More Rough Weather Headed to Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Officials are warning Kansas residents about another storm that will hit the state today (SUN), just a few days after a winter storm dumped about a foot of snow over much of Kansas. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for this evening (SUN) through late tomorrow (MON) for several areas of Kansas. The National Weather Service in Topeka has upgraded that watch to a warning for portions of the KPR listening area - this will go into effect tomorrow morning and will stay in effect until noon on Tuesday. The Kansas Adjutant General's office said in a release yesterday (SAT) that the new winter storm is moving into Kansas today, possibly with freezing rain, sleet, ice and at least six inches of snow. The new storm system comes after a massive snowstorm hit the state late Wednesday. The State Emergency Operations Center will be activated today and will work with county emergency managers and other agencies to determine what resources are needed as the storm moves across Kansas.
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Assistant AG's Concerns on Gun Bill Draws Rebuttal
(Information in the following story is from: Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World, http://www.ljworld.com)
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The chief sponsor of a bill that could imprison federal officials for enforcing federal gun restrictions in Kansas says an assistant attorney general's criticism of the measure is off-base. The Lawrence Journal-World reports Assistant Attorney General Charles Klebe asserted the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution can't be waived by state law. He also says a provision in the measure prohibiting doctors other than psychiatrists from asking about gun ownership could face First Amendment challenges. But Shawnee Republican Representative John Rubin says Klebe's assessment is "dead wrong" because the Supremacy Clause doesn't apply to unconstitutional federal laws. A fiscal note attached to the bill estimates the measure would result in multiple lawsuits that could cost the state $825,000 over three years in legal expenses to defend.
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Tiahrt: Kapaun to Get Medal of Honor
(Information in the following story is from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, http://www.kansas.com)
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas Congressman says a Roman Catholic priest from Kansas will be awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award for bravery. Former Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt told The Wichita Eagle that Emil Kapaun will be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama in April. Tiahrt also posted a letter from a Pentagon official on his Facebook page, saying that Kapaun will be honored April 12th at the Pentagon. Kapaun, a priest from Pilsen who died in 1951, has been celebrated for his actions during the Korean War. The Vatican has also classified Kapaun as a Servant of God, a step in the process to sainthood. Obama is expected to present the medal to Kapaun's sister-in-law, Helen, and her children.
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Junction City Investigating Soldier's Death
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Junction City police are investigating the shooting death of a 22-year-old Fort Riley soldier. Junction City police Lieutenant Jeff Childs says in a release that police were called to an apartment early Saturday after receiving a report of a gunshot wound. Police found the soldier suffering from a single gunshot and had him taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The soldier's name hasn't been released. Childs says an autopsy is planned.
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KCK Mayor Candidate Denies Conflict
(Information in the following story is from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com)
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A mayoral candidate in Kansas City, Kansas says her dual roles as commissioner for Wyandotte County's Unified Government and as executive director of a neighborhood association have not posed a conflict of interest. Ann Murguia has served as a county commissioner and as executive director of the Argentine Neighborhood Development Association for nearly six years. The Kansas City Star reports one of her opponents in the mayor's race, Mark Holland, says those roles constitute a conflict of interest. He says Murguia crossed the line several times in voting for county budgets that sent money to her employer. But Murguia denies any conflict. She says she asked for ethics opinions from local, state and national officials, and each time was cleared of any conflict and allowed to cast those votes.
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Kansas Supreme Court Upholds Lesbian Mother's Rights
(Information in the following story is from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com)
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that the non-biological mother of children in a same-sex relationship can have the same parental rights as the biological mother. Friday's ruling involved two Johnson County women, Kelly Goudschaal and Marci Frazier, who separated after they become parents of two children. After the separation, Goudschaal moved with the children to Texas and limited Frazier's visitations. Frazier sought to enforce a parenting agreement each had signed. A Johnson County judge found that joint custody was "in the best interests of the children" and granted Frazier "reasonable parenting time." Goudschaal appealed, arguing that the parenting agreement was unenforceable. The high court, however, said not enforcing the parenting agreement would deny the children the opportunity to have two parents.
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Southern Keystone XL Segment Crosses Halfway Mark
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A TransCanada spokesman says construction on the Oklahoma and Texas portion of the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline is halfway complete. The larger pipeline still waits for federal approval because it crosses the Canadian border, but TransCanada spokesman David Dodson says construction on the smaller segment should be finished by the end of the year. He says about 850 workers in Oklahoma and 3,000 more in Texas are working on the project in mostly temporary jobs. The pipeline would transport 700,000 gallons of oil daily from the pipeline hub in Cushing, Oklahoma to refineries near Houston. At least 10 Oklahomans have been arrested recently for trespassing in protests against the pipeline at construction sites in the state.
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Iowa Grocery Store Chain Recalling Dog Food
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Grocery store chain Hy-Vee says it's recalling some bags of Hy-Vee dog food that might contain a toxin commonly found in corn. The Iowa-based company says tests conducted by the Iowa Department of Agriculture indicated higher-than-normal levels of aflatoxin in some samples of the dog food made at a Kansas City plant operated by Pro-Pet, LLC. Aflatoxins are chemicals produced by fungi on corn that can sicken pets. Symptoms include sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, vomiting, yellowish tint to the eyes or gums and diarrhea. The recalled products carry three different "Best By" dates and were distributed to Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin between October 26th and January 11th. More information can be found on Hy-Vee's website, http://www.hy-vee.com/