Takeaways from AP's report on a new abortion clinic in rural southeast Kansas

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — A new abortion clinic has brought the debate over reproductive rights to a small college town in the southeast corner of Kansas. It’s one of the few states left in the region still allowing abortions.

A religious, Republican-leaning semi-rural location like Pittsburg, Kansas, would have been unlikely to host an abortion clinic before Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, but that is changing across the country.

The Associated Press reported on the new clinic and the town's reactions. Here are key takeaways.

Over the past two years, Kansas is one of five states that people are most likely to travel to in order to get an abortion if their state doesn't offer the procedure, said Caitlin Myers, an economics professor at Middlebury College who researches abortion policies.

Abortions have spiked by 152% in Kansas after Roe, according to a recent analysis by the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights.

Using Myers’ count, six of the clinics in Kansas, Illinois, New Mexico, North Carolina and Virginia that have opened or relocated post-Roe are in communities with fewer than 25,000 people. Two others are in communities of fewer than 50,000.

Five weeks after Roe was overturned, voters in Kansas had to decide whether to strip the right to an abortion from the state constitution, which could have led to an outright ban.

Pittsburg is in Crawford County, where 55% of voters were part of the 59% of voters statewide who killed the proposal. But the rural counties surrounding Pittsburg voted for the amendment.

Kansas' statewide percentage is in line with an Associated Press-NORC poll from 2024 that showed 6 in 10 Americans think their state should generally allow a person to obtain a legal abortion if they don’t want to be pregnant for any reason.

Abortion in Kansas is generally legal up until the 22nd week of pregnancy.

The new abortion clinic will be run by Planned Parenthood Great Plains. Its location is a few minutes' drive from the Missouri border and is less than an hour away from Oklahoma.

All of Kansas' other abortion clinics are in larger metro areas, where clinics have expanded hours — but appointments are still in short supply. About 60% to 65% of people who call Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas for an abortion appointment are turned away because there isn’t enough capacity, said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

The bulk of people looking for abortions in Kansas are from out of state — mostly Texas, which is about five hours south, Wales said. She added that some come from as far away as Louisiana and even Florida, which now prohibits the procedure after six weeks.

Experts said smaller-sized clinics can be less overwhelming for women who are coming from rural areas, like those surrounding Pittsburg. But, often, there is little anonymity in these places where religious and family ties often run deep.

Pittsburg is home to a state university with about 7,400 students. The town is also is increasingly religious, with twice as many white evangelical Protestants as the national average, and the area is increasingly Republican.

Pittsburg State students who The Associated Press talked to are supportive of the clinic, as are many of the Democrats in town.

But churches in Pittsburg are training people on how to protest at the abortion clinic, and Vie Medical Clinic, a crisis pregnancy center, has seen an increase in donations.

Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Anti-abortion protester Deborah Green-Myers, from Pittsburg, Kan., demonstrates outside a recently opened Planned Parenthood clinic, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Pittsburg, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Anti-abortion protester Deborah Green-Myers, from Pittsburg, Kan., demonstrates outside a recently opened Planned Parenthood clinic, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Pittsburg, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Security personnel stand outside a recently opened Planned Parenthood clinic, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Pittsburg, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Anti-abortion protester Deborah Green-Myers, from Pittsburg, Kan., demonstrates outside a recently opened Planned Parenthood clinic, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Pittsburg, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Security personnel stand outside a recently opened Planned Parenthood clinic, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Pittsburg, Kan., that is serving patients from Kansas as well as nearby Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, and other states. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

People drive through downtown Pittsburg, Kan., Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, that is home to a new Planned Parenthood clinic serving patients from Kansas as well as nearby Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, and other states where abortions have become illegal or hard to get. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Security personnel stand outside a recently opened Planned Parenthood clinic, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Pittsburg, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jackson Merrill hit a two-run homer a few hours after finalizing a $135 million, nine-year contract and the San Diego Padres started 7-0 for the first time in their 57-season history by beating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 on Wednesday.

Fernando Tatis Jr. raced home on the back end of a double steal to start the scoring in the four-run third inning for the Padres, whose previous best start was 4-0 in 1984, when they went to their first World Series.

The Padres' hot start includes sweeping playoff teams from last year. Before taking three from the Guardians, the Padres swept a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves in a rematch of their NL Division Series, which San Diego won in two games.

Merrill homered in his second straight game, driving the first pitch he saw from Ben Lively (0-1) onto the party deck atop the right field wall. He began his trot, tossed his bat and gestured with his right arm.

Merrill was an All-Star in 2024 and finished second to Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Skenes in NL Rookie of the Year balloting.

Tatis and Luis Arraez hit consecutive two-out singles in the third. Arraez broke for second and drew a throw from catcher Bo Naylor. Arraez pulled up and second baseman Daniel Schneemann turned and threw home too late to catch Tatis. Arraez advanced on Manny Machado's single and scored on José Ramírez's throwing error. Merrill then homered.

Arraez homered leading off the seventh, his first.

Dylan Cease (1-0) held the Guardians to one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings, struck out seven and walked one.

Robert Suarez pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.

The homer by Merrill, who quickly became a fan favorite last year. He had a bobblehead night Monday and turns 22 on April 19.

Tatis has five stolen bases in seven games. He had 11 last year, when he missed two months with a stress reaction in his right thigh bone.

Guardians RHP Gavin Williams starts Friday night at the Los Angeles Angels. The Padres haven't announced a starter for Friday's game at the Chicago Cubs.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill, center, rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians 307Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Ben Lively works against a San Diego Padres batter during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians 307Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez, right, throws to first too late as San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., left, arrives safely to first for a single during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. safely steals home to score during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill, right, celebrates with teammate Manny Machado after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians 307Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians 307Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill watches his two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians 307Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill watches his two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians 307Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill watches his two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians 307Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)