Month: February 2022

With low blood supply, residents urged to make donations

The local blood shortage has reached emergency levels, according to the Community Blood Center of Greater Kansas City, which has declared a blood emergency.

Levels of blood have dropped below a three-day supply, according to the Community Blood Center.

The Community Blood Center of Greater Kansas City is holding blood drives throughout the Kansas City area, including some in Wyandotte County.

Advance appointments are requested to www.savealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.

Donors also can make appointments to give blood at several CBC donor centers in the metro area, at www.savealifenow.org.

Some of the upcoming blood drives include:

  • The University of Kansas Medical Center, 2146 W. 39th Ave., fifth floor, Ad Astra, Health Education Building, will have a Community Blood Center blood drive from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16, and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17.
  • Providence Medical Center, 8929 Parallel Parkway, will have a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, in the auditorium rooms.
  • Bonner Springs United Methodist Church, 425 W. Morse Ave., Bonner Springs, will have a Community Blood Center blood drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, in the fellowship hall.
  • Bonner Springs High School, 100 McDanield St., Bonner Springs, will have a Community Blood Center blood drive from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at the gym.
  • St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will be the host of a Community Blood Center blood drive from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at the parish center. To make an appointment, visit www.savealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.

House panel begins examination of possibly transferring $1 billion into KPERS

Pending bill covers $254 million in missed state payments and much more

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — The Kansas Legislature began consideration of a bill Wednesday transferring an eye-popping $1 billion from the state treasury to cover years of missed state payments and to shrink the unfunded liability of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.

In addition to clearing debt of $254 million resulting from skipped payments to KPERS from 2017 to 2019, the bill would infuse $746 million into the pension system to bring it closer to fulfilling long-term obligations to former government workers. Despite higher pension investment by the Legislature in recent years, the unfunded actuarial liability of KPERS stands at $5 billion. The House bill would cut that burden to $4.25 billion.

Adam Proffitt, the governor’s budget director, told the House Insurance and Pension Committee that relying on the state’s large budget surplus to cover the debt to KPERS would save taxpayers about $171 million in interest payments over the next 16 years.

Gov. Laura Kelly recommended paying off this debt, but didn’t propose the full $1 billion transfer that would occur under House Bill 2561.

Alan Conroy, executive director of KPERS, endorsed the House legislation. The proposal also attracted support of Republican state Rep. Steven Johnson, a candidate for state treasurer and the House committee’s chairman, and Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a GOP candidate for governor.

Johnson said the legislation would pay dividends by reducing debt, solidifying the pension’s balance sheet and meaningfully reducing future cash-flow requirements.

“I’m excited about this bill,” he said. “Passing this legislation would result in a landmark achievement of restoring the trust fund to over 80% funded under our current assumptions. Not only has this not happened in many years, one decade ago we were looking at a grim reality of further erosion of our funded ratio below 56%.”

Schmidt said expanded state revenue fueled in part by “reckless spending decisions” by Congress and President Joe Biden presented the state with an opportunity to allocate a portion of the surplus to strengthening KPERS. Contents of the House bill, including the early repayment and the bonus contribution, would free up money for tax reductions or spending on public education, transportation and social services, he said.

“Aggressively prepaying at least $1 billion now will save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in debt service — more than $400 million saved over the next five years,” Schmidt said.

The House bill stood in contrast to “unwise and failed proposals” from legislators and Kelly to refinance KPERS’ debt that would have increased costs to taxpayers of the retirement program, the attorney general said.

In the past, in addition to increasing contribution rates to KPERS, the Legislature ordered issuance of $2 billion in bonds to help the system’s bottom line. Proceeds from sale of bonds was invested in the market with the goal of making a profit and devoting that money to lowering liabilities within KPERS. The state’s bond issues for KPERS began in 2004 with $500 million before the $1 billion issue in 2015 and another $500 million issue in 2021.

Kansas Reflector stories, www.kansasreflector.com, may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
See more at https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/09/house-panel-begins-examination-of-possibly-transferring-1-billion-into-kpers/

Today’s high to be near 53

Sunny and mild weather is in today’s forecast from the National Weather Service.

Dry air and breezy winds may increase fire weather danger slightly this afternoon, according to the weather service.

There is a 20 percent chance of rain early Friday morning.

On Thursday night, a cold front will move into the region, the weather service said, and light rain is possible Friday morning east of the Kansas City area.

Temperatures will reach only 32 on Saturday before rebounding to 42 on Sunday, according to the weather service.

Rain is possible on Wednesday, with a possibility of rain changing to snow on Wednesday night, the weather service said.

Today, it will be sunny, with a high near 53, the weather service said. A light and variable wind will become southwest 8 to 13 mph in the morning, and winds may gust as high as 22 mph.

Tonight, there is a 20 percent chance of rain after 3 a.m., with a low of 42, according to the weather service. A south southwest wind of 7 to 14 mph may gust as high as 29 mph.

Friday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 56 and a west wind of 7 to 12 mph becoming northwest 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon, the weather service said. Winds may gust up to 29 mph.

Friday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 18 and a north wind of 10 to 14 mph, gusting as high as 24 mph, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be sunny, with a high near 32 and a north northwest wind of 5 to 10 mph, gusting as high as 20 mph, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 21, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be sunny, with a high near 42, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 25, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be sunny, with a high near 51, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 33, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be sunny and breezy, with a high near 63, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 48, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, there is a 60 percent chance of rain, with a high near 60, the weather service said.