Category: News

Today’s public meetings

UG ARPA subcommittee to meet

The Unified Government’s American Rescue Plan Act Subcommittee plans to meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, in a virtual meeting. Residents may watch the meeting virtually on Zoom or in person in the fifth floor conference room, Suite 515, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas. The subcommittee will review and make a final list of recipients and award amounts. The full commission will consider the awards later. To view the Zoom webinar, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82158562660.

KCKPS Finance Committee to meet

The Finance Committee of the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education will meet at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, via Zoom. Those interested in listening to the meeting may visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85736421188?pwd=dkFKc1U2ajg2d0U5YVJ6T215MmxOQT09. The passcode is 446472.

Former U.S. Sen. Kassebaum endorses Democrat Kelly in Kansas governor’s race

Three-term GOP senator declines to back former assistant Schmidt

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — Republican Nancy Kassebaum, the first woman to represent Kansas in the U.S. Senate and the daughter of GOP presidential nominee Alf Landon, endorsed Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s campaign for reelection.

On Monday, Kassebaum said Kelly’s bipartisanship and commitment to “solutions to real problems” of state government made her the better choice over Republican gubernatorial nominee Derek Schmidt or independent candidate Dennis Pyle.

“She continues to rise above partisan politics to do what is right for Kansas. She has the leadership qualities needed to continue leading the state,” Kassebaum said.

Schmidt, who serves as the state’s attorney general, worked as a legislative assistant to Kassebaum for six years in the 1990s when she was in the U.S. Senate. Kassebaum also was a co-chair of Schmidt’s initial campaign for attorney general in 2010.

Schmidt spokesman C.J. Grover said Schmidt was grateful for the opportunities afforded him by Kassebaum to engage in public service.

“He admires her personally, despite their political differences, but has been disappointed with the fact that she has not supported a Republican nominee for Governor of Kansas during this century,” Grover said.

Kassebaum also endorsed Kelly in her successful 2018 campaign against Republican candidate Kris Kobach. In terms of endorsing Kelly, Kassebaum’s 2022 pledge followed those of former Kansas GOP Govs. Bill Graves and Mike Hayden as well as former Republican U.S. Sen. Sheila Frahm.

Kelly said she appreciated the backing of Kassebaum, who was in the U.S. Senate from 1979 to 1997. Landon, her father, served as Kansas governor and was nominated in 1936 by the Republican Party to challenge President Franklin Roosevelt.

Kassebaum was married to the late Republican U.S. Sen. Howard Baker, who was appointed U.S. ambassador to Japan by President George W. Bush. She was the first woman ever elected to a full term in the U.S. Senate without her husband having previously served in Congress.

“Senator Kassebaum dedicated her entire career to serving the people of Kansas, and she’s a great role model to me,” Kelly said. “It’s an honor to have her on the team as we continue to grow our state and make Kansas the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

Schmidt’s endorsements include former President Donald Trump, former U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Gov. Jeff Colyer. The late U.S. Sen. Bob Dole endorsed Schmidt prior to his death in December 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/2022/10/03/former-u-s-sen-kassebaum-endorses-democrat-kelly-in-kansas-governors-race/.

Three crashes reported on area highways on Friday

Three crashes were reported on area highways on Friday, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Crash involves three vehicles at I-635 near I-70

Three vehicles were involved in a crash at 11:45 a.m. Friday on southbound I-635 one-tenth of a mile south of I-70, according to a trooper’s crash log.

A Cadillac Escalade was southbound on I-635, while a Honda Accord and Chevy Cobalt were entering southbound I-635 from eastbound I-70, the trooper’s report stated.

The Cobalt came to a stop, yielding for traffic. The Escalade was trying to avoid the Cobalt in front of it and was struck by the Accord, pushing the Accord into the Cobalt, according to the trooper’s report.

The driver of the Accord, a 22-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man, had a possible minor injury, according to the report.

The driver of the Escalade, a 24-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man, and a 23-year-old woman passenger from Kansas City, Kansas, were not injured, according to the report. A 1-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl in the Escalade had no apparent injury.

The driver of the Cobalt, a 33-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, woman, had a possible minor injury, the trooper’s report stated. A 3-year-old boy in the Cobalt had a possible injury, according to the report. A 2-year-old girl in the Cobalt had a possible injury, the report stated. The three were taken to a hospital.

Crash reported at I-435 near State

A crash was reported at 2:12 p.m. Friday on northbound I-435, a tenth of a mile north of State Avenue, according to a trooper’s report.

A Harley-Davidson motorcycle was northbound on I-435 exiting onto State Avenue when an unknown red Kia merged into the motorcycle’s lane, causing it to conduct an evasive maneuver and lose control, according to the trooper’s report. The unknown vehicle left the scene.

The motorcyclist, a 49-year-old Meriden, Kansas, resident, had a possible minor injury and was taken to a hospital, the trooper’s report stated.

Three-vehicle accident reported on K-7

A three-vehicle accident was reported at 3 p.m. Friday at the intersection of K-7 and 130th Street, according to a trooper’s report.

A Ford F-350 truck was northbound on K-7 while an International truck pulling a trailer was westbound on 130th, turning left onto southbound K-7, according to the trooper’s report. A Chevrolet Suburban was westbound from 130th, turning right onto northbound K-7.

The Ford F-350 was going too fast for conditions and could not stop for the red light at 130th, the trooper’s report stated. The F-350 struck the International truck, then the F-350 pushed the International truck into the Suburban, according to the trooper’s report.

The driver of the F-350, a 40-year-old man from Butler, Missouri, had no apparent injury, the trooper’s report stated.

The driver of the International truck, a 37-year-old man from Independence, Missouri, had a possible minor injury and was taken to a hospital, the trooper’s report stated.

The driver of the Suburban, a 46-year-old Bonner Springs woman, had a possible minor injury and was taken to a hospital, according to the trooper’s report.