Hundreds of Kansans Rally, March for Abortion Rights
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Hundreds of Kansans rallied in cities and towns across the state Saturday in support of abortion rights. The Kansas City Star reports that rallies and marches took place in Kansas, City, Topeka, Wichita, Lawrence, and Manhattan in connection with the National Women's March. The marches follow a new restrictive abortion law in Texas, as well as challenges to reproductive rights in other states across the country. Last week, a federal appeals court heard oral arguments on a Missouri law that would restrict abortions at eight weeks. In Kansas, voters will decide in August 2022 whether to retain a state constitutional guarantee to the right to abortion.
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Body Found by Kayakers in Missouri River
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City, Missouri, police are investigating the death of someone whose body was found in the Missouri River. WDAF-TV reports that kayakers found the body Saturday near the Bond Bridge. Authorities have not identified the victim or determined the victim’s gender. Authorities have not determined if foul play was involved.
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KCK Police Investigate Fatal Shooting
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police in Kansas City, Kansas, are investigating a fatal shooting. The shooting was reported just before noon Saturday. Officers called to the scene found a man with an apparent gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital where he died. The victim’s name and have not been released. Police say a suspect ran away but was captured a short time later.
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Prairie Village Weighs Ban on Conversion Therapy
PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. (AP) — One Johnson County, Kansas, community has already adopted a ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth, and another is considering doing so. The Kansas City Star reports that the Prairie Village City Council will discuss the ban at a meeting Monday. The council earlier voted 10-2 to direct city staff to draft an ordinance similar to the one adopted last year in Roeland Park, which prohibits mental health professionals from using conversion therapy. The goal of conversion therapy is to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The practice has also been banned in Kansas City, Lawrence, North Kansas City, St. and St. Joseph.
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Child COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Lag in Many Kansas Counties
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Data from the Kansas state health department shows that some counties are seeing youth vaccination rates for COVID-19 far below the national average. A school pandemic workgroup received data from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment this week showing that in about a quarter of the state’s counties, less than 20% of vaccine-eligible children ages 12 to 17 had received at least one dose as of September 24th. U.S. regulators in May expanded the use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to children as young as 12. The national vaccination rate for youth is 57%.
