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Headlines for Wednesday, August 14, 2024

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

Heat Advisory in Effect for Eastern Kansas Through 7 PM

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - A Heat Advisory remains in effect for eastern Kansas until 7 pm. The National Weather Service says heat index values could reach up to 107 degrees. Hot temperatures and high humidity could cause heat cramps, heat exhaustion and even heat stroke. Experts say people working outside should stay hydrated and take frequent breaks in the shade.

The weather service says eastern Kansas has a 50% to 70% chance of showers and storms tonight (WED), mainly after 10 pm. Heavy rainfall is possible.

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Felony Charge Filed Against Former Police Chief Who Led Raid on Kansas Newspaper

UNDATED (KNS) – A felony charge has officially been filed against a former local police chief who led a 2023 raid on the Marion County Record newspaper. The Kansas News Service reports that Gideon Cody, former police chief for Marion, Kansas, faces one felony count of interfering with the judicial process. The complaint document says Cody quote, “knowingly or intentionally” persuaded a witness to withhold information from authorities sometime between the August 11th, 2023 raid and August 17th. The complaint doesn’t give specifics about Cody’s conduct. A report released last week by the special prosecutors assigned to the case cleared Marion County Record staff of any crimes.

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Former Kansas Lawmaker's Fraud Convictions Upheld in Federal Court

WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – A federal appeals court has upheld the fraud convictions of former Kansas lawmaker Michael Capps. KMUW reports that the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday against Capps. He had argued that the judge in the original case erred by not re-reading jury instructions at the trial’s close. Capps served in the Kansas House from 2018 until 2021. He was convicted on 12 counts of fraudulently obtaining COVID relief funds for his businesses. He faces 27 months in prison. Capps also faces a civil suit for his role in producing a false attack ad aimed at Brandon Whipple during the 2019 Wichita mayoral campaign.

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Crash Kills 2, Seriously Injures 7 others in East Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A double-fatality crash in Kansas City also sent seven people to the hospital, including four children. Police say the crash happened shortly after 5 pm on Kansas City's east side. KCTV reports that two men involved in the crash died at the scene. Seven others were seriously injured and hospitalized, including four children. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the crash.

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Teenager Electrocuted at Central Kansas Airport; Another Man Injured  

GREAT BEND, Kan. (Wichita Eagle) - A Wichita teenager has died after being electrocuted while working at an airport in central Kansas. The victim has been identified as 16-year-old Ivan Joel Mollins. A second person, 24-year-old Allistar Jose Sanchez, also from Wichita, was hospitalized. The Barton County Sheriff’s Office says the incident happened Tuesday morning when a roofing company was working on a hangar at the Great Bend airport. The Wichita Eagle reports that Mollins and Sanchez had been in a bucket on an aerial boom when they touched high-voltage power lines.

Both men were taken to the Great Bend Regional Hospital where Mollins died. Sanchez, who received serious burns, was flown to a Wichita-area hospital.

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Fewer Students than Expected Enroll in Johnson County Schools

UNDATED (The Beacon) – This is the first year that students can freely open enroll in other school districts under a new Kansas law. The Beacon reports that fewer students arrived in Johnson County than expected. The Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission and Olathe school districts only accepted a few dozen applicants each. The districts enroll between 20 thousand and 30 thousand total students. The Beacon reported that Blue Valley had 86 openings, but only 48 applicants. Shawnee Mission opened more than a thousand spots but only accepted 38 students. Education advocates said families may not have applied because they’d have to provide their own transportation.

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KC Church Vandalized, Desecrated

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Police say someone vandalized and desecrated a church in Kansas City. KCTV reports that vandals damaged the prayer garden and beheaded a statue of the Virgin Mary at Saint Anthony Catholic Church on Benton Boulevard. Members of the parish think the vandalism took place early Sunday morning. Parishioners plan to repair the damage and restore the prayer garden.

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Wichita Schools Propose New Student Code of Conduct

WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – The Wichita school district has rolled out a proposed student code of conduct that would guide discipline measures at schools. The Kansas News Service reports that the 16-page draft document is in response to a U.S. Justice Department report released in July. It found that Wichita schools discriminated against students based on race and disability. The proposed code of conduct puts student violations into three categories and lists possible consequences. Vince Evans with the Wichita district says the goal is to be consistent with discipline. “This is more of a step-by-step guide that’s going to give us a common set of rules and guidance across the district for how to handle these types of situations,” he added. Wichita is gathering feedback on the code of conduct and plans to submit it to the Justice Department for review in October. (Read more.)

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Low-Income Kansans Go into Debt Because of Unpaid Traffic Tickets and Interest

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - When a low-income driver in Kansas fails to pay a traffic ticket on time, municipal courts can send that debt to collection agencies and add interest on top - turning the ticket into thousands of dollars of debt. Critics argue that adding additional fees and interest on unpaid traffic fines is unfair to low-income drivers. And it may not even be legal under Kansas law. (Read more.)

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Serial Killer Book - One of Two Selected to Represent Kansas

UNDATED (KPR) — Each year, the National Center for the Book comes up with a list of books representing each state. For Kansas... the book chosen involved a re-telling of the infamous Bender family of Labette County. Susan Jonusas is the author of "Hell's Half-Acre: The Untold Story of the Benders, a Serial Killer Family on the American Frontier." KPR's Kaye McIntyre spoke to her about her book involving the "Bloody Benders." (Learn more.)

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