Kansas Lost Federal Funds Stripped from Planned Parenthood
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has lost the federal planning money it stripped from Planned Parenthood and another unaffiliated clinic since winning its legal fight to defund the organization. The federal government reduced its Title X funding to the state by about the $370,000 annually in Title Ten money that two Planned Parenthood facilities in Wichita and Hays and an unaffiliated clinic in Dodge City had been receiving. Medical providers say that means low-income patients are finding it harder to access birth control, cancer screenings and other reproductive health care services. Patients in Ellis and Ford counties where clinics closed still have no Title X medical provider there to serve poor families. Kansas also cut the amount of family planning funding that Sedgwick County Health Department had previously received.
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Chairman of Kansas Democratic Party Resigns
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The chairman of the Kansas Democratic Party has resigned amid a backlash over comments he made about the party's message. The party's executive director, Kerry Gooch, confirmed to the Wichita Eagle that Larry Meeker resigned yesterday (FRI) shortly before the party's annual convention in Wichita. Meeker has been chairman since March. On Wednesday, he said the Kansas Democratic party should be "rebranded" to differentiate it from the national Democratic party. He said Kansas Democrats are fiscal conservatives and the party should include people who disagree on its stand on such issues as abortion rights and same-sex marriage. His comments drew criticism from several Democratic leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley. Hensley said Friday that he believed Meeker made the right decision in resigning.
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Jury Selected in Jewish Site Shootings Trial
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Eight women and nine men have been chosen from a pool of 200 to hear the case of a Missouri white supremacist accused of killing three people at two suburban Kansas City Jewish sites. Twelve of the 17 Johnson County, Kansas residents picked yesterday (FRI) will serve as jurors and the other five will be alternates. They won't know which role they'll be given until after the capital murder trial has ended. Frazier Glenn Miller Junior of Aurora, Missouri has admitted killing a 69-year-old man, his 14-year-old grandson and a 43-year-old woman in Overland Park, Kansas on April 13th, 2014. The 74-year-old says it was his duty to kill Jewish people because they're endangering the existence of the white race. Opening statements are slated to begin Monday morning.
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2 Men Die After Being Hit by Truck While Walking Dog
GODDARD, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas men have died after they were hit by a pickup truck in Goddard. Police say the men were crossing a street while walking a dog yesterday (FRI) when they were hit by the truck. The men, ages 69 and 71, were taken to a Wichita hospital where they later died. Police say the driver of the truck stopped at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation. The victims were reportedly neighbors who took daily walks.
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Topeka Police say Remains Likely to be Missing Man
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Topeka police say a body found yesterday (FRI) is likely that of a 65-year-old man who has been missing for a week. Police say the body of Benedict Gerstner was found Thursday in a wooded area near the Lexington Park Assisted Living center, where Gerstner had lived. Police Lieutenant Colleen Stuart said that evidence at the scene indicated the body was Gerstner's. The cause of death is under investigation. Gerstner was reported missing on Saturday and a Silver Alert was issued Monday. Lexington Park said in a statement that Gerstner, like many of the center's residents, had been his own responsible party and was free to come and go from his apartment.
