Suspect Arrested in Weekend Shooting Death of Wyandotte County Deputy
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KPR) — The suspect in the shooting death of a Wyandotte County deputy has been arrested. 38-year-old Shawn M. Harris, of Kansas City, Kansas, was formally taken into custody upon his release from a hospital Sunday. Harris is charged with capital murder of a law enforcement officer. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says Harris allegedly shot and killed deputy Elijah Ming when he responded to a call about a domestic disturbance at a home in Kansas City, Kansas, on Saturday. Gunfire was exchanged, killing the deputy and wounding the suspect. Deputy Ming was 34 years old.
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One Dead, Multiple Injured After Family Dollar Roof Collapse in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) — One person is dead and several others were injured after a roof collapsed at a Family Dollar store in Kansas City. KCTV reports that the Kansas City Fire Department responded to the scene (in the 3700 block of Broadway) Sunday afternoon. On arrival, crews discovered that part of the building’s front had collapsed. A 68-year-old man died at the scene, and a 50-year-old woman was hospitalized in critical condition. Two others were treated at the scene and released. An investigation is underway into the collapse.
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Increase in Medicaid Reimbursement Rate for Dental Care May Help Low-Income Kansans
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Some low-income Kansans may have better access to dental care thanks to an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates for dentists. State lawmakers recently provided funding to increase rates for certain dental services. Kevin Robertson is executive director for the Kansas Dental Association, a group that advocated for the rate increase. He says the increased funding helps, "but at the end of the day, our hope is that those increases will create more providers in the dental network for Medicaid in Kansas.” Robertson says the rate increases also covers sedation dentistry, which helps people relax during dental work and is often used for patients with special needs.
The recently approved funding will increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for exams, x-rays and fillings. Tayna Dorf-Brunner works for Oral Health Kansas, a group that advocated for the rate increase. She says only about 30% of Kansas dentists currently take Medicaid patients. She says it’s especially hard for rural residents. “There are 41 counties that have no Medicaid dental provider at all," she said. "And they are all in rural counties - mostly western Kansas - but definitely some in the east and southeast Kansas.” Dorf-Brunner says the increased rates for dental work may enable more providers to accept Medicaid and help improve dental health among low-income Kansans.
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Rescue Team Returns to Kansas After Texas Deployment
UNDATED (KWCH) — The swift-water rescue team that Kansas sent to Texas to aid recovery efforts there has returned home after a two-week deployment. KWCH reports that Kansas Task Force One supported search efforts in areas hit by catastrophic flooding. The team arrived in the Kerrville, Texas, area on July 13 and assisted Texas rescue workers in searching for human remains. At least 135 people were killed in the Texas floods this month.
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After Two Years, Cheney Reservoir Water Level Back to Capacity
UNDATED (KSN) — The water level in Cheney Reservoir is back up to normal for the first time in more than two years. That’s according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The reservoir covers parts of three counties: Reno, Kingman, and Sedgwick. On Sunday afternoon, the Corps reported the lake’s conservation pool had reached 1,421.6 feet—the benchmark for 100% capacity. KSN reports the reservoir was more than eight feet below normal earlier this year. But steady rain this month has filled the lake, with the water level rising more than seven feet in less than three weeks. The last time Cheney reached this level was in July 2022.
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Researchers Investigate How Officials Communicate About Drought Risks
UNDATED (KNS) — Researchers see a disconnect in the Midwest between how government officials and the public talk about drought. The Kansas News Service reports researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln studied how people talked about the 2022 droughts that affected most residents of Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas. Sharon Baldinelli is an assistant professor who teaches communications. She says officials tended to stick to the messages that fell within their jobs, such as reporting rainfall and temperatures. Yet the public was often more interested in talking about broader effects. Baldinelli said, “What the residents, the general population, needs to hear is: What are the ramifications from drought to their community?” That could mean how it will affect the local food prices, for example.
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ESU President Ken Hush Announces Retirement
EMPORIA, Kan. (Emporia Gazette) — The president of Emporia State University has announced his retirement. Ken Hush says his last day on campus will be December 17. He was named the 18th president of ESU in 2022. The Emporia Gazette reports that Hush transformed the university, gaining praise from some and complaints from others. Numerous tenured professors were released from their positions, programs were cut, and new programs were added during his time at the helm. “It has been an honor to serve my alma mater, my hometown and my native state of Kansas,” Hush said.
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Trump Nominates Kansas Lawyer for U.S. Attorney
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TCJ/KPR) — President Trump has nominated a prominent conservative lawyer to be the next United States attorney for Kansas. If confirmed by the Senate, Ryan Kriegshauser would become the chief federal law enforcement officer in Kansas. He would lead a team of prosecutors working criminal and civil cases in federal courts in Topeka, Kansas City, and Wichita. Before entering private practice, Kriegshauser worked in the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner and the Secretary of State's Office. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Kriegshauser was also a prosecutor in Jefferson County.
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KCC Approves Natural Gas Rate Increases for Black Hills Energy Customers
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) — Some Kansans will pay more for gas service as the Kansas Corporation Commission has approved rate increases for natural gas. The Kansas News Service reports that natural gas joins electricity and water in rate hikes. Black Hills Energy provides natural gas for most southern Kansans. The Kansas Corporation Commission unanimously approved a rate increase for their customers. Under the terms of the settlement customers in Kansas will pay on average almost six dollars more per month, totaling more than $70 per year. The company told the KCC the rate increase is to pay for system upgrades and to offset inflation. The new rates will take effect on August 1, of this year.
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Kansas Seeks More Inspections of Group Foster Care Facilities
UNDATED (KC Beacon) — Kansas officials want more inspections of congregate care facilities that house foster children. The Beacon reports that Kerrie Lonard leads the state’s foster care oversight agency. She says she keeps getting complaints about alleged neglect and abuse in group foster care settings. There’s drug use, children fighting, poor supervision of youth and staff members using excessive force on children. Right now, these facilities are inspected annually and that inspection is announced ahead of time. Lonard wants more inspections and unannounced visits. “I don't think it's the end all be all solution that's going to fix the concerns that we're all very aware of, right? I think it's one step,” Lonard explained. Key state lawmakers support additional inspections of these facilities.
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Federal Bill Increases Farm Safety Nets for Commodities, but Could Hurt Specialty Growers
UNDATED (HPM) — The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act increases safety nets for farmers who grow commodities, like corn or wheat. But deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could hurt specialty growers who benefit from programs like Double Up Food Bucks. Harvest Public Media reports that the Double Up Food Bucks program is available in more than 25 states. It provides a one-to-one match for SNAP participants to buy more fruits and vegetables at farmers markets or grocery stores. The new law slashes nearly $186 billion from SNAP and adds more work requirements for participating. Iowa State University Extension economist Chad Hart says that will affect farmers who sell produce locally, explaining that “...with food assistance basically under the chopping block here, that means less support for them in the long run.” Hart says specialty farmers often rely more on government support for market access, whereas commodity farmers tend to rely more on direct payments when times get tough.
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