KS Tax Progress
Kansas legislative negotiators have agreed on a proposal for cutting income taxes further and setting the state sales tax at 6 percent.
The deal emerged Friday from talks among three senators and three House members to reconcile differences between the two chambers.
House Republicans drafted the plan, and GOP senators accepted it to see whether other lawmakers would support it. The House would vote on it first, possibly Tuesday.
Governor Sam Brownback wants to follow up on massive income tax cuts enacted last year without creating budget shortfalls. He proposed canceling a sales tax decrease scheduled by law for July.
The 6.3 percent tax is set to drop to 5.7 percent. GOP senators wanted to keep the tax at its current rate, but House Republicans resisted.
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Postponed Joplin Council Meeting Won't Be Made Up
The Joplin City Council meeting that was postponed Monday due to severe weather will not be rescheduled. The agenda items will be discussed at the Council's June 3rd meeting. But the Joplin Council WILL have a special meeting Wednesday, May 29th at 5:15pm to appoint members to the Joplin Redevelopment Corporation and to consider a Tax Increment Financing agreement between the City and Redevelopment Corporation.
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Cunningham Park Update
Joplin Police are still looking for the vandals who hit Cunningham Park Tuesday night. The vandals drained 200,000 gallons of water from the swimming pool and also damaged the reflecting pool.
"Around that reflecting pool, there's a bunch of, kind of like, slab rocks that lie in that reflecting pool and they used those rocks is what they'd thrown in there. Luckily there wasn't a lot of damage done to the reflecting pool, other than just making a mess of things."
Joplin Police Lieutenant Matt Stewart tells News Talk KZRG there was $4000 damage to the park..and everything was repaired before Wednesday's tornado anniversary event. If you know anything about what happened at Cunningham Park, contact Joplin Police.
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Highway Patrol Ready For Memorial Day Weekend
The Memorial Day weekend is here That means lots of people on the highways..and lots of State Troopers, too. Sergeant Mike Watson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol tells News Talk KZRG troopers will be set up every 20 miles on Interstates 44 and 49 during peak travel times.
"We're also going to try to have as many troopers as we can on some of the secondary routes where we've experienced the large crash areas and where we've seen a large number of alcohol-related incidents."
Those peak travel times are today (Friday) until midnight and Monday from noon until midnight. Watson says the extra troopers will also mean someone will be available in case you need help on the highway.
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Murder Charge In Grove Shooting
Grove Police have issued a first degree murder warrant in connection with a shooting Thursday night. 52-year-old Doyle Handle is accused of shooting 49-year-old Dena Davenport in the head and killing her. Handle is in serious condition at a Joplin hospital. After he shot Davenport, Handle apparently shot himself in the face. Grove Police Chief Mark Morris says while Handle is unconscious, his injuries aren't life-threatening.
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$45 Million From OK Rainy Day Fund For Tornado Aid
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin has signed a bill that will allow the state to take $45 million from the state's Rainy Day Fund to help communities recover from tornado damage. It allows the state to use the money to match federal disaster funds and for other "disaster-related assistance." The state's Rainy Day Fund currently has a balance of about $577 million.
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Ignite Church Sends More Help To Moore
Ignite Church is sending a second crew of volunteers to Moore to help in the hardest hit communities. The group will leave tomorrow morning armed with shovels, rakes, and other tools to help with cleanup. Several members of Ignite Church are already there, partnered with Disaster Relief And Disaster Training, showing response groups the systems they used to coordinate volunteers and aidafter the May 2011 tornado. To volunteer, go to www.Help Moore Rebuild.com.
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One Dead, One Hurt In Grove Shooting
A woman is dead and a man is in serious condition after a shooting that happened Thursday night in Grove. Police Chief Mark Morris tells News Talk KZRG they found 52-year-old Doyle Handle lying in the front yard of a home on Wood Street with a gunshot wound to the face last night; inside the home, they found 49-year-old Dena Davenport of Grove dead of a gunshot wound to the head. Handle's in a Joplin hospital in serious condition; no word yet on just what happened.
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Turner Hearing Concludes After 12 Hours
Randy Turner's fate rests with the Joplin School Board. There was a 12 hour hearing Thursday on whether Turner, a middle school teacher, should be fired for immoral conduct. The School District says links to a book Turner wrote called "No Child Left Alive" were made available on Facebook. Turner spoke to News Talk KZRG after the hearing.
"I appreciate the fact that I was given a hearing and I'll just look forward to hearing what the Board of Education has to say."
Turner says he hopes at least four of the seven Board members see things his way. No word when the Board will make its decision.
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Hartzler Supports Keystone Pipeline
The Keystone XL Pipeline project has been approved by the US House and now goes to the Senate. Missouri 4th District Congresswoman Vicki Hartzler voted for the pipeline and tells News Talk KZRG the public also supports it.
"They understand it's going to create 20,000 jobs. They understand it's going to transport 830,000 barrels of oil per day, which is half of what we currently import from the Middle East."
Hartzler says she hopes the Senate and President Obama will also approve the pipeline and not "cater to the whims of environmental extremists."
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KS Legislature Goes To OT
They're going to overtime. The Kansas Legislature wasn't able to wrap up business today, the 90th day of the session. House Majority Leader Jene Vickrey suggests legislators might be meeting next week. Majority Republicans can't agree on how much new sales tax revenue to raise to prevent budget shortfalls while enacting income tax cuts. The Kansas Constitution specifies 90-day sessions, but also grants lawmakers the power to meet longer.
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Cunningham Park Pool Vandalized
Someone drained the swimming pool Tuesday night. Not just any pool, the pool at Cunningham Park. Joplin Police say vandals broke a lock to the pool and opened the drain valve, letting over 200,000 gallons of water to be drained. Landscaping rocks around the reflecting pond were also thrown into the pool. About $4000 damage was done. Everything was fixed before Wednesday's tornado remembrance ceremony.
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