Wildfires Still Burning Out West
LIBERAL, Kan. (KPR/KSNT) — As of Sunday night, firefighters were still battling wildfires in western Kansas. The biggest of these, which began in Beaver County, Oklahoma, is called the Ranger Road fire. That blaze has consumed nearly 300,000 acres in the Oklahoma panhandle and in southern Kansas. It's about 65% contained.
A fire burning northeast of Liberal - called the Andrew Land Fire - has consumed about 5,000 acres and is zero percent contained. KSNT reports that wildfires have been burning since last week in Stevens, Seward, Meade, Clark and Comanche counties - all in southern and southwest Kansas.
View a map with live updates on wildfires.
==========
U.S. Attorney for Kansas Warns Against Immigration Enforcement Interference
UNDATED (KCUR) — The U.S. Attorney in the District of Kansas says he will prosecute people if they interfere with federal immigration agents. KCUR reports that the warning comes after an ICE action in Olathe. Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney Ryan Kriegshauser says he issued the warning after two people in Olathe “used their vehicle in an exceedingly aggressive manner.” Agents stopped a 19-year-old who turned out to be a U.S. citizen. Reportedly, the teen was pinned to the ground and held at gunpoint. In his statement, Kriegshauser claimed the two people following ICE agents admitted driving recklessly and screaming at agents. Despite that, he says, they won’t be charged. Kriegshauser also claims more young people are engaging in this behavior, and that they are“more likely than older adults to act rashly when swept up with emotions.”
==========
Mass Shooting in KC Leaves One Teen Dead, Five Others Wounded
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — Police in Kansas City are investigating a mass shooting over the weekend that left a teenage boy dead and five others wounded. KMBC TV reports that the shooting took place Saturday night near College Avenue and 49th Street. Police identify the fatal victim as 17-year-old Santino Gonzalez. In all, two adult women, two teenage boys and two teenage girls were shot. So far, no suspects have been identified.
==========
Mail Carriers Protest at Kansas Statehouse Ahead of USPS Contract Negotiations
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) — Postal employees protested at the Kansas Statehouse Sunday. Union members who are part of the National Association of Letter Carriers staged the demonstration. They are pushing for a better contract - one with higher pay and better hours. WIBW TV reports that the protest in Topeka was part of a national rally by letter carriers. National contract negotiations between the union and the U.S. Postal Service begin this week (Feb 25).
==========
Kansas House to Vote on Juvenile Justice Reform Rollback
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — The Kansas House will decide this week whether to roll back juvenile justice reforms. The plan doubles detention limits for young people from 45 to 90 days and increases the penalty for kids possessing firearms during a crime. It would also bring back group homes for some juvenile offenders.
Brenna Visocsky with the group Kansas Appleseed says these homes stopped being used for a reason. “These institutions were hotbeds of abuse and human trafficking and things like that, and they weren't effective,” she explains.
Those in favor of the bill say it creates a needed option, due to some teens having behavioral issues that are too severe for foster care, but do not warrant time in a juvenile correctional facility.
==========
Naturopathic Doctors Seek Prescription Authority in Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas naturopathic doctors are pushing for the ability to prescribe medications, but a bill to do that has slowed in the Statehouse. The Kansas News service reports that naturopathic doctors typically focus on holistic healing methods like lifestyle changes and acupuncture. But Kansas naturopaths want the ability to prescribe certain drugs, including antibiotics. A bill to do that stalled on a tie vote last week. The Kansas Medical Society opposes the change. Executive Director Rachelle Colombo says they don’t think naturopathic doctors have enough training to prescribe drugs. “They are trained in homeopathic and natural remedies. But not in invasive interventional medicine. So, really really different,” Colombo cautioned. Advocates for the bill say naturopathic doctors have similar training levels for prescribing drugs as medical doctors.
==========
One Killed in Grain Bin Accident South of Newton
NEWTON, Kan. (KWCH) — One man is dead following a grain bin accident south of Newton. KWCH reports that emergency crews were called to the grain bin on Saturday, where three men had been working to level and empty soybeans when the contents shifted and the man became trapped. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A second man who was buried up to his neck was rescued. A third man was able to pull himself out before rescue crews arrived.
==========
U.S. 69 Express Lanes Now Open
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KPR) - The first express lanes in Kansas opened over the weekend. U.S. 69 in Overland Park has been widened from four to six lanes. That's three lanes in each direction. The new "69 Express" toll lanes run from 103rd Street to 151st Street. The price varies by time of day, traffic congestion, and whether drivers are using KTAGs. There are no tolls on the existing general purpose lanes.
==========
Specialty Crop Growers Ask Congress for More Aid
UNDATED (HPM) — Fruit and vegetable growers will have to wait at least another month for $1 billion dollars in assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Harvest Public Media reports that specialty crop producers say they already know the aid will fall short of the help they need. Of the $12 billion dollars promised for the Farmer Bridge Assistance program, only $1 billion will go to growers of more than a hundred fruit, vegetable and nut crops. USDA has not released how much individual growers can expect.
But it won't be enough, according to industry leaders like Tamas Houlihan from the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association. He says growers are struggling with the same costs hitting corn and soybean farmers. Processors are also cutting back crop purchases due to their own economic pressures. "There are a lot of scared growers as we head into this planting season, and again, with some of these contracts, the growers don't even know how much to plant," Houlihan said. The specialty crop industry is asking Congress for an additional $5 billion dollars in aid.
Alyssa Houtby, from the North American Blueberry Council, says growers have been hit by a spike in the cost of labor. That's on top of the same costs hitting corn and soybean farmers. "Your input costs are increasing faster than your sales prices. And that's what we've found in, not just blueberries, but I would say in a lot of commodities," she said. She says a recent freeze affecting fruit growers in southern states could push Congress to provide more aid.
==========
Bill Requires Naloxone Supply Kept in Kansas Schools
TOPEKA, Kan. (KMUW/KPR) - The Kansas House has approved a bill that requires public schools to keep a supply of naloxone on hand. Schools would need to have at least one dose of naloxone nasal spray available. The medicine can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Many school districts in Kansas already keep a supply of naloxone. The bill would provide grant money to help districts pay for it. The bill would also require districts to teach high school students about preventing opioid abuse. The measure now awaits a vote in the state Senate.
==========
Wichita Community Members Mourn Former State Representative Melody McCray-Miller
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Wichita community members are honoring the legacy of longtime political leader Melody McCray-Miller. The Wichita school board member and former state lawmaker died over the weekend at age 69. McCray-Miller previously served in the Kansas House of Representatives. She was also the first Black woman from District 4 on the Sedgwick County Commission. In 2022, she told the Kansas Oral History Project she aimed to be a public servant, not a politician, saying that “...what I was most excited and proud about was being able to represent people, and to reflect a population of people that I knew were underrepresented.” McCray-Miller was elected to the Wichita school board in 2023, but stepped away recently due to health concerns. The board will look for a candidate to fill her seat in the coming months.
==========
Kansas Bill Allows Easier, Longer Detainment of Young Offenders
TOPEKA, Kan. (The Beacon) — Kansas lawmakers approved a bill that makes it easier to arrest more children and keep them locked up for longer. Lawmakers passed the bill because they say too many young people aren’t engaging in rehabilitative programs and instead, are continuing their criminal behavior. But overwhelming amounts of research say the bill will make the problem worse. One study found that incarcerating children makes them 80% more likely to break the law as an adult. Malik Pickett, with the Juvenile Law Center, says the Kansas bill does nothing to help high risk children. “It’s kind of an antiquated way of thinking. And we saw, you know, what that kind of led to during the rise of the … the tough on crime policies of like the 80s and 90s," he said. The bill passed with veto-proof support and is headed to the governor's desk.
==========
Winter Olympics Spurs Regional Interest in Curling
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) — The Kansas City Curling Club is getting a Winter Olympics bump – more than 600 people have signed up for “learn to curl” lessons in February alone. But even before the Winter Games, the club’s membership doubled over four years. Club president DeeAnn Wlodarski told KCUR that the regional interest in the sport is following a nationwide trend. "A lot of clubs are getting dedicated ice instead of arena ice, which means more people can curl and just seeing an uptick just across the board," she explained. The Kansas City Curling Club got its own space in 2021, after the club grew too big to share time with other sports at a mixed-use rink.
==========
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).