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Up To Date

A New Way To Think About 'Essential' & 'Nonessential' Business Classifications In Kansas

By Steve Kraske,

Luke X. Martin

Published August 25, 2020 at 1:49 PM CDT

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Picture of a women wearing a black hat standing in a shop full of quincenera dresses — Owners of nonessential businesses in Kansas, like Ana Medina of Moda Bella in Wyandotte County, were hit hard by mandated closings because of the coronavirus. Some groups say any future closings should be based on whether a business is safe or not, regardless of whether they are deemed essential.

Conservative groups in Kansas are making an argument for moving away from the essential-nonessential business designation that has proliferated since the pandemic.

Figuring out which businesses are essential and nonessential during a pandemic can be a hairy ordeal. That's why some conservative groups say states and counties should instead be determining which businesses are safe and which are not — so that a bar with a tricked-out ventilation system, rigorous social distancing and no karaoke can still be allowed to open.

Ryan Kriegshauser, Kansas attorney and legal counsel for the Trust Kansas Coalition

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Up To Date Talk Show Podcast Kansas government Coronavirus business Kansas economy Local Business

Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Luke X. Martin

As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.

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