Johnson County Doctor Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation Charges
UNDATED (KNS) – A Johnson County pediatric neurologist accused of sexually exploiting children could face up to 30 years in federal prison. The Kansas News Service reports that the doctor pleaded guilty in federal court this week. 50-year-old Brian Aalbers pleaded guilty to 13 counts of attempting to produce child sexual abuse material and one count for possessing it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office accuses Aalbers of secretly filming 13 children between 2020 and 2023. Court documents say Aalbers coerced his victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Aalbers previously worked at Overland Park Regional Hospital, but investigators say there is no evidence that any of his victims were patients. Details about the victims are sealed. Sentencing is scheduled for February.
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Spirit AeroSystems Announces Plans to Furlough Hundreds
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – Spirit AeroSystems says it will furlough about 700 employees this month due to the ongoing Boeing strike in Seattle. KMUW reports that Spirit says the three-week furloughs will begin October 28th. They will include white- and blue-collar employees who work on the 767 and 777 programs. Because of the strike at Boeing, Spirit cannot ship the fuselages it manufactures to the Seattle area. Spirit says it does not have room to store the excess parts. Spirit officials say if the Boeing strike continues past Thanksgiving, more furloughs or layoffs are possible. Spirit is the city's largest employer with about 13 thousand workers.
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Officials Caution Farmers over Wildfire Risks During Harvest
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – Climatologists say warmer, drier Kansas weather has led to the expansion of wildfire season, and harvest time can be especially risky. The Kansas Forest Service has been asking farmers to pause their harvests this week. The Kansas News Service reports that harvest machinery can cause sparks, and right now, thanks to a wet summer and dry fall, there is plenty of fire fuel around Kansas. Kansas State University meteorologists say it has been over 25 days since the state experienced substantial rain. And wind speeds have been consistently reaching 60 miles per hour in western Kansas, making perfect conditions for a fast spreading wildfire. Most corn and soybean harvests are nearing the finish line, giving many farmers the option to pause harvests.
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Review Board: Kansas Needs More Affordable Child Care to Lower Risks for Children
UNDATED (KNS) – A state review board says Kansas needs more affordable and high quality child care to lower risks of neglect and abuse. The Kansas News Service reports that advocates say state lawmakers need to help cover the cost of expensive child care.
The state board noted in its annual report on child deaths that Kansas needs to increase access to child care. But the report did not recommend how to produce it. John Wilson of Kansas Action for Children says the state should take steps to make it more affordable, like increasing financial aid for programs. He says another option is providing tax relief to parents, adding that “...a child tax credit that could certainly help pay for child care, but also basic needs.” Wilson also recommends streamlining state services for early childhood support to make access easier for families.
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Experts: Naloxone Can Help Prevent Overdose Deaths Among Children
UNDATED (KNS) – Experts say Kansas parents and teens can help prevent rising drug overdose deaths among children by carrying naloxone, a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. A recent state report shows overdose deaths among children in Kansas rose significantly from 2018 to 2022. The increase was driven by teens unknowingly consuming fentanyl. Professor Ty Schepis of Texas State University studies adolescent drug use, and told the Kansas News Service that teens who carry naloxone could save a friend who overdoses at a social venue or a party. “You could be called into a situation where someone overdoses away from home and having the ability to intervene can be life-saving,” he said. State officials also recommend parents advise their children that medications not prescribed by a doctor are not safe to use.
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Medical Marijuana Hearing Leaves Many Unanswered Questions for Kansas Legislators
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas lawmakers still have unanswered questions after an all-day hearing on medical marijuana this week. The Kansas News Service reports that legislators asked to hear from schools and banks about their perspective on legalizing the drug. They also asked about how other states test and track it. Republican Representative Steve Howe asked to hear from growers in other states, saying “...there’s a lot of uncertainty and maybe a lot of risk out there for a grower. And just understanding what those risks are, you know, just the uncertainty of what the federal government is going to do or not do.” The committee on medical marijuana will hear more in-depth information about those topics at a second hearing later this month. After that, it could potentially recommend legislation for the upcoming session. Polls indicate more than 70% of Kansans support legalizing medical marijuana.
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The 2018 Farm Bill Has Expired for a Second Time...So Now What?
UNDATED (HPM) – The extension of the 2018 farm bill expired last month. The legislation’s largest programs – like food assistance and crop insurance – are still going. Harvest Public Media reports that the bill is stalling out as farmers are facing natural disasters and low income. With hurricanes in the southeast, wildfires in the west and drought blanketing the Midwest, farmers are in a tough spot right now. That’s on top of federal data that shows farm income is falling for the second year in a row. Roger Cryan, chief economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, says an updated farm bill would help the agriculture industry. "If that had gotten done in 2023, then 2024’s economic crisis would not be nearly what it is now. The amount of help that’s needed now would not have been as great." Cryan says today’s high input costs and low crop prices overpower any assistance farmers get from the old farm bill. He’s hoping lawmakers can approve a new bill before the year ends.
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Wichita Man Sentenced for Making Race-Based Death Threats
WICHITA, Kan. (KPR) - A Kansas man has been sentenced to more than 6.5 years in prison for making race-based death threats. Federal prosecutors say 31-year-old Austin Schoemann, of Wichita, threatened multiple Black people in and around the Wichita area. Prosecutors also charged him with interfering with the housing rights of a white woman because he believed she was dating and associating with Black people. Schoemann had previously pleaded guilty to the charges.
As part of his plea, he admitted that in 2022, he brandished a firearm and used racial slurs in order to threaten two Black juveniles while they were entering a QuikTrip gasoline station. He also admitted to making threats to hurt or kill any Black people who visited one white woman's home.
The FBI Kansas City Field Office and Wichita Police Department investigated the case.
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Kansas Capital Punishment Facing Another Constitutional Challenge
UNDATED (KNS) – The death penalty is facing a new constitutional challenge in Kansas. The Kansas News Service reports that critics say capital punishment reinforces racist outcomes in the justice system. The American Civil Liberties Union and other legal groups are taking up cases in Wyandotte County District Court. Their arguments focus on death disqualification, a rule that says anyone serving in a capital trial jury must believe in the death penalty as a valid punishment. But ACLU attorney Megan Byrne says Black citizens are more likely to disagree with the death penalty and get disqualified to serve on a jury. “We're also telling people, you know, whole groups of people, ‘you can't be a part of that decision, you can't be a part of the most important things that we're deciding in courts,’” she explained. The last state execution in Kansas took place about 60 years ago.
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Kansas City Will Soon Have the World’s First Barbecue Museum
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) - Kansas City is famous for its barbecue and soon, it will be getting a barbecue museum. The Kansas City Star reports that The Museum of BBQ plans a spring debut at the Crown Center Shops. Founder Jonathan Bender says KC is one of the BBQ capitals of the world and it should have such a museum. Bender has served as a certified judge for the American Royal World Series of Barbecue.
Kansas City's not the only serious barbecue region in America. Memphis, St. Louis, Texas and even the Carolinas can all claim to have great barbecue offerings. But Kansas City is home to the Barbecue Hall of Fame and the World Series of BBQ. Among other things, the new BBQ museum will explore the various American regions of barbecue - and how each place created its own distinct styles and traditions.
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KC Leaders Work to Combat Homelessness Ahead of Winter Temps
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) - As temperatures begin to drop, the need for homeless shelters will increase, particularly in Kansas City. A recent report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found Kansas City had the highest percentage of people experiencing chronic homelessness who live without shelter. KSHB TV reports that winter shelters in Kansas City will open from December 1 to March 1.
Kansas City Houseless Prevention Coordinator John Henges said his organization is actively working with city leaders to try and address the issue. “This winter, we’re going to have up to 400 beds, depending on the temperature,” Henges said. “Our goal is to have 100 beds throughout the year while Hope Faith is constructing their low-barrier shelter. And the goal is we’re not going to be the city that has the lowest-performing homeless services system.”
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KU Volleyball Wins Sunflower Showdown in Lawrence
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - In women’s volleyball, the eighth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks held off in-state rival Kansas State for a five-set victory Thursday night. K-State had a two sets-to-one lead before the Jayhawks won the final two sets to capture the match. In the fourth set, Overland Park’s Caroline Bien came up with a service ace that sparked the Jayhawks down the stretch. KU is now 15-1 overall and 6-0 in the Big 12 to remain the only team with an unblemished conference record. But there’s a quick turnaround. KU will have its fourth trip away from the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in the last five matches. The Jayhawks will play at noon Saturday in Orlando against Central Florida.
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Stadium Talks Continue Between Chiefs and Kansas, Missouri Officials
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for their rematch Sunday with the San Francisco 49ers, the team is also working on a stadium deal. KCUR reports that talks are ongoing with officials in Missouri and Kansas. Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt continues to say all options remain on the table: renovating Arrowhead or a new stadium in either Kansas or Missouri. Hunt says negotiations with Missouri officials have been slowed by the upcoming election, where a new governor will be elected. “And so once we get past that, we think that will really open up the opportunity for us to have more constructive conversations,” he explained. Both Republican Mike Kehoe and Democrat Crystal Quade have said the state should work to keep the Chiefs in Missouri. Hunt also said the team is interested in a new practice facility and he is not opposed to playing games in one state and practicing in another.
(–Earlier Reporting–)
Chiefs Hope for Decision on Stadium by Next Spring
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) - Kansas City Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt says he hopes the team will know by next spring whether its next home will be in Kansas or Missouri. Hunt isn’t ruling out another attempt to figure out how to renovate Arrowhead Stadium. But he says the team is looking on both sides of the state line between Missouri and Kansas to explore their options for a stadium and a training facility. When asked if Kansas presents an easier opportunity with the use of STAR bonds to fund the bulk of the stadium construction costs, Hunt was noncommittal. "We’re not looking for what’s easiest," he said. "We’re looking for the right opportunity. We’re grateful for the work that was done on the Kansas side that opens that up as an opportunity." The current lease for Arrowhead Stadium with Jackson County, Missouri ends in February of 2031.
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