Kansas COVID-19 Infection Rate Exceeds National Average
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) - Most people in Kansas have now had COVID-19. That's according to a new federal estimate. More than 62% of Kansans had COVID-19 at least once, as of the end of February. That’s according to estimates based on testing for antibodies in blood samples which were collected for lab work. The federal data, which were updated last week, show Kansas is slightly higher than the 58% national average infection rate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that the testing did not determine the amount of antibodies in the blood samples, so the data should not be used to estimate how many people currently have immunity to the virus.
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Rural Communities Often Miss Out on Federal Help
HAYS, Kan. (KNS) - Rural communities in Kansas and across the Midwest often do not have enough staff and expertise to take advantage of federal funding for infrastructure projects. As a result, more money gets funneled to affluent areas that don’t need it as much. A new Headwaters Economics report says many rural Kansas communities struggle to compete for their share of government grants. Part of the problem is population loss, which over the decades has shrunk small towns and their tax bases. But Headwaters Director Patty Hernandez says many rural Kansas governments are also missing zoning officials and grant writers. It all adds up to a barrier that blocks small towns from getting money that’s intended to help them. “Money is going primarily to larger, wealthier communities. And we should be getting help to the places that need it most," she said. Hernandez says one thing that would help is simplifying the applications communities need to fill out to get government money.
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Producers Offer Plan to Make Raising Beef More Sustainable
UNDATED (HPM) - A coalition of groups involved with the beef industry aims to make beef production in the U.S. carbon neutral by 2040. Harvest Public Media reports that the recommendations from the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef include goals to use less water and keep more carbon in the ground. Steve Wooten is the chair of the roundtable. He says the motivation is to do the right thing, but also to have the industry determine the best course of action instead of waiting for federal regulations. "Getting out ahead and wrestling with errant greenhouse gas emissions - take it apart and figure out what you’re able to do to improve the situation overall," he said. All of the action items are voluntary, but Wooten says they have buy-in from the groups because all of the recommendations are at low cost.
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UPDATE: Kansas City Police ID Victims of Fatal Car Crash
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Police department identified the two victims in the fiery fatal car crash late Sunday night as 33-year-old Delvon Landrum, of Grandview, and 41-year-old Nickie Lewis, of Columbia. Both were pronounced dead at the scene following the crash.
(Earlier reporting...)
Two Killed When Corvette Crashes into Storage Container in KC
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Two people were killed in Kansas City when their speeding Chevy Corvette crashed into a storage container Sunday night. KCTV 5 reports that the fiery crash killed a man and a woman inside the vehicle and caused extensive damage to a nearby community kitchen. Police say they were not chasing the gray Corvette but were following the vehicle around 11 pm Sunday because it had been spotted speeding. Police say the car had been driving against oncoming traffic to pass vehicles in the vicinity of Linwood Boulevard and Holmes Street. The car ended up crashing into a storage container at 31st and Troost Avenue, catching fire and causing extensive damage to Thelma's Kitchen, a community kitchen business that boxes food for those in need.
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Man Guilty of Murder in Pregnant Girlfriend's 2018 Death
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been found guilty of capital murder in the 2018 killing of his pregnant girlfriend. Johnson County prosecutors say a jury convicted 31-year-old Devonte Dominique Wash on Monday for the death of 23-year-old Ashley Harlan, of Olathe, and her unborn child. Wash faces life in prison without parole when he's sentenced on June 24. Police said Harlan was found shot to death at her grandfather's home. She was about 20 weeks pregnant with Wash's child when she died. Wash called 911 to report that he had found Harlan shot inside the home, but investigators determined through surveillance video near the home and ballistics evidence that Wash was the shooter.
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Man Charged in Shooting Deaths of Two Kansas Teenagers
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 24-year-old Kansas City man is jailed on charges of killing two Kansas teenagers. Police said Patrick Howard is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the February 18 deaths of Samuel Guess and Antonio Johnson, who were both 14. Nancy Chartrand, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City, Kansas, police department, said Tuesday that Howard is being held in the Wyandotte County jail on $250,000 bond. Police said the two victims were found dead inside an apartment across from the Argentine Middle School. The investigation into the shootings is continuing.
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Clean-Up Continues After Andover Tornado
ANDOVER, Kan. (KMUW) - Clean-up continues in south-central Kansas following Friday's severe storms. A tornado that struck Andover was on the ground for nearly 13 miles and packed winds of 165 miles per hour. The tornado damaged or destroyed more than 1,000 buildings in southeast Wichita and Andover. Despite the damage, the storm only produced four minor injuries. Two of them were to Andover firefighters who were injured during search and rescue efforts. Chad Russell, chief of the Andover Fire Department, said, "I've been to a few of these and to have the damage that we have in our community and not have deaths is a just miracle.” Among the buildings severely damaged was Prairie Creek Elementary School. District officials say Prairie Creek will be closed for the remainder of the school year. Students there will not have classes this week as the district decides how to relocate them to other schools.
(Additional reporting...)
Recovery Efforts Underway After Tornado Tears Through Wichita Suburbs
ANDOVER, Kan. (KMUW) - Officials with the National Weather Service say a tornado that hit southeast Wichita and then Andover packed winds of 165 miles per hour. Friday night’s tornado was on the ground for nearly 13 miles and for more than 20 minutes. It damaged or destroyed more than 1,000 buildings. Despite the damage, the storm only caused a handful of minor injuries. Among the buildings severely damaged was Andover's Prairie Creek Elementary School. District officials say it will not reopen this school year. Students there will not have classes this week as district officials decide how to relocate them to other schools. Officials say the tornado that struck the Andover area was an EF-3, the third strongest tornado on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
Wichita, Andover Tornado Generated 165 MPH Winds as It Destroyed Homes
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ The tornado that damaged more than 1,000 buildings in south-central Kansas generated winds up to 165 mph and carved a path of destruction nearly 13 miles long. The National Weather Service said the tornado that caused extensive damage Friday mostly in the Wichita suburb of Andover and injured several people rated an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale it uses to assess tornadoes. Andover Fire Chief Chad Russell said that at least 300 to 400 buildings were destroyed by the storm as part of a total of 1,074 buildings that were damaged. The Weather Service said the tornado was on the ground for 21 minutes Friday evening. ( Find out how to help victims of Friday night's tornado.)
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3 Oklahoma Students Killed Following Storm Chasing in Kansas
UNDATED (Fox News) - Three students from Oklahoma were killed after a day of storm chasing in Kansas. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the students were headed back home Friday night when their vehicle hydroplaned and hit a semi-truck on I-35 in northern Oklahoma. Authorities say 19-year-old Gavin Short, 20-year-old Nicholas Nair and 22-year-old Drake Brooks died in the crash just before 11:30 Friday night. All three victims were meteorology students at the University of Oklahoma.
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Possible Overturning of Roe Sends Abortion Fight to States
UNDATED (AP) – If the U.S. Supreme Court follows through on overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide, it would quickly split the country into states with abortion access and those that outlaw it. Democrats have vowed to fight the possible removal of abortion rights that have been in place for nearly a half-century, while Republicans cheered the draft opinion and condemned the extremely rare leak that allowed it to be reported by Politico on Monday. About half of U.S. states are expected to ban abortion if Roe falls and 13 states have so-called trigger laws that would immediately ban abortion if it is overturned.
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Missouri Set to Ban Most Abortions if Roe Falls
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri is slated to ban most abortions if the U.S. Supreme Court undoes Roe v. Wade. Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt on Tuesday said he will take immediate action to allow an abortion ban to take effect if the landmark ruling is overturned, as a draft opinion leaked late Monday suggests. Missouri's GOP-led Legislature passed the abortion ban in in 2019 in hopes that the 1973 ruling would later be tossed out. Abortions would only be allowed to save the life of the mother. Anyone who performs an unlawful abortion would face 5 to 15 years in prison.
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Deadly Weekend in KCK Leaves Three Dead, Three Injured
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - Three people died and three others were injured after two weekend shootings in Kansas City, Kansas. KCK Police say one shooting happened late Saturday while the second one was reported early Sunday morning. The Kansas City Star reports that in the first shooting, officers found two people who had been fatally wounded in the 1800 block of North 26th Street. A third person who had also been shot was taken to the hospital. On Sunday morning, police found one dead person and two wounded individuals in the 200 block of North 6th Street. Police did not immediately name the victims or report any arrests.
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Another Kansas Highway Patrol Cruiser Struck, Second Time in Less than a Week
SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. (KOAM TV) — For a second time in less than a week, a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper's vehicle has been struck on the side of a highway. No one was seriously injured in either case. On Saturday, a trooper's vehicle was hit on the Kansas Turnpike just south of Topeka. The trooper had just finished assisting a motorist who had stopped on the shoulder. The patrol cruiser was struck by a commercial motor vehicle that failed to move over. The officer, who became trapped inside his vehicle and had to be extricated, was taken to the hospital where he was treated for minor injuries. Officials later reported that the officer was able to go home with his family Saturday evening. On Tuesday, a similar situation unfolded in Ellis County, where a highway patrol vehicle was slammed into by a distracted driver. Officials say this was another instance where a commercial motor vehicle failed to move over and away from a trooper stopped on the road. Since 2006 in Kansas, the "Move Over Law" has required drivers to move to the side, away from emergency lights. And in recent years it has become national law endorsed by the National Transportation Safety Board.
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New Report Highlights Health Disparities in Kansas
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) - Annual county health rankings show more people die prematurely in southeast Kansas and in Wyandotte County than in the rest of the state. Southeast Kansas has struggled with poverty for generations. Going back to the heyday of the region’s mining industry. The Kansas City Kansas area faced racism and redlining that hindered financial investment in neighborhoods of color for decades. Today, both areas have poor health outcomes. Ericka Burroughs-Girardi is an expert at the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. It publishes the county health rankings.“There is a very strong tie between wealth and health," she said. The report suggests economic opportunity and living wages are important for creating healthy communities.
(-Related-)
Health Gap Between Wyandotte, Johnson Counties Remains Large
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) - The health gap between neighboring Johnson and Wyandotte counties remains the most dramatic in Kansas. Annual county health rankings show Johnson, the state’s wealthiest county, is also its healthiest. Wyandotte, home of Kansas City, Kansas, is one of the least healthy. Ericka Burroughs-Girardi is an expert at the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, which published the new report. She says historical redlining of neighborhoods of color is one reason for the gap. “So, discriminatory policies, disinvestment - all of these policy decisions - have played a role in Wyandotte and other communities that have struggled to pull themselves out of a hole," she said. People die younger in Wyandotte than the rest of the state. And babies are more likely to be born with a low birth weight, which can cause health problems.
Report: Southeast Kansans Die Younger than Rest of the State
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) - A new report shows that people continue to die younger in southeast Kansas than most of the rest of the state. Health care is making strides in the region - but that is just one ingredient in good health. Jason Wesco is president of the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, which serves seven counties. “If we want people to be healthier, we can’t only operate in health care. So we’re getting in a big way into transportation. Into housing. We feed people. We are working on social isolation. We do a lot of those things," he said. The region is struggling with generational poverty going back to the heyday of the mining industry. Higher rates of childhood poverty, teen pregnancy and smoking are some of the challenges facing southeast Kansas. The annual county health analysis comes from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
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Schools in Kansas, Elsewhere Feeling Loss of Falling Enrollment
MISSION, Kan. (AP) - Public school systems are beginning to feel the pinch from enrollment losses tied to the coronavirus pandemic. Funding for schools is driven partly by student headcounts, and emergency provisions in many states allowed them to maintain funding at pre-pandemic levels. But like the billions of dollars of federal relief money that have helped schools weather the crisis, those measures were not meant to last forever. A school system in suburban Kansas City is eliminating over 100 jobs, including kindergarten aides and library clerks. Oakland, California, is closing seven schools. Other districts around the country are merging classrooms, selling buildings and leaving teaching positions unfilled.
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Curriculum Debate Underway in Wichita
DERBY, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) - Leaders of a Wichita-area school district have been speaking out against a textbook publisher for statements related to race and social justice. The Derby school board approved a seven-year contract with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a new social studies curriculum for elementary students. But board president Michael Blankenship voted no, in part because of a statement the company posted online supporting Black Lives Matter and anti-racism efforts. Blankenship said he reviewed and liked the curriculum materials. But he says the company’s political views could still find a way into classrooms. "I don’t think the company would be making those types of statements if it wasn’t in other material," he said. The curriculum company stood behind their statement. Officials said it was intended to express care and support for Black teachers, students and families.
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Missouri House, Senate GOP Push to Ban Transgender Athletes
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican-led House has passed legislation aimed at restricting transgender kids' participation in sports. House members voted 95-46 to require transgender public school students to play on teams that match the sex listed on their birth certificates. Senators also debated a proposal to strip funding from schools that don't enact similar restrictions. Missouri’s current public high school sports rules already prohibit transgender girls from competing on girls teams unless they’re undergoing hormone therapy. Two transgender girls have been approved to play on Missouri girls’ teams in the past decade.
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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!