Roughly 100 Letters with Suspicious White Powder Sent to Kansas Lawmakers, Officials
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — About 100 letters containing suspicious white powder have been sent to lawmakers and other public officials across Kansas, officials said. No injuries have been reported, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. It had counted more than 30 letters as of late Friday afternoon and increased the tally to 100 as of Sunday. In a Facebook post Sunday, the bureau said preliminary tests on the substance were negative for common dangerous toxins. In emails sent to legislators and obtained by The Topeka Capital-Journal, Tom Day, director of Legislative Administrative Services, said the Kansas Highway Patrol had informed his office of the letters, which contain a return address of either Kansas City or Topeka. The letters were sent to legislators at their homes and have been turned over to the KBI and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Day wrote.
(–Additional reporting–)
FBI, KBI Investigate Suspicious White Powder Sent to 100 Kansas Lawmakers
TOPEKA, Kan. (UPI/AP/KPR) — The FBI, KBI and other law enforcement agencies are investigating 100 incidents where a suspicious white power was sent to Kansas lawmakers. No one has been injured and a preliminary test on a small sample of the letters indicates the substance is not a biological agent. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says lawmakers began receiving the letters on Friday. By Sunday night, 100 letters had been received. A small sample of the letters containing powder was sent to a laboratory that specializes in testing biological samples. Preliminary tests revealed the substance is presumptively negative for common biological agents. More complete testing will be conducted. It's still unclear who sent the suspicious letters or why they were sent.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that a number of the letters contain a return address of either Kansas City or Topeka. The letters were sent to lawmakers at their homes. Other agencies involved in the investigation include the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Office of the State Fire Marshal and local police and fire departments. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach was among those who received a suspicious letter.
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Wichita Man Arrested, Accused of Sneaking into Hospital, Sexually Assaulting 3 Patients
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a man suspected of sexually assaulting three patients after sneaking into a Wichita hospital, then fighting with security guards who tried to apprehend him. The Wichita Eagle reports that police were called around 2 am Thursday to Ascension Via Christi St. Francis. A police spokesperson
says two hospital security guards were battered before police got there. The 28-year-old suspect is jailed now on $250,000 bond. Hospital officials declined to comment. Police say the suspect was not a patient or employee at the hospital. It remains unclear how the man got into the hospital.
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Nearly 8,000 Lose Power in Wichita Metro Following Weekend Storms
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Several thousand people lost power in the Wichita area Saturday night after strong storms moved through Harvey, Sedgwick and Butler counties. At one point, power was knocked out to nearly 8,000 customers. KWCH TV reports that strong winds damaged power lines and trees. No injuries were reported.
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Evergy Slashes Planned Renewable Energy Projects, Proposes More Natural Gas
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — The state's largest electric utility has drastically scaled back its plans to add more clean energy over the next decade and will keep open its oldest coal plant for years longer. The Kansas Reflector reports that two years ago, Evergy announced plans to retire the Lawrence Energy Center by the end of this year and add 700 megawatts of solar power by the end of 2024. Now, it doesn’t plan to add any solar power until 2026 and will keep the Lawrence coal plant open until 2028. Evergy revealed the plans in filings with regulators. The Sierra Club, a major environmental nonprofit, decried the change. Nancy Muma, a volunteer with the Wakarusa Group of the organization, said it was “maddening” that Evergy delayed retiring the Lawrence plant.
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Train and Car Collide Near Southwest Kansas Town of Wright
FORD COUNTY, Kan. (KAKE) — A car and train accident in southwest Kansas sent one person to the hospital. The Ford County Sheriff's Office says the crash took place early Saturday morning near the town of Wright. KAKE TV reports at least one person was injured.
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Driver Charged in Deadly Kansas Crash After Police Tried to Stop Him for Speeding
MERRIAM, Kan. (AP) — A 24-year-old man has been charged with causing a deadly crash in suburban Kansas City after police tried to stop him for speeding. Uconn Coleman, of Grain Valley, Missouri, is jailed on $500,000 bond on charges that include first-degree murder, eluding police and driving under the influence. Police in Merriam say the crash happened early Thursday morning when an officer tried to pull over a speeding driver. Police say the officer didn't initiate a pursuit before the driver crashed into another vehicle that was stopped at an intersection. The driver of the stopped vehicle, 19-year-old Benjamin Klecza, was taken to the hospital where he later died.
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Deadly Crash Closes 7th Street Bridge in Kansas City, Kansas
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (WDAF) — The Seventh Street bridge in Kansas City, Kansas was closed in both directions this (MON) morning due to a deadly crash. KCK police were called to the Seventh Street bridge, just south of Cheyenne Avenue, around 6:40 am. Officers found a crash involving three vehicles, each with a single driver inside. WDAF TV reports that each driver was taken to the hospital. One of the victims has since died. Another victim has serious injuries but is listed in stable condition. The third victim has non-life-threatening injuries.
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Michelin Plant in Junction City Plans $100 Million Expansion
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (KPR) – Michelin plans to invest more than $100 million into its Junction City operations over the next five years. Company officials say the expansion will create 200 new jobs. The company plans to increase production capacity of Camso rubber tracks used for agricultural equipment. Camso, a brand under the Michelin Group, specializes in off-road tires, rubber tracks, and systems for material handling, construction, agriculture, and power sports industries.
Kansas is home to three Michelin manufacturing plants, all specializing in agricultural applications like rubber tracks and wheels. The other two facilities are in Emporia. In the past two years, more than $20 million was invested to expand and improve the Emporia facilities.
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KCI Hits Snag with Baggage System
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — A problem with the baggage system at Kansas City International Airport Sunday led to long lines at ticket counters. KSHB TV reports that a technological issue affected the airport's outbound baggage handling system and all flights Sunday morning. The Kansas City Aviation Department reminds travelers that they can stay up-to-date on the latest status of flight through the website FlyKC.com.
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Spirit AeroSystems Workers May Go on Strike
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) — Nearly 8,000 workers at Spirit AeroSystems could go on strike this week, based on the results of a contract vote. Workers will vote on Spirit’s final contract offer Wednesday, three days before their current contract expires. They haven’t had a new contract in 13 years. Spirit’s offer includes a 34% increase in pay over four years, reduced mandatory overtime, and a $7,500-dollar ratification bonus. If they reject the contract, the workers will vote a second time on whether or not to strike. They need a two-thirds majority to move forward with the strike. If workers reject the contract but vote not to strike, Spirit’s contract offer will go into place. Workers at the plant last went on strike in 1995, when the company was still owned by Boeing.
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Wichita Area Hospital Nurses Will Go on One Day Strike
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) — Nurses at St. Francis and St. Joseph hospitals in Wichita will go on strike for one day later this month. The strike comes as some nurses say Ascension Via Christi has dismissed some of their key contract proposals, including safe staffing levels and nurse recruitment and retention. National Nurses United represents more than 650 nurses at St. Francis and 300 at St. Joseph. The union says the one day strike on June 27 marks the first nurses strike in Kansas history. Ascension says it has a contingency plan to keep its hospitals open and prevent disruptions to service. It’s standard practice for nurses to provide a 10-day notice before striking. Nurses will also strike June 27 at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas. Contract negotiations began four months ago at St. Francis and last month at St. Joseph.
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Juneteenth Outdoor Festival Held at Kansas Capitol, Parade Held in Lawrence
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW/LJW) — Booths were set up at the Kansas Capitol building Saturday to help explain the roots of Juneteenth and how the state of Kansas played a role in establishing what has since become a federal holiday. WIBW TV reports that people got the chance to learn about the origins of the holiday at the We Are One Kansas Juneteenth Outdoor Festival and Celebration. “We’re very excited about the role Kansas played in the Civil War, being leaders and trailblazers," said volunteer coordinator Curtis Pitts. He said Kansas is tied to the Juneteenth holiday through the state's role in the abolitionist movement. “Kansas was the point person for change. Kansas was one of the only states that sent people all over the country to help runaway slaves, give them land, give them opportunities,” said Pitts.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that a Juneteenth celebration kicked off Saturday with a parade down Massachusetts Street. The federal holiday, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in America, is officially observed on June 19th.
(Additional reporting...)
Kansans Are Celebrating Juneteenth. But Will the State Make It a Public Holiday?
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) — Across Kansas, residents are celebrating Juneteenth. In recent years, the holiday, has become a nationwide occasion. Juneteenth commemorates the proclamation, read on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, informing enslaved persons there that they had been emancipated. While slavery remained in some Union states and didn't immediately end in Texas, it is regarded as a crucial blow to slavery and is one that has been celebrated in Texas and nationally over the course of American history.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that in 2021, Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed a law making Juneteenth the first new federal holiday since the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1981. Kansas recognizes Juneteenth as a holiday and it is commemorated every year with a Statehouse celebration. In recent years, that has also been accompanied by a proclamation signed by Governor Laura Kelly. But unlike for federal employees and for state workers in 28 states and the District of Columbia, Juneteenth is not a public holiday in Kansas. That means state employees do not have the day off — despite an effort by legislators to change that.
Activists have for years expressed a desire to see Juneteenth gain that level of recognition. Creating a new state holiday means increasing pay for essential employees that have to work every day, such as corrections officers at state prisons or health care workers at the state's mental health hospitals. The Department of Administration estimated this could cost around $752,000.
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Union Workers at Kaufman Stadium File Complaint Against KC Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) — The union representing nearly 500 workers at Kauffman Stadium has filed a complaint against the Kansas City Royals. KCTV reports that the Service Employees International Union accuses the Royals of intimidating workers and negotiating in bad faith. The union includes ushers, parking lot attendants, and ticket sellers. The Royals issued a statement saying that they "remain committed to negotiating in good faith" with the union. Bargaining efforts resume next week on a contract for the next three years.
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Kansas Gets Grant for High-Speed Internet Expansion
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansas has won a $43 million federal grant to expand internet speeds in remote and underserved communities. The money will build an almost 700-mile-long fiber optic cable, which will connect Liberal, Garden City, Pittsburg and Overland Park, among other cities. The cable could connect 27,000 more homes to high-speed internet. The $43 million grant comes just days after Kansas got a $50 million loan to also expand broadband access in the southeast part of the state. A study from the University of Kansas found that only 44% of the state has adequate broadband coverage.
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Horton Man Dies After Jumping from Moving Vehicle
BROWN COUNTY, Kan. (WIBW) — A Horton man is dead after jumping from a moving vehicle on U.S. Highway 73. The Kansas Highway Patrol says that an SUV, driven by 24-year-old Azaria Rickery, of Stockton, was driving southbound Friday night when the front seat passenger, 33-year-old Kylee Dixon, of Horton, intentionally jumped out of the vehicle while it was in motion. Dixon was pronounced dead at the scene. WIBW TV reports that Rickery was wearing her seatbelt and was not injured.
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Father and Son Are Now Registered Kansas Drug Offenders
PAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. (JC Post) — A Kansas man has been sentenced for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to sell it. Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett says 56-year-old Mark Larson, of Larned, entered a guilty plea in exchange for the dismissal of other charges. Also charged in the investigation were his wife, 54-year-old Tammy Lee Smith and their son, 22-year-old Trapper Larson. After hearing legal arguments, District Judge Bruce Gatterman sentenced Mark Larson to 30 months in prison. The JC Post reports that both father and son are now listed as Registered Kansas Drug Offenders.
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Group Opposes Plan to Locate New Dollar Store in Central Topeka
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — A Topeka group says it opposes plans to locate a new dollar store in a part of town without a grocery store. Group members say the discount stores are making Kansas food deserts worse. There’s been a push to build a grocery store in central Topeka since one closed in 2016, but that hasn’t happened yet. And now, a new Dollar Tree store could spring up first. That troubles Topeka resident Michael Bell. He says dollar stores don’t sell quality foods like fresh produce and make it harder for a grocery store to survive long term. “They'll siphon that money off of the grocery stores, thereby making it that much harder for the grocery stores to succeed," he said. Bell says this is a statewide issue that's particularly worse in rural areas. Some cities are reluctant to stand in the way of private business decisions, but Bell wants cities to think more critically about what businesses come into town.
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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Tom Parkinson and Kaye McIntyre. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays and updated throughout the day. These ad-free headlines are made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.