Kansas GOP Ties Redistricting Map to Ivermectin Measure
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Kansas Republicans appeared to get the new congressional district lines they wanted this week through horse-trading in the Legislature. Then, hours after the new map became law, the GOP leader who supposedly struck the deal seemed to go back on it. The sparring between Senate President Ty Masterson and Senator Mark Steffen highlighted tensions among conservatives Friday. Steffen said Masterson secured his and another crucial vote to override Democratic Governor Laura Kelly's veto of the GOP redistricting plan after what Steffen called a mutual agreement. COVID-19 legislation pushed by Steffen then came out of committee. But Masterson quickly sent it back and stripped Steffen and two other Republicans of committee assignments.
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Wyandotte County to Offer IDs to Immigrants, Homeless
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Wyandotte County will begin offering municipal photo IDs to immigrants and other vulnerable residents after county commissioners approved the move in a split vote. KCUR reports that the Unified Government of Wyandotte County board voted 6-4 Thursday night to offer the IDs under what was dubbed the “Safe and Welcoming Wyandotte Act.” The measure will allow immigrants, the homeless, the elderly, and others without ready access to state-issued photo IDs to get a local photo ID. The move was backed by a coalition of advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and the Immigrant Justice Advocacy Movement.
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Missouri Senate Working to Reach Redistricting Compromise
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri senators are working behind the scenes to try to find a compromise on how to redraw the state's eight U.S. House districts. The Senate met in a rare Friday session to continue debating congressional redistricting. A majority of the Republican-led chamber has indicated its support for a map that is projected to continue the state's current representation of six Republicans and two Democrats. But a coalition of conservative Republicans has filibustered while pressing for a map that could give the GOP a shot at winning seven seats. The debate began Monday and has spanned much of the week.
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Missouri Man Accused of Selling Stolen Car Parts Worth Millions
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP/KPR) - Federal prosecutors say an Independence, Missouri, man is accused of making millions of dollars illegally selling catalytic converters. The Department of Justice announced Thursday that 56-year-old James Spick, owner of J&J Recycling, faces a 26-count indictments after allegedly making more than $11 million selling catalytic converters, many of which were stolen, from January 2018 to December 2021. Catalytic converter theft is rising across the country because precious metals can be extracted from them and sold. Spick allegedly sold the converters to companies in Missouri, Texas, and Louisiana.
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Coaches: Highland Community College Discouraged Black Athletes
HIGHLAND, Kan. (AP) — Three former coaches at a Kansas community college allege in a lawsuit that the school wanted to reduce the number of Black student-athletes on campus. KCUR reports that the lawsuit filed in federal court last week contends Highland Community College in northeast Kansas asked coaches not to recruit Black athletes, discouraged Black students from attending the college and intimidated Black athletes into leaving. Highland officials deny the allegations. Fewer than 6% of Highland's 3,200 students are Black. This week, The Kansas City Star disclosed that Highland's president compared a Black football player to Hitler, whom she called “a great leader.”
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Kansas Principal Told to Apologize over White Privilege Film
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas high school principal was told to apologize after he showed a video discussing white privilege to his school's staff. Derby High School Principal Tim Hamblin showed the four-minute video during a staff in-service day last month. A teacher who was at the meeting later complained to a school board member that the video was offensive and created a hostile work environment. The board member told Hamblin to apologize, which he did in an email to staff. In response, some teachers gathered signatures this week to show support for Hamblin. The name of the teacher who complained and the board member who told Hamblin to apologize was not released.
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Man Found Shot, Dead Outside Sedgwick County Home
HAYSVILLLE, Kan. (AP) — The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a man after his body was found outside a suburban Wichita home. Investigators say deputies were called early Friday morning to a house in Haysville to check on the well-being of a man reported to be lying on the ground next to the home. Arriving deputies discovered the man was dead and had suffered a gunshot wound. Officials have not released the man's name, but say was a 23-year-old resident of Wichita. Detectives spent the morning collecting evidence at the scene and interviewing potential witnesses.