J. Schafer
News DirectorJ. Schafer is the News Director of Kansas Public Radio. He’s also the Managing Editor of the Kansas Public Radio Network, which provides news and information to other public radio stations in Kansas and Missouri.
Before joining KPR in 1995, Schafer spent 10 years as a commercial radio and TV newsman. During his career, he's filed stories for nearly every major radio news network in the nation including ABC, NBC, CBS, AP, UPI, the Mutual Broadcasting System, NPR and the BBC. This seems to impress no one. At KPR, he produces feature stories, interviews and newscast items and edits the work of others. In the fall of 2000, he performed contract work for the U.S. State Department, traveling to central Asia to teach broadcast journalism at newly independent radio stations in the former Soviet Union. One of his passions is Kansas; learning about and promoting the state’s rich heritage, people and accomplishments. Schafer gives presentations about Kansas to various organizations around the state to remind residents about our awesome history and incredible people. A native of Great Bend, he studied journalism and mass communications at Barton County Community College and at the University of Kansas. He was also an exchange student to Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany. The “J.” in J. Schafer stands for Jeremy, but he doesn’t really care for that name. He also enjoys the pretentiousness of using just a single initial for a first name!
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The University of Kansas Medical Center will participate in a nationwide clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in preventing COVID-19 infection in exposed health care workers. -
A “Stay at Home" order has been issued for Douglas County, effective Tuesday through April 23. It is similar to other "Stay at Home" orders taking effect at midnight for the Kansas City metro area, including Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. -
The University of Kansas is warning employees and students about new cyber-threats related to the coronavirus pandemic. -
Despite recent rains in some parts of Kansas, Thursday's Grassland Fire Danger Forecast is Very High to Extreme across most of the state. -
Thousands of Kansans are now working from home. Others expect pay cuts or layoffs. The unprecedented situation brought on by the coronavirus has raised many questions. But help is available from the Kansas Department of Labor. -
As concerns over coronavirus continue to grow, access to the Kansas Statehouse has been restricted. The 2020 session is set to resume Monday, but access will be limited to legislators, staffers and those with official state business. -
A price-gouging law is now in effect across Kansas. Attorney General Derek Schmidt says the law prohibits anyone from profiteering by raising the price on items that consumers find necessary because of the coronavirus outbreak. -
Kansas has recorded its first fatality associated with coronavirus. The victim, a man in his 70s, lived at a long term care facility in Wyandotte County and suffered from underlying health issues. Governor Laura Kelly held a nighttime news conference at the Kansas Statehouse to make the announcement. Earlier in the day, she declared a state of emergency. -
For the first 11 years of her life, Kira endured the worst kind of abuse. When the abuse finally stopped, she suffered from depression and even considered suicide. Today, Kira is 17 and a successful Kansas high school student. Hear how a program called JAG-K turned her life around. KPR's J. Schafer reports. -
A Douglas County resident has been hospitalized for potential exposure to the 2019 novel coronavirus. This is not a confirmed case of the virus, but specimens are being sent to the Centers for Disease Control for testing. Lab results are expected later this week. Officials say the patient, who had recently been to China, is not severely ill but is currently kept in isolation at LMH Health as a precaution.
