Tornado Watch in Effect for KPR Listening Area Through 9 PM
UNDATED (KNS/KCUR/KPR) — Multiple rounds of thunderstorms could bring hail and strong winds to Kansas on Monday. Much of the eastern part of state is under a tornado watch until 9 PM. The National Weather Service estimates the area could see storms through the afternoon and into the evening. Some of the strongest storms could include quarter-sized hail that can damage roofs or cars. Meteorologist Allan Curtis says residents should check the weather before they begin their commute home, urging drivers to "...just be prepared for a longer commute. Take your time. No need to try and rush to get home and increase your chances of getting into an accident." Curtis says the storms carry a risk of tornadoes, but those become less of a threat toward the evening in the Kansas City area. The latest information is available at the National Weather Service website, weather.gov.
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Tornadoes Cause Damage Across Kansas, Storms Knock Out Power in Topeka, Kansas City
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Hundreds of people were without power Monday morning - following severe storms that rolled through the KPR listening area Sunday night. Additional storms Monday afternoon led to more than 600 Evergy customers without electricity as of 5:30 pm Monday. (Check the Evergy outage map for the latest.)
- A tornado touched down Sunday evening in western Kansas - tearing through the town of Grinnell, in Gove County. KMBC TV reports that homes and a church were damaged. Downed power lines prompted the closure of I-70 in northwest Kansas for a period of time.
- A small town in Reno County was also struck by a tornado. KSNW TV reports that the twister hit the town of Plevna late Sunday night. Reno County officials say the tornado was at least a mile wide at one point. Several homes were hit. So far, there have been no reports of injuries.
- Another tornado touched down in Kiowa County, in south-central Kansas, but KWCH TV reports no injuries or significant damage was reported.
More Stormy Weather Expected Monday
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR/KMBC) - More stormy weather is expected across eastern Kansas. It's coming on the heels of a stormy weekend. Here in eastern Kansas, more severe weather is possible. There's a 70% chance of rain and storms Monday and a 90% chance Monday night.
Visit the National Weather Service for the latest weather information.
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SNAP Cuts Proposed in U.S. House Would Shift Millions in Costs to States
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – Kansas would have to pay nearly $100 million per year to cover cuts to SNAP advanced by U.S. House Republicans. Advocates says thousands of Kansans could lose food assistance. The House Agriculture Committee advanced the cuts, with support from Republican Representative Tracey Mann of Kansas. The proposal would cut about $300 billion from SNAP. That’s about 30% of its total budget. Dustin Hare with Kansas Action for Children says the cuts are tied to tax breaks for the country’s most wealthy. “It’s essentially a redistribution program – to take money out of the pockets of poor people and give it to wealthy people,” Hare says. The proposal would also add work requirements for people up to 64 years old, and those with dependents 7 and older. That alone could mean 22,000 kids in Kansas losing some of their food assistance.
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Kansas City Police Arrest 19 Street Racing Suspects, Tow 36 Vehicles in Overnight Bust
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - For the second weekend in a row, Kansas City Police launched a large-scale crackdown on illegal street activity involving motorcycles, dirt bikes, and ATVs. This time around, officers arrested 17 individuals and towed 36 vehicles. KCTV reports that the recent crackdown is in response to so-called “sideshows” — unauthorized street gatherings where riders perform stunts, block intersections, and, in some cases, engage in dangerous behavior.
Last weekend’s crackdown also made headlines, with 12 arrests and six vehicles towed. Police said suspects in that operation pointed guns at officers, further escalating concerns.
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Kansas Inmate Found Dead After Pleading Guilty to Rape, Child Exploitation
WASHINGTON, Kan. (KCTV) - A Kansas inmate is believed to have taken his own life after pleading guilty to rape and the sexual exploitation of a child. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office says corrections officers discovered 42-year-old Kyle E. Mashburn unresponsive in his cell Saturday morning. According to KCTV, investigators believe Mashburn may have taken his own life as he awaited sentencing. He previously pleaded guilty to rape and child sexual exploitation. A sentence of nearly 25 years in prison had been recommended.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation will determine the circumstances of Mashburn’s death and an autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.
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Kansas Legislators Hope New Law Cuts Down on Uninsured Vehicles
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – An estimated 8% of registered vehicles in Kansas are not insured. State legislators say they hope a new law will help bring that rate down. The law creates a statewide insurance verification system. Police will be able to run a driver’s information and instantly tell if they are insured. The law had near-unanimous support in the Kansas Legislature. It will take effect by next July. Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins says too many drivers have to pay more for insurance after an accident with an uninsured driver. “An uninsured motorist really causes a huge effect on the insurance industry,” Hawkins said. The law was proposed by Republican Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, who has not said whether she will run again. Hawkins recently announced his bid for the office.
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Officials Say Streak Mosaic Virus Affecting Kansas Wheat Crop
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – Officials say a disease has swept across Kansas wheat fields this year just before harvest. The Kansas News Service reports that this could potentially cost Kansas farmers millions of dollars. Kansas is known for wheat, but this year it’s in danger. A disease called Streak Mosaic Virus, along with some similar diseases, is popping up all over central Kansas wheat crops. The disease is carried by microscopic mites that land on wheat. Kelsey Andersen Onofre, who studies wheat diseases for Kansas State University, explained that “...this is like a community disease so you could do absolutely everything right on your farm, and if somebody else in the five mile vicinity does something different, then you could have these consequences.” Unfortunately for Kansas wheat farmers, Onofre says environmental practices to improve soil or reduce erosion like cover crops helped the disease spread this year. The last time this was a significant problem was 2017, which led to more than $76 million in crop failures.
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Kansas City Area School Leaders Oppose Federal School Voucher Program
UNDATED (KCUR) – Leaders of the Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission and Olathe school districts are speaking out against a proposal to launch a federal school voucher program. The Educational Choice for Children Act would give up to five billion dollars in tax credits a year to donors who fund scholarships for private and homeschooling costs. Congressional Republicans have tried to include it in budget bills this spring. David Smith, a Shawnee Mission spokesperson, told KCUR that public schools need federal funding because they have to serve all students… unlike private schools. "We serve students who are facing emotional and mental health challenges or who need to catch up with school. We do all those things, and when we divert resources from public schools, we have less resources available to us," Smith said, Voucher proposals have failed in Kansas, but an open enrollment law allows students to enroll in different school districts that have open seats.
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Alligator Snapping Turtles Re-introduced in Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) - Kansas biologists have reintroduced a turtle species to the state that disappeared in the early 1990s. State wildlife workers released 40 alligator snapping turtles last year and another 60 this month into the Neosho River in southeast Kansas. Trevor Starks works for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. He helps carry out this work. “This is part of our natural heritage here in Kansas. It’s only right that we put them back. But also, they have a specific role within the ecosystem," he said. These turtles have spiky shells, unlike common snapping turtles. And adults can be more than twice as large. Hunting contributed to their disappearance from Kansas. And obstacles like dams make it hard for them to rebound across their range without help.
Starks says releasing these creatures has been a bright spot in a career that involves spending a lot of time facing tough environmental realities. “You never think when you start your first biology class at Kansas State University you’re going to be holding an alligator snapping turtle and releasing it back into your home state," he said. "So, that was a really cool experience.” Starks says these turtles play a role in the food web as scavengers and predators.
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