NEW YORK (AP) — Same-sex marriage cases are cascading through the federal courts, and Republican politicians are finding themselves split into three camps.
There’s a small but growing number in favor of legalizing gay marriage.
There’s a hard-core faction that continues to denounce it.
And there’s a sizable group in between that seems to wish the issue would disappear.
At one end of the spectrum, at least eight GOP members of Congress have endorsed same-sex marriage.
Two openly gay GOP candidates are hoping to win House seats in Massachusetts and California.
On the other flank, conservative Republicans in Congress have introduced legislation seeking to protect states from being forced to recognize same-sex marriages.
Then there’s the large group in middle, not ready to embrace same-sex marriage but wary of antagonizing its supporters.
SUMMER BALLENTINE, Associated Press
MICHAEL FELBERBAUM, Associated Press
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — In a rush to keep electronic cigarettes out of children’s hands while the federal government creeps forward with a proposed national ban for minors, experts say that many states are passing laws that could mean fewer restrictions on the nicotine devices later.
Lawmakers last month made Missouri the 41st state to outlaw selling e-cigarettes to minors. Age restrictions have wide support, but Gov. Jay Nixon and public health advocates opposed a piece of the legislation that prevents tobacco taxes or regulations from being imposed on the electronic devices, which heat liquid nicotine into an inhalable vapor.
E-cigarette makers have been in a tug-of-war with state and federal governments since the battery-powered devices first were sold in the U.S. in 2007.
Martie Ross, a health care consultant from Overland Park, talked Thursday about new ways of delivering care outside of urban areas during a conference in Kansas City, Mo., put on by the National Rural Health Association-Photo by Mike Sherry
By Mike Sherry
Hale Center for Journalism
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A new health care partnership, looked upon as a potential model for the rest of the country, is taking direct aim at heart disease and stroke in northwest Kansas.
The federally funded initiative – the Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative — encompasses the University of Kansas Hospital along with 13 rural health centers and hospitals, including Hays Medical Center. Heart disease and stroke are responsible for about 20 percent of the deaths in the state.
“We are not going to try and boil the ocean,” said Martie Ross, speaking about the narrow focus Thursday during a session of a national conference in Kansas City, Mo., put on by the National Rural Health Association. Ross, an Overland Park-based health care consultant, is helping to administer the collaborative.
The model of the consortium, she said, is to have separate organizations maintain their independence while formalizing a relationship aimed at better coordination of care for patients.
One aspect, Ross said, is establishing a shared-savings program where the partners benefit financially from improved outcomes that lower the cost of care.
The collaborative began in July when the federal Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation awarded a $12.5 million, three-year grant to KU Hospital. Ross said the consortium was one of 39 projects across the country included in the funding round.
The aim of the collaborative, she said, is to reduce the incidence of heart disease and stroke in northwest Kansas by 20 percent. The partners also expect to produce cost-of-care savings of about $13 million.
She said the consortium is similar to the Health Network of Missouri, announced in June, which includes University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia along with community hospitals in Sedalia, Jefferson City, Hannibal, and Osage Beach.
One key to success in these ventures, Ross said, is establishing an organizational structure designed to meet many goals, including collaborative decision making and a lean management structure.
“You can’t do any of these things informally,” she said.
Along with KU Hospital and Hays Medical Center, members of the collaborative are:
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) – A new report shows a spike in alcohol and drug law violations at Missouri State University.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that the school released the federally mandated report Tuesday.
Arrests and tickets issued for students with alcohol violations on campus increased 144 percent from 2012, with 22 cases in 2013. The report also showed that arrests and citations for drug violations increased 71 percent, with 48 cases in 2013.
Dean of students Mike Jungers said he wasn’t surprised to see the increase in alcohol and drug violations. He said it seemed there was a “culture of alcohol consumption” and added that he didn’t think it was unique to the university.
Missouri State’s Springfield campus has more than 22,000 students.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Greg Orman, who’s running for the U.S. Senate in Kansas, says he knows about working with others because he grew up in a house with five siblings and one bathroom.
Those close quarters and a modest upbringing are far removed from the wealth and political influence he now wields in his home state.
He’s turned a longshot independent candidacy into a threat to veteran Republican Pat Roberts and the GOP’s hopes of winning the Senate majority.
Orman, a 45-year-old private equity firm founder, argues that his negotiating skills will help him break partisan gridlock in Washington.
Kansas Democrats nudged their own candidate out of the race against Roberts, turning the state into a surprise battleground in the 2014 elections.
Republicans need a six-seat gain to win the Senate majority.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Sprint Corp. has signaled that job cuts are underway as the nation’s third-largest wireless company seeks to cut costs amid heightened competition.
The Overland Park-based company said Friday in a regulatory filing that the workforce reduction of management and non-management positions will result in a $160 million expense for severance and other costs in the fiscal second quarter.
The Kansas City Star eports that the job cuts started Tuesday and will largely be completed by Oct. 31. The filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission didn’t specify how many jobs will be lost.
Sprint’s new chief executive, Marcelo Claure, has told employees to expect cost cuts and a more vigorous competitive edge.
Sprint has about 33,000 employees, down from 36,000 the company reported as of the end of March.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Monarch butterflies are rebounding after three years of significant drops.
Chip Taylor of Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas says the number of Monarchs wintering in Mexico could be two to four times more than last year. Monarch Watch organizes tagging to track the migration of the butterflies.
The Wichita Eagle reports that favorable weather seems to be the reason for the improved numbers.
The butterflies have been thick the past couple of weeks, but a weather front may have lifted them on their way by now. Wichita naturalist Jim Mason says Monarchs look for northerly winds to help them migrate more easily.
KANSAS CITY (AP) – A Kansas City man has been convicted of fatally shooting two people in 2012.
The Kansas City Star reports that Jackson County jurors Friday found 51-year-old Oliver L. Todd guilty of two counts of second-degree murder. Court records say the killings happened after Todd argued with several people on the front porch of home. He then returned with a gun, killing 24-year-old Travis Pernell and 29-year-old Melvin Taylor.
The jury also found Todd guilty of one count of first degree assault and three counts of armed criminal action. Sentencing is set for Nov. 24.
ERIE, Kan.- One person died and three were injured in an accident just before 8 a.m. on Saturday in Neosho County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Buick Rendezvous driven by Sonja Jo Ford, 37, Erie, was eastbound on 160th Road three miles north of Erie.
The vehicle failed to yield at U.S. 59 and struck a 2010 Ford Focus driven by Sharon L. Rice, 57, Chanute, that was southbound on U.S. 59.
Rice was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics.
Ford and a teenager in the Buick were transported Labette County Health in Parsons. A ten-year-old boy in the Buick was transported to Children’s Mercy.
The KHP reported all were properly restrained at the time of the accident.
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling more than 60,000 vehicles in North America, the latest round of recalls this year for the automaker.
The biggest recall outlined by GM on Saturday affects 46,873 vehicles.
The recalls are Pontiac G8s from the 2008 through the 2009 model years and 2011-2013 model Chevrolet Caprice PPV left-hand-drive sedans imported from Australia.
GM says the ignition switch key may shift from the “run” position when touched by the driver’s knee.
The company is aware of one crash related to the problem, but no injuries.
Another recall covers over 10,005 Cadillac CTS-V sedans from the 2004-2007 model years and 2006-2007 model Cadillac STS-Vs.
On some vehicles, the fuel pump module electrical terminal may overheat.
GM says it knows of no crashes or injuries related to the problem.
NEW YORK (AP) — Same-sex marriage cases are cascading through the federal courts, and Republican politicians are finding themselves split into three camps.
