Kansas Braces for Winter Storm, Governor Issues Disaster Proclamation
UNDATED (KPR) — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has issued a state of disaster emergency proclamation due to the impending winter storm. The proclamation makes available state resources to provide assistance such as transportation and fuel. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for eastern Kansas from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Sunday. The storm is expected to bring heavy snow and bitter cold temperatures. Matt Flanagan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topeka, told KPR the storm is unusual because there will be two bands of snow, one Friday night and another Saturday night. Snowfall accumulations are expected to range from 3 to 5 inches north of I-70 to 5 to 8 inches south.
Equally concerning: bitter cold temperatures. The Weather Service says areas of eastern Kansas could see wind chills as low as -20 this weekend. Health officials are warning that prolonged exposure to the extreme cold is dangerous and advise everybody to stay indoors. The Kansas Department of Transportation is warning that driving will be hazardous, with blowing snow limiting visibility. The Kansas Department of Transportation is warning motorists to be aware of hazardous driving conditions, especially blowing snow that will reduce visibility. Up-to-date road conditions can be found at KanDrive.gov. Keep tuned to Kansas Public Radio for the latest weather updates. Click here for the latest forecast.
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Lawrence Police Department Searching for Shooting Suspect
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — The Lawrence Police Department (LPD) is actively looking for the suspect in a shooting that occurred in an apartment building on Lynch Court in Lawrence today. According to the LPD Facebook page, officers are on the scene as are the Lawrence - Douglas County Fire and Medical, and a patient has been transported to an area hospital. The patient's condition is unknown at this time. The department believes the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, but no description of the vehicle or the suspect has been released. The unnamed apartment building is location south of 7th Street and just west of Michigan Street.
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Cumulus Radio Moving Topeka Staff to Kansas City
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — Cumulus Media is moving its Topeka radio operations to Kansas City, but says programming on its stations won’t change. Cumulus owns several stations in and around Topeka, including The Big Talker 1440AM. Cumulus officials confirmed to WIBW-TV that the company is consolidating its operations in Topeka and Kansas City to a single facility in KC. But they say the stations will continue broadcasting as normal, including local sports coverage.
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Former ESU Prof Wins $5.7 Million in Discrimination Suit
EMPORIA, Kan. (KSNT) — A jury has awarded a former Emporia State University professor who sued the school for religious discrimination $5.7 million. Dusti Howell claimed school officials conspired to prevent him from taking part in certain holy day observances that were “part of his Christian walk.” KSNT reports Howell also claimed ESU created a hostile work environment by withholding key communications and changing his course assignments without notice. Howell taught at the school for 24 years. The case was tried in Lyon County, where a jury found in Howell’s favor on Wednesday.
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Kansas Senate Committee Advances Amendment to Cap Property Taxes
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — A state senate committee has approved an amendment to the Kansas constitution that would put a cap on annual property tax increases. The amendment would also roll back property taxes to their 2022 levels before they can be increased. Republicans who support the measure say it would ease the tax burden on homeowners. Critics say it would just force local governments to raise other taxes. The Kansas Reflector reports the proposed amendment still needs to be approved by supermajorities in both chambers of the state legislature—and voters.
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Police Seize Nearly Two Pounds of Fentanyl in Riley County
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KPR) — A drug-busting operation in Riley County has yielded nearly two pounds of fentanyl powder and seven ounces of methamphetamine. The Riley County police department announced the seizures Thursday. Police director Brian Peete says the drugs were confiscated in operations conducted over the last month. Officers also seized various prescription drugs and five guns. Peete says individuals who distributed drugs in Riley County have been arrested in connection with the operations, but did not specify how many.
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Kansas Legislature Closely Examining Chiefs Stadium Deal
UNDATED (KNS) — The Kansas City Chiefs are coming under increased scrutiny from Kansas lawmakers over their multi-billion dollar stadium deal. The Kansas News Service reports that in a tense committee meeting, Chiefs attorney Korb Maxwell defended the use of Kansas STAR Bonds, which will allow future sales tax revenue from the development to pay for its construction. But he acknowledged there is still a lot to iron out. Democrat Lynn Melton is a state representative in Wyandotte County, where the stadium will be built. She said the bond-funded Legends shopping district has not created the tax relief she had hoped. “We were told, ‘Oh, when the STAR bonds pay off, it's going to be wonderful. You guys are going to have so much property tax relief. The schools aren't going to be hitting you with bonds all the time.’ Well, none of that has been true,” Melton added. Maxwell responded that similar projects like the Legends and the Kansas Speedway have created jobs and boosted the economy in Wyandotte County.
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Bill Would Raise Minimum Age for Marriage in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — A bill under consideration at the Statehouse would raise the minimum age at which couples can get married in Kansas. State law currently allows teens as young as 15 to get a marriage license if a judge determines “it is in [their] best interests.” KSNT reports the bill proposed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers this week would raise the minimum age to 18, with no exceptions. According to the Kansas Annual Summary of Vital Statistics, 3.4% of brides and 1.9% of grooms were under the age of 20 when they got married in 2024.
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Kansas Health Officials Report Rise in Respiratory Illnesses
PITTSBURG, Kan. (KNS) — State health officials say respiratory illnesses are on the rise in Kansas. The Kansas News Service reports that last month, almost one in five emergency room visits were for illnesses like influenza. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Kansas has a moderate level of illness rates as of last week, but it’s hitting some local communities even harder, like in southeast Kansas.
Dr. Domonique Cunningham, with Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas says misinformation is making the situation worse. "All of the stuff about vaccines and the news and the government and everything, there are a lot fewer people getting immunized against the flu and COVID. And so those numbers, I feel like, are higher than we've seen in previous years," she said.
Cunningham recommends frequent hand washing, staying home if you’re sick and getting vaccines to help prevent illness.
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New Congressional Bill Could Ease Eligibility Requirements for Some USDA Loans
UNDATED (HPM) — A new bill introduced in Congress aims to make it easier for farmers to be eligible for federal loans. Harvest Public Media reports that the USDA Loan Modernization Act would allow someone who has a 50 percent ownership in the farm to be eligible for federal loans. Right now, that person must be the sole owner-operator. A handful of farm financing and lobbying groups say this a common sense update. One of those groups is the Illinois Corn Growers Association. ILCGA Secretary Mike Shane says the change could help younger farmers, who are more likely to be joint owners. "We got to keep younger people involved in it. Like I said, the average age is in the 60s, and I don’t see anything bringing that down until we can get younger people involved easier," Shane explained. Just 8% of the youngest farmers fully own their land, according to the most recent USDA data. For farmers over 65, it’s 43%.
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GM Announces Some Buick SUV Production Will Move from China to Fairfax Plant in KCK
UNDATED (CBS News) — General Motors said Thursday that it plans to shift production of a Buick SUV from China to Kansas for vehicles sold in the U.S. CBS News reports that the move comes amidst automakers facing stiff tariffs on vehicle imports. GM said it will move production of the vehicle it is planning to take the place of its Buick Envision compact SUV to its Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas beginning in 2028. Some vehicles produced for sale outside the U.S. could continue to be produced in China. The new vehicle's name has yet to be announced.
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Kansas DOC Ends Wild Horse Program for Inmates
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KWCH) — The Kansas Department of Corrections is canceling a program that taught inmates how to train wild horses. The Wild Horse Program at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility will end next month. Now a rescue organization is scrambling to find homes for the horses that will be displaced. KWCH reports an estimated 750 inmates have trained wild horses through the program over the past 25 years. The prison says it was forced to end the program due to federal funding cuts.
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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).