Kansas Governor Declares State of Disaster Emergency Due to Flooding
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Governor Laura Kelly has declared a state of disaster due to flooding in counties in the north central and south central parts of the state. This proclamation will allow resources to be used to provide state assistance. “Heavy rains and flooding impacted several counties Monday and we will do what we can to support those counties,” Kelly said. “Do not drive into standing water, just 12 inches of rushing can carry away most cars. Turn around, don’t drown.” The Kansas Division of Emergency Management has partially activated the State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka to monitor flood activity, assist counties with their potential needs and coordinate state resources.
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Severe Storms Batter Southern, Central and Western Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW/KWCH) - Parts of southern, central and western Kansas were battered by severe storms Monday night - storms that included large hail and heavy rains. KSNW TV reports that tennis ball sized hail pummeled Minneola, in Clark County, and baseball-sized hail fell in Comanche County. Earlier in the day, Stafford and Saline counties were also hit with large hail and torrential rains.
Flooding has become a problem at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson. Fair officials have closed all parking lots on the fairgrounds and will be running a shuttle service. The fair runs through Sunday.
Parts of central and western Kansas received significant rainfall Monday, ranging from 7.5 to 10 inches of rain west of Salina. Heavy rains caused flooding in some places. Ottawa County was especially hard hit. In the town of Prescott, rising water stranded people in their homes.
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Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area Receives Delayed Federal Funding
UNDATED (KNS) — Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area finally received $500,000 of federal funding that had been withheld for six months. The Kansas News Service reports that the organization preserves Kansas and Missouri history by supporting rural museums and Civil War sites. Funding to the organization was already allocated. But the Trump administration set it aside for review. It was finally released this month, just weeks before the end of the fiscal year when the funding would have expired. Johnny Szlauderbach of Freedom’s Frontier says the wait hurt planning efforts for the 2026 World Cup and the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding next year. “We had hoped to spend these last six months… to prepare and host that influx of people,” Szlauderbach explained. He says federal lawmakers from Missouri and Kansas helped secure the funding and are trying to ensure it is not withheld in the future.
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Driver, Pilot Walk Away After Small Plane Clips Car During Landing
BENTON, Kan. (KWCH) - A small airplane was trying to land in Benton, Kansas, over the weekend when it clipped the roof of a car. The plane flipped upside down after landing short of the runway at Stearman Field late Sunday afternoon. KWCH TV reports that the pilot of the plane - and the driver of the car that was clipped - walked away from the incident without major injuries.
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Pair Accused in Scheme to Steal $900,000 from Kansas Court
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KPR) - A federal grand jury has indicted two former Wyandotte County District Court bookkeepers in connection with an alleged scheme to steal nearly a million dollars from the court. Two Kansas women are facing charges: 65-year-old Julia Roberts, of Kansas City, Kansas and 63-year-old Vicki Robinson, of Bonner Springs. The women have been charged with wire fraud. ID theft and other crimes. Investigators say the women generated more than 400 fraudulent checks totaling more than $900,000. Prosecutors say the pair operated the scheme between 2018 and 2023.
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Wyandotte County Inmate's Death Ruled a Homicide
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KPR) - The death of an inmate at the Wyandotte County jail this summer has now been ruled a homicide. The KBI says 50-year-old Charles Adair died of complications from mechanical asphyxia, with contributing factors of heart disease and cirrhosis. The KBI says they've concluded their investigation and has presented their findings to the Wyandotte County District Attorney. (Read more.)
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World Cup Tickets Go on Sale This Week
UNDATED (KCUR) — The first World Cup ticket sales will begin this week (Sept. 10) for soccer fans in Kansas City and worldwide. KCUR reports that between September 10th and 19th, Visa cardholders can enter a lottery for the chance to buy tickets starting October first. That will include tickets for all 104 World Cup matches and includes the six at Arrowhead Stadium. Team match-ups will be announced in December. Prices will start at 60 dollars for group stage games and rise for later matches. And, many outlets, including ESPN, report that FIFA will use dynamic pricing, meaning ticket costs could fluctuate over time. Additional lotteries are also planned, and exclusive “hospitality packages” are already available.
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