Storm Late Wednesday Expected to Bring Snow, High Winds to Northeast, North-Central Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ/KPR) - A winter storm beginning Wednesday evening is expected to bring snow and high winds to north-central and northeast Kansas. The National Weather Service says blowing snow could make travel difficult and has issued a Winter Storm Watch for portions of north-central and northeast Kansas, including Manhattan, Junction City, Abilene and Holton. The storm is expected to move across the central plains late Wednesday and Thursday.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Topeka has recorded 3.65 inches of snow so far this cold weather season. The city's average snowfall by mid-February is 12.1 inches.
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Kansas City’s Super Bowl Victory Parade Set for Wednesday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR/LJW) - Kansas City fans will take to the streets Wednesday to celebrate the team’s second Super Bowl win in four years. In case of inclement weather, the parade will be pushed to Thursday.
WHERE: Downtown Kansas City
WHEN: 12 pm with a victory rally at Union Station at approximately 1:45 pm. The National WWI Museum will host viewing opportunities on its north lawn.
The parade will begin at the City Market and continue down Grand Boulevard before turning on Pershing Road to finish in front of Union Station. The Kansas City Streetcar will suspend operation beginning at midnight prior to the parade and will reopen as soon as conditions allow. Cell phone reception may be extremely limited due to the large numbers of cell phone users in a small area. Parade-goers should make plans in case they get separated.
As a result of the celebration, many Kansas City areas schools have canceled classes in order to allow students and staff to attend. Kansas City Municipal Court will be closed. Other city services that require visits to City Hall will also likely be unavailable. The celebration will be free to attend, but will cost at least $2.25 million to put on, according to estimates presented at a Kansas City Council meeting earlier this month. (Read more.)
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KU Gets $50 Million State Grant to Fund Football Stadium Renovations, KUEA Adds $150 Million
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) - A plan to renovate the football stadium at the University of Kansas - and build a new “campus gateway” around it - has won a $50 million grant from the state of Kansas. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that KU also received a commitment of $150 million in funding from the KU Endowment Association. The Kansas Department of Commerce confirmed that the state has awarded KU the grant as part of its University Challenge Grant program. KU Endowment has agreed to backstop the project to the tune of $150 million. That means the private fundraising arm of KU will either raise that much in donor funds for the project or use existing funds to cover the costs. KU officials have projected it will cost more than $300 million to completely renovate the football stadium.
The project will be one of the more expensive in recent KU memory but school officials say KU will not use tuition funds or state general funds for the project.
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Bill Would Force Water Conservation in Western Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - A bill in the Kansas House Water Committee would force people in parts of western Kansas to do more to conserve the Ogallala Aquifer. It would require local water districts to send the state their plans for reducing water use in the areas most "at-risk" for depletion. But that’s sure to spark backlash from some of the farmers who use that water to irrigate crops.
Southwest Kansas groundwater district director Mark Rude spoke in opposition to the bill at a committee hearing. He says that in a dry year like this one, his area relies on pumping a lot of water from the aquifer. “The amount we use, and the economy it supports is huge to the state of Kansas. And we certainly know that. We've been grappling with that for years and years," he said.
Leaders from other groundwater districts in northwest and west-central Kansas testified in support of the bill. Republican Representative Jim Minnix, of Scott City, is the committee chairperson. He summed up the stakes for the region. “We're here today, so that we don't become what the Colorado River Valley or Central California looks like. And we here in Kansas have an opportunity to improve our own future right here. And it starts now." he said. Several western Kansas counties have already used up more than half of their underground water with most of it going to irrigate crops. The committee will continue working on the bill this week.
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Kansas Bill Would Ban Trans Athletes from Girls' Sports
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas Republicans are again trying to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women’s sports at public schools. The new effort, launched Monday, is the third try in three years. The bill would allow only student athletes who were born biologically female to play in girls’ and women’s sports at public schools. Supporters of the bill say allowing transgender athletes to play girls’ sports is unfair. But Democratic Representative Heather Meyer, a parent of a transgender child, says the bill would hurt the mental health of transgender students. “We’re just tired of having to come back here and have the same conversations about their validity and their worth," she said. Opponents of the proposal argue the bill would be harmful to transgender young people and amounts to bullying.
But Brittany Jones, of Kansas Family Voice, says transgender girls can still participate in boys’ and co-ed sports. “The only thing this bill does is keep biological boys from taking athletic opportunities meant for biological females," she said. The fate of the bill will likely depend on whether the Republican super-majority can override a veto. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly has twice vetoed similar trans bills in recent years and efforts to override her vetoes have failed.
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Wichita Family Advocates for Lailah's Law in Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (KWUW/KNS) - A Wichita family is advocating for Lailah’s Law after their daughter was sexually assaulted at a west Wichita apartment in 2017. The law is named after the victim of the assault, which occurred when she was seven years old. As a teenager, she’s now speaking out in the legislature in favor of Lailah’s law. The bill would require people who are living with parolees to report to authorities when offenders are not at home during required hours. Lailah says the bill could have prevented a situation like hers from happening. “If the person caring for Corbin would’ve just called him in for not being home or wherever he was supposed to be, then maybe none of this would’ve happened," she said. Corbin Breitenbach is currently serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the assault.
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Millions Placed Super Bowl Bets in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - More than 2 million people logged on to place sports bets in Kansas during the Super Bowl weekend - the first time Kansans could legally bet on the big game since the state legalized sports betting last year. People in Missouri also tried to place bets. On that side of the state line, where sports betting is still banned, there were more than 252,000 blocked attempts to place bets during the game. In most of those attempts, Missourians tried to access legal sports betting apps in Kansas. Governor Laura Kelly placed the first bet on September 1st, for the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. She says she’s donating her earnings to the Mahomies Foundation in Kansas City.
The state of Kansas wasn't expecting to make that much money from legalized sports gambling but so far, state revenue from gambling is exceeding expectations. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Kansas Lottery estimated sports wagering would generate $1.8 million in fiscal year 2023, which ends July 1st. But state coffers have already surpassed that amount, bringing in $2.7 million from September through January. Bets settled in February, which would include Super Bowl bets, are not yet in.
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Graduation Rate in Lawrence Hit 16-Year High
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) - Leaders in the Lawrence school district are reporting some good news about graduation rates. According to the Lawrence Journal-World, the graduation rate in Lawrence reached nearly 90% -- its highest level in 16 years. At Monday night's school board meeting, officials also touted the results of the annual state accreditation review.
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Reports: T-Mobile Users Experience Service Outages Across U.S.
BELLEVUE, Wash. (AP) - Customers of wireless provider T-Mobile US Inc. reported widespread service outages in the U.S. late Monday. T-Mobile service outages were reported in multiple areas of the country. Many Twitter users also reported T-Mobile outages. Numerous posts by users said their service had been changed to "SOS mode," meaning they were not directly connected to a network but could still make emergency calls. Service was eventually restored. Officials with T-Mobile said this (TUE) morning that service has returned to "near normal levels."
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Kansas Lawmakers Tackle Controversial "Flat Tax" Issue
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Kansas lawmakers will hold hearings this week on a controversial proposal to flatten the state’s individual and corporate income tax rates. Currently, the state has three rates for individuals. The bill under consideration in a House committee would reduce that to one 5% tax rate. The Kansas Chamber, the state’s most influential business group, is pushing the proposal. But lawmakers in both parties are worried about its $1 billion-a-year cost. Republican Adam Smith chairs the House Taxation Committee. He says lawmakers need to be cautious when acting on several competing tax-cut proposals. “You know, everything we do has a cost," he said. "So, we just have to decide what’s our priority.” Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s priority is speeding up the elimination of the state sales tax on food as well as reducing taxes on Social Security benefits.
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Kansas Lawmakers Seek University Funding Information on Diversity, Equity, Critical Race Theory
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) - Kansas lawmakers are asking the state's public universities to detail how state funding is spent on diversity programs and initiatives. According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, state lawmakers did not explain why they want the data or how they plan to use it, but it comes as Republicans on the same committee used budgetary authority to ban diversity training for social service workers.
The request came from Rep. Steven Howe, R-Salina, who chairs the House Higher Education Budget Committee. Howe also requested a report on financial contributions to universities from any foreign country, corporation or other entity. This year, legislators are considering a bill that would ban diversity considerations from admissions to the University of Kansas School of Medicine.
The committee meets again this week for five days of budget hearings on the Kansas Board of Regents, state universities, independent colleges, community colleges and technical colleges.
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One Child Killed, Others Injured in Southwest Kansas Crash
LIBERAL, Kan. (WIBW) - One child is dead following a single-vehicle rollover crash in southwest Kansas. WIBW TV reports that emergency crews responded to the fatality crash early Sunday morning. The single-vehicle rollover happened along a rural stretch of Highway 83. When crews arrived, they found a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee which had driven off the road and into a ditch, rolling over. The driver, 17-year-old Felipe Gutierrez, of Syracuse, and two juvenile passengers were taken to a local hospital with suspected serious injuries. Another juvenile passenger sustained minor injuries. The last juvenile passenger in the Jeep was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials indicated that three of the passengers, including the juvenile who died, were not wearing seatbelts. Gutierrez and a passenger were.
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Chiefs Revel in Super Bowl Win, Then Get Into Offseason Work
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid isn't done yet. Patrick Mahomes isn't going anywhere, either.
Chad Henne is heading off in retirement but otherwise the Kansas City Chiefs have very few holes to address heading into the offseason, which is why they already have been tabbed the favorites to defend their Super Bowl title next year.
It's also bringing up the subject of dynasty.
The Chiefs are the first franchise to host five consecutive championship games, winning the AFC three times and now twice hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Their latest performance may have been their best: They played a near-perfect second half Sunday night to rally from a 10-point deficit for a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I'm not going to say dynasty yet,” Mahomes said, but only because, “we're not done.”
As the Chiefs enjoy a parade through downtown Kansas City on Wednesday, then head into the offseason, here are some of the biggest decisions that general manager Brett Veach and Reid are facing:
FRANCHISE TACKLE
The Chiefs tried last offseason to reach an agreement with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. on a long-term deal, and he wound up playing this season on the franchise tag for about $16.6 million. Brown was excellent most of the season, too, posting a pass-block win rate of nearly 92% while helping Mahomes set a career high for yards passing.
The Chiefs will try to get that long-term deal done this offseason, but the pressure is squarely on their side of the ledger, because while the option of tagging Brown a second time exists, it would be prohibitively expensive.
“I was brought here to win championships and year after year that’s the plan,” Brown said. "I’m so blessed and so fortunate to have the opportunity to do these things with this group of men. It’s what I was brought here for, to win championships.”
OTHER FREE AGENTS
The Chiefs gave wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster what amounted to a one-year prove-it deal worth a paltry $3.76 million for this season, and he massively outplayed it. Smith-Schuster would like to remain in Kansas City, and the Chiefs would prefer not to completely rebuild their wide receiver corps, but his play this season likely warrants a significant deal.
“I’m not the type of guy who cares about stats, catches, who gets the ball or whatnot,” Smith-Schuster said. "All I care about is winning and when you win everyone is so happy.”
Defensive tackles Derrick Nnadi and Khalen Saunders, running back Jerick McKinnon, wide receiver Mecole Hardman, right tackle Andrew Wylie and safety Juan Thornhill also are free agents. The Chiefs have some tough decisions to make when it comes to pursing any of them, but don't be surprised to see a couple take club-friendly deals to keep winning.
KEEPING OTHERS HAPPY
Chris Jones, a finalist for defensive MVP, has one year left on his four-year, $80 million contract, and the Chiefs would be wise to begin negotiating a deal now. Jones piled up 15 1/2 sacks this season to match the best year of his career, and he had two more sacks in the AFC title game, before helping put just enough pressure on Jalen Hurts in the Super Bowl.
Versatile cornerback L'Jarius Sneed and linebacker Willie Gay Jr. also have one year left on their rookie deals, and the Chiefs would like to keep both of them around if the price is right. Both have become staples in the defense.
COME ON DOWN
The Chiefs are hosting the NFL draft for the first time in April and they'll be hard-pressed to fare better than they did last year. They added long-term starters in cornerback Trent McDuffie and defensive end George Karlaftis, and role players in wide receiver Skyy Moore, linebacker Leo Chenal and defensive backs Jaylen Watson, Josh Williams and Bryan Cook.
Their first pick is No. 31 with additional selections in the second and third rounds. They have two fourth-round picks thanks to their trade last year of Tyreek Hill along with one in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh.
The Chiefs could use more help at wide receiver, regardless of whether Smith-Schuster signs elsewhere. They also could use another offensive tackle given Brown's contract status and with Wylie becoming a free agent.
AS FOR COACH
There were reports surfacing before the Super Bowl that the 64-year-old Reid, now a two-time champion, would contemplate retiring after the game. But he wasted no time brushing them off.
“I look in the mirror and I’m old. My heart, though, is young," he said. "I’m good with what I’m doing right now.”
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Earnest or Playful, that Valentine's Card Has a History
NEW YORK (AP) - The custom of giving cards and other tokens of affection in mid-February goes back centuries. These days Hallmark estimates that 145 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually. That's not including the kids' valentines that are popular for classroom exchanges. There are long traditions for both earnest, heartfelt Valentines cards and also for teasing, playful ones. The American Museum of Folk Art in New York City has a number of lovingly crafted cards and other tokens of affection from various periods. Many are in the shape of flowers or hearts. Some from the 19th century were called "Vinegar Valentines." They were a kind of anti-Valentine that featured playfully insulting verses, like a modern-day roast.
Happy Valentine's Day!
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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.