State Sales Tax on Food at Kansas Grocery Stores Drops to 4 Percent
TOPEKA, Kan. (Topeka Capital-Journal/KPR) - The state sales tax on food at Kansas grocery stores is lower starting Sunday. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that effective January 1st, the Kansas grocery tax drops from 6.5 percent to 4 percent. It's the first step in a gradual elimination of the sales tax, which is currently scheduled to zero out in 2025. "Ax the Food Tax" was a core part of Governor Laura Kelly's re-election campaign. She is encouraging Kansas lawmakers to speed up the full elimination. The tax cut includes food from Kansas grocery stories, but not non-food items. Local sales taxes on groceries are still in place.
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Kansas State Falls to Alabama in Sugar Bowl, 45-20
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - After a two-score deficit, Alabama scored 35 straight points to defeat Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl. A number of NFL-bound college stars sat out bowl games, but the best prospects played for the Wildcats and the Crimson Tide and were at the center of a number of numerous plays, including Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn who had an 88-yard touchdown run.
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Wichita Police, Community Leaders Express Alarm about Spike in Gun Violence
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Wichita police are investigating a New Year's Eve shooting that left two people injured. KWCH reports the shooting comes on the heels of a meeting and press conference last week where Wichita police, city leaders, and community members addressed a sharp increase in gun violence. In the past three weeks, Wichita police responded to six gang-related shootings that left multiple people injured. In addition, Wichita police detailed several other shootings in December not believed to be gang-related.
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KCK Police Investigate Shooting of Man Accused of Carjacking Police Cruiser
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - Police in Kansas City, Kansas, are investigating after officers shot and killed a man following a chase in a stolen police car. The Kansas City Star reports that Kansas City Police Captain Leslie Foreman said a man called police Friday morning looking for help after his car broke down. When an officer arrived on the scene, the man emerged from nearby woods pointing a gun. He jumped into the police car and led police on a chase. He eventually stopped, exited the vehicle and pointed a gun at officers, who opened fire.