Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Stepping Down
UNDATED (KMUW) — Marla Luckert is stepping down as Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court. She made the announcement Friday, two months after taking medical leave following a stroke.
Luckert was the first woman in Kansas to be named chief judge for a district court. KMUW Radio reports that she grew up in Goodland and earned a law degree from Washburn University. She became the second woman appointed to the Kansas Supreme Court when she was selected by Governor Bill Graves in 2002. She became chief justice in 2019.
Luckert says she has always taken her responsibilities seriously, saying that she "...wanted small-town Kansas children, including girls, to see themselves reflected in positions of leadership and to know their voices , their intelligence and their perseverance mattered."
Acting Chief Justice Eric Rosen will assume the role full-time on January 2nd. Luckert says she will continue as a justice until the end of January before retiring from the bench. Governor Laura Kelly will choose her successor.
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Kansas Legislative Committee to Meet Monday on Possible Stadium Bonds
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansas continues to aggressively pursue luring the Kansas City Chiefs across the state line. A Kansas legislative committee will meet Monday to take one of the final steps towards approving the floating of bonds to fund a $1 billion stadium. The deal is said to call for placing the new stadium near The Legends, a regional shopping mall in Kansas City, Kansas. In a surprise, the committee will not consider any deals with the Royals on Monday. Kansas officials said no final agreement has been reached but they are aggressively pursuing it. Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas and Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe said they are still in discussions with the Chiefs and the Royals.
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Authorities Investigate Threats Against Multiple KC Area Schools
JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. (KMBC) — Authorities are investigating after several Kansas schools received threats Friday. KMBC TV reports that multiple Catholic schools in Johnson County, Kansas, received threats. Similar threats were also made against schools located in Topeka, Ottawa and Bucyrus. It appears that mostly parochial schools were targeted. So far, authorities say all of the threats have been unfounded.
Many of the targeted schools were in Johnson County, Kansas:
- Holy Spirit Catholic Parish — Overland Park, Kansas
- Ascension Catholic School — Overland Park, Kansas
- Accelerated Schools — Overland Park, Kansas
- Prince of Peace Catholic School — Olathe, Kansas
- St. Agnes Catholic School — Roeland Park, Kansas
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School — Shawnee, Kansas
- Nativity Parish School — Leawood, Kansas
Other Kansas schools targeted:
- Sacred Heart School and Church — Ottawa, Kansas
- Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic School — Bucyrus, Kansas
- Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic School — Topeka, Kansas
- Hayden Catholic High School — Topeka, Kansas
All schools were checked and cleared by emergency crews. Police in each area have reported that the threats appear to be false. Investigators say several of the threats came in via voicemail. Shawnee police said one such threat was “automated” and referenced a bomb.
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New U.S. Attorney for Kansas Confirmed
UNDATED (KMUW) — The U.S. Senate confirmed the U.S. Attorney for Kansas on Thursday. KMUW Radio reports that Ryan Kriegshauser has served as interim attorney since July after being nominated by President Donald Trump. He now becomes the chief federal law enforcement officer in Kansas for civil and criminal matters. The office has attorneys and support staff in Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City. Kriegshauser was working in private practice in Olathe before his nomination. He previously has worked for the Kansas Securities Commissioner and for the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office of Legal Counsel and Policy. He is a veteran and serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
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KBI Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting in Leavenworth
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KPR) — Police in Leavenworth shot and wounded a suspected bank robber Thursday afternoon. Police were called to the Citizens National Bank around 3:30. Behind the bank they spotted a man with a rifle. The man, identified as 24-year-old Andrew Hutchinson, attempted to flee on foot. One officer shot Hutchinson, who is listed in stable condition. The KBI is investigating the shooting.
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Cities of Hays and Russell Defend Water Importation Plans Before Kansas Supreme Court
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – The cities of Hays and Russell are again in court defending plans to pipe in water from land owned in another county. The Kansas News Service reports that climate-related stress is causing tensions between towns and farmers. Almost all of western Kansas runs on groundwater. Farmers use groundwater to irrigate crops, towns use it for city water supplies. Years ago the towns tried to secure a water source by purchasing land in another county. But farmers in that region worry it will drain their source of livelihood. Daniel Buller represented the towns before the Kansas Supreme Court. He says state law makes it clear the towns are within their rights. “The Kansas Water Appropriation Act allows a water right owner to change a water right from irrigation to municipal use without losing priority of right,” Buller said. The justices will decide whether the group can prevent the pipeline.
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Bovine Disease Detected in Kansas
UNDATED (KWCH) — A bovine disease has been confirmed in cattle brought into Kansas. The disease, bovine theilerosis, was previously detected in several other states. It poses no risk to humans, but it can cause anemia in cattle. There is no approved cure. The disease is tick-borne but can also be spread through blood transfer. KWCH reports state agriculture officials are urging cattle producers to tighten up management and sanitation practices.
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Strain of Bird Flu Killing Off Birds in KC Metro
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) — Birds have been getting sick and dying in the Kansas City metro. According to biologists and veterinarians, the culprit is a rapidly-spreading strain of avian influenza. The Kansas City Star reports that the highly pathogenic Eurasian H5N1 strain of bird flu began causing problems for North American poultry and wild birds in 2022. According to experts, the outbreak continues to have an impact on local animals, particularly water fowl.
Operation Wildlife, a wildlife vet and rehabilitation clinic based in Linwood, has responded to a surge of calls for birds showing symptoms. Executive director Diane Johnson says her organization is fielding 15 or more calls per day from people reporting birds that show symptoms.
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Multiple Wildfires Reported in Kansas
UNDATED (KAKE) — High winds and dry conditions led to several wildfires across Kansas on Thursday. There have been no reports of injuries or homes being damaged. About 500 acres were burned in Reno County near Hutchinson. Two grass fires in Russell County were reported as well. KAKE reports firefighters were hampered by wind gusts that reached up to 70 miles an hour.
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Lawrence Speech Pathologist Accused of Child Sex Crimes Ordered to Stand Trial
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — A speech pathologist accused of molesting students at a Lawrence elementary school will stand trial on 14 counts. That’s what a Douglas County judge ruled after a hearing that ended Thursday. The Lawrence Journal-World reports Mark Gridley worked at Prairie Park Elementary School from August 2021 until his arrest in February. He is alleged to have had inappropriate contact with at least six young girls whom he bound and blindfolded under the guise of giving them a speech therapy “test.”
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Propane Shortage Prompts Kansas Governor to Declare State of Emergency
UNDATED (KSNT) — A shortage of propane has led to Kansas governor Laura Kelly declaring a state of emergency. Propane is used to heat about 7% of the homes in Kansas. Delays in the delivery of propane in Kansas and other states are raising concerns as winter approaches. Kelly’s declaration temporarily suspends any regulations that might impede the delivery of propane. KSNT reports the declaration will remain in effect until the end of the month.
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Kansas Sheriff Faces Calls to Resign
ELKHART, Kan. (KSN) — The sheriff in Morton County, Kansas, is facing calls for his resignation. Morton County is in the southwest corner of the state. KSN reports the county attorney and county commissioners are accusing Sheriff Thad Earls of misconduct and neglect of duty. They want him to resign, but he refuses. Earls says he’s done “nothing wrong.” The county attorney and commissioners are asking Kansas attorney general Kris Kobach to intervene and remove Earls from office.
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Living Christmas Trees Growing in Popularity
UNDATED (HPM) — Tens of millions of Christmas trees are cut and sold in the U.S. each year. A small but increasing number of consumers are looking to keep the holiday magic growing by purchasing a Christmas tree they can replant in the spring.
Dave Tubbin started selling living Christmas trees by accident at his plant nursery in southwestern Wisconsin. He had a dozen leftover spruce from the landscaping season. And he was surprised when customers tried to buy the five-foot potted trees instead of the cut ones he had available. "As the demand continued to grow for it, we just kept bringing them in,” he said. “And this year we have probably the most live trees that we've ever had."
The idea of a "living" Christmas tree has been around for at least two decades. They're a niche product for the industry, only making up a small percentage of sales each winter. But some tree sellers say they're seeing more interest from buyers who are looking to beautify their property or help the environment by planting their tree.
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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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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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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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Two with Kansas Ties Inducted into Volleyball Hall of Fame
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) — In conjunction with the NCAA Women's Volleyball Final Four in Kansas City, two former coaches with Kansas ties were recognized as Hall of Famers on Thursday. Former University of Kansas coach Ray Bechard was recognized for his 27-year coaching career with the Jayhawks. “It's pretty cool,” Bechard said. “You're just trying to inventory all the people in your life that have been so important.” Ten years ago, Bechard guided KU to the volleyball Final Four.
Also recognized was Tracy Rietzke, who coached for 32 years at Rockhurst University in Kansas City. But before that, he was a volleyball, basketball and softball coach at Kansas Wesleyan in Salina.
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