Storms Knock Out Power to Thousands in KC Metro
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR/KMBC/KWCH) — Around 10,000 people remained without power late Tuesday morning following a series of severe storms that rolled across Kansas Monday night. The Evergy outage map shows most of the outages that remain are in the Kansas City and Wichita areas. At one point, about 75,000 Evergy customers were without power. The Kansas City metro was hit hard by the storms, which snapped power poles and knocked down power lines. At least one building in Kansas City partially collapsed. KMBC TV reports that the roof of a commercial building on Fox Ridge Drive, near the 18th Street Expressway, collapsed late Monday afternoon, during a thunderstorm. Those inside the building were able to escape and no one was hurt.
Elsewhere across the state, cleanup efforts are underway in Grinnell, in northwest Kansas and in Plevna, in south-central Kansas. On Sunday, both communities took a direct hit from large tornadoes. No one was injured.
In Kiowa County, in south-central Kansas, a tornado derailed a train. No one was injured and no hazardous materials were spilled. KWCH TV reports that 100 cars of a Union Pacific train were toppled by the twister that touched down between Greensburg and Haviland.
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Kansas Prisoner Review Board Revokes Parole for Man Who Killed Trooper
WICHITA, Kan. (KPR) — The Kansas Prisoner Review Board has rescinded its previous decision to grant parole to a man who was convicted of killing a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the 1970s. After public outcry, the board announced Monday that 78-year-old Jimmie Nelms would not be released from prison after all. Nelms was sentenced to consecutive life terms plus nine years after being convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm, kidnapping and first degree murder in the death of Highway Patrol Trooper Conroy O’Brien.
In May 1978, O’Brien was patrolling the Kansas Turnpike when he stopped a vehicle for speeding near Matfield Green. He was ambushed while issuing a ticket, forced from his vehicle at gunpoint, shot twice in the back of the head, and left to die in a ditch. Three men were involved in his death. Nelms and his accomplices were captured after a gun battle with state troopers. Nelms was convicted in 1979 and has been housed at the Winfield Correctional Facility.
He has been eligible for parole since 1993 and has appeared before the parole board nine times. He was initially granted parole after a hearing in March, but the board reversed its decision after the Highway Patrol, the Kansas State Troopers Association and others condemned the decision.
Nelly Goen, the daughter of the trooper who was killed in 1978, said that she forgave Nelms years ago. She was one of the few supporters of the decision to parole him.
(–Additional reporting–)
KPRB Revokes Parole Decision Following Objections
UNDATED (KNS) – After objections from state officials, the Kansas Prisoner Review Board has revoked its decision to parole a man who killed a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper.
The Kansas News Service reports that Jimmie Nelms, who is now 78, is serving a life sentence for unlawfully owning a gun, aggravated kidnapping, and the murder of trooper Conroy O’Brien during a 1978 traffic stop. O’Brien was 26. Nelms, who’s been eligible for parole since 1993, was granted release in March. Law enforcement groups opposed the decision. And Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, Republican Senate President Ty Masterson and Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach also condemned Nelms's release.
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Hearing Delayed for Police Official Connected with Marion County Newspaper Raid
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – A preliminary hearing for a police official involved in the raid on a Marion County newspaper has been delayed. KMUW reports that Gideon Cody was scheduled to appear Wednesday in Marion County court. He faces a charge of felony obstruction of justice. Authorities allege he asked a potential witness to delete text messages. Cody led a raid on the Marion County Record in August of 2023. He said he had evidence that employees had committed identity theft or other computer crimes. No charges were filed against the newspaper. Cody’s hearing has been rescheduled for July 23rd.
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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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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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Report: Rise in Extreme Heat Increases Pregnancy Risks in Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) – An increase in extreme heat in Kansas is making pregnancy more risky, according to a new report from the nonprofit Climate Central. In the last five years, Kansas has averaged 25 days with extreme heat. The report says that’s 10 days per year more than in a world without climate change. Dr. Caitlin Linscheid, an OB-GYN at the University of Kansas Health System, says heat increases the risk of a variety of pregnancy complications. She told the Kansas News Service that “...in the first trimester of pregnancy, extreme heat can be associated with pregnancy loss. And then as we get into the second and third trimesters, the concern really becomes more preterm labor and maternal exhaustion and things like heat stroke.” Linscheid says it’s crucial for pregnant Kansans to have access to cool, air-conditioned spaces on hot days … and to stay hydrated. Preterm births in the state are rising, and are now around 10% of births.
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Haysville Woman Indicted for Distributing Child Pornography
WICHITA, Kan. (KPR) – A Kansas woman has been charged with distributing child pornography. A federal grand jury in Wichita indicted 23-year-old Addilynn Jean Onuffer, of Haysville. She's charged with three counts of distribution of child pornography for alleged actions that took place between June and July of 2024. The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce (ICAC) and Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.
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AAA: More than a Half-Million Kansans Expected to Travel for for Memorial Day Weekend
WICHITA, Kan. (KPR) – More than half a million Kansans are expected to travel during the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend. Triple-A predicts 505,000 residents will travel 50 miles or more between Thursday and Monday. That's an increase of 3.2% from last year. More than 85% of Kansans will drive to their destination. Currently, Kansas has some of the lowest gasoline prices in the nation. The average cost for a gallon of gas is $2.86. That's about 30 cents cheaper than a year ago.
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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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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 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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KU Baseball Coach Tapped as Big 12 Coach of the Year
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) – The Big 12 Conference has named Dan Fitzgerald, head baseball coach for the University of Kansas, as its Coach of the Year. Five Jayhawk baseball players also earned postseason honors. KU said in a news release that Fitzgerald is the first Big 12 Coach of the Year in program history.
Fitzgerald just wrapped up his third season as head coach at KU, leading the program to its best regular season in the history of the school with a 42-14 record and 20 conference wins. First baseman Brady Ballinger was voted to the All-Big 12 first team, while outfielder Jackson Hauge, pitcher Cooper Moore, and designated hitter Dariel Osoria were chosed for the All-Big 12 second team. Brady Counsell, who played both infield and outfield positions, was named an All-Big 12 honorable mention.
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