A court ruling ended Wyandotte County's effort to keep the EPA from moving to Lenexa. Judges took up where the legislature left off on Kansas redistricting. Steve Bell revisits those and other top stories of the week on KCUR's Saturday News Review.
Men's Big 12 Tournament To Stay Through 2016
When interim Big-12 commissioner Chuck Neinas announced that the men's Big 12 Basketball tournament will remain in Sprint Center Arena through 2016, he said MU's leaving the conference made no difference. The Conference also kept first option on any basketball tournament at Sprint in the years following 2016.Though there's no Big-12 team in the state where Sprint Arena is, there are lots of KU and K-State alums.
Court Starts On Kansas Redistricting Maps
A three-judge panel settled down to the redistricting work the Kansas Legistature didn't finish. The lawmakers failed to approve new maps for legislative, State Board of Education and U.S. House districts. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach says new maps are needed the within three weeks to keep the August primaries on times.
Committee Optimistic On NBAF
A Kansas panel appointed by Governor Broanback to survey the status of the proposed
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility held its first meeting. Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins is on the committee. She said she expects the construction of the facility to continue and remain on time, but admitted there have been unexpected snags in Washington.
Missouri Version of Kelsey's Law To Governor
Missouri stood poised to join Kansas as having a version of Kelsey's law – named after Kelsey Smith, the young woman kidnapped from a Johnson County parking lot five years ago and murdered. Governor Nixon was expected to sign the bill soon. It woule require cell phone companies to provide the information to law enforcement in emergency situations, and protects the companies from lawsuits over the disclosure.
Other Bills On Nixon's Desk
Governor Nixon signed a bill establishing a dedicated funding source for the state's veterans' homes. Nixon said the shift of $32 million in casino revenues to the budget for the homes will result in some pruning of other programs, but was in line with Missouri's priorities, and was a low price to pay in terms of sacrifices made by veterans.
It wasn't for sure whether Nixon would sign a bill that would make it a crime to deliberately disturb a worship service. It had been sponsored by Senate President Pro-tem Rob Mayer. Mayer said it was an important protection of First Amendment rights, and that there have been disruptions of church services, though he knows of none in Missouri.
Soldier's Remains Come Home On Memorial Day
Memorial Day was particular poignant for Kansas City as the remains of Sergeant Mike Knapp were brought home from Afghanistan. His father-in-law, Tom Brassfield, said for a long time Knapp had sheltered the family from knowing how dangerous his assignment was. The 28-year-old's ashes will eventually be placed in Arlington National Cemetery.
Unified Government Gives Up On Blocking EPA Move
On Friday, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County-Kansas City, Kansas dropped its effort to stop the EPA from moving to Lenexa after a federal court ruled that it doesn't have jurisdiction to hear the suit. Mayor Joseph Reardon said he still believed a hearing would have found that the GSA violated its own policies and two Presidential Executive Orders with the plan to move.
National Spelling Bee: Close But No Win For Lee's Summit Teen
Lee's summit teenager Jordan Hoffman couldn't ended up tied for 8th place in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The word that tripped her up was “canities.” (pronounced “kuh-NISH-ih-ees”) which means the loss of hair pigment with age – in other words, “going gray.”