Residential Property Owners in Kansas to See Small Tax Break
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Laura Kelly has signed a measure into law to give Kansas home and apartment-building owners a small property tax break. She signed the legislation Thursday, and it includes a grab-bag of changes expected to cut taxes by $310 million over the next three years. About $134 million of the savings would go to owners of residential property. The state imposes a property tax to help fund public schools but exempts the first $20,000 from the levy. The measure Kelly signed increases that exemption to $40,000, saving the owners of any residential property worth that much or more $46 a year.
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Report: Kansas May Have Overpaid Private Medicaid Companies by Millions of Dollars
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) —A new report from the Kansas Attorney General’s office found evidence that Kansas Medicaid programs may have overpaid millions of dollars for home-based care. The report says the state is overpaying private companies by millions of dollars for some types of Medicaid benefits. For example, the report suggests Kansas paid $8 million to rent Life Alert equipment for hundreds of people in recent years, even though the state could have paid as little as $55,000 for that equipment rental. The report also suggests the private companies that run Kansas Medicaid are not doing a good job of checking whether enrolled people remain eligible. Kansas privatized most of its Medicaid system in 2013.
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Fatal House Party Shooting Caps Deadly Day in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Police say a shooting at a house party early Wednesday in Kansas City left one person dead and two others injured, capping a violent 24 hours in the city that saw four people killed in separate incidents. Police say officers in the Ivanhoe Northeast neighborhood early Wednesday morning heard several gunshots and found victims at a home nearby. Police say one person was pronounced dead at the scene, and another person was taken to a hospital in critical condition. A third person suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment. The death marked the fourth homicide in Kansas City in a 24-hour period, including the separate shooting deaths of a woman and a man and the stabbing death Tuesday of a middle school student at his school. After the latest outbreak of violence, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said he believes law enforcement is vital, but it can't be the only answer to the city's problem with deadly violence. Lucas said Children's Mercy Hospital is promoting a plan to address mental health issues among young people. The $3 million cost for implementing the proposal would come from federal stimulus money.
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After Violent 24-Hour Period, KC May Use Federal Funds
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Another rash of killings in Kansas City, Missouri, has the mayor considering the use of federal funds to try and address the problem. The Kansas City Star reported Thursday that five people were killed in less than 24 hours in the Kansas City area — four in Kansas City, Missouri, and one in Kansas City, Kansas. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas told the Star in a phone interview that he hopes to help stop violence suing some of the $195 million distributed to Kansas City from the American Rescue Plan Act. City leaders will determine how the money is spent.
Kansas City Middle School Student Dies After Being Stabbed at School
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP/KPR) - Kansas City police say a middle school student has died of his injuries after being stabbed, reportedly by another student at school. The stabbing occurred Tuesday morning in a bathroom at Northeast Middle School in Kansas City, Missouri. Police spokeswoman Donna Drake says another student, also a boy, was detained after the stabbing. Drake says the two students had some type of confrontation but the motive for the stabbing is still being investigated. The school, which teaches seventh and eighth grade students, was locked down briefly following discovery of the stabbing and classes were canceled for the remainder of Tuesday.
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Crews Fight Explosion, Fire at Gas Plant in Reno County
HAVEN, Kan. (AP) — Emergency management and fire officials are fighting a blaze that broke out after an explosion at a gas plant in central Kansas. Reno County Emergency Manager Adam Weishaar says crews were called to the Haven Midstream plant Thursday afternoon. He says two people with minor injuries were taken to a Wichita hospital. Weishaar told KWCH-TV that there is no risk to the public. A 2-mile radius was evacuated around the plant near Haven, which is about 33 miles northwest of Wichita. Kansas 96 near the plant is expected to be closed for several hours.
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Parsons Man Convicted of Child Sex Crimes
PARSONS, Kan. (KPR) – A southeast Kansas man has been convicted of two child sex offenses under a statute known as Jessica’s Law. The Kansas Attorney General's office says 37-year-old Jared W. Bybee, of Parsons, pleaded no contest Wednesday in Labette County District Court to two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy. Judge Steve Stockard accepted Bybee’s plea and set sentencing for September 23. Under Jessica’s Law, Bybee faces a presumptive sentence of life in prison with a minimum term of 25 years for each count before he's eligible for parole. The crimes occurred between 2013 and 2016 and involved two different victims under the age of 10. The case was investigated by the Parsons Police Department, Kansas Department for Children and Families and the Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.
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Prosecutors Drop Child Abuse Charge Against Day Care Owner
SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors in Johnson County have dropped a felony child abuse charge brought against a Shawnee day care operator, citing new evidence that showed the child was unharmed when he left her care. The Kansas City Star reports that the decision came last month in the case of 55-year-old Katherine Konon. The charge filed in 2019 accused Konon of striking a 6-month-old boy, causing a brain bleed. Tom Bath, Konon's defense attorney, says Konon has always maintained her innocence and is evaluating her options after losing a business she ran for more than a decade and incurring court-related costs.
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Kansas Judiciary Re-Thinking Approaches to Mentally Ill Defendants
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Court officials from around the state met in Topeka Wednesday to rethink the legal system’s approach to mental health. Speakers at the summit say too many people with mental health issues are ending up in jail instead of getting treatment. Steve Leifman is an associate administrative judge in Miami, Florida. He says courts need to focus more on mental health treatment for people with legal troubles and less on incarcerating them. “Most people can recover from these illnesses. We just have to make sure we are providing them the right treatment and by allowing them access to that treatment.” Leifman says prioritizing mental health treatment when people run into legal problems can reduce recidivism and save the state money.
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Governor Kelly Vetoes Local Bans on Plastic Bags, Straws
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Laura Kelly has vetoed a bill that would prevent cities and counties from banning, limiting or even taxing plastic bags, straws and food containers. Kelly rejected the measure Monday after previously telling reporters that she was a “major local-control advocate.” The Senate approved the measure first in February, but its initial version did not explicitly cover plastic straws. The House made sure it did before passing the measure. The measure was backed by groups representing small business owners, restaurant operators and plastic bag manufacturers. Environmentalists see plastic trash as a serious problem worldwide and argued for allowing cities and counties to set their own policies.
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Lack of Child Care Having Ripple Effects in Kansas Economy
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) _ Finding childcare in Kansas is difficult. The group Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas estimates that about 153,000 children in Kansas need child care but only 74,000 spots are available statewide. Kansas lost about 800 family care homes during the pandemic and those that remain open are now struggling to hire workers. Fewer facilities and a smaller workforce has some places completely booked for a year. A lack of available spots is preventing some parents from re-entering the workforce. If a family can’t find someone to watch their child, they have to stay home. The issue can be especially acute in rural Kansas. Rural communities often have very few childcare options and if one or two providers close, it has a huge impact. Some communities are looking into pooling resources and applying for grant money. ( Read more.)
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Woman Sentenced for Fatal Crash During Wichita Police Chase
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 27-year-old woman has been sentenced to life in prison after a May 2019 crash during a police chase killed two people and injured well-known Wichita musician Jenny Wood. Mia Collins pleaded guilty in October to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 70-year-old Maria Wood and her 12-year-old granddaughter, Rosemary McElroy, who were Jenny Wood's mother and niece. They were in a car that collided with one driven by Collins, who was fleeing from police. The driver of another car, Alfred Angel, also was seriously injured. During sentencing on Thursday, Wood said police shared blame for initiating a chase through downtown Wichita that reached 75 mph.
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Fertilizer Company Complains About Railroad Shipment Limits
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A major fertilizer company says the limits Union Pacific is putting on rail traffic to clear up congestion will delay shipments that farmers rely on during the spring planting season. CF Industries said Thursday that the railroad had ordered it to cut its shipments nearly 20%. Union Pacific has said it is limiting rail traffic and hiring aggressively as part of a plan to improve service after grain and ethanol shippers complained about shortcomings. CF Industries CEO Tony Will said the shipment limits couldn't come at a worse time for farmers. Federal regulators have announced plans to hold a hearing later this month about the service problems along U.S. railroads.
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Charges Refiled in Missouri Boat Sinking that Killed 17
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has refiled criminal charges against three men involved in the sinking of a tourist boat that killed 17 people in 2018. A judge dismissed first-degree involuntary manslaughter charges on April 5 against Kenneth McKee, Curtis Lanham and Charles Baltzell related to the sinking of a tourist boat on Table Rock Lake near Branson. Schmitt said in a statement Wednesday that his office is committed to seeking justice for the 17 victims. Riders from Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Arkansas died when the boat sank.
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First Lady Jill Biden Visits Whiteman Air Force Base
KNOB NOSTER, Mo. (KSHB / KPR) - First Lady Jill Biden visited Whiteman Air Force Base near Kansas City yesterday (WED). KSHB-TV reports that Dr. Biden and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited the base to celebrate the Month of the Military Child. The two visited with students at an elementary school on the Air Force base and held a round table discussion with students and school counselors about their experiences in military families. The visit is part of the White House's Joining Forces initiative to support military families, veterans and caregivers. The First Lady and Secretary Cardona also stopped by Knob Noster High School to participate in a school assembly in recognition of the Month of the Military Child.
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Kansas Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Election Laws
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - A state judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging signature verification and ballot harvesting restrictions enacted by the Kansas Legislature. Lawmakers approved House Bill 2183 and 2332 during the 2021 session, overriding the vetoes of Governor Laura Kelly. The measures established new requirements for signature verification on advanced ballots, as well as limits on the collections of advance ballots. Shawnee County District Court Judge Teresa Watson on Monday dismissed a lawsuit brought by the League of Women Voters of Kansas and other parties challenging the constitutionality of those provisions of the election laws. Attorney General Derek Schmidt welcomed the news. "We have successfully defended these important election-integrity provisions in district court,” Schmidt said. "We will continue to provide them a vigorous defense as long as necessary to help ensure that Kansas elections are safe and secure."
A third provision, concerning the false representation of an election official, was upheld in September 2021 by the district court and that decision is on appeal with the Kansas Court of Appeals. A fourth provision, which banned any person from mailing an advance voting application or causing an application to be mailed, unless the sender is a resident of Kansas or resides in Kansas, was struck down in November 2021 by a federal court. A fifth provision, which prohibits the mailing of any advance mail ballot application that has been personalized with a voter’s information, remains in litigation in federal court. A copy of the ruling is available here(link is external).
The case is League of Women Voters of Kansas, et al. v. Scott Schwab, et al., Case No. 2021-CV-299, in the District Court of Shawnee County, Kansas. A copy of the ruling is available here.
(AP Version)
Kansas Judge Dismisses Parts of Lawsuit Against Election Law
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Shawnee County District judge has dismissed a legal challenge to two parts of a Kansas election law passed last year. Voting rights groups had argued that parts of the law would make it more difficult for some groups, including the disabled, minorities and senior citizens, to vote. Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson on Monday dismissed challenges to a provision that restricts people from dropping off ballots for other voters, and another requiring election officials to match the signature on an advanced ballot to the one on record. Watson said any restrictions on voting access are outweighed by the state’s interest in preventing voter fraud.
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Governor Laura Kelly Signs Bill into Law to Ban "Sanctuary Cities"
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has signed a controversial bill into law that bans so-called “sanctuary cities.” The Republican-backed law passed by the Kansas Legislature will overturn local ordinances, like Wyandotte County’s Safe and Welcoming Act that limit law enforcement from working with federal immigration officials. The move comes after Kansas immigration advocates called on Kelly to veto the bill. Opponents say the law will harm relations between local communities and police and keep undocumented residents from reporting crime. In a statement, Kelly said "The responsibility to address our broken immigration system rests with Congress and cannot be resolved at the municipal level." She called for Kansas lawmakers to persuade the state’s congressional delegation to pass federal legislation to address
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Bird Flu Contributes to Increase in Egg Prices
DES MOINES Iowa. (HPM) - Agriculture officials estimate that about 26 million birds in the U.S. have been culled due to a highly pathogenic avian influenza spreading in commercial and backyard flocks. Many farmers are worried about the economic toll the bird flu will take on the poultry industry. In 2015, an outbreak of the same virus killed off 10% of the nation’s egg-laying hens. Those losses cost the nation an estimated three billion dollars. The nation’s third largest egg producer lost its flock of more than 5 million chickens to the virus. Agricultural economists say the nation has already seen a significant decrease of egg laying hens due to the pandemic. The virus will only worsen the shortage. The wholesale price of eggs rose to $3 a dozen last month. Agricultural economy experts say prices are likely to fall in the summer, but tight supply will continue to plague the industry.
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First Commercial Case of Bird Flu Found in McPherson County
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State and federal agriculture officials say they have identified the first case of bird flu in a commercial flock in Kansas. The state agriculture department has announced that avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, was identified in a commercial flock in McPherson County. Previously, bird flu was found in four backyard flocks in Kansas. The McPherson firm is under quarantine and its birds will be culled to prevent spreading the disease. Other farms and properties with poultry that are within in about 12 miles of the McPherson firm will not be allowed to move birds or poultry products on or off their property without permission state agriculture officials.
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Why Scientists Want to Get Rid of Bradford Pear Trees - and Say You Should Too
JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. (KNS) - Invasive plants, like Bradford pear trees, are spreading like weeds across Kansas and Missouri - and wiping out food supplies for birds, butterflies and other wildlife. Tree experts say now is the perfect time to get rid of them. As beautiful as they are, scientists say these ornamental pear trees crowd out native species and harm the local ecosystem. ( Read more.)
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Former Kansas City Corrections Officer Sentenced for Taking Bribes
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A former corrections officer at the Jackson County, Missouri Detention Center faces 14 months in federal prison for taking bribes to deliver illegal drugs to inmates. Twenty-seven-year-old Daniel Coach was sentenced Tuesday. He was ordered to repay $3,631 he received in bribes from March 2020 to March 2021. Prosecutors said Coach used the Cash App on a cell phone to take bribes to smuggle drugs such as oxycodone, K2, fentanyl, Percocet, and ecstasy to inmates at the detention center. He was arrested after he took a $100 bribe from an undercover officer to deliver drugs to an inmate.
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Wichita Man Who Repeatedly Attacked Woman Sentenced
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 35-year-old Wichita man who repeatedly attacked a woman in his home has been sentenced to 19 years and four months in prison. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said Will Johnson was sentenced Tuesday after he pleaded guilty in February to 22 charges involving the same woman. Wichita police began investigating after the woman went to a hospital for treatment in August 2019 suffering from several cuts and a broken jaw, skull and nose. Court documents say video taken from the man's home showed the woman was consistently naked while inside the home. He was also ordered to pay $537 in restitution for the woman's medical bills.
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Kansas Now Has a State Fruit: the Sandhill Plum
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) _Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed legislation Tuesday designating the sandhill plum as the official state fruit of Kansas. A group of Kansas elementary school students succeeded in their quest to designate an official state fruit. The effort began in 2021 when fourth and fifth grade students from 24 schools wrote essays and sent letters to state representatives. Busloads of fourth and fifth graders from across the state traveled to the Kansas Statehouse to witness Governor Kelly signing the bill. According to the Kansas Forest Service, the sandhill plum is the most common wild plum in southern and western Kansas.
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These area headlines are curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Kaye McIntyre, and Tom Parkinson. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays, 11 am weekends. This news summary is made possible by KPR listener-members. Become one today!