UPDATE: Lawrence Police ID Suspect in 25-Year-Old Child Sex Crimes Case
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Lawrence police say a single cigarette butt helped crack a 25-year-old case involving child sex crimes. David James Zimbrick was arrested Monday in Raytown, Missouri, for allegedly raping a child in a Lawrence park two decades ago. During a Monday afternoon news conference, Lawrence Police Chief Rich Lockhart said it took DNA discovered on the cigarette butt and the use of "genetic genealogy” technology to identify the suspect.
"It's been 9,257 days since David James Zimbrick sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl in Naismith Park and when the United States Marshall Service arrested him yesterday," Lockhart said. "He is in a place where he will not ever be able to hurt another child."
The 58-year-old Zimbrick is facing three counts involving sex crimes against two children in cases that date back to 2000 and 2003. He's currently being held on $1 million bond in Jackson County, Missouri, where he awaits extradition.
The genetic genealogy technology used in this case is the same tool used to locate and arrest a suspect in the California case known as the “Golden State Killer.” (Read more.)
(Earlier reporting...)
Lawrence Police: Arrest Made in Child Sex Abuse Cases Dating Back to 2000
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR/LJW) — Lawrence police have arrested a man suspected of sexually assaulting children over a period of several years. Authorities used cutting-edge technology to connect the suspect to the crimes. The Lawrence Police Department says it used “genetic genealogy” technology to identify the suspect. Police have not publicly identified the man arrested nor have they provided additional details of the alleged crimes. However, police have scheduled a news conference Tuesday with Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Loomis to provide more information.
The genetic genealogy technology used in this case is the same tool used to locate and arrest a suspect in the California case known as the “Golden State Killer.” The Lawrence Journal-World reports that it remains unclear if the arrest took place in Douglas County. Jail logs Tuesday morning did not list an inmate being held on the suspicion of such crimes.
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New Kansas Laws Take Effect Thursday
TOPEKA, Kan. (KCLY) - Kansas lawmakers passed more than 125 new laws during the legislative session earlier this year. Most of those took laws took effect on July 1st, but several additional laws are set to become operative on January 1st.
KCLY reports that a new state election law will require advance mail ballots to be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day instead of up to three days later. Registration fees will increase for electric and hybrid vehicles to help offset declining gas tax revenue, and a new online system to verify vehicle insurance will go into effect.
Kansas drivers will have new specialty license plate options, including an all black and white “blackout” plate, a commemorative Route 66 plate, and one promoting the Kansas chapter of Future Farmers of America.
Other new laws include updates on how the state distributes funding for 911 emergency services and measures to strengthen security around Kansas military bases by limiting foreign ownership.
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Shawnee County Man Sentenced to 24 Years for Solicitation of a Child
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — A Shawnee County man has been sentenced to more than 24 years in prison for electronic solicitation of a child. WIBW-TV reports Christopher Matthew Schwarz was sentenced on Monday. The incident occurred on or before July 11, 2025. Schwarz is being held in the Shawnee County Jail until he is transferred to the state prison to serve his sentence. Upon his release, he will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years.
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Feds Give Kansas Rural Hospitals $220 Million
UNDATED (KPR) — Kansas is set to receive more than $220 million for rural health care in 2026. The money will come from the federal government’s new Rural Health Transformation Program. That was created as part of this year’s budget bill. Democratic governor Laura Kelly and Republican senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall announced the grant on Monday. The money is to be used to “identify the root challenges facing rural health providers and invest in solutions to improve outcomes for struggling providers.” The Rural Health Transformation Program is scheduled to run for five years.
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New Charges Filed in Connection with Death of Kansas Teen
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KOAM) — New charges have been filed against a man in connection with the death of a 13-year-old in Linn County, Kansas. Missouri prosecutors charged Damon Leonard with abandonment of a corpse last week. Now the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department is charging Leonard with interference with law enforcement, criminal desecration, and having a vicious dog at large. KOAM reports Airen Andula was reported missing on Sunday, December 21. His remains were found the next day. Investigators say more charges may be forthcoming.
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Suspect Arrested after Nine-Hour Standoff in Goodland
GOODLAND, Kan. (KSN) — A man has been arrested after a nine-hour standoff in western Kansas. The standoff began Sunday night when police responded to a domestic disturbance call in Goodland. KSN reports the suspect had allegedly attempted to stab a woman. When police attempted to make contact with him, he barricaded himself inside the home. Shortly after 7 a.m. on Monday, the man was taken into custody without further incident.
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Silver Alert Issued for Missing Lawrence Man
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Police have issued a silver alert for a missing Lawrence man. Roger Harry Bean, 77, has not been seen since December 23. Bean is said to have cognitive issues and is known to wander and hitchhike. He is described as 6’ 2’’ and 195 pounds. Anyone who sees him is asked to call 911 immediately.
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Explosion Damages KCK Church
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (WDAF-TV) — Police are seeking a suspect who detonated an explosive device at a Kansas City, Kansas, church, causing thousands of dollars in damage. No one was injured when the device, described as a large firework, was detonated early Sunday morning. WDAF-TV reports surveillance video shows an individual placing the device on a windowsill at Bethel Christian Church. The pastor says the explosion blew shards of glass into the church’s children’s room.
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Pilot Escapes Injury in Crash Landing at Southwest Kansas Airport
LIBERAL, Kan. (WIBW) — The pilot of a small airplane escaped injury in a crash landing this week at an airport in southwest Kansas. WIBW TV reports the crash happened Monday afternoon at the Mid-America Regional Airport in Liberal. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the pilot of a Cessna single-engine plane was coming in for a landing but was unsure if the landing gear was deployed. The plane landed on its belly on the runway. The pilot, 20-year-old Braxon G. Blackwood, of Sublette, was the lone occupant of the plane and was uninjured.
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Lawsuit over Douglas County Solar Farm Delayed to November 2026
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — A lawsuit seeking to block construction of a solar farm in Douglas County won’t go to trial until next November. The suit seeks to block development of the solar farm on Kaw Valley farmland north of North Lawrence. The plaintiffs opposing the project include people who live nearby as well as Grant Township. The defendant in the case is Douglas County, which issued the permit for the solar farm. The Lawrence Journal-World reports a Douglas County judge on Monday ordered the county to search its database for more documents related to the case.
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KCC Schedules Hearing for Evergy Transmission Line Proposal
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — The Kansas Corporation Commission has scheduled public hearings on Evergy’s request to build a 133-mile transmission line in southern Kansas. The line would run through Sedgwick, Sumner, Cowley and Chautauqua Counties. The KCC announced the hearings on Monday. The first will take place on January 7th in Sedan, the second on January 8 in Winfield. WIBW-TV reports Evergy is proposing to construct the line from the Buffalo Flats Substation near Garden Plain to the Delaware Substation near Delaware, Oklahoma. The KCC says the hearings will give residents an opportunity to learn more about the proposed line and make public comments.
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Good News for Kansas Dairies: Milk Sales Up Slightly
UNDATED (HPM) — Americans drank more milk in 2024, reversing a decade-long decline. Sales of whole milk increased by 3% from 2023. That was enough to increase total sales last year, even though consumption of skim and reduced-fat milk continued to decline. Leonard Polzin, a dairy markets outreach specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, told Harvest Public Media whole milk ticks several boxes for consumers: it's minimally processed and it's packed with protein. "The more protein, the better,” he said. “Consumers are all about that. The other portion is kind of a shift towards healthy fats too." The same trends are driving up sales of cottage cheese and other dairy products. But industry leaders say last year's increase is likely a blip in what will continue to be declining demand for milk.
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While Questions Remain About Future of Royals; Union Station Calls for Downtown Ballpark
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) — Now that the Kansas City Chiefs have announced plans to move to Kansas, sports fans are wondering what will happed to the Royals. The same tax incentive package that lured the Chiefs to Kansas is also available to the Royals, but the Kansas offer is set to expire this week and so far... state lawmakers in Kansas have not received a proposal from the ball club.
In a social media post over the weekend, the Union Station account on X came out in favor of a downtown ballpark. Union Station was glowing blue when the post was made late Saturday night. The post said it's time to welcome downtown baseball home - once again, where the story of baseball in Kansas City first began. So far, the Royals have remained tight-lipped on their future plans.
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Kansas Gov Seeks Dedicated Funding Source for State Water Programs
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — In her final year in office, Democratic Kansas Governor Laura Kelly says she wants to find a sustainable, dedicated funding source for state water programs. Agricultural and environmental factors are rapidly draining the state’s water reserves. Scientists worry about the availability of water for drinking and irrigation in the not-too-distant future. In a recent interview, Kelly said her top policy priority in 2026 is bolstering the state’s existing water plan for the future. "Getting a water plan in place that would make a difference and sustain both the quality and quantity of water for Kansas... knowing that I was able to get that done would make me feel very good about leaving office," she said. A water task force convened in 2025 will make preliminary recommendations to the Legislature in January. The 2026 session begins on January 12th.
(-Related-)
Kansas Gov Advises Democrats to Focus on Affordability Issues
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — While Governor Laura Kelly was chair of the national Democratic Governors Association, Democrats won key races in New Jersey and Virginia in the 2025 elections. Now, Kelly is focused on helping her party win statewide and legislative races in Kansas during her last year in office. In a recent interview, Kelly said candidates should follow Democrats in other states and focus on issues like inflation and affordability. “The cost of groceries, the cost of housing, the cost of child care. Those are the kinds of things that people think about day in and day out," she said. Democrats are hoping to keep hold of the governor’s office and break Republican supermajorities in the Kansas House and Senate.
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Taylor Swift Gave Arrowhead Employees $600 Tips on Christmas
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Taylor Swift gave employees at Arrowhead Stadium gratuities of $600 each for working on Christmas Day. Stadium workers shared in a Facebook post that the singer sought out Arrowhead staff members to personally wish them Merry Christmas. KCTV reports that Swift thanked employees for working on the holiday while handing out the cash gifts. The entertainer recently donated $1 million dollars to the American Heart Association and to the group Feeding America to help alleviate hunger during the holiday season.
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KPR Offers Listeners A Very Merry Prairie Journal
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Have you heard this year's KPR holiday variety show? Every year, KPR's Kaye McIntyre, the host of Prairie Journal (formerly KPR Presents), produces a holiday version of her weekly public affairs show. It's basically a KPR talent show featuring music, poetry and short holiday stories. Many of the staffers at the radio station play musical instruments - indeed, some are professional musicians - and they put that talent to good use during this yuletide tradition. Check it out.
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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).