Kansas Commits $304 Million to Chip Plant to Lure Federal Funds
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas plans to give $304 million in taxpayer-funded incentives to a semiconductor company in its largest city to build a huge new factory. But state officials and Wichita-based Integra Technologies said Thursday that the $1.8 billion project won’t go forward without funds the U.S. government has promised for rebuilding the nation’s chip-making capacity. Governor Laura Kelly announced that Kansas has an agreement with Integra Technologies for a 10-year package of tax breaks and reimbursement of expenses. State officials say the new plant would cover 1 million square feet and have 2,000 employees. The U.S. is trying to reverse a loss of capacity for making semiconductors and Congress last year approved $52 billion in grants and incentives.
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State Officials Announce Massive Incentive Package Deal with Semiconductor Company
UNDATED (KNS) – A semiconductor company will build a nearly $2 billion plant in Wichita as part of an economic development project that state officials announced Thursday. A panel of lawmakers and the governor approved a $300 million tax incentive package for Integra Technologies. The company says it will build a 1 million-square-foot factory and create nearly 2,000 jobs. The deal, which is contingent upon securing federal funding, is approved under the same state law that helped Kansas attract a $4 billion Panasonic battery factory.
The announcement for the chip plant comes as the U.S. works to increase production capacity following the recent semiconductor chip shortage. (Read more.)
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Kansas House Committee Considers Changes to Mail Ballot Deadline
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - The Kansas House Committee on Elections has advanced a bill that eliminates the three-day grace period to count ballots returned by mail. That sends the plan to the full House for consideration. The bill would only allow mail ballots to be counted if they arrive by 7 pm on Election Day. Currently, ballots returned through the mail are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received within three days after polls close. Republican Rep. Leah Howell says she supports the bill because it makes sure all votes are held to the same deadline. “We must treat all voters equally, whether they turn in their ballot by mail, or whether they vote in person," she said. Opponents contend the change makes it harder to vote by mail.
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Kansas Bill Would Limit Number of Ballot Drop Boxes
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - A new bill in Kansas would limit the number of mail ballot drop-off boxes county officials may use during elections. The bill allows counties to set up one ballot drop box for each 30,000 registered voters. Counties with fewer than 30,000 voters could only have a single box. The ballot boxes would also need to be continuously monitored by election officials. Voting rights groups and Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab’s office oppose the bill. Clay Barker, with Schwab’s office, says the bill amounts to government overreach. “We don’t like when Washington D.C. tells our state how to run its elections. And yes there has to be some common doctrine. But within that parameter, let the counties decide what to do," he said. Opponents say the bill would also make voting in Kansas harder. Supporters contend the bill would improve security and transparency in Kansas elections.
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Kansas Supreme Court Hears Challenge to State Election Law
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas Supreme Court justices are considering whether to throw out a state law that tightens election rules. The issue is a provision that could lead to felony prosecution if someone is perceived to be impersonating an election official. Voting groups want the Kansas law thrown out because they believe it violates their rights. And could make their voter registration efforts illegal. An attorney for the state argued those fears of prosecution are unreasonable. But the justices asked several pointed questions - like whether a person could be prosecuted for sharing a Secretary of State election brochure without clearly stating that they don’t work for the office. Justice Evelyn Wilson says that’s how she understands it and it has a chilling effect on voter education efforts. “Why do I have to tell somebody I’m not the Secretary of State? Don’t I have the right to share a flier?," she said. A lower court ruled earlier that the voting groups had not proven that the law blocks their work.
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Report: 11 Kansas Children Died from Fentanyl Overdoses in 2020
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Eleven Kansas kids died from fentanyl overdoses in 2020, the first time the state has tracked the deaths of children from the drug. The state’s child death review board examines the deaths of all children under age 17 in the state. It operates a few years behind, which is why information from 2020 was reviewed. Drugs laced with fentanyl are responsible for many overdose deaths. Representative Jarrod Ousley is on the state’s Child Welfare Committee. “I fear we're just seeing the beginning of a rising trend in that statistic," he said. Law enforcement authorities are growing more concerned about fentanyl, with Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach calling for dedicating more of his office’s resources to prosecuting the crimes. He also wants longer prison sentences for those who sell the deadly drug.
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Kansas Lawmakers Tackle Big Tech and Social Media Censorship
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - A bill in Kansas would create fines for social media companies if the platforms censor content. The bill would update the Kansas Consumer Protection Act to prohibit censoring or editing user posts. If violated, the Kansas attorney general could issue fines up to $10,000 for each instance. Republican Senator Mark Steffen, who is a doctor, says his social media account was censored when he posted support for an unapproved COVID-19 treatment. “And at every turn, my Facebook pages were being throttled and warnings put up on them and all sorts of interference was going on," he said. Opponents argue the bill would prevent social media companies from blocking misinformation about elections and public health.
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KBI Provides Update on Death Investigation in Wamego
POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY (KPR) – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has released more information about the death of a man in Wamego. The KBI identifies the man as 47-year-old Justin L. Meyer, of Wamego. At this time, agents say there's no evidence of foul play, but investigators are awaiting a final autopsy report. Meyer's body was discovered by a friend Sunday afternoon. The investigation continues with the assistance of the Wamego Police Department and the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office.
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EPA Official: Drought in Western Kansas Is State's Most Pressing Environmental Issue
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) - One Environmental Protection Agency official says the drought in western Kansas is the state's most pressing climate change issue. The record-setting drought and declining underground aquifers in western Kansas have left small communities and farmers with limited water supplies. EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister recently made the comments while speaking in Lawrence. She says the agency is focused on reaching out to people not included in some past programs, like those living in rural areas. “There are also a lot of rural communities, who we would consider to be environmental justice communities, who are just very small communities who, maybe say, have a couple 100 people on a public drinking water system," she said. McCollister says the agency is connecting with people in rural areas through actions like virtual listening sessions.
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EPA Official: Lead Contamination Still a Problem in Kansas
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) - Lead contamination is a significant risk in Kansas, and a federal official says the problem will remain a focus of the Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister spoke about the issue at a recent event in Lawrence. One study found that children in Kansas had some of the highest blood lead levels in the country. McCollister says she wants the agency to continue efforts to detect lead exposure. “Lead in Region 7 is a huge issue. I think for me, that’s been something that’s always punched me a little bit in the gut because I have three little kids. And, my oldest is seven. So, they talk about kids under seven as being the most at risk from lead exposure," she said. This fall, the EPA announced a new strategic plan to reduce lead exposure through blood lead level screening in children.
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10 States, Including Kansas, Mull Cross-Border Rules to Tackle Teacher Shortage
DENVER (AP) — Every Colorado school district, like many across the country, began 2023 understaffed. That's caused classes to be crammed together, school bus routes to shrink, Spanish language courses to get cut from curriculums, and field trips to be nixed.
This has prompted lawmakers in Colorado and other states to suggest legislation that would get rid of re-licensing requirements for teachers when they move across state lines — an oftentimes cumbersome and costly process of waiting periods, licensing fees, and expensive exams.
The idea for an Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact was first proposed by the U.S. Department of Defense and is designed, in part, to support military spouses. It would effectively allow teaching licenses to be viable across members of the compact, cutting through the current 50-state patchwork of disparate requirements.
Colorado’s House education committee voted nine to two on Wednesday to send the legislation forward in a hearing. Democratic Governor Jared Polis declined to say whether he supports the measure or not.
Nine other statehouses are considering joining the compact, including Kansas, Hawaii, Washington, Georgia and Mississippi. For the compact to take effect, 10 states must approve it.
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Two People Suffer Gunshot Wounds; Two Arrested in Douglas County
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) - One person has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery after two people suffered gunshot wounds early Wednesday morning during a disturbance at a residence in southwest Douglas County. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that deputies were dispatched to the residence around 2 am after a 47-year-old man advised that he and a 45-year-old woman were shot inside the residence. Witnesses and those involved described the incident as having occurred during a family dispute. As they arrived, deputies encountered a vehicle leaving the property and conducted a high-risk vehicle stop, where they took one person into custody. The two gunshot victims were hospitalized with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
Deputies arrested a 20-year-old rural Lawrence man, associated with the vehicle stop, on suspicion of two counts of aggravated battery. A 24-year-old McFarland man was also booked on suspicion of domestic battery in connection with the incident. The Douglas County Jail log shows that 20-year-old Dalton Vale Turner was arrested on suspicion of two counts of aggravated battery, and 24-year-old Chandlor Saber Matney, of McFarland, was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery.
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State Giving Kansas Families Cash to Help Pandemic Learning Recovery
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas is giving out $1,000 grants to families as a way to help make up for student learning delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The money can be used for tutoring, buying school supplies or anything else that helps a student’s learning. Families meeting the guidelines are eligible for $1,000 per child. Parents must apply for this money after February 22 and their income must be just under double the federal poverty line. That is around $40,000 dollars for a household of three. Governor Laura Kelly says this money is aimed at reversing years of lost learning due to COVID. National reports show both reading and math scores are well below the pre-pandemic averages.
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Kansas Considers Raising Minimum Marriage Age
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas lawmakers are considering raising the minimum age for marriage to 18. A bill introduced by Representative Stephanie Clayton would eliminate an exception in state law that allows 16 and 17-year-olds to get married with a parent’s consent. Current law also allows 15-year-olds to marry with a judge’s permission. Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, says people under the age of 18 are not allowed to make other legally binding decisions. "It really is the only adult thing that children can do, and I think it’s due to a lot of outdated notions and just, you know, ideas about marriage," she said. Clayton proposed a similar bill two years ago, but it failed to advance. Seven states have banned marriage for people under 18. Research shows that most underage marriages involve teen girls who marry adult men.
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Kansas Considers Stiffer Penalties for Juvenile Offenders
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - About six years ago, Kansas reduced penalties for juvenile offenders. The move was part of a juvenile justice overhaul. But now, lawmakers may be ready to bring back harsher penalties. Some lawmakers say that reducing penalties for minors brought unintended consequences. Kansas foster care agencies say when penalties were reduced it meant kids who are likely to commit crimes are going into foster care. They say foster care staff and families are not prepared for that. Kansas lawmakers are considering a bill that would bring back stiffer penalties for kids who break the law. But that bill means more kids would go to juvenile detention centers. Jen Christie told lawmakers that is a bad idea. “Study after study after study after study shows that the earlier someone is involved in the criminal justice system, the more likely they are to continue as time goes on," she said. The bill would also require the foster care and prison systems to work closer together, which combines both agencies' resources.
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Co-Host of NPR’s "All Things Considered" Among Planned Speakers at Dole Institute
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) - The Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas has announced a spring schedule of events that includes an NPR radio host and the former president of Kosovo. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Juana Summers, co-host of NPR's “All Things Considered,” will give a presentation February 21 about politics and journalism, as part of a joint event between the Dole Institute and Kansas Public Radio, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary. The Dole Institute will also host an address by the former president of Kosovo. President Atifete Jahjaga will give an address on democracy on February 22.
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Royals Consider Proposal for Downtown Stadium
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) - The majority owner of the Royals baseball team, John Sherman, says building a ballpark district downtown is the best option for moving the franchise forward. Royals advisors say building a new stadium downtown would heighten the fan experience. But Reverend Rodney Williams has voiced concerns over worker pay in and around the stadium and making sure there is fair housing available for people nearby. The Royals said they are committed to creating a Community Benefits Agreement that addresses some of those concerns but would not offer specifics. Williams says he was disappointed in what he heard. “They have a chance to make a major transformation in the community, but they don’t seem interested in that.” The Royals have yet to announce the location of a proposed ballpark district, but several reports indicate a site just east of Kansas City City Hall is the leading contender.
Sherman is trying to sell community members on a downtown ballpark and says that rehabbing Kauffman Stadium was not a viable option. Royals senior vice president for baseball operations Sarah Tourville also said a move downtown would fit the needs of a changing audience. “Fans today demand a more social and personalized experience. An experience that starts the moment that they leave their home, get in and out of your car, step on and off transit," she said.
At a recent community hearing, audience members voiced concerns about how much taxpayers would have to contribute, how season ticket holders would be treated and how the venue would accommodate parking. Sherman said he hoped taxpayers wouldn’t be asked to pay more than the tax they’re already paying for the current Truman Sports Complex.
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Kansas Bill Would Classify Drag Shows as Obscenity and Criminalize Performances for Kids
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) - Legislation introduced in the Kansas Senate would classify drag shows as obscenity, potentially criminalizing any performances for minors at libraries or other venues in the state. The bill, introduced by Senator Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, comes as conservative lawmakers in a host of states have pursued similar measures. According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, similar bills have been introduced in 10 states. In Arkansas, a proposal to classify venues hosting drag performances as tantamount to strip clubs advanced earlier this month, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said last year he would consider investigating parents who take their children to such events. The issue is not a new one in Kansas, either. Republican gubernatorial candidate Derek Schmidt seized on allegations that the Kansas Department of Commerce was funneling grant monies to drag shows, even though the funds did not directly support the events.
Thompson said his bill would classify drag shows as obscenity, which would mean any performances for children would fall under the crime of "promoting obscenity" under state law. A first offense is a Class A misdemeanor, while each subsequent offense would be a level nine person felony. Thompson said drag shows were overly sexualized and they were "creating confusion over their gender" for kids who "should be studying math and science and English."
"Have you seen these things? Have you seen these kids exposed to this stuff?" he said. "We are exposing children, young children, to things that they should not be exposed to. I'm sorry. It's just at some point you've got to say enough is enough. You know, there's a proper place for everything. And unfortunately, we've gone too far."
Rep. Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said the bill amounted to an attack on the LGBT community and that proponents were attempting to legislate their own definition of morality.
Libraries in Manhattan, Wichita and Lawrence have joined a national trend of hosting "drag queen story hours," where performers in drag read to children and families.
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Kansas Transgender Inmate Transferred to All-Female Prison
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A transgender inmate has been transferred from a Kansas men’s prison to the state’s women’s prison in Topeka. WIBW TV reports that the El Dorado Correctional Facility inmate, previously known as Thomas Lamb, was moved to Topeka Correctional Facility, the state’s all-female institution. Court records indicate he legally changed his name to Michelle Lamb in 2007. Lamb was convicted of kidnapping and killing a young woman in 1969 and kidnapping a second young woman in 1970.
In 2017, a U.S. District Court ruled against Lamb in a lawsuit asking the state to transfer her to an all-female facility, and allow her to pursue gender re-assignment surgery. An Appeals Court upheld the ruling in 2018, stating that, although it was not the treatment Lamb might want, evidence showed she was being provided treatment for gender dysphoria, and the state was not showing “deliberate indifference” to her situation. However, Kansas Department of Corrections records show she was transferred January 27 to Topeka Correctional Facility.
It is not known if Lamb will now be allowed to go forward with gender reassignment surgery or whether the state would pay for such surgery.
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Could Kansans Soon Hop a Train to Texas? Maybe.
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ/KPR) - Billions in federal funding could bring additional passenger rail service to Kansas. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that advocates and transportation officials told a Kansas legislative group this week that federal funds could be used to establish passenger rail service between Kansas and Texas.
Currently, the only passenger train that runs through Kansas is Amtrak’s Southwest Chief. The long-distance train runs between Chicago and Los Angeles, making stops both ways in Lawrence, Topeka, Newton, Hutchinson, Dodge City and Garden City.
A short-distance Amtrak line, the Heartland Flyer, currently serves passengers between Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City. One plan is to push that passenger line up to Wichita and Newton. And soon, federal money may be available to pursue that goal.
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OSHA Fines Kansas City Company After Worker's Death
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP/KPR) — A federal agency is proposing nearly $200,000 in fines against a Kansas City-based company after a technician died last year. The worker was electrocuted at a construction site in Missouri. The company, U.S. Engineering Services, was fined in 2021 after another technician was electrocuted while working at a site in Wichita. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says it has cited U.S. Engineering Services for three serious and two repeat violations. The most recent technician to die was electrocuted while working at University Academy in Kansas City. The agency cited similar violations after the 2021 fatality in Wichita.
An OSHA investigation found the company did not follow required procedures that could have prevented the death. The company has 15 business days to respond to OSHA'S recommendations. A spokesperson for U.S. Enterprises did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Kansas Jayhawks Jump into Top Five of CBS Men's Basketball Poll
LAWRENCE, Kan. (CBS/KPR) - A week ago at this time, Kansas was on a three-game losing streak that had some questioning whether the Jayhawks were actually legitimate contenders to repeat as national champions. KU snapped its losing streak over the weekend with a 77-68 win at Kentucky, then backed it Tuesday night with a 90-78 win over Kansas State. CBS Sports reports that both victories doubled as Quadrant-1 wins, which means Kansas now has a national-best nine Q1 wins on its resume. That's two more than anybody else. Based on the strength of that resume, the Jayhawks are up to No. 5 in Wednesday's CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. They're one of six Big 12 schools in the top 16 of the Top 25 And 1. The others are No. 6 Texas, No. 8 Kansas State, No. 11 Iowa State, No. 12 Baylor and No. 16 TCU.
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Unheralded Group of Chiefs Players Get Redemption in Super Bowl Hunt
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are playing in the Super Bowl largely because they refused to give up on anyone, including players that few but their most-passionate fans know about. That includes Skyy Moore, their fumble-prone rookie punt returner, whose return last Sunday night set up the winning field goal in the AFC title game. It includes the young Chiefs defensive backs, who picked off Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow twice in the last game. And it most certainly includes Harrison Butker, who shrugged off the most inaccurate season of his career to drill the eventual winning field goal against Cincinnati.
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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.