Kansas Sends Emergency Crews to Assist Recovery Hurricane Efforts in Florida
TOPEKA, Kan. (JC Post) - The state of Kansas has sent emergency rescue teams to Florida to assist in rescue and recovery operations after parts of that state were impacted by Hurricane Helene. The Kansas Department of Emergency Management says the state sent a swift water search and rescue team to help out in the Big Bend region of northern Florida. The Junction City Post reports that teams left departed from Olathe and Wichita this week. The Kansas Division of Emergency Management received the request from Florida and the task force was sent as part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a multi-state, mutual aid agreement that facilitates interstate assistance in response and recovery operations during a disaster.
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Topeka City Council Considers New Restrictions on Homeless Camping
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – City leaders in Topeka are set to vote on changes to the city’s camping ordinance that would expand restrictions on where camping is permitted and likely impact people dealing with homelessness. KSNT TV reports that a proposal before the city council would prohibit camps within 500 feet of any public infrastructure. The current limit is 300 feet. The suggested changes also include expanding the definition of “public infrastructure” to include government buildings and facilities related to public utilities, and some other areas. The council is scheduled to vote on the changes at its meeting on October 8th.
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Schools Work to Strengthen Safety After Spate of Threats
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – The threats of school violence that put districts around the Kansas City region on alert earlier this month have tapered off. KCUR reports that schools are now thinking about what else they can do to keep kids safe. John Calvert is the head school safety specialist for the Kansas Department of Education. He said the state has seen an uptick in social media threats. Kansas requires schools to conduct at least three crisis drills every year to ensure they have response plans and training for staff and students. "It's hard to say after tragedies, is that our schools really are the safest place our kids are going to be that day. But it doesn't mean that we take these threats lightly. It doesn't mean we take these incidents lightly," Calvert said. Calvert encouraged residents to report threats, but asked them not to re-share the posts on social media.
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Kansas Public Defenders Seek More Funding
UNDATED (KNS) – Public defenders in Kansas say they’re underpaid and overwhelmed. The Kansas News Service reports that those lawyers are now turning to the governor’s office for more funding. It’s a common phrase on crime shows: "If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.” But TV often does not show how under-resourced public defenders are. The Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services is requesting an $11 million boost to help keep public defenders from quitting for more lucrative jobs. Executive Director Heather Cessna says Kansas has a constitutional and ethical obligation to properly represent someone who’s facing jail time. “You know that old adage that they say that budgets are you know, not just budgets. They're your priorities. It shows what your values are,” she explained. Cessna says that funding is needed to lower the likelihood of wrongful convictions.
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New Kansas Law Calls for State IT Systems Overhaul
UNDATED (KNS) – Kansas lawmakers want to beef up the state’s online security of sensitive information. The Kansas News Service reports that a new state law calls for overhauling the state’s information technology systems and cybersecurity protocols. The law lays out plans to consolidate the state’s cybersecurity systems into a centralized structure by mid-2027. The law also requires standardized security policies for all state agencies. Republican Representative Blake Carpenter helped craft the new law. He says modern warfare includes cyber attacks and the state needs to protect Kansas residents. “If we don’t start taking the necessary steps now, our citizens could end up feeling it if we do end up in a conflict,” Carpenter added. He says efforts to bolster the state’s online systems increased after foreign cyber criminals hacked the Kansas judicial branch last year.
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Two Teens Accused in Killing of Popular Kansas City Chef to Remain in Custody
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Two teenagers charged in connection with the shooting death of a popular Kansas City, Missouri chef will remain in custody for now. KCTV reports that both suspects attended a hearing at the Jackson County Courthouse Wednesday morning. One of the teenage suspects is referred to as KH in court because he is 15 years old and legally considered a juvenile. A judge scheduled a December 4 certification hearing to determine whether he will be tried as an adult. The second teenager, referred to as LM, is charged with second-degree murder. He is also under the age of 18. The same judge scheduled a December 18 hearing to determine whether LM will be tried as an adult. The two teenagers are accused of shooting and killing 44-year-old Shaun Brady last month in the parking lot of his restaurant, Brady’s & Fox.
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KBI Investigates Discovery of Skeletal Remains in Wilson County
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is working with the Neodesha Police Department and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office after skeletal remains were found in a rural area. KSNW reports that local police requested help from the KBI Wednesday after locating the remains in a pasture east of Neodesha. Investigators confirmed the remains were human. An autopsy is scheduled but the KBI says positive identification may take longer than usual due to the condition of the remains. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME.
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Kansas Department of Education Launches Program to Connect Schools with Fresh, Local Food
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) - Even though rural Kansas has direct access to agriculture, many schools lack access to fresh, local food. A program from the Kansas Department of Education is aimed at changing that. School district leaders in southwest Kansas recently toured local farms and say they plan to work toward building connections with farmers who can supply meat, fruits and vegetables.
Despite being a farm state, Kansas imports 95% of its produce. And schools are no exception. Eryn Davis, the Farm to Plate program coordinator, says local sourcing provides healthy food and has economic benefits. “Keeping our dollars here by purchasing from Kansas producers is a big push for local foods as well,” Davis says. Farmers need wholesale markets to sell their goods, and school districts could use their fresh produce to increase access for fresh food for school kids.
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Wabaunsee Sheriff’s Office Locates Kidnapping Suspect with Victim
ALMA, Kan. (KSNT) – The Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office announced early Friday morning that it has located a 12-year-old kidnapping victim in a suspect’s vehicle. The Sheriff’s Office says it found a suspect vehicle on I-70 westbound near Paxico. KSNT TV reports that the suspect had allegedly kidnapped a child without permission from the mother from Warsaw, Missouri. The child was unharmed and taken into police protective custody. The 36-year-old suspect was arrested and is currently confined under warrants from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
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Near-Death Incidents Reported at Kansas Foster Care Office
TOPEKA, Kan. (The Beacon) - More troubling reports about the Kansas foster care system. This year, emergency crews rushed to a Topeka foster care facility two times to save the lives of children. The Beacon reports that poor supervision at foster care offices has become a problem. One child took muscle relaxants and was overdosing. Another child found glass and cut their arms and neck. The incidents happened at a KVC Kansas office in Topeka in May and June. Foster care agencies can’t comment on individual cases, so it's difficult to know how often employees at the private agency checked on the children in their care or how many staff members were watching them.
Linda Bass, with KVC Kansas, told lawmakers that the state needs to invest more in prevention services to keep kids out of offices. “Maybe there is still a perception out there that we have three, four, five (and) eight-year-olds in the office. We do not," she said. "We have teens that have come into care because their parents were overwhelmed.” The state doesn’t publicly report when kids nearly die in state care, so it remains unclear how often this happens.
But lawmakers, like state Senator Molly Baumgardner, say they want to know more about incidents where kids in foster care are in danger. "All we ask is when something occurs that is out of the ordinary, include that in the report," she said. "Historically, this committee has learned what is really going on from our foster kids when we get a phone call from the reporter.”
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Major Presidential Disaster Declaration Approved for Kansas Following Summer Storms
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - President Joe Biden has granted Governor Laura Kelly’s request for a federal disaster declaration following summer storm damage in 14 Kansas counties. Severe storms, including tornadoes and flooding, hit parts of the state in late June and early July (June 26 to July 7).
The presidential declaration allows state and local levels of government to apply for federal funds for the repair or replacement of infrastructure damaged by the disaster. Certain private nonprofit organizations that provide essential services, such as rural electric cooperatives, can also apply for the federal funding.
Counties covered by the disaster declaration include Chase, Clark, Comanche, Doniphan, Finney, Geary, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Meade, Scott, Thomas and Wabaunsee.
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KU Announces Plans to Consolidate Diversity Offices
UNDATED (KNS) – The University of Kansas told students this month that it’s consolidating some diversity offices into one new Center for Student Engagement. The Kansas News Service reports that the move follows a new state law that bars universities from requiring diversity statements in hiring or admissions. So far both KU and Wichita State University have also merged some diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, offices. KU junior Monty Coash-Johnson says the change makes it hard for students from diverse backgrounds to have their own spaces on campus. “This is overcompliance. It is essentially saying that KU is scared, so we’re going to work ahead to try and deplete everything with DEI,” he added. Public universities across the country are scaling back diversity programs as states threaten to withhold funding from schools that support DEI efforts.
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City of Topeka Giving Away Free Computers to Qualifying Area Residents
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Qualifying area residents could receive a free computer as part of the city of Topeka's digital equity initiative. The TSC–Get Digital initiative is working to connect Topeka neighbors. WIBW reports that Topeka and Shawnee County residents who are between the ages of 18 and 59 years old and reside in the areas of Auburn, Dover, Rossville, Silver Lake, Tecumseh, Topeka, or Wakarusa could be eligible. To qualify, a person must also receive SNAP benefits, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, be part of the Veterans Pension Benefit Program, or have a household income that is less than 200% of federal poverty guidelines. Those interested in receiving a computer must pre-qualify by calling 785-368-3098 by September 27. The computers will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Number of Tourists Visiting Kansas Grows Past Pre-Pandemic Levels
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – The number of tourists in Kansas and how much they spent grew past pre-pandemic numbers last year, according to a new report. KMUW reports that the state had about 38 million visitors in 2023, up 4% from the prior year. That's also more than the number of visitors the state got in 2019, the year before the pandemic hit and tourism numbers crashed. Brigette Jobe is the director of Kansas Tourism. She said last year, major events like music festivals and concerts started returning to Kansas -- and Missouri. "I do know people who came to the Taylor Swift concert and stayed in hotels on the Kansas side. We know the Taylor Swift Effect is real, and holding those major events in the state or close by do affect us," she added. Visitor spending in Kansas reached $8 billion dollars last year, almost 5% more than 2022.
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Riley County Authorities Investigate Scam Involving Impersonation of a Police Officer
MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) - Riley County authorities are investigating a scam involving a person impersonating a police officer. WIBW reports that Riley County police learned of the incident, which allegedly occurred in the 1000 block of S. Seth Child Road, on Tuesday afternoon. Officials said a 38-year-old man listed as the victim in the case reportedly withdrew money from his bank and deposited it into a CoinStar machine in a scam that involved an unknown person posing as a lieutenant from the Riley County Police Department. Additional details weren’t immediately available. Anyone with information can call Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers at 785-539-7777.
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Nitrate Concentrations Exceeded Safe Drinking Standards for May and June in Many Corn Belt Waterways
UNDATED (HPM) – Nitrate concentrations exceeded safe drinking water standards in many rivers and streams across the Corn Belt during much of May and June. Harvest Public Media reports that decades of data reveal it’s part of a pattern. Nitrate loads in waterways tend to drop during drought years and spike shortly after. The U.S. Geological Survey collects a lot of this data. Steve Kalkhoff, a hydrologist with the USGS, says that they “...do see that, you know, in the last three years, concentrations and loads were substantially less...but then again, in 2024 when we've had higher flow, you know, more normal rainfall, the concentrations have increased again.” When it rains after a dry period, accumulated nitrates from farm fertilizer and soil microbes wash into streams, rivers and lakes. Experts say certain conservation practices, like cover crops, prairie strips and saturated buffers help keep nutrients in fields.
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