Governor Delivers State of the State Address, Decries Wedge Issues that Distract Kansans
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP/KPR) — Democratic Governor Laura Kelly is calling on Kansas officials to stop distracting themselves with what she called wedge issues in education. On Tuesday, Kelly sharply rebuked a Republican-controlled Legislature pursuing policies catering to conservative parents unhappy with public schools. Kelly used her annual State of the State address to decry what she called efforts to "turn parents against teachers" and "communities against their schools." She wasn't specific, but top Republicans have promised to pursue several ideas in vogue in GOP-led states. Those include restrictions on what public K-12 schools can teach about gender and sexuality.
Republican lawmakers plan to pursue a measure to allow parents to claim tax dollars previously earmarked for public schools to cover private or home schooling costs. Iowa's GOP-controlled Legislature approved such a plan early Tuesday. Kelly strongly opposes the idea. Kelly also toughened her rhetoric in advocating for legalizing marijuana for medical use, calling the state's current prohibition "ridiculous." She highlighted the case of a terminally ill man who had his northwestern Kansas hospital room raided by police because he was using marijuana extracts to ease his pain.
The Democratic governor's tough talk on these issues contrasted with her extolling the pursuit of middle-of-the-road policies elsewhere in Tuesday evening's address to a joint session of the House and Senate. She also called for continued bipartisanship in the inaugural address that opened her second, four-year term earlier this month. "We all agree our kids do better when parents and teachers are involved in their education," Kelly said in her 40-minute speech. "So, rather than distracting ourselves with wedge issues, let's focus on giving them both the resources and the support that they need."
Kelly had been scheduled to give the State of the State on January 11 but tested positive for COVID-19 the day before, only to learn later it was a false positive. Her office went ahead with releasing her proposed $24.1 billion state budget for the 2024 fiscal year beginning July 1. She ended up giving the address on her 73rd birthday, and lawmakers serenaded her with "Happy Birthday," followed by applause.
The state is flush with cash, and Kelly already had proposed a series of tax cuts, including the elimination of the state's 4% sales tax on groceries on April 1. Republican leaders are pushing a proposal to move Kansas to a "flat" income tax, with one rate each for individual and corporate filers, instead of three for individuals and two for corporations.
Republicans outlined an agenda two weeks ago that includes measures popular with GOP conservatives in numerous other states, including a ban on transgender athletes in girls and women's K-12, club and college sports. Kelly has vetoed two previous proposals.
In Republicans' official response, taped two weeks ago, Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, said that under Kelly, the state is on a path toward making K-12 schools "into little more than factories for a radical social agenda." Masterson has said he wants to pursue restrictions on how public schools discuss gender and sexuality. Kelly declared: "I will oppose any efforts that are designed to turn parents against teachers, to turn communities against their schools and to turn young people away from the teaching profession."
State Rep. Kristey Williams, a Wichita-area Republican chairing a House committee on K-12 spending, said she is working on a plan for education savings accounts for parents, using tax dollars. Masterson said the GOP will "focus on students, not legacy systems."
"We want high quality classical education that focuses on academic excellence, preparing our kids for a successful future, not the sexualized woke agenda we see permeating the system today," Masterson said.
Kelly's address came only hours after hundreds of abortion opponents and parochial school students rallied outside the Statehouse to mark last Sunday's 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, which the U.S. Supreme Court overturned last year. But Kansas anti-abortion groups suffered a decisive political loss in August, when a statewide vote strongly affirmed protections for abortion rights under the Kansas Constitution. Kelly applauded the August vote but didn't mention abortion in the State of the State address. GOP lawmakers expect to push for millions of dollars in new funding for anti-abortion pregnancy counseling centers. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, opened his remarks at the anti-abortion rally with, "Good afternoon, God's warriors!" and promised, "We will continue to fight."
Each year Kelly has been in office, she has called on legislators to expand Medicaid as encouraged by the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act championed by former President Barack Obama. Republicans who strongly oppose the move have held enough key leadership jobs to block expansion, even as voters in other Republican-leaning states have embraced it, including Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
Listen to KPR's complete coverage of the governor's State of the State speech.
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Abortion Opponents Hold March for Life Rally in Topeka
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS/KPR) - Hundreds of anti-abortion protestors rallied outside the Kansas Capitol building Tuesday, hours before Governor Laura Kelly delivered her State of the State Address. The protesters are at odds with the pro-choice Democratic governor. Many at the rally said they wanted lawmakers to ban abortion and give more money to anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers. But Kansas lawmakers are limited in what the can accomplish because of abortion protections in the state constitution. Demonstrators celebrated last year’s overturning of Roe v. Wade but acknowledged a major setback when voters rejected a ballot measure last summer that would’ve let lawmakers further restrict or ban abortion. Danielle Underwood is a spokesperson for Kansans for Life. “Here in Kansas, we face some significant challenges. Pro life laws are still critically important. And so is changing hearts and minds. We have so much work to do to restore a culture of life," she said. Lawmakers have introduced two anti-abortion bills so far this year. But significant changes would require the Kansas Supreme Court to reconsider a decision protecting abortion rights, which is something Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach has asked the court to do.
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Kansas Bill Would Allow Parents to Safely Surrender Children
TOPEKA, Kan. (KCTV) - A new bill is being introduced in Kansas that would give parents the ability to safely surrender a child to a Safe Haven Baby Box if they’re not in position to take care of the baby. KCTV reports that the legislation has already passed in Missouri, and boxes have already been installed in eight other states. A baby box is a drop box located at emergency services or fire stations that allow someone to “legally surrender a newborn.” The proposed bill would require the box to be temperature controlled, lock and signal an alarm. Children must be younger than 60 days old, and parents would avoid any penalties and charges for using the box. As it currently stands, parents surrendering a child in Kansas must hand the child to fire departments or emergency service professionals. The Safe Haven Baby Box was first installed in Indiana in 2016. Since the first installation, over 120 babies have been surrendered in the United States. There are currently 134 boxes across the country.
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Kansas Lawmakers Propose Stiffer Penalties for Assaulting Hospital Employees
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas is again considering increased penalties for those who assault hospital workers. Past attempts to do so have failed even as the number of assaults have increased. Hospital workers are sometimes punched, kicked and spat on. In 2017, Chris Buesing had his jaw broken when attacked at his job in Topeka. “My story is not unique. Stormont-Vail Health experiences an average of three injury-causing, workplace violence incidents per month," he said. The proposed bill would add the crime of interfering with a hospital worker and double the length of a sentence for assault. Hospital groups say some attackers can’t be charged because of their mental state, but they still want prosecutors to have options for pursuing tougher penalties.
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Agency Delays Protections for Imperiled Bat, Prairie Chicken
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Biden administration is temporarily delaying stepped-up legal protections for two imperiled species following efforts by congressional Republicans to derail the actions.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Wednesday it was postponing reclassification of the northern long-eared bat from “threatened” to the more severe “endangered” category until March 31. The change had been scheduled to take effect January 30.
On Tuesday, the service announced that new designations for the lesser prairie chicken scheduled to take effect then had been bumped to March 27. The agency is granting endangered status to the grassland bird's southern population segment while listing the northern segment as threatened.
The administration said the delays were intended to give regulators and those affected by the changes — such as landowners, loggers, ranchers and wind turbine operators — time to adjust.
“This is basically a chance for us to get our guidance and tools ready for when the listing goes into effect,” agency spokesperson Georgia Parham said, referring to the decision on the northern long-eared bat.
In a separate statement on the lesser prairie chicken, the service said the 60-day grace period would provide a window for establishing grazing management plans and voluntary habitat protection measures.
“We are committed to working proactively with stakeholders to conserve and recover lesser prairie chickens while reducing impacts to landowners, where possible and practicable,” the service said.
The listings, both announced in November, drew pushback from GOP lawmakers who complained that stronger protections would disrupt infrastructure projects and other economic activity.
“While a delay gives industry stakeholders valuable time to prepare for more bureaucratic red tape, our preference continues to be that this listing of the lesser prairie chicken be dropped," said Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas. He was among senators who wrote to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland this month requesting an extension.
Two dozen House members, led by Arkansas Republican Bruce Westerman, wrote a letter to congressional leaders in December pushing unsuccessfully to block federal funding for reclassifying the bat.
The Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group, accused the Fish and Wildlife Service of setting a dangerous precedent by holding off on the new designations.
“It's a red flag that they could continue denying the protections,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist with the center.
“This is happening behind closed doors, there's not enough time for us to challenge it legally and they're just caving to Republican pressure that's driven by industry."
The northern long-eared bat has been driven to the brink of extinction — primarily by white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease. Declines are estimated at 97% or higher among affected populations. The bats are found in 37 eastern and north-central states, plus Washington, D.C., and much of Canada.
The disease causes the bats to wake early from hibernation and to sometimes fly outside. They can burn up winter fat stores and eventually starve.
In many cases, the service identifies “critical habitat” areas considered particularly important for survival of an endangered species. Officials decided against doing so for the northern long-eared bat because habitat loss isn’t the primary reason for its slump.
Still, the agency plans recovery efforts focused on wooded areas where the bats roost in summer, nestling beneath bark or in tree cavities and crevices.
Under the Endangered Species Act, federal agencies are required to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service to be sure projects that they fund or authorize — such as timber harvests, prescribed fires and highway construction — will not jeopardize a listed species’ existence.
Westerman and the other Republicans complained that efforts to protect the bat could impose “significant restrictions” on logging, which they said actually can help the bats by increasing roosting and foraging areas. Oil and gas development, mining and other industries also could be hampered, they said.
Parham said the service is crafting instructions to help regulators, landowners and business interests determine more easily how protecting bats' summer habitat might affect individual projects.
The service said it also is developing “conservation tools and guidance documents” involving the lesser prairie chicken for landowners and business interests as well as other government agencies.
The lesser prairie chicken's range covers a portion of the oil-rich Permian Basin along the New Mexico-Texas state line and extends into parts of Colorado, Oklahoma and Kansas. The habitat of the bird, a type of grouse, has diminished across about 90% of its historical range, officials say.
The crow-size, terrestrial birds are known for spring courtship rituals that include flamboyant dances by the males as they make a cacophony of clucking, cackling and booming sounds.
Environmentalists consider the species severely at risk due to oil and gas development, livestock grazing, farming and construction of roads and power lines.
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Kansas Teen Accused of Killing His Mother in Small Town
CANTON, Kan. (KAKE) - The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is assisting local police in a homicide investigation after a McPherson County woman was found dead outside her home. KAKE TV reports that police were called to a home in Canton where they found an unresponsive woman. KBI investigators say police found 52-year-old Briana Lance in the back yard. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The McPherson County Sheriff's Office identified her son, 18-year-old Hayden Lance, as the suspected killer. He has been booked into the McPherson County Jail on charges of second-degree murder.
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Former Band Teacher in Neodesha Accused of Child Sex Crimes
NEODESHA, Kan. (KOAM) - A former band director in Neodesha has been arrested and charged with child sex crimes. KOAM TV reports that 28-year-old Quinton Ross Bockhold has been charged with 19 counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Investigators accuse Bockhold of communicating electronically with a person he believed to be a minor child to lure the child into performing an unlawful sex act in April of 2022. Electronic solicitation of a child is a level 3 felony in Kansas, punishable by up to 20 years in prision. Bockhold is being held in the Wilson County Jail without bond. The Neodesha Police Department is continuing to investigate.
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Woman and Baby Killed in Southeast Kansas Head-On Crash
LABETTE COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) – A woman and a baby have been killed in a crash in southeast Kansas. KSNW TV reports that a Buick Park Avenue collided head-on with a a Chevy Silverado on U.S. Highway 400 in Labette County. The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) says the driver of the Buick, 30-year-old Valerie M. Montgomery, of Parsons, and a baby inside were killed in the crash. A 41-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman in the Chevy Silverado from Thayer were taken to Labette Health for their injuries. The KHP says the drivers and a passenger inside the pickup were not wearing seatbelts.
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KCK Police Put Officer on Leave After Video Appears to Show Him Impaired
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCUR) - Kansas City, Kansas, Police have placed an unnamed officer on administrative leave after he was caught on video looking impaired. In a video that has now spread across social media, a police officer responding to a custody call is leaning against a wall, his speech slurred and his eyes blinking fast. A KCK homeowner shooting the video was alarmed and said the officer appeared to be under the influence of something and "high as a kite.” KCUR Radio reports that the police department issued a statement Monday saying the officer may have been suffering from a medical condition. The department says the officer is now on leave pending an internal investigation.
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KBI: Man Shot by Deputies in Dodge City Was Suspect in Arizona Killings
UNDATED (AP) - Police say a man who was shot and killed in a shootout that left four Kansas law enforcement officers injured was a suspect in a double homicide in Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix police say 39-year-old Leroy D. Malone was a suspect in a shooting on Sunday in Phoenix that left two adults dead. Investigators discovered Malone and a woman had likely fled the state. The shootout began after officers stopped Malone's vehicle in Dodge City. Three officers were hospitalized and the fourth was treated and released. The woman with Malone also was shot and is hospitalized. A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper was bitten by a police dog.
One Ford County deputy was treated and released after the shooting. The second Ford County deputy underwent surgery at a Wichita hospital and was in good condition, the KBI said Tuesday. The Clark County Sheriff's deputy and the Kansas Highway Patrol trooper were recovering from their injuries at home Tuesday. A woman who was driving with Malone was shot several times. The KBI says she was being treated for serious injuries but was improving Tuesday, the KBI said. Her name has not been released.
On Sunday, Phoenix police officers responding to a call about an injured person found 28-year-old Cameron Brown and 27-year-old Asya Ribble dead in their home. Their two young children were inside the house but were unharmed. During the investigation, detectives determined a male suspect and a woman who was with him had left the state. Phoenix police spokesperson Sgt. Brian Bower said Tuesday he did not expect any more information about the Phoenix homicides to be released while the investigation continues.
After police contacted agencies nationwide, Clark County deputies saw a blue Toyota Tundra that matched the vehicle connected to the Phoenix deaths driving through Minneola, Kansas. When deputies tried to stop the car, it sped off. Deputies from Ford County and the Kansas Highway Patrol joined the pursuit and eventually a Clark County deputy forced the truck into a ditch. The KBI says the shootout began when the truck was stopped in Dodge City. Sheriff's deputies from the Clark and Ford counties fired their weapons.
Malone was shot and killed, and the woman with him was shot and hospitalized in critical condition. A handgun was recovered from inside the truck. Malone served time in prison in Arizona from June 2010 until June 2020 for convictions for aggravated assault, armed robbery, marijuana violation and other charges, according to online records. The sheriff's deputies involved in the shooting are all on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues.
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Woman Wanted by Federal Government Released from Douglas County Jail
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) - A woman in the Douglas County Jail who had a detainer from immigration officials was released on Monday, pursuant to a judge’s order. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the order, a writ of habeas corpus signed by Judge Carl A. Folsom III, was issued Friday. The woman’s defense attorney filed a petition with the court after discovering the woman would be held on an immigration detainer after she bonded out of jail on a domestic battery charge. A writ of habeas corpus is a court order requiring authorities to justify why they are holding someone. Judge Folsom’s writ of habeas corpus ordered Douglas County Sheriff Jay Armbrister to release the woman, 35-year-old Anabel Alonso-Martinez, within 72 hours of the order or to explain in writing why she was being held. After consulting with legal counsel, Sheriff Armbrister chose not to respond to the order and instead released the woman at the end of the 72-hour period late Monday afternoon.
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Woman Dragged Eight Miles Under Semi After Crash on I-435
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — An accident on Interstate 435 early this (WED) morning injured a woman driving a Prius. KSHB TV reports that the car was trapped under a semi-truck after the collision around 3:30 am on westbound I-435 at State Line Road. The truck driver was not aware of the crash and dragged the car for eight miles before stopping near Lackman Road in Lenexa. The driver of the Prius was trapped inside the car. The woman was removed from the vehicle and transported to a hospital. Authorities have not released her identity or condition.
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ATM Stolen from Baker University; Police Seek Public’s Help in Solving Theft
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. (LJW) - Police are asking for the public’s help after an ATM was stolen from Baker University’s Student Union. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Baldwin City police were notified Tuesday morning that an ATM had been forcibly removed from the wall overnight at the student union and taken to another location, where it was broken into and its contents removed. Authorities are asking anyone who heard or saw anything Monday night or early Tuesday morning around the student union or the New Living Center to contact Baldwin City Police at (785) 594-3850. People may also leave anonymous tips through Douglas County Crime Stoppers at (785) 843-TIPS (8477).
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KC Police: 1 of 3 Victims in Friday Shooting at Funeral Home Has Died
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) - One of three people shot at a funeral home in south Kansas City has died. The Kansas City Star reports that police believe the shooting was likely the result of an argument that began late Friday morning inside the Elite Funeral Chapel (at 11525 Blue Ridge Blvd). On Monday, authorities were told that 29-year-old Bryson Washington, who remained hospitalized since the shooting, died from his injuries. A suspect has not yet been publicly identified. Witnesses at the shooting scene told The Star that a man who appeared to be intoxicated opened fire at the funeral home after being asked to leave. Witnesses told The Star that the man shot a woman as she sat on a couch inside the funeral home before shooting another person, now identified as Washington, outside the building.
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Fatal Overdoses of Three Teens Linked to Alleged Kansas City Fentanyl Dealer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) - A Kansas City man faces federal charges in connection with the distribution of fentanyl that authorities say is linked to the deaths of three teenagers. The Kansas City Star reports that 22-year-old Tiger Dean Draggoo has been charged with possession of fentanyl and firearms. The investigation into Draggoo began with the overdose death of a Belton juvenile on January 14, 2022. The victim is identified in court documents as B.R.J. In September of last year, two other Belton teenagers died of fentanyl poisoning that authorities allege was purchased from Draggoo. A search of Draggoo’s south Kansas City apartment turned up firearms, blue counterfeit Percocet pills and nearly $250,000 in cash. Draggoo made his first court appearance Monday in Kansas City.
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Wichita Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution
WICHITA, Kan. (KPR) – A Wichita man has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. Federal prosecutors say 24-year-old Javyn Johnson sold 29-year-old Chanelle Pratt what she thought to be two Percocet pills in August 2019. Later the same day, the Wichita woman was found dead in her home after ingesting one of the pills. An autopsy later determined her cause of death to be Fentanyl toxicity. In his plea agreement, Johnson claims he didn’t know the tablets contained Fentanyl, however, he acknowledged giving her the pills that caused her death.
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2 Suspects Rob Bank in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — Authorities are looking for two men who held up a bank in Kansas City late Monday morning. KMBC TV reports that the Bank Midwest branch (at 7904 Ward Parkway) was robbed. The FBI says two suspects are wanted in the case, one of which was wearing a brown "onesie" during the robbery. One of the suspects displayed a gun and demanded cash. Both men fled the bank, leaving in a vehicle described as a White Kia four-door passenger vehicle. No one was hurt during the robbery.
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Man Dies After Dog Steps on Rifle, Causing Gun To Discharge
SUMNER COUNTY, Kan. (NBC) - A 30-year-old man died in Kansas Saturday after what appears to be a bizarre gun accident. Authorities say the man was struck by a bullet discharged from a rifle after a dog stepped on the gun. NBC News reports that the shooting unfolded Saturday morning in a truck about 45 miles south of Wichita. Wellington Fire and EMS Chief Tim Hay told NBC News that investigators believe the dog stepped on the rifle in the back of the truck, causing it to fire and hit the back of the man, who was found in the front passenger seat. Emergency medical personnel administered CPR before the victim, whose name has not yet been released, was pronounced dead at the scene. Another person who was in the driver's seat was unharmed.
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2 Men Find Ancient Bison Fossil in Missouri River Near Downtown Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Two men have stumbled upon something special, possibly even prehistoric, along the Missouri River. KCTV reports that Mike Ruth and Dave Jamerson recently discovered a piece of a skull with attached horns that may have come from an ancient bison. Dr. Melissa Eaton, president of the KC Archaeological Society, confirmed that the skull was likely some kind of bison. She added that it may, in fact, be an extinct species of bison. Bison antiquus was a mammal even larger than the buffalo of today. She said the animal was a dominant species in this area 10,000 years ago.
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Kansas Jayhawks on 3-Game Losing Skid
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Heading into next weekend, the Kansas Jayhawks find themselves in almost unfamiliar territory. The KU men's basketball team is on a losing streak that's only happened four times in the past 20 years. With Monday's loss in Waco to 17th-ranked Baylor, the Kansas Jayhawks have now lost three consecutive games. Under coach Bill Self, the Jayhawks have never lost four in a row. But next up for KU is a road trip to Lexington to face the formidable Kentucky Wildcats. So, when was the last time KU lost at least four in a row? You have to go all the way back to the 1988-89 season - the first season under former coach Roy Williams when KU lost eight straight. Sports analysts say the biggest culprits in KU’s current losing streak are rebounding and a lack of production from the bench.
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Patrick Mahomes Is the "Old Man" Among Quarterbacks in NFL Conference Title Games
UNDATED (AP) - Patrick Mahomes will be the old man among the starting quarterbacks in the NFL conference title games. The 27-year-old All-Pro for Kansas City is the oldest member of one of the youngest groups of starting quarterbacks to make it to this round. The other three scheduled starting QBs on Sunday are 26-year-old Joe Burrow for Cincinnati, 24-year-old Jalen Hurts for Philadelphia and 23-year-old rookie Brock Purdy for San Francisco. The only other time all four starting QBs in the conference title game hadn't yet turned 28 came in 1996 when Brett Favre, Mark Brunell, Drew Bledsoe and Kerry Collins got there. Getting to this stage isn't new for Mahomes and Burrow. Mahomes has reached the AFC title game in all five seasons as a starter and can join Tom Brady as the only starting QBs to reach the Super Bowl three times in their first six seasons with a win on Sunday. The Bengals and Chiefs will meet in the AFC title game for the second straight season, joining rare company for title game rematches.
Kansas City coach Andy Reid reached some more milestones with his latest playoff win, which gave him 10 with the Chiefs and 10 with Philadelphia. Reid's 20 total wins in the postseason are tied with Hall of Famer Tom Landry for the second most in NFL history, trailing only Bill Belichick with 31. Reid has coached a team to the conference title game 10 times in the past 22 seasons, going from 2001-04 and in 2008 with Philadelphia and the last five seasons with Kansas City. The only coaches with more conference title appearances in the Super Bowl era are Belichick (13) and Landry (12).
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Chiefs' Mahomes to Practice as Usual on Sprained Ankle
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes went through a morning walkthrough Wednesday and intends to practice as usual, raising expectations that the All-Pro quarterback will not be slowed by his sprained right ankle in this weekend’s AFC title game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Mahomes said the injury is similar to one he played through early in the 2019 season, when he came back the following week to throw four touchdown passes in a win over the Raiders. The only difference is it’s the opposite ankle. The Chiefs and Bengals play Sunday night for a spot in the Super Bowl.
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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Tom Parkinson and Kaye McIntyre. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays. These ad-free headlines are made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.