Kansas
Kansas hosts first presidential primary in 32 years
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – For the first time in 32 years Kansans have the chance to vote in a Presidential Preference Primary.
Governor Laura Kelly cast her vote Monday in the first primary run by the state since 1992, a change approved by Kansas legislators last session.
Political leaders say they expect the change up to bring out more voters.
“This is the third time in the history of Kansas and it was important to me that we did it this way. Party-run caucus process severely limits participation because of the limited number of locations and the distance you have to drive to get to those locations and honestly, that process was cloaked in secrecy it was a little bit of a mystery. The state-run primaries is a much more transparent process it provides many opportunities and gives Kansas republicans from corner to corner in this great state the opportunity to participate at their home,” says Kansas GOP Chair, Mike Brown.
“Kansas used to have presidential primaries but that was hit or miss and that was always incumbent of the state parties to run individually which is really expensive and prior to the new legislation the state would only pay for one primary and that for us was in August,” says Kansas Democrats, Chair, Jeanna Repass.
Leaders on both side of the aisle continue to support the decision, with an expectation that primaries may make a more permanent return.
“In the state of Kansas, every single legislature is up as well and in a represented republic the only way that your vote matters is if you cast it. You are getting your vote in for a government that represents you, even if your party doesn’t win or your candidate doesn’t win those numbers count that says to the person that did win “hey I’m still here and I need you to hear me and I need your votes to reflect I have value in this state”. Everyone has to vote,” says Repass.
“American blood has been spilled for centuries just for you to have the chance to walk into that polling place and cast your vote for the person of your preference on a secret ballot and for you to get to pick who you want to be your presidential candidate. That’s why it’s important,” says Brown.
Some candidates that have already dropped out of the race will appear on the ballot, like Ron DeSantis (R), Nikki Haley (R), Dean Phillips (D), and Marianne Williamson (D) because the candidates already filed for the Kansas ballot before they suspended their presidential campaigns.
Monday was the last day for advance ballots before polls open for election day on Tuesday, March 19th. To register to vote and to find your polling place click here.
Copyright 2024 WIBW. All rights reserved.
KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas, including Olathe and Lenexa. Share your story idea with Olivia.
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If the motto to live by is to get 1 hour of movement a day, the Parkinson’s community in Kansas City is exceeding it.
Bob Zipse has been fighting Parkinson’s for 10 years. He said the diagnosis hit him hard.
Leawood’s Parkinson’s Exercise and Wellness Center expands services as diagnoses climb
“I was super depressed. I mean, I was in a chair. Did you want to move? Look around, just horrible. Because there’s no resources. Where do I go with the time?”
Zipse said the disease can be an isolating experience.
KSHB
“Parkinson’s, I say, is a very lonely, lonely disease. Either people don’t want to deal with you, or you’re embarrassing.”
He found the Parkinson’s Exercise and Wellness Center at his lowest point. Now, he sees people around him pushing past their limits.
“You see people out here, they’re in the mid-70s, they’re doing push-ups, sit-ups, lifting weights. I mean, it’s amazing, really,” Zipse said. “In here, we’re all the same.”
Sarissa Curry founded the center after seeing the power of healing through exercise and recognizing that diagnosis rates were increasing. An aging population and younger diagnoses are among the biggest factors driving that trend.
Kansas consistently ranks as having one of the highest Parkinson’s disease diagnoses and mortality rates in the United States, second only to Nebraska. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, an estimated 20,000 people in the Kansas City metro alone are living with the disease.
“You see your neurologist once every six months to a year, and you see a physical therapist maybe a couple of months out of the year. Community-based programs are here every day to support this community,” Curry said.
Curry said the warning signs of rising Parkinson’s rates have been visible for years.
“They have been predicting this increase in Parkinson’s for many years. They were able to see the writing on the wall, they were able to see how the population was aging, and they knew that this was coming. We paid attention.”
She expanded the center to serve as an all-encompassing resource for people like Zipse.
KSHB
“I’d hate to wager what I would have been like. Life would have stopped for me, I think. This at least gives me hope, gives me some work towards and see some benefit of it,” Zipse said.
The PEWC will host a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, June 3, at 3:30 p.m. The community is invited to attend to learn more about the center’s services and the disease as incidence rates continue to rise each year.
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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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two men were arrested following a lengthy Reno County Sheriff’s Office investigation into several burglaries and thefts in the area.
Garson Stanley Boyles was arrested May 21, and Jimmy Ray Miller was arrested May 27. Both were arrested on suspicion of 11 counts of burglary, five counts of criminal damage to property and four counts of theft.
The sheriff’s office said numerous stolen items have been recovered, including a vehicle. Investigators said several items remain missing.
Anyone with information about the location of stolen property is asked to contact the Reno County Sheriff’s Office at 620-694-2735. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call Reno County Crime Stoppers at 620-694-2666 or 800-222-TIPS.
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