As COVID-19 cases resurge across the Midwest, Gov. Laura Kelly and local health officials will retain emergency powers curtailed by the Kansas Legislature this spring, after a Johnson County District judge declined Tuesday to set aside his ruling that the changes made by lawmakers were unconstitutional. Judge David Hauber rejected a request by Attorney General Derek Schmidt to stay enforcement of the July 15 ruling while the state pursues an appeal. It could be months before the Kansas Supreme Court issues a final ruling on the matter. In the meantime, Hauber’s ruling opens the way for Kelly to issue a new [...]

Wichita legislators, Black community activists and Gov. Laura Kelly took a victory lap Friday on a new law to make it easier to get back on the road for people whose driver’s licenses are suspended over unpaid traffic tickets. The measure, Senate Bill 127, is expected to have a substantial positive effect for tens of thousands of low-income Kansans who’ve been hit with traffic fines, court costs and late fees they can never realistically be expected to pay, the governor said. “What have we got, 205,000 people with suspended licenses in the state of Kansas?” Kelly said. “We know that 60% [...]

For the second time in three weeks, the Wichita City Council has approved an anti-discrimination ordinance by the barest of majorities, after five hours of debate and dozens of residents saying it would infringe their religious liberty. The ordinance is designed to prevent discrimination within city limits on the basis of “age, color, disability, familial status, gender identity, genetic information, national origin or ancestry, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other factor protected by law.” It bans discrimination in employment, housing and businesses that serve the general public. The new ordinance would replace an anti-discrimination law that mysteriously [...]

In a sign of a continuing return to normalcy, the city of Wichita on Friday dropped the mask mandate that has been in effect in municipal facilities since early in the COVID pandemic. “City employees and members of the public who have been fully vaccinated by one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines and are not otherwise at-risk, are no longer required to wear a mask within City of Wichita facilities,” the new policy states. Masks will still be “strongly encouraged” for the unvaccinated, but “there’s not an outright mandate, City Manager Robert Layton said. Source: Wichita Eagle

The city of Wichita has begun exploring the potential in using COVID-19 relief money to bring fresh food to northeast and south Wichita neighborhoods suffering from the closures of their Save A Lot grocery stores, the mayor said Tuesday. That may or may not include bringing in another grocery store operator to replace the three Save A Lots that have closed or are closing, said Mayor Brandon Whipple. “Can we use this really bad situation as a way to improve the overall problem of access to food in the short term and also in the long term?” he said. “We’re looking [...]