Kansas Sees Worst 2-Week COVID-19 Spike Since Pandemic Began
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has reported another big increase in new coronavirus cases that capped its worst two-week spike since the pandemic began. The state health department released its latest figures Friday as a statewide mask mandate from the governor took effect. The Department of Health and Environment reported that Kansas has had 15,919 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, up 929, or 6.2% since only Wednesday. Kansas also has reported 277 COVID-19-related deaths, up five in two days. Kansas reported an average of 276 new coronavirus cases a day over the past two weeks — the largest 14-day average since the state confirmed its first case March 7.
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Nearly 16,000 COVID-19 Cases Recorded in Kansas, Including 272 Deaths
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas has recorded 15,919 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. That number includes 277 deaths. The virus has now been identified in 96 of the 105 Kansas counties. Wyandotte County has the most cases at 2,553, followed by Johnson County, with 2,066. State health officials released the figures Friday. Another update is expected Monday.
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Douglas County Bars Closed Due to Spike in COVID-19
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Douglas County health officials have ordered bars and nightclubs to close for two weeks, due to a surge of COVID-19 cases. Public health experts around the country have taken similar actions. Nearly 200 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Douglas County since March. The local order closes bars and nightclubs but excludes curbside and carryout services of beverages to be consumed elsewhere. Douglas County is also under a mandatory mask order for indoor public spaces where six feet of separation is not possible.
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Kansas Police: Missing Woman's Body Found in Storage Unit
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police in Junction City say the body of a woman reported missing last month has been found in a local storage unit. Police say investigators have positively identified the body as that of 52-year-old Tina Bennett of Junction City. Bennett was reported missing on June 20. Her remains were found June 26 in the otherwise empty storage unit, but officials did not identify the body until after an autopsy and fingerprint verification. Police have not said how Bennett died, but said foul play is suspected. As of this (FRI) morning, no arrests have been reported.
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Deputies Shoot and Wound Armed Man in Small Southeast Kansas Town
NEOSHO FALLS, Kan. (AP) — Two sheriff's deputies have shot an armed 41-year-old man at a campground in a tiny southeast Kansas town following an altercation. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said the shooting Thursday afternoon in Neosho Falls occurred as two Woodson County deputies were questioning the man about a vehicle that had been reported stolen. The KBI is investigating the shooting. Both deputies shot the man and he was taken to an area hospital. The KBI said the man was later flown to the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, underwent surgery for his injuries and is in stable condition. Neither deputy was hurt.
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UPDATE: Kansas City Police: Officer Shot in Head Remains Stable
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say a Kansas City police officer who was shot in the head during an exchange of gunfire remains in stable condition Friday following surgery. Police have declined to release the name of the officer who was shot Thursday evening after responding to a call about a man waving a gun at a McDonald's. Another officer shot and killed the gunman. The state Highway Patrol, which is investigating, on Friday identified the suspect as 31-year-old Ky Johnson of Grandview. Chief Richard Smith said during a briefing for reporters that the officer moved "some of his limbs" and called that "a very promising sign."
(–earlier reporting–)
Kansas City Police Officer Shot, Suspect Dead After Shooting
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A suspect has died and a police officer who was shot in the head during a Kansas City shooting remains in critical condition. Kansas City police on Twitter said that an officer was hospitalized for emergency surgery after the Thursday evening shooting. The Missouri State Highway Patrol tweeted that the suspect fired at police, who returned fire. The Patrol tweeted that police fatally shot the suspect. The shooting is the second that injured a Kansas City officer Thursday. Three people including a police officer were shot earlier Thursday after a reported robbery at a bus stop.
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3 Shot, Including Police Officer, After Alleged Robbery
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say three people including a police officer were shot after a reported robbery at bus stop in northeast Kansas City, Missouri. Sgt. Bill Lowe of the Missouri State Highway Patrol says a Ride KC bus driver called police after the suspect in a robbery she had just witnessed boarded her bus. The suspect shot a police officer when he tried to get on the bus, then shot the bus driver. Both sustained non-life threatening injuries. The suspect was shot and critically wounded after firing on other officers who arrived on the scene.
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Woman Hit, Killed Along Interstate 635 in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a woman walking on Interstate 635 in Kansas City, Kansas, has been hit by a vehicle and killed, leading investigators to shut down the northbound lanes of I-635. The Kansas Highway Patrol says the woman was walking on the northbound lanes of the interstate around 3:30 am Friday when she was hit by a vehicle. The woman's name has not yet been released. The crash was in an area of the interstate currently under construction. The northbound lanes of the interstate near State Avenue remained closed several hours after the crash.
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Downtown Lawrence Protesters Pack Up, Vacate Massachusetts Street
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — Protesters in Lawrence, who occupied Massachusetts Street and South Park since Saturday evening, had largely packed up and cleared out of the area by Thursday afternoon. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that roughly 20 people remained in a portion of the protest area authorized by the City of Lawrence for protesters to occupy. City crews were seen removing barricades and street sweeping trucks started cleaning the area. The protest came together after a graphic banner depicting a lynching and an anonymous letter denouncing the Black Lives Matter movement were found near South Park on Saturday morning, the Journal-World has reported. One protester told the Journal-World that the group was a coalition led by Black women. He said the group was demanding the Lawrence Police Department immediately open an investigation into who placed the banner and accompanying letter. Others in the group demanded that the Lawrence Police Department be defunded. ( Read More in the Lawrence Journal-World.)
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Kansas State Athletes End Boycott After Steps Taken to Address Controversial Tweet
MANHATTAN, Kan. (ESPN/AP) — ESPN reports football players at Kansas State University have ended their threat to boycott the program. This comes a week after a tweet by a K-State student about the death of George Floyd prompted outrage among students. Players shared a letter on social media saying they are pleased with how the university's leadership has reacted to the controversial tweet. The boycott threat was made after student Jaden McNeil tweeted on June 25, "Congratulations to George Floyd on being drug free for an entire month!" Last Friday, K-State President Richard Myers said such "divisive statements do not represent the values of our university." Myers said McNeil's comments were "disrespectful and abhorrent," but that he could not expel the student because doing so would violate free speech laws. On Thursday, Myers released information on what the school is doing to make K-State a more inclusive institution. Among other steps, the school announced the launch of a diversity and education fund. The fund will allow boosters to funnel money directly to initiatives within the athletic department designed to fight racism and promote inclusion through educational programming.
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UPDATE: Wichita City Council Passes Mask Ordinance
WICHITA, Kan. (The Wichita State University Sunflower) — The Wichita City Council has approved an ordinance mandating the wearing of masks in any indoor or outdoor space that is open to the public. Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple pushed for the measure after Sedgwick County commissioners rejected a mask mandate to check the spread of the coronavirus. The council approved the mask ordinance late Friday afternoon on a vote of 4 to 3. It goes into effect immediately, and will remain in effect until August 11th, though the city council could repeal, modify or extend it.
(–earlier reporting–)
Kansas's Largest City to Mull Mask Rule After County Said No
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The mayor of Kansas’s largest city wants it to mandate the wearing of masks in line with a statewide executive order that Gov. Laura Kelly issued this week. Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple's push comes after his home county rejected a mask mandate to check the spread of the coronavirus. The Sedgwick County Commission voted 3-2 Thursday to strongly recommend but not require that residents follow Kelly's executive order. Kelly’s order requires people to wear masks in public and at their workplaces. The Wichita Eagle reports that Whipple called a City Council meeting for Friday afternoon to consider a mask ordinance.
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Fears About Reopening Kansas Schools a Key Reason Behind Mandatory Mask Order
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Laura Kelly and public health officials worry that Kansas won’t be able to reopen public schools in August if it doesn’t reverse a recent surge in coronavirus cases. Kelly told legislative leaders that a desire to reopen schools is a key reason behind her executive order requiring the state's residents to wear masks in public. That order is now in effect. Some Republican legislative leaders criticized the order, saying it went too far, but state officials don't expect strict enforcement. Counties can opt out of the statewide mandate.
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Kansas City Police Investigate Separate Shooting Deaths
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police in Kansas City are investigating two separate shooting deaths that occurred only minutes apart. Police say the first shooting happened around 7:15 pm Wednesday in a residential neighborhood at Chestnut Avenue and East 27th Street. Officers called to the scene for reports of a shooting found a man with injuries on the ground who died at the scene. A suspect has been arrested in that shooting. About 30 minutes later, police were called to the south side of the city and found a woman with gunshot wounds who died at the scene. No arrests have been reported in that case.
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Man Arrested for 2 Fatal January Shootings at Wichita Hotel
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police have arrested a 33-year-old man in connection with the fatal shootings in January of another man and a woman in a hotel. The police department said the suspect returned Thursday to Wichita to be booked into the Sedgwick County jail after being arrested outside the U.S. Police said he was arrested on potential charges of capital murder, illegal firearm possession, aggravated burglary and aggravated assault. His case is now in the hands of the Sedgwick County district attorney. The suspect was arrested in connection with the deaths of 27-year-old George Kirksey and 22-year-old Alicia Roman. Both were from Wichita, as is the suspect.
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New Program in Lawrence Offers Free Courses to Those Who've Lost Jobs Due to COVID-19
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — Lost your job because of coronavirus? Live in Douglas County? A new program in Lawrence offers an opportunity to learn skills for a new profession at no cost. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the Peaslee Technical Training Center has launched a new program for Douglas County residents who have lost their jobs because of the pandemic. The program is aimed at helping participants learn skills for a new profession. CEO Kevin Kelley said Thursday that the program allows residents to enroll in the tech center’s on-campus courses for free. The program will also accept students who qualify as residents of low-income households. “We’re trying to give them an opportunity to be retrained into livable-wage jobs,” Kelley said. “For many, it could be a great opportunity to move into something to do for the rest of their lives as a new career.” Peaslee Tech’s on-campus offerings include many different courses, such as training for auto-body repair, carpentry, plumbing and welding, among many others. Kelley said the new program currently has about $200,000 of funding, which the tech center estimates will provide no-cost tuition to about 70 people. So far nine people have already been enrolled. ( Read more in the Lawrence Journal-World.)
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Kansas State Fair to Go on Despite Surge in COVID-19 Cases
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas still will hold its annual State Fair in September despite opposition from the state’s top public health official and a surge in new coronavirus cases. The Hutchinson News reports that state health secretary and Dr. Lee Norman told the State Fair Board this week that it would be difficult to enforce mask wearing, social distancing and smaller crowd sizes at a fair. The board voted to hold the event Sept. 11-20 with some precautions.
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Missouri Jurisdictions Divided on Requiring Face Coverings
O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Leaders of Missouri’s largest metropolitan areas are now requiring face coverings in response to an increase in confirmed coronavirus cases. But many other places across the state are leaving it up to individuals to decide. Kansas City and Jackson County began requiring face coverings for residents in public earlier this week, and St. Louis area officials on Wednesday announced similar measures. Leaders of some other cities and counties are not requiring them, including Springfield and two counties near St. Louis, St. Charles and Franklin counties.
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Veterans Affairs Says Agency is Changing Its Troubled Culture
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs says the agency is focusing on improving accountability and inclusiveness at its hospitals. Robert Wilkie, secretary of Veterans Affairs, made his comments Thursday after touring the Kansas City VA Medical Center, which has been the target of complaints and protests alleging minority employees have been discriminated against for years. Wilkie says changes in leadership at the Kansas City hospital have led to increasing satisfaction for employees and veterans at the facility. Civil rights organizations in Kansas City are pushing for changes at the hospital after numerous complaints from Black employees about harassment and discrimination.
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Kansas Legislators Seek Investigation into Former KCK Detective
BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A coalition of Kansas lawmakers, religious leaders and racial justice advocates called Thursday for an investigation into a retired white police detective accused of preying on Black women for sex over decades and framing for murder the son of one of them. A letter signed by 27 state lawmakers from both parties was sent to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation asking them to investigate former detective Roger Golubski and others in the Kansas City, Kansas, police force. The letter contends the allegations show “a pattern of abuse toward poor, minority residents." His lawyers did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
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2 Sedgwick County Sheriff's Employees Charged in Case of Missing Evidence
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities in Kansas say two former Sedgwick County Sheriff's employees have been arrested and charged with theft and other counts after an audit uncovered nearly $150,000 missing from the department's property and evidence holdings. The Wichita Eagle reports that former property and evidence technician Marc Gordon was arrested this week on a warrant charging him with felony official misconduct and three misdemeanor counts of theft. Officials have also arrested and charged former property and evidence supervisor Robert White with 13 counts, including official misconduct, theft and drug charges. Investigators say the property stolen included more than $7,700 in cash, more than 5 pounds of cocaine, 235 of units of narcotic and hallucinogenic drugs and several Samurai-style swords.
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Lawsuit Claims Racial Discrimination at Frito-Lay in Topeka
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal lawsuit alleges Black employees at a Frito-Lay plant in Topeka faced racial discrimination and harassment that was tolerated by managers. The lawsuit says white employees used racial slurs and threatened to lynch Black workers, and that white employees were promoted over Black workers. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of three former and current employees. A spokeswoman for the plant said Frito-Lay does not tolerate discrimination but officials would not comment on the litigation. Tiffany Klosener, an attorney for the employees, said they sued after the behavior became too much to bear, and in hopes of changing the plant's environment.
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Another Alligator Spotted in Wildcat Creek... but Not One of Two Missing from Pet Store
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KPR) — Just how many alligators are living in Wildcat Creek? Authorities may not know. The Riley County Police Department responded to reports of an alligator sighting along Wildcat Creek this (THUR) morning. But the alligator is not one of the two that went missing from a local pet store. Animal Control Officers were notified and were able to locate a small alligator swimming in the creek. The owners of Reptile World were contacted, but claim the animal is not one of the alligators taken from their store, as those two alligators were much larger in size. Animal Control Officers have contacted the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to determine a course of action for capturing the alligator safely. The public is advised to use caution in the area. Linear Trail will remain open but no swimming, wading, or playing is allowed in Wildcat Creek at any time.
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Buddhist Priest Sues to Stop Federal Execution of Kansas Man over Coronavirus Risk
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Zen Buddhist priest wants a federal judge to stop the execution of a death row inmate he’s been counseling and argues he'd be put at high risk for the coronavirus if the execution happens this month. Dale Hartkemeyer says he must attend the execution as a spiritual guide. He filed a lawsuit Thursday in Indiana. He wants a court to delay Wesley Ira Purkey’s execution until a coronavirus vaccine is available or there’s an effective treatment. Purkey is among four federal death row inmates scheduled to be executed in July and August. The Kansas native was sentenced to death in the 1998 killing of a girl he picked up in Missouri.
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Kansas Football Team Suspends Voluntary Workouts
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) – Voluntary football workouts at the University of Kansas have been suspended due to an increase in positive COVID-19 tests within the KU football program. Due to the number of cases within the program and increased cases in the region, including the home communities of student-athletes, officials believe all football players and staff members should self-quarantine for 14 days, as per state health department requirements and CDC guidelines. According to school officials, 45 student-athletes at KU (across all sports) are currently in quarantine. (Read more.)
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MLB Cancels All-Star Game for 1st Time Since 1945
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodger Stadium's 40-year wait to host the All-Star Game is going to last even longer. The game scheduled for July 14 has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, and Dodger Stadium was awarded the 2022 Midsummer Classic. The 2021 game is set for Atlanta's Truist Park, home of the Braves since 2017. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, opening day has been delayed from March 26 to July 23 or 24. This will be the first time since 1945 that no game will be held. Travel restrictions because of World War II kept the game scheduled for Boston's Fenway Park and any player selections from taking place that year. It was pushed back to the next season.
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Nigerian Man Charged with Cyber Fraud Against U.S. Companies
CHICAGO (AP) — A Nigerian national has appeared in court in Chicago on charges that he orchestrated an international cyber fraud scheme that defrauded U.S. businesses in six states out of tens of millions of dollars. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago said Friday that 29-year-old Olalekan Jacob Ponle, originally of Lagos, Nigeria, was arrested last month in the United Arab Emirates, where he was living. He was expelled from the country and into FBI custody, and arrived in Chicago Thursday. He's charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud against companies based in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New York and California.
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Business Leaders Say Area's Economy Improving with Reopening
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new survey of business leaders released this week suggests the economy has begun to recover as businesses reopened in the past month in nine Midwest and Plains states. But Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said the region's economy remains weaker than before the coronavirus outbreak began. But business leaders expect the economy to continue improving over the next six months. The region's overall index jumped into positive territory at 50.3 in June from May's 43.5. Any score above 50 suggests growth, while scores below 50 suggest decline. The monthly survey covers Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
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KPR's daily headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays and updated throughout the day. KPR's weekend summary is usually published by 1 pm Saturdays and Sundays.