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Headlines for Wednesday, May 22, 2024

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Emily Fisher
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KPR

$5,000 Reward Posted in Double-Murder Case in Southeast Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - A $5,000 reward has been offered for information in an unsolved double-homicide case in Labette County, Kansas. Governor Laura Kelly has issued an executive order offering the reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever was responsible for killing two people in a home in Mound Valley in October of 2022. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Labette County Sheriff's Office have been investigating the murders of 39-year-old Jason Bakken and 43-year-old Leanda Pound, of Mound Valley. Their bodies were discovered by a friend in October of 2022 but investigators believe the murders may have happened up to a month prior to their discovery. Both Bakken and Pound were shot.

Anyone with information - no matter how small the detail might be - is urged to call 1-800-KS-CRIME.

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Abortion Providers Object to New Kansas Law

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS/KMUW) - Kansas abortion providers say a state law set to take effect this summer is unconstitutional. They want to expand an existing lawsuit opposing several Kansas abortion restrictions. The new law will make doctors ask patients why they’re getting an abortion and then report that data to state officials. Officials must publish the data twice a year. Emily Wales, with Planned Parenthood Great Plains, says the law is designed to shame abortion patients. “And those conversations that happen in the exam room are private, they're confidential, they are in no way something that the Legislature should have access to," she said. Abortion providers are trying to add a legal challenge of the new law to their existing lawsuit against other state abortion restrictions. That case is set to go to trial next year. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach says the state will oppose the effort to expand the case. Anti-abortion advocates say the new law will help pro-life groups better assist women with unplanned pregnancies.

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Ascension Hospitals Still Dealing with Ransomware Attack

WICHITA, Kan. (KPR/NPR) - Ascension hospital system, one of the largest in the country, is still dealing with a ransomware attack. Ascension has facilities in Kansas and 18 other states, where it operates 140 hospitals. One of those hospitals is Ascension Via Christi in Wichita, a Level One trauma center, and one of only two in the city. After the cyberattack earlier this month, Ascension had to switch to paper charts, causing delays and frustration. It remains unclear when Ascension's computer systems will be restored.

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Public Universities in Kansas Get Ready for New DEI Law

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Public universities in Kansas are preparing for a new law that bars them from requiring diversity statements. The Kansas News Service reports that Wichita State University is merging its office of diversity and inclusion into another department. In addition, leaders at the University of Kansas in Lawrence recently posted a reminder to employees that job interviews should not include questions about DEI. Teri Hall is WSU’s vice president for student affairs. She says changes to the school’s DEI office aren’t related to the new law, but rather a desire to broaden what diversity means. “What we’re looking at is the breadth and depth of who our students are on our campus, and how do we help them be successful, without just looking at certain identity markers?”, she explained. Wichita State and other colleges are also reviewing current scholarships to make sure they attract an inclusive pool of applicants.

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Advocates Meet in Topeka to Present Clemency Case for Woman Who Murdered Lawrence Man

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Advocates are seeking clemency for Sarah Gonzales-McLinn, a woman convicted in 2014 of killing 52-year-old Hal Sasko, a Lawrence businessman. The woman's supporters say the jury that convicted her was never told about the abuse she suffered at the hands of the man she killed. Clemency advocates are presenting an informational session Wednesday at 6 pm at the Topeka-Shawnee County Public Library.

Advocates also held a public meeting in Lawrence Monday night, where they relayed the story of Sarah Gonzales-McLinn. She was 19 years old when she brutally murdered 52-year-old businessman Hal Sasko in the Lawrence home they shared. But the jury that convicted her wasn’t allowed to hear about how Sasko turned from father figure to sexual predator, or how he used drugs and financial coercion to enslave the troubled teen who had turned to him for help. With that abuse now documented, advocates are seeking public support for the clemency request they’ve submitted to Democratic Governor Laura Kelly. So far, there's been no word from the governor's office on what action - if any - might be taken on the woman's behalf.

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AAA Issues Travel Estimates for Memorial Day Holiday

WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – The American Automobile Association says about 500 thousand Kansans will travel for the Memorial day holiday. The vast majority will drive to their destination. KMUW reports that this represents a small increase from last year, following trends across the U.S. Nationwide, a record number of people will hit the road between Thursday and Monday. Kansas gas prices going into the holiday remain on the lower end compared to the rest the country at around $3.15. AAA says observing speed limits can keep drivers safe over the holiday, and help improve gas mileage.

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Kansas Senator Raises Concerns About Possible Sale of Spirit AeroSystems

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS/KMUW) - Kansas Senator Jerry Moran is raising concerns about the potential sale of Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita to Boeing. Moran is worried about the effect such a sale could have on Spirit's defense contract work. Boeing has reportedly been in talks to acquire Spirit since March. Both companies came under scrutiny in January when a panel on a Boeing airliner blew out in mid-flight. Spirit is Wichita’s largest private employer and one of the largest employers in the state. Primarily, the company focuses on making parts for Boeing’s commercial aircrafts. But it also contracts with some defense suppliers. Moran worries the potential merger could eliminate those defense contracts and affect hundreds of Spirit employees. "The goal is to make sure that in the negotiations with Spirit and Boeing, that that work is not forgotten," he said. Spirit announced last week that it would lay off more than 400 workers due to a slowdown in production.

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NWS: 2 EF1 Tornadoes Hit Central Kansas Sunday

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - A stormy Sunday that featured straight-line winds of 100 miles-per-hour in several areas of Kansas also produced a pair of tornadoes. The National Weather Service has confirmed that tornadoes touched down in Russell and Ellsworth counties Sunday afternoon. KSNT reports that severe storms near Hays tracked east and generally along I-70, producing a few tornadoes along the way.

The first EF1-rated tornado touched down about two miles northwest of Russell and was on the ground for about 10 minutes. It caused minimal damage, mostly to power poles. A second EF1 tornado touched down about five miles northeast of Wilson. This tornado was on the ground for about five minutes.

Harvey County, in south-central Kansas, suffered extensive storm damage Sunday, but meteorologists say the damage in Burrton, Halstead and Newton was caused by severe straight-line winds and not a tornado.

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Tornado Kills at Least One in Iowa as Powerful Storms Tear Across Midwest

GREENFIELD, Iowa (AP/KPR) — An undisclosed number of people were killed when a tornado tore through a small Iowa town and left a wide swath of obliterated homes, crumpled cars and splintered trees. The tornado destroyed much of the town of Greenfield. Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Alex Dinkla says at least a dozen people were injured amid widespread devastation in Greenfield. He and other officials did not immediately say how many people had been killed. Outside the town, massive wind turbines were buckled and twisted to the ground by the twister. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said she planned to visit Greenfield on Wednesday morning.

After devastating Greenfield, a town of 2,000, on Tuesday, the storms moved eastward to pummel parts of Illinois and Wisconsin, knocking out power to tens of thousands of customers in the two states.

The deadly twister that slammed Iowa came amid a historically bad season for tornadoes in the U.S. at a time when climate change is heightening the severity of storms around the world. April had the second highest number of tornadoes on record in the U.S.

Through Tuesday, there have been 27% more tornadoes in the country than average. The preliminary count for this year of 859 is the highest since 2017 and is significantly more than the average of 676 through May 21, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Nearly 700 of the tornadoes have been in April and May.

Iowa has had the most tornadoes this year with 81, followed by Texas with 74 and Kansas and Ohio each with 66.

Greenfield's hospital was among the buildings that were damaged in the town, which meant that at least a dozen people who were hurt had to be taken to facilities elsewhere, according to Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Alex Dinkla. “Sadly we can confirm that there have been fatalities,” Dinkla said at a news conference Tuesday night, without specifying how many. “We’re still counting at this time.”

The tornado destroyed much of Greenfield, which is located about 55 miles southwest of Des Moines, during a day that saw multiple tornadoes, giant hail and heavy rain in several states. The National Weather Service said it received 23 tornado reports Tuesday, with most in Iowa, and one each in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

A tornado also apparently took down several 250-foot wind turbines in southwest Iowa. Some of the turbines caught fire, sending plumes of smoke into the air. Wind farms are built to withstand tornadoes, hurricanes and other powerful winds.

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Drought Setting Up Intense Canadian Wildfire Season

UNDATED (HPM) – Smoke from Canadian wildfires has already had an impact on the Midwest and Great Plains early in the fire season. Harvest Public Media reports that widespread drought is setting up yet another potentially intense wildfire season in Canada. The fire season has already sent smoke south. Dr. Juanita Mora is watching the air quality closely. The Chicago-based immunologist and allergist says last year’s smoke caused problems for her patients adding that she “...saw many cases in which it was their first time, never had an asthma exacerbation, came in with wheezing and respiratory difficulty and shortness of breath.” Mora is also a national spokesperson for the American Lung Association. She says people should keep an eye on air quality with a weather app and stay indoors if pollution is high. That’s especially true for sensitive groups.

Additionally, this Canadian wildfire season has been complicated by some fires that have been smoldering since last year. They’re called “zombie fires,” and the weather continues to set the scene for more fires, according to Christopher Redmond, a meteorologist with Kansas State University and the Kansas Forest Service. “They're in a significant drought. So the weather's been warm and dry, very conducive to fire. And then that in return has led to the fuels with the timber and the grasses, and everything that burns to be able to dry out,” Redmond said. He cautioned that wildfire smoke doesn’t always get low enough to cause breathing issues. But earlier in May, a cold front did push smoke down to the surface. (Read more.)

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Royals Sweep Tigers with 8-3 Win on Thursday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans allowed one hit in six innings and Freddy Fermin drove in three runs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on Wednesday for a series sweep.

Ragans (4-3) struck out a career-best 12 while holding the Tigers hitless until Riley Greene’s two-out single in the sixth.

The Royals opened the scoring in the second on Fermin’s one-out RBI double off the top of the left-centerfield wall. One out later, Garrett Hampson followed with an RBI double for a 2-0 lead.

Nelson Velázquez hit his fourth home run into the leftfield fountains to lead off the fourth.

Kansas City took a 4-0 lead in the fifth on three consecutive one-out singles with Vinnie Pasquantino’s RBI hit scoring Maikel Garcia, who extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

Tarik Skubal (6-1) threw five innings, allowing four runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

The loss snapped Skubal’s 14-game unbeaten streak dating to Aug. 29 last year.

Andy Ibáñez cut the deficit to 4-2 with a two-out, two-run double in the seventh.

Bobby Witt Jr. and Fermin delivered two-run hits in the bottom half of the frame, extending the lead to 8-2.

The Royals won their first series against the Tigers since taking two of three in September 2022. It was Kansas City’s first sweep of Detroit since July 2021.

The Royals have won six straight.

Detroit has lost four straight.

UP NEXT
Royals RHP Seth Lugo (7-1, 1.79) opposes Rays (undecided) on Friday in Tampa.

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KU Takes Control in Ninth Inning to Beat K-State in Big 12 Tournament Opener

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Hunter Cranton struck out two in the ninth inning to help earn his seventh save and No. 7 seed Kansas held off sixth-seeded Kansas State 2-1 on Tuesday in the opening game of the Big 12 Tournament.

Kansas (30-21), which is playing in the tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2017-19, avenged last year's season-ending 7-1 tournament loss to Kansas State to advance to the winner's bracket. Kansas State (31-23) also continues in the double-elimination tournament.

Kansas broke a tie in the ninth when Lenny Ashby sent a fly ball to the wall, resulting in a triple and Collier Cranford hit a sacrifice fly to bring in pinch runner Sam Hunt.

Cranton struck out the first two batters, then got the previously 3-for-3 Kaelen Culpepper to fly out.

Kansas opened the scoring in the fourth when Ben Hartl hit a solo shot to left center for his 11th homer of the season.

Culpepper tied it with an RBI single in the fifth. Culpepper and David Bishop each went 3 for 4.

Kansas starter Evan Shaw allowed only one run and four hits in five innings, while striking out six. Reliever Tegan Cain (1-2) retired the side in order in the eighth to help earn his first win of the season.

Tyson Neighbors (1-2) took the loss for Kansas State.

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Kansas State Stays Alive in Double-Elimination Big 12 Tournament, Beating West Virginia

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Owen Boerema pitched a seven-hitter for the first nine-inning complete game of his career and No. 6 seed Kansas State beat fourth-seeded West Virginia 8-4 in the Big 12 Tournament. Kansas State (32-23) advances to play in another elimination game on Thursday. West Virginia (33-33), which was eliminated, dropped to 0 for 6 over the last three seasons in the tournament. West Virginia put three runs on the board in the first inning, highlighted by Brodie Kresser’s two-run single. But Boerema settled down and only allowing four hits after the first. He finished with 10 strikeouts. The game turned in the fourth when Kansas State scored seven runs on only four hits. Kansas State had 13 batters come to the plate in the inning, six leading to a walk.

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No Assault Charges Against Chiefs Player in Nightclub Case

DALLAS, Texas - A Dallas photographer won't press charges against Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice after an alleged nightclub assault. But it's not the end of Rice's legal troubles. A Dallas police spokesperson confirmed the man signed an affidavit of non-prosecution, but the investigation is ongoing. According to the police report, the photographer left a late-night party at a club downtown. The report says he returned at the request of a man who asked the photographer to look at Instagram messages on his phone. That man - who news outlets confirmed was Rice - allegedly punched the photographer in the face. Rice still faces eight criminal charges and now lawsuits tied to a multivehicle crash on North Central Expressway in March.

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NFL Commissioner Declines to Expand on League's Statement on Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Commissioner Roger Goodell declined Wednesday to expand on the NFL's statement distancing the league from comments made by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a commencement address at a private Catholic college in Kansas.

“We have over 3,000 players,” Goodell said as the NFL concluded its spring meetings. “We have executives around the league that have a diversity of opinions and thoughts just like America does. I think that’s something that we treasure, and that’s part of, I think, ultimately what makes us as a society better.”

The league already said last week in a statement that Butker's comments and "views are not those of the NFL as an organization.”

During his speech May 11 at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, the three-time Super Bowl champion kicker said most of the women receiving degrees “have had the most diabolical lies” told to them about having careers when they were probably more excited about getting married and having children.

Butker, 28, also said his wife embraced “one of the most important titles of all. Homemaker.“

He said some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America.” Butker also referred to a “deadly sin sort of pride that has a month dedicated to it” in an oblique reference to Pride month.

Butker also took aim at President Joe Biden’s policies, including his condemnation of the Supreme Court’s reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and advocacy for abortion rights — a key campaign issue in the 2024 presidential race.

(–Related–)

Chiefs' Mahomes Says Butker Entitled to His Beliefs, Even Though the QB Doesn't Always Agree with Him

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes said Wednesday that while he doesn't agree with all the beliefs espoused by kicker Harrison Butker during a recent commencement address, the Chiefs quarterback nevertheless respects his teammate's right to make them be known.

Butker delivered what has become a polarizing speech May 11 at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, where the three-time Super Bowl champ said most women receiving degrees were probably more excited about getting married and having kids, and that some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America.”

Butker also assailed Pride month, an important time for the LGBTQ+ community, and President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion.

“I've known Harrison for seven years. I judge him by the character he shows every single day,” Mahomes said after one of the Chiefs' voluntary practices in Kansas City, Missouri. “We're not always going to agree, and there are certain things he said that I don't necessarily agree with. But I know the person he is and he's doing what he can to lead people in the right direction.”

Butker's comments were delivered the same week Mahomes offered a toast to the future of women in sports at the TIME100 Gala: “I’d like to raise a glass to a new era in sports, an era when the women’s game is finally getting the attention it deserves.”

“It was pretty bad timing, I guess you would say. I shot that a couple weeks before," Mahomes said of the film spot. “That's what makes this country so great is you're able to get as much knowledge as you can and make your own decisions.”

But, Mahomes admitted, “it gets a little decisive sometimes when you get to social media and outside the (practice) building.”

Earlier in the day, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell declined to expand on the NFL’s statement distancing the league from Butker's comments. The league said that the comments and “views are not those of the NFL as an organization.”

“We have over 3,000 players,” Goodell said as the NFL concluded its spring meetings in Nashville, Tennessee.

“We have executives around the league that have a diversity of opinions and thoughts, just like America does. I think that is something that we treasure, and that’s part of, I think, ultimately what makes us as a society better."

Still, the commencement address from the 28-year-old Butker in which he said that women “have had the most diabolical lies told to you” has become a flashpoint for a number of discussions, including women in the workplace.

“Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world," Butker said. “I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”

Butker said his wife embraced “one of the most important titles of all. Homemaker.“

Butker also criticized as disparaging to the Catholic Church an The Associated Press article highlighting a conservative shift in some parts of the church; he referred to a “deadly sin sort of pride that has a month dedicated to it” in an oblique reference to Pride month; and he took aim at Biden’s policies, including his condemnation of the Supreme Court’s reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and advocacy for abortion rights — a key campaign issue in the 2024 presidential race.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after Wednesday's practice that while he “talks to Harrison all the time,” he didn't believe he needed to discuss the commencement address with his kicker when the team reconvened in Kansas City.

“We're a microcosm of life here,” Reid said. “We're from some different areas. Different religions. Different races. But we get along. We all respect each others' opinions, and not necessarily do we go by those, but we respect everyone to have a voice.”

Mahomes doesn't believe Butker's viewpoints will become a divisive issue in the locker room, either, as the Chiefs embark on their quest for a record-setting third consecutive Super Bowl title.

“There are certain values that some people emphasize more than others. There are certain things I don't necessarily agree with,” Mahomes said. “I know what kind of person he is. I'm going to look at that first.”

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Super Bowl Champion Chiefs Dive into Voluntary Workouts Amid an Offseason Full of Distractions

UNDATED (AP) – Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid is hoping for a much quieter rest of the offseason now that the defending Super Bowl champions have reconvened for a series of voluntary workouts, culminating with their mandatory minicamp in the middle of next month.

Whether it's been the unresolved Dallas car crash involving wide receiver Rashee Rice, the polarizing comments delivered by kicker Harrison Butker or the wild schedule foisted upon Kansas City by the NFL that has it playing every day of the week but Tuesday, there has been no shortage of headlines involving the Chiefs since their title triumph in February.

“Obviously, we don't want those things obviously to happen,” Reid said, primarily alluding to Rice's legal trouble, “but things do happen and you learn from it. And you end it. That is what's important.”

The case involving Rice, one of the breakout stars of last season, has been the biggest headache for Kansas City.

The 24-year-old faces one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury after he was accused of driving at speeds approaching 120 mph before a crash. The wreck in a speeding Lamborghini, which Rice has admitted to driving, involved six vehicles and resulted in multiple injuries.

One of his friends, Theodore Knox, was driving a Corvette involved in the wreck and faces the same charges. Both are accused of leaving the scene without providing information or determining whether anyone needed medical attention.

Earlier this week, Dallas police said a separate situation apparently involving Rice had been resolved when a man signed an affidavit of non-prosecution over an incident at a downtown nightclub. The wide receiver reportedly had been accused of assaulting the man, though Rice was never identified by Dallas police in a report of the incident provided to The Associated Press.

In the meantime, Rice continues to practice with the Chiefs during their voluntary workout program.

“We'll just let the situation play its way out,” Reid said.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was asked what advice he could provide Rice going forward, particularly with a legal case — and likely NFL suspension — hanging over his head and the start of the season less than four months away.

“It's trying to do whatever we can to teach him how to learn from his mistakes,” Mahomes replied. “Obviously, that was a big mistake. Learn from it and make sure it doesn't happen again, and do the best you can to be the best you can be for society and those around you. ... We're going to do what we can to get him on the right path to be a great football player, obviously, but we want him to be a great person, too.”

Mahomes also said that while he doesn't necessarily agree with the comments that Butker made in his recent commencement address at Benedictine College, the Chiefs' star quarterback supports the kicker's right to make them.

Among other things, Butker said most women receiving degrees were probably more excited about getting married and having kids; argued some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America;" referred to a “deadly sin sort of pride that has a month dedicated to it” in an oblique reference to Pride month; and took aim at President Joe Biden’s policies, including his condemnation of the Supreme Court’s reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

“We're not always going to agree,” Mahomes said, “and there are certain things he said that I don't necessarily agree with.”

Mahomes doesn't believe Butker's comments will be a problem in the locker room, though. Nor does he think that Rice's legal trouble will cause any sort of rift as the Chiefs chase their third straight Super Bowl title and fourth in six years.

“When you get in the locker room, it's a safe space where everyone can be themselves,” Mahomes said. "It's always good to have people here — people in Kansas City, competing — and then being as smart as we can when we're not in the building.

“I think guys understand we need to step up as a team and an organization," Mahomes added, “but we need to go out there to prove it for other people to believe it as well.”

The Chiefs would certainly do well to bond quickly. The NFL has presented them with a brutal schedule.

Along with playing on every day of the week but Tuesday — including Christmas for the second year in a row — the Chiefs will be done with their bye after Week 6 and later have a stretch in which they play three games in an 11-day span.

“Our schedule has gotten crazier and crazier every single year. We know we're going to have a lot of primetime games. We've built up a lot of equity to be in those games," Mahomes said, before adding with a wry smile: "I know I'm going to try to be better on Christmas, because last Christmas was not great."

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