Kansas Senator, Congressman Push to Reform Governance of Haskell University
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KPR) – Kansas Senator Jerry Moran and Congressman Tracey Mann are pushing legislation that would change the governance of Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence. The change would transfer governance from the Bureau of Indian Education to the Haskell Board of Regents, while maintaining federal funding.
Moran says Haskell has been neglected and mismanaged by the Bureau of Indian Education. In a news release, the Republican Senator said the bureau has failed to protect students, respond to congressional inquiries or meet the basic infrastructure needs of the school.
Haskell, the only four-year, postsecondary institution under the governance of the Department of Interior, has faced a number of problems in recent years, including allegations of sexual harassment, high dropout rates and a shortage of resources.
Moran says the the best path forward is for the university to be led by an independent Board of Regents nominated by the Tribal community. Joseph Rupnick, Chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, has voiced his support for the legislation. “I look forward to discussions in the new year with Tribal leaders and Haskell alums, faculty and students so that this bill can safeguard Haskell’s future and its funding," he said.
Senator Moran and Rep. Mann are currently seeking feedback from the Native American, Lawrence and higher education communities on the proposed legislation to ensure the bill effectively addresses key issues at Haskell.
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Ascension Health Care Data Breach Affected Millions
UNDATED (KNS) – New estimates from health care provider Ascension indicate around 5.6 million Americans had personal information compromised in the organization’s May data breach. It's unclear how many Kansans were affected but Ascension operates healthcare facilities in more than a dozen Kansas communities.
The compromised data includes medical procedure codes and types of lab tests, as well as social security numbers and credit card information. Kaustubh Medhe of the cyber intelligence firm Cyble, says cyber criminals often try to use that information to extract money from victims. “When data breaches this scale occur, most of the attacks revolve around using this information for launching very convincing phishing attacks,” he explained. Ascension says it will notify people whose information was breached by mail in the next two to three weeks. It’s offering victims two years of free credit monitoring.
Ascension operates facilities in Wichita, Andover, Derby, Mulvane, Manhattan, Wamego, Wellington, Salina, Pittsburg, Hays, Dodge City, Garden City, Independence, Caney and Coffeyville.
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Stockholder Vote on Spirit-Boeing Merger Scheduled
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – Stockholders for Spirit AeroSystems will vote on the proposed sale to Boeing next month. KMUW reports that Spirit’s board of directors invited stockholders to vote January 31st on the deal. Boeing stockholders will not vote. If approved, the sale could be completed by mid 2025. Boeing agreed to purchase Spirit last June. The agreement follows years of unease around Boeing’s manufacturing supply chain. In 2018 and 2019, more than 300 people died after two Boeing jets crashed. Earlier this year, a window blew off a Boeing plane, though no one was seriously injured. The plane's fuselage was made by Spirit. Stockholders will vote by video call. Spirit is one of the largest private employers in Wichita and Kansas.
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Sedgwick County Homeless Death Toll Increased in 2024
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – The Sedgwick County coroner found at least 63 people died while experiencing homelessness this year, a sharp uptick from 2023. KMUW reports that the number of deaths grew by about 20 this year, in part because the county started formally tracking them. But the coroner said its list is somewhat subjective because the definition of homelessness can vary. Local advocates and service providers added several names to the list. Renita Belveal knew two unhoused people who died this year: a childhood friend and her daughter's ex-boyfriend. "I currently still have a daughter, my sister, and a niece that are still in the homeless community out there, and I ...worry when the cops gonna show up and let me know that my daughter's passed away," she added. Over the weekend, mourners gathered to remember those who died.
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Trial Could Determine Release of Joplin Police Sniper's Identity
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – A trial early next year could determine whether the city of Joplin, Missouri, must release the identity of a police sniper who mistakenly killed a Kansas toddler during a standoff. KCUR reports that the SWAT officer was part of a massive police response to Baxter Springs, Kansas, in 2022, where Clesslynn Crawford was taken hostage by her father. In a Kansas Bureau of Investigation report, Sniper 1 said he thought he was shooting the father in the chest. Instead, he shot two-year-old Clesslynn in the head. Sniper 1 sued Joplin to redact his name from the report. KCUR and the Midwest Newsroom counter-sued, arguing that revealing the sniper’s name was in the public interest. In a ruling late Friday, a Jasper County Circuit Court judge denied the motion, setting up the trial.
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EPA Awards Multimillion Dollar Grant to Bourbon County Nonprofit Group
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – The Environmental Protection Agency granted a southeast Kansas nonprofit $2.9 million dollars to address community health and environment issues. KMUW reports that the Inflation Reduction Act distributed $1.6 billion dollars across the country to help disadvantaged communities tackle environmental and climate justice challenges. Just one organization in Kansas received a grant: Healthy Bourbon County Action Team in Fort Scott. The nonprofit aims to improve health outcomes through a variety of methods, such as increasing access to nutritious foods and physical activity. The grant is meant to support work to engage local and state governments on issues like lead-based paint, air and water pollution and transportation access. The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team will work with the University of Kansas Medical Center to administer the grant.
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Kansas City VA Hospital Employee Indicted for Child Pornography
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — An employee at the Kansas City Veterans Affairs hospital is facing child pornography charges. A federal grand jury has charged 56-year-old Paul Robert Wyatt, a VA nurse, with possessing child porn in 2023. WDAF TV reports that the images involved a child under the age of 12. Wyatt was originally charged under a sealed indictment earlier this month. The charges were unsealed and made public Monday. Wyatt was a nurse at the VA Medical Center on Linwood Boulevard.
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Family of 4 Loses Home in Kansas City Fire Just Before Christmas
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A Kansas City family of four has lost their home to a weekend fire, just days before Christmas. KCTV reports that the fire broke out Sunday afternoon (in the area of 59th and Walrond Avenue) and consumed the home. Kansas City firefighters attacked the blaze as they searched the building to find everyone had safely evacuated. The American Red Cross was called to help the two adults and two children who lived there. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
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Experts: Space Heaters, Heating Pads, Electric Blankets Cause Thousands of Fires Annually
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) - Kansans using space heaters to keep warm this year need to be cautious. Space heaters and other heating devices are responsible for thousands of fires every winter. Courtney Lewis, a spokesperson for the utility company Evergy, says it's essential that those appliances are off when you aren’t using them. “Don’t use them while sleeping," she said. "If you can use a space heater with a timer. Heat your room in advance and then shut it off when you go to bed. When space heaters are going and they're unattended, that's when that risk of fire has really increased.” According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, heating equipment such as space heaters cause more than 65,000 fires each year.
Heating pads and electric blankets are popular items when temperatures begin to drop. But these devices that make wintertime more comfortable can also be a fire risk. Both contribute to some 500 house fires each year, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation. Evergy spokesperson Courtney Lewis said you should warm your bed with an electric blanket - but unplug it before you go to sleep. “If you have an electric blanket you really shouldn’t be laying on (top of) it because that can cause a fire," she said. Lewis said it is also important to check blankets for charred spots, which could be a sign of wiring problems.
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Holiday Resources Available in KC Area for At-Risk School Children
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCUR) - For vulnerable children, the holiday break can cut off access to food and other resources that they usually get at school. KCUR Radio reports that some area schools are prepared to fill that gap. Jessica Smith is the homelessness liaison for Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools. During the holiday season, she said she focuses on students living without a parent or guardian. Ahead of the two-week break, her team ensures each student is in a safe place and has Christmas gifts, hygiene items and snacks. "It's about the students feeling special, the students feeling love, the students feeling important, and getting some of their basic needs met," she said.
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KC Federal Reserve Bank Predicts Uptick in Manufacturing for 2025
UNDATED (KNS) – Manufacturing activity continues to decline in the central U.S., but a new survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City shows businesses are predicting an uptick in 2025. The Kansas News Service reports that the region’s manufacturing activity has been trending downward for more than two years. But KC Fed survey manager Megan Williams says companies expect to see that turn around in the new year. “They’re expecting positive new orders, shipments, even capital expenditures they’re expecting to at least be somewhat positive. So really across the board, positive news for all aspects,” Williams explained. The survey also asked how reliant firms are on immigrant workers, ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has warned of deportations. 28% of respondents said they’re at least slightly reliant on immigrant workers.
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Much on the Line in Chiefs / Steelers Game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) - Wednesday's Chiefs game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh is a big one for both teams. If the Chiefs win, they can clinch the top seed for the AFC playoffs, which means a first round bye and all of their post-season games played at Arrowhead. Pittsburgh needs a victory to win the AFC North and a home game to open the playoffs. Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo says Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson will be a threat. “He loves to chuck the ball deep and he’s got guys that he’s got a lot of confidence in to go up and get it," he said. The game will be streamed on Netflix, which paid the NFL $150 million for this game and the Baltimore-Houston Christmas contest. However, the Chiefs game will also be broadcast on KCTV. Kickof is at noon on Christmas Day.
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