Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Kansas Public Radio!
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Topeka Police: McDonald’s Shooting Likely Murder-Suicide
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — Topeka police say they are investigating the recent shooting at a McDonald’s restaurant as a murder-suicide. KSNT reports officers responded to a call at the McDonald’s on SW Gage Boulevard Sunday night. Three people had been shot. Two died. The third survived. One of the deceased appears to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Topeka Police say the investigation remains active.
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Pedestrian on I-70 Stuck and Killed in KCK
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KSHB) — A pedestrian was killed after being hit by a vehicle while walking along Interstate 70 in Kansas City, Kansas, on Wednesday. It happened around 5:15 pm in the eastbound lanes east of the Turner Diagonal. The vehicle stopped to render aid. The victim has not been identified. KSHB reports the incident forced the closure of parts of the highway for several hours. The investigation is ongoing.
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Kansas Sen. Moran: Ukraine War Negotiations Must Not Reward Putin
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KPR) — U.S. senator Jerry Moran is warning against rewarding Russian president Vladimir Putin in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor in 2022. In a statement released this week, Moran said, “Lasting peace will be achieved when the costs of continuing the war in Ukraine are unsustainable for Russia, not by acceding to Vladimir Putin’s demands.” Negotiations to end the war are currently underway.
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Broadband Grant Changes Could Affect Kansas Internet Infrastructure
UNDATED (The Beacon) — The Trump Administration changed a broadband grant program, and that will mean weaker internet infrastructure for Kansas. Kansas was awarded $451 million under the Biden Administration. The Beacon reports that under Trump, the new goal of the money was to find the best deal available rather than the best value. Erik Sartorius of the Communications Coalition of Kansas says the change will mean less investment in high-speed internet projects than can last for decades. Instead, it’ll mean investment in decent speed internet projects that’ll last for years. “As you see in your own life and in road building or anything else, cheap does not generally equal the best solution,” he said.
Kansas submitted its grant proposal in November.
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Courthouse Trees Fall Victim to Douglas County Construction Project
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — About a dozen trees near the historic Lawrence County Courthouse have had to be chopped down. Officials say ongoing construction at the nearby Judicial and Law Enforcement Center forced the city to turn off an irrigation system and the trees died. The county’s maintenance, buildings, and grounds director told the Lawrence Journal-World the trees had shallow roots and “were unable to pull water from deeper in the soil.” The county says it will replace the trees in the spring.
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Kansas Farmer Charged with Crop-Loss Insurance Fraud
HOLCOMB, Kan. (KSN) — A federal grand jury has indicted a farmer from western Kansas on multiple counts of fraud. The indictment accuses David Mongeau, 54, of Holcomb of falsely filing a crop-loss insurance claim. The claim was paid, yet the farmer allegedly sold thousands of bushels of wheat that had supposedly been ruined. KSN reports Mongeau was indicted on two counts of making a false statement and 17 counts of bank fraud or attempted bank fraud.
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Kansas Helium Keeps Macy’s Parade Balloons Afloat
OTIS, Kan. (KSN) — The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place today. And the helium that keeps those giant character-shaped balloons afloat? It comes from Kansas. Messer is an industrial gas company in Otis. KSN reports Messer has supplied the helium that keeps Snoopy and the other giant balloons afloat for more than 25 years. The company’s production manager says Macy’s is a relatively small customer but “it’s a really cool project to be a part of.”
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Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade Canceled Due to EHV Outbreak Concerns
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) — A well-known Christmas horse parade in Lawrence has been canceled because of a horse virus outbreak. The outbreak of herpes-virus is affecting horses in eight states, so as a precaution the Lawrence Old Fashioned Christmas Parade won’t be held this year. The parade has been a tradition for more than 30 years. It typically includes dozens of horse-drawn carriages and riders dressed for Christmas. It was scheduled for December 6th. Although the virus is not dangerous to people, it spreads quickly among horses and in rare cases can be fatal. Parade organizers estimate the event normally draws tens of thousands of people to Lawrence.
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Court Ruling Blocks Leavenworth CoreCivic Re-Opening
UNDATED (KNS) — A planned immigration detention center in Leavenworth will stay closed for now after a court loss for a private prison company. A state court ruling has blocked the company, CoreCivic, from using its dormant facility to detain immigrants awaiting deportation proceedings. CoreCivic asked a federal court to remove that barrier to reopening. The Kansas News Service reports that the judge has refused, meaning the 1,000-bed detention center will remain inactive — at least until a state court hearing in February. Meanwhile, in a change of tone, CoreCivic says it will consider applying for a permit with the city of Leavenworth to reopen the facility, though the company maintains that it does not legally have to do so.
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Topeka Officials Say Sale of Hotel Topeka Near
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — City officials in Topeka say they hope to finalize a deal to sell the Hotel Topeka by the end of the year. They say the deal is about “90% complete.” The city purchased the struggling hotel at auction in 2023 for more than $7 million. WIBW-TV reports a hotel management company based in Wichita submitted a letter of intent to buy the hotel in July. Earlier this month, the company’s CEO said he hoped the deal would be finalized within weeks.
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Law Enforcement Agencies, KDOT Offer Tips for Safe Holiday Travel
UNDATED (KNS) — Law enforcement agencies in Kansas are urging drivers to stay safe and sober on the roads this holiday season. The Kansas News Service reports that over the past four years in Kansas, three people died and 74 were injured in alcohol-related crashes during Thanksgiving weekend. At the site of a recent crash in Wichita that injured two children, Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan said drivers should plan ahead and use ride-sharing services or a designated driver. "If you're planning on drinking during this holiday season, please make prior arrangements to get to where you need to go safely, and not putting others at risk," Gupilan stressed. When it comes to weather, drivers can check current road conditions anywhere in the state at KanDrive.gov or by calling 511. Officials also urge drivers to make sure everything with their vehicle is in working order, including fluids, tire tread, and tire pressure.
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Small Business Owners Reporting Lower Confidence Levels for Holiday Season
UNDATED (HPM) — Business owners with fewer than three full-time employees reported lower confidence levels for this year’s holiday season, according to a Main Street America national survey. Harvest Public Media reports that tariffs, inflation and a downturn in consumer spending were big factors for many of the survey respondents. Melissa Fabian, owner of Simply Nourished Market & Mercantile in Mason City, Iowa, says she’s seen a drop in revenue this year with less foot traffic. Small Business Saturday after Thanksgiving is typically her biggest day of the year. “Believe me, we appreciate it, and we need people there to do that. But we really need the people there to come every week. People can't shop one day a year with us and be surprised six months later that we're gone,” she cautioned. Fabian says supporting small businesses circulates dollars locally and helps downtowns thrive.
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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers. Our headlines are generally published by 10 am weekdays and are updated through 7 pm. This ad-free news summary is made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on X (formerly Twitter).