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Removing roadblocks for Latino voters is slow work in Kansas
TOPEKA — Alejandro Rangel-Lopez didn’t think twice about taking legal action when Ford County Clerk Debbie Cox moved the only polling location outside of Dodge City limits in 2018. “Voting is one of the most important rights we have,” Rangel-Lopez said. “I learned from my father at an early age. He became a citizen in […]
Calls for criminal justice reform usher sympathetic DA candidates
TOPEKA — Joshua Luttrell used to talk fervently with fellow attorneys about criminal justice reform he had hoped for, but didn’t see, under Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay. Now, Luttrell will look to unseat Kagay by running on the same platform he hoped his opponent would adopt. “I ran because I felt somebody had […]
Governor’s commission seeks added diversity in Kansas police training, hiring practices
TOPEKA — A leader of Gov. Laura Kelly’s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice on Thursday called for refreshed police training programs focused more squarely on historical context and the role of police in perpetuating inequalities. Shannon Portillo, associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Kansas Edwards campus, suggested every officer take a […]
ACLU calls out Overland Park police for ‘militarized response’ to Black Lives Matter protest
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas this week condemned the Overland Park Police Department for an “overly reactive and militarized response” to a Black Lives Matter protest. In a letter addressed to Overland Park Police Chief Frank Donchez, the civil rights group highlighted concerns with officers’ handling of a peaceful protest on July 24. […]
‘Already difficult enough’: New directive puts onus on college sexual assault survivors
Controversial new regulations for how universities respond to sexual assault reverse a decade of survivor advocacy work, said Sara Rust-Martin, legal and policy director for the Kansas Coalition against Sexual and Domestic Violence. Changes to the Title IX guidelines, which took effect on Friday, have been heavily criticized for over-expanding the rights of the accused. […]
Kansas professor’s experience with COVID-19 heightens concern for campus safety
TOPEKA — Richard Sleezer could only watch the careless attitudes many have taken toward the pandemic for so long before he felt compelled to share his ongoing COVID-19 experience. In mid-June, after coping with what he described as a “really bad allergy attack,” Sleezer was tested for the virus. He expected to hear good news […]
Emporia State University alumni data exposed in ransom attack
TOPEKA — The Emporia State University Foundation says the personal information of 67,000 alumni was exposed in a data security breach involving Blackbaud Inc., a fundraising service provider for the higher education sector. Blackbaud fell under a ransomware attack in May 2020, and the perpetrator was able to obtain several sets of data from clients […]
Additional positive COVID-19 cases send Hutchinson Correctional Facility into lockdown
Kansas Department of Corrections secretary Jeff Zmuda said Wednesday a lockdown has been initiated at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility central unit after additional staff and inmates tested positive for COVID-19. This week, 84 inmates and 10 staff tested positive, bringing the total number of people infected in the facility to 99 inmates and 17 staff […]
Big 12 announces plans to play fall sports with intensified testing
TOPEKA — Student-athletes and coaches in Manhattan and Lawrence let out a collective sigh of relief Wednesday morning as the Big 12 conference announced its intentions to carry on with plans for fall sports. All fall sports will commence after Sept. 1. Football conference play begins Sept. 26 with any nonconference games to be played […]
Kansas college towns await potentially ‘disastrous’ verdict on Big 12 fall sports
TOPEKA — Business leaders and owners in Kansas’ biggest college towns are bracing themselves for an announcement on the status of fall sports for the Big 12 conference — a decision which could further damage already weakened local economies. The Big 12 board of directors, along with key administrators from each of the 10 member […]
Kansas farmers find themselves increasingly isolated, in need amid pandemic
TOPEKA — Mark Pringle has seen the self-sufficient mindset of many Kansas farmers and their families challenged by COVID-19 as the virus disproportionately impacts rural communities. Pringle is a fourth-generation farmer and the Democratic candidate for the Kansas House in the 13th District. He and his wife, Mary Jane Shanklin, a registered nurse, have watched […]
PPP loans keep hospitals, clinics financially stable
TOPEKA — Hospitals and clinics in Kansas, which were struggling to pay employees and stay above water financially before COVID-19, were buoyed by millions of dollars in Payment Protection Program loans. Since 2010, seven rural hospitals have closed across Kansas, including Sumner Community Hospital and St. Luke’s Cushing Hospital this year. A 2019 study indicated […]