The 2019 NJCAA DII All-Region basketball team included three KCKCC sophomores – first teamers Kisi Young (20) and Nija Collier (14) and second teamer Lillie Moore (5). They were among eight Blue Devils finishing among the Region VI statistical leaders. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Three members of Kansas City Kansas Community College’s national championship basketball team named to the 2019 All-Region VI team head a list of eight Blue Devils finishing among the top five in six statistical categories.
Nija Collier and Kisi Young were named to the first team and Lillie Moore to the second team. All three sophomores were also named to the All-Jayhawk Conference team and the NJCAA DII All-Tournament team.
The Jayhawk Player of the Year, Collier was the only player to finish in the top four statistical categories, finishing second in scoring (17.3), rebounding (9.7) and field goal percentage (.585) and third in 3-point percentage (.400).
Young led the Region VI in field goal percentage for the second straight year, shooting 63.9 percent from the field and also finishing third in rebounds while Moore was fourth in scoring (14.7) and rebounding (9.1).
The Blue Devils also boasted three of the top four leaders in assists and two of the top four 3-point leaders. Caitlyn Stewart was second in assists (3.2), Lexy Watts third (3.0) and Lenaejha Evans fourth (2.9) while Camryn Swanson was third (2.4) and Brodi Byrd fourth (2.1) in 3-point goals per game. Evans and Byrd are both freshmen. A third KCKCC freshman, Caroline Hoppock, was seventh in 3-point goals with 1.5 per game.
Collier and Young were joined on the All-Region first team by Stephania Chiziane and Janiiya Davis of Highland and Jessica Martino. Chiziane led the region in scoring with 18.1 per game. Hesston’s Essence Tolson, who led the conference in rebounding (13.2); Johnson County’s Jaci Stowers and Paige Elston; and Labette’s Upe Atosu joined Young on the second team.
Gov. Laura Kelly issued her first veto Monday, rejecting a Republican tax relief package she calls irresponsible. (Photo by Stephen Koranda, Kansas News Service)
by Stephen Koranda, Kansas News Service
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has sent a tax relief bill down in flames, taking her veto pen to the measure she says would wreck the state budget. But, as a priority for Republicans, it could remain in play for the rest of the legislative session and rise from the ashes.
Legislative estimates say the bill would keep the state from collecting about $500 million in taxes over three years. The tax breaks would primarily benefit multinational companies with operations in Kansas.
Forgoing the revenue, the governor said Monday, would hamper the state’s ability to reinvest in education, transportation and other services neglected in the wake of tax cuts signed by then-Gov. Sam Brownback in 2012.
“We simply cannot go backward now,” Kelly said after vetoing the bill. “We cannot fix our state if we repeat the mistakes of the past.”
The veto is Kelly’s first as governor, and it’s indicative of the rift between the Democratic leader of the state and the conservative Republicans who control the House and Senate. They immediately branded the veto as a tax increase and a broken campaign promise.
The whole debate started with the federal tax cut bill approved in 2017.
Republican lawmakers pushed for changes to state tax rules to allow Kansans to continue itemizing on their state returns even if they no longer do so on their federal returns because of larger standard deductions. The bill Kelly vetoed would have also freed Kansas businesses from owing state taxes on overseas income.
Republicans say the core issue is preventing a tax increase caused by the federal changes.
Lawmakers had also folded into the bill a 1 percentage point cut to the food sales tax. That’s a policy many politicians, including Kelly, favor.
“Governor Kelly’s campaign promises that she would decrease food sales taxes for hardworking Kansans are clearly little more than talking points,” House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins said in response to the veto.
Kelly said in her veto message that it’s irresponsible to cut taxes — even taxes on food — until the state’s fiscal health stabilizes.
The debate could be far from over. Republican Senate President Susan Wagle said she’d be conferring with leaders about when to attempt a veto override.
Monday afternoon, the chairman of the Kansas Republican Party was already working in support of that effort.
“I am calling on all legislative Republicans including those who did not originally vote for the bill to override her veto,” Chairman Mike Kuckelman said in a statement.
The Kansas GOP is also gathering donations for mailings attacking Republican-turned-Democrat Sen. Dinah Sykes for voting against the tax relief package.
On its first trip through the Legislature, the measure secured 76 votes in the House and 24 in the Senate. An override requires support from 84 House members and 27 senators.
Democratic Rep. Kathy Wolfe Moore, from the 36th District in Kansas City, Kansas, suspects the uncertainty about the fiscal impact will keep lawmakers who opposed the bill initially from supporting an override.
“I feel relatively comfortable that they won’t be able to override it,” she said.
Still, parts of the bill could be resurrected as lawmakers pursue deals to fund schools and expand Medicaid.
“It is a possibility that we’ll get a bargaining chip,” Wagle said.
While Kelly said there’s no way she’d sign the full tax relief package in its current form, she indicated she could compromise on some pieces under the right circumstances.
“My door is always open. My mind is always open,” she said. “If I can be convinced that there’s something in here that’s good and worthwhile and won’t throw our budget into a tailspin, I’ll consider it.”
Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio covering health, education and politics. Follow him on Twitter @kprkoranda. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org. See more athttps://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-tax-relief-bill-down-maybe-not-out-after-gov-kellys-veto
The Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department is investigating a fire overnight at Captain D’s restaurant, 7525 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, that caused more than $500,000 damage. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.
A fire at Captain D’s restaurant, 7525 State Ave., caused more than $500,000 damage overnight.
The cause of the fire, reported at 12:34 a.m. March 26, is undetermined and is under investigation, according to a spokesman for the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department.
Crews arriving at the fire reported heavy smoke and flames showing from the side of the one-story restaurant.
Initially, crews fought the fire with an interior attack, the spokesman stated. Eventually all crews went into a defensive mode, and the fire was fought with elevated streams.
The estimated dollar loss was $336,000 to the property and $200,000 to the contents, the spokesman stated.
There were no injuries in this fire, according to the spokesman.
