UPDATE: At Least 8 Children Among 22 Hit by Gunfire at End of Chiefs' Super Bowl Parade; 1 Person Killed
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eight children were among 22 people hit by gunfire in a shooting at the end of Wednesday's parade to celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl win, authorities said, as terrified fans ran for cover and yet another high-profile public event was marred by gun violence. One person was killed. The Kansas City Star reports that the fatality is Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a Johnson County mother of two known throughout the region as a disc jockey at KKFI community radio and co-host of the KKFI radio program "Taste of Tejano."
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves detailed the shooting's toll at a news conference and said three people had been taken into custody. She said she has heard that fans may have been involved in apprehending a suspect but couldn’t immediately confirm that.
“I’m angry at what happened today. The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment.” Graves said. Police did not immediately release any details about the people taken into custody or about a possible motive for the shootings. She said firearms had been recovered, but not what kind of weapons were used.
“There's a lot of work ahead. This is just the beginning stages,” she said. “All of that is being actively investigated.”
It is the latest sports celebration in the U.S. marred by gun violence, following a shooting that injured several people last year in downtown Denver after the Nuggets' NBA championship, and gunfire last year at a parking lot near the Texas Rangers' World Series championship parade.
Social media users posted shocking video of police running through a crowded scene as people hurriedly scrambled for cover and fled. One video showed someone apparently performing chest compressions on a shooting victim as another person, seemingly writhing in pain, lay on the ground nearby. People screamed in the background.
Another video showed two people chase and tackle a person, holding them down until two police officers arrived.
Wednesday’s shooting outside Union Station happened despite more than 800 police officers who were in the building and around the area, including on top of nearby buildings, said Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended with his wife and mother and had to run for cover when gunfire broke out.
“I think that’s something that all of us who are parents, who are just regular people living each day, have to decide what we wish to do about,” Lucas said. “Parades, rallies, schools, movies. It seems like almost nothing is safe.”
Kansas City has long struggled with gun violence, and in 2020 it was among nine cities targeted by the U.S. Justice Department in an effort to crack down on violent crime. In 2023 the city matched a record with 182 homicides, most of which involved guns.
Lucas has joined with mayors across the country in calling for new laws to reduce gun violence, including mandating universal background checks.
Lisa Money, a resident of the city, was trying to gather some confetti near the end of the parade when she heard somebody yell, “Down, down, everybody down!”
At first Money thought somebody might be joking until she saw the SWAT team jumping over the fence.
“I can’t believe it really happened. Who in their right mind would do something like this? This is supposed to be a day of celebration for everybody in the city and the surrounding area. and then you’ve got some idiot that wants to come along and do something like this,” she said.
Kevin Sanders, 53, of Lenexa, Kansas, said he heard what sounded like firecrackers and then people started running. After that initial flurry, calm returned, and he didn’t think much of it. But 10 minutes later, ambulances started showing up.
“It sucks that someone had to ruin the celebration, but we are in a big city,” Sanders said.
University Health (formerly known as Truman Medical Center) spokeswoman Nancy Lewis said the hospital was treating eight gunshot victims. Two were in critical condition and six were in stable condition, she said. The hospital also was treating four people for other injuries resulting from the chaos after the shooting, Lewis said.
Lisa Augustine, spokesperson for Children’s Mercy Kansas City, said the hospital was treating 12 patients from the rally, including 11 children, some of whom suffered gunshot wounds.
St. Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City received one gunshot patient in critical condition and three walk-ins with injuries that were not life-threatening, spokesperson Laurel Gifford said.
“When you have this many casualties, it’s going to get spread out among a lot of hospitals so that you don’t overwhelm any single ER,” she said.
Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said that he was with coach Andy Reid and other coaches and staff members at the time of the shooting, and that the team was on buses and returning to Arrowhead Stadium.
“We are truly saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred outside of Union Station at the conclusion of today's parade and rally," the team said in a statement.
Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson and first lady Teresa Parson were at the parade during the gunfire but were unhurt. “Thanks to the professionalism of our security officers and first responders, Teresa and I and our staff are safe and secure,” Parson said in a statement. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said on social media that she was inside Union Station during the shooting and then was evacuated without incident.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting and will continue to receive updates, a White House spokesperson said. White House officials were in touch with state and local leaders, and federal law enforcement was on the scene supporting their local counterparts.
Areas that had been filled with crowds were empty after the shooting, with police and firefighters standing and talking behind an area restricted by yellow tape.
Throngs had lined the route earlier, with fans climbing trees and street poles or standing on rooftops for a better view. Players rolled through the crowd on double-decker buses, as DJs and drummers heralded their arrival. Owner Clark Hunt was on one of the buses, holding the Lombardi Trophy.
The city and the team each chipped in around $1 million for the event commemorating Travis Kelce, Mahomes and the Chiefs becoming the first team since Tom Brady and the New England Patriots two decades ago to defend their title.
After decades without a championship, the city has gained experience with victory parades. Five seasons ago the Chiefs defeated the 49ers for the team’s first Super Bowl championship in 50 years. That followed the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series in 2015, the city’s first baseball championship in 30 years.
Then last year the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 and prophetically vowed they would be back for more.
(– Additional reporting –)
KKFI DJ Reported Killed in Chiefs Parade Shooting; Multiple Children Injured
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KNS) – Kansas City police now say the shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl victory celebration left one dead and at least 22 injured. The Kansas News Service reports that KKFI radio says one of the station’s DJs, Lisa Lopez, died in the shooting.
Staff at Children’s Mercy hospital say nine of the gunshot victims are children, but they’re expected to make full recoveries.
Shots rang out at the end of the celebration and videos on social media showed people panicked and running. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas called the situation devastating, saying “Someone who wants to disrupt anything, someone who wants to create any type of situation, or someone who is very simply reckless, can change not just one life or two lives, but almost two dozen.”
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves says three people were detained related to the shooting. Graves says no motives are known and she’s asking for people with information about the shooting to come forward.
Kansas City Mayor Reacts to Super Bowl Parade Shooting
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) - Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says he's heartbroken by the fatal shooting that took place following the Super Bowl victory parade at Union Station Wednesday. Lucas was with family members at the event when shots rang out.
"I'm praying for the victims and the families impacted. I'm incredibly upset, disappointed. I was there with my wife. I was there with my mother. We never would have thought that we - along with Chiefs players, hundreds of thousands of people, would be forced to run for our safety," Lucas said.
Kansas City police say one person was killed and nearly two dozen were wounded by gunfire. Three people were taken into custody.
Multiple People Injured as Shots Fired Following Kansas City Victory Parade
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A shooting at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade left one dead and many others injured, while sending terrified fans running for cover.
Fire Department Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins said initially that eight to 10 people were injured but declined further comment, saying only that additional information will be released soon.
Police said in a news release that two people were detained. Fans were urged to exit the area as quickly as possible.
Lisa Money of Kansas City, Kansas, was trying to gather some confetti near the end of the parade when she heard somebody yell “Down, down, everybody down!”
At first Money thought somebody might be joking until she saw the SWAT team jumping over the fence.
“I can’t believe it really happened. Who in their right mind would do something like this? This is supposed to be a day of celebration for everybody in the city and the surrounding area. and then you’ve got some idiot that wants to come along and do something like this,” she said.
Kevin Sanders, 53, of Lenexa, Kansas, said he heard what sounded like firecrackers and then people running. After that initial flurry, calm returned, and he didn’t think much of it. But he said 10 minutes later, ambulances started showing up.
“It sucks that someone had to ruin the celebration, but we are in a big city,” Sanders said.
Lisa Augustine, spokesperson for Children’s Mercy Kansas City, said the hospital “is receiving patients from the rally.” She didn’t know how many or immediately offer any details about their injuries.
The University of Kansas Health System was treating one person wounded in the shooting, said Jill Jensen Chadwick, news director for the health system. She didn’t know the person’s condition.
“When you have this many casualties, it’s going to get spread out among a lot of hospitals so that you don’t overwhelm single ER,” she said.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and the first lady were at the parade when shots were fired but are safe, Parson posted on X.
“State law enforcement personnel are assisting local authorities in response efforts,” Parson posted. “As we wait to learn more, our hearts go out to the victims.”
Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said he was with coach Andy Reid and other coaches and staff members, and the team was on buses and returning to Arrowhead Stadium.
Areas that had been filled with crowds were empty after the shooting, with police and firefighters standing and talking behind an area restricted by yellow tape.
(–Related–)
Chiefs Organization Says All Players, Coaches, and Staffers Safe and Accounted for After Parade Shooting
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs said all their players, coaches and staffers and their families “are safe and accounted for” after a deadly shooting occurred Wednesday at the end of the Super Bowl championship parade.
“We are truly saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred outside of Union Station at the conclusion of today's parade and rally,” the Chiefs said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and all of Kansas City.”
Police said one person was killed and more than 20 were injured in the shooting that occurred at the end of the parade to celebrate the Chiefs' Super Bowl victory.
Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said he was with coach Andy Reid and other coaches and staff members at the time of the shooting. Burkholder said the team was on buses returning to Arrowhead Stadium.
“At this time, we have confirmed that all of our players, coaches, staff and their families are safe and accounted for," the Chiefs said in their statement. "We thank the local law enforcement officers and first responders who were on scene to assist.”
The NFL issued its own statement saying it was “deeply saddened” and adding that its ”thoughts are with the victims and everyone affected.”
Chiefs quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Praying for Kansas City.” He included three emojis of hands in prayer.
Offensive tackle Donovan Smith, defensive tackle Mike Pennel and safety Justin Reid were among the Chiefs players offering similar statements of support on social media.
“My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by today’s incidents — a huge thank you to the first responders who ran towards the sound of danger,” offensive guard Trey Smith posted on X. “You’re the ones who should be celebrated today.”
Defensive end Charles Omenihu called for a change in gun laws.
“Prayers for those affected at today’s parade,” Omenihu said in an X post. “A time of celebration ends in tragedy. When are we going to fix these gun laws? How many more people have to die to say enough is enough? It’s too easy for the wrong people to obtain guns in America and that’s a FACT.”
The parade was a celebration of the Chiefs’ 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers that gave them their second straight Super Bowl title.
“Please join me in prayer for all the victims in this heinous act,” Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill said in an X post. “Pray that doctors & first responders would have steady hands & that all would experience full healing.”
(–Earlier reporting–)
Shooting Injures Multiple People Following Kansas City Chiefs Victory Parade
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A shooting at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade left at least eight injured while sending terrified fans running for cover. Fire Department Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins said eight to 10 people were injured Wednesday but declined further comment, saying only that additional information would be released soon. Police said in a news release that two people were detained. Fans were urged to exit the area as quickly as possible. Officers could be seen rushing toward Union Station, but later announced that they were releasing everyone from outside. KCTV reports that Kansas City Police took two armed people into custody for more investigation. The Kansas City Star reports that it is uncertain how many people were hit by the gunfire. The Kansas News Service reports that Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said on social media that she was inside Union Station during the shooting and then was evacuated without incident. Hospitals confirmed that they were treating patients from the event, but not whether all of those were shooting victims.
Before the shooting took place, downtown Kansas City was a sea of red for Valentine's Day as Chiefs fans celebrated their third Super Bowl title in five seasons with a parade.
Throngs lined the route, with fans climbing trees and street poles, or standing on rooftops for a better view. Owner Clark Hunt was on one of those buses, holding the Lombardi Trophy. Former “Modern Family” star Eric Stonestreet was part of the mob.
“We are stacking up trophies," linebacker Drue Tranquill said as he grabbed a reporter's mic during the festivities to mark the Chiefs’ come-from-behind, 25-22 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Confetti canons exploded from double-decker buses as players rolled through the crowd, DJs and drummers heralding their arrival. Throngs lined the route, with fans climbing trees and street poles, or standing on rooftops for a better view. Owner Clark Hunt was on one of those buses, holding the Lombardi Trophy. Former “Modern Family” star Eric Stonestreet was part of the mob.
“Best fans in the world,” exclaimed wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who caught the winning touchdown pass, as he walked along the route, with the players signing jerseys and at least one person’s head.
“Never stop," running back Isiah Pacheco added from the route.
Key on the minds of many fans was whether pop superstar Taylor Swift would join her boyfriend Travis Kelce for the parade and victory speeches. She has a show in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday night, the first of three scheduled concerts on her Eras Tour.
She was nowhere to be seen early in the parade. Instead, Kelce was joined by his mom, Donna Kelce, the superstar of NFL moms (her oldest son, Jason Kelce, is a center for the Philadelphia Eagles).
Unseasonably warm temperatures in the 60s Fahrenheit had players stripping off shirts. The weather also helped generate a crowd that city officials estimate could top 1 million.
“I missed last year. I said, ‘I’m not missing this year,’” said longtime fan Charles Smith Sr., who flew from his home in Sicklerville, New Jersey, for the parade.
Known by friends as Kansas City Smitty, the 52-year-old first became a Chiefs fan when Christian Okoye played fullback for the team starting in the late 1980s.
“I got a history with this team,” he said, adding that he ran out of his home with a giant flag, screaming “Kansas City," when the Chiefs clinched the victory in overtime.
The city and the team each chipped in around $1 million for the event commemorating Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs becoming the first team since Tom Brady and the New England Patriots two decades ago to defend their title.
Some fans camped overnight and others began to stake out spots before dawn to catch prime viewing spots. Bailey McDermott, 17, and Gracie Gilby, 16, of Lebanon, Missouri, got up at 3 a.m. to make the three-hour drive to the parade. They had a party to watch the game, confetti poppers erupting when the Chiefs won.
“Kind of freaking out at the end,” said Gilby, who wore a sequined Chiefs jerseys with Kelce's No. 87 on it. McDermott also had a sequined jersey, hers bearing Mahomes' No. 15.
Many of the largest school districts in the area canceled classes, and businesses along the parade path are turning the day into a viewing party for their workers. At least 600 Kansas City police officers were stationed along the the 2-mile route, police Chief Stacey Graves said.
Teens and younger kids were everywhere, some tossing footballs, others watching replays of game highlights on giant TV screens.
Among them was Elysseah Buford and her friend, Devaun Burns, who watched the game in between taking orders at McDonald's. “We’re losing. We’re losing,” Buford recalled saying. But Burns scolded her, even as a manager declared that the game was a lost cause: “I said, ’Don’t speak it. Believe it.”
The 18-year-old high school seniors from Raymore joined the festivities with another friend, 17-year-old Mekiyzeion Williams, who dared to ask what would have happened if Hardman missed the TD catch. “Shut up,” Burns said.
After decades without a championship, the city is gaining experience with victory parades. Five seasons ago, the Chiefs defeated the 49ers for the team’s first Super Bowl championship in 50 years. That followed the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series in 2015, the city’s first baseball championship in 30 years. That year, fans abandoned their cars on the side of the highway so they could walk to the celebration.
Then, last year, the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 and prophetically vowed they would be back for more.
One big change this year is that the parade started one hour earlier at 11 a.m. so the crowd will dissipate before the Valentine’s Day dinner crowd shows up.
After the massive cleanup, the team gets ready to try it again.
“It never gets old,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, before joining the celebration.
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Legislation Would Require Patients to List Reasons for Getting an Abortion in Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas abortion patients would be required to list and rank their reasons for getting an abortion if proposed legislation becomes law. The Kansas News Service reports that abortion providers already must report certain demographic data to the state, but Mackenzie Haddix with the anti-abortion group Kansans for Life says the bill would help lawmakers craft future policies.
“In order to truly address the needs of women in Kansas, we need to know the reasons why women are pursuing abortion so we can offer solutions to help them,” she explained.
Abortion rights groups say the bill would force patients to answer invasive and unnecessary questions. They say it could also re-traumatize survivors of sexual assault.
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Kansas Lawmakers Consider Tougher Penalties for Killing Police and Arson K9s
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Kansas legislators are moving to impose tougher prison sentences for harming or killing police dogs, and the measure has bipartisan support. The Kansas House is expected to take a final vote today (WED) on a bill that would allow judges to sentence first-time offenders to five years in prison for killing a K9 or a police horse. The penalty also comes with a $10,000 fine. Killing the dogs is already a felony in Kansas.
The measure is a response to the death of a police dog named Bane, an 8-year-old K9 used by the Sedgwick County sheriff's department. Authorities say a suspect in a domestic violence case took refuge in a storm drain and strangled Bane when a deputy sent the dog in to flush out the suspect.
The bill is sponsored by two prominent Republicans, House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Rep. Stephen Owens, chair of the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee. But it also has the backing of Rep. John Carmichael, the committee's top Democrat.
The federal government and some states already allow longer prison sentences than Kansas.
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Four-Day School Weeks On the Rise in Kansas; Some Test Scores Drop
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – More Kansas schools are switching to four-day school weeks, and their students score lower on some tests. The Kansas News Service reports that new research shows that Kansas students at four-day-a-week schools performed slightly worse than their peers on state assessment tests. They also averaged a point lower on the ACT. Seventy-seven Kansas schools use a four-day week – a 75% increase from a decade ago. Most are in remote parts of the state. State Board of Education member Cathy Hopkins says schools switch to four-day weeks to cut costs and recruit teachers. “Some of them feel like it saved their districts, that they’ve been able to stay, have a school longer. So I think that’s a huge piece when you’re talking very rural Kansas,” she explained. Four-day schedules are on the rise across the region. More than 10% of Missouri public school students attend class only four days a week.
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Kansas Senators Reject Proposal to Cut Public Broadcasting Funds
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas senators have rejected a proposal to cut funding for public broadcasters in the state. The Kansas News Service reports that both Democrats and Republicans on the Kansas Senate’s budget committee voted against a proposed $50,000 cut to funding for public broadcasters. The 10% cut was proposed by Republican Senator Caryn Tyson in response to a documentary on Kansas public television that she called overly political. Committee members who voted against the cut say public radio and tv provide valuable information to people across the state. Republican Senator Carolyn McGinn says she plans to pursue an additional $200,000 for public broadcasters at a later date.
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Legislature Considering Statehouse Memorial for Father Emil Kapaun
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas lawmakers are considering establishing a memorial for Father Emil Kapaun at the Statehouse. The Kansas News Service reports that Kapaun was a Catholic priest from Kansas who served as a chaplain in the U.S. Army. He was captured during the Korean War after refusing to leave wounded soldiers behind. Kapaun provided comfort and spiritual guidance to other prisoners of war for seven months before dying in captivity. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 2013 and is under consideration for sainthood by the Catholic Church. The statue at the Kansas Capitol would be funded through gifts and donations, not public dollars.
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Trial Set for May in Lawsuit over Wichita Police Department Anti-Gang Tactics
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – A trial is scheduled for May 7th in a lawsuit against the City of Wichita for the police department’s use of a gang list.
The Kansas News Service reports that the suit alleges the use of the list targets residents of color. It also says that people are added to the list without being notified. The ACLU of Kansas and Kansas Appleseed were granted class action status to represent the more than 5 thousand people on the gang list. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
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Former KCK Detective Returns to Federal Court in Civil Rights Violation Case
TOPEKA, Kan. (KCUR) – Former Kansas City, Kansas Police Detective Roger Golubski will be back in federal court in Topeka today (WED). He’s accused of violating the civil rights of several Black women by sexually assaulting them for years. KCUR reports that Golubski wants the judge to bar the testimony of seven women from the upcoming trial, claiming that the accusers are just trying to get money from a civil suit. Prosecutors are trying to prove Golubski had a pattern of serial sexual assault and used his badge and authority to coerce women.
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KBI Arrests Burlington Wrestling Coach for Alleged Child Sex Crimes
BURLINGTON, Kan. (KPR) - The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has arrested a wrestling coach for allegedly committing child sex crimes. Tuesday night, KBI agents arrested 31-year-old Michael Vander Linden, of Burlington. He's facing eight counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. Vander Linden is employed as a teacher and wrestling coach at Burlington High School. The KBI has been investigating the case since June of 2022 after a former student reported a sexual relationship with the coach that took place in 2012 and 2013, when she was a sophomore and Vander Linden was a student teacher. That investigation led to a second former student coming forward with similar allegations, saying she was just 15-years-old when she and Vander Linden had sex. After his arrest, Vander Linden was booked into the Coffey County Jail.
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Kansas Legislature Considers Bill to Eliminate Sugary Items from SNAP Benefits
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas lawmakers are considering a bill aimed at preventing people from buying sugary foods with SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps. The Kansas News Service reports that while SNAP is federally funded, the program is operated at the state level. A bill introduced in Kansas would ask the federal government to let the state ban people from buying candy or soft drinks with SNAP benefits. Proponents say food assistance shouldn’t be used on sugary items that can be unhealthy. Critics say education, not restriction, is key to helping people make healthier choices. So far, the federal government has rejected attempts by other states to implement similar restrictions.
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Kansas City Royals Release Plans for New Ballpark
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – The Kansas City Royals plan to build a new ballpark in the Crossroads arts district of downtown Kansas City. The $2 billion project will sit next to Interstate 670 near T-Mobile Center. KCUR reports that the project will take over the lot where the former Kansas City Star printing building resides. The team said the area is ideal because it’s close to existing entertainment districts, like Power and Light. Earl Santee, who works on sports stadiums for the planning firm designing the stadium, said “...the beauty of the Crossroads sites is that we can park all 9,000 people that we need to park, all 9,000 cars, with existing lots. We're not building new parking for this 9,000.” The team said it will invest one billion dollars in private funds. Jackson County, Missouri, voters will decide in April whether to renew an existing sales tax to help fund stadium construction.
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Johnson County Schools Push Back on Attorney General's Policies for Transgender Students
UNDATED (Johnson County Post) – Two of Johnson County’s biggest public school districts are pushing back against pressure from Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach over policies for transgender students. The Johnson County Post reports that in December, Kobach’s office sent letters to a handful of school districts statewide, saying they needed to alter or rescind policies he said violate parental rights. The policies in question, among other things, allow teachers and staff to use students' preferred pronouns at school. Kobach said in a press release last week that some of those districts…including Olathe and Shawnee Mission…had “dug in their heels.” Shawnee Mission Superintendent Michelle Hubbard issued a forceful rebuttal. She said Kobach’s assertions were based on “misinformation” and “incorrect assumptions.” Kobach has so far not threatened legal action against the districts. His office did not respond to the Johnson County Post's requests for comment.
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Kansas Legislature Considers Expansion of Access to STI Treatment
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas lawmakers are considering expanding access to treatment for sexually-transmitted infections. Doctors say it would help combat STI rates that have nearly doubled in the last decade. The Kansas News Service reports that the legislation would allow the sexual partner of someone diagnosed with an STI to get prescription treatment without visiting a doctor. 46 states already allow that. Wichita doctor Patrick Allen says up to 30% of patients he treats are reinfected because their partners don’t get treated. He says his patients are often women who say their male partners refuse to go to the doctor. “Young healthy men often don’t have their own primary care provider, often they don’t have insurance… The man is likely to be asymptomatic and so they may not understand their need for treatment,” he added. The bill’s lone opponent said it would promote promiscuity. The Kansas Board of Healing Arts submitted neutral testimony suggesting the bill be revised to verify partners receive medication counseling.
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Fireworks Year-Round in Kansas? Lawmakers Are Considering It
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansans lawmakers have advanced a plan that would let residents buy fireworks all year long. Current state law only allows retailers to sell fireworks between June 27th and July 5th. The idea behind the bill is to get rid of that state rule and leave it all up to local governments. Cities and counties could still restrict the sale and use of fireworks to specific dates. In 2023, the state brought in about $2.7 million in sales tax from fireworks stands. The House Commerce Committee recommended the bill be passed. It now awaits action in the full House.
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Arrest Made in Theft of Jackie Robinson Statue
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – Wichita police say they have charged a 45-year-old man in connection with the theft of the Jackie Robinson statue from McAdams Park. KMUW reports that Ricky Alderete, who had already been in police custody in connection with a different crime, was charged Monday with several crimes including felony theft. Authorities say they continue to search for more suspects in last month’s incident. The statue was part of the League 42 youth baseball complex. It was found destroyed several days after the theft. Police say the incident was not a hate-motivated crime. They say the thieves planned to sell the statue as scrap metal. League 42 says it intends to erect a new statue. (Read more.)
(–Additional Reporting–)
45-Year-Old Man Arrested in Jackie Robinson Statue Theft: Police Say Crime Was Not Motivated by Race
UNDATED (AP) – A 45-year-old man was arrested in the theft of a bronze Jackie Robinson statue that was cut off at the ankles and found days later smoldering in a trash can in a city park in Kansas, police announced Tuesday. Ricky Alderete was taken into custody earlier this month in a kidnapping case and charged Monday with four counts stemming from the theft and a 2022 case, records show. Wichita police Lt. Aaron Moses said there was no evidence it was a "hate-motivated crime” but rather the intent was to sell the metal for scrap. Wichita police Chief Joe Sullivan said it was “only the first arrest” and that there were more to come. He did not specify how police determined Alderete was a suspect in the theft.
"When you try to take something from this community, it won’t tolerate it,” he said, adding that he was eager to share more details about the investigation after more suspects are in custody.
Messages left with numbers believed to belong to his family members were not immediately returned. His attorney in the public defender’s office didn’t immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Thieves cut the bronze statue from its base last month at a park in Wichita, Kansas. Only the statue’s feet were left at McAdams Park, where about 600 children play in a youth baseball league called League 42. It is named after Robinson’ s uniform number with the Brooklyn Dodgers, with whom he broke the major leagues’ color barrier in 1947.
Fire crews found burned remnants of the statue five days later while responding to a trash can fire at another park about 7 miles (11.27 kilometers) away. A truck believed to be used in the theft previously was found abandoned, and police said the theft of the statue was captured on surveillance video.
Alderete, who is jailed on $150,000 bond, faces charges of felony theft and aggravated criminal damage to property in the statue case. He also was charged Monday with identity theft and making false information in an October 2022 incident involving a pawn ticket, the complaint said.
Police provided no details about the case that led to his arrest. But online court records also show he also is charged with kidnapping and aggravated burglary. The criminal complaint said that he entered a Wichita home on Feb. 1 with the intent to kidnap someone as part of an effort to interfere with law enforcement.
Alderete also has a criminal record that includes burglary and theft, state correction department records show.
Asked how many others might face charges, Moses said three people were seen on the surveillance video. He also noted that the statue was taken to a location where others were present. He said he could offer no further details because it was an active investigation.
Donations poured in after the theft, approaching $300,000, said Bob Lutz, executive director of the Little League nonprofit that commissioned the sculpture. “The power of Jackie Robinson is extremely strong in 2024 and that’s testament to what he stood for,” Lutz said.
Lutz, whose friend, the artist John Parsons, made the statue before his death, said the mold is still viable and anticipated that a replacement can be erected within a matter of months. He estimated it would cost around $50,000 to replace the statue itself, leaving extra money that could be used to enhance some of its programming and facilities. “It’s going to be put to good use,” he said. In April, for instance, the group opened the Leslie Rudd Learning Center, which includes an indoor baseball facility and a learning lab.
Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, paving the way for generations of Black American ballplayers. He’s considered not only a sports legend but also a civil rights icon. Robinson died in 1972.
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Siemens Energy Chooses North Carolina over Hutchinson, Kansas to Build First U.S. Plant for Large Power Transformers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Siemens Energy Inc. plans to create about 560 new jobs in North Carolina by 2028 while choosing Charlotte for its first U.S. plant to manufacture large power transformers designed to help modernize the electric grid, officials announced Tuesday. The German company already has more than 1,250 workers in Charlotte and hundreds more in locations such as Raleigh, Selma and Forsyth County, according to Governor Roy Cooper's office and a document provided by the state Commerce Department. Siemens Energy was choosing between Charlotte and a site in Hutchinson, Kansas to make the investment.
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5-Year Agricultural Census Shows Consolidation, Aging Farmers
UNDATED (HPM) – Farmers in the U.S. are getting older according to new numbers from the national Census of Agriculture, which was released Tuesday. At the same time, the number of farms is decreasing. Harvest Public Media reports that the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts a census of farmers every five years. This new one shows an aging farmer population and continued consolidation of farms. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says this census should be a wake up call. “It need not be that every five years we report fewer farms and less farmland. It doesn't have to be,” he explained. The Secretary called on policymakers in his department and in Congress to find new ways to support small farms.
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Super Bowl Was the Most-Watched Program Ever in the U.S.
UNDATED (AP) - The longest Super Bowl game ever will also go down as the most-watched program in U.S. television history. According to Nielsen, Kansas City’s overtime victory over San Francisco averaged 123.4 million viewers across television and streaming platforms.
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Annual Pancake Race Tradition Between Olney, England and Liberal, Kansas Continues
OLNEY, England (AP) — Women in matching checkered aprons, headscarves and a rainbow of running shoes limbered up Tuesday as they prepared for the centuries-old pancake race in this English country town. They rolled their shoulders in unison, raised up on their toes and did squats before stepping to the starting line — frying pans in hand. At the word “Go” they sprinted through the streets, trying not to drop their pancakes as they roughly traced the path taken by a harried housewife in 1445, who legend has it heard the church bells signaling the Shrove Tuesday service and raced off with her skillet.
The tradition has been repeated over the centuries — not only in Olney but across England and even in the United States, where the Kansas town of Liberal copied the idea and has been trying to outrun their friendly British rivals for 75 years.
This year the U.S. leg won, with Pamela Bolivar, a 19-year-old college student and nursing assistant, crossing the line in a time of 63.03 seconds. It was one of the closest races ever.
The race is held on Shrove Tuesday, the day before the start of Lent, the Christian period of repentance and sacrifice before Easter. Celebrated as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday in other parts of the world, the name Shrove Tuesday derives from the English word meaning to seek forgiveness or be granted absolution.
If a secret recipe behind winning the race exists, it probably would call for a pinch of skill, a dash of athleticism and an extra scoop of whimsy. The competition falls somewhere between the Great British Bake Off and zany local pursuits such as the rough-and-tumble cheese wheel chase down Cooper’s Hill.
Runners must flip the pancake at the start and finish.
The 415-yard sprint itself may be a form of penance ahead of Lent. “It’s a horrible distance,” said Kaisa Larkas, 44, a mother of four who legged it past Eloise Kramer to capture the Olney title. “You just have to go flat out and then hope that you’re not gonna fall over. But it’s good fun.”
Two Kansas sisters who competed in Liberal since they were children traveled to Olney this year to see where it all began. “We’ve been talking about it for a long time,” said Amy Thompson, who painted her nails with British and American flags and, of course, pancakes. “We like those festival odd things and we decided to quit talking about it. It’s the 75th anniversary and...this would be the perfect time to come.”
Olney is a town in Buckinghamshire, and is about 60 miles northwest of London. Liberal is in southwest Kansas, just north of the Oklahoma state line and about 200 miles west of Wichita.
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Travis Kelce Says He Shouldn't Have Bumped Chiefs Coach Andy Reid During the Super Bowl
UNDATED (AP) – Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said he went too far when he bumped into coach Andy Reid and screamed at him during the Super Bowl.
Kelce addressed the situation Wednesday on New Heights, his podcast with his brother, longtime Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
“Big Red, sorry if I caught you with that cheap shot, baby,” Travis Kelce said.
During the second quarter of the game on Sunday, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed a long pass to Mecole Hardman and Reid took Kelce out of the game for the next play. The play resulted in a fumble by Isiah Pacheco that San Francisco recovered. After the play, a fuming Kelce caused Reid to stumble.
After the game, Kelce joked that he was just telling Reid how much he loves him. But the criticism rolled in, so the brothers talked through it on the podcast as they discussed Kansas City's 25-22 overtime win over the 49ers.
“People are all over this, and I mean, I get it,” Travis Kelce said.
“You crossed a line,” Jason Kelce said. “I think we can both agree on that.”
“I can’t get to the point where I’m that fired up that I’m bumping coach and it’s getting him off balance and stuff. When he stumbled, I was like ‘Oh (expletive)’ in my head,” Travis Kelce said.
“Or even, let’s be honest, the yelling in his face, too," Jason Kelce said. "I think there’s better ways to handle this retrospectively.”
“Yeah. I know,” Travis Kelce said. “I’m a passionate guy. I love coach Reid. Coach Reid knows how much I love to play for him, how much I love to be a product of his coaching career.”
Travis Kelce said he and Reid have discussed it and “chuckled” about it.
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