Kaw River Cleanup Scheduled
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) — By 2030, volunteers hope to clean up all the sites along the Kansas River that have large amounts of decades-old trash. People used to put tires on the banks of the Kansas River to try to stop erosion. The tires would wash downstream and pile up. It also used to be standard to dump pieces of old bridges into the water when new bridges were built. The Kansas News Service reports that Friends of the Kaw aims to finish clearing trash like this from the river between Junction City and Kansas City in the next six years.
Dawn Buehler, known as the Kansas Riverkeeper, is executive director of Friends of the Kaw, talked about the project, saying “...battery cases. Appliances. Old metal from old bridges. I'm not leaving those to my grandkids. I’m not leaving those to the next generation.” Over the past six years, the group has pulled 30 tons of battery cases and dozens of tons of other items. Volunteers, government agencies and businesses all help.
“We’re the longest prairie-based river in the world," Buehler said. "I want to get to the point where you go down the Kansas River and you appreciate this beautiful, braided sandbar prairie river and don’t see all the trash.”
On Saturday, hundreds of people will help clean-up 15 miles of the Kansas River - picking up litter and hauling trash away. Anyone who wants to help out on land can pick up litter at Kaw Point Park in Kansas City, Kansas, from 9 am to 1 pm.
Every year, Friends of the Kaw works with state and local governments and businesses to remove about 500 tires, 3 tons of battery cases and dozens of tons of other trash from the river between Junction City and Kansas City.
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University CEOs in Kansas Getting 4% to 6% Pay Raises in 2025
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) — All six CEOs at the state universities in Kansas are getting pay raises. After conducting performance reviews with each CEO earlier this year, the Kansas Board of Regents has voted to give pay raises between 4% and 6%. University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod will get a 6% raise, putting his new annual salary at $695,000. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Girod's current salary is almost five times larger than the average professor's salary.
- Dan Shipp, president of Pittsburg State, will also get a 6% raise, putting his new salary at $304,000.
- Richard Linton, president of Kansas State, was given a 4% raise, bringing his new salary to $588,000.
Ken Hush, president of Emporia State, will get a 5% increase, bumping his new salary to $301,000. - Richard Muma, preident of Wichita State, will get a 4% raise, making his new salary $520,000.
- Tisa Mason, president of Fort Hays State, is getting a 4% raise, putting her new salary at $331,000.
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Kansas City Super Fan 'ChiefsAholic' Gets More than 17 Years in Prison for Bank Robbery
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) — A Kansas City Chiefs "super fan" will spend nearly two decades behind bars for his role in a string of bank robberies across multiple states. The Kansas City Star reports that 30-year-old Xaviar Michael Babudar, who is well known for his online personality "ChiefsAholic," was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison without parole in Kansas City federal court Thursday. The judge also ordered him to pay nearly $600,000 in restitution. Babudar used a BB gun in a string of robberies across seven states, during which he stole nearly $850,000. Prosecutors say his robbery spree helped bankroll the purchase of expensive tickets to Chiefs games at home and away.
Babudar pleaded guilty in February to three charges in connection with a string of robberies or attempted robberies of nearly a dozen banks and credit unions in Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Tennessee, Minnesota, Nevada and California.
He was arrested in Oklahoma in December 2022 and was eventually released on bond with a GPS monitoring requirement. He removed the ankle monitor, fled and robbed two more banks before he was tracked to California and re-arrested in July 2023.
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Voters Will Decide this Fall Whether Lawrence Should Change Structure of Local Government
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — Lawrence voters will decide this fall whether they want to choose the city's mayor for themselves. Right now, the position is selected by city commissioners. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that this November, voters will decide whether Lawrence should change its form of government to one where the the mayor is directly elected by the people.
Lawrence currently uses a commission-manager form of government with five elected city commissioners and an appointed city manager. The commissioners are elected at large, meaning they can come from any geographic area of the city, and the commission chooses one of its own members each year to serve as mayor. The proposal on the ballot November 5th would have some key differences from the current structure.
First, the number of commissioners would grow from five to six, and not all of them would be at large. Four of them would represent specific geographic districts that would be drawn up by the city. In addition to the six commissioners, Lawrence voters would directly choose another person for the role of mayor. The mayor would oversee commission meetings, but they wouldn’t vote with the rest of the six-member commission except to break a tie.
Lawrence’s appointed, professional city manager position would stay the same under the proposed changes. The last time Lawrence changed its form of government was more than 70 years ago.
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Kansas Star Casino Evacuated After Suspected Lithium Battery Explosion
MULVANE, Kan. (KWCH) — The Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane was temporarily evacuated Thursday night. Investigators suspect that a lithium battery exploded and started a fire, which triggered overhead sprinklers. KWCH TV reports that a lithium battery - inside a portable radio sitting on an office chair - was the likely source of the fire. Firefighters from Mulvane responded. Damage was limited to some offices and no one was hurt.
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Kansas Officials Preview Improvements to Unemployment System
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas officials recently previewed a new unemployment system that aims to offer a better user experience. The Kansas News Service reports that jobless Kansans will soon be able to file claims with the improved system. Kansas leaders called for an updated unemployment program because of shortfalls with the current decades-old system. A high number of claims during the COVID-19 pandemic strained that system, leading to long response times and delayed payments. Kansas Department of Labor Secretary Amber Shultz says the new structure will be better equipped to handle surges in claims, and offer easier access to users. “We're going to have a virtual agent that can help people walk through their claim process… People are going to be able to do it on their phone or computer, or they can still call in,” she explained. The new system has cost nearly $25 million to implement so far. It is expected to launch in November.
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Black Bear Sightings in Kansas Becoming More Common
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – Black bear sightings in Kansas are more common now than ever since the animals were pushed to regional extinction in the 1800s. Conservation efforts and reintroduction programs have led to black bear populations rising in neighboring states Missouri and northwest Oklahoma. Black bear sightings are most common in southeast and southwest Kansas. Kansas biologist Matt Peek says black bears are creeping into the corners of southern Kansas. “It's not an indication that there's any shortcoming in the habitats that they came from. These young bears move outside of established range, looking for their own home range,” Peek explained. He says staff at the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks are interested to see if some young bears stay in Kansas, and how Kansans can adjust to living alongside them.
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Farm Bill's SNAP Cuts Could Have Far-Reaching Implications
UNDATED (KNS) — Congress has until September 30th to pass a new farm bill. The massive legislation helps stabilize the agriculture industry and supports food programs like SNAP. The Kansas News Service reports that in May, Kansas Democrat Sharice Davids voted against a proposed farm bill that would have decreased SNAP funding. Republican Tracey Mann supported the proposal and its enhanced benefits for farmers. Haley Kottler, a campaign director at the nonprofit Kansas Appleseed, says cutting nutrition programs could have far-reaching consequences. “SNAP is the largest anti-poverty program in America. It's the most effective way that we can eradicate poverty, hardship and hunger,” she explained. About 200,000 people in Kansas help feed themselves and their families with SNAP benefits.
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Harvesters Holds Open House Events for New Distribution Center in Lawrence
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Harvesters, the Kansas City-based community food network, is opening a new distribution center in Lawrence. The organization has completed the renovation and construction of its new facility and will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony next week. Harvesters CEO Stephen Davis, along with Lawrence Mayor Bart Littlejohn and other dignitaries will be on hand for two "invitation-only" open house events next Thursday (September 12).
The Kansas Distribution Center was previously located in Topeka. The new distribution center in Lawrence is located at 1220 Timberedge Road, which formerly housed Reuter Organ Company.
Harvesters is a regional food bank serving 27 counties in northeastern Kansas and northwestern Missouri.
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Food Assistance Still Available for Low-Income Kansas Families
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Low-income Kansas families still have time to apply for a summer food program that offers $120 in grocery assistance. Kansas is one of 37 states that launched the permanent food program this year. It’s available to all Kansas school children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. Families have until September 11th to apply through the Kansas Department for Children and Families website. Haley Kottler, with the advocacy group Kansas Appleseed, says grocery assistance is crucial. “With inflation, we know that families are cash-strapped,” Kottler said, “So, if we can get more in the food budget for them, families are a lot better off.” Kansas Appleseed works to fight poverty across the state. Kansas is one of 37 states that launched the permanent food benefits this year. More than a quarter-million Kansas children could qualify for the program.
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Thieves Posing as Food Delivery Drivers Steal Meals in Kansas City
LENEXA, Kan. (WDAF) — Thieves - posing as food delivery drivers - have been walking into Kansas City area restaurants and making off with other people's orders. WDAF TV reports that one local restaurant owner said thieves -- posing as delivery drivers for DoorDash, Uber Eats and GrubHub -- stole hundreds of dollars of food from all four of his restaurants in the Kansas City metro. The restaurants have implemented new security plans to prevent such thefts going forward.
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Kansas State Fair Begins 10-Day Run Friday in Hutchinson
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KPR/KSNW) — The Kansas State Fair kicks-off Friday, beginning its 10-day run in Hutchinson. Like so many other organizations, the Kansas State Fair has a new mobile app for iPhone and Android devices. Fair-goers can use the app to purchase tickets or find out where to buy a Pronto Pup or a funnel cake. KSNW TV reports that fair officials are hoping to attract 350,000 people this year, which would break pre-COVID attendance records. The fair runs through September 15th.
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Chiefs Escape Ravens with 27-20 Victory
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) — The Kansas City Chiefs survived their season-opening game against the Baltimore Ravens with the help of the NFL replay system as they held on to win, 27-20. On the last play of the game, the ruling on the field was a touchdown catch by Ravens tight Isaiah Likely. But when the reception was reviewed by replay officials, the call was overturned and the game ended favorably for the Chiefs. When Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes saw the play unfold, he thought Kansas City’s lead was in jeopardy. "Definitely nerve-wracking," he said. "It looked good from my angle on the sideline. But in that first view, you saw the cleat." The edge of Likely’s cleat was out of bounds. Mahomes threw for 291 yards and one touchdown. Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy, the first-round pick from Texas, scored two touchdowns, one on the ground and the other through the air. .
Before the game, which was delayed because of thunderstorms in the area, Kansas City honored those caught up in February's Super Bowl Parade shooting. There was a tribute to Lisa Lopez-Galvan, the 43-year-old mother of two and popular Tejano disc jockey who was killed. There was also a moment recognizing all those affected that day, from the 24 people who were injured to the first responders.
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