In Kansas News
The Kansas Department of Education is encouraging school districts to adjust their budgets after a sudden freeze on federal funding. Zane Irwin of the Kansas News Service reports.
"The U.S. Department of Education said it would postpone the funding for further review — one day before it was set to be released.
Now, $45 million that Kansas schools expected to receive sits in limbo. That includes $16 million for professional development and $8 million for after-school programs.
Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson says the change will affect communities big and small. But some schools cannot afford to lose even one English language instructor or after-school worker.
“In that rural school, you're talking about one person. So the whole program goes with one person. That just stops.”
Watson says his department is meeting with districts to help them decide which programs to keep to meet state requirements.
For the Kansas News Service, I’m Zane Irwin."
The Kansas City Royals will always sell more tickets per year than the Chiefs.Having 81 home games is a major advantage. But selling more tickets doesn’t mean a newRoyals stadium will be better than a new Chiefs stadium, boosters say.Sports fans could spend money at a local bar or other business instead of a game. And thechance of a Chiefs stadium hosting Super Bowls or Final Fours won’t happen enough to makeup that difference.That’s why Nathaniel Birkhead with Kansas State University says one stadium is not a betterinvestment than the other.
“Frankly, if I were to give advice. I would give advice to not actually pay anything for the stadiums.”
Key Kansas lawmakers say they don’t have a preference. They’d be happy with either team.
And in Missouri News
Congressional Republicans have called a key source of state Medicaid funding a scam that needs to be restricted. But as St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum reports, that’s not the view of some of Missouri’s top leaders.
"During debate over a major budgetary package, some Senate Republicans lambasted states for their long term use of medical provider taxes. They’ve derided the tax on facilities like hospitals as a way for states to bilk the federal government out of money.
But Gov. Mike Kehoe says Missouri has handled medical provider taxes responsibly as a way to pay for its share of Medicaid.
“And I'm a fan of that model. I think we've used it effectively. And credit to our hospital and our hospital association, they've really done a good job of making sure we don't take advantage of it. We use it to fit Missourians the best.”))
Kehoe is hopeful Congress can repeal restrictions on medical provider taxes before they fully go into effect in 2032. I’m Jason Rosenbaum, STLPR."
Gov. Mike Kehoe signed several bills into law today Wednesday, including legislation that expands the use of safe baby boxes in the state.
Baby boxes are chambers where people can surrender infants without fear of prosecution. The first one in Missouri was installed at a Mehlville Fire Station.
The station received its first infant through the box in February of 2024.
Under current law, people can surrender infants up to 45 days old. The law passed this session and signed by Kehoe extends that age to up to 90 days old.
The law also creates a fund where the state will match up to $10,000 in funding per installation of a newborn safety incubator.
Kehoe signed a total of 13 bills into law today (Wednesday).