TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has rejected a proposal for encouraging the state to provide long-acting birth control to poor residents after a Republican member likened it to the discredited 20th Century eugenics movement that sought to control who could have children.
Democratic Sen. Marci Francisco of Lawrence offered the proposal Thursday as an amendment to a bill that would permanently block the state from sending federal family planning dollars for non-abortion services to Planned Parenthood. Her amendment failed on a voice vote.
Francisco said her proposal would have reduced unintended pregnancies and abortions among young women.
But Republican Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook of Shawnee said such efforts target minorities and likened the proposal to eugenics.
The Senate then gave the bill first-round approval on a voice vote, setting up final action Tuesday.
Officials prepare to dig in at the Hays Recreation Commission Wellness Center groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday.
It has been in the works for years and now the groundbreaking ceremony last Wednesday at the Hays Recreation Commission Wellness Center marks the beginning of a major facilities expansion.
“Back in 2012-2103 we started looking into a project,” said Roger Bixenman, Hays Recreation Commission superintendent.
Originally the project would have added a pair of multipurpose rooms to the existing structure, but a standalone building was decided as a better option.
“It’s an expansion of our current facility and our current programs,” Bixenman said.
The new building will expand the center from 3,600 square feet to 12,600 and will add a separate cardio and weight area, a new check-in area and add dedicated aerobics and yoga rooms.
“We looked at it as a quality of life issue,” Bixenman said, as the project will enhance wellness and leisure areas in the facility.
The new building will be constructed north of the existing building on land was bought by the Hays Recreation Center Foundation in 2001, and was gifted to the Commission in 2014.
“Because the school district levees our taxes, we had to get approval to enter into a lease agreement,” Bixenman said.
The Commission cannot mortgage property for a project like this, so they went to banks to finance the project, with the building acting as collateral during the 10 year lease.
Payments on the building will be made from operating and programing funds.
The lease total is $1.5 million, with the entire project carrying a price tag of $2.1 million.
Despite the cost, Bixenman said he hopes it will bring in more people to the facility.
“From zero to 99 we try to get people involved,” he said. “We want to get people in the gym, get them healthy, develop that healthy lifestyle, so this is one way to hopefully enhance that.”
“We’re glad it is finally here and look forward to the construction in the next 330 days.”
DENVER (AP) — Marijuana is a political debate, not a legal one — for now.
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it won’t consider lawsuits challenging Colorado’s pot law. But lawyers say that Nebraska and Oklahoma officials could pursue other legal challenges down the road.
For now, the many states considering pot laws this year won’t have guidance from the nation’s high court about whether they’re free to flout federal drug law by regulating the drug.
Instead, the 26 states and Washington, D.C., that allow marijuana for medical or recreational purposes won’t know until the nation has a new president and attorney general whether state-level pot regulations will be allowed to stand.
Lawyers for Nebraska and Oklahoma haven’t said yet whether they plan to try again challenging Colorado’s pot law.
Nebraska’s attorney general says he is disappointed but unsurprised by the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of Nebraska and Oklahoma’s effort to have Colorado’s pot legalization declared unconstitutional.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has sent back to committee a school funding bill that would redistribute some state education dollars to help poor school districts.
The measure senators returned on a voice vote is a response to a Kansas Supreme Court ruling last month. The court said a 2015 school funding law has shorted poor schools on their fair share of the state’s $4 billion-plus in annual aid to its 286 local districts.
The court gave lawmakers until June 30 to fix the problems and threatened to keep schools closed if they didn’t meet the deadline.
The bill would redistribute about $38 million in education funding during the 2016-17 school year. It would increase the state aid for 100 districts but reduce funding for 186 districts.
(AP) -Blue Cross-Blue Shield health insurer Anthem is suing pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts over prescription drug prices.
Express Scripts runs prescription drug coverage for Anthem, the nation’s second-largest health insurer. Anthem said Monday that it wants to recover damages for prescription drug prices that are higher than competitive benchmarks.
Express Scripts Holding Co. says Anthem’s lawsuit has no merit and that it has acted according to the terms of its deal with the insurer.
Anthem Inc. says its federal lawsuit doesn’t change the way customers get prescriptions filled.
Pharmacy benefit managers run prescription drug plans for employers, government agencies and insurers, among other clients. They use their large purchasing power to negotiate on price.
Shares of both companies slumped in midday trading while broader indexes edged up.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Nurse midwives wouldn’t need a doctor’s oversight for routine deliveries under a bill that passed the Kansas House.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the bill advanced Monday on a voice vote. Rep. Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, says the nurse midwives would be allowed to prescribe medicines, order diagnostic tests and perform birth procedures such as episiotomies.
The Board of Healing Arts would directly regulate them.
The bill would open the door to independent practice by about 85 certified nurse midwives statewide. The majority already work in centers where they have collaborative agreements with doctors.
Republican Rep. Barbara Bollier says she usually supports doctor oversight over the practice of medicine. But the retired physician from Mission Hills says it’s not needed in the case of routine births.
Last week’s inspection results from the Kansas Department of Agriculture:
Lomatos Pizza 130 W. Ninth, Hays – March 17
A routine inspection found five violations.
Burrito sauce that is made in house was being stored in the Pepsi Cooler with a date of 2/24.
Rubber Spatulas that were clean and being stored in a drawer had cuts and imperfections on the edge.
Three compartment sink was set up but the facility did not have the correct Quat test strips for their sanitation concentration. Facility had Chlorine test strips.
Diced tomatoes that were being stored in the the Pepsi cooler did not have a date on them. Person in charge was unsure of the day they were prepared.
Blue liquid that was in a spray bottle in the chemical storage area had not label. Person in charge said it was window cleaner.
Burger King 1212 Vine, Hays – March 16
A routine inspection found five violations.
Walk In Cooler – Several plastic containers that were being stored in the walk in cooler had been cleaned and stacked wet. Not allowing to air dry.
Lettuce deicer and tomato slicer had dried food particles on them from use. Asked Employee when they were last used. He said the day prior.
Walk In Cooler – Several plastic containers that were being stored had severe cracks. The cracks were on the bottom and sides of the containers.
No employee hand washing sign was present in the men or women restrooms.
Broilers Exhaust – Vents on the exhaust had considerable amount of grease built up. Person in charge said that employees should be cleaning every night and she said that she will make sure they do it tonight.
Paisley Pear Cafe 1100 Main, Hays – March 16
A routine inspection found five violations.
Storage Beside Stairs – Several plastic storage containers that were clean and being stacked had sticker residue on them.
Employee was setting up plates for the cook and during that time she touched ready to eat potato chips with her bare hands and placed them on the plate.
No covered receptacle to sanitary napkins in the restroom for the general public.
Kenmore Front Cooler – There was not temperature measuring device in the coolers. There was no way to know what the ambient temperature was.
The door on the restroom is not a self-closing door. Door is held half way open when not in use.
Precision Valley Golf 1500 W. 27th, Hays – March 14
A routine inspection found four violations.
Facility had no thermometer available.
Bar Area Fruit Fly was found in a bottle of whiskey.
Back Storage Area – Beverage Syrup for the pop machine and canned beer is being stored directly on the floor.
Back Storage Area – Single use Styrofoam cups in boxes are being stored directly on the floor.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers have voted to overhaul the juvenile justice system by allowing more low-risk offenders to stay at home while participating in community-based programs like anger management.
Juvenile offenders can currently be placed in juvenile detention centers or group homes for any level offense. Kansas has the sixth-highest rate of juvenile offenders placed in detention centers or group homes nationwide.
The measure passed 117-6 in a final-approval House vote Monday, after it passed 38-2 in the Senate last month. Senators will review the changes before it is sent to the governor.
The House version of the bill includes a provision to reserve up to 50 beds in group homes for juvenile offenders. The previous measure approved by the Senate says all group homes will close by July 2018.
Pavement marking work will occur in various areas throughout the city of Hays over the next few days.
The work involves correcting deficiencies and failures of the Bicycle Route Markings.
Some of the work will be accomplished in the evening and into the night to avoid times of high traffic volumes.
Areas of work include, but may not be limited to: Elm Street from 2nd to 12th, Main Street from 13th to 21st, Allen from 8th to 13th, 22nd Street from Vine to Canterbury, Gen. Custer from 13th to 22nd, and the 32nd and 33rd and Vine area.
The City appreciates the public’s patience and understanding during this work. If there are any questions, please contact the Public Works Department at (785) 628-7350.
