Month: June 2018

House rejects conservative immigration bill, stalling changes to ag guestworker visas

by Ben Kuebrich and Esther Honig, Kansas News Service

The U.S. House voted down an immigration bill Thursday that would have addressed one of the biggest concerns of American farmers: updating the agriculture guestworker visa program known as H-2A.

“Without this agriculture guestworker visa, our economy in Kansas will come crumbling down,” said Rep. Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas. “It’s very, very important.”

Created in 1952, the seasonal worker program is intended to help farmers facing local labor shortages. In 2017, more than 200,000 guestworkers, mostly from Mexico, came to the U.S. on an H-2A visas — a nearly 15 percent increase from the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The conservative immigration bill, which was defeated 231-193, would have allowed visa-holders to work year-round and in a wider number of industries, including dairy and meatpacking.

While the visa changes had support from some Republicans and the American Farm Bureau federation, many farmworker groups opposed them because of verification requirements and a cap on visas at 450,000 per year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates there are 2.5 million agricultural workers in the U.S.

“There’s never been a cap on H-2A and … it’s not fair to the (agriculture) producer,” said Colorado vegetable farmer David Petrocco.

Petrucco first hired guestworkers in 2008. Since then, he said, local labor shortages have grown more severe and he’s had to increase the number of guestworkers on his farm. He said access to labor is vital to farmers who risk losing crops when there aren’t enough workers to harvest them.

But the visa changes may not be dead. Marshall said he hopes another bill that addresses the guestworker visa will be introduced next month.

Thursday’s vote on the conservative bill led to a delay on the so-called compromise immigration legislation, which is now scheduled for a House vote Friday.

Ben Kuebrich is a Kansas News Service reporter based at High Plains Public Radio in Garden City, Kansas. Follow him on Twitter: @Ben_Kuebrich . Esther Honig is a Harvest Public Media reporter based at KUNC in Greeley, Colorado. Follow her on Twitter: @estherhonig
See more at http://kcur.org/post/house-rejects-conservative-immigration-bill-stalling-changes-ag-guestworker-visas

Driver falls asleep, crashes on I-435

An injury was reported when a driver fell asleep at 10:14 a.m. June 21 on northbound I-435 in Edwardsville, Kansas, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Two vehicles, a Dodge Charger and a Toyota Sienna, were northbound on I-435 when the Charger driver fell asleep, according to a trooper’s crash report. The Charger hit the rear of the Sienna, the report stated.

The driver of the Charger, a 23-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man, was not injured, the report stated.

The driver of the Sienna, a 39-year-old woman from Overland Park, Kansas, was injured and taken to a hospital, the report stated.

A 60-year-old Overland Park, Kansas, woman and a 12-year-old Overland Park, Kansas, girl riding in the Sienna were not injured, according to the report.

Light showers possible today; high near 75

Severe weather potential for Saturday and Sunday (National Weather Service graphic)

National Weather Service graphic

Light rain showers are possible this morning through early afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, with a high near 75.

Cooler weather continues today with cloudy skies, a 20 percent chance of rain and a northwest wind of 8 mph, the weather service said.

Another 20 percent chance of rain and storms will be Saturday night, according to the weather service. More rain and storms are possible Sunday night through Tuesday night.

Tonight, the low will be about 64 with a north wind of 6 mph becoming light and variable in the evening, according to the weather service.

Saturday, there is a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 83, the weather service said. A light and variable wind will be south southeast at 6 mph in the morning.

Saturday night, there is a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 a.m., with a low of 67, according to the weather service, and a south southeast wind of 3 to 5 mph.

Sunday, it will be mostly sunny with a high near 88, and a southeast wind of 3 to 8 mph, the weather service said.

Sunday night, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low of 71, according to the weather service. Between a tenth and quarter-inch of rain is possible.

Monday, expect a 50 percent chance of showers and storms, with a high near 86, the weather service said.

Monday night, there is a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 72.

Tuesday, there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 90, the weather service said.