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Headlines for Wednesday, July 6, 2022

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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, Heat Advisories Issued for KPR Listening Area

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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81-Year-Old Man Drowns at Lone Star Lake

LAWRENCE., Kan. (WIBW / LJW) -An 81-year-old Lawrence man died while swimming at Lone Star Lake Monday morning. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to the lake around 6:30 am on July 4th after a boater found a man unresponsive in the water.   WIBW reports that the man was a regular swimmer at the lake and was with a group of other swimmers when he separated from the group and headed to shore.  A Douglas County Sheriff’s Office spokesman said responders immediately took life saving measures, but those efforts were unsuccessful. Authorities say no foul play is suspected. The victim's name has not been released. ( Read more in the Lawrence Journal-World.)

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Emporia State Football Player Dies in Cliff Diving Accident

EMPORIA, Kan. (Emporia Gazette) - Emporia State University has announced that redshirt sophomore football player Brexten Green has died following a cliff diving accident at Grand Lake, Oklahoma on Saturday. The Emporia Gazette reports that Green was set to begin his second year at Emporia State after red-shirting last season. He was a  receiver from Cashion High School in Cashion, Oklahoma. Green was an All-State selection by the Oklahoma Coaches Association for the 2020 Oklahoma Class A State Champion Wildcats. He was also the District A-3 Player of the Year as a senior after gaining 1,720 receiving yards, 409 rushing yards and scoring 27 total touchdowns. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. 

(–AP Version–) 

Emporia State Football Player Dies in Cliff-Diving Accident

EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — University officials say a wide receiver on the Emporia State football team died over the weekend in a cliff-diving accident. Brexten Green died Saturday at Grand Lake in Oklahoma. He came to Emporia State from Cashion High School in Cashion, Oklahoma. Emporia State President Ken Hush said Tuesday in a campus-wide email that Green was set to start his second year after redshirting last season and was seeking a business administration degree. Funeral arrangements are pending.

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Two Dead in Sedgwick County Shootings

DERBY, Kan. (AP) - Two people are dead and the third is wounded in a shooting near Wichita.  The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office says deputies responded to a call reporting a shooting Saturday morning, where they found a man and a woman dead from apparent gunshot wounds.  Another man found at the scene was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.  Names of the victims have not been released.  Authorities have not disclosed any other information about the shooting.  The area was closed off for several hours as the shooting was investigated.

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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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City of Lawrence Announces New Fire & Medical Chief

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) – Lawrence City Manager Craig Owens announced Tuesday that Richard Llewellyn will be the new Chief of the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Department. Since 2018, Chief Llewellyn has served as the Assistant Chief of Administration for the Everett Fire Department in western Washington. Llewellyn is scheduled to begin on Monday, August 15. He replaces interim chief Tom Fagan. 
  
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Kansas Supreme Court Issues Setback to Big Box Retailers in Property Tax Case 

UNDATED (KNS) – The Kansas Supreme Court has issued a blow to big box retailers trying to lower their property taxes. The court's ruling on Friday reversed the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals' finding that Johnson County overtaxed Walmart properties by tens of millions of dollars. The Kansas News Service reports Walmart argued to the board that big box store properties should be valued as if they were vacant buildings, not operating businesses. But the state’s highest court said the board wrongly ruled in the company's favor, and did not fully consider evidence from Johnson County on how to value Walmart’s property. The court sent the case back to the board to reconsider, and the board could rule in Walmart’s favor again. Cities and counties in Kansas have concerns that if Walmart wins the case, it would allow other large retailers to push for lower property tax evaluations and payments. 

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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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Farmers Hoping for Better Weather in July, Ahead of Corn Harvest

AMES, Iowa  (Harvest Public Media) - Farmers across much of the Corn Belt got a late start planting their corn this year.  Cold and wet conditions across the Midwest in the spring put farmers behind schedule. The month of July is expected to be pivotal for this year’s crop. Many farmers have now caught up but some say their corn is slightly behind schedule. A poor harvest could have a ripple effect for consumers because corn is used in so many products, including ethanol for fuel. Dennis Todey, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Midwest Climate Hub, says July will be "make-or-break" for corn growers. "As we look into the middle part of July, warmer conditions are potentially going to cause more stress on the crop," Todey said. "It will keep pushing the corn along, but it could lead to some more stress on the crop." Todey says hotter temperatures can cause yield loss and mid-July, when corn reaches its reproductive phase, it's especially vulnerable to heat stress. (Read more).

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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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Three Disabled Boats Rescued at Milford Lake; Officials Issue Safety Guidelines

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (WIBW) - It was a dangerous weekend for some boaters as northeast Kansas residents headed to area lakes over the holiday weekend. Authorities in Geary County reported several incidents at Milford Lake.   WIBW reports that the Geary County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and the Junction City Fire Department responded to three separate incidents involving disabled boats taking on water.  All of the boats were escorted to shore and the occupants were unharmed.  Milford Lake, near Fort Riley, is the largest man-made lake in Kansas and typically attracts large crowds on summer weekends. 

The Geary County Sheriff’s Office has issued a list of safety measures for boaters:  


  • Make sure the boat plug is secure.
  • Make sure you have plenty of fuel.
  • Make sure you have an undamaged throw cushion.
  • Make sure the boat has a functioning whistle or horn.
  • Make sure the boat has a functioning fire extinguisher.
  • Make sure you have a cell phone or other means of communication.
  • Let someone know where you will be launching and give them a rough time line of your return.
  • Make sure your vessel is properly registered.

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Kris Kobach Looks for Comeback in Kansas After Losing 2 Big Races

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Immigration hard-liner Kris Kobach is pursuing a political comeback in Kansas. Kobach is running for Kansas attorney general after losing a general election for governor in 2018 and a Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in 2020. Opponents say Kobach could lose the seat to a Democrat given his past struggles with voters. Kobach says his two statewide wins for secretary of state show he can win in a conservative tide in November. Kobach's Republican primary opponents are state Sen. Kellie Warren and former federal prosecutor Tony Mattivi, who lack his name recognition. Kobach helped lead a now-disbanded voting integrity commission launched by the Trump administration.

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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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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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Cleveland Cavaliers Officially Sign KU's Ochai Agbaji

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB)— The Cleveland Cavaliers and former Kansas Jayhawk star Ochai Agbaji made it official over the weekend as the Cavaliers formally signed the first-round pick on Saturday. The Cavs selected Agbaji as the 14th overall pick in the this year's draft. Agbaji played in 39 games his senior season at Kansas and helped the Jayhawks win their fourth NCAA basketball championship in program history. He was recognized as the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 NCAA Tournament and as the 2021-22 Big 12 Player of the Year. KSHB reports that Agbaji was signed to the standard rookie-scale contract, a 4-year deal worth $18,726,365. 

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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