Winter Weather Advisory in Effect for Most of Eastern Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for most of northeast, east central and northern Kansas. Snow showers are expected to continue periodically throughout the day with additional accumulations of 1 to 2 inches of snow. Higher amounts of snow could fall in some isolated locations, especially in the far northern counties of eastern Kansas, near the Nebraska state line. The National Weather Service says sudden bursts of snow are possible, which could lead to abrupt reduction in visibility on roads and highways.
A Blizzard Warning remains in effect for portions of northwest Kansas, including Goodland, Colby, Oberlin and St. Francis.
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Kansas Chamber of Commerce Poll: Businesses Want Lower Taxes, Less Regulation
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — The Kansas Chamber of Commerce says lowering taxes is the top — and fastest-growing — concern among business leaders who responded to its recent poll. The annual survey commissioned by the pro-business lobbying group polled 300 business leaders in the state. Three-fourths said lowering taxes would help the state’s economy and 45% said lowering taxes on businesses would boost profitability more than other changes. Reducing costs for health care and energy - and decreasing government regulations - also remained top priorities. The greatest labor force concern was a lack of soft skills among workers.
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Kansas Governor Hopes to Expedite Elimination of State Sales Tax on Food
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — State taxes on groceries in Kansas will fall again in the new year. And the tax is set to expire completely in 2025. But Governor Laura Kelly wants to speed up the phase out of the sales tax on groceries. The state portion of taxes on food will fall to 2% on January 1st from the current 4%. It’s part of the ongoing phase out of the state tax on groceries that started last year when the rate was 6.5%. It will go to zero in 2025. Kelly says she will again call for lawmakers to speed up the process to offer faster relief to low-income people. “It affects every Kansan," she said. "And it has an even bigger impact proportionally on those who have the least.” Republican leaders argued the phase out gives the state time to adjust to the revenue decline. Lawmakers return to Topeka January 8th.
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Kansas Auditors Don't Know How Much in Tax Breaks Has Gone to Mega Eco-Devo Projects
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) — Two massive economic development projects in the state have received massive tax breaks, but state auditors say no one seems to know how much of those incentives has been used so far. Now, lawmakers are calling for
economic development officials to start tracking that data.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Legislative Division of Post Audit performed an evaluation but had little to report to lawmakers. Auditors have been looking at the new APEX program. APEX stands for "Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion." The APEX law authorized tax breaks to two mega-projects with at least $1 billion in private investment. One of those projects is the $4 billion Panasonic electric battery plant under construction in De Soto. The other is Integra, a Wichita area project with nearly $2 billion in capital investment.
Auditors recently told lawmakers that no one knows how much in tax breaks Panasonic has received so far for its battery plant. An auditor told state lawmakers this month that so far, Panasonic has only used the sales tax exemption. But no one at the Kansas Department of Commerce or the Kansas Department of Revenue knows how much the tax breaks have cost the state. Officials with the Commerce Department and the Revenue Department are trying to come up with a better process to track the incentives.
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K-State Researchers Study 15-Year Decline in Kansas Wild Turkey Population
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — Biologists at Kansas State University are trying to find out what's behind a 15-year decline in the state's wild turkey population. K-State has launched a $1.8 million study to find out why wild turkey numbers have been falling for so long. Researchers will examine bird habitat, nesting conditions, reproduction habits and other aspects to learn more.
Kansas wildlife officials called off the fall turkey hunting season due to the shrinking bird population. The Kansas Reflector reports that officials have enacted new limits on out-of-state hunting permits and have reduced the bag limit on turkeys during the spring hunting season.
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KU Athletics Spent More than $10 Million on Outside Legal Fees Defending NCAA Infractions Case
LAWRENCE, Kan. (TCJ) — The University of Kansas men's basketball program was hit with lighter penalties than many expected in its NCAA infractions case. But the case still came with a cost. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that KU Athletics spent more than $10 million in outside legal fees over the past five fiscal years. That's according to documents obtained by Capital-Journal through a public records request. Four law firms were paid by KU for work on the school’s defense in the case. The $10 million is an estimate provided by KU’s public records office.
KU's infractions case had its origins in a federal investigation. The NCAA alleged that a KU player was given improper payments by someone associated with Adidas. KU officials said they didn't know about the payments, but didn't dispute the allegation either.
Meanwhile, in November, Kansas Athletics and KU Coach Bill Self agreed to an amended employment agreement. The contract consists of a five-year rolling term. According to a USA Today report, the contract will pay Self $9.44 million for the current season. That amount includes a $1 million siging bonus.
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KU Football Team Ready for Bowl Game Against UNLV
PHOENIX, Ariz. (KPR) — The Kansas Jayhawks football team spent Christmas Day in Arizona in preparation for tonight's (TUE) Guaranteed Rate Bowl game against UNLV in Phoenix. It’s only the second time in school history that the Jayhawks are going to bowl games in back-to-back seasons. The only other back-to-back bowl games in Jayhawk history followed the 2007 and 2008 seasons and KU won both of those. Kickoff for the KU bowl game is 8 pm.
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K-State Faces North Carolina State Thursday in Pop-Tarts Bowl
ORLANDO, Fla. (USA TODAY) — The inaugural 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday will feature a match-up between the Kansas State Wildcats (8-4) and the North Carolina State Wolfpack. This will be the first meeting between the two teams. K-State has qualified for its fourth bowl game in the past five years, marking the first time they'll be playing in Florida.
USA TODAY reports that the Wildcats will be led by freshman quarterback Avery Johnson, who will be making his first start for K-State. Johnson played in seven games this season and had a 65.7% completion rate. Johnson also threw for 301 yards, three touchdowns, and rushed for 225 yards and six touchdowns in 45 carries.
The Wolfpack had a successful season, finishing with a 9-3 overall record and securing a 6-2 record in conference play and placed third in the ACC conference standings.
The star of the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl will not be a player on either team but instead the first-ever edible mascot that the winner will be awarded to feast on after the game.
The No. 25 K-State Wildcats take on the No. 18 North Carolina State Wolfpack Thursday at 4:45 pm on ESPN.
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Chiefs Fall to Raiders at Arrowhead
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) — The Las Vegas Raiders defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20-to-14 on this Christmas Day. The Chiefs fall to 9-and-6 on the season.
(AP version)
KC Chiefs Miscues Lead to 2 Defensive TDs by Raiders in 20-14 Loss on Christmas Day
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs allowed defensive touchdowns 7 seconds apart to the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday in a 20-14 loss that kept them from clinching the AFC West. The sloppy performance, which included two failed fourth down conversions in the second half and more penalties and dropped passes, also dealt a crippling blow to the Chiefs' hopes of earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Raiders won despite not completing a pass after the first quarter, and they kept their slim playoff hopes alive.
Isiah Pacheco trudged off the field after another unsuccessful offensive series, tried to sit down on one of the exam tables on the Kansas City sideline and promptly had it collapse on him, sending the Chiefs running back onto his backside. Just about summed up Christmas Day for the defending Super Bowl champions.
In one of the sloppiest performances of the Patrick Mahomes era, the Chiefs allowed the Raiders to score defensive touchdowns 7 seconds apart, committed a slew of penalties, dropped more passes and were generally inept on offense. Twice they failed to convert on fourth down in the second half, including once inside the Raiders 10 with the outcome still undecided. The result was a 20-14 loss that not only denied Kansas City an opportunity to clinch the AFC West for the eighth consecutive season, but also dealt coach Andy Reid's team a crippling blow to its hopes of earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC. "There were just mistakes, offensively," Mahomes said. "The defense played a good game."
After a 6-1 start, the Chiefs (9-6) have lost three of their past four, four of their past six and five of their past eight games. "We had an opportunity to win the division this week and we didn't do it," Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said.
Indeed, there wasn't much worth cheering about for pop star Taylor Swift, who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and who walked into Arrowhead Stadium alongside Santa Claus before the game.
The Chiefs went three-and-out on each of their first two series and things never really improved the rest of the game.
It was the turnovers just seconds apart that cost the Chiefs so dearly, though. The Chiefs had one trick play work earlier in the game, when Mahomes and Pacheco split wide, and the running back motioned into the backfield for a direct snap that he took 12 yards for a score. But when they tried another trick play, with another direct snap to Pacheco, he tried to hand off to Mahomes and the ball hit the turf.
Bilal Nichols was there for the Raiders, scooping it up and rumbling in for a touchdown and a 9-7 lead. On the very next play, Mahomes looked to his right and threw his pass late toward the sideline, and Jack Jones stepped in front of it. The Raiders defensive back coasted the other way untouched 33 yards for a score, the second pick-6 for him in as many weeks — and one that he appeared to cap by faking out giving the ball to a kid sitting in the stands.
So much for a Merry Christmas in Kansas City.
Still, the Chiefs gave themselves a chance when Mahomes hit Richie James for a 45-yard gain in the waning minutes, then found Justin Watson in the end zone a few minutes later. But the Kansas City defense, which had been the lone bright spot throughout the game, allowed Zamir White to run loose for a first down that put the game away. "We've got to be better as a team," Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said. "Special teams, defense, we had an opportunity to give the offense a chance to get the ball back and score, and we weren't successful."
Mahomes was 27 of 44 for 235 yards with that TD and an interception, while a second pick was overturned upon review. He also was sacked four times, including three by Malcolm Koonce, who seemed to be in the Chiefs backfield on every play. "You see glimpses of us moving the football. You see glimpses of us scoring in the red zone," Mahomes said. "It's just we haven't done it consistently enough, game in, game out. We have one good game, one bad game, one good game, one bad game.
"We have to be more consistent because when you get to the playoffs you have to string some together. So, I think our focus this week is how can we get better against Cincinnati and find a way to beat a good football team."
The Chiefs can still clinch the division title next week against Cincinnati, or if they get some help elsewhere, and they should be favored in their regular-season finale against the Chargers. But their chances for the No. 1 seed took a hit.
Meanwhile, the Raiders were left savoring a win that kept their own playoff hopes alive, and one that ended a losing streak to their longtime division rivals stretching to the 2020 season. "We've got to clean it up," Mahomes said. "We've got two games left. We have to do it and if we don't we'll be going home. So, if we clean it up we can beat anybody, but we have to prove we can do it."
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