The other four states were Kansas, Arkansas, Delaware and Vermont.
Four states saw significantly higher jobless rates last month: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Wyoming and Utah. The largest increase was in Pennsylvania, where the rate rose to 5.3 percent from 4.9 percent.
The other 41 states were seen as having stable unemployment rates from March to April.
The national jobless rate was unchanged in April at 5 percent.
Over the past year, 37 states have added an appreciable number of jobs. Two states have lost jobs, and 11 states have seen job levels essentially unchanged.
The Kansas Bioscience Authority invested in and still houses Innara Health, which makes a product that helps premature babies learn to nurse. Innara Health and four other startups will be part of the sale of the KBA that gained legislative approval earlier this month. CREDIT COURTESY INNARA HEALTH
The beginning of May was a roller coaster of emotions for Innara Health CEO Michael Peck.
The results of a promising trial of his company’s NTrainer product, which helps premature babies learn to nurse, were unveiled April 30 at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Baltimore.
The next day the Kansas Legislature approved a bill to allow the sale of the Kansas Bioscience Authority — a quasi-governmental agency that nurtured and still houses Peck’s business — as part of an ongoing attempt to temporarily patch an underwater state budget.
Peck said his company is far enough along that it can weather the sale, but it will cause some hassles. And he sympathizes with KBA’s employees, whom he has enjoyed working with as his company grows.
“The rug has been pulled out from under them,” Peck said. “From our seat it’s not great, that’s for sure. I would rather that we don’t have investors in an impaired situation.”
The KBA, based in Olathe, was created in 2004 under former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as a means of incubating startup companies in the fields of human and animal health — part of a “bioscience corridor” between Kansas City and Manhattan.
But it was hit by scandal four years ago when an audit determined that a former director spent some funds inappropriately. It also fell out of favor with some Republicans skeptical of investing public dollars in private sector startups.
The state’s annual payment to the KBA dipped precipitously in recent years as its funding became a target for Gov. Sam
The Kansas Bioscience Authority, with offices in Olathe, was created in 2004 to leverage Kansas City’s animal health corridor and make eastern Kansas a destination for bioscience investment. CREDIT ANDY MARSO / HEARTLAND HEALTH MONITOR
Brownback and Republican leaders looking to balance budgets in the wake of large income tax cuts passed in 2012.
Last year, KBA leaders laid off half the staff and announced it would halt business investments.
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Democrat from Topeka, said the KBA had started with great promise and bipartisan support. Now it is one State Finance Council vote from being sold off as spare parts.
“It could have done a lot of very good things for Kansas, but the governor chose to basically starve it to death,” Hensley said. “Now (he’s) trying to use its carcass to generate money to put into the general fund.”
Legislators were told that the sale of KBA assets would bring in about $25 million for the general fund, but the true number will depend on what buyers are willing to pay.
At a news conference last week, Brownback said there will be “an open bidding process for the assets.”
He couldn’t say whether that would mean the companies currently in the KBA portfolio would move out of state.
“That’s a possibility,” Brownback said. “It’s a possibility somebody will take it over and try to draw more into the state.”
Peck’s company is one of five human health startups that will be part of the sale.
The NTrainer, invented by University of Nebraska professor Steven Barlow while he was working at KU, has shown potential to decrease babies’ stays in neonatal intensive care units by helping them nurse better and catch up in weight. That in turn has the potential to improve health outcomes and save hospitals money.
Investors outside the KBA have jumped on board, strengthening Innara’s position as the state prepares to sell the KBA’s share of the company.
“I don’t want to downplay what’s going on with the KBA — it’s not great,” Peck said. “But at the same time I’m not running around every day worrying about it. I have many shareholders. They’re an important one, they’re a big one, but they’re not the only one.”
Peck is using some of his time to prepare for the pending sale, though, and spending some of the company’s resources on legal advice about the sale.
Events in Topeka are not holding him back from doing business, he said, but they are a distraction.
Uncertainty about the future also looms. Peck said he’s not looking to leave Kansas. He was born here, went to KU and is raising his children here.
But he said he can’t predict the future at this point. Wherever the company lands, he will be proud that the NTrainer was developed in Kansas.
“What we’re doing in helping these kids get better — we’re impacting families and lives, and we’re doing something that has never been done before and has global applications to it,” Peck said. “And it started here. It literally started in Lawrence, Kansas, and is being developed in Olathe.”
Andy Marso is a reporter for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team. You can reach him on Twi
RICE COUNTY -Investigators with the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s office determined a fire at a home in Lyons on Tuesday was accidental, according to Lyons Fire Chief Brad Reid.
The homeowner discovered fire damage in the single-family, two-story residence at 113 North Saint John Avenue as they arrived home.
A space heater is believed to have started the fire. Fortunately there was a lack of oxygen and the fire smothered itself, according to Reid.
The home suffered approximately ten thousand dollars in damage to the basement and additional smoke damage.
EDITOR’S NOTE— Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin on Friday vetoed legislation that would make it a felony for doctors to perform an abortion, a measure that would have effectively outlawed the procedure in the state.
OKLAHOMA CITY -The Oklahoma Legislature on Thursday passed a bill that would make performing an abortion a felony punishable by up to three years in prison.
The Center for Reproductive Rights says the measure is the first of its kind in the nation. The bill also would restrict any physician who performs an abortion from obtaining or renewing a license to practice medicine in Oklahoma.
“As we put the finishing touches on a new clinic in Oklahoma City that will give women full access to their legal reproductive rights, Trust Women is dismayed by the passage of Oklahoma SB 1552, a blatantly unconstitutional attempt to make abortion illegal,” the organization wrote in a media release.
“Trust Women stands firm on our decision to open a clinic in the largest metropolitan area in the United States without a provider,” said Julie Burkhart, founder and CEO of Trust Women, the foundation that owns Trust Women South Wind Women’s Center in Wichita and Oklahoma City. “Women need the services we will offer.”
“Oklahoma legislators should be spending their time finding solutions to problems, not creating barriers for women, said Burkhart.
“It is crucial that women make their own reproductive health care decisions. Women know what is best for them — not politicians. That seems so simple, yet we must constantly remind lawmakers,” Burkhart said.
Trust Women remains committed to supporting women in Oklahoma and calls for Gov. Mary Fallin to veto this bill. Oklahoma taxpayers should not have to foot the bill to defend a law that will be ruled unconstitutional.
With no discussion or debate, the Oklahoma Senate voted 33-12 for the bill by Republican Sen. Nathan Dahm.
A handful of Republicans joined with Democrats in voting against the bill, which now heads to Gov. Mary Fallin. A spokesman says Fallin will withhold comment until her staff has time to review it.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Police have ruled that two unrelated Topeka deaths are homicides.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the killings of 60-year-old Robert Williams and 21-year-old Ashlie Hundertfund bring the city’s homicide total to eight. Last year at this time, there were four recorded homicides.
Police spokeswoman Amy McCarter says no one was been arrested in Williams’ Feb. 18 death. She says the preliminary investigation didn’t point to foul play, but that an autopsy led to the homicide ruling.
McCarter says police have determined that Hundertfund was the victim of a murder-suicide. Police say 22-year-old Robert Fink killed her and then himself. Their bodies were discovered in an apartment when police were called to check on the welfare of a resident who hadn’t shown up for work on Feb. 29.
WASHINGTON – The full Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved U.S. Senator Jerry Moran’s (R-Kan.) bill to support farmers and ranchers, encourage rural economic development, and enhance food safety in fiscal year 2017. The legislation, which Sen. Moran authored as Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman, directs funding and operations within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The legislation balances continued investment in rural America with fiscal responsibility by reducing federal spending compared to currently enacted levels.
“Agriculture is the backbone of our state’s economy,” said Sen. Moran. “This bill prioritizes interests crucial to farmers and ranchers in Kansas and across the country by investing in agriculture research, conservation and animal health initiatives. The legislation emphasizes food safety efforts, which will help keep families across the country healthy and maintain consumer confidence in American-produced food. The legislation also increases flood prevention and conservation efforts by addressing watershed project backlogs in Kansas and other states.
Sen. Moran continued, “I’m especially proud of provisions in the bill that incentivize military veterans to explore opportunities in production agriculture. Encouraging our veterans to pursue farming, ranching and other careers in agriculture will strengthen our farm economy while empowering vets to apply their unique skill sets and abilities to agricultural production.”
The bill prioritizes a number of key issues for Kansans, including:
• Agriculture research
Increases support for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), USDA’s premier competitive grant program for basic and applied agriculture research. Studies estimate that every dollar invested in agriculture research returns $20 to the U.S. economy. Research completed at USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) labs and universities in Kansas keep producers on the cutting edge of technology and competitive in a global market.
• Watershed and flood prevention
Supports the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program for the first time since fiscal year 2010. This program protects our rural communities from flooding by providing needed support for watershed projects. Watersheds also protect our natural resources and provide conservation benefits by reducing erosion and increasing sediment retention. Estimates show that in Kansas alone, watershed projects in place today provide $115 million in economic and flood damage reduction benefits.
• Veteran outreach
Includes funding for the Food and Agriculture Resilience Program for Military Veterans (FARM-Vets) program and directs USDA to engage in additional outreach and training for veterans transitioning from military service to careers in agriculture. Nearly 40 percent of the nation’s farms are owned and operated by farmers over the age of 65 creating a significant demand new farmers, while at the same time, over 800,000 service members are expected to transition out of the military in the coming years.
• Rural water systems
Provides robust support for the Grassroots Source Water Protection Program and Circuit Rider Program, which are designed to provide technical assistance to rural water systems and prevent pollution of surface and ground water used as the primary source of drinking water by rural residents. Sen. Moran believes the ability for rural communities to provide safe drinking water to its citizens is of utmost importance.
• Food safety initiatives
Supports implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which intends to improve preventive control measures for food production, decrease foodborne illness outbreaks, and better ensure the safety of imported food. Preventing food contamination keeps consumers safe and heathy and helps agriculture stakeholders by instilling confidence in our food systems.
The U.S. Senate now has the opportunity to debate the agriculture bill, along with the other 11 appropriations bill required of Congress annually.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita man has been sentenced to life in prison in the shooting death of his wife.
The Wichita Eagle reports that 32-year-old Derek Campbell must serve 50 years before becoming eligible for parole under the sentence imposed Thursday in Sedgwick County District Court. He was convicted in March of first-degree premeditated murder in the April 2015 killing of Rebecca Campbell.
Prosecutors say he killed her because he wanted out of their marriage and had rekindled a romance with an old girlfriend. Evidence presented at his trial showed he had researched divorce online and browsed dating websites before the deadly shooting.
Campbell maintains the shooting was accidental. He said at the sentencing that he thought the gun was unloaded and that he loved his wife with “all my heart.”
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A massive frozen foods recall involves millions of packages of fruits and vegetables that were shipped to all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. See more information here.
Authorities who want to stem the listeria-linked illnesses and deaths worry it’ll be difficult to get consumers to dig through their freezers and check for products they may have bought as far back as 2014 from places like Costco, Target, Trader Joe’s and Safeway.
The more than 400 products from CRF Frozen Foods in Pasco, Washington, could be contaminated with listeria. Products tied to the plant have caused eight listeria-linked illnesses, including two deaths.
The CRF plant closed two weeks ago and CRF spokesman Gene Grabowski said the company is still trying to pinpoint the source of the contamination.
KINGMAN, Kan. (AP) — A southern Kansas man charged in the shooting death of another man in Kingman County in 2014 has been found guilty.
Fifty-two-year-old David Younger was convicted Thursday of second-degree murder in the death of 62-year-old Danny Ely. Authorities responded to a suspicious death call in Kingman on Dec. 15, 2014, and found Ely dead.
Jennifer Rapp, a spokeswoman for Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office, says evidence shows Ely died of a gunshot wound to the head.
RENO COUNTY –A Reno Co. Sherifs Deputy was injured in an accident just before 5p.m. on Thursday in Reno County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Ford Carry-all driven by Deputy Christopher Shields, 31, Hutchinson, was on the exit ramp from eastbound U.S. 50 in the 2100 Block of Yoder Road.
The Ford struck the side of a 1995 Cadillac passenger car driven by Jacob M Johnson, 24, Burrton, as it crossed the northbound lanes from U.S. 50
Shields was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.
The KHP reported Johnson was possibly injured but not where he was treated.
Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) Thursday announced that the Senate approved the Military Construction Appropriations bill (H.R.2577), which again prohibits the closure of the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station and prohibits funding for construction of any facility within the U.S. to house detainees. Senator Roberts voted in favor of the measure which was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate with a vote of 89-8.
“Again, the Congress acknowledges the concerns of the American people and stops the Obama administration from spending funds to house terrorists held at Guantanamo in an American community,” Roberts said. “Although the clock may have run out on the president, I will continue to oppose his ongoing attempts to transfer the detainees at every opportunity.”
Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, is the home to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, which houses military prisoners and has been considered a possible site to house detainees. It is against the law for enemy combatants to be housed with members of the U.S. military. Fort Leavenworth is also home to the Command and General Staff College, the Intellectual Center of the Army, where all Army officers study. The post is located in the town of Leavenworth, Kansas.
In March, Roberts introduced a Senate resolution formally rejecting President Obama’s plan to transfer prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities to an alternate location in American communities. The resolution is cosponsored by Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). The full text of the resolution is available here.
Senator Roberts is the most senior Marine in the Congress. He was Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 2003-2007. He has visited Guantanamo Bay twice.
WABAUNSEE COUNTY – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. on Thursday in Wabaunsee County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Hyundai Elantra driven by Bradner R. Gilson, 76, Hesston, was westbound on Interstate 70 five miles west of Maple Hill.
The car drifted off the right edge of the roadway, entered the ditch and struck a concrete wall under the Frontage Road.
Gilson was transported to Stormont Vail.
He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The economy remains sluggish in rural areas of 10 Western and Plains states.
The monthly survey of rural bankers released Thursday shows the overall remains in negative territory even though it increased slightly. The index increased to 40.9 in May from April’s 38.2.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, says weak grain prices and farm values continue to weigh on the economy in rural areas.
On the survey indexes any score below 50 suggests that factor will decline.
The farm equipment sales index remained exceptionally weak at 10.7 in May, just below April’s 11.1. Farmers are delaying major purchases because of the environment.
Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.
