Kansas Debates Expanding Student Transfers in Public Schools
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators who argue that Kansas parents need more education choices are pushing to allow them to move their children from the public schools they’d normally attend to others outside their local school district’s boundaries. The GOP-controlled state Senate gave first-round approval Monday to a measure that would allow parents of K-12 students to transfer them to any other school districts with enough space to take them. Under the bill, the program would start during the 2023-24 school year. The Senate planned to take a final vote on the bill Tuesday, and its passage was expected. The Republican-controlled House is considering a similar measure.
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Police Investigate Shooting Death of Woman in Overland Park
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Police in Overland Park are investigating the shooting death of a woman over the weekend. Police say the shooting was reported around 6 am Sunday at a house in the Kansas City suburb. Police say that officers arrived at the home to find that the woman had been taken by family members to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police later identified the woman killed as Cheryl Holloman, of Wichita. Television station WDAF reports that the shooting happened during a party as a house that was being rented out to guests. Police say a person of interest in the shooting was taken into custody for questioning.
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More Bird Flu Cases Identified in Kansas
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) - The state is warning Kansas hunters and people who keep chickens and other birds outdoors to take precautions against the spread of bird flu. Bird flu was found this month in chickens in eastern Kansas and wild waterfowl in central Kansas. The Midwest hasn’t seen a major bird flu outbreak for seven years. Back then, farmers had to kill nearly 50 million birds. Poultry and egg prices shot up. This time, farmers outside of Kansas have had to kill a few million animals so far. The disease isn’t infecting humans so far, but the state of Kansas is warning hunters to put on nitrile gloves before touching any birds they kill. People who own birds should keep them away from wild ones. The avian influenza cropping up in Kansas and nearby states has the potential to further inflate food prices. The region’s last major outbreak cost the economy $3 billion. Kansas State University professor Juergen Richt, who studies animal diseases, said "Right now I think we have only destroyed about 2 million, 3 million birds in the United States. But if this continues, we might have a similar situation as seven years ago when prices for eggs and chicken meat went up significantly.” So far no cases have been reported in people.
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Trial Begins in Case of KU Professor Accused of Hiding Ties to China
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCUR) - The federal trial of a University of Kansas chemistry professor accused of failing to disclose his connections to a Chinese university gets underway today (MON) in Kansas City, Kansas. Franklin Feng Tao has denied the fraud charges leveled against him. He says the FBI provided false information to search his emails and computers. He says that information came from a disgruntled researcher who sought to frame him for not giving her sufficient credit in a scientific paper. Tao was the first academic charged under a now defunct Trump-era program called the China Initiative. In January, the government dismissed similar charges against an M-I-T professor. A group called United Chinese Americans says it plans to attend the trial in support of Tao. They say he’s being tried for administrative errors that were never treated as crimes before.
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U.S. Senators from Kansas Visit Poland and Urge More Help for Ukraine's Military
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers, including both U.S. senators from Kansas, is visiting Poland and say the most urgent need in Ukraine's fight against a Russian invasion is to equip the Ukraine military and support it in every way so it can defend the country. The seven-member delegation led by Congressman Stephen Lynch, a Democrat from Massachusetts, has visited reception centers for refugees from Ukraine in eastern Poland. Poland has accepted more than 2 million people fleeing war since Russia's February 24 invasion on Ukraine. The U.S. representatives on Saturday said there is not room for peace talks over Ukraine as long as there is a "hot war." The U.S. delegation includes Kansas Republican Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall, as well as lawmakers from Massachusetts, Texas, South Carolina, Maine and Tennessee.
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Teen Killed in Shooting at Towne East Mall in Wichita; Suspect Arrested
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police are investigating after a 14-year-old boy was killed in a shooting at a Wichita shopping mall that caused shoppers and employees to flee or hide. Police said the victim of Friday's shooting was Trenjvious Hutton of Wichita. A 16-year-old male is under arrest on possible charges of second-degree murder. Police spokesman Chad Ditch says the victim was shot after a group of teenagers got into a fight and one pulled out a gun. He says it was not a random shooting. Towne East Square was closed Friday after the shooting but KWCH-TV reports it reopened on Saturday.
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Person Reported Dead in Fire as Kansas Governor Declares Disaster
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Sedgwick County officials say a person has died in a fire. County sheriff's department spokesperson Sgt. Eric Slay says the person died Sunday after a car started a fire in a field. Slay says the driver apparently was "doing doughnuts" in the field when the car became stuck and caught on fire. The driver's body was found in the fire. Also Sunday, Governor Laura Kelly declared a state of emergency in response to a high fire danger in much of the state. The governor's office said fire dangers are high, with the western third of Kansas under extreme fire danger warnings.
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UPDATE: Firefighters Gain Ground on Texas Wildfires
EASTLAND, Texas (AP) — Firefighters in Texas have made progress against a massive complex of wildfires that killed one person and burned at least 50 homes. Texas A&M Forest Services spokesperson Matt Ford said Saturday that the wildfires near Eastland were 25% contained as reduced wind speeds and lower humidity improved firefighting conditions. That area is about 120 miles west of Dallas. However, gusty winds are expected to return Sunday, again raising the wildfire threat to critical levels. Officials warn that fires could also affect parts of Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska and warned of an extreme fire risk in those states.
(Earlier reporting...)
Texas Wildfires Fueled by Gusty Winds Prompt Evacuations
UNDATED (AP) - Fire crews in Central Texas were struggling to contain massive, windswept wildfires that have burned homes, destroyed a church and left a local sheriff's deputy dead. Several wildfires merged to form what fire officials call a "complex" that's been burning near Eastland, about 120 miles west of Dallas. Officials say an Eastland County sheriff's deputy died while trying to save people. About 475 homes have been evacuated in the town of Gorman and a nursing home in Rising Star was evacuated. The Texas A&M Forest Service warned that the fires could also affect parts of Oklahoma and Kansas. Nebraska warned of an extreme fire risk. The fires caused hazy conditions hundreds of miles away.
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Plan Aimed at Keeping GOP Supermajority Clears Kansas Senate
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A redistricting plan aimed at preserving the Republican supermajority in the Kansas Senate has cleared the chamber on a bipartisan vote. The bill was approved on a 28-8 vote Thursday and would create two districts with a pair of incumbents each. It could force Republican Senators Michael Fagg, of El Dorado, and Rick Wilborn, of McPherson, to face off in 2024, while Republican Senator Beverly Gossage, of Eudora, has a potential race against Democratic Senator Tom Holland, of Baldwin City. Two new state senate districts would have no incumbent, one in Johnson County and another linking eastern Topeka and northwestern Lawrence. The bill goes next to the House.
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Wrongfully Convicted Man Sues Kansas County for $93 Million
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man who spent 23 years in prison for a double murder he didn't commit is suing the county where he was convicted and a former police officer for $93 million. Lamonte McIntyre and his mother allege the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, is responsible for the actions of former detective Roger Golubski. They accuse Golubski of coercing McIntyre's mom into sex and then framing her son for the double murder when she rejected later sexual advances. Golubski denies the allegations. A judge on Thursday set a November 7 jury trial for the lawsuit. McIntyre was released from prison in 2017. He now lives in Arizona.
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2 Suspects Convicted in Drug Ring Run from Oklahoma Prison
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Two Wichita men have been convicted of participating in a drug ring run by two inmates at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Federal prosecutors say 58-year-old Kevin Lewis, and 45-year-old Travis Vontress were the last of 23 defendants convicted for their roles in the drug operation. The U.S. Attorney's Office said Friday the men were convicted by a federal jury. Prosecutors say 49-year-old Travis Knighten directed the drug operation from the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. He is serving a 90-year sentence for killing a prison guard in 1993. One other Oklahoma inmate was involved and all the other defendants were from Wichita.
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Wichita Woman Pleads Guilty to Running over, Shooting Man
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 32-year-old Wichita woman will be sentenced May 9 after she pleaded guilty to running over a bicyclist with her car and shooting him. The Sedgwick County district attorney's office said Charity Blackmon pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Blackmon was originally charged with first-degree murder and her trial was scheduled to begin Monday. KSNW-TV reports 54-year-old Merrill Rabus was riding his bike in northeast Wichita in March 2021 when Blackmon hit him and then got out of her van and shot him. She left the scene but was followed by witnesses and was arrested.
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Police Officers Shoot, Injure Armed Man Outside Kansas Bank
LEON, Kan. (AP) — Police say an armed man has been shot by deputies outside a Kansas bank. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says the shooting happened Thursday afternoon in Leon as Butler County sheriff's deputies sought to serve an arrest warrant on 53-year-old James Watts. The KBI says deputies followed Watts' vehicle to the bank and ordered him out of the vehicle in the bank's parking lot. Deputies reported that Watts got out of the vehicle armed with a pistol and walked toward the bank. Deputies say they repeatedly ordered him to drop the gun and shot him several times when he reached the bank's entrance. Watts was rushed to a Wichita hospital, where he was in critical-but-stable condition following surgery.
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N.C. State Faces Kansas State in a Rematch of All-Americans at Women's NCAA Tourney
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — All-Americans Elissa Cunane of top-seeded North Carolina State and Ayoka Lee of ninth-seeded Kansas State are set for a rematch on Monday in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament. The teams met in November at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, North Carolina, also the site of Monday's game, and the Wolfpack dominated, winning 90-69 and holding Lee to just 10 points on 5-of-12 shooting in the game's first 30 minutes while the Wolfpack pulled away. Lee finished with 19 points, one more than Cunane. N.C. State is eyeing its fourth straight trip to the Sweet 16.
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UPDATE: K-State Hires Baylor Assistant Jerome Tang as Men's Basketball Head Coach
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas State University has hired Baylor assistant Jerome Tang to be its next men's head basketball coach. Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor flew to Texas to meet with Tang on Sunday, one day after the top-seeded Bears lost to North Carolina. Tang played a key role in building the Baylor program into a powerhouse. He replaces Bruce Weber, who resigned after Kansas State lost in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament.
(–Earlier Reporting–)
AP Source: K-State Close to Hiring Baylor Assistant Jerome Tang as New Head Basketball Coach
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas State has settled on Baylor assistant Jerome Tang to be its next head men's basketball coach, The Associated Press has learned. Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor flew to Texas to meet with Tang on Sunday, one day after the top-seeded Bears lost to North Carolina. Tang played a key role in building the Baylor program into a powerhouse. He would replace Bruce Weber, who resigned after Kansas State lost in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract won't be official until it is signed. A meeting is planned today (MON) with the expectation that one of the nation's most sought-after assistant coaches will announce he's headed to Manhattan. Tang helped the Baylor Bears win last year's national championship. Weber resigned under pressure after three straight losing seasons, capped by a loss to West Virginia on the opening night of the Big 12 Tournament.
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Kansas State Women Fall to Top-Seeded NC State in NCAA Tournament
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Kayla Jones scored 18 points to help top-seeded North Carolina State beat Kansas State 89-57 in Monday’s second round of the NCAA Tournament, earning a fourth straight trip to the Sweet 16. Raina Perez and Diamond Johnson each added 15 points for the Wolfpack. N.C. State shot 55% and made 9 of 19 3-pointers. By the end, all 13 players had scored for the Bridgeport Region's top seed. Serena Sundell scored 17 points to lead the ninth-seeded Wildcats, who shot just 39%. This is N.C. State's fourth straight trip to the Sweet 16. Kansas State was trying to reach its first since 2002.
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Remy Martin, Kansas Jayhawks Hold Off Creighton Bluejays for Another Trip to Men's NCAA Sweet 16
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Remy Martin scored 20 points, Ochai Agbaji put Kansas ahead for good with his first basket early in the second half, and the Jayhawks held off Creighton 79-72 Saturday to advance to the Sweet 16 of the men's NCAA Tournament. Martin hadn't led top-seeded Kansas in scoring all season as the fifth-year senior battled a sore knee. He's now done it in both NCAA Tournament games. The short-handed Bluejays stayed close with an uncharacteristically hot showing from 3-point range. One of the worst teams in the country from beyond the arc, ninth-seeded Creighton went 12 of 28. Arthur Kaluma's 24 points led the Bluejays. Kansas will face Providence in the Sweet 16.
(Additional reporting...)
Shaken, Now Stirring: Remy Martin Has Jayhawks in Sweet 16
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Remy Martin has been the catalyst for Kansas through the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks are in the Sweet 16 and will play No. 4 seed Providence on Friday night. Martin scored 15 points in a blowout of Texas Southern, then poured in 20 to help Kansas hold off Creighton in the first two rounds. It's all been part of a late-season surge for the Arizona State transfer following a season marked by injuries and a crisis of confidence.
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No. 1 Stanford Moves Past Kansas in Women's NCAA Tourney
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Lexie Hull scored a career-high 36 points with six 3-pointers and made six steals, leading No. 1 seed Stanford past eighth-seeded Kansas 91-65 in the second round of the women's NCAA Tournament on Sunday night. With the win, the defending national champions extended their winning streak to 22 games and secured a trip to the Sweet 16. Cameron Brink added 13 points, 12 rebounds and four assists as the Cardinal used a dominant third quarter to pull away. Zakiyah Franklin scored 13 points to lead Kansas, which was back in the tourney for the first time since 2013.
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AP: Chiefs Agree with JuJu Smith-Schuster on $10.75 Million Deal
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed with former Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on a $10.75 million deal for next season, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract is pending a physical, which should be completed soon. Smith-Schuster wasted little time in announcing the move himself, tweeting to Chiefs fans: "Let's Go!" The Chiefs have been searching for a high-profile wide receiver to take the pressure off Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce in the passing game.
The 25-year-old Smith-Schuster caught 323 passes for 3,855 yards and 26 touchdowns during his first five seasons in Pittsburgh. And he comes on a relatively low-risk one-year contract after he sustained a shoulder injury in Week 5 last season that ultimately limited him to just 15 catches for 129 yards in five games.
The Chiefs have now filled their two most pressing needs of free agency, adding a big-play wide receiver along with a safety to replace Tyrann Mathieu. The latter became official on Thursday, when the Chiefs signed ex-Texans safety Justin Reid to a $31.5 million, three-year contract.
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Chiefs Bring Back DT Derrick Nnadi with Deal for Next Season
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs agreed with defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi on a contract for next season, adding to the continuity on the defensive line that came with restructuring the contract of pass rusher Frank Clark. The contract with the 25-year-old Nnadi was announced Monday by his representatives at SportsTrust Advisors. Nnadi was selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2018 draft and has been a dependable part of three AFC championship teams and another that was beaten in the conference title game this past season.
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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!