grips nine Midwest and Plains states, according to a report issued today (TUE). The Mid-America Business Conditions index fell further below growth neutral, hitting 49.1 last month compared with 49.3 in August. The figure was 52.0 in July. The decline was the fifth in six months for the overall index, which had remained above growth neutral for 32 straight months. "The trade war and the global economic slowdown have cut regional growth to approximately two-thirds that of the U.S.," said Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey. "Based on the last two months of surveys of manufacturing supply managers, both the U.S. and Mid-America economies are likely to move even lower in the months ahead."
The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth. A score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota. Economic optimism, as captured by the business confidence index, rose slightly last month. It hit 47.7, compared with August's 45.0. "I expect business confidence to depend heavily on trade talks with China, and the passage of the nation's trade agreement with Canada and Mexico," Goss said. Companies shrank inventories of raw materials and supplies last month, the report said. "This is yet another signal of weak business confidence as manufacturers reduce their inventories of raw materials and supplies based on an anemic sales outlook," Goss said. The regional trade numbers remained far below growth neutral in September. The index for new export orders sank to 36.2, down from August's 39.6, and the import index increased slightly to 42.4 from 42.3 in August.
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KPR's daily headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays and updated throughout the day. KPR's weekend summary is usually published by 1 pm Saturdays and Sundays.
