Funeral for Murdered Kansan Held Tuesday
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KPR) — Funeral services for Sarah Milgrim were held in Overland Park Tuesday. Milgrim is the Kansas native who was murdered last week in a suspected antisemitic double homicide in Washington, D.C. During the service at Congregation Beth Torah, Milgrim was eulogized as an advocate for peace and "a beacon of light." A private family burial was scheduled to follow the funeral. The family is requesting that contributions in Milgrim’s name be directed to the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City.
(–Additional reporting–)
Funeral Held for Kansas Woman Shot and Killed in Washington, DC
UNDATED (KCUR) – Family and friends gathered in Johnson County Tuesday to mourn the death of Sarah Milgrim, the Kansas woman who was shot and killed in Washington D.C. last week. KCUR reports that local Jewish leaders and rabbis remembered Sarah as a bright young woman dedicated to her Jewish faith. The 26-year-old and her partner, Yaron Lischinsky, were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum. Rabbi Stephanie Kramer said Sarah let her Jewish values guide her work searching for peace, adding that “...she understood the nuances, she embraced the complications, and still, she chose hope.” A gunman has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting. (Read more.)
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Man Arrested Following Weekend Homicide in Emporia
EMPORIA, Kan. (KVOE) - A man has been arrested following an apparent homicide in Emporia over the weekend. KVOE Radio reports that 36-year-old Alexei Perez Ricardo, of Emporia, was taken into custody. Police officers responded Sunday morning to a report of an unconscious person at an unspecified address in central Emporia.
By Sunday night, officers arrested Ricardo and booked him into the Lyon County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, battery and other charges. Ricardo has a history of trouble with law enforcement. In January, he was convicted of criminal property damage and two years ago, he was convicted in two separate battery cases.
Police are still working to determine what led to the apparent homicide. The victim’s name has not yet been released, pending notification of next-of-kin.
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Task Force Takes Aim at Kansas Water Issues
UNDATED (LJW) — A new task force created by the Kansas legislature will take on the state’s most pressing water issues. The Kansas Water Program Task Force will assess the risks to the state’s water supply, identify steps to secure future water quality and quantity, and evaluate infrastructure needs. Its findings will help shape legislation and support investment decisions for long-term water security.
The Lawrence Journal World reports the task force will be made up of experts and leaders from across the state, including 16 state lawmakers from both parties. It’s expected to present a preliminary report to the governor by the end of next January.
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Hate Groups Reported in Kansas, Missouri
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – The latest news report on hate groups from the Southern Poverty Law Center shows four groups in Kansas and 10 in Missouri. KCUR reports that one of those groups marched in Kansas City, Missouri, over the weekend. Kansas City police say members of the Patriot Front gathered at the Liberty Memorial and marched downtown. Online and news video showed about 150 people with masks and flags. The Southern Poverty Law Center says the Patriot Front is a white nationalist hate group that has a statewide presence in Missouri. In Kansas City, there is a chapter of the Missouri Militia which, the Center says, engages in military training. In Kansas, the Hate Report identified four groups, including a Moms for Liberty chapter in Johnson County. The SPLC says Moms for Liberty is anti-government and anti-LBGTQ.
(–Additional reporting–)
U-Haul: No Love for Hate Group in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — U-Haul is disavowing any connection to a hate group that rented the company’s vehicles for a rally in Kansas City last weekend. Video from the event shows some 100 masked men emerging from three box trucks. The men are members of the Patriotic Front, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated a hate group.
KMBC reports that U-Haul confirmed the trucks used were rented in Kansas City and stated it has revoked the rental privileges of the individuals involved. In a statement, the company reiterated its policy prohibiting people from riding in the cargo areas of their vehicles. The Kansas City Police Department said it had no prior knowledge of the group’s plans and no escorts were provided. No arrests were made.
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Unified Government of KCK and Wyandotte County to Vote on Data Center Proposal
A multi-billion-dollar data center may come to Kansas City, Kansas. KCUR reports that the Unified Government’s Planning Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the proposed location in western Wyandotte County. The 1.8 million-square-foot center will cost $12 billion dollars. Documents filed with the Planning Commission show the project will be built near 131st and Parallel Parkway, not far from the Kansas Speedway. UG staff had concerns about nearby wetlands and how a data center could damage, quote, the visual quality for neighbors. But, staff wrote, it believes those concerns have been addressed. A Brooklyn, New York company called Red Wolf DCD Properties proposed the project. At a meeting two weeks ago with neighbors, residents expressed concerns about noise from generators and how much water they need for cooling.
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Construction Underway on New KU Cancer Care Complex
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KPR/KCTV) - Construction is underway in Kansas City, Kansas, on a multi-million dollar cancer care complex. The University of Kansas Health System broke ground last Friday on the future site of a new Cancer Center, which is expected to bring research and patient care into a single building. KU Health System officials say the new building is the realization of a long-time vision to bring all departments into a single complex. The new complex is expected to support cellular therapy, which uses the body’s own cells to fight cancer with fewer side effects than traditional treatments.
KCTV reports that the groundbreaking was followed by a celebration attended by Kansas Senator Jerry Moran, Congresswoman Sharice Davids and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. In 2022, the KU Cancer Center was named a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute, the highest honor awarded by the NCI.
The complex has been funded by multiple sources, including a $100 million lead gift from the Sunderland Foundation - the largest ever received by the University of Kansas and the KU Health System. Meanwhile, Senator Moran secured federal funding.
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State of Kansas Tells Private Company Not to Surrender SNAP Personal Info to Trump Administration
UNDATED (KNS) – The state of Kansas has told a private company not to give the Trump administration personal information on Kansans who get food stamps. The Kansas News Service reports that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking data on Kansans who receive SNAP, also called food stamps. According to reporting by the Kansas Reflector, this includes names, social security numbers and more. That data is stored for Kansas by a private company. The company told Kansas it has to fulfill the USDA request. The Reflector reports that state officials have refused to consent to that – and have asked to see what information the company already shared, if any.
(–Additional reporting–)
Kansas Says No to USDA Request for SNAP Records
UNDATED (Kansas Reflector/HPM) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is requiring states to hand over all records associated with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. But the the Kansas Reflector reports that the state of Kansas has declined the USDA's request. This comes as the Agriculture Department focuses on preventing people in the U.S. without legal permission from accessing the program. SNAP is a massive federal food aid program that serves more than 42 million people each month. There are specific rules on who is eligible, and even more regulations for which lawfully present noncitizens have access. But federally, SNAP has never been available to undocumented noncitizens. Valerie Lacarte, senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, says recent calls for states to look more closely at citizenship would only hurt eligible people. “There's this misconception that people who are ineligible are participating. It's not the case. So, if participation rates go down, it's amongst people who are eligible for SNAP,” she explained. Lacarte says the law for noncitizen SNAP access has been clear and remains unchanged.
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Missouri Supreme Court Tells KC Judge to Allow Enforcement of State's Abortion Ban
ST. OUIS, Mo. (STLPR) – The Missouri Supreme Court has told a Kansas City judge to again allow enforcement of the state’s near-total ban on abortion. St. Louis Public Radio reports that
in November, Missouri voters enshrined the right to abortion in the state’s constitution. Planned Parenthood immediately filed suit challenging the ban, which had only narrow exceptions for the health of the mother. It also challenged regulations on facilities performing the procedure. A circuit judge issued two separate injunctions pausing enforcement of the ban and those regulations. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey asked the Supreme Court to intervene. The Supreme Court agreed with Bailey that the judge had not met the legal standard required to stop enforcement of a properly-approved state law. That means the abortion ban and all regulations on the procedure are back in effect for now. The judge could re-issue the injunctions with different legal reasoning at a later date.
Kansas saw a large increase of out-of-state abortion patients from Missouri and other states with near-total abortion bans.
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Leaked Proposal Indicates Funding Cut to Disability Services
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – A leaked proposal to cut federal funding for disability services could affect groups that support around 46,000 Kansans. The leaked budget proposal would eliminate funding for the Developmental Disabilities Network. Those funds go to disability rights groups in all 50 states. The cuts would affect three hubs in Kansas that advocate for people with disabilities at the state and local level. Rocky Nichols leads the Disability Rights Center of Kansas. “There’s been an expansion of programs to protect the rights of people with disabilities. And you know, this would undo a lot of that, unfortunately,” Nichols said. The network began more than 60 years ago with a history of bipartisan support. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. recently indicated he wants to continue supporting the network.
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Three City Council Members Resign, Three Appointed to Fill Seats in Southeast Kansas Town
CANEY, Kan. (Montgomery County Chronicle) — There's been a shake-up to city government in a southeast Kansas town. Three city council members in Caney abruptly resigned last week over the course of two days. The Montgomery County Chronicle reports that three new members were sworn in to fill those vacant seats. On several recent occasions, the Caney City Council has failed to hold regular meetings due to lack of a quorum. A quorum of five council members are needed for a meeting to be conducted. The council currently has eight members plus a mayor.
A plan is being considered to reduce the number of councilors from eight to four, plus a mayor. If enacted, the reduction would take place in January 2026.
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Kansas Railroad Named Among America’s Most Scenic Routes
ABILENE, Kan. (KPR/USA Today) — A small railroad line in Kansas has been named one of the nation's most scenic. The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad was named one of America’s top scenic train rides by USA Today. The newspaper highlighted the railroad's picturesque journey through Kansas farmland and the Smoky Hill River Valley.
Voters selected the Kansas railroad during a month-long nationwide poll. The results, revealed last week, placed it fifth among 10 of the most scenic excursion trains in the United States. The train in Abilene winds through river valleys rich with wildflowers, wildlife, and rural charm. Classic heritage railways in Colorado and New Mexico also made the list.
Most other scenic railroads featured in the ranking travel through mountains or desert terrain. In contrast, the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad offers travelers a serene, slow-paced ride through agricultural heartland and across scenic creeks. As the only rural railroad on the list, the A&SV stands apart for its landscape and historical significance. Its route to Enterprise includes views of prairies and farmland rarely experienced by train travelers.
(Read more in the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.)
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KU, K-State Qualify for NCAA Baseball Tournament
UNDATED (KPR) — Both Kansas and Kansas State have qualified for the NCAA baseball tournament. The Jayhawks will face Creighton Friday night. The Wildcats face the University of Texas at San Antonio, also on Friday night. This is KU’s first tournament appearance since 2014. K-State is making the tournament for the second year in a row.
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