Kansas Special Session Raises Issues for Governor Kelly
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is facing policy choices on COVID-19 vaccine mandates that could complicate her reelection next year. The Republican-controlled Legislature is set to convene a special session Monday to consider a proposal making it easier for workers to claim religious exemptions from federal vaccine mandates and another providing unemployment benefits to those who lose their jobs for refusing to get inoculated. The proposals appeal to Republicans’ conservative base. If the Democratic governor vetoes them, that GOP base would remain energized. But if Kelly woos moderate GOP and independent voters by signing such measures, she risks criticism from more liberal voters.
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No Injuries in Suburban KC Bank Robbery
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — No one is hurt after a man robbed a suburban Kansas City bank. FBI spokesman Dixon Land says the suspect demanded cash from a Commerce Bank in Gladstone, Missouri on Saturday. He fled with an undisclosed amount of money. The FBI and Gladstone police are investigating. The FBI describes the suspect as a roughly 50-year-old man with light brown skin. He wore jeans, a dark blue coat, red Kansas City baseball hat, black shoes, blue latex gloves, and a COVID-19 mask while robbing the bank.
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Man, Woman Found Dead Inside Car in Olathe
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Police say a man and woman were found dead with gunshot wounds in a car in Olathe. The Kansas City Star reports gunshots were reported Saturday morning in Olathe. Police found two people inside a car with apparent gunshot wounds. A police spokesman says the two were pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not yet identified the victims but say they were in their early 40s.
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Partisan Tensions Flare on Missouri Redistricting Panels
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Partisan tensions have flared on Missouri's redistricting commissions in charge of drawing new voting districts for the state House and Senate. The pair of 20-member commissions face a December 23rd deadline to adopt tentative district boundaries. But recent meetings were marred by disagreements over their interactions with the public. The House panel split largely along partisan lines with Republicans opposing a Democratic attempt to extend the public comment period. On the Senate commission, the Republican chairman prefers to keep draft maps confidential while Democratic members have been publicly posting potential maps. About half the states already have finished redistricting for their U.S. House or state legislative seats.
