Kansas

Women’s suffrage memorial in Kansas Statehouse is one step closer — but could face a delay

Published

1 year ago

November 28, 2023

Women’s suffrage memorial in Kansas Statehouse is one step closer — but could face a delay

More than a century after securing the right for women to vote, the Kansas Statehouse is one step closer to having a memorial honoring suffragists.

The Capitol Preservation Committee last month approved the selection of Manhattan artist Phyllis Pease and largely approved of her plans for a painting. But the final design has not been approved, which could risk a yearlong delay to the project.

Kansas Legislature authorized a women’s suffrage memorial

During the 2022 legislative session, Senate Bill 479 was passed unanimously and signed into law. It tasks the Capitol Preservation Committee with approving plans for “a permanent memorial in the state capitol commemorating the decades of work of Kansas suffragists toward achieving the right of women to vote in Kansas in 1912 and the passage of the 19th amendment to the constitution of the United States in 1920.”

A request for qualification sent to artists elicited 25 applications, from which five finalists were chosen to create plans for their proposed artwork and interview with a committee, which ranked their choices.

Pease won over a subcommittee, as well as the full committee.

Pease’s proposed oil painting was 18 feet by 8 feet, depicting 13 historical women and images of various suffragist activities while also showing the historical opposition to women voting. The plan also calls for a plaque with a brief history on suffrage in Kansas and a QR code linking to an explainer.

The banner at the top of the painting has the words used when Kansas gave women the right to vote, Merrill said.

The plan is for the painting to be hung from the wall across from the cage elevator on the first floor of the Statehouse

“That’s prime real estate there,” said Patrick Zollner, the committee chair and executive director of the Kansas State Historical Society.

Fundraising is needed to cover the cost of women’s suffrage painting

State law established a fund to accept donations while prohibiting any public funding for creation or construction of the memorial. Such prohibitions on public funding are typical for art at the Statehouse.

None of the cost, including any costs associated with installation or lighting reconfigurations, can be paid by the state, said Frank Burnam, deputy secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration.

Marlene Merrill, of the League of Women Voters, said the artist cost estimate was roughly $70,000, including the cost of installation. About half of that has been raised so far. They are also drafting fundraising letters and pursuing grants.

“I know there’s work to be done, but I’m optimistic as well that it won’t be a terrible ordeal to raise the money,” Merrill said.

Painting could be delayed. Here’s why.

While the committee approved the artist, the general content and the location, the final design of the Painting remains subject to review.

That could risk a lengthy delay, as has happened to other projects.

Zollner and Merrill said Pease has already worked with a subcommittee to address some “historical concerns.”

“This was the best mural, but it needed some tweaking,” Zollner said.

He said the original design had “some current political sentiments expressed in the background, and so the League of Women Voters asked to alter that.”

Merrill said the people on the far right of the proposed design will be replaced, indicating one person holding a megaphone and another holding a sign that reads “you will never have the comfort of our silence again.”

“What she did is to take history and bring it forward,” Merrill said. “So this actually is an immigrant person. I can’t remember what the words are, but these people on the far end are current, so they’re going to be replaced.”

Some members on the full committee, especially Sen. Chase Blasi, R-Wichita, expressed a desire to see the final design before approving it.

But the Legislature typically only authorizes the committee to meet once a year. That prompted Rep. Valdenia Winn, D-Kansas City, and Will Lawrence, the governor’s chief of staff, to raise concerns that waiting for a final design could cause a yearlong delay.

“I’m not suggesting in any way that we’re going to wait an entire year to do this,” Blasi said. “I just think it’s important that if we’re going to put some piece of art that depicts history and it’s in the Capitol forever, we want to ensure that it’s right. … I just don’t think we should rush something when we don’t exactly know what it’s going to finally look like.”

Blasi said he would ask legislative leadership to give the committee permission to meet again.

Even if another meeting is authorized, it was unclear how long the artist would need to make the design modifications.

“It’s a fair point to want to know exactly what we’re getting,” Zollner said. “Because those points are correct. This will be up here, and it’s in a very prominent spot. I also would not like to wait another year.”

Once approved, when will the painting be done?

Merrill said Pease estimated it would take about 10 months for her to complete the painting on canvas in her studio.

“We would like to make it a celebratory event,” she said. “She would do the installation, and then shortly thereafter we would have a grand unveiling and celebration.”

Jason Alatidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

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Kansas

Homicide investigation underway in east Kansas City

Published

7 hours ago

January 21, 2025

Press Room

Homicide investigation underway in east Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Kansas City police are investigating a fatal shooting Monday night.

Police with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department said a shooting that happened at 7:30 p.m. Monday is being investigated as a homicide.

It happened in the area of 56th Street and Westridge Road.

When officers arrived at the scene on a reported shooting call they were directed to a residence near the intersection and found a male victim in the yard with gunshot wounds.

Witnesses at the scene were rendering aid to the victim before officers and EMS took over life-saving measures, police said. The victim was eventually transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and died several hours later.

Police said no one is in custody and detectives are working to determine what led up to the incident.

This is a developing story. KCTV will update it as more information becomes available.

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Kansas

Kansas State All-American forward Ayoka Lee is out indefinitely with a fractured bone in her foot

Published

15 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

$Kansas State All-American forward Ayoka Lee is out indefinitely with a fractured bone in her foot$

Kansas State forward Ayoka Lee will be sidelined indefinitely after an X-ray and MRI exam revealed the All-American fractured a bone in her foot in the second quarter of the No. 10 Wildcats’ win over Arizona State.

The school called it “probable” that Lee will return before the end of the season, but more will be known in the coming weeks.

“It’s not good,” Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said after the 81-69 win Sunday over Arizona State. “It’s not going to be a week or two.”

Lee only played 13 minutes in the game, leaving for good with 4:21 left in the first half.

The Wildcats, who do not play again until visiting Colorado on Saturday, entered the week 19-1 and 7-0 in the Big 12, and they are riding a 14-game win streak, the fourth-longest in Division I women’s basketball. The Wildcats’ only loss came against No. 13 Duke in the Ball Dawgs Classic in late November.

Lee is a big reason for their success. The 6-foot-6 forward from Byron, Minnesota, is averaging 16 points on 65.4% shooting, even though she’s played limited minutes because of a number of blowouts. She also is averaging 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

Lee set the women’s Division I scoring record when she had 61 points against Oklahoma in January 2022. She is already Kansas State’s career scoring leader with 2,482 points, and she holds school records for rebounds, blocks and field goals.

Lee also has had a history of injuries, though. She redshirted as a freshman while recovering from a knee injury, and she missed the entire 2022-23 season because of surgery on the other knee. She also sat out several conference games a year ago after she hurt her ankle, and Mittie has limited her minutes at times this season in an effort to keep her healthy.

The Wildcats will lean more heavily on Missouri State transfer Kennedy Taylor, Imani Lester and Eliza Maupin while Lee is out.

“I think it’s just the next-man-up mentality, and I think Eliza came in and played really well for us,” Kansas State guard Taryn Sides said after the win over the Sun Devils. “We don’t really know a whole lot about Yokie. Hopefully she’s OK.”

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Kansas City Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Denver Broncos’ Bo Nix Shocking Comparison

Published

23 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

Kansas City Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Denver Broncos’ Bo Nix Shocking Comparison

Out of all the former Oregon Ducks to play in the NFL this year, there’s a case to be made for quarterback Bo Nix having one of the biggest break out seasons. For the first time in over nine years, Nix helped lead the Denver Broncos to their first playoff appearance with a 31-7 Wild Card game loss against the Buffalo Bills.

Nix’s numbers for his inaugural season in the league are warranting many to campaign for the young quarterback to win “Rookie of the Year” accolades, with Nix joining fellow former Duck and Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving as a finalist for the Pepsi Zero Rookie of the Year voting.

Amongst those campaigning for Nix to get his flowers, are those comparing his numbers to that of the regular season statistics for one of the best quarterbacks active in the league: Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes.

Jan 12, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws downfield during the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills in an AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

When look at Nix’s and Mahomes’ numbers from both of their 2024 seasons, the similarities are glaring and in some ways favor Nix over Mahomes. In the passing game, Nix punched in a 66.3% completion percentage, whereas Mahomes clocked in with 67.5%. Nix came in third in the NFL for touchdowns with 29 total while Mahomes boasted 26. Both Nix and Mahomes almost mirrored each other for their pass ratings, with Mahomes at 93.5 and Nix at 93.3.

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Nix also threw 12 interceptions compared to Mahomes’ 11 interceptions this season. As for sacks, Nix was taken down 24 times with Mahomes being sacked 36 times.

For the rushing side of the game, Nix’s numbers compared to Mahomes showed the strength of the former Ducks’ ability to extend a play with his legs. Nix rushed for 430 yards off 92 carries in 2024, picking up four touchdowns. Mahomes got 307 yards off 58 carries with two touchdowns. Nix racked up two rushing fumbles compared to Mahomes’ single rushing fumble of the season.

This comparison between Nix and Mahomes shows serious promise for the Denver rookie quarterback, who earned NFL’s Rookie of the Month in October and also made the second most touchdown passes by a rookie in NFL history.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix throws out a pass during the first half as the No. 13 Oregon Ducks take on the Stanford Cardinal Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.

Ncaa Football Oregon Stanford Football Stanford At Oregon / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

From a two loss start to the regular season marked with several rookie mistakes, to shining as the clear future for the folks at Mile High, Nix had the clear support of his teammates the entire way. Nix was the first rookie to be named captain of the Broncos since 1967, and was the first rookie starter for the Broncos since the 1980’s with John Elway. Denver right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who has a long-storied history in the NFL, spoke about Nix’s intangibles that helped the former Duck step up to be a clear leader this season.

“I think once we got around him in the building for a week or two—a couple weeks in April—you’re like, ‘Oh man, this kid is made of the right stuff. Obviously, when you’re in shorts in April and May and doing OTA practices, you really can’t tell what kind of a football player he is really until we get into August, and when we put the pads on and all that kind of stuff,” McGlinchey said.

It’s clear with these direct comparisons to one of the best quarterbacks still playing today, that Nix has a bright future with the Broncos going forward.

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MORE: Boise State Football Accuses Oregon Ducks of Tampering

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