I-70 Currently Open in Western Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — I-70 is currently open in western Kansas. Since midnight, the interstate between Goodland and Colby has been repeatedly closed and reopened due to high winds, blowing dust and reduced visibility. The Kansas Department of Transportation is advising motorists to consider delaying non-essential travel, especially in northwest Kansas. You can access the latest travel information at KanDrive.gov or by calling 511.
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High Fire Risk for All of Kansas Thursday
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Fire officials in Kansas say high winds and low humidity today (THUR) will put much of the state at risk for quick-spreading grass fires. Forecasts call for gusty winds up to 50 mph or more. Sedgwick County Fire Marshal Bradley Crisp says people should avoid using fire pits or any kind of outdoor flame. He also suggests cutting dry grasses and moving firewood away from buildings. “Anything that we can get away from the home that is combustible or at least has a propensity to burn, it's going to give you a better chance to save your property," he said. Winds could also make driving difficult. Fire officials advise people not to drive into smoke, and to slow down or pull over if necessary.
Fire officials warn that any spark from a cigarette or outdoor flame could ignite dry grasses and spread quickly. Various Red Flag Warnings and High Wind Warnings are taking effect statewide. Forecasts predict wind gusts as high as 50 and 60 mph.
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Kansas Attorney General Announces Settlement with Hyundai and Kia
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas is among the 35 states reaching a settlement with carmakers Hyundai and Kia over anti-theft technology. As a result of the settlement, Hyundai and Kia will offer a free hardware fix for all affected vehicles that will help deter future thefts. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach says Hyundai and Kia cars have been part of an "epidemic of car thefts and joy riding across the country that continues to threaten public safety." The two automakers have agreed to equip their vehicles with better anti-theft technology. A multi-million dollar fund will also compensate eligible parties if their cars were damaged by thieves. Almost 48,000 of the affected vehicles were sold in Kansas. Kansas will receive more than $71,000 for investigative costs.
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Spread of Potentially Fatal Equine Virus Appears to Slow
UNDATED (HPM) — Equine herpes virus has recently affected horses across eight states - including Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas. But Harvest Public Media reports that the spread of the potentially fatal disease appears to be slowing. Equine herpes virus is dangerous because it can morph into a debilitating neurologic disease. The outbreak stemmed from a barrel racing event in Waco, Texas, in early November. But no new cases of the virus have been reported for about two weeks, according to Bud Dinges, executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission. His staff made thousands of phone calls to find horses that may have been exposed to the virus." Horses that were exposed, we were having those folks basically stop moving for 21 days. And then having those competitors take the horse’s temperature twice a day for two weeks." Some horses are still being isolated because it can take weeks for symptoms to appear. (Read more.)
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U.S. Government Admits Liability in Deadly D.C. Plane and Helicopter Crash
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) — The United States has admitted liability in the deadly crash involving an American Airlines flight from Wichita to Washington, D.C., earlier this year. The January 29th collision between an American Eagle jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft. In a court filing, the federal government admits that failures by the helicopter pilots and an air traffic controller led to the crash. The government says the pilots "failed to maintain proper and safe visual separation" from the jet. It also says a controller in the tower did not comply with an order governing air traffic control procedure. An attorney for Rachel Crafton, whose husband died on the regional jet, says the government is not the only party responsible for the crash. KMUW Radio reports that a final report from federal investigators is not expected until next month at the earliest.
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Johnson County Election Commissioner Resigns
UNDATED (KNS) — The Johnson County election commissioner announced Thursday that he has resigned from his post. The Kansas News Service reports that former commissioner Fred Sherman said on social media that he was told to resign or be fired. Republican Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, who is running for governor, appointed Sherman in 2021. In a statement, Schwab thanked Sherman for his work but did not explain the decision to push him out. Sherman was the target of a discredited election fraud investigation by the former Johnson County sheriff. It resulted in no charges. Schwab said his office will work with Johnson County officials to appoint a successor.
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President Trump Takes Action to Reschedule / Reclassify Marijuana
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Marijuana remains illegal in Kansas, despite actions taken by the Trump administration to reclassify the drug. The president issued an executive order Thursday directing federal agencies to amend marijuana's classification as a Schedule I federally controlled substance. The order seeks to finalize a recommendation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services calling for cannabis to be reclassified as a Schedule III controlled substance. Rescheduling the drug will allow scientists to conduct research on the long-term effects of marijuana on the human brain.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation reacted to the news. KBI Director Tony Mattivi said "rescheduling is not the same as legalization. The cultivation, distribution, and possession of marijuana-derived THC products remains illegal under state and federal law, and the KBI will continue to enforce existing laws. Marijuana products remain just as illegal today as they were yesterday."
Mattivi also said the marijuana products sold today are highly potent and pose a direct threat to public health.
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Prairie Band Potawatomi End Federal Detention Center Design Contract
UNDATED (KNS) — A Kansas tribe has ended its involvement in a federal contract to design immigration detention centers. A leader of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation says a company the tribe owns has fully divested from a contract with federal immigration enforcement. The Kansas News Service reports that Tribal Council Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick said in a video that leaders will meet in January to discuss how to prevent similar issues moving forward. “Tribal Council plans to further address the steps we will take to ensure that our Nation’s economic interests do not come into conflict with our values in the future,” he explained. Earlier this month, the tribe fired senior leaders of the business for entering the $30 million deal.
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Topeka Man Sentenced for Murder of Lawrence Musician
LAWRENCE, Kan. (Lawrence Times) — A Douglas County judge has sentenced a Topeka man to nearly 52 years in prison for the murder of Lawrence musician Vincent Lee Walker. The Lawrence Times reports that Nicholas Laron Beaver, 34, was found guilty of first-degree murder in July. The shooting took place in March of 2024 at the bus stop in the 700 block of Vermont Street, near the Lawrence Public Library. Judge Stacey Donovan sentenced Beaver to the maximum sentence possible, based on the violent offense and his criminal history. He will spend 620 months, or slightly more than 51 ½ years, in the Kansas Department of Corrections.
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Student Group Sues University of Kansas over Gaza-Related Demonstrations
UNDATED (KC Star) — A student organization supporting Palestine has sued the University of Kansas. The suit accuses the university and some of its top administrators of selectively enforcing campus rules and punishing student activists.
The Kansas City Star reports it is the second lawsuit connected to the university's response to demonstrations that took place in May of 2024. The lawsuit was filed in November in Douglas County District Court by Students for Justice in Palestine at KU and two of its officers, Linnaea Radley and Mya Hoersdig. The University of Kansas, Chancellor Douglas A. Girod, Vice Provost for Student Affairs Tammara Durham, and senior student conduct hearing officer Phil Neuman have all been named as defendants in the case, which stems from a series of anti-war protests held from May 1 to May 9 on university property near Fraser Hall. According to the complaint, KU administrators allowed the demonstrations to continue until commencement weekend, when officials notified participants that they would have to leave the lawn by 10 p.m., citing increased campus activity tied to graduation. The notice warned that anyone who remained could be subject to arrest for trespassing.
The plaintiffs are seeking to have disciplinary sanctions invalidated, SJP removed from any list of punished organizations, and limits placed on how KU enforces protest-related policies. The lawsuit also seeks damages and attorneys’ fees. The plaintiffs are also asking the court to certify the case as a class action on behalf of the group’s members. An earlier lawsuit filed in May by three students who were arrested in the library remains pending in Douglas County. In addition to KU and Neuman, that suit also names four KUPD officers as defendants. A judge recently denied most of the university’s motion to dismiss that case, allowing it to move forward, though KU has filed an appeal challenging that ruling.
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KC Approves New Rules for Short-Term Rentals During 2026 World Cup
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) — People in Kansas City can now apply to rent out their homes under the special short-term rules the city approved for next year’s World Cup matches. But property owners aren’t rushing to host World Cup visitors. A new report from the Mid-America Regional Council says that listings for short term rentals are down 18 percent during the eight-week World Cup window. In October, MARC says, there were 13-hundred listings in the metro. There are just a thousand listings for next summer; however, the median price jumped from 250 dollars a night to 300 dollars. The price for a short-term rental tops 400 dollars a night in Olathe, Kansas City, Missouri, Lenexa and Overland Park. MARC says the data suggests owners are adjusting prices rather than adding new listings.
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Kansas Senate Resolution Would Create "Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day"
TOPEKA, Kan. (KCUR) — One of the first things the Kansas Senate could take up when it convenes next month would honor a slain conservative activist. Republicans in Kansas and Missouri who want to create a “Charlie Kirk free speech day.” The pre-filed resolution in Kansas is co-sponsored by all 31 Senate Republicans. It would establish the free speech day on October 14th, Kirk’s birthday. Kirk was assassinated in September while speaking at a Utah university. The resolution says Kirk’s legacy will continue to serve as an example of the importance of free speech and the First Amendment. A similar bill was pre-filed in the Missouri General Assembly. That legislation, sponsored by state Senator Brad Hudson from Cape Fair in southern Missouri, would create a “Charlie Kirk Day” and calls Kirk a champion of civil dialogue and faith.
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Chiefs QB Mahomes to Return to Kansas City Friday Following Surgery
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) - Kansas City Chiefs trainers say injured quarterback Patrick Mahomes will likely face his recovery the same way he faces opponents on the field - in a regimented and disciplined way. Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder gave updates on Mahomes during a press conference Wednesday. He says the torn A-C-L was fixable, and Mahomes suffered no artery or nerve damage. “As you know in the past with Patrick and his injuries, he attacks them and does very well. And he’s in that mode right now. I’ve talked to him every day and I know Coach has, too, and he’s already on it." he said. Burkholder says Mahomes could be back on the field in nine months. Burkholder also says Mahomes will return to Kansas City on Friday. Mahomes had surgery in Dallas, and will continue rehab with his staff.
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Salina Appeals Ruling in Case of Mural Painted on Restaurant Building
SALINA, Kan. (KWCH) - The city of Salina is appealing a federal judge’s ruling in favor of a restaurant that sued the city over a mural on the outside of its building. Last month, the judge ruled the city of Salina violated the Cozy Inn’s First Amendment rights when it ordered the business to stop work on the mural, which depicts a giant hamburger. The city said the mural violated a city sign ordinance. Attorneys for the restaurant argued that the city violated the restaurant’s free speech. KWCH TV reports that the Salina City Commission has authorized the mayor to appeal the ruling.
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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).