16:03News StoryGov. Laura Kelly’s mailing effort should see more than 277,000 Kansans receive voter registration applications in the mail. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)Xby Noah Taborda, September 23, 2020by Noah Taborda, September 23, 2020TOPEKA — Hundreds of thousands of people across the state have already or will soon receive a voter registration application in the mail as part of a state effort to ensure eligible Kansans can vote in the upcoming general election.With COVID-19 hampering outreach and registration efforts, Gov. Laura Kelly, along with the Kansas Department for Children...…16:03News StoryGov. Laura Kelly’s mailing effort should see more than 277,000 Kansans receive voter registration applications in the mail. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)Xby Noah Taborda, September 23, 2020by Noah Taborda, September 23, 2020TOPEKA — Hundreds of thousands of people across the state have already or will soon receive a voter registration application in the mail as part of a state effort to ensure eligible Kansans can vote in the upcoming general election.With COVID-19 hampering outreach and registration efforts, Gov. Laura Kelly, along with the Kansas Department for Children...WW…

8:25News StoryKansas Democratic legislators pushed back against a section of House Bill 2166 authorizing the production of a Don’t Tread on Me flag license plate. They said the Gadsden Flag design has ties to slavery. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)Xby Noah Taborda, April 12, 2021by Noah Taborda, April 12, 2021TOPEKA — A bundle of new distinctive license plates passed last week by the Kansas Legislature has drawn criticism for the inclusion of a plate design with ties to a former slave owner. authorizes the creation of several new plates to support various organizations, including the...…8:25News StoryKansas Democratic legislators pushed back against a section of House Bill 2166 authorizing the production of a Don’t Tread on Me flag license plate. They said the Gadsden Flag design has ties to slavery. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)Xby Noah Taborda, April 12, 2021by Noah Taborda, April 12, 2021TOPEKA — A bundle of new distinctive license plates passed last week by the Kansas Legislature has drawn criticism for the inclusion of a plate design with ties to a former slave owner. authorizes the creation of several new plates to support various organizations, including the...WW…

13:13News StoryAnnette Yeruski, left, said her husband, Felipe Olvera Argueta, right, returned home Sunday to Mexico after six months in Seward County Jail. Arrested for a now twice-dropped charge and on an ICE hold, Olvera Argueta struggled with hallucinations and a suicide attempt. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — A mentally ill man who spent six months in a Kansas jail after being pulled over for speeding in Texas and arrested on a decade-old dropped charge has been deported to Mexico.Kansas Reflector last month in Liberal, where he suffered from hallucinations, severe anxiety,...…13:13News StoryAnnette Yeruski, left, said her husband, Felipe Olvera Argueta, right, returned home Sunday to Mexico after six months in Seward County Jail. Arrested for a now twice-dropped charge and on an ICE hold, Olvera Argueta struggled with hallucinations and a suicide attempt. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — A mentally ill man who spent six months in a Kansas jail after being pulled over for speeding in Texas and arrested on a decade-old dropped charge has been deported to Mexico.Kansas Reflector last month in Liberal, where he suffered from hallucinations, severe anxiety,...WW…

11:05News StoryA class-action lawsuit brought against the City of Wichita by the ACLU of Kansas and Kansas Appleseed alleges the police departments use of an unconstitutional gang list is disproportionately targeting minorities, leaving long-lasting implications (Screen capture of Wichita City Hall via Google Maps)TOPEKA — A lawsuit filed Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice alleges the Wichita Police Department use of a gang list has disproportionately harmed communities of color.According to the lawsuit, criteria to be...…11:05News StoryA class-action lawsuit brought against the City of Wichita by the ACLU of Kansas and Kansas Appleseed alleges the police departments use of an unconstitutional gang list is disproportionately targeting minorities, leaving long-lasting implications (Screen capture of Wichita City Hall via Google Maps)TOPEKA — A lawsuit filed Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice alleges the Wichita Police Department use of a gang list has disproportionately harmed communities of color.According to the lawsuit, criteria to be...WW…

15:15News StoryGov. Laura Kelly has named Ted Lasso, a fictional soccer coach from a TV show of the same name, as recipient of the “definitely not made up” Kansas Coach of the Year award. (Apple TV+)TOPEKA — Ted Lasso, a fictional soccer coach from a TV show of the same name, on Thursday beat out University of Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self and Wichita State women’s basketball coach Keitha Adams for the “significant, preeminent and definitely not made up” Kansas Coach of the Year award.Gov. Laura Kelly joined in the April Fool’s Day fun by bestowing the award upon Lasso, played by...…15:15News StoryGov. Laura Kelly has named Ted Lasso, a fictional soccer coach from a TV show of the same name, as recipient of the “definitely not made up” Kansas Coach of the Year award. (Apple TV+)TOPEKA — Ted Lasso, a fictional soccer coach from a TV show of the same name, on Thursday beat out University of Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self and Wichita State women’s basketball coach Keitha Adams for the “significant, preeminent and definitely not made up” Kansas Coach of the Year award.Gov. Laura Kelly joined in the April Fool’s Day fun by bestowing the award upon Lasso, played by...WW…

3:55News StoryFelipe Olvera Argueta, seen in his taco trailer before his arrest, faces charges for property damage and felony attempt to escape from Seward County Jail. His wife, Annette Yeruski, credits his mental health breakdowns to insufficient care. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)Felipe Olvera Argueta was weeks away from being released from the Seward County Jail for a crime he didn’t commit when his wife in February received a distressing phone call from his attorney.The undocumented immigrant from Mexico, suffering from a mental health breakdown, had climbed a wall and destroyed some...…3:55News StoryFelipe Olvera Argueta, seen in his taco trailer before his arrest, faces charges for property damage and felony attempt to escape from Seward County Jail. His wife, Annette Yeruski, credits his mental health breakdowns to insufficient care. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)Felipe Olvera Argueta was weeks away from being released from the Seward County Jail for a crime he didn’t commit when his wife in February received a distressing phone call from his attorney.The undocumented immigrant from Mexico, suffering from a mental health breakdown, had climbed a wall and destroyed some...WW…

17:38News StoryGov. Laura Kelly ‘s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice released a set of 60 recommendations for state agencies, local government and state legislature focused on law enforcement and criminal justice. (Noah Taborda/ Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — Kansas and the Federal Aviation Administration have reached an agreement to establish the Kansas Supersonic Transportation Corridor, allowing testing for non-military aircraft exceeding the speed of sound.The corridor is a 770-nautical-mile — about 886 standard miles — racetrack-shaped corridor, above 39,000 feet and runs the length...…17:38News StoryGov. Laura Kelly ‘s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice released a set of 60 recommendations for state agencies, local government and state legislature focused on law enforcement and criminal justice. (Noah Taborda/ Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — Kansas and the Federal Aviation Administration have reached an agreement to establish the Kansas Supersonic Transportation Corridor, allowing testing for non-military aircraft exceeding the speed of sound.The corridor is a 770-nautical-mile — about 886 standard miles — racetrack-shaped corridor, above 39,000 feet and runs the length...WW…

9:34News StoryThe U.S. Wildlife and Fishing Service declared the monarch a candidate for the endangered species list, but said it would wait until 2024 before listing it as such in order to focus on higher priority species. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — Federal officials have declared the monarch butterfly “a candidate” for endangered status but punted on taking any action for several years, despite the winged insect’s rapidly declining population, to focus on other species awaiting designation.The 57-page plan prioritizes preserving native grasslands, development of new public...…9:34News StoryThe U.S. Wildlife and Fishing Service declared the monarch a candidate for the endangered species list, but said it would wait until 2024 before listing it as such in order to focus on higher priority species. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — Federal officials have declared the monarch butterfly “a candidate” for endangered status but punted on taking any action for several years, despite the winged insect’s rapidly declining population, to focus on other species awaiting designation.The 57-page plan prioritizes preserving native grasslands, development of new public...WW…

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly says her new executive order will extend Kansas driver’s licenses and identification cards that would have expired during the COVID-19 pandemic.The executive order, signed by Kelly Wednesday, allows driver’s licenses and identification cards that expired during the COVID-19 pandemic to remain valid until Jan. 26, 2021.“Due to the logistical challenges COVID-19 has presented, it is important that we provide Kansans with some leniency regarding drivers’ license renewal,” Kelly said. “This is especially important as we near the election, as people tend to use their...…TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly says her new executive order will extend Kansas driver’s licenses and identification cards that would have expired during the COVID-19 pandemic.The executive order, signed by Kelly Wednesday, allows driver’s licenses and identification cards that expired during the COVID-19 pandemic to remain valid until Jan. 26, 2021.“Due to the logistical challenges COVID-19 has presented, it is important that we provide Kansans with some leniency regarding drivers’ license renewal,” Kelly said. “This is especially important as we near the election, as people tend to use their...WW…