The NAACP released the following statements in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act.

From Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman, NAACP National Board of Directors:
“This decision has the potential to set voting rights back more than fifty years,” stated NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. “It is especially unsettling in a year when we commemorate Medgar Evers, a man who gave his life to expand and protect the right to vote. But in the spirit of Medgar, who said ‘You can kill a man but you can’t kill an idea,’ we will stand our ground and bring this debate to Congress.”

From Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO, NAACP:
“This decision is outrageous. The Court’s majority put politics over decades of precedent and the rights of voters,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “Congress must resurrect its bipartisan efforts from 2006 to ensure that the federal government has the power to preemptively strike racially discriminatory voting laws. Without that power, we are more vulnerable to the flood of attacks we have seen in recent years.”
Jealous continued, “While Section 2 is powerful after the fact, we must have a tool to protect against stolen elections proactively.”

From Jotaka Eaddy, Sr. Director for Voting Rights, NAACP:
“Today’s decision puts Congress in the center of the battle for voting rights in our nation,” said Jotaka Eaddy, NAACP Senior Director for Voting Rights. “While the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate section 4 is a setback, it is not the end of the fight. It is time for all Americans to take this fight to Congress and ensure that every vote is protected. Our democracy demands it.”

From Kim Keenan, General Counsel, NAACP:
“The Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby sets the stage for a fight to ensure that people of color are not turned away from the ballot box using modern pretextual devices like photo identification,” stated Kim Keenan, NAACP General Counsel. “Section 5 is the reason why minority voting is up. Until we demand a fix for this problem, equal rights under the law and a fair vote will be no more than a promise to millions of voters.”
From Glenda Overstreet, President, Kansas State Conference NAACP

“The ruling of the Supreme court in Shelby County vs. Holder, stands as evidence to show that America’s fight for voting equality continues to be a necessity”, stated Kansas State Conference NAACP President, Glenda Overstreet. “It is not coincidental that the decision to invalidate Section 4, a coverage section that determines which states and local governments fall under the Section 5 pre-clearance rules, was made during a time when States across America have taken on patterns of regression by introducing and approving additional voter identification requirements. Progress takes consistent action and relative to that, we will not be deterred.”
On February 27th, 2013, the NAACP and thousands of activists from across the country rallied outside of the Supreme Court to urge the Supreme Court to protect voting rights for all citizens and uphold Section 5.

The gates to Country Stampede at Tuttle Creek State Park open at 4 p.m. Today.

The general manager for the four day country music festival, Wayne Rouse, expects the number of visits to the festival to be about like usual. “We’re hoping between 150,000 and 160,000. That’s pretty average.” That number is the total count of visits to the festival, and not the total number of people in attendance for the four day period.

The performing lineup this year ranges from Little Big Town and Jason Aldean to Jake Owens and Miranda Lambert. Gates open at 1 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

(AP) — A federal judge in Kansas is weighing an abortion provider’s request to block parts of a sweeping state anti-abortion law that takes effect next week.

Chief Judge Kathryn Vratil heard arguments Wednesday in the lawsuit by Planned Parenthood. Vratil said she would decide soon whether to issue a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of the disputed sections.

Planned Parenthood is challenging provisions of the law detailing what information patients must receive before undergoing abortions. That information includes a statement that abortion ends the life of a “separate” and “unique” human being.

Planned Parenthood claims the law violates free-speech rights, but backers of the law say it will protect patients.

The law takes effect Monday.

A harvest truck accident sent a western Kansas man to the hospital on Wednesday.  

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, “Edward Eugne Albin, age 63, of Quinter was driving a 1989 International Truck southbound on County Road 62, 11 miles south and 2 miles east of Park when the front drivers side tire blew out.

The truck went into the east ditch striking an embankment. The vehicle came to rest facing southeast. Albin was taken to Gove County Medical Center. He was not wearing a seat belt.”

(AP) — As Kansas gay-marriage backers were celebrating a pair of U.S. Supreme Court rulings, Republican Congressman Tim Huelskamp was vowing to take action.

On Wednesday, the justices struck down a provision of a federal law that denies federal benefits to married gay couples. It also cleared the way for same-sex marriage in California.

The most colorful celebration was at a rainbow-painted Topeka house that’s across the street from a church whose members are known for protesting outside funerals with anti-gay messages. Leaders of the Planting Peace organization unfurled a large banner from the roof of the brightly painted house announcing “Bye, Bye DOMA.”

But Huelskamp was far from elated. He vowed to push for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution defining marriage “as the union of one man and one woman.”