Damaging Storm Rolls Through Northwest Kansas, Weskan School Heavily Damaged
WESKAN, Kan. (KWCH) - An active afternoon into evening for severe weather in northwest Kansas has produced several tornado warnings with confirmed, mostly rain-wrapped tornadoes. KWCH TV reports that one of the affected areas was the small, unincorporated town of Weskan in Wallace County. The Wallace County sheriff confirmed reports of damage to the community’s school, as well as reports of broken vehicle windows and downed trees. There was also a report of a toppled grain elevator. Outside the school, the storm destroyed recently-installed bleachers for this weekend’s high school graduation.
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Kansas Governor Considers Whether to Veto Parts of School Funding Bill
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS/KMUW) - Kansas Governor Laura Kelly says her office is exploring whether she can veto specific policies in a bill funding public schools. The bill includes billions of dollars in funding but it also includes policy provisions she does not support. She may use her line-item veto power to strike some of those items while keeping the funding in place. But not everyone thinks she can legally do this. GOP lawmakers argue she can only use her line item veto power on budget bills, not the education funding bill. Diane Minear, an attorney who previously worked in several state offices, said the matter may wind up in court. "It's setting up a legal dilemma on whether or not she can take the line-item veto to it," she said. Minear says the Legislature could also call a special session to try to override the governor's line-item vetoes before taking any legal action. Public education funding makes up nearly half of the state’s general budget spending.
The bill passed by the GOP-controlled legislature provides billions of dollars in school funding but also includes policy provisions Kelly does not support, like school vouchers. Kelly may use her line-item veto power to strike them and keep the funding in place. But Republican lawmakers argue she can only use that power on budget bills and they say this is a policy bill. Minear says Kelly using the power would put the state in unchartered territory. “It sets up a legal argument that I don’t think any of us know the answers to yet.”
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Kansas School Funding Bill Awaiting Governor's Action Could Reduce Funds for 100 Districts
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS/KMUW) - The school funding bill awaiting the governor's signature could lower funding for about 100 school districts. Districts currently can use the headcount from either of two preceding years to calculate their level of state aid. Lawmakers changed that formula to allow only the current or previous year’s enrollment. Deputy Education Commissioner Craig Neuenswander says that means less money for Kansas districts that are losing students, most of them in rural parts of the state. “Losing enrollment means you’re losing funding. By doing this, in a lot of cases it will make the problem a little bit worse," he said. Republican lawmakers who support the change say schools shouldn’t get state money for students who leave. Opponents say districts have already created budgets based on the old formula.
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Former Kansas Lawmaker Convicted of Fraud Gets 2+ Years in Prison
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP/KPR) - A former Kansas lawmaker has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for defrauding the federal government of nearly a half-million dollars. Michael Capps, a former Republican Representative from Wichita, was sentenced today (THUR) in federal court in Wichita. Prosecutors say the 45-year-old Capps was convicted of 12 felonies for lying on applications for federal COVID-19 relief funds. A jury convicted him in December of wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering and other crimes.
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12 Kansas City-Area Residents Indicted for $250,000 in Pandemic Loan Fraud
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — A dozen Kansas City-area residents have been indicted for an alleged conspiracy resulting in nearly $250,000 in fraudulent pandemic loans. Prosecutors say the 12 area residents each received thousands in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans issued under the federal CARES Act. WDAF TV reports that the loan program was intended to help businesses keep workers employed during the pandemic.
A federal grand jury has indicted the following people:
54-year-old Renetta Golden-Larimore, Kansas City
47-year-old Don A. Baker, Kansas City
40-year-old Stephan Booth, Kansas City
25-year-old Candace E. Hill-Williams, Kansas City
25-year-old Reisjon Larimore, Kansas City
23-year-old Teiara M. Mercer, Kansas City
48-year-old Padgit L. Smith, Kansas City
45-year-old Joseph Valdivia III, Kansas City
41-year-old Salvadore Valdivia, Kansas City
21-year-old Mone’y C. Woods, Kansas City
27-year-old Cameron P. Henderson, Independence
27-year-old Roger Larimore, Raytown
The grand jury returned the indictment in late April, and it was unsealed Tuesday after several of those charged were arrested and made their first court appearances. Prosecutors say Renetta Golden-Larimore prepared and filed fake PPP loan applications for the other 11, and received payments between $2,000-7,000 from the loan proceeds for doing so. The indictment says Golden-Larimore also created false IRS forms for nonexistent businesses and changed income for some existing businesses in order to qualify for the PPP loans. Prosecutors say each of the people charged received a PPP loan worth nearly $21,000. Golden-Larimore has also been charged with 12 counts of wire fraud in addition to conspiracy. The other 11 have also been charged with aiding and abetting her in one of those wire fraud charges. If convicted, the jury’s indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation, requiring all 12 defendants to forfeit any property obtained from the alleged fraud, including the $20,832.
In a separate case, 42-year-old Theresa Griswold, of Olathe, pleaded guilty to wire fraud after obtaining her own fradulent PPP loan. Griswold admitted she received nearly $21,000.
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Kansas City Declares Itself a Sanctuary for Gender-Affirming Health Care as Missouri Restricts Access
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) - The Kansas City Council has passed a resolution declaring the city a safe haven for gender-affirming care and making enforcement of state bans a low priority. Just a day after the Missouri Legislature approved a ban on gender-affirming care, city council members passed a policy making Kansas City a sanctuary city for the transgender community. The KC Council voted 11-1 Thursday to pass a resolution that declares the city a safe haven for gender-affirming care and adopts an official policy on gender-affirming care. KCUR Radio reports that the policy stands in defiance of recent Missouri actions to restrict the rights of transgender people and their ability to access the healthcare they need.
On Wednesday, the Missouri Legislature passed bills banning gender-affirming care — like puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender transition surgery — for children under 18. Missouri lawmakers also passed a bill banning transgender athletes from playing on the sports team that aligns with their gender identity, up to the collegiate level.
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U.S. News & World Report: KU Law, Medical Schools Among Nation’s Best
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - The University of Kansas Law School and KU Medical School are among the best in the nation, according to the latest rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. The KU School of Law entered the overall Top 50 for the first time in history with a No. 40 ranking among all law schools, as well as a No. 18 ranking among public universities. These rankings reflect a notable jump from last year – 27 spots among all schools and 18 spots among public schools. The KU School of Medicine has two programs – medicine-primary care and medicine-research – ranked in the top 50 among public schools. Thursday's announcement from U.S. News & World Report follows the organization’s initial April 25 announcement, which didn’t include law and medical school rankings. In the earlier announcement, KU had 37 programs ranked in the top 50. KU officials say the university now has 51 graduate programs in the top 50 among public universities, including nine programs in the top 10.
Here is a partial list of KU graduate programs ranked in the top 10 among public universities:
1. Local Government Management
1. Paleontology
1. Special Education
5. Public Management and Leadership
6. Physical Therapy
6. Speech-Language Pathology
9. Occupational Therapy
10. Audiology
10. Education
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Kansas Makes Fentanyl Test Strips Legal
WICHITA, Kan. (KNW/KMUW) - Advocates working to prevent opioid-related overdoses in Kansas are praising legislation signed into law by Governor Laura Kelly to legalize fentanyl test strips. The test strips are cheap, made of paper, and can detect fentanyl in various drugs. The strips had been considered drug paraphernalia. Kansas Representative Stephen Owens of Hesston chairs the committee where the new law was introduced, and he supported its passage. “We need to make sure that people have access to those, so that they can live another day to get clean," he said. Opponents of legalization say the strips can lead to increased drug use. But advocates say more studies are needed to analyze the strips' effects.
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Teachers' Union and Wichita School District at Impasse on Contract Talks
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS/KMUW) - Contract talks between the Wichita school district and its teachers union have broken down. Both sides could seek a federal mediator to settle the dispute in the state’s largest district. At issue is what say Wichita teachers will have when a disruptive student is removed from the classroom. District officials want principals to decide when a student can return. They say removing a child for too long could run afoul of federal special-education laws. But teachers union president Katie Warren says teachers need the ability to keep out unruly students. “We’ve really been focusing on behavior right now. And our teachers are tired, and this might be something that causes some people to leave," she said. Representatives for the district and union declared an impasse this week. They haven’t said when contract talks might resume.
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Kansas BOE Extends Temporary Substitute Teacher Licensing
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) - A temporary provision that had allowed adults as young as 18 to be substitute teachers in Kansas will continue for at least two school years. The Topeka Capital Journal reports that the State Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to extend the emergency substitute teacher license through 2025. Applicants for the license only need to have received a high school diploma and undergo a standard background check. Before the COVID pandemic, substitute teachers were required to have at least 60 hours of college credit. Kansas superintendents say they have had had great success with the program with almost 1,000 Kansans receiving the temporary teacher licenses during the last three years but they also say the need for substitutes continues.
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Cases of Active Tuberculosis Identified in Wyandotte County
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR/KNS) — Kansas health officials have confirmed a small number of active tuberculosis (TB) cases in Wyandotte County. Officials say they have identified fewer than 10 patients so far. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) says there is minimal risk to the general public at this time. Health officials don't say where they suspect the infections came from. In 2021, Kansas reported 43 cases of TB according to federal data. Officials are warning people to watch for the symptoms of TB, including fever, coughing, chest pain and coughing up blood. Officials say they are working to make sure patients are receiving treatment and to prevent additional cases from occurring. Additionally, the agencies are working with and following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
About Tuberculosis (TB):
TB is an infectious disease that is caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis and is most commonly found in the lungs. In most cases, TB spreads through prolonged contact and is treatable. TB is spread through the air, similar to the way that cold and flu viruses are spread. Whenever someone with Active TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks, or sings, the bacteria are released into the air. People nearby may breathe in these droplets containing TB bacteria and may become infected if the bacteria settle in the lungs and begin to grow. From there, TB bacteria can spread to other parts of the body, such as the kidney, spine and brain. TB is not spread by kissing, shaking hands, sharing food, drink or toothbrushes, or by touching objects like bed linens or toilet seats. Even if someone is infected with TB bacteria, it does not mean the person will develop active TB disease. Most people who become infected do not develop Active TB.
Additional information about TB can be found on the CDC website.
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Kansas State Trooper Injured in Accident on I-70
SALINA, Kan. (KWCH) - A Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper has been hospitalized following a crash in Saline County. The trooper, who has not been identified, was helping a motorist on westbound I-70 Wednesday afternoon when the crash happened. KWCH TV reports that a passing truck struck the patrol cruiser, pinning the trooper inside his vehicle. The Highway Patrol says the injured trooper was alert and conscious when he was taken to the hospital.
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New $80 Million Dollar Manufacturing Plant Announced for Maize
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – State officials have announced that a new $80 million manufacturing plant will be built in south-central Kansas. Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, the nation’s top manufacturer of cast iron and plastic pipe and fittings, will build the facility in Maize. The plant is expected to create 50 full-time jobs. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said “Charlotte Pipe brings a strong, family-oriented culture coupled with good-paying jobs and benefits to central Kansas." Construction on the company’s seventh plastics plant in the U.S. is expected to begin in January 2024 and be completed by early 2025. The expansion received local, county, and state government support.
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KC Area Family Filed Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Police
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP/KPR) - The family of a man killed by police officers in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, have filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit Thursday, accusing the officers of shooting the man without justification. The lawsuit on behalf of Tyrea Pryor's relatives names two officers and the city of Independence. It seeks at least $25 million in damages. In March 2022, police were called to a disturbance and began following a car that left the scene. The car crashed a short time later. Pryor, 39, and a woman were in the car. Police found a rifle in the vehicle but the lawsuit said Pryor was not brandishing it. Video footage released by the family's attorneys showed that officers also believed Pryor had a pistol. No pistol was found. Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker announced in March that the officers would not be charged, citing the "reasonable belief" that they faced a threat.
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Family of Door-Dash Driver Killed by KCK Police Requests Video
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — The family of a Door-Dash delivery driver who was shot to death by Kansas City, Kansas, police is demanding the release of video footage related to the shooting. The family of 25-year-old Amaree’ya Henderson says he was finishing a delivery on the evening of April 26 when he was shot and killed. KSHB TV reports that the confrontation followed an attempt to pull over Henderson’s vehicle for a traffic violation. Witnesses say Henderson refused to exit the vehicle, repeatedly asked the officer why he had been pulled over and said he was afraid to get out of his car. Henderson was unarmed. The family filed an open records request to see the body cam and dash cam video from the incident. The KCK Police Department says it’s processing the request and the family would see the video once a review is complete.
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Kansas City Suburb's Ban on Having More than Three Roommates Challenged in Court
SHAWNEE, Ks. (AP/KPR) — A Kansas City suburb's rule prohibiting more than three unrelated roommates from living together is being challenged in court. The lawsuit was filed by a property management company that wants to be able to rent homes to several roommates and a homeowner who said that Shawnee's ban made her living arrangement illegal last year because her son's girlfriend was living with the family at the time. The rule that Shawnee passed last year prohibits more than three unrelated people from living together in a single residence. The only exception for more people living together is if they are all related. If even one person in a home isn't related to everyone else in the household, the city considers everyone in the household to be unrelated. Attorney David Deerson said it's none of the government's business who people decide to live with.
"There is a serious housing affordability crisis and Shawnee is making it worse. This unconstitutional ordinance would even outlaw the living arrangement of television's 'Golden Girls.' " City officials declined to comment on the lawsuit and said they haven't yet received a copy of it.
But when Shawnee approved the ban last year, officials said they were trying to eliminate situations where homeowners were treating their homes like apartment buildings and renting rooms to several people. Critics of the ban said the rule just made it harder for people to afford to live in the upscale suburb. The company that filed the lawsuit, HomeRoom Inc., said it tries to make housing more affordable by renting homes to people who want to be roommates. After the ban passed, the company said it had to evict some of its tenants at the two homes it owns in Shawnee.
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Prosecutors Reveal Link Between Terror Defendant in Virginia and Islamic State 'Empress' from Kansas
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP/KPR) — Prosecutors say a northern Virginia man arrested last week on terrorism charges has a husband-wife relationship with another American who was dubbed by prosecutors as an "empress of ISIS" for her work to establish an all-female Islamic State battalion. Thirty-three-year-old Mohammed Chhipa, of Springfield, Virginia, is charged with providing material support to a terrorist group. Prosecutors say he transferred tens of thousands of dollars to the Islamic State. At a detention hearing Wednesday, prosecutors also disclosed a relationship between Chhipa and Allison Fluke-Ekren, an American from Lawrence, Kansas, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence after admitting she organized and led an Islamic State battalion.
Fluke-Ekren pleaded guilty last year to organizing and leading the Khatiba Nusaybah, a battalion in which roughly 100 women and girls — some as young as 10 — learned how to use automatic weapons and detonate grenades and suicide belts.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Aminoff told the judge that Chhipa considers himself to be married to Fluke-Ekren, although the marriage was apparently conducted online and has no legal status in the U.S. He said Chhipa, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from India, has been trying to adopt Fluke-Ekren's children.
Court documents in Fuke-Ekren's case do not mention Chhipa by name, but also indicate that Fluke-Ekren considered herself to be married to a man she met online. It is not clear that the two have ever met in person.
Whatever the relationship between Chhipa and Fluke-Ekren, the charges against Chhipa appear unrelated to that relationship. Prosecutors say that between November 2019 and July 2022, Chhipa used virtual currency to transfer more than $188,000 to accounts known and unknown. An FBI affidavit states that some money remains unaccounted for but that $18,000 went to wallets known to be used by ISIS women located in Syria, while $61,000 went to cryptocurrency wallets in Turkey. The affidavit states that money intended to arrive in Syria is often routed through Turkey.
The affidavit quotes text messages sent by Chhipa indicating he wanted the money to be used to bribe guards at detention camps where families of Islamic State fighters are still being held. The affidavit says Chhipa also met with an FBI "controlled persona" — either an undercover agent or a confidential source — and accepted cash from the individual. Chhippa then transferred the money to Bitcoin and sent it directly to a known ISIS member, according to the affidavit.
Chhipa has been under investigation for years. Indeed, prosecutors say he fled to Egypt in August 2019, fearing he would be arrested after his home was raided. He was brought back to the U.S. after authorities contacted Interpol, but he was not charged until Monday. Prosecutors say Chhiipa continued to engage in illegal conduct after he returned to the U.S., even though he know he was drawing authorities' scrutiny. Family members who attended Wednesday's hearing did not comment, but passed out a written statement supporting him. The statement described Chhipa "as tirelessly working for the betterment of women and children" and said he "has been targeted by false allegations. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Anderson ruled at the conclusion of Wednesday's hearing that Chhipa should remain jailed while he awaits trial.
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Clinics Held on How to Change Gender Designation on Kansas Birth Certificates, Driver's Licenses
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Legal experts say transgender Kansans could soon lose the ability to change their gender identification on birth certificates and state IDs. A new state law preventing those changes takes effect July 1st. So, transgender allies and activists are urging people who want to update their documents to do so now. Ellen Bertels runs the Name Change Project at Kansas Legal Services. “Statistically, it's clear that having an accurate identity document like a driver's license or a birth certificate reduces the risk of harassment, discrimination and even physical violence for trans folks in public," she said. Bertles in holding a series of in-person and virtual gender marker clinics in Kansas City, Lawrence and Wichita to help people complete the paperwork before the law takes effect. One clinic begins Wednesday at 4:00 pm at the Kansas City Center for Inclusion. Another one takes place next week at the Lawrence Public Library (May 17).
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Telemedicine Prescribing Will Continue in Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) - The federal government is extending rules that allow prescribing controlled substances through telehealth visits. That’s something Kansas medical providers have been hoping for. The pandemic rules allow medical providers to prescribe medications such as Adderall for ADHD and buprenorphine for individuals with substance use disorders. The expanded use of telehealth visits allows better health care access in places like rural Kansas, but it can open the door to fraud. That’s one reason the changes might be rolled back. CKF Addiction Treatment President Shane Hudson is based in Salina. He says there are ways to address concerns without cutting off access to the prescriptions. “That's a valid fear. But that doesn't speak for all of us providing the service," he said. The expanded ability to prescribe controlled substances through telehealth has been extended for another six months.
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DEA Confiscates Drugs, Arrests 72 in Kansas and Missouri Following Year-long Drug Operation
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has announced the results of a year-long operation targeting two Mexico-based drug cartels. KSHB TV reports that "Operation Last Mile" ran from May 1, 2022 to May 1 of this year. It targeted operatives working with the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels. The DEA says the two cartels are responsible for the vast majority of fentanyl and meth brought into the U.S. The DEA says it worked with state and local authorities to arrest 72 people in Kansas and Missouri. The agency says it confiscated a total of 1.3 million fentanyl pills, 100 pounds of fentanyl powder, 200 pounds of meth, 400 guns and nearly $500,000 in cash.
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Three Arrested on Drug Charges After Raid in Fort Scott
BOURBON COUNTY, Kan. (KPR) – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office have arrested three people following an investigation in Fort Scott. Late Tuesday morning, officers executed a search warrant at a home (113 S. Barbee St.) in Fort Scott, where meth, marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found. Four people were on the property at the time and three were arrested, including 53-year-old Roger Firebaugh, 38-year-old Janelle Roberts and 61-year-old Cavin Ford, all of Fort Scott. The investigation continues.
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Kansas Communities Launch "Gunsmoke Trail"
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - With a message of “get the heck into Kansas,” four Kansas towns, including Wichita, have rolled out their new “Gunsmoke Trail.” The trail winds through four Kansas towns -- Abilene, Dodge City, Hays and Wichita - featured in the long-running television series “Gunsmoke.” KWCH TV reports that the iconic western series was based in and around Dodge City and is one of the longest-running shows in television history. “Despite being over 50 years old, the series still has a large and loyal fanbase,” said Julie Roller Weeks, of the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This trail gives fans fun places to see to relieve the show’s storylines.” Gunsmoke featured 635 original episodes when it first aired from 1955-1975.
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Program Gives Kids Free Access to Kansas Attractions
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS/KMUW) - The state of Kansas is again giving students free admission to more than 100 museums, zoos and other attractions through the Sunflower Summer program. The program, now in its third year, runs through a smart-phone app and is funded with federal COVID-relief money. Kids from preschool through 12th grade can get free tickets, along with any two adults who go with them. Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson says the program has helped keep kids learning over the summer months, so state lawmakers voted to extend it. “The Legislature did pass some dollars to go to Commerce and other people to run this program after the federal money runs out, and that will start next year," he said. Sunflower Summer starts May 26th and runs through August 13th or whenever funding runs out. There’s more information at SunflowerSummer.org.
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Super Bowl Champion Chiefs Announce June Visit to White House
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Super Bowl 57 Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs will head to the White House next month to meet with President Joe Biden. The Kansas City Star reports that team officials announced the visit Wednesday night. The Chiefs won their second Super Bowl in four seasons on February 12, with a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chiefs are set to meet with the president at the White House on June 5th.
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KC Chiefs Will Play Exhibition Game in Germany
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — The Kansas City Chiefs will return to Europe to play again next season. They will take on the Miami Dolphins on November 5th in Frankfurt, Germany. KSHB TV reports this is the Chiefs' third regular season international game. The NFL is accelerating its international marketing campaign this year. The plan includes advertising, sponsorship deals, and fan events. The Chiefs / Dolphins game can be viewed on the NFL Network.
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Our Love Affair with Uniform Landscapes Kills Trees. So, Kansas and Missouri are Going for Variety
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KNS) — Communities in Kansas and Missouri are starting to diversify the types of trees they plant. Houses sell for more money in neighborhoods with big, leafy, mature tree canopies. So, pests that can kill many trees quickly can pose real economic dangers. When cities find they have too many of the same kind of trees, those trees become extra vulnerable to pests and disease. Now, communities in both states are hedging their arboreal bets by diversifying their tree populations. (Learn more.)
What are the best trees for Kansas and Missouri homes? Here's what experts recommend.
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Kansas State Employee Virtual Job Fair Set for May 17
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — The state of Kansas is hiring. Job-seekers are invited to attend the State of Kansas Agencies Virtual Job Fair Wednesday, May 17 (8:00 am to 5:00 pm). This virtual fair, which is hosted by KANSASWORKS, will focus on highlighting employment opportunities within many of the state’s 98 government agencies.
Registration is required to participate in the event, regardless of previous participation. The Virtual Job Fair portal features a job-seeker training video, a list of participating employers, and channels for attendees to register and log in. Job-seekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as employers might request to engage in a video interview. Candidates can participate via any digital device. Any individual with a disability may request accommodations by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.
Click here to register for the May 17 State of Kansas Agencies Virtual Job Fair.
KANSASWORKS links businesses, job candidates and educational institutions to ensure that employers can find skilled workers. Services are provided to employers and job candidates through the state’s 27 workforce centers. KANSASWORKS is free for all Kansans to use. State employment opportunities can be found at jobs.ks.gov.
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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 and updated throughout the day. These ad-free headlines are made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.