Kansas
Kansas Citians support relief as bipartisan bill would cap credit card interest rates at 10%
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City shoppers continue to search for financial relief ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.
“The credit card is just second nature for me,” explained David Grace, a Chiefs fan purchasing team merchandise at Union Station. “Rewards points are the reason I decided to use the credit card.”
Will Shaw/KSHB
Credit card debt in the United States reached $1.166 trillion, according to LendingTree. Forbes reports the average credit card interest rate is 28.6%.
In a bipartisan effort, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) is teaming up with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), introducing a bill on Tuesday that would cap credit card interest rates at 10%.
KSHB 41
“Americans have more credit card debt than ever before in history,” Hawley told KSHB 41. “People are putting groceries on their credit cards. They’re putting gas on their credit cards because they can’t afford that stuff.”
Senators Hawley and Sanders don’t typically see eye-to-eye on policy. The two find themselves working together to change how America’s banking system operates.
Evan Vucci/AP
“When large financial institutions charge over 25 percent interest on credit cards, they are not engaged in the business of making credit available. They are engaged in extortion and loan sharking,” Sanders said. “We cannot continue to allow big banks to make huge profits ripping off the American people. This legislation will provide working families struggling to pay their bills with desperately needed financial relief.”
In a recent Fox Business report, it highlighted Hawley introduced a bill in the last Congress that would cap credit card interest rates at 18%. The bill died in committee.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
“Here’s what our bill would do, cap it. Cap it at 10%. All credit card interest rates are capped for five years at 10%. It gives working people a chance to catch up,” Hawley said. “It’s exactly what Donald Trump endorsed on the trail, and I think it would be an enormous and important source of relief.”
In the Trump campaign’s race for the White House, it promised to lower credit card interest rates to 10%. Senate Bill 381 would give him the opportunity to do that.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
“President Trump has promised to cap interest rates at 10% to provide temporary and immediate relief for hardworking Americans who are struggling to make ends meet and cannot afford hefty interest payments on top of the skyrocketing costs of mortgages, rent, groceries and gas,” the Trump campaign said in a September press release.
Kansas City shoppers find themselves searching for ways to combat high interest rates to stay ahead.
“Better rates would help,” James Vertreese told KSHB 41. “The rates are — they’re ridiculous. Since the Fed rates went up, it’s made a big difference in the making monthly payments.”
Will Shaw/KSHB
KSHB 41 spoke with shoppers at Union Station celebrating the start of Super Bowl weekend.
Marilyn Simpson took her grandson shopping and to take pictures. She said she never watched her finances as closely until she retired.
“I am going to go back and start working like part-time,” Simpson said. “It’s concerning because there’s people that have less than I do. I’m not hurting financially, but when I go to get gas today and the grocery store, at those two places you can spend up to $100-$120.”
Will Shaw/KSHB
According to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, in 2024, Kansas ranked #3 in the lowest average cost of living in the United States and Missouri ranked #6. Missourians say they’re yet to feel the relief.
“We all hurtin’. We go to work. Everything is up but my paycheck,” Cecilia Pulce, another shopper said. “We all need a little bit of help from somewhere.”
Will Shaw/KSHB
Other shoppers KSHB 41 spoke with say a major contributor to increased credit card debt is a society built around the swipe and tap.
“So many places in our life have gone cashless,” Grace added. “You look at the stadiums, they’re cashless. You pretty much have to pay with a card.”
Grace said capping credit card interest rates to 10% could create an economic boom and encourage consumers to buy more.
Will Shaw/KSHB
“Sometimes people have debt they don’t foresee, medical bills, car repairs, so a capped interest rate a low interest rate to protect them is a great idea,” Grace explained. “I think you would potentially see retail spending increase if people knew their interest rate was lower and it could fit into their budget.”
Senate Bill 381 was introduced on Tuesday and must pass both chambers of the House before it reaches the president’s desk.
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
Kansas
Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. killed in hit-and-run crash while riding his scooter
KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. She also covers stories in the Northland. Share your story idea with La’Nita.
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Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. was killed in an early morning hit-and-run crash while riding his scooter March 21.
Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. killed in hit-and-run crash
Lee was turning left from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard onto Eastwood Trafficway when a car ran a red light and hit him. A small memorial now grows at the intersection.
Chris Morrison
“Devastated. Everybody’s hurt, it was really unexpected,” his son Arthur Lee Jr. said. “I loved him to death. My dad was like my best friend.”
Lee was well known in the barbecue community, working as a pitmaster at Gates Bar-B-Q for the past eight years after spending two decades at Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque.
“He loved working at Gates,” Rose Qualls, Lee’s sister-in-law, said. “He was always making us slabs and turkey sandwiches.”
Chris Morrison
The morning of the incident, Lee was preparing to move into a new home with his wife and children, getting ready for a fresh start before a tragic end.
“He was really special, you know. He was one of a kind and everybody that he was around just loved him,” Qualls said. “It’s just a sad situation.”
Lee was 60 years old. His family said while his life was cut short, his flame will burn forever.
“My sister, she is really going through it, we all are,” Qualls said. “And I’m here for her, whatever she needs, when she need a shoulder to cry on, I’m here.”
Courtesy of Arthur Lee Jr.
The family is pleading for answers and for the driver, who fled the scene, to come forward.
“I would pray that they would have some type of compassion, some type of heart, possibly turn themselves in,” Lee Jr. said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for selling methamphetamine to an undercover police officer, according to the United State’s Attorney.
According to court documents, Wayne F. Fleming, 41, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
In May 2021, Fleming sold drugs multiple times to an undercover officer with the Wichita Police Department. Testing by the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center showed the total amount Fleming sold to the officer to be more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine.
“Mr. Fleming was federally indicted in 2021, but before a plea agreement was reached, Mr. Fleming went to state prison to serve time for offenses unrelated to the federal case,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Department of Justice doesn’t forget. Not long after his release from a state prison, Mr. Fleming is now an inmate in a federal prison.”
The Wichita Police Department investigated the case.
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KCTV) – A Kansas inmate will spend more time behind bars after a dispute over an extra slice of pizza turned physical.
Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson announced on Wednesday, March 25, that Wyatt C. Parnell, 42, an inmate at Lansing Correctional Facility, was sentenced to 16 additional months.
Prosecutors indicated that the sentence is the result of an attempt to assault a corrections officer during a December 2019 dining hall confrontation.
What Happened
Court records noted that the incident happened around 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 26, 2019 – the day after Christmas – in the facility’s maximum-security dining room.
According to prosecutors, Parnell entered the dining hall, picked up a dinner tray and grabbed an extra slice of pizza from a separate tray.
A corrections officer repeatedly ordered him to put the tray down and leave the area; however, court documents revealed that Parnell refused.
When the officer moved to retrieve the tray and again ordered Parnell to leave, prosecutors said he yanked the tray away and threw it on the floor.
Parnell then tried to push past the officer to reach the serving line for another tray, according to court records.
The officer reported that they attempted to detain Parnell, but he resisted, leading to a physical fight.
The Charges & Sentence
Court records indicated that Parnell pleaded no contest to attempted aggravated battery. His new sentence will run consecutively – meaning it is added to the sentence he is already serving.
“Correctional facilities rely on order and compliance to maintain safety for both staff and inmates,” Thompson said. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of disregarding lawful commands and engaging in behavior that puts others at risk.”
Parnell’s Criminal History
Corrections records show that Parnell was already serving time for:
- Kidnapping
- Aggravated battery
- Two counts of criminal threat
Prison records also show a lengthy disciplinary history, including violations for:
- Contraband possession
- Fighting
- Threats
- Lewd acts
- Entering restricted areas
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
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