Feds Arrest Honduran Man, Kansas Woman in Alleged Child Custody Scheme
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KPR) — A man from Honduras and a woman from Kansas have been indicted for allegedly lying on paperwork to gain custody of a child. The Department of Justice announced the charges against Romulo Hernandez Murillo, 45, and Lisa Marie Lopez Perdomo, 48, on Thursday. The DOJ says Murillo is “a Honduran national without legal authorization to be in the U.S.” Perdomo is from Syracuse, Kansas. They are charged with submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to gain custody of a child from Honduras.
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Bill Would Restrict DEI in Classes at Kansas Universities
TOPEKA, Kan. (LJW) — Kansas lawmakers are debating a bill that would prohibit the state’s public universities from requiring students to take any classes with a DEI component. DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the bill is modeled on a proposal from a right-wing “think tank” called the Goldwater Institute. Among the topics that would be off-limits in required classes: whiteness; systemic racism; gender identity; and social justice. The bill is sponsored by three Republican representatives.
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Study: Kansans Who Smoke Lose Out on Millions
UNDATED (KPR) — Kansans who smoke will lose out on $3.8 million each over the course of a lifetime. That’s according to the personal finance website WalletHub, which crunched the numbers for each state using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. WalletHub calculated the number based on direct costs, lost financial opportunity, health care costs, income loss, and other factors. While smoking rates continue to decline, cigarette smoking remains the largest cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S. Kansas ranked 31st on WalletHub’s list of the Real Cost of Smoking by State. No. 1 was the District of Columbia.
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Kansas Governor Announces $11.2 Million in Rail Projects
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas will spend $11.2 million on improving railroads in the state. Governor Laura Kelly announced the grants on Thursday. The money will go toward projects in ten Kansas counties. Among them: The Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad’s Siding Expansion Project in Newton. That will improve access to a new asphalt shingle factory that is expected to open later this year. In a statement, Kelly said, “Investment in rail infrastructure is an investment into the economic success of the entire state.”
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Markers Would Honor Lawrence Teens Killed by Police in 1970
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LT) — A Lawrence advisory board has approved the installation of historic markers paying tribute to two teenagers who were shot and killed by Lawrence police officers in 1970. The markers would honor Rick “Tiger” Dowdell and Nick Rice, who were killed in separate incidents. Dowdell was killed on July 16, 1970. Rice was killed four days later. Dowdell was 19, Rice 18. The shootings took place at a time of civil unrest in the city. The Lawrence Times reports the markers still need to be approved by the city commission.
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KCMO City Council Moves to Ban Immigration Detention Centers
UNDATED (KCUR) — The Kansas City Council took action Thursday to ban the development of federal immigration detention centers. KCUR reports that the move to stop permit approvals for nonmunicipal detention centers comes hours after federal agents toured a warehouse in south Kansas City, to potentially turn it into a detention center for immigrants. Kansas City Council member Johnathan Duncan said such a facility would have a devastating impact on the community. “The fact that we will have a mass detention facility that equates to a homegrown concentration camp in my district makes me sick,” he added.
A report from The Washington Post found Kansas City is one of seven locations the Trump administration wants to open a facility to hold thousands of detainees. The city’s new moratorium ends in January 2031.
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Kansas Legislature Mulls School Cell Phone Ban
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas lawmakers are weighing the pros and cons of a statewide cell phone ban for K-12 students. The Kansas News Service reports that there is bipartisan enthusiasm behind a proposed bill that would prohibit Kansas students from using mobile phones for the entire school day. But in the first legislative hearing on the subject, students and advocates voiced concerns.
Opponents testified that the law seizes control from local school districts and issues a broad mandate. Kailey Howell, a student at Spring Hill High School, testified that the policy hurts high-performing students, saying “I’ve learned how to manage my time and put my education first. So why am I being unfairly stripped of my devices when I never did anything wrong to earn such a consequence?”
However, Ngoc Vuong, who is leading research on cell phone use in Kansas schools, says the expected benefits of the ban to student performance and mental health outweigh the drawbacks. “Given the universality of problematic smart phone and social media use, state-level action is necessary," Vuong said."
Dozens of other states already have laws restricting cell phone use in schools.
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Kansas Regents Approve Tougher Tenure Policy
TOPEKA, Kan. (LJW) — The Kansas Board of Regents on Wednesday unanimously approved a new policy that makes it easier for the state’s public universities to fire tenured professors. The Regents hope the move will satisfy state lawmakers who have indicated they wanted the policy to change. Under the new policy, a tenured professor must undergo an annual review to determine if they are still qualified for the rank. The Lawrence Journal-World reports a professor who receives two consecutive unsatisfactory reviews may be dismissed. An earlier version of the policy that made dismissal mandatory after two negative reviews was scrapped by the Regents.
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Kansas Governor's Budget Proposal Features Special Education Funding, Water Management, and More
UNDATED (KNS) — Democratic Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is proposing an increase in funding for special education, water management and welfare administration. State lawmakers will consider Kelly’s budget proposal during the legislative session that began this week. The Kansas News Service reports that the budget would put an additional $50 million toward special education. But Kansas budget director Adam Proffitt told lawmakers that state funding will not be enough, saying that “...the governor is calling on the feds again to meet their obligation and increase their level of funding here in Kansas for special education.” A legislative task force is working on a school finance formula that will decide how the state allocates funding for students with special needs in 2027 and beyond.
In addition, Governor Kelly is seeking more money to administer the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. Kelly says federal rule changes will reduce access to SNAP and place new burdens on state agencies. Adam Proffitt told lawmakers that an extra $16 million is needed to keep the program operating as normal. The state could also face tens of millions of dollars in penalties based on how many Kansas SNAP recipients are paid in error.
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Experts Urge Awareness of Possible Radon Exposure in Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) — Recent data shows one in three Kansas homes has radon exposure. The Kansas News Service reports that radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that naturally forms in the soil and is linked to lung cancer. It’s more prevalent in certain parts of the country. Average Kansas radon levels are higher than the recommended safe levels. Brian Hanson with the Kansas State University Radon Program recommends testing homes in the winter. "The mechanism by which radon leaves the soil and comes into homes in particular is maximized when we are running our furnaces. So winter is the ideal time to screen the home for radon," he explained. Most K-State extension offices offer radon kits starting at ten dollars. January is National Radon Action Month.
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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).