Kansas Tax Revenue Falls Short of Expectations
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — The state of Kansas fell short of revised tax revenue estimates from July to November. The Kansas Reflector reports that the receipts came in $13.7 million under expectations. The Kansas Department of Revenue reported a total intake of $3.64 billion in tax revenue, with individual income tax receipts of $1.59 billion for the July to November time period. That was lower than predicted by the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group, which is in charge of maintaining and updating tax revenue projections. Corporate income taxes brought in about $424.4 million, exceeding expectations by about 2.5%. Republican leaders in the Kansas House said the revised projections indicated state taxes are too high, and ought to be reduced in the 2024 legislative session.
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Kansas Senator Introduces Legislation to Expand Rural Emergency Hospital Designation
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas GOP Senator Jerry Moran has introduced legislation that could allow more rural hospitals to stay open or re-open by allowing health care facilities to be designated as rural emergency hospitals. The Kansas News Service reports that converting to a Rural Emergency Hospital, or R-E-H, helps struggling or closed hospitals obtain federal funding for outpatient care in rural communities. Currently, to be designated as an R-E-H, a critical access or rural hospital must have been in business on December, 27th, 2020. Moran’s proposal aims to push that date back, extending eligibility to hospitals in business on January 1st, 2015. In a news release, Moran says more than 100 hospitals have closed since 2015. He says this legislation would give those hospitals the opportunity to re-open.
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Disciplinary Panel Dismisses Complaint Against Magistrate in Marion County Record Raid
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — The Kansas Commission on Judicial Conduct has dismissed a complaint against the magistrate who signed a search warrant permitting police to raid a newspaper in Marion County. The Kansas Reflector reports that Topeka resident Keri Strahler filed a formal complaint in August with the judicial panel, which has the authority to investigate allegations of misconduct. Magistrate Laura Viar signed search warrants leading to Marion police raiding the Marion County Record newsroom on August 11, as well as the home of the publisher of the newspaper and the home of a city councilwoman. The raid attracted international attention and nationwide scrutiny of the incident. District Judge Bradley Ambrosier, vice president of the panel that considered Strahler's complaint, said in a letter that the "facts and circumstances were not sufficient to conclude the issuance of the warrant crossed the line of incompetence." That letter also says the commission dismissed the complaint after a closed-door meeting on November 8.
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USDA: Rural Population Grows Slightly After Years of Decline
UNDATED (HPM) — A recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows the population in rural areas around the country is on the rise after a decade of decline. According to the USDA, research shows rural populations grew by an average of a quarter of a percent between 2020 and 2022. This was mainly fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. That trend is more visible in the South, in the Northeast and in the West and not as much in the Corn Belt and the Great Plains. John Cromartie, a geographer with the Economic Research Service of the USDA, says only parts of the rural Midwest saw gains. “It's sort of harder for a population in the Corn Belt or the Great Plains to grow," he said. "Because the population is, on average, much older. You don't have as many younger people having kids. And it's harder to attract those kinds of families.”
Nevertheless, Harvest Public Media reports that Kansas saw rural population growth of about 2%. That's about eight times the study’s average. Demographic experts say people left major cities during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Others retired and moved to resort areas, including the upper Great Lakes and Ozarks. Trends show rural cities with populations of 10,000 or more tend to keep and attract more people by offering amenities found in metro areas. Cromartie predicts rural growth even after the pandemic wanes due to the ability for people to work from home.
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Kansas Gets Re-Categorized on USDA Plant Hardiness Map
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansans may take a chance on some new plant varieties next year after the U.S. Department of Agriculture changed its hardiness zone map for the state. Farmers and gardeners use the USDA’s hardiness map to pick plant varieties that should survive local winters. In the updated map, most of Kansas has been re-categorized as one half-zone warmer. For example, Topeka, Salina and Hays now average about five degrees warmer in the winter so they have moved up one zone designation, switching from Zone 6A to Zone 6B. The USDA isn’t linking its new map to climate change. It says the changes partly reflect better data collection. Also, the lowest winter temperatures in each area can vary a lot from year to year.
Parts of southern Kansas also shifted by as much as five degrees warmer and have moved up one zone on the USDA’s map. Cheryl Boyer, a professor at Kansas State University’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, says this means Kansas gardeners can take a chance on some different plant varieties. “So, you might be able to explore some of those that are identified as being better for the more northern parts of Oklahoma – and then see how that does," she said. This is the first time the hardiness map for Kansas has been updated in more than a decade.
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New Application for Federal Higher Ed Financial Aid Coming This Month
UNDATED (KNS) — A redesigned application for federal financial aid is set to be released this month for incoming and current college students. The Kansas News Service reports that the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid form has about half as many questions as before. It also raises the family income threshold, making more students eligible for need-based aid. Last year, Kansas became the seventh state to require students to complete the form. State Education Commissioner Randy Watson hopes that could lead to more students getting help to pay for college.
“Other states have done that, and what we generally see is Pell Grant awardees go up, and lower-income and minority students get a better opportunity to have some of their post-secondary completed,” Watson said.
Kansas students or families will be able to individually opt out of the requirement. Federal officials say the updated FAFSA should be available online by December 31.
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Topeka Police Investigate Theft of Pro-Israel Lights from State Office Building
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) - Topeka investigators are examining new video footage that shows a thief stealing blue and white ‘pro-Israel’ lights from outside the Kansas Attorney General’s Office in downtown Topeka. KSNT TV reports that the surveillance video shows a person approaching the lights outside the Memorial Building on November 1. And that was not the first time. Police say the first offense happened on the previous night, Halloween, October 31. The Attorney General’s Office lit up the outside of the Memorial Building with the blue and white lights in October to highlight the state’s support of Israel during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Attorney General Kris Kobach says that whether the thefts are anti-Semitic attacks or just petty theft, the state will not tolerate it.
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Topeka Police Respond to False Report of Multiple Victim Shooting
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — Topeka Police responded Tuesday night to reports of a shooting involving multiple people. The report turned out to be false, but it resulted in a large police presence just after 9:30 pm in the southwest edge of the city. KSNT reports that officers quickly determined the shooting was a false report and there was no threat to the public. Police are asking anyone with information regarding the investigation to call the Shawnee County Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (785) 234-0007
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Parents Shocked After Johnson County Doctor Is Accused of Producing Child Porn
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KNS) — Parents are reeling after a Johnson County pediatric doctor was accused of producing child pornography. Prosecutors say Dr. Brian Aalbers is charged with possessing and attempting to produce child sexual abuse images. Lenexa resident Erica Morrison’s daughter has been a patient of Aalbers for nearly 10 years. Morrison says she is devastated and in shock about the allegations. And she's angry with how Overland Park Regional Hospital, where Aalbers worked, has been handling the situation. Morrison says she never received a letter or phone call explaining why Aalbers was leaving the hospital. “I think it should be the hospital's responsibility to be helping us navigate through this. They should have some kind of grieving counselors or something for us to talk to.” Morrison says she’s scrambling to find another specialist for her daughter and to refill prescriptions.
Until recently, two of Sarah Howland’s daughters, ages two and three, were regular patients of Dr. Aalbers. Howland says she doesn’t believe her daughters are victims, but now she’s stuck trying to find a new specialist. She says the hospital’s operator, HCA, has not been transparent with patients. “My biggest question is, ‘Why isn't HCA doing more?" she said. A hospital spokesperson says there’s no indication the allegations against the doctor involve hospital patients and that hospital staff are working to help families.
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Panasonic Plant Begins Hiring Next Month
DE SOTO, Kan. (WDAF) — It’s been nearly a year since contractors broke ground on the $4 billion Panasonic electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto. WDAF TV reports that construction of the factory is expected to be completed by early 2025. Panasonic officials say the senior leadership team is now in place and 34 engineers have already been hired and are training at the company’s facility near Reno, Nevada.
Panasonic says it expects to start hiring production line staff and other workers in January and February. Those hired will spend much of 2024 training to be ready to run the facility when it opens. Company officials say they are working closely with local community colleges and four-year institutions to create certification programs to teach the skills Panasonic employees will need.
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K-State Leads Multi-State Study to Boost Crop Production
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KPR) — Researchers at Kansas State University will lead a multi-state effort that could increase crop productivity by billions of dollars. K-State has been selected to lead a five-year study on the effects of several crop production management practices. The $16 million study involves researchers from the University of Kansas, Iowa State, Mississippi State and Ohio State. The goal is to find new ways to boost crop productivity, protect the environment and increase sustainability. The study will be conducted in seven states.
The research is funded by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, Bayer Crop Science and other entities. In Kansas, field work will be conducted at two locations: a farm near Alton and at the Western Kansas Research-Extension Center in Garden City. K-State researchers say the test fields in Kansas will evaluate water use under dryland and irrigated systems.
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Kansas Public Radio Is Hiring
Morning News Host, Newscaster / Reporter
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Public Radio is seeking a new morning news host. The Morning Edition Host/Reporter delivers the local segments of “Morning Edition,” National Public Radio’s weekday news magazine on Kansas Public Radio (hereafter “KPR”), licensed by the University of Kansas in Lawrence. This person gathers, edits, writes, produces and delivers local newscasts and hosts the local segments of this national show on KPR. Following each day’s broadcast of Morning Edition, this position is also responsible for producing broadcast and online news content. The reporter must have a keen understanding of state, regional and national news. This position requires consistent availability weekdays from 4:00am to 1:00pm, including most holidays. Position is supervised by the News Director and/or Assistant News Director. Application review begins in December and continues until a pool of qualified applicants is identified. Candidates must apply online: https://employment.ku.edu/jobs/staff/morning-news-host-reporter/26740br KU is an EO/AAE. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, disability, genetic information or protected veteran status.
Kansas Statehouse Reporter
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Public Radio is seeking a new Statehouse Bureau Chief to manage all aspects of the station's capital news bureau. This position works primarily at the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka and is responsible for reporting on state government. This position is part of a regional reporting collaboration called the Kansas News Service. Candidates must apply online at https://employment.ku.edu/jobs/staff/kansas-statehouse-bureau-chief/26495br. Application review continues until a pool of qualified applicants is identified. KU is an EO/AAE. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, disability, genetic information or protected veteran status.
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Missouri Officials Announce Town Halls to Discuss Future of KC Sports teams
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Missouri officials representing the Kansas City area have organized several community town hall meetings to discuss the future of the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals. WDAF TV reports that city, county and state officials will join representatives from those sports franchises to answer questions regarding the future of the teams. Event organizers say it’s important for them to hear how the community feels about the future of Kansas City's sports teams. The first town hall event is set for Tuesday, December 12 at 5:30 pm at the Fowling Warehouse KC, located near I-435 in south Kansas City..
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Patrick Mahomes Headlines List of Nominees for Walter Payton "Man of the Year" Award
UNDATED (AP) — Two-time league MVP Patrick Mahomes headlines the list of 32 players chosen as finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.
Each of the teams nominated one player for the prestigious honor named for the late Payton, a Hall of Fame running back for the Bears. The award recognizes a player for community service and excellence on the field. It has been given annually since 1970 and will be presented at “NFL Honors,” the TV show on Feb. 8, during which The Associated Press reveals its individual seasonal award winners.
Mahomes will try to join the award’s namesake, Payton, and nine other players who have won both the NFL MVP and the NFL Man of the Year Award. The others who have pulled off that double are: Kurt Warner, LaDainian Tomlinson, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, John Elway, Joe Theismann, Ken Anderson and Johnny Unitas.
All 32 nominees will receive a donation of up to $55,000 in their name to their charity of choice. The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation and Nationwide. Along with the other 31 nominees, Mahomes will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.
Mahomes was nominated for his work with his foundation, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, which has placed an emphasis on improving the lives of children with a continued focus on supporting health, wellness, and various communities in need of resources. To date, more than $4 million in grants and programs have been distributed by the foundation.
In addition, Mahomes has donated $1.625 million as well $1,500 for every touchdown in the regular season to Boys and Girls Clubs of America in addition to his $1.625 million donation. He has also partnered with Make-A-Wish to grant wishes of 10 children who have life-threatening illnesses.
“As a dad of two, it means the world to me to be able to provide opportunities and support to underserved youth, and my family and I are so humbled to be in the running for an award that means so much to the Chiefs organization and to our community,” Mahomes said in a statement. “It’s crazy to see the way 15 and the Mahomies has grown and continues to make more and more of a difference for kids here in Kansas City, across Texas and beyond.”
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott won the award last season. Among the other active players who have previously won the award are Denver's Russell Wilson and Atlanta's Calais Campbell.
The nominees are:
Jonathan Ledbetter, Cardinals
Bradley Pinion, Falcons
Roquan Smith, Ravens
Dion Dawkins, Bills
Bradley Bozeman, Panthers
Justin Jones, Bears
Ted Karras, Bengals
Anthony Walker Jr., Browns
DeMarcus Lawrence, Cowboys
Garett Bolles, Broncos
Frank Ragnow, Lions
De’Vondre Campbell, Packers
Jon Weeks, Texans
Zaire Franklin, Colts
Dawuane Smoot, Jaguars
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Maxx Crosby, Raiders
Derwin James Jr., Chargers
Cooper Kupp, Rams
Alec Ingold, Dolphins
Harrison Phillips, Vikings
Jonathan Jones, Patriots
Tyrann Mathieu, Saints
Saquon Barkley, Giants
Solomon Thomas, Jets
Lane Johnson, Eagles
Cameron Heyward, Steelers
Arik Armstead, 49ers
Bobby Wagner, Seahawks
Antoine Winfield Jr., Buccaneers
Jeffery Simmons, Titans
Terry McLaurin, Commanders
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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays and updated throughout the day. This ad-free news summary is made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.