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Racial equity commission calls on Kansas lawmakers to ban ‘no-knock’ warrants
TOPEKA — A commission tasked with examining race-related issues in Kansas is urging lawmakers to consider changes to police officer training, a ban on no-knock warrants and increased data collection by law enforcement. The governor’s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice first report included 60 recommendations requiring action from different levels of government. The report […]
Kansas nurse sees promise in Poor People’s Campaign meeting with Biden team
TOPEKA — Poverty in Kansas might look different from how it appears in other states, according to Mary Jane Shanklin, a member of National Nurses United who advocates for the needs of rural Kansans. Shanklin said poor people in rural Kansas are often ignored because they might not look like the mainstream definition of poverty. “There’s […]
Kelly: Spread of COVID-19 under control in Kansas for the first time since May
TOPEKA — Implementation of the state’s unified strategy has led to control over the spread of COVID-19 for the first time since the stay-at-home order was lifted in May, Gov. Laura Kelly said Tuesday. This piece of positive news comes as a result of the virus’ effective reproductive rate dropping below one point. With a […]
Monarch butterflies qualify for endangered list, but officials may not take action until 2024
TOPEKA — Federal officials have declared the monarch butterfly “a candidate” for endangered status but punted on taking any action for several years, despite the winged insect’s rapidly declining population, to focus on other species awaiting designation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan calls for an annual review of the monarch’s status to determine […]
New supersonic corridor allows for faster-than-sound flight across Kansas
TOPEKA — Kansas and the Federal Aviation Administration have reached an agreement to establish the Kansas Supersonic Transportation Corridor, allowing testing for non-military aircraft exceeding the speed of sound. The corridor is a 770-nautical-mile — about 886 standard miles — racetrack-shaped corridor, above 39,000 feet and runs the length of the state, starting just north […]
New Kansas data set shows ICE targets thousands annually who committed no crime
TOPEKA — Thousands of people who are arrested or removed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have no criminal conviction or just a minor traffic offense, according to records compiled into a new statewide data tool made available by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas. Information sourced from the Syracuse TRAC system details the number […]
Kansas inmates return from Arizona private prison after longer-than-expected stay
TOPEKA — Kansas inmates housed at a correctional center in Arizona are returning to state prisons after a monthslong delay, the Kansas Department of Corrections announced Wednesday. Lansing Correctional Facility will be the first stop for the 118 individuals, who all cleared COVID-19 testing protocols. They will quarantine in the Lansing facility for 21 days […]
KCC orders utilities to keep waiving fees, offer payment plans for overdue bills
TOPEKA — The Kansas Corporation Commission on Tuesday extended a mandate requiring utilities to offer 12-month payment plans and waive late fees for those struggling to pay their bills. The commission, which oversees public utilities in the state, issued the original order in May, and it was set to expire at the end of the […]
High-risk health care workers in Kansas get first doses of COVID-19 vaccine
TOPEKA — Administration of COVID-19 vaccinations is underway in Kansas for high-risk health care workers, Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday. The first shipment to Kansas of the Pfizer vaccine, approved Friday by the Food and Drug Administration, totals 23,750 doses. Health care workers who are around the virus consistently are the first to receive the […]
Melissa Taylor Standridge sworn in to Kansas Supreme Court, promises to promote trust in justice system
As she was sworn into the Kansas Supreme Court, Melissa Taylor Standridge dedicated her future work to promoting public trust and confidence in the state’s justice system. Standridge, a Leawood resident appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly last month, took the oath in a virtual ceremony. She fills the opening left by the retirement of Justice […]
‘Adios amigos’: Roberts highlights work on agriculture policy, expresses hope for bipartisanship
TOPEKA — In what he dubbed his “adios amigos” speech, U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts reflected on his path to politics, time spent as chairman of the agriculture committee in both the House and Senate, and the value of bipartisan efforts in passing meaningful legislation. After nearly 40 years as a congressman, Roberts announced early last […]
Repeat 911 caller in Topeka targeted people of color several times before officer hurt boy
TOPEKA — Dispatch call logs indicate a Topeka woman has made more than a dozen 911 calls in the past two years — several targeting people of color — the most recent of which culminated with a police officer handcuffing a Black, 14-year-old boy with autism and roughly forcing him to the ground for having […]