Overnight Storms Knock Out Power to Thousands of Kansans
ST. MARYS (KSNT) — As of 8:30 am, about 3,500 customers of Evergy remained without power after powerful thunderstorms rolled across eastern Kansas overnight. KSNT reports that electricity was knocked out to the entire town of St. Marys and it could take a day or more to restore power to everyone. Crews from Evergy continue working to restore power to all affected customers. More showers and storms are expected across eastern Kansas Thursday.
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U.S. Representative Jake LaTurner Won't Seek Re-Election
UNDATED (KNS) – Two-term Republican Congressman Jake LaTurner of Kansas says he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. The Kansas News Service reports that the announcement creates an open seat to represent the Republican-leaning district of eastern Kansas. LaTurner was first elected to the 2nd Congressional District of Kansas in 2020. He was re-elected in 2022 with 57% of the vote. He had previously served as the Kansas Treasurer and in the Kansas Legislature. But LaTurner, who is 36, says he wants to spend more time with his four young children and will not seek another term. The now-open seat will likely attract many Republican candidates. (Read more.)
(– Additional reporting –)
Kansas GOP Congressman Jake LaTurner Is Not Running Again, Citing Family Reasons
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two-term Republican U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner is not running for reelection this year in his GOP-leaning eastern Kansas district so that he can spend more time with his four young children, he announced Thursday.
LaTurner is among nearly two dozen Republicans in the U.S. House who are not running again or seeking another office.
“The unrepeatable season of life we are in, where our kids are still young and at home, is something I want to be more present for,” LaTurner said.
LaTurner's announcement leaves Republicans with no declared candidates in a district he likely would have had little trouble winning again. While the district includes Democratic strongholds in the state capital of Topeka and northern Kansas City, they're offset by rural areas that heavily favored former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020.
LaTurner, 36, has put on hold what seemed a promising long-term political career, saying also that he wouldn't seek any office in 2026. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is term-limited and Republicans had mentioned LaTurner as a possible candidate for the job that year.
He worked for U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins when he won a state Senate seat in 2012 at age 24, and he became Kansas' youngest-ever state treasurer at 29 when then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback appointed him to fill a vacancy.
LaTurner's statement mentioned “the current dysfunction on Capitol Hill,” with the narrow Republican majority in the House and a threat from the hard-right to topple Speaker Mike Johnson, but he also said he's optimistic about the nation's future. Instead, he said, serving in Congress has taken a toll on him, his wife, Suzanne, and their children.
“I am hopeful that in another season of life, with new experiences and perspectives, I can contribute in some small way and advocate for the issues I care most about,” his statement Thursday said.
While Republicans have represented the 2nd District in 27 of the past 30 years, Democrats have waged aggressive campaigns since Jenkins decided not to seek reelection in 2018. One Democrat, former teacher Eli Woody IV, has filed to run in November.
In the 2020 primary, LaTurner handily defeated Republican Steve Watkins and won the November election by almost 15 percentage points. In 2022, LaTurner won his general election race by a slightly wider margin.
In June 2022, the congressman beefed up security at his home and Topeka office out of concern for his family's safety after a man left a threatening voicemail after hours that said, “I will kill you.”
The man, Chase Neill, is now serving a sentence of nearly four years in prison after being convicted in federal court of one count of threating a U.S. official. LaTurner testified at the trial, and Neill, representing himself, cross-examined him personally.
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Governor Kelly Says She's Not Involved in Efforts to Relocate Kansas City Chiefs
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas Democratic Governor Laura Kelly says she’s not involved in an effort to get the Kansas City Chiefs to relocate to Kansas. That effort surfaced after voters in Jackson County, Missouri rejected the renewal of a sales tax that supports the team. The Kansas News Service reports that the sales tax would have helped fund renovations at Arrowhead Stadium. Instead, it will now end in 2031 when the Chiefs’ lease expires. Some politicians say that gives Kansas a chance to lure the team across state lines to build a new stadium. But Kelly says the state doesn’t have the money to do so. “We claim them as our team, but we are fine – recognize that it’s probably in their best interest to stay where they are,” she explained. Chiefs President Mark Donovan says he hopes to extend the partnership between the team and Jackson County. (Read more.)
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Kansas Police Lieutenant Accused of Child Sex Crimes
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Kan. (KPR) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has arrested a southeast Kansas police officer for child sex crimes. KBI agents took 55-year-old David Justice, of Baxter Springs, into custody Wednesday morning. Justice is charged with aggravated indecent liberties with a child, indecent solicitation and promoting obscenity to a minor. Justice served as a Lieutenant with the Columbus Police Department but has been on unpaid administrative leave since February 2023, when allegations against him were first reported.
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Young Boy Critically Injured in Kansas City Shooting
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — A boy under the age of 10 has been critically injured in a shooting in Kansas City. KMBC TV reports that the shooting happened last (WED) night around 33rd and Bales. Police believe the boy was caught in the crossfire. He was found lying on the sidewalk in the area where shots were fired. No suspects are in custody.
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Kansas Woman Indicted for Making Threats Against U.S. Presidents
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — A Kansas woman has been indicted for making threats against President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton. A grand jury returned the indictment Wednesday against Lori Davis, of Park City, who allegedly threatened to kill both presidents. The Kansas Reflector reports that Davis is accused of posting a series of threats to social media and leaving threatening voice messages. Davis faces up to five years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines if convicted. The Secret Service is investigating the case.
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Light Pole Installation in Missouri Hits Fiber Line, Knocks out 911 Service in Several States
UNDATED (AP) – Workers installing a light pole in Missouri cut into a fiber line, knocking out 911 service for emergency agencies in Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota, an official with the company that operates the line said Thursday.
Problems with 911 calls in a Texas city along the U.S. border with Mexico were unrelated, officials said, but the widespread outage created concerns about what was causing the problems.
For most agencies, it turned out to be the result of simple human error.
In Kansas City, Missouri, workers installing a light pole for another company Wednesday cut into a Lumen Technologies fiber line, Lumen global issues director Mark Molzen said in an email to The Associated Press. Service was restored within 2 1/2 hours, he said. There were no reports of 911 outages in Kansas City.
Meanwhile, the difficulties some cellphone callers experienced making 911 calls in in Del Rio, Texas, were apparently because of an outage involving a cellular carrier, not the city's 911 system, city spokesman Peter Ojeda said. Lumen is not a 911 service provider for Texas.
Federal officials were looking into the outage.
“When you call 911 in an emergency, it is vital that call goes through. The FCC has already begun investigating the 911 multi-state outages that occurred last night to get to the bottom of the cause and impact," Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement.
The outages created confusion for some people trying to reach emergency agencies.
The Dundy County Sheriff’s Office in Nebraska warned in a social media post Wednesday night that 911 callers would receive a busy signal and urged people to instead call the administrative phone line. About three hours later, officials said mobile and landline 911 services had been restored.
In Douglas County, home to Omaha and more than a quarter of Nebraska's residents, officials first learned there was a problem when calls from certain cellphone companies showed up in a system that maps calls but didn't go through over the phone. Operators started calling back anyone whose call didn't go through, and officials reached out to Lumen, which confirmed the outage. Service was restored by 4 a.m.
Kyle Kramer, the technical manager for Douglas County's 911 Center, said the outage highlights the potential problems of having so many calls go over the same network.
“As things become more interconnected in our modern world, whether you’re on a wireless device or a landline now, those are no longer going over the traditional old copper phone wires that may have different paths in different areas,” Kramer said. “Large networks usually have some aggregation point, and those aggregation points can be a high risk.”
Kramer said this incident and the two previous 911 outages he has seen in the past year in Omaha make him concerned that communications companies aren't building enough redundancy into their networks.
“I would hope that all of the telcos would put as much effort as possible into making sure they do diversify as much as they can to try and avoid this,” Kramer said.
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety said in a statement on social media Wednesday night that the 911 service interruption occurred throughout the state. The agency noted that texting to 911 was working in most locations and people could still reach local law enforcement through non-emergency lines. Less than two hours later, service was restored.
Officials in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said during a news conference Thursday that the outage was unprecedented.
“To our knowledge, we have never experienced an outage of this magnitude or duration,” Assistant Fire Chief Mike Gramlick said.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department 911 Communications also warned Wednesday evening of an outage affecting 911 and non-emergency calls in a social media post. Calls from landlines were not working, but officials said they could see the numbers of those who called from cellphones.
“Dial on a mobile device, and we will be able to see your number and will call you back right away,” the department posted.
About two hours later, it said service was restored and everyone who called during the outage had received assistance.
Roger Entner, an analyst with Recon Analytics, said the depth of buried fiber lines varies greatly. In some places, often in neighborhoods, that can be just a few inches, while elsewhere they can be much deeper.
Entner said he was surprised by the outage because it is common to have “redundant lines,” meaning that if one is damaged, a backup will continue to carry the service.
Brian Fontes, CEO of the National Emergency Number Association, said the outage highlights the importance of congressional funding to update critical telecommunications services.
The threat to connectivity is exacerbated in the current environment “where specialized 9-1-1 trunks and selective routers create single points of failure,” Fontes said in a statement. He urged Congress to fund an upgraded system to better withstand disasters and cyberattacks.
In Del Rio, a city of 35,000, police said Wednesday that “an outage with a major cellular carrier” was to blame for the issues. Del Rio had the opposite problem of Las Vegas — 911 calls from some cellphones didn’t work, so those needing help were urged to use a landlines or another cell carrier.
The outages, ironically, occurred in the midst of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
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KU Secures Federal Grant to Support Legal Aid for Military Veterans
UNDATED (KNS) – The University of Kansas has received a $1.6 million federal grant to provide legal assistance to military veterans. The Kansas News Service reports that the program will help veterans with matters like disability benefits claims. The grant will be used to launch a new veterans clinic at the University of Kansas law school. The clinic will staff legal professionals and KU law students. Stephen Mazza of the KU School of Law says the clinic can also provide veterans with legal services that are outside of their military status. “If they happen to be experiencing landlord-tenant issues, we can assist them with those,” he explained. U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas, helped secure the funding for the program. Mazza says he aims to launch the clinic in 2025.
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Kansas Board of Regents Approves Policy Change on DEI Policies at Universities
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — The board that oversees public colleges in Kansas will no longer allow schools to require support for diversity, equity and inclusion. The Kansas News Service reports that the Kansas Board of Regents has approved a policy change that bars universities from requiring DEI pledges from anyone seeking a job or promotion. The change comes after Kansas lawmakers approved a bill that would put the same policy into state law. Supporters say DEI statements amount to left-wing ideology. Regents chairman Jon Rolph says the state's universities already don’t require DEI pledges, and the policy change makes it official. “This shows that we were serious about that change in practice, and so communications I’ve had across the street have been in that spirit of why we’re looking at this today,” he said. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has until Friday to act on the bill, which she vetoed last year.
(–Additional reporting–)
Kansas Board of Regents Adopts Anti-DEI Policy After Pressure from GOP Legislators
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State universities in Kansas are banned from requiring prospective students, potential hires and staffers seeking promotion to disclose their views on diversity initiatives under a policy change approved Wednesday by the state's higher education board in response to pressure from the Republican-controlled Legislature.
The Kansas Board of Regents revised policy language that currently emphasizes “multiculturism and diversity” on campus by adding language barring universities from requiring statements “pledging allegiance to, support for or opposition to” diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in applications for admission, hiring or promotion — without setting any penalties for violations. Board members voiced no opposition during a meeting livestreamed from Fort Hays State University in western Kansas.
Regents Chairman Jon Rolph called the change “our good faith effort in trying to listen to the Legislature” and said discussions about it began last summer. “It’s not something central to our practices around wanting student success and trying to fulfill our promises to people when we invite them onto our campuses,” said Rolph, CEO of a Wichita-based company operating more than 150 restaurants.
The board's action came with Democratic Governor Laura Kelly facing similar pressure to sign the same policy into law. Lawmakers approved a bill with the same restrictions that also would allow a fine of up to $10,000 for a violation.
Separately, the next state budget approved by lawmakers includes provisions that withhold nearly $36 million from the state universities unless they publicly confirm that they don't have such requirements. Kelly has until Friday to act on the bill and until April 25 to act on the budget provisions. “I don’t think we ever would have had a state law if this was their policy at the outset,” Republican state Sen. J.R. Claeys, the author of the budget provisions, said ahead of Wednesday's board discussion.
Republicans in at least 20 states have sought to limit DEI initiatives, arguing that they are discriminatory and enforce a liberal political orthodoxy. Alabama and Utah enacted new anti-DEI laws this year, and a ban enacted in Texas last year has led to more than 100 job cuts on University of Texas campuses.
North Carolina's governing board for 17 universities, including the University of North Carolina's flagship Chapel Hill campus, could put the jobs of DEI staff on a path toward elimination through a similar policy change next month.
Claeys, who is also an adviser to GOP Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, another DEI critic, said a new regents policy is a positive step because it ensures that all of the universities are following the same guidelines. But, he added, “I wouldn’t expect them to enact any enforcement on themselves.”
Others say that such policies reflect “a gross misrepresentation” of the purpose behind DEI statements from applicants. The American Psychological Association defines diversity, equity and inclusion as a framework to guide “fair treatment and full participation of all people,” especially those in minority groups. “The intended purpose is to provide an opportunity for prospective employees to reflect on their experiences and how those experiences complement the mission and values of an institution to support a diverse campus community,” said Paulette Granberry Russell, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Educations, in an email statement.
It's unclear how widespread required DEI-related statements on applications are. GOP lawmakers have said they are responding to complaints and applications they’d seen online, but Rolph said Wednesday that the practice was mostly abandoned over the past year.
Granberry Russell said she was unaware of any university expecting students, job applicants or employees to actually “pledge allegiance to diversity.”
A legislative audit released in February said that just 1.6% of spending by Kansas’ six state universities — $45 million — went to DEI initiatives but noted that each university defined DEI differently. Besides initiatives traditionally seen as DEI, such as training and recruiting, resources included food pantries for poor students and services for military veterans and disabled students.
Kelly told reporters after a Tuesday event that she has not had time to review the anti-DEI bill. While the bill specifically mentions diversity, equity and inclusion, it also says universities cannot require a statement about “any political ideology or movement.”
Last year, Kelly used her power under the state constitution to veto individual budget provisions to scuttle anti-DEI provisions in the current budget, and GOP lawmakers did not have the two-thirds majorities necessary in both chambers to override her actions.
But Kelly also signed legislation last year that bars Kansas officials from using environmental, social and governance factors in investing public funds or deciding who receives government contracts. "Sometimes those bills, you know, they really don’t do much, and the universities can continue to function the way they need to function,” Kelly said Tuesday. “So, I need to figure out or look at how impactful that will be.”
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Low-Income Kansans Wait to Learn If Internet Discount Bill Will Be Allowed to Expire
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Thousands of Kansans could see their internet bill go up if Congress fails to extend a pandemic-era program by the end of April. The Kansas News Service reports that the program gives a discount of up to $30 per month on internet service to lower income households. More than 130,000 Kansas households are set to lose that discount when the program expires at the end of the month. Jade Piros de Carvalho leads the Kansas Office of Rural Broadband Development. She says people need affordable internet access to participate in the economy, especially in rural areas. “People can’t apply for a job without a broadband connection. They can’t work from home; they don’t have remote work opportunities,” she explained. Piros de Carvalho says there’s widespread support in Congress to renew the program but House leaders have not yet allowed a vote.
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Federal Official Urges Wichita to Establish Interagency Housing Council
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – A federal official working on homelessness initiatives encouraged Wichita officials to set up a statewide interagency council on housing.
Tamara Wright is the senior regional advisor with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, which brings together federal agencies to reduce homelessness nationwide. KMUW reports that Wright spoke Wednesday at Wichita's housing conference. She also met with Mayor Lily Wu, Sedgwick County Commissioner Ryan Baty and state representatives earlier this week, where they discussed the potential for a statewide housing task force. "I offered my assistance to do that if they were interested in building an infrastructure for coordinating that response. And this would really help with youth homelessness and with people that are exiting institutions, making sure they're not exiting to a homeless situation," Wright said. She says states like Arizona have their own councils, which bring together local and state governments and nonprofits.
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Kansas River Cleanup Part of Earth Day Activities
LAWRENCE, Kan. (Lawrence Times) — A group called the Friends of the Kaw has been trying to keep the Kansas River clean for the past 10 years and this Saturday, the group will host yet another cleanup. The Lawrence Times reports that Dawn Buehler, the executive director of the Friends of the Kaw, says the cleanup will take place from 9 am to 1 pm Saturday at North Second Street and Locust Avenue in North Lawrence, as part of Earth Day activities. The Lawrence Earth Day Fair will be held after the Kansas River cleanup, from 1 to 4 pm Saturday afternoon at South Park.
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Bond Denied for 4 Defendants in the Killing of 2 Southwest Kansas Women
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma judge ordered public defenders to represent four members of an anti-government group who appeared in court Wednesday on charges of kidnapping and killing two Kansas women. The judge also entered not-guilty pleas and denied bail for Tifany Adams, 54, and her boyfriend, Tad Cullum, 43, both of Keyes, Oklahoma, as well as Cole and Cora Twombly of Texhoma, Oklahoma.
Texas County Associate District Judge Clark Jett assigned the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System to represent all four defendants, OIDS Executive Director Tim Laughlin told The Associated Press. Laughlin declined to comment about any details of the case or the defendants, citing his agency's policy. “The reason we don’t comment is to protect our client’s privileges and our client’s interest throughout the trial process,” Laughlin said.
All four are charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy in the killing of 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley of Hugoton, Kansas, who disappeared on March 30, 2024, while driving to Oklahoma to pick up Butler's children and attend a birthday party.
During an interview with investigators, Adams, the children's grandmother, admitted she was responsible for the deaths of Butler and Kelley, according to a prosecutor's motion for the defendants to be held without bond. “Adams, Cullum, Cora and Cole have resources sufficient to organize and execute a complex murder,” OSBI Lt. Amie Gates wrote in an affidavit. “Therefore, they also have the resources to flee if given the opportunity.” Adams and Cullum also own numerous firearms, and Cullum had a rifle, ammunition, body armor and a “go-bag” prepared at his home, the affidavit says.
Authorities say Adams and Butler were in the middle of a bitter custody battle. Kelley, a pastor's wife, went along with Butler as a court-approved observer to supervise the visit. They never showed up for the party, setting off a two week search that ended with the two couples' arrests on Saturday and the discovery of the bodies on Sunday.
Arrest affidavits painted a gruesome picture of the scene where the women's car was found, not far from the rural highway intersection where Butler had arranged to pick up her son and daughter from Adams. Investigators found blood on the road and Butler’s glasses near a broken hammer.
According to a witness who spoke to Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents, all four suspects were part of “an anti-government group that had a religious affiliation." The affidavits said they called themselves “God’s Misfits” and held regular meetings at the home of the Twomblys and another couple who Adams said watched the children the day the women disappeared.
Relatives of Tad Cullum and the Twomblys have not returned phone messages seeking comment. Tifany Adams’ stepmother, Elise Adams, said she had no information to share.
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Former Kansas Prosecutor Surrenders Law License
UNDATED (KCUR) — A Kansas prosecutor accused of several ethical breaches has surrendered her law license and will be disbarred. KCUR reports that Terra Morehead has agreed to turn over her law license as part of an agreement with a Kansas disciplinary board. Court filings say she will soon be disbarred by the Kansas Supreme Court. In the 1990s, Morehead was the Wyandotte County prosecutor who helped former Kansas City, Kansas Police Detective Roger Golubski frame Lamonte McIntyre, an innocent man who spent 23 years in prison. While in the U.S. Attorney’s office in Kansas, she was accused of threatening witnesses and concealing evidence. Morehead retired from the U.S. Attorney’s office last August.
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KC Chiefs Tight-End Travis Kelce to Host 'Are You Smarter than a Celebrity?'
UNDATED (AP) — Travis Kelce is bulking up his resume off the football field. The Kansas City Chief tight-end has been named the host of "Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?" for Prime Video, the streaming service confirmed Tuesday. It's a twist on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" Filming on the 20-episode season is already completed. On Kelce's show, an adult contestant will be given 11 5th grade-level questions to answer - and they can get assistance from a classroom of celebrities. The final question from a 6th grade-curriculum is worth $100,000. In a statement, Kelce said he is excited about the opportunity.
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KU Jayhawks Add AJ Storr After He Led Wisconsin Men's Hoops in Scoring This Season
UNDATED (AP) – AJ Storr is transferring to Kansas after leading Wisconsin in scoring this past season.
Storr said Thursday in a social media post that he was making this decision “with great excitement and humility.” Later Thursday, Kansas announced the additions of Storr and former South Dakota State guard Zeke Mayo.
“Joining the Jayhawks is a dream realized, and I’m incredibly honored for this opportunity to be a part of the tradition and culture of Kansas Basketball,” Storr said in his post.
It was a busy day for transfer news involving Wisconsin, as Badgers point guard Chucky Hepburn announced on social media that he also was entering the portal. Tennessee announced the signing of Hofstra transfer guard Darlinstone Dubar.
Storr, who is 6-foot-7, averaged 16.8 points and 3.9 rebounds for Wisconsin this past season while helping the Badgers go 22-14. Wisconsin earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but lost 72-61 to James Madison in the opening round.
Mayo already had announced on social media two weeks ago that he committed to Kansas. He was the Summit League's player of the year this past season, as he averaged 18.8 points and helped South Dakota State earn the conference's automatic NCAA bid. The Jackrabbits fell 82-65 to Iowa State in the opening round of the tournament.
Kansas will be Storr’s third school in as many seasons. Storr began his college career at St. John’s, where he averaged 8.8 points during the 2022-23 season.
While Storr was only at Wisconsin for one year, Hepburn had been a three-year starter for the Badgers. As a freshman, he helped Wisconsin clinch a share of the 2022 Big Ten regular-season title by banking in a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left in a 70-67 victory over Purdue.
Hepburn averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals this past season. He scored 12.2 points per game during the 2022-23 season and 7.9 points per game in 2021-22.
“As I embark on this new chapter and enter the transfer portal, please know that my decision is not a reflection of anything lacking at Wisconsin,” Hepburn said in an Instagram post announcing his decision while thanking Wisconsin's players, coaches and fans. "Rather, it is an opportunity for me to explore new possibilities and continue my journey in pursuit of my dreams.
“Thank you, Wisconsin, for everything you have given me. I will carry the lessons and memories from my time here with me wherever I go, and I will always be proud to have been a Badger.”
Duke forward TJ Power also announced he was entering the transfer portal. Power, the nation's No. 20 recruit in his high school class according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports, averaged 2.1 points and 6.7 minutes in 26 games at Duke this past season.
The 6-8, 211-pound Dubar spent the past three seasons at Hofstra after starting his college career with one season at Iowa State. He has scored 1,359 points and grabbed 580 rebounds in four seasons averaging 11.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He is a 52.3% shooter and hits 38.1% from outside the arc.
The native of Charlotte, North Carolina, just posted his best season in averaging 17.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
“Darlinstone brings toughness and a strong work ethic, both of which will mesh well with the players already in our locker room,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said.
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With Rice's Status Uncertain, Chiefs Could Be Forced to Pick a Wide Receiver Early in NFL Draft
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs general manager Brett Veach tends to stick with the well-worn mantra of taking the “best player available” when the NFL draft rolls around.
However he also is willing to acknowledge that sometimes specific needs might make that a challenge.
There are couple of very specific needs as Kansas City prepares to make its selections beginning April 25.
The Chiefs won their second consecutive Super Bowl, and third in five years, despite a wide receiver group that struggled with drops, poor productivity and seldom provided a big play. In fact, the Chiefs had to swing a midseason trade with the Jets to bring back Mecole Hardman, who is hardly a No. 1 option, just to give their wide receiver group some depth.
The Chiefs thought they had begun to address the deficiency when they signed “Hollywood” Brown in free agency, pairing the injury-prone speedster with Rashee Rice, a breakout star a year ago. But Rice is facing felony charges in connection with a chain-reaction traffic crash in Texas, and nobody quite knows how much — or if at all — he will be able to play this upcoming season.
So, wide receiver is back to being the biggest need in the draft for Kansas City.
"I think much like any position, we're always looking to get better," Veach said. “We put a high priority on the depth in our roster, so we’ll attack that much like we do all positions and try to get the very best players we can.”
Given the Chiefs are due to pick last in the first round, it helps their cause that wide receiver is among the deepest positions in the draft. Three are expected to go in the top 10 and six or more could go before the first night has concluded.
The other priority for Kansas City is left tackle, where Donovan Smith hit free agency and the position largely remains vacant.
Wanya Morris was shaky when he got opportunities to play as a rookie, and he may need more seasoning before he is tasked with protecting Patrick Mahomes' blind side. Lucas Niang is another option, but he has struggled to stay healthy.
Other positions where the Chiefs could add some depth including running back, tight end and defensive back.
“Every team’s process is a little bit different and unique. We have ours and there’s always a chance to refine and tune things,” Veach said. “Again, I think in this league because of such a long season — I’m talking a 20-game season, it’s a marathon, you have to attack every position with a mindset of having that depth because it’s not a matter of if, but when, players go down.”
WHAT THEY NEED
Wide receiver and left tackle are not the only needs. The Chiefs also could use more help at running back, even after bringing back Clyde Edwards-Helaire on a prove-it deal, and perhaps another tight end to groom for post-Travis Kelce life.
WHAT THEY DON'T
The Chiefs chose to keep one of the league's best defenses intact, re-signing All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones to a mammoth deal along with five other regulars. So after drafting heavily on defense the past few years, the Chiefs are largely good on that entire side of the ball, though they might take a late flier on a pass rusher or defensive back. PICK ’EM The Chiefs have the final pick in each round after winning their second straight Super Bowl and third in five years, so unless they make a trade, their initial selection will be No. 32 overall. They have late picks in each of the rounds except for the fifth, where a trade with Dallas last year moved them up and they also have a compensatory selection.
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