TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court will hold a hearing next week on a petition by the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate to get his name removed from the November ballot.

The court on Thursday scheduled arguments on Democrat Chad Taylor’s petition for 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Chief Justice Lawton Nuss said in a two-page order that the court was hearing the case without a review by a lower court because of the need for an authoritative ruling.

Taylor dropped out of the Senate race last week. But Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach said Taylor’s withdrawal letter didn’t comply with a state law limiting when nominees’ names can be removed from the ballot.

Taylor’s withdrawal could boost the chances of independent candidate Greg Orman defeating three-term GOP Sen. Pat Roberts.

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3522, the Employee Health Care Protection Act by a vote of 247 to 167. Representative Tim Huelskamp (KS-01) released the following statement:

“Despite President Obama’s lie of the year promising the American people they could keep their health insurance plan if they liked it, millions of Americans have had their insurance cancelled because of ObamaCare. He made this promise 36 times—talk about a whopper. While there is still much work left to repair the damage of Obamacare, the Employee Health Care Protection Act protects hard working, middle class families against ObamaCare’s damaging requirements and regulations.

“Under Obama, our nation is experiencing some of the most difficult financial strains in generations—and ObamaCare has made it worse. But with the Employee Health Care Protection Act, American families would get to keep the health care they want—despite the damage of ObamaCare. While I still want to see this law repealed, allowing Kansans to keep the health insurance they like is a small step in the right direction.”

PRATT, Kan. (AP) — A southern Kansas woman has been placed on a year of supervised probation for a texting-while-driving crash that left another driver dead.

The Pratt Tribune reports that 36-year-old Jennifer Dale, of Preston, must also pay a $1,000 fine under the sentence she received Wednesday.

Dale pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of vehicular homicide in the December 2012 crash that killed 78-year-old Virginia Sell, of Stafford. Authorities said Sell had slowed on Kansas 61 to make a left turn when her car was rear-ended by Dale’s vehicle.

The impact sent Sell’s car into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer. Sell was thrown from her car and died at the scene.

Dale’s probation requires her to speak at six schools about the consequences of texting while driving.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is attacking a key argument made by the Democratic candidate waging a legal battle to get his name removed from the ballot in the U.S. Senate race.

Kobach on Thursday released an affidavit from Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Brad Bryant contradicting a sworn statement from Democrat Chad Taylor.

Kobach provided a copy of Bryant’s statement exclusively to The Associated Press before posting it online and said it would be key evidence.

Taylor submitted his statement to the Kansas Supreme Court in petitioning it to force Kobach to remove his name from the ballot.

Taylor said Bryant assured him that a withdrawal letter Taylor wrote was sufficient to get his name off the ballot. In his statement, Bryant said he never did so.

 

 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The latest government forecast on Kansas crop production is painting a far rosier picture than had been anticipated for most fall crops just a month ago.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service predicted Thursday that Kansas growers would bring in 578 million bushels of corn this season. That figure is 14 percent above last year’s production.

Higher yields that are averaging 154 bushels per acre are making up for the fact that harvested corn acreage this year is expected to be down 6 percent this year to 3.75 million acres.

Production of grain sorghum in Kansas is now estimated to come in at 182 million bushels, up 10 percent from a year ago.

Harvest of soybeans is forecast at 147 million bushels, up 15 percent from last year.

By Dan Margolies, KCUR

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A respiratory ailment that sent some 500 children to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City appears to be tapering off.

The enterovirus D68 can cause mild to severe respiratory illness. At its peak several weeks ago, Children’s Mercy was seeing 30 patients a day. That number has now fallen to about 15 a day, said hospital spokesman Jake Jacobson.

“We seem to have hit the apex a couple of weeks ago,” Jacobson said. “And partly because parents are getting the word out and also just taking precautionary measures, what we’re seeing are more outpatient visits. So folks are coming in with early symptoms and we are able to provide supportive care and they’re able to go home.”

Local public health department officials say EV-D68 can cause difficulty breathing and mimic an asthma attack. Most affected people will display symptoms of the common cold, but some will develop more severe symptoms requiring medical attention.

There are no vaccines for preventing EV-D68 infections, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people take the following steps to protect themselves:

• Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.

• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Avoid kissing, hugging and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick.

• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as toys and doorknobs.

Jacobson said Children’s Mercy first noticed a spike in EV-D68 cases in mid-August. The hospital sent some samples to the CDC, which confirmed them.

“So I think we were probably the first to report and the first to really work closely with them in confirming,” Jacobson said. “And then as our Dr. Mary Anne Jackson and several of our other doctors who are very influential around the region started reaching out to other peers in neighboring states, we started learning that they were seeing the same type of thing that we were seeing.”

The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago also reported a cluster of cases. The CDC confirmed 11 of those cases.

Jacobson said of the 500 suspected cases of EV-D68 at Children’s Mercy Hospital, about 60 were serious enough to warrant treatment in intensive care.

The CDC reported Monday that it confirmed 19 patients from Kansas City with EV-D68. Ten were male and ages ranged from 6 weeks to 16 years. The CDC said that 13 had a previous history of asthma or wheezing and six had no underlying respiratory illness.

EV-D68 was first identified in California in 1962, according to the CDC. While enteroviruses are quite common — there are more than 100 types — this particular type has rarely been reported in the United States.

TOPEKA- Two people were injured in an accident just before 11:30 a.m. on Thursday in Shawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Ford Ranger driven by Ronald V. Moore, 75, Topeka, was northbound on U.S. 75 at 78th Street in Topeka and rear ended a 1996 Lincoln Towncar driven by Jo Ellen Holthaus, 59,Topeka.

Holthaus and a passenger in the Lincoln Chaudra Scott, 38, Topeka, were transported to Stormont Vail. Moore was not injured.

The KHP reported all were properly restrained at the time of the accident.

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado lawmaker wants state public schools that use or want to use Native American mascots or logos to get permission from a panel, or lose funding.

Thornton Democratic Rep. Joe Salazar says he plans to introduce legislation addressing the issue during the session that begins in January. He says he envisions a panel with representatives from Native American communities deciding whether a school can use a certain logo or mascot.

It’s an idea that Colorado lawmakers briefly considered in 2010, but has picked up momentum in other states recently. There’s also greater public attention on the issue because of the movement to get the NFL’s Washington Redskins to change their name.

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota is recalling about 130,000 Tundra full-size pickup trucks because a plastic trim piece can interfere with the side air bags.

The recall affects Crew-Max and Double Cab versions in the U.S. from the 2014 model year. The company says the trim covering the center pillars behind the front seats may have been installed incorrectly. It could stop air bags from inflating to their intended shape.

Toyota says it doesn’t know of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem.

Dealers will inspect the trim and replace it if necessary.

Truck owners will be notified of the recall by mail.