Month: July 2016

ACLU challenges Kansas dual voter registration system in court

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging Kansas’ dual voter registration system, charging it violates the Kansas Constitution and state law.

The dual system prevents qualified Kansas voters from voting in state and local elections due solely to their method of registration. Secretary of State Kris Kobach received administrative approval last week of a temporary regulation aimed at formalizing this system, which a court has already declared violates state law.

“Secretary Kobach continues to seek ways to confuse and obstruct voters in Kansas. His flagrant disregard of the court’s findings means that Kansans still face unnecessary barriers to voting. We’re asking the court to immediately block the temporary regulation and to ultimately end this dual system once and for all,” said Sophia Lakin, staff attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project.

Shawnee County District Judge Franklin Theis last month stated that Kobach cannot stop Kansans from voting in state and local elections simply because they registered to vote using federal forms that don’t require the same onerous documentation that Kobach prefers.

The dual system would allow some Kansans to vote for federal offices, like U.S. senator and U.S. representative, but not for their state representative, state senator, or other state and local offices.

Thousands of voters are impacted, among them 90-year-old Army Air Corps veteran Marvin Brown, a Johnson County resident who registered to vote by submitting a complete federal form. He was later told that while he could vote in federal elections, he was prohibited from voting in state and local elections unless he showed additional documentary proof of citizenship.

“My family has been in Kansas since about 1850. It’s wrong that a bunch of so-called leaders would tell me that I have to show a bunch of extra documents before I can vote. As a military veteran who fought to protect our democracy, it’s particularly offensive,” he said.

At least 17,000 Kansans who registered to vote through the Division of Vehicles and were recently added to the voting rolls via a federal court order stemming from an ACLU lawsuit are affected as well.

“Secretary Kobach continues to place roadblocks in front of Kansas voters,” said Doug Bonney, legal director of the ACLU of Kansas. “The people of Kansas deserve better, which means ending these obstructionist, unconstitutional practices once and for all.”

The lawsuit, Brown v. Kobach, was filed in the Third Judicial District in Topeka.

Ninth-inning homer wins game for T-Bones, 5-4

Brett Wiley launched his fifth home run of the season in the top of the ninth and Mark Haynes shut the door, as Kansas City beat Lincoln, 5-4, on Tuesday night at Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Neb.

The T-Bones led from the top of the first inning until the bottom of the eighth. That’s when former T-Bones outfielder Robby Kuzdale led off with a single, his second hit of the night.

After Connor Teykl flied out to center field and reliever Evan DeLuca walked Brandon Jacobs, Rene Leveret knocked in Kuzdale with a base hit, cutting Kansas City’s lead to 3-2. Jacobs and Leveret advanced on a throwing error by Vladimir Frias, putting them on second and third.

Luis Alen then grounded a ball to Nate Tenbrink, who threw home but his bad throw allowed Jacobs to score and tie the game at 3-3. DeLuca (2-1) retired the final two batters, leaving two runners in scoring position.

With one out and the game tied at 3 in the top of the ninth, Wiley sent Brad Orosey’s (2-2) pitch over the right field wall, giving the T-Bones a 4-3 lead. Wiley finished with a 4-for-5 night, with three RBIs and two runs scored. He was a triple shy of the cycle.

Haynes (12) came in for Kansas City in the ninth and retired the Saltdogs in order, including the final out, a three-pitch strikeout of Haynes’ former teammate, Kuzdale.

Kansas City jumped on Lincoln and former T-Bones pitcher Casey Barnes early. After Tyson Gillies sent the first pitch of the game to the warning track in right field for a lead-off double, Wiley brought him home with a single.

Then, with two outs, Tyler Massey slapped a base hit that scored Wiley and gave the T-Bones a 2-0 lead. Kansas City added a run in the fifth, when Tenbrink scored on a hit by Wiley. Barnes allowed 10 hits, three runs and walked one in 6 2/3 innings.

T-Bones starter Mike Kickham struggled early, giving up four hits in the first two innings. Jon Smith led off the second with a double, and then went to third on a wild pitch to Tyler Urps.

With a 2-2 count, Urps was hit by a pitch and promptly stole second, putting two runners in scoring position with no outs. Austin Darby scored Smith with a sacrifice to center, but that was the only run Kickham allowed. He went 7 innings, giving up four hits, three walks and one run, while striking out five. At one point, he retired 15 straight Saltdog hitters.

Kansas City (26-31) continues the three-game series with Lincoln (32-24) at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday. All of the action can be heard online at TBonesBaseball.com.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones

Alcott to sponsor classical music concert on Aug. 13

The Alcott Arts Center Foundation is bringing Daniel Maltz to Kansas City, Kan., at 7 p.m. Aug. 13.

The concert will take place at Trinity Community Church, 5010 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kan.

Maltz, an international concert pianist, will play Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and Schumann in a solo recital. A young adult, he is based in Vienna, Austria, and was born in South Carolina.

He regularly appears in concert in Europe and the United States, and will make his debut at Carnegie Hall in October 2016.

Tickets are available online at www.alcottartscenter.org or at the Alcott Arts Center, 180 S. 18th St., Kansas City, Kan. For more information about the recital and his U.S. tour, visit the Alcott website at www.alcottartscenter.org.

Maltz will teach special master classes and workshops at the Alcott while he is here. Anyone interested in participating may call the Alcott at 913-277-23787 or email [email protected]. Sponsorships are available.