State News - The Morning Sun

A tornado touches down in Pleasantville, Iowa., on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. The storms moving through the Midwest and South on Wednesday threaten some areas still reeling from a deadly bout of bad weather last weekend. (Courtesy of Deanna Sutter Rood via AP)

Missouri tornado kills 5 in latest wave of severe weather

GLEN ALLEN, Mo. (AP) — A tornado ripped through southeastern Missouri before dawn on Wednesday, killing five people and causing widespread destruction as the third in a series of deadly massive … more

By JIM SALTER and SCOTT McFETRIDGE Associated Press | 4/6/23

Sens Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., speaks as Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, listen Wednesday, March 15, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

EPA tightens mercury emissions limits at coal power plants

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency is tightening rules that limit emissions of mercury and other harmful pollutants from coal-fired power plants. That's an update to standards … more

By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press | 4/6/23

Pence won't appeal order compelling grand jury testimony

WASHINGTON (AP) — A spokesman for Mike Pence said Wednesday that the former vice president will not appeal a judge's order compelling him to testify in the Justice Department's investigation into … more

4/6/23

Kansas bans transgender athletes from women's, girls' sports

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is banning transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports from kindergarten through college, the first of several possible new laws restricting the rights of … more

Staff Reports / news@morningsun.net | 4/6/23

3 cops shot, wounded during Kansas City, Kansas, drug probe

Three police officers have been shot and injured in Kansas City, Kansas. The police department in Kansas City Missouri, said on Twitter that the officers were shot Wednesday afternoon. Few details … more

4/5/23

Topeka Angler Sets New Kansas Record for Crappie

SHAWNEE, Kan. — Topeka resident, Bobby Parkhurst, was fishing at Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 2 when the catch-of-a-lifetime came into contact with his lure. Little did Parkhurst know that … more

Staff Reports / news@morningsun.net | 4/5/23

Former Kansas researcher appeals remaining conviction

A former researcher who was accused of hiding work he was doing in China while employed by the University of Kansas is asking a judge to reverse his conviction for making a false statement. Feng … more

4/4/23

Ian Benalcazar, far right, a 13-year-old transgender boy from Lawrence, Kan., speaks outside the Kansas Statehouse during a rally on Transgender Day of Visibility, Friday, March 31, 2023, in Topeka, Kan. Ian is among more than 100 people, including many transgender youth, who came to the Statehouse to protest bills before Kansas lawmakers that would roll back transgender rights. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Transgender bathroom bill approved in Kansas; veto expected

A Kansas bill that would block transgender people from using public bathrooms associated with their gender identities has cleared the Republican-controlled Legislature. The state Senate voted 2812 on … more

By JOHN HANNA | 4/4/23

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, left, R-Wichita, confers with state Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita, ahead of a House debate on a proposed "born-alive infants protection," law to apply to abortion providers, Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Landwehr is chair of the House health committee, and it handled the measure, which would require providers to try to preserve the lives of infants born during unsuccessful abortions. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

'Born alive' abortion bill OK'd in Kansas, sent to governor

Kansas legislators have given final approval to a bill that could subject doctors to lawsuits or criminal charges if they're accused of not providing enough care to infants born during abortion … more

By JOHN HANNA | 4/4/23

Wind turbine lights curtailed under bill headed to governor

Flashing red lights atop wind turbines would be curtailed to improve nighttime views under a bill that has been sent to the governor. If signed by Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly, it would require … more

4/4/23

Kansas state Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, follows debate in the Kansas Senate, Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Holscher is a vocal supporter of a Senate-passed bill aimed at making it easier for people who were sexually abused in childhood to pursue criminal charges or lawsuits over their abuse decades later. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Kansas lawmakers pass bill to help child sex abuse survivors

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators gave final approval Monday to a bill that would make it easier to pursue criminal charges or file lawsuits over childhood sexual abuse years after the abuse … more

4/4/23

Kansas state Sen. Cindy Holscher, left, D-Overland Park, gives a high-five to Leland, the young son of Sen. Kristen O'Shea, right, R-Topeka, during a session of the Senate, Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Lawmakers are preparing for an intense four days of work ahead of their annual "Drop Dead Day" deadline. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Taxes, trans rights, abortion hot as Kansas deadline looms

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are headed Monday into four intense days ahead of an annual “Drop Dead Day” deadline that could see them wrap up their work on rolling back transgender … more

4/4/23

March tax collections surpass estimates by nearly $65m

TOPEKA, Kan. — Governor Laura Kelly announced today that total tax collections for March 2023 were $758.3 million. That is $64.9 million, or 9.4%, more than the monthly estimate. That is also $78.7 … more

Staff Reports / news@morningsun.net | 4/4/23

Kansas lawmakers pass bill to help child sex abuse survivors

Kansas legislators have given final approval to a bill that would make it easier to pursue criminal charges or file lawsuits over childhood sexual abuse years after the abuse occurred. The House … more

4/3/23

Taxes, trans rights, abortion hot as Kansas deadline looms

Kansas lawmakers are heading into four intense days ahead of an annual “Drop Dead Day” deadline. Starting Monday, they could wrap up their work on rolling back transgender rights, imposing new … more

By JOHN HANNA | 4/2/23

Kansas moves to help survivors pursue child sex abuse claims

Abuse survivors and advocates who’ve pushed to make it easier in Kansas to prosecute abusers or file lawsuits decades later have achieved a breakthrough in the Legislature, where a proposal has … more

By JOHN HANNA | 3/30/23

Man dies, weeks after alleged Kansas road rage attack

A 68-year-old Kansas man involved in what police described as a road rage attack has died. Gregorio Castillo died March 23. Topeka police announced his death Wednesday. Castillo, of Topeka, had been … more

3/30/23

Man pleads after woman nearly thrown off Kansas bridge

A 38-year-old Lawrence man pleaded no contest to attempted second-degree murder after he tried to throw a woman off a bridge into the Kansas River. In exchange for his plea on Wednesday, three felony … more

3/29/23

We Are G.A.M.E. Alumnus Elijah Walker Finds His Place in the United States Football League

TORRANCE, Calif., March 29, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Elijah Walker got connected to We Are G.A.M.E in 2016 when DJ Reed — the G.A.M.E. alumnus who is now a cornerback with the New York Jets … more

We Are G.A.M.E. Inc. | 3/29/23

Kansas moving to raise age for buying tobacco to 21 from 18

Kansas is moving to increase its legal age for buying cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products to 21 from 18. The state Senate approved a bill to raise the age Tuesday on a 28-11 … more

3/28/23