More Details Released on Lawrence Shooting
LAWRENCE (KPR) — Lawrence police have released more details about the fatal shooting in City Hall on Monday. The victim has been identified as 28-year-old Omar Dominguez Gavilan of Buffalo, Minnesota. In a statement, the Lawrence Police Department says Gavilan was riding on a Greyhound bus that stopped at the Kansas Turnpike service area just east of Lawrence Sunday night. Gavilan allegedly caused a disturbance there. The Kansas Highway Patrol then transported him to the Amtrak station in Lawrence. On Monday morning, Gavilan broke into a secured area of city hall and was shot by a security officer after engaging in a fight. Police say the details of the fight “will not be released until the investigation is complete.”
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Lawrence Lifts Cap on Short-Term Rentals for World Cup
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LT) — The Lawrence City Commission has voted to lift restrictions on short-term rental units during the World Cup. The Lawrence Times reports the city code currently limits licensees to a maximum of three short-term rental licenses within city limits. The amendment approved Tuesday night lifts that cap for the duration of the international soccer tournament. Six World Cup matches will be played in Kansas City in June and July. And it’s possible Lawrence will serve as a base camp for one of the teams in the tournament.
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Marion Police Chief’s Trial Delayed
MARION, Kan. (KWCH) — The trial of a former police chief in Marion County has been delayed. A judge agreed to Gideon Cody’s request to postpone the trial Tuesday. Cody faces one count of interfering with the judicial process for his role in a controversial raid on the town’s newspaper, the Marion County Record. Cody allegedly induced a witness to withhold or delay information in the case. His attorneys argued that a new documentary about the case makes it impossible for him to get a fair trial at this time. KWCH reports the trial has been postponed from February until the summer.
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Kansas AG Charges Felon with Election Fraud
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced Monday that his office has filed charges against a convicted felon who allegedly voted illegally in Kansas. Kobach alleges that Jose Luis Gomez Sr. of Hutchinson, faces one count of voting without being qualified and two counts of election perjury. Gomez is a convicted felon and is currently in custody in Oklahoma pending deportation. In a press release, Kobach said, “Voting by noncitizens, including both legal and illegal aliens, is a very real problem.” The release does not specify which election or elections Gomez allegedly voted in.
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KDOT Awards Largest Contract Ever
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — The Kansas Department of Transportation has awarded the biggest contract in the agency’s history, nearly $288 million. That money will pay for reconstruction of U.S. 54 and K-96 in Sedgwick and Butler counties. The contractor is Dondlinger Construction, which is based in Wichita. WIBW-TV reports construction is expected to begin in the spring. Workers will reconstruct and expand about two miles of U.S. 54 to six lanes and reconstruct about one mile of K-96.
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University Leaders Defend Funding Requests Before State Higher Ed Subcommittee
UNDATED (KNS) — Public university leaders in Kansas are defending their requests for more money as lawmakers begin to shape next year’s budget. The Kansas News Service reports that a subcommittee on higher education met this week to put university funding under the microscope. The presidents of Pittsburg State, Fort Hays State and Emporia State want additional funding to hire more faculty and renovate lab facilities. Republican state Representative Adam Turk chairs the committee. He says if universities want additional support, they should also focus on cutting obsolete programs to save money. “These are all trees. Sometimes you’ve got to prune off the old stuff that doesn't work so that the good stuff, the new stuff, can thrive,” Tusk explained. Budget talks will begin in earnest next week, when lawmakers meet in Topeka to start the 2026 legislative session.
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Kansas House Speaker Says Congressional Redistricting Measure Doesn't Have Enough Legislative Support to Pass
UNDATED (KNS) — A top Republican lawmaker in Kansas says there is not enough support to redraw the state’s congressional map. It was part of a national push by President Trump to get more Republicans in Congress. Multiple outlets reported that House Speaker Dan Hawkins said the chamber is at least 20 votes short of enacting mid-decade redistricting. The Kansas News Service reports that Republican leaders previously said they would continue to pursue the move after a failed attempt to call a special session last year. Now, it might not even come to a vote in the House when lawmakers return to Topeka for the regular session next week. Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Alaska Airlines Announces Big Airplane Purchase from Boeing
UNDATED (KNS) — Alaska Airlines announced Wednesday that it will order more than 100 new airplanes from Boeing over the next decade. The Kansas News Service reports that the jet order is the largest ever for Alaska Airlines, and it marks a vote of confidence in Boeing following problems with its 737-MAX program. Alaska plans to order 105 737 Max jets. It will also buy five 787 Dreamliners, as it plans to expand international service. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg thanked Boeing employees for their commitment to the company., saying "...your focus on safety and quality, particularly in these last 18 months, have been critical to restoring trust with our customers." Boeing re-acquired Wichita-based Spirit AeroSystems in December. It is now Wichita's largest employer, with around 12,000 workers.
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K-State Stops Student Government from Using Funds on DEI Programs
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas State University has stopped its student government from using funds on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The Kansas News Service reports that a university official says the student funding was violating state law. A Kansas law requiring universities to eliminate diversity programs and policies went into effect last July. That same month, the state received an anonymous complaint about the K-State student government’s spending. Marshall Stewart is chief of staff for K-State’s president. He told lawmakers that university officials worked with the student government to address the issue when they returned to campus in August. “So no longer are they disbursing money that is in conflict with that or making appointments that's in conflict with Senate Bill 125,” Stewart explained. He did not say what the funding had been used for. Lawmakers say the state may need to improve guidance on complying with the law.
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Report: National Food Insecurity Rate Increased in 2024
UNDATED (HPM) — The latest Household Food Security report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows a slight uptick in the nation’s food insecurity rate. Harvest Public Media reports that the survey could be the last, after the department said it will stop collecting the hunger data. The report shows that 13.7% of U.S. households struggled to get enough food in 2024, which is slightly higher than the year before. Texas and Oklahoma are among the states with the highest food insecurity rates. The USDA says it will end the annual survey after this report, calling it “redundant, costly, and politicized." Nila Pradhananga, nutrition specialist at Oklahoma State University, says the report is the gold standard for data. “So I think having this would be the best option, but I don't really see any other that would be comparable to this that gives us, like, a national reference,” she explained. Pradhananga says factors like the economy and food accessibility impact food insecurity.
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Grant Could Help Bring More Health Care to Southeast Kansas, Southwest Missouri
UNDATED (KCUR) — Residents of southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas could soon see a bigger health care presence, thanks to a newly-expanded program from Kansas City University. KCUR reports that the program will provide an avenue for medical students to train in rural areas with school alumni and other health care professionals. Doctor Catherine Satterwhite leads the university's Center for Population Health and Equity. She says the goal is to do more than lecture, but show the value of planting health care roots in rural communities. “You can’t just create a student interested in practicing rural medicine or dentistry at the very end of their medical training. You have to invest in that student, and you have to invest in the communities that surround that student early,” she added. Rural Missourians often have to travel more than twice as far for hospital care as other residents.
The program has received a $273,000 grant from the Kansas City, Missouri-based Patterson Family Foundation.
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Bipartisan Bill Would Prohibit Use of Cell Phones by Student During School Hours
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) — A bipartisan bill introduced in Kansas would prohibit students across the state from using cell phones during school hours. KMUW reports that students would have to store their phones in a secure location until dismissal. The bill would exempt students whose doctors say they need a phone for medical reasons. Amy Warren is an incoming Wichita school board member and an advocate for reducing screen time in schools. She says when students don’t have cell phones between class periods, it helps them retain and process what they’ve learned that day. “When we let them get on their phones in between class (periods), we're just kind of wiping that experience and that processing off the board,” Warren added. Some school leaders have concerns about liability when storing students’ phones, and some parents say they want to be able to quickly reach their children in case of an emergency. (Read more.)
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Cars Exposed to Mystery Sticky Substance in Small Kansas Town
GARNETT, Kan. (KSN) — Drivers who passed through Garnett, a town about 50 miles south of Lawrence, last Wednesday reported having their cars covered with a mysterious sticky substance that had apparently spilled from a truck. The EPA has investigated but has been unable to determine what the substance is. However, officials say it is “a basic corrosive liquid” and is not acidic. KSN reports local emergency management officials described the substance as a “thick, clear, slick liquid with no noticeable odor that left a sticky residue.” The EPA is offering to wash cars soiled by the substance. For more information, call (785) 448-6797.
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Kansas Town to Residents: Put Your Toilet Lid Down
HAYS, Kan. (KSN) — City officials in Hays are asking residents to put down the lids on their toilets. That’s because the city is cleaning sewer lines in the city this week. That work can cause changes in pressure that could push water back up into homes. Officials also say residents may hear a rumbling sound while the work is underway. KSN reports the cleaning should be completed within a month.
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Washburn Men Remain Atop NABC Poll
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) — The Washburn Ichabod men's basketball squad remains in the top spot of the latest NCAA Division II NABC Coaches' Poll. It's the third straight week Washburn has been ranked at number one. The Ichabods take on the Missouri Western Griffons in St. Joseph Wednesday night.
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KC Current Announces Chris Armas as New Head Coach
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) – The Kansas City Current announced Chris Armas as the club’s head coach on Wednesday. Armas is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and has over three decades of playing and coaching experience. He is the former head coach of the Colorado Rapids MLS team. Armas has also been an assistant coach for the Chicago Fire FC and served as the head women’s soccer coach at Adelphi University. He played as a defensive midfielder for the LA Galaxy and the Chicago Fire FC before retiring from competition in 2007.
He is a six-time MLS All-Star and was a member of the USMNT squads that qualified for the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups.
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