October 11 2024

1. Kansas Deer Biologists Face Political Roadblocks on Chronic Wasting Disease Abatement Strategies
2. Landlords Sue Kansas City Over Section 8 Housing Rule
3. Forbes Field Competes to Host KC-46A Pegasus Aircraft
4. Northern Lights Captured in Stunning Kansas Time-Lapse
5. CULTURE WARS Kansas City Chiefs’ Owners Fund Anti-Abortion Campaign
Central KS Restaurants / The Hub Brick Oven and Brewery, Moundridge, KS
Sports

1. Kansas Deer Biologists Face Political Roadblocks on Chronic Wasting Disease Abatement Strategies

Kansas state wildlife biologists know a lot about chronic wasting disease in deer, but what they don't yet know is what strategies to address CWD are "politically palatable." "The hard part comes when we go to talking about strategies for slowing it down, because those strategies typically cause a lot of controversy, no matter what state you're in." Chronic wasting disease, sometimes referred to as zombie deer disease, damages and ultimately destroys brains of deer, elk and moose. It is always fatal with no known treatment or eradication method, and experts advise humans not to move carcasses to avoid spreading the highly infectious disease. While Kansas wildlife officials for years have worked to raise awareness and address CWD, they were criticized during a public comment portion of a Wildlife and Parks Commission meeting earlier this month. A deer hunter who indicated he recently found out about CWD spent about 30 minutes criticizing state officials for doing "nothing" to slow the spread, while contending what the agency has done is ineffective, and alleging that the department intentionally wasn't informing hunters about CWD. Matt Peek, a wildlife research biologist at KDWP's Emporia office, said he thinks CWD is the single most heavily covered wildlife topic in the media over the past 20 years. "There are a variety of things that that can be done maybe to slow the spread, and that states have tried to slow the spread," Peek said. "But once it is in an area, there is no stopping the spread. The best case scenario is that it spreads naturally by the deer themselves, and there really is no stopping that." The last time state wildlife officials discussed a significant policy proposal intended to address chronic wasting disease, it resulted in a political firestorm, legislative threats to defund the agency and ultimately the abolishment of the old Wildlife and Parks Commission and reforming how its members are appointed. Wildlife biologists and disease experts had raised concerns that baiting was contributing to disease transmission, particularly of CWD, by unnaturally congregating animals in close quarters. The state held informational public meetings on the topic, but staff were not actively pursuing a regulation to ban baiting on private lands. Baiting is already prohibited on public lands. The discussions prompted a video response from Attorney General Kris Kobach, who said that using a pile of corn feed in a field makes it easier to teach his daughters to hunt.

Article Source: Topeka Capitol-Journal

2. Landlords Sue Kansas City Over Section 8 Housing Rule

Two landlords are suing Kansas City saying they have a right to refuse tenants who use government-funded housing vouchers, after an ordinance banning income-based discrimination went into effect in August. Kennedy Jones and Stephen Vogel filed the federal lawsuit. They argue that the city’s law requires them to participate in the Section 8 housing program, which they say violates their constitutional rights and incorrectly trumps federal guidelines. The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction to stop the new rule from being enforced. The city ordinance prohibits landlords from rejecting a tenant based on the person’s source of income, such as gig work. It also mandates landlords lease to tenants who pay the bulk of their rent with federal housing assistance vouchers.

Article Source: KC Star

3. Forbes Field Competes to Host KC-46A Pegasus Aircraf

Forbes Field Air National Guard Base in Topeka could house eight KC-46A Pegasus, a new aircraft that specializes in in-flight refueling. The Pegasus will replace the Air Force’s KC-135 Stratotankers, which entered service in 1957 and is the first jet-powered refueling tanker. The new aircraft will include improvements to refueling capabilities, expand the distance taken on one flight, increase cargo capacity and improve protection, according to the United States Air Force. The aircraft is developed by Boeing based on its 767 jet airliners, and the Air Force got its first delivery in 2019 with plans to precure 179 by 2027. Forbes Field is one of seven candidates to house the new aircraft. It is competing with the following: 

·       Bangor Air National Guard Base, Maine. 

·       Key Field Air National Guard Base (Meridian), Mississippi. 

·       McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base (Knoxville), Tennessee. 

·       Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio. 

·       Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. 

·       Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base (Birmingham), Alabama.  

A final decision is expected in 2027 pending the outcome of environmental impact analyses, with aircraft scheduled to arrive by 2031. It would be the Air National Guard’s fourth unit using the Pegasus, after operating bases were approved at bases in New Hampshire, New Jersey and Michigan.

Article Source: Topeka Capitol-Journal

4. Northern Lights Captured in Stunning Kansas Time-Lapse

Time-lapse of Northern Lights over Kansas

Article Source: Wichita Eagle

5. CULTURE WARS Kansas City Chiefs’ Owners Fund Anti-Abortion Campaign

The family business that owns the Kansas City Chiefs is one of the biggest funders of a political action committee opposing a proposed amendment to overturn Missouri’s abortion ban.  Unity Hunt, the business that controls the assets of the late Lamar Hunt, including the Chiefs, in late September donated $300,000 to the Leadership for America PAC. It is currently running ads on several conservative radio stations across the state opposing the abortion-rights amendment, which will appear on the November ballot as Amendment 3.

Article Source: Salina Post

Central KS Restaurants / The Hub Brick Oven and Brewery, Moundridge, KS

Editor’s Note: One of my toughest duties as the editor of Ad Astra is conducting local restaurant reviews. Over the past several weeks, I’ve visited various restaurants around central Kansas, sampling their entrees — and always dessert. In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more reviews from my culinary journeys.  

We drove the 15 miles from McPherson to Moundridge as a storm rolled in across the plains. As we headed south on Old US 81, lightning flashed in the distance and the clouds grew darker. The Hub Brick Oven and Brewery feels distinctly out of place in Moundridge, a town with fewer than 2,000 residents. Moundridge is the epitome of a sleepy rural Kansas town, with towering grain elevators and rail tracks ready to transport the harvest away to bustling population centers. Yet, The Hub Brick Oven and Brewery stands out, resembling a restaurant you’d expect to find in a busy American metropolis. Inside, we encountered a bustling crowd, a long line, and a live singer playing a cover of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues." You place your order at the counter, and once it's cooked, it’s called out over the PA system when it's ready for you to pick up and enjoy. The three of us ordered two brick oven-fired pizzas: one buffalo chicken and one veggie. For dessert, we enjoyed an excellent Reese's Pieces frosted cookie. They offer ice cream as well, but I was too full to indulge. For those interested, there's a bar with a wide selection of beers on tap. The interior of the restaurant is very modern, featuring flat-screen TVs, well-maintained bathrooms, and an overall contemporary vibe. While I was there, I often forgot I was in Moundridge, Kansas, and could have easily imagined myself in Austin, Nashville, or Boston. Our total came to $50.03, which included two pizzas, a cookie, and one beer. By the time we finished eating and left, the storm had passed. Outside, it was dark, much cooler, and the pavement was wet. The drive back to McPherson was peaceful, with fully satisfied stomachs.  

Sports

ROYALS ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFFS AT HOME 

Royals 1 vs. Yankees 3, Game 4 ALDS   

This weekend: KSU-CU college football  

Chiefs, KU have byes

Sources

1. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/government/2024/10/11/kansas-wildlife-leader-deer-chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-requires-politically-palatable-plan/75499813007/

2. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article293734599.html

3. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2024/10/10/air-force-announces-forbes-field-candidate-to-host-kc-46a-pegasus-refueling-operation/75591840007/

4. https://www.kansas.com/news/state/article293828599.html

5. https://salinapost.com/posts/d812fa25-dc36-4531-a6d1-3646705f0835