Former Kansas Family Members Fatally Shot in Tent at Iowa Park
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) - A 9-year-old boy who was camping at an Iowa state park with his parents and 6-year-old sister survived a shooting that killed the rest of his family. The victims were found in their tent early Friday at the Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground, about 180 miles east of Des Moines. They were 42-year-old Tyler Schmidt, his wife, 42-year-old Sarah Schmidt, and their 6-year-old daughter, Lula. Sarah Schmidt's brother said the couple's 9-year-old son, Arlo, is safe. Investigators have provided no motive, but named the suspected gunman as 23-year-old Anthony Sherwin, of La Vista, Nebraska. Sherwin's body was found at the park with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green said in a Facebook post that Sarah Schmidt was his neighbor and worked for the city's public library.
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Court: Kansas Election Chief's Software Change Violated State Law
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Court of Appeals has ruled that the state's top elections official violated the state's open records law when he had office computer software altered so that it could no longer produce data sought by a voting-rights advocate. The decision directed a trial-court judge to order Secretary of State Scott Schwab to reverse the change so that the software can again produce a statewide report on provisional ballots. Those ballots are cast when election officials have doubts about whether someone is eligible to vote. The data was sought by founder Davis Hammet of the voting-rights group Loud Light. The appeals panel said Schwab's action improperly concealed a public record.
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Sedgwick County Abortion Amendment Ballot Contains Two Misspellings
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Sedgwick County residents voting on a proposal that could remove abortion rights from the Kansas Constitution will see two misspellings on their August 2 ballots. The proposal's text on ballots in Sedgwick County misspells the words pregnancy and circumstances. Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Angela Caudillo said the two typos will not have any impact on the validity of the ballot. According to The Kansas City Star, Caudillo says state law says administrative errors are not a basis for overturning elections. If voters approve the proposal, it would remove abortion rights from the state constitution and give the Legislature the power to more strictly regulate or ban abortion in Kansas.
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KBI Investigates Homicide of Topeka Man in Chanute
NEOSHO COUNTY, Kan. (KPR) – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Chanute Police Department have launched a murder investigation into the shooting death of a Topeka man. Just after midnight, a woman called 911 to report hearing a gunshot in Chanute. When officers arrived, they found a male bystander conducting CPR on another man who had been shot in an alley. The shooting victim was later identified as 34-year-old Blake A. Pearson, of Topeka. Pearson was taken to an area hospital but died from his injuries. Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME or the Chanute Police Department.
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Authorities Seize $4 Million Worth of Meth in Wabaunsee County
WABAUNSEE COUNTY (KSNT) – Authorities have seized more than 120 pounds of methamphetamine in Wabaunsee County. Topeka television station KSNT reports that the drugs were confiscated during a three-day operation by multiple law enforcement agencies. According to the Junction City Police Department, an operation targeting “major criminals” ended with multiple arrests and the seizure of $4.4 million worth of meth. Fourteen law enforcement agencies worked together during the operation, including the Department of Homeland Security and several local sheriff’s offices.
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Hays Board Asked to Remove Satanism Reference in Dress Code
HAYS, Kan. (AP) — The Hays School District is reconsidering its dress code for elementary and middle school students after a parent asked that a ban on clothes referring to satanism be removed. Mary Turner, who has three children in the district, told the board last week that her family belongs to the Satanic Temple. She noted the district has a policy that says it doesn't discriminate against students based on their religion. But the dress code bans middle school and elementary students from wearing apparel referencing satanism. After discussion by the board, Superintendent Ron Wilson said he would talk with school administrators and bring the dress code back for administrators to consider on August 5.
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2 Dead Following Suspicious Apartment Fire in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Two people are dead following an early-morning apartment fire in Kansas City that investigators are calling “suspicious." Kansas City television station KCTV reports that firefighters responded to the Vivion Oaks apartment complex in Kansas City just before 4:30 am today (MON) and found the structure fully engulfed by flames. While clearing the building, authorities found two people dead inside. The Bomb and Arson Unit responded to the scene and deemed the blaze suspicious. Multiple families were displaced by the fire.
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Western Kansas Armed Robbery Leads to Crash
HAYS, Kan. (KAKE) - Authorities say an armed robbery in Hays led to a pursuit in which a highway patrol trooper's vehicle rolled off the road, trapping the trooper inside. KAKE TV reports that late Sunday morning, police learned of an armed robbery taking place at a Dollar General store in Hays. The cashier at the store reported that a Black man with a handgun robbed the store and left the building. No one in the store was injured. It was later learned that there were three suspects that left the scene in a black Ford pickup truck with a topper. A state trooper located the vehicle at a Sonic in Oakley. A pursuit began in which the suspect vehicle drove west bound in the east-bound lane on Interstate 70. The trooper performed a "Tactical Vehicle Intervention" and both vehicles rolled, trapping the trooper in his vehicle. However, the trooper only sustained minor injuries. All three suspects were apprehended. A female suspect was taken to the hospital in Oakley for treatment of injuries sustained in the roll over. Two male suspects were transported to the Ellis County Jail and are being held for armed robbery.
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Kansas Governor's Primary Opponent Is a "Pro-Life" Democrat
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT / KPR) — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has stayed tight-lipped on the campaign trail about the “Value Them Both” amendment, which could change the future of abortion rights in the state. Meanwhile, her opponent in the primary election says he’s a "pro-life" Democrat. While Democrats are known for supporting abortion rights, Richard Karnowski, a Democrat from Seneca, who’s facing off with the Governor on August 2, told KSNT TV that there are still party members, like himself, who are anti-abortion. Former Kansas Governor Joan Finney was the state's last pro-life Democratic governor. Karnowski is a former Republican and a Catholic who grew up in a large family with 13 siblings. He says that's one of the reasons he’s taking an anti-abortion stance.
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Kansas Governor Orders Flags Flown at Half-Staff in Honor of North Kansas City Police Officer
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has directed flags to be flown at half-staff at all state grounds, buildings, and facilities from sunup to sundown Wednesday in honor of 32-year-old Officer Daniel Vasquez, a North Kansas City police officer from Kansas City, Kansas, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop while on duty on July 19. Officer Vasquez began his service with the North Kansas City Police Department in 2021. He will be interred during services held on Wednesday, July 27, 2022.
(-Related-)
Man Accused of Killing North Kansas City Officer Pleads Not Guilty, Officer's Funeral Wednesday
UNDATED (KC Star / KPR) - A judge in Clay County, Missouri, has entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Joshua Rocha, the man accused of fatally shooting a North Kansas City police officer during a traffic stop. The Kansas City Star reports that Rocha made his first court appearance last week, where he was charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing North Kansas City police officer Daniel Vasquez. Rocha could face the death penalty or life in prison without parole if convicted. Funeral services have been announced for officer Vasquez. A public visitation will be held Tuesday from 5 to 9 pm at the Vineyard Church in Kansas City. Funeral services will be held Wednesday morning, also at Vineyard Church.
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Kansas Attorney General Tries to Tamp Down Fears About Abortion Measure
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The attorney general of Kansas is trying to get ahead of arguments that an anti-abortion measure up for a statewide vote next week would hinder medical care for patients with life-threatening pregnancies. Attorney General Derek Schmidt argues in a legal opinion filed Friday that ending ectopic pregnancies does not fall under Kansas’ legal definition of abortion. Schmidt is a Republican running for governor who supports the anti-abortion measure. It's on the ballot Aug. 2 and would amend the Kansas Constitution to allow the Legislature to further restrict or ban abortion. Opponents of the measure weren't impressed with Schmidt's analysis, saying the measure would allow lawmakers to redefine abortion.
(–Earlier Reporting–)
Kansas Attorney General Issues Opinion on Ectopic Pregnancy Treatment Legalities
UNDATED (KC Star) – The Kansas City Star reports that Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt issued an opinion Friday stating that treatment for an ectopic pregnancy is not considered an abortion in Kansas. Schmidt is a Republican who is a candidate for Governor. In the opinion, he said that passage of a constitutional amendment on the ballot in August would have no impact on treatments for ectopic pregnancies, stillbirths, or miscarriages. That is in line with statements made by groups promoting that amendment, which would remove the right to an abortion from the privacy protections written into the state constitution. Adoption of the amendment would open the door for legislators to pass new restrictions on abortion, including a total ban. The Star reports that the opinion focuses on the state's legal definition of abortion, which specifically excludes treatment for miscarriages and stillbirths. However, the opinion is dependent on Kansas abortion law staying the same. A 2019 Supreme Court ruling determined that a state-level right to abortion keeps the Kansas Legislature from enacting laws that would restrict a woman's access to abortion. If the proposed amendment passes, lawmakers could then pursue legislation that would change the state's statutory definition of abortion, and could make laws putting restrictions or outright criminalization in place.
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Baseball Great Buck O'Neil Finally Inducted at Cooperstown
COOPERSTOWN, New York (KPR) - It was a memorable day in Cooperstown, New York, as Kansas City’s John “Buck” O’Neil entered the Baseball Hall of Fame, 16 years after his death. O’Neil’s niece, Dr. Angela Taylor, delivered the induction speech and said she’s thankful the selection committee went beyond O’Neil’s Negro Leagues statistics. "In other words, expanding their view to include the totality of one’s work in baseball," she said. O’Neil fell one vote short of entering the Hall of Fame in 2006, but gave the speech in Cooperstown that year on behalf of 17 Negro Leagues figures who made it into the Hall of Fame that year.
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Monarch Butterflies Placed on Endangered List by Conservation Group
UNDATED (KNS) - The North American migrating monarch butterfly is now on one group's list of endangered species. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature cites habitat loss and climate change for its designation. The monarch butterfly population has dropped during the past decade. Chip Taylor, founder and director of the Lawrence-based organization Monarch Watch, says he's doubtful that the species will go extinct, but says the endangered status is still cause for concern. "There's reason to look at this as a wake up call to action," he said. Monarch butterflies have not yet been designated as endangered under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and thus have no federal protections. Monarchs migrate through parts of Kansas in the fall and spring.
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Nicodemus Preparing for Annual Homecoming Celebration
NICODEMUS, Kan. (KPR) – The only remaining all-Black town west of the Mississippi River is holding its annual homecoming weekend to honor its 144 years of heritage and history. The northwest Kansas community will hold its annual Homecoming Emancipation Celebration July 28th, 29th, 30th, and 31st. Nicodemus was founded shortly after the Civil War by former enslaved African Americans from Kentucky, who had the dream of building a town they could call their own. Every July, descendants of Nicodemus return to reacquaint themselves with old friends and family, as well as celebrate the community’s history. The town currently is comprised of five historic buildings representing church, self-government, education, home, and business. The multi-day event will feature guest speakers and performers.
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USDA Announces Rural Development Grants for Eight Kansas Communities
UNDATED (KPR) - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it's investing nearly $2.3 million toward eight community projects across Kansas.
- A $33,000 grant will assist Thrive Allen County, Inc. with a Feasibility Study to create an incubator/accelerator space for Allen County. The space would increase economic development by creating an inviting, supportive space for entrepreneurs in the area.
- A $202,000 grant will assist The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, in conjunction with partners Pittsburg State University Small Business Development Center and Kansas Works, expand services to small businesses. Assistance provided will include access to local employment opportunities, increased access in business education, workforce development, and job training opportunities. It is anticipated that 100 full time jobs will be created.
- A $30,200 grant will help purchase a fully equipped patrol vehicle to enhance the work of the City of South Hutchinson's Police Department.
- A $55,000 loan and a $35,000 grant will help purchase four transportation vehicles for individuals with developmental disabilities in Marshall and Washington Counties. The three transport vehicles and one maintenance truck will replace older vehicles with high mileage and high maintenance costs. Once all the vehicles are put into service, they will meet the basic needs of the individuals with developmental disabilities for many years to come.
- A $577,000 loan and a $291,000 grant will provide additional funding for renovating the water and sewer system in the City of Caney. Funds previously obligated for this project include $600,000 from the Kansas Department of Commerce and loans and grants totaling $4,765,800 from USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal.
- A $24,000 grant will be used toward an engineer to evaluate the current wastewater system for the City of Susank. A preliminary Engineering Report will outline any appropriate corrective actions needed.
- A $479,000 loan and a $512,000 grant will supplement previous funding for improvements to the water supply system of the City of Caldwell. Funds already assigned to this project include a prior award from Rural Development's Water and Waste Disposal Loan in the amount of $1,558,000 and Kansas Department of Commerce-Community Development Block Grant in the amount of $600,000. This project ensures that the city will have safe and reliable water for many years to come.
- A $30,000 grant will be used to evaluate the wastewater collection system and treatment facility in La Harpe. An engineer will evaluate the current system and propose a plan for repairing and modernizing the water system. Once completed the city will have the information needed to develop a final wastewater system project.
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Chiefs Report to Camp Without Longtime Club Cornerstones
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Tyreek Hill didn't walk into Kansas City Chiefs camp Monday. Neither did Tyrann Mathieu. And how the Chiefs replace two of the cornerstones of their four straight trips to the AFC title game will largely affect whether their division run of dominance continues this season. In Hill's case, the Chiefs signed JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling while drafting Skyy Moore as replacements. And for Mathieu, they signed Justin Reid and drafted Bryan Cook and Nazeeh Johnson. Whether any of it works will be decided beginning Wednesday with the first full-squad workout of training camp.
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Kansas Public Radio Hosts Ice Cream Social Thursday
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Public Radio, based at the University of Kansas, will host an ice cream social this week to show appreciation for its listener-member community. The public radio station will serve complimentary Hy-Vee ice cream treats while supplies last from 5-7 pm Thursday at Maceli’s in downtown Lawrence. Local artist Sky Smeed will perform live music. This is a KPR member-exclusive event, and members will have the chance to claim their own KPR mug commemorating the station’s 70th anniversary. KPR will offer one mug per household, while supplies last. All listeners have the opportunity to become a member by contributing to KPR.
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These area headlines are curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Kaye McIntyre, and Tom Parkinson. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays, 11 am weekends. This news summary is made possible by KPR listener-members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.