Tornado Rips through Sedgwick, Butler Counties
WICHITA, Kan. (KPR/AP) — A tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas has damaged multiple buildings, injured several people, and left more than 6,500 people without power. Andover Fire Chief Chad Russell said the suspected twister that moved though parts of southeast Wichita and Andover on Friday evening damaged 50 to 100 buildings in Sedgwick County. It was not immediately known how many buildings were damaged in Andover. Officials said three people were injured in Sedgwick County, including one woman who suffered serious injuries. Russell said no injuries had been reported in Butler County, but a secondary assessment would be conducted Saturday morning. Friday's twister was one of a number of tornadoes reported across the Midwest and Plains States, including a tornado that briefly touched down in Pottawatomie County, in northeast Kansas. Golf-ball to apple-sized hail was also reported in several areas across the state. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the tornado came on the 80th anniversary of one of the deadliest tornadoes in Kansas history, which killed 15 people and injured 25 more in Decatur County in 1942. ( Read more about the tornado that tore through the Wichita and Andover areas.)
In response to the storms, Governor Laura Kelly signed a disaster emergency declaration.
" An intense springtime storm system that moved across Kansas the evening of April 29 with large hail and strong straight-line winds spawned multiple tornados causing damage to buildings, trees and power lines in several counties. In response to these storms, Governor Laura Kelly declared a State of Disaster Emergency effective at 8:57 p.m., on April 29. The declaration activates the disaster response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan, authorizing state resources to augment local jurisdictions with response and recovery efforts in areas impacted statewide," her office wrote.
( Read more Kansas tornado coverage from NPR.)
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Kansas Lawmakers Pass Ban on State, Local Mask Mandates
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Republican lawmakers have approved a measure that would prohibit Kansas or its cities, counties or school districts from imposing mask mandates to control the spread of any infectious disease. But the measure’s supporters fell far short early Friday of the two-thirds majorities necessary in both chambers to override a veto from Democratic Governor Laura Kelly. She has not said what she will do. The vote in the Senate was 23-17, four votes short of a two-thirds majority. The tally in the House was 64-53, or 20 votes shy of a two-thirds majority. The bill represents a response from conservative Republicans to mask mandates imposed during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Kansas Tightening Rules for Adults Receiving Food Assistance
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will be tightening its rules for adults receiving food assistance even though critics have warned that its new law is so sloppily written that it will apply to thousands more people than supporters intended. The Republican-controlled Legislature on Thursday overrode Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of a GOP bill imposing a new job-training requirement for non-disabled adults. The changes take effect July 1st. The votes were 86-36 in the House and 29-11 in the Senate. Republicans said only non-disabled adults from 18 through 49 without children will be covered, but Democrats argued the new rules could apply to any adult not working at least 30 hours a week.
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Kansas Legislators Give Final Approval to Sports Betting
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators have given final approval to a bill that authorizes betting on sporting events. Most of the state’s revenues from the new legal gambling would go to efforts to lure the Missouri-based Kansas City Chiefs to the Kansas side of the metropolitan area. The Republican- controlled Senate voted 21-13 early Friday to approve the gambling bill. The Republican-controlled House passed the measure, 73-49, so it goes next to Governor Laura Kelly. She is expected to sign it. The bill says that 80% of the state's revenues would go into a fund to provide incentives for professional sports teams to come to Kansas. Supporters were thinking specifically of the Chiefs.
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Kansas Lawmakers Plan May 23rd Return for Redistricting Consideration
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The possibility that the Kansas Supreme Court will overturn new political redistricting laws has prompted the Republican-controlled Legislature to plan on reconvening May 23. Lawmakers wrapped up almost all of their other business for the year early Friday and adjourned for almost a month. In a typical year, they’d come back only for a single day set aside for an annual adjournment ceremony. But the state’s highest court is reviewing new congressional and legislative districts, and it’s expected to rule on whether they comply with the Kansas Constitution by May 23. Reconvening gives lawmakers a chance to enact new maps just ahead of the June 1st candidate filing deadline.
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Priest to Return to Topeka Parish, No Charges Filed
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A priest who was accused of sexual abuse of a minor will return to his parish in Topeka after prosecutors decided not to file charges against him. Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas announced Friday that Rev. John Pilcher will resume his duties as pastor of Mater Dei Parish immediately. Pilcher has been on a leave of absence since September after the allegations were made against him. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the allegations and Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay announced this week that he would not file charges. The archdiocese also investigated the allegations. Naumann said Friday he had “full confidence” in Pilcher.
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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!