KDHE Warns of Possible Measles Exposure at Wichita Airport
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR/KWCH) — Health officials are warning of a possible measles exposure at the Wichita airport. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says passengers may have been exposed to the disease at Eisenhower National Airport Friday evening, May 2nd. Anyone who was in the Wichita airport that evening should watch for symptoms of measles through Friday, May 23rd.
KWCH TV also reports potential exposures at the Hutchinson Public Library... and at an auto parts store in Cimarron in southwest Kansas. State health officials continue to monitor the measles outbreak. Most of the 48 cases in Kansas so far have been in people who are not vaccinated. Half of the cases involve children.
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Kansas Education Leaders Considering Changes in Terms for Student Achievement Tests
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas education leaders are considering a plan to clarify terms on state tests that measure student achievement. The Kansas News Service reports that groups of Kansas teachers set cut scores on the annual tests and determine four performance levels. Level 1 means a student is not on track for college or the workforce. Level 2 means "basic" ability, Level 3 is "effective," and 4 is "excellent." The new test would be instead tied to grade-level standards, and Level 3 would become "proficient." It's a term lawmakers and educators have clashed over in recent years. Dan Gruman, chairman of the Kansas Assessment Advisory Council, said “...there is really no escaping from the term 'proficient,' because it's used at the federal accountability level. There is no escaping that term.” The state board is developing new state assessment tests, and officials warn that results won't be comparable to previous years.
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State of Kansas Reaches Wind Power Milestone
UNDATED (KNS) — More than half of the electricity generated in Kansas now comes from wind power. The state crossed this threshold last year. Dorothy Barnett leads the Climate and Energy Project, a group based in Hutchinson that advocates for renewable energy. She says wind is now vital to power across the regional transmission organization that includes Kansas. “There have been days in the past few years when the Southwest Power Pool - all 14 states - are operating 85, 90% of the electricity comes from wind power," she said. This happens on days with plenty of wind and not a lot of demand for heating and cooling. “And we haven’t even scratched the surface on opportunities for solar and battery storage. And that’s what’s next - that’s what is big on the horizon," Barnett said. Less than 1% of Kansas electricity came from solar power last year. Just two states - Iowa and South Dakota - get more of their energy from wind and solar than Kansas. Proposals for large-scale solar and wind installations often spark heated debates that divide communities.
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University "Common Read" Selections Announced
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Students starting college at some Kansas universities this fall already have their first reading assignment. The Kansas News Service reports that common read programs are a tradition for incoming freshmen. The University of Kansas has selected John Green’s “The Anthropocene Reviewed” as its common book for incoming students. The essay collection explores various aspects of modern life and what it means to be human. Kansas State University is encouraging students to read “Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World” by former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. And Wichita State students will be reading “Eat Like a Fish” a memoir by ocean farmer Bren Smith that explores food justice and environmental issues. Universities are planning lectures and other events related to their common books. John Green will visit Lawrence in September.
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KC Apartment Complex Fire Displaces 11 People
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — A fire at a Kansas City apartment complex has displaced 11 people. The Kansas City Fire Department says crews responded to the two-story apartment building around 7 pm Sunday in the 1100 block of Hardesty Avenue. KMBC TV reports that the fire damaged eight units. No one was hurt. The cause remains under investigation.
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K-State Grain Research Lab Resumes Work
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) — A grain research lab at Kansas State University is resuming work after the Trump administration initially froze its research funding. The Kansas News Service reports that the hybrid grains being developed there could help Kansas farmers. The grains are being developed for their ability to tolerate drought and resist disease. Out of 17 labs where work stopped, the Climate Resilient Cereals Innovation Lab in Kansas is the only one so far that’s been allowed to continue. Lab director Timothy Dalton says he’s grateful to keep doing his work, but remains worried about the losses to the research community. “My deep seated worries about the termination of international collaborative research is that US farmers are going to be kneecapped,” he added. Without those studies, Dalton says Kansas farmers' crops are vulnerable to disease and pests. But Dalton is excited about the work the lab will get to do this year.
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Nationwide Crackdown on Child Sex Offenders Nets 205 Arrests, Including Two Men in Kansas
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KPR) — The FBI has rescued 115 children and arrested 205 people in a nationwide crackdown on child sex offenders. Two of those arrested are men from Kansas. Operation Restore Justice is a coordinated law enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices. In Kansas, two men were arrested and charged with federal crimes, including:
- 39-year-old Christopher Davis, of Wellington, who was indicted on four counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child porn.
- 42-year-old Christopher Slattery, of Manhattan, who was indicted on one count of sexual
For more information about protecting children, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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New Leader of Wichita Abortion Clinic Lays Out Agenda
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — One of the largest abortion clinics in Kansas has a new president. Kathryn Boyd is joining Wichita’s Trust Women clinic at a pivotal time. Boyd says Trust Women is trying to expand its hours and capacity to see patients in the face of heavy demand from residents of other states. She also says she wants to expand the range of services the clinic offers. “There is definitely a need for just essential sexual and reproductive health care, including birth control visits and STI testing and, you know, prep for HIV prevention. And, I mean the list goes on.” Boyd previously led Planned Parenthood of Utah. A leadership shakeup at Trust Women last year led to a two-month closure. The clinic has been a frequent target of anti-abortion protestors.
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Six Arrested in Emporia-Mexico Drug Operation
EMPORIA, Kan. (TCJ) — Six people have been charged in a drug smuggling operation that transported liquid meth-amphetamine from Mexico to Emporia. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials noticed a charter bus crossing from Mexico into the U.S. numerous times in March and April with few or no passengers aboard. The bus traveled to Emporia on each of those trips before returning to Mexico. Five Emporia residents are charged in the case -- two of them are Mexican nationals unlawfully living in the U.S. The sixth person arrested is a resident of Texas.
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Executive Order Requires Commercial Truck Drivers To Be Proficient in English
UNDATED (HPM) — A recent executive order will mandate that all commercial truck drivers be proficient in English. President Donald Trump’s directive comes as more immigrants enter the trucking industry in recent years, with numbers exceeding 700,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Harvest Public Media reports that there’s already a federal rule that requires truck drivers to be proficient in English, but Trump has called the new executive order a "non-negotiable safety requirement." That requirement includes speaking and reading well enough to understand road signs and to communicate with officials at agriculture checkpoints, weight limit stations, and the border patrol. Raman Dhillon, CEO of the North American Punjabi Trucking Association, says there is a fear that the directive could target some drivers. “All these rule and regulations are vital to the trucking industry…but are these measures gonna be used against the people of color to retaliate or to discriminate?” he asks. The Department of Transportation will soon issue new guidance on English proficiency testing and enforcement. (Read more.)
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5 Former Postal Workers at KCK Post Office Indicted for Mail Theft
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KPR) — Five former postal service employees have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, for stealing mail. The U.S. Attorney's Office says 49-year-old Terrence Luster, of Lee's Summit, Missouri; 64-year-old Laura Dantzler, of Kansas City, Kansas; 49-year-old Arthur Hook, of Lathrop, Missouri; 54-year-old Craig Roland, 54, of Kansas City, Kansas; and 60-year-old Cheryl Wankum, of Overland Park, have all been charged with conspiracy to steal mail and theft of mail. All five former USPS workers worked at a post office on North 51st Street in KCK. Court documents allege they stole Amazon return packages, mail and other items for their personal use. The thefts took place between early 2023 and October 2023. The case is under investigation by the U.S. Postal Service.
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