Flu Cases in Kansas Rising; Health Officials Worried
UNDATED (WDAF-TV) — Health officials in Kansas say there’s been a spike in flu cases. The University of Kansas Health System is reporting seven times more flu patients than it did two weeks ago. And the CDC currently lists Kansas as having high flu activity levels. WDAF-TV reports the sudden rise in flu cases worries health officials. The virus is considered very contagious. And many patients spread the virus before realizing they have it. If untreated, influenza can develop into more serious conditions, including pneumonia, which may require hospitalization.
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Abortions in Kansas Rose to Record Level in 2024
UNDATED (KPR) — The number of abortions in Kansas reached a record high in 2024. That’s according to the latest annual vital statistics report from the state department of health and environment. There were 19,811 abortions reported in Kansas in 2024. That’s up 1.7% from the previous year and the most reported since 1973, when the US Supreme Court legalized abortion. That ruling has since been overturned. The report finds that 76% of the women who received abortions in Kansas in 2024 traveled from another state.
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KCK Police Seize 120 Pounds of Meth; One of the Largest Drug Busts in City History
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KPR/KMBC) — Authorities say it may be the largest drug bust in the history of Kansas City, Kansas—or at least one of them. KMBC TV reports that police seized 120 pounds of meth in a single raid on one home during the last week of 2025. That's about the same weight as eight bowling balls— the 16-pound variety. Four people were arrested at that home Tuesday night. Officers also confiscated other drugs and eight firearms. For all of 2025, the KCK Police Department's narcotics unit says it seized more than 1,300 pounds of meth, nearly 700 pounds of heroin and 3,500 pounds of marijuana, along with loads of fentanyl, firearms and $1.2 million in cash. In all, the KCK narcotics unit made 373 felony arrests in 2025.
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Cloud County Jail Closing Temporarily Due to Staffing Shortage
CONCORDIA, Kan. (KPR) — A county jail in north central Kansas is temporarily closing due to a staffing shortage. Inmates at the Cloud County jail will be transferred to other facilities. In a statement posted on social media, Cloud County Sheriff Ken Davis said four employees recently quit or intend to quit, leaving the jail with just eight employees. Davis says the jail is required to have at least 12 employees. He blames the high turnover on the low wages paid to jail workers, about $18 an hour. Davis says employees are currently working 12-hour shifts in a confined, stressful, and challenging environment.
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Major Insurance Firm Moving from KCMO to Kansas
LEAWOOD, Kan. (Captive Insurance Times) — A major insurance company is moving its headquarters from Kansas City, Missouri, to Leawood, Kansas. The website Captive Insurance Times reports Lockton is the world's largest privately held insurance brokerage firm. It has about 15-hundred employees in the Kansas City area. It’s moving from Country Club Plaza. The new campus in Leawood will include residential and commercial spaces, as well as a hotel and a child care center. Construction is expected to begin this year.
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Scientists Study How Droughts Affect Prairies, Grasslands
UNDATED (HPM) — Both the length and intensity of droughts can come together to hurt prairies and grasslands. That’s according to a new study on grasslands around the world, including in the central U.S. The group of scientists ran the same study on sites in places like Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. They imposed extreme drought for four years in a row. Researcher Cristy Portales-Reyes of St. Louis University says there were signs of hope in the results. “If you have, say, two years of extreme drought and then one year of medium levels of drought, or maybe a wet year, that essentially makes it so that those catastrophic impacts don't happen,” she told Harvest Public Media. “So that I found very encouraging.” Portales-Reyes says this study was important because scientists expect more extreme droughts in the future.
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Wichita Man Accused of Christmas Eve Hammer Attack
WICHITA, Kan. (Hays Post) — A man accused of using a hammer in a violent attack on Christmas Eve remains jailed in Wichita after a court appearance on Tuesday. A judge has charged 43-year-old Jason Eastburn with attempted first-degree murder, burglary and other crimes. The Hays Post reports that Eastburn is accused of hitting a woman with a hammer at a Wichita home (7237 E 24th Street). He remains jailed on $2 million bond.
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Kansas Highway Patrol Reports Big Jump in Christmas DUI Arrests
UNDATED (KPR) — There was a big jump in drunk-driving arrests in Kansas over the Christmas holiday. That’s according to statistics released by the state highway patrol. From 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve through the following Sunday, troopers made 27 DUI arrests. That’s up from just seven the previous year. Troopers also issued 769 speeding tickets this year, up from 227 last year. An increase in patrols this year could account for the higher numbers. Only one fatal crash was reported over the Christmas holiday. That occurred in Ellsworth County on Saturday. Police say alcohol was not a factor in that crash.
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Washington Post: Kansas Should Reject Chiefs Stadium Deal
UNDATED (KPR) — Count the Washington Post among those opposed to the deal that the state of Kansas made with the Hunt family to bring the Chiefs football team to Kansas. Last week, state officials and the Chiefs announced plans to build a new stadium for the team in Wyandotte County. In an editorial published on Tuesday, the Post says the Hunt family, who own the team, are collectively worth $24.8 billion. And the paper says the Chiefs “don’t need any help from taxpayers to build their stadium, and there’s no danger they’ll leave the Kansas City metro area.” The paper says the state is providing $2.7 billion in public funding. It urges the state to abandon the deal before it is finalized.
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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).