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Headlines for Tuesday, January 23, 2024

A graphic representation of eight radios of various vintages, underneath the words "Kansas Public Radio News Summary"
Emily DeMarchi
/
KPR

More Fog on the Way Through Thursday

TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - The National Weather Service has issued a Dense Fog Advisory for eastern Kansas, which will go into effect at 6 p.m. and run through noon Wednesday. That comes on the heels of another dense fog advisory that was in effect for much of Tuesday morning. Forecasters say eastern Kansas will have foggy days and nights through Thursday morning. Get the latest from the NWS office in Topeka.

Adverse weather in some parts of northeast Kansas prompted some school districts and universities to cancel or delay classes Tuesday. Click here to see more.

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Kansas Lawmakers Want a Report on Last Year's Police Raid of a Marion County Newspaper

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Dozens of Kansas lawmakers launched an effort Tuesday to direct the state's attorney general to release information from an investigation into a police raid last year on a weekly newspaper, but it wasn't clear that their measure would get a hearing in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Thirty-five Democrats and 10 Republicans in the Kansas House introduced a resolution condemning the Aug. 11 raid of the Marion County Record's offices, the home of its publisher and the home of a city council member in Marion in central Kansas. The resolution would direct Attorney General Kris Kobach to provide a report on whether the investigation found that people's civil rights were violated.

The raid put Marion, a town of about 1,900 residents about 150 miles (241 kilometers) southwest of Kansas City, at the center of a national debate over press freedom. It also focused an intense spotlight on the police chief who led the raid because the paper had been looking into his past.

The 98-year-old mother of Publisher Eric Meyer died the day after the raid, something he attributed to the stress it caused, and within days the local prosecutor declared there wasn't enough evidence to support the raid. Legal experts said it likely violated state or federal law, and then-Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody resigned in early October.

“This is something that happened in Kansas that garnered international attention and concern about the state of our free press in the world and very particularly here in Kansas,” said state Rep. Mary Lynn Poskin, a Kansas City-area Democrat and a leading sponsor of the resolution. “I felt it was really important for the Kansas House to send a strong message.”

The resolution is likely to go to the House Judiciary Committee. Chair Susan Humphries, a Wichita Republican, said she needs to review the measure, adding, “I can't say for sure that I'm going to have a hearing.”

Kobach, an elected Republican, said that if anyone is charged with a crime, information will come out during the legal proceedings.

He said when no one is charged with a crime, "Then our system has a preference for not throwing everything on the table.”

Cody has said he was investigating whether the newspaper and city council member had illegally violated a local business owner's privacy or committed other crimes by obtaining her driving record, which included a past drunken driving offense. Meyer has said the newspaper only verified the information's authenticity, and no criminal charges have been filed.

Kobach oversees the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which took over the investigation into the newspaper and the city council member. Later, Kansas officials asked the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to look into the circumstances surrounding the raid.

Meyer said Tuesday that he'd like to have a formal statement from authorities that the newspaper or its staff is no longer under investigation. He said making information public would be “a first step,” but there are questions about why the raid was necessary and about how search warrants are issued in Kansas.

The lead sponsors of the resolution are Poskin and another Democrat, Rep. Boog Highberger, of Lawrence. Meyer said it could be “the kiss of death” for the measure.

“You know, if a Democrat said the sun is going to rise in the east in the morning, the Republicans would deny it — and vice versa, I might add,” he said.

Several legislators and staffers said the resolution drew criticism from some Republicans for explicitly linking the raid to the death of Meyer's mother, Joan Meyer, the paper's co-owner.

The resolution also declares that the raid undermined "the role of journalism in encouraging engaged, civic-minded, critical thinkers.”

Asked about the resolution, House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said in an emailed statement that it would go through “the normal committee process” — which gives a committee chair wide discretion in what measures to consider.

“Freedom of speech and law and order are two very important considerations here,” Hawkins said.

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Kansas Foster Care Sees Key Improvements, But Still Lags Behind Many States

TOPEKA, Kan.. (KNS) – The Kansas foster care system has seen some improvements in recent years but it still lags behind most of the U.S. in some key areas. The Kansas News Service reports that the rate of kids who enter foster care each year in Kansas is at its lowest in 18 years, but it’s still nearly twice the national rate. The Kansas Department of Children and Families largely credits the improvement to additional funding for prevention services. Those help families with things like mental health and parenting skills. The department says it’s seeking grant funding to further expand those services. It also hopes to reduce how much time children spend in foster care before adoption. Right now, that averages out to nearly three-and-a-half years.

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Another Discrimination Lawsuit Filed Against BPU in KCK

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCUR) - The Board of Public Utilities in Kansas City, Kansas, is facing another lawsuit alleging racial discrimination. KCUR Radio reports this is the tenth such lawsuit against BPU in the past two years. Eric Lindsey has been a carpenter for BPU for the last 12 years. In his federal lawsuit, Lindsey alleges he’s experienced discrimination almost from the day he was hired. Lindsey alleges that his white colleagues would say “yes’em boss” when asked for help. He says BPU’s H-R department has ignored his complaints of abuse and harassment. This is the second discrimination lawsuit filed this month against BPU. In an email, BPU said it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

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Kansas Ag Officials Confirm State's 15th Case of Deadly Bird Flu

TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) - The Kansas Department of Agriculture has confirmed the state's 15th case of avian influenza since December 1st. The Kansas Reflector reports that these 15 cases come amid a national outbreak that began in 2022 and has spread to all but three states. Kansas Ag Secretary Mike Beam says the outbreak in this state has been concentrated at egg-laying facilities in McPherson and Rice counties and at gamebird facilities in Mitchell County. Officials say this round of bird flu appears to be transmitted primarily by wild birds interacting with domestic flocks. In most cases, entire commercial and backyard flocks at an infected location must be euthanized. In testimony before state lawmakers, the ag secretary said a contributing factor in the spread of bird flu is the presence of backyard flocks in which birds are allowed to roam free and more easily come into contact with migratory birds.

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Wichita School District Planning to Close Several Schools

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – The largest school district in Kansas plans to close several schools as it deals with enrollment declines. The Kansas News Service reports that Wichita school officials will close four to seven schools at the end of this academic year to make up for a $42 million budget shortfall. Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld says the district can’t afford to keep operating all of its 90-plus schools. Enrollment is down, which means less state funding. And Wichita faces more than $1 billion in needed repairs and maintenance. “We’re to a point where we’re making choices, you know? We can do anything, but we can’t do everything. And by spreading things so thinly, sometimes we’re creating inefficiencies and being ineffective,” Bielefeld explained. Public schools across the country are facing closures tied to declining enrollment. The Kansas City, Missouri, district voted last year to close or repurpose 10 schools.

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State Tax Credit Available to Kansas Businesses to Help Offset Child Care Costs

UNDATED (KC Beacon) – Kansas businesses can apply for a state tax credit to help offset the costs of child care for its employees. The Kansas City Beacon reports that over a year after the credit passed, businesses are not using it. The tax break goes unused for a few reasons. Some businesses would still struggle to offset child care even if they got money back. But the credit is also just overlooked. A business can get money back by building and operating a child care center or just contracting with a licensed provider. Paula Neth is the President and CEO of the Family Conservancy, a group that’s working with an online toolkit to spread awareness about kickback. “We’re hoping that this toolkit really demystifies that for our employers across the state of Kansas, that they’ll say, ‘Oh, okay, I get it,’” Neth said. Businesses don’t need to build their own child care centers to cash in. Businesses can get thousands back by offering other day care subsidies to workers.

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Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Shows Number of Unionized Workers in Kansas Has Dropped

UNDATED (KCUR) – More workers are part of a union in the U.S. than last year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Tuesday. KCUR reports that the data shows the share of unionized workers in Kansas has stagnated. Only about 10 percent of the U.S. workforce belonged to a union last year. In Kansas, the percentage of employees represented by unions dropped by one percent from 2022 to 2023. The drop is likely because 42 thousand more people joined the workforce last year, many of whom likely are not unionized. Still, support for labor unions is at a decades-long high, with about 67 percent of people approving of unions. In the Kansas City area, the share of unionized workers was also flat, according to Current Population Survey microdata, which has a smaller sample size.

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Non-Profit World Cup Group Seeks Funding from State of Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – The nonprofit preparing the Kansas City region to host World Cup matches in 2026 wants up to $32 million in Kansas state funding. The Kansas News Service reports that KC 2026 says the funding would support marketing, transit and security. Matches will be held at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri, but Kansas will host teams and visitors for practice and more. Katherine Holland, with KC 2026, says the money would help keep the World Cup from overwhelming Kansas communities.

“We can’t shut these communities down for 40 days. We need to make sure that we are providing support to continue with regular host city operations.,” she added. The nonprofit estimates the event will bring about $163 million to the Kansas economy. Kansas Democratic Governor Laura Kelly included about two-thirds of the nonprofit’s request in her 2024 budget proposal. But GOP leadership seems skeptical about providing funds. The 2026 World Cup will be held across 16 cities in North America. It’s the first time World Cup matches will be played in the U.S. since 1994.

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Independent Candidates in Kansas Could Face More Challenges

TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Independent candidates would have a harder time running for statewide office under a bill being considered by Kansas lawmakers. The bill would require independent candidates to collect 25,000 signatures to get on the ballot. That's five times the current requirement. It would also prevent independent candidates from paying to get on the ballot in lieu of signatures. The bill, filed by a Republican, is likely in response to Kansas Senator Dennis Pyle’s independent campaign for governor in 2022. Some Republicans say Pyle helped Democratic Governor Laura Kelly win. But he ultimately received fewer votes than the difference between Kelly and GOP candidate Derek Schmidt.

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KU Obesity Study to Target Parents and Children in Rural Kansas

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KNS) – Parents in rural Kansas who are struggling with their weight may be eligible for free online access to a health coach and more. That’s through a study at the University of Kansas Medical Center aimed at fighting obesity in elementary-school-aged children and their parents. KU professor and researcher Christie Befort has been studying this topic for years. She says she often sees parents who enroll their kids in weight-loss programs struggle with their own weight. She explained, “I just kind of saw in doing that how so many of them didn’t have the confidence for themselves, let alone like, being able to pass that on to their kid.” Befort says this study is taking a different approach to childhood obesity by counseling parents on weight loss first and later adding a family component. The program aims to enroll 240 parent-child pairs.

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Analysis Shows Lowest-Paid Kansas Workers Made Gains in Last 4 Years

WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – A new analysis finds the lowest-paid workers in Kansas saw their wages increase faster in the last four years than the highest-paid workers. KMUW’ reports that an analysis by Stateline shows hospitality workers’ wages in Kansas rose 29% between 2019 and 2023. Meanwhile, the highest paid workers - which includes federal employees - saw wages rise just 17 percent. That’s a result of the state’s labor shortage, says Donna Ginther, a labor economist at the University of Kansas. She says many baby boomers retired when COVID hit, leaving openings in the workforce. "We have a lot of jobs, and they're not being filled…so the only way to attract workers to those jobs was to increase the wages," Ginther added. She also says that a labor shortage can limit the state’s economic growth, but it has also helped decrease wage inequality between the lowest- and highest- wage earners.

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KC Couple Accused of Cashing Dead Man's Retirement Benefits for Six Years

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — An Overland Park couple is charged with fraudulently collecting more than $215,000 in retirement benefits on behalf of a dead relative while they concealed his body inside their home for six years. Authorities say Mike Carroll's pacemaker showed that he died in 2016 at the age of 81, but Overland Park police didn't discover his body until 2022 after his son-in-law, Kirk Ritter, called police to report his death. Prosecutors accuse Mike Carroll's daughter - Lynn Ritter and Lynn's husband Kirk Ritter - with keeping Mike Carroll's body in a mummified state on a bed in the home he owned. Investigators say Lynn and Kirk Ritter continued depositing Carroll's retirement funds and spending money out of his bank account. The couple is due in federal court February 2 where they face several charges.

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County Legislators Override Executive, Ensuring Vote for Potential KC Stadium Funding

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Legislators in Jackson County, Missouri, voted Monday to override the veto of Jackson County Executive Frank White and place the renewal of a sales tax on the April ballot to help fund a new ballpark for the Kansas City Royals. The tax of three-eighth of a cent, which is used under the current lease agreement for stadium upkeep at the Truman Sports Complex, also would help pay for future renovations to Arrowhead Stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs.

As recently as last week, it appeared there would not be enough votes to override the veto. But legislators Jalen Anderson and Sean Smith changed their minds after an outpouring of public pressure, and after continued negotiations with the teams, and the result was a 7-2 vote in favor of advancing the proposal to the April 2 ballot. “I am grateful that so many of my colleagues joined me in voting the overturn,” said Jackson County legislator DaRon McGee, who called White's decision to veto the proposal “tone deaf" by taking away the rights of voters to make their own decisions. White was a five-time All-Star for the Royals and is a member of their Hall of Fame.

“Thanks to overwhelming support from our citizens, including business, labor, nonprofit and other community organizations, we prevailed, and can now proceed to do the important work ahead,” McGee said. “There is much work to do so that the voters are fully informed before the April election. I join my colleagues in saying we are prepared to do that work.”

Legislators initially voted 8-1 to approve ballot language for the tax, but White said in vetoing it that “it’s not a good deal for taxpayers” because it did not provide enough assurance of the franchises’ commitment to the county.

The Royals and Chiefs released a joint statement after White’s veto that said they respected his authority but that “we will continue working with the legislators to ensure that this ordinance is on the ballot.” The teams also ramped up their social and traditional media campaigns for public support, and they had support of many commerce groups and labor unions. “We took an important step forward today,” the teams said in a statement Monday. “We thank Jackson County legislators for their attention and care in this matter. We look forward to continuing to work with them and enabling the voters to decide on extending the longstanding partnership between the county and our teams on April 2.”

The Royals had been weighing competing offers from Jackson County and Clay County, which sits just across the Missouri River, for locations for their new ballpark. They intended to make their decision in September but pushed it back indefinitely, and only in recent weeks have said they plan to build in Jackson County.

They still have not decided on a site, though. The initial plan was to build in an area known as the East Village, but they are also considering a location closer to the Power & Light District, where there are existing shops and restaurants.

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Montgomery County Refinery to Use Soybean Oil to Produce Jet Fuel

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) — A Canadian company intends to build a refinery in southeast Kansas that uses soybean oil to produce renewable jet fuel. Azure Sustainable Fuels hopes to churn out soybean-powered airplane fuel by 2027. The Montgomery County Chronicle reports that the county commission offered incentives for the project including 10 years without property taxes. The paper says Azure’s $900 million project would bring 150 long-term jobs. The county has a new $375 million soybean crushing plant that will start operating this year. Azure would build its refinery next to that plant to source oil for jet fuel.

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Kansas State Women Jump to 4th in AP Top 25

UNDATED (AP) – Kansas State has its best ranking in 21 years after the Wildcats moved up to fourth in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll. The Wildcats, who climbed three spots, were last ranked this high in 2003. South Carolina remains the unanimous choice at No. 1 in the poll, receiving all 35 votes from a national media panel. The Gamecocks cruised to easy wins over Kentucky and Texas A&M. There was some shifting in the top 10, with UCLA moving back up to No. 2 after beating Colorado on the road. The Buffaloes remained in the third spot. Iowa dropped to fifth after falling in overtime to Ohio State.

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UConn, Purdue Remain Atop Jumbled AP Top 25; KU Men Drop to No. 7

UNDATED (AP) – The AP Top 25 had another week of upheaval, with teams bouncing around like kernels in a popcorn maker. The same two teams remain at the top amid the poll turmoil. Reigning national champion Connecticut stayed No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll, receiving 44 first-place votes from a 61-person media panel. No. 2 Purdue had 17 first-place votes. A loss by Kansas jumbled the rest of the top five. No. 3 North Carolina, No. 4 Houston and No. 5 Tennessee all moved up a spot by sweeping two games each last week. Kentucky moved up two spots to No. 6. The Kansas Jayhawks dropped four spots to No. 7 following a 91-85 loss to West Virginia that ended their six-game winning streak in the series.

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Big 12 Faces Another Barrage of Big Games This Week

UNDATED (AP) – The Big 12 can make an argument as college basketball's best conference the past few years, with two national champions in three years and multiple teams making the NCAA Tournament each season.

This season has been no different.

Even with TCU dropping out, the Big 12 led the way in this week's AP Top 25 with seven ranked teams, led by No. 4 Houston and No. 7 Kansas.

“This league is brutal,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said.

Kansas (15-3, 3-2) dropped four spots in this week's poll after a road loss to West Virginia. The Jayhawks bounced back with a five-point win over Cincinnati on Monday night, improving to 102-16 following a loss under Bill Self (since 2003-04)

Next up for Kansas is No. 23 Iowa State on Saturday.

The Cyclones (14-4, 3-2) moved up a spot in this week's AP Top 25 after losing to BYU and beating TCU last week. Iowa State plays at Big 12 co-leader Kansas State on Wednesday before heading to Allen Fieldhouse, where the Jayhawks needed a last-second shot to beat the Cyclones last season.

Houston (16-2, 3-2) bounced back from consecutive losses with lopsided wins over No. 20 Texas Tech and Central Florida last week.

The Cougars face a difficult week with games at No. 21 BYU on Tuesday and at home against Kansas State on Saturday. Houston leads the nation in scoring defense at 51.0 points per game and is sixth in steals at 10.6.

The Cougars' D will certainly be tested in Provo.

BYU (14-4, 2-3) has five players averaging double figures and the nation's 10th scoring offense, putting up 85.3 points per game.

The biggest issue for the Cougars is staying healthy. They've been hit hard by injuries and had to play without senior forward Noah Waterman in a loss No. 25 Texas Tech last Saturday.

Get by BYU, Houston faces a Kansas State team that's tied with No. 20 Texas Tech atop the Big 12 at 4-1.

The Wildcats (14-4) beat Oklahoma State by four on Saturday after outlasting No. 15 Baylor in overtime on Tuesday. Kansas State is 11-1 at home, its only loss to Nebraska last month.

The Red Raiders (15-3, 4-1) bounced back from a lopsided loss to Houston by beating BYU by seven on Saturday. Texas Tech has won 10 of 11 and have matched the 2018-19 Final Four team with a 15-3 record through 18 games.

“I’m so thrilled at the way we competed in the face of adversity because we’re showing that we’ve got a team that I think can win championships,” Texas Tech first-year coach Grant McCasland said.“I told them that yesterday: we’re in this league to win it.”

The Red Raiders have one game this week and it's a tough one: at No. 11 Oklahoma on Saturday.

The Sooners (15-3, 3-2 Big 12) rallied from consecutive losses to beat West Virginia and Cincinnati last week. Oklahoma faces a big test of its own on Tuesday, when it hosts rival Texas. The Sooners are 11-0 at home.

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Led by Chiefs-Bills Thriller, NFL Divisional Round Averages Record 40 Million Viewers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Last weekend's four NFL divisional round playoff games averaged 40.0 million viewers on television and digital platforms, the highest on record dating back to 1988.

The viewer average is a 7% increase over last year and a 5% jump from two years ago.

Sunday night's game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills on CBS averaged a divisional round record 50.39 million viewers, according to Nielsen. The previous mark was 48.52 million for the Jan. 15, 2017, game between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers on Fox.

It was the most-watched program on any network since last year's Super Bowl. At one point during the fourth quarter, the Chiefs 27-24 victory was averaging 56.25 million.

Saturday night's contest between the Packers and San Francisco 49ers averaged 37.5 million, the most-watched Saturday telecast on any network since the 1994 Winter Olympics on CBS. The 49ers 24-21 comeback victory peaked at 40.9 million late in the fourth quarter.

The Detroit Lions 31-23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon was the most-watched divisional round game on NBC since the 1993 season, averaging 40.4 million. It peaked at 49.1 million viewers as the Bucs mounted a final drive late in the fourth quarter.

The Houston Texans-Baltimore Ravens game, which kicked off the weekend Saturday afternoon, drew 31.77 million on ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, making it the most-watched ESPN game since it started doing games in 1987. The audience for the Ravens' 34-10 victory peaked at 36.2 million during the third quarter.

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The Chiefs' Winning Formula: Surround Their Immense Star Power with Draft Steals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs had not even made it through two plays against Buffalo in the divisional round of the playoffs when Mike Edwards, already playing in place of injured safety Bryan Cook, clashed helmets with Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs and had to leave their game with a concussion.

With the entire game still to go, and Bills quarterback Josh Allen on the other side, the Chiefs should have been concerned.

But in the latest example of how they've struck gold on Day 3 of the NFL draft, fourth-round pick Chamarri Conner took Edwards' place and the league's second-ranked defense never missed a beat. Kansas City held the Bills to 24 points — the 18th time in 19 games limiting an opponent to that many or fewer — and hung on for the 27-24 victory Sunday night.

“Chamarri did a heck of a job,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said this week. “He's been working in nickel and dime situations, but to come in and have that extended time in there, and make the plays he made — he sure did a nice job in there.”

The Chiefs, who now head to Baltimore on Sunday for their sixth consecutive AFC championship game, will always be known for their star power. They have the NFL's reigning MVP, and arguably the face of the entire league, in quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce has become just as omnipresent not only for his talent but his pop superstar girlfriend.

Throw in All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones and there is no shortage of big names carrying the Chiefs deep into the playoffs.

But it takes more than a handful of high-priced stars to win in the NFL. The salary cap demands it. So the teams that are able to hit on late-round draft picks and undrafted free agents, and surround their stars with talented players on relatively paltry rookie contracts, are the ones that are best positioned to make a run at the Super Bowl.

The Chiefs quietly have done that as well as anyone.

In this past year's draft, their Day 2 picks of Rashee Rice and Wanya Morris have been crucial to winning their eighth straight AFC West title. Rice was second among rookie wide receivers in receptions and yards receiving, giving defenses a reason to pay attention to someone other than Kelce, and Morris has appeared in 14 games on the offensive line due to injuries.

Throw in Conner and that's quite a late-round draft haul.

It goes beyond this past year, though. In the previous draft, the Chiefs landed Joshua Williams in the fourth round and fellow cornerback Jaylen Watson and starting running back Isiah Pacheco in the seventh. Tight end Noah Gray and stalwart right guard Trey Smith were Day 3 picks in 2021, and cornerback L'Jarius Sneed and defensive Mike Danna the year before that.

Not a bad job by Chiefs general manager Brett Veach, who was largely responsible for picking Mahomes seven years ago.

“I'm a big Brett Veach fan,” Reid said. “I told him after the game Sunday, that's on him. This game is him. It's a reflection of all the time and effort his guys have put in. That's sort of what it comes down to. They've given us good football players to coach.”

There is a lot that goes into making those draft steals work.

First and foremost, scouting must be on point, and the Chiefs have a group of scouts that is the envy of the league. They've been able to unearth overlooked talent while also identifying players that fit well in their offensive and defensive schemes.

There's the coaching, of course, and the credentials of Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo can be put against anybody. And then there's the locker room, in this case led by Mahomes and Kelce, that breeds confidence in young players that they can contribute in a significant way no matter where they played college ball or when they were drafted.

“If somebody is getting drafted lower and assuming the whole NFL world is accurate — that he’s a lower-round pick — and that player becomes something we didn’t think, somebody is doing something right,” Spagnuolo said. “I’m talking about the coaching and the development, so our assistant coaches I think are doing a great job. But it began with Brett Veach and his staff.”

Remember, the Chiefs continually reach the AFC title game, so each draft they are picking near the end of every round.

“The great thing about Brett," Spagnuolo said, "is that he is always communicating with us on: ‘What do you need? What fits for you? What kind of characteristics are you looking for?’ And it’s been like that from the beginning. That’s why I think he’s one of the best in the business, because the collaboration with players is terrific.”

The result of all that work is what happened Sunday night in Buffalo. Another injury to an important player could have derailed the Kansas City defense, but a fourth-round pick seamlessly stepped into a full-time role and helped them win anyway.

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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers. Our headlines generally post by 10 am weekdays and are updated through 7 pm. This ad-free news summary is made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.