By IVAN MORENO
Associated Press

MILWAUKEE — A fight between beer giants escalated Thursday after MillerCoors filed a lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch that accused its rival of trying to “frighten” consumers into switching to Bud Light with “misleading” Super Bowl ads.

MillerCoors said in the lawsuit filed in Wisconsin federal court that St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch has spent as much as $30 million on a “false and misleading” campaign, including $13 million in its first commercials during this year’s Super Bowl. The ad showed a medieval caravan pushing a huge barrel of corn syrup to castles for MillerCoors to make Miller Lite and Coors Light. The commercial states that Bud Light isn’t brewed with corn syrup.

Chicago-based MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch have the biggest U.S. market share at 24.8 percent and 41.6 percent, respectively, but they’ve been losing business in recent years to smaller independent brewers, imports, and wine and spirits, according to the Brewers Association.

Anheuser-Busch’s ad drew a rebuke from the National Corn Growers Association, which thanked MillerCoors for its support. In its lawsuit, MillerCoors said it’s “not ashamed of its use of corn syrup as a fermentation aid.”

Corn syrup is used by several brewers during fermentation. During that process, corn syrup is broken down and consumed by yeast so none of it remains in the final product. Bud Light is brewed with rice instead of corn syrup, but Anheuser-Busch uses corn syrup in some of its other beers, including Stella Artois Cidre and Busch Light.

Responding to the lawsuit, Anheuser-Busch said its campaign is truthful and designed to bring consumers “transparency” about what’s in the beer they drink.

“MillerCoors’ lawsuit is baseless and will not deter Bud Light from providing consumers with the transparency they demand,” said Gemma Hart, the vice president of communications at Anheuser-Busch. “We stand behind the Bud Light transparency campaign and have no plans to change the advertising.”

MillerCoors maintains Anheuser-Busch is preying on health conscious consumers who have negative connotations of corn syrup, sometimes confusing it with the high-fructose corn syrup in sodas.

“Anheuser-Busch is fearmongering over a common beer ingredient it uses in many of its own beers, as a fermentation aid that is not even present in the final product. This deliberate deception is bad for the entire beer category,” Marty Maloney, a MillerCoors spokesman, said in a statement.

MillerCoors wants a judge to order Anheuser-Busch to stop the ads and to give MillerCoors any profits it earned as a result of the campaign. Besides the television commercials, Anheuser-Busch has spread its campaign through social media, full-page newspaper ads, and billboards placed in Milwaukee.

MillerCoors said its competitors campaign is intended to “irreparably harm” the company’s reputation.
The feud threatens to disrupt an alliance between the two companies to work on a campaign to promote the beer industry amid declining sales.

By Angel Tran
KU Statehouse Wire Service

TOPEKA — When Deepal Patel was violently attacked by her husband, she was afraid, in danger and unsheltered, she said. She couldn’t return home to where the attack happened, and she had limited time and money to find a new and safer place. Patel reached out to her landlord for help, who gave her choices that weren’t “real options.”

She could either stay at the home where she was attacked, pay a $300 transfer fee for a new apartment in the same complex where she’d be responsible for the old and new lease, or buyout the lease.

“None of the options were safe nor were they affordable,” Patel said. “Worst of all, they gave my abuser power and control to continue victimizing me when I was fighting to get away.”

On Wednesday, March 6, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard a bill that would enact housing protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or stalking.

According to Senior Assistant Revisor of Statutes Jason Thompson, Senate Bill 150 would be a new section of law and consist of the following:

• Landlords cannot deny tenancy to someone because they are a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or stalking.
• Landlords cannot evict tenants who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or stalking.
• Tenants are not liable for rent after they vacate the premises for the reasons listed.
• Tenants must provide a statement, court record or document to indicate that they qualify for protections.
• Any false information given could result in a denial of tenancy, eviction or violation.
• Landlords can impose a reasonable termination fee on tenants, but only if the fee is within the terms of the lease agreement.
• Definitions of “domestic violence,” “human trafficking,” “sexual assault,” and “stalking” are the same as in K.S.A 75-452, also known as the “Safe at Home” law where victims can obtain a substitute mailing address so they cannot be tracked.

Sen. Dinah Sykes (D-Johnson), the main sponsor of SB 150, said safe housing is crucial when victims are trying to leave a dangerous situation. She said there are existing housing protections for those who have been discriminated against for reasons such as race, sex or religion — and that it’s time to extend those protections.

Although there are many resources, they are not always permanent or available. Sykes said emergency shelters are often full and landlords can refuse housing because of a victim’s dangerous situation.

“Safe housing is an important step toward leaving an unsafe situation,” Sykes said. “The least we can do is make sure these victims are not discriminated against in housing when they do try and escape danger.”

Shannon Leeper, a detective for the Lenexa Police Department, worked with Deepal Patel on her case and also spoke in favor of the bill during the committee meeting.

“Not allowing a victim to break a rental lease without substantial cost re-victimizes them and substantially increases their chances of being seriously harmed,” she said.

According to Julie Donelon, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault in Kansas City, Missouri, about 55 percent of sexual assault attacks happen at or near the victim’s home, yet there are still no housing protections.

Donelon said victims face many consequences for breaking their leases and are often left with little to no choice. They may have to stay in their room or break their lease and damage their credit report and rental history, she said.

“This bill offers reliefs — emotionally, socially, and economically — to victims,” Donelon said.

Michelle McCormick, program director for the YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment in Topeka, shared the story of an unnamed survivor who was abused twice at the same apartment complex even though she requested an emergency transfer to other housing. While the victim was hospitalized for a substantial time, McCormick said, she received a notice for eviction and “no grace or understanding from the apartment complex.”

“The chief strategy that [abusers] are using is to limit the options of their victims and survivors from getting to safety,” McCormick said. “This bill is an opportunity…to help create more options for safety.”

In addition to these testimonies, there were many others that echoed similar thoughts in support of the bill. Proponent testimonies came from organizations including the Westwood Police Department, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas Interfaith Action, United Community Services of Johnson County, Wichita Family Crisis Center, Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, Keep Girls Safe Foundation and The Associated Landlords of Kansas.

“My apartment community and my landlord betrayed me, and I was denied my safety,” Patel said. “Passing this bill could save lives, provide safety and shelter to women who are brave enough to leave.” Since then, Patel has obtained an order of protection from the District Court and has worked with the Lenexa Police Department to find safety from her abuser.

There were no opponents to the bill.

SB 150’s fiscal note reported that landlords would not be able to evict or refuse leasing to individuals that have been or are in imminent danger of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or stalking. Tenants would also not be liable for rent if they vacate the property for those reasons.

Although the bill would provide additional housing protections, the Office of Judicial Administration claimed that the bill would have a minor fiscal effect on the Judicial Branch’s operations.

The Kansas Senate just passed SB150 40-0. This is a great step forward in protecting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

— Dinah Sykes (@dinah_sykes) March 14, 2019

On March 14, the Senate took final action on the bill and passed it as amended. It was received and introduced by the House the following day. The House Judiciary Committee met for the bill hearing on March 19. No action was taken and nothing is scheduled for SB 150 as of March 21.

Angel Tran is a University of Kansas senior from Wichita majoring in journalism.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Arkansas-based Tyson Foods is recalling more than 69,000 pounds (31,297 kilograms) of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strips because they may be contaminated with pieces of metal.

The U.S. Agriculture Department said Thursday the products were produced on Nov. 30, 2018, and have a best if used by date of Nov. 30, 2019. The products have the establishment number “P-7221” on the back of their packages.

The USDA says it received two complaints about the metal, but there are no confirmed reports of anyone being injured.

The USDA is concerned the products could still be in freezers. Consumers should throw out the packages or return them to the place of purchase.

The recall comes after Tyson in January recalled some chicken nuggets because customers said they found pieces of “soft, blue rubber” inside.

DONIPHAN COUNTY —The KDOT is currently assisting with response to flooding in Doniphan County by moving 100 tons of sand from storage domes in Horton to Elwood.

Just after  8p.m. Thursday, Doniphan County Emergency Management sounded alarms to begin evacuations, according to their social media page. The city of Elwood sounded the sirens  for evacuation of the city. The water level has reached 30.13 feet and still rising 2 tenths of an inch an hour. KDOT was on stand-by to assist with evacuations.

Once evacuation were complete KDOT had planned to close the U.S. 36 ramps going into the city to keep people from returning.

During a community meeting city officials told residents utilities would be shut off to homes in advance of  possible flooding.

The evacuations in Elwood and Wathena were voluntary, according to city officials.  The levees were working to hold back the cresting Missouri River.

U.S. 59 remains closed at Kansas/Missouri State Line. Kansas 7 is also closed from Sparks, Kansas to Nebraska State line due to the flooding.  For more information on travel go to Kandrive.org

DICKINSON COUNTY — The Abilene Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating this white 1967 Ford Mustang. From the Abilene Police Department’s Facebook page: