Kansas City Police on the Lookout for Man Accused of Shooting at Officers, Carjacking
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — Kansas City police are looking for a robbery suspect believed to be a "threat to the public." Police say the suspect fired shots multiple times at police officers Thursday night before carjacking an unsuspecting motorist a short time later. KMBC TV reports that police were dispatched just before 9 pm (to the 8300 block of Wornall Road) on an attempted robbery and shots being fired at a local fast-food restaurant. The suspect fled the scene and reportedly shot at another vehicle in the area. No one was injured.
An hour later, police discovered the suspect’s vehicle. When officers arrived, the suspect fired shots at police. No officers or civilians were injured. The suspect fled on foot to the parking lot behind a nearby business, where he carjacked an unsuspecting victim. Police encountered the man a second time, and once again, the suspect fired shots at police. The officers responded with gunfire. No one was injured by gunfire. The suspect’s vehicle was located later but police are still looking for the suspect.
He's described as a white male in his early 30s. Police say he's thin with a patchy black beard and shoulder-length black hair. He was wearing a black T-shirt. Anyone with information is urged to contact the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
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Spirit AeroSystems, Major Airlines Supplier, Suspends Plant Operations After Labor Contract Rejected
UNDATED (AP) – Spirit AeroSystems, a major supplier to the world's largest aircraft manufacturers, is suspending operations at a critical Kansas plant after union workers there rejected a proposed four-year contract and authorized a strike. Approximately 6,000 members of the IAM District 70, Local 839 voted to reject Spirit AeroSystems' best and last offer after 13 years without a fully negotiated agreement, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said in a prepared statement. Shares of Boeing Co. and Airbus slid about 2%, and shares of Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc. tumbled 10% at the opening bell.
The tentative deal that was rejected had included up to a compounded 34% average pay bump through general wages increases, cost-of-living adjustments, and a guaranteed annual bonus; a 14.7% increase in retirement benefits; increased paid time off; job security enhancements and made Sunday overtime voluntary. A strike is scheduled to start on Saturday. “Most of our members have concluded that the company’s offer is unacceptable,” the union said in a prepared statement. "IAM District 70 and Local 839 will regroup and begin planning the following steps to bring the company back to the table.”
The IAM is an industrial trade union that representing about 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries. Operations at the factory will be suspended starting Thursday, Spirit said. The company said union employees should not show up for work, but would be paid for their regularly scheduled hours. All scheduled overtime was canceled. Employees not represented by the IAM were instructed to show up for work as normal.
“We are disappointed that our employees represented by the IAM rejected our four-year contract offer and voted to strike. We believe that our fair and competitive offer recognizes the contributions of our employees and ensures we can successfully meet increasing demand for aircraft from our customers,” the Wichita, Kansas, company said in a prepared statement.
Aircraft manufacturers have wrestled with supply issues in recent years and a strike at Spirit AeroSystems at the Wichita plant could add to those headaches. Spirit builds the fuselage for Boeing's 737 MAX narrowbody jet and substantial sections of aircraft bodies in other of its models. It builds components for Airbus aircraft as well.
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Kansas Medical Workforce in Crisis as Worker Shortage Persists
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas hospitals are experiencing the highest turnover and job vacancy rates in a decade. The Kansas Hospital Association compiled its annual report with data from 109 hospitals across the state. Some of the highest vacancy rates reported were for nurses, laboratory staff, and respiratory therapists. The KHA survey found that about 25% of the nursing positions in the state are unfilled and the shortage is expected to grow. The association and hospitals are using virtual job fairs and partnering with the Kansas Department of Education to increase interest in health care careers.
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Kansas Board of Regents Sets Timeline for Cutting University Programs
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — The Kansas Board of Regents has set a timeline to review programs at state universities that are not meeting goals for enrollment and other measures. A committee will look at how many students are enrolled in each major, how many get degrees and whether graduates find jobs. Daniel Archer is vice president of academic affairs for the Regents. He says the review should highlight programs where demand is low. “We’re going to really take an intentional dive into undergraduate programs," he said. "And I think this is an important population to focus on when you look at some of the enrollment declines we’ve had.” This fall, Kansas universities will look at under-performing programs and decide whether to cut or merge them, or develop a plan for improvement.
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Overland Park Man Accused in Fatal Shooting at Hillsdale State Park
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) — The Miami County Sheriff's Office has arrested a Johnson County man for allegedly shooting and killing a man at Hillsdale State Park. KCTV reports that officers responded to the park in Paola just after midnight Tuesday on a report of a shooting. Deputies found 43-year-old Bryan Hendrickson, of Edgerton, with a gunshot wound. He died at the scene. Authorities say 53-year-old Brian Meysenburg, of Overland Park, has been arrested and booked into the Miami County Jail on charges of second-degree murder. Detectives have not disclosed a motive or what may have led to the shooting.
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Mid Summer Night on Mass; Lawrence Launches New Version of Sidewalk Sale
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — Downtown Lawrence has ditched its traditional sidewalk sale for something else. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the Mid Summer Night on Mass is making its debut today (FRI). Part sale, part street festival, the event runs from 4 pm to 10 pm throughout downtown. More than 40 retailers and restaurants will have special Mid Summer Night specials as part of the event. Multiple street performers and musicians will also perform on and around Massachusetts Street.
Members of Downtown Lawrence Inc. decided to create the Mid Summer Night event after determining its traditional sidewalk sale (which was held on the third Thursday of July for about 60 years) was perhaps being hosted in the wrong month and during the wrong time of day. It may not be Mid Summer, but downtown merchants are still hoping for a good turnout.
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Both Big 12 Schools in Kansas Had Players Taken in NBA Draft
UNDATED (KPR) — University of Kansas men's basketball guard Gradey Dick played just one year, but the Wichita native was the 13th overall pick by the Toronto Raptors in the NBA draft Thursday night. In the second round, the Brooklyn Nets took KU forward Jalen Wilson, which pleased KU coach Bill Self. "I’m proud of the grind, the competitiveness and the discipline over time to be able to put themselves in this position," he said. K-State forward Keyontae Johnson was selected by Oklahoma City in the second round.
(Additional reporting...)
Kansas Native's Dazzling NBA Draft Coat a Nod to Home State, Dorothy of Wizard of Oz
NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas native Gradey Dick brought a bit of home with him to the NBA draft. The guard from Wichita, who played his lone college season at his home state school, wore a sparkly and bedazzled red coat Thursday night. Dick said it was his nod to Dorothy from the classic movie "Wizard of Oz." Dick showed off his jacket on the red carpet coming into the Barclays Center. The 6-foot-8 sharp-shooter set a freshman record with 83 3-pointers at Kansas, and the Toronto Raptors selected him at No. 13 overall. "I'm from Kansas, she's from Kansas," Dick said. "She's got her slippers, I have my coat." Now, Dick's jacket matches one of his new team's colors. One of his last workouts was for the Raptors, and he said he was hoping he might go there after having a great time with the team. "It kind of worked out good with the colors," Dick said. "I'm beyond blessed. I'm happy."
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Missouri Woman Imprisoned for 42 Years Could be Released
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri woman imprisoned for more than four decades for a murder she says she didn't commit will get a court hearing that could lead to her release. The Kansas City Star reports that the Missouri attorney general's office has agreed to an evidentiary hearing for 63-year-old Sandra Hemme. She was convicted in the 1980 death of Patricia Jeschke in St. Joseph. The Innocence Project filed a petition in February to exonerate her, arguing that she falsely confessed to the murder. Her supporters say Jeschke likely was killed by a now-deceased St. Joseph police officer. Hemme was a patient at a psychiatric hospital when she gave conflicting statements about the murder to investigators.
In a response filed last week, the attorney general's office asked Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman to require lawyers involved in the case to be ready to set a date for the evidentiary hearing when they meet on July 10. Her attorneys say the only evidence linking Hemme to Jeschke's death were "wildly contradictory" and "factually impossible" statements she gave to detectives while she was a patient at the St. Joseph State Hospital's psychiatric ward. She initially didn't mention a murder, then claimed Jeschke was killed by a man who police later determined was in Topeka at the time, and then later said she knew about the murder because of "extrasensory perception," according to her attorneys. Two weeks after Jeschke's nude body was found on the floor of her apartment in eastern St. Joseph, Hemme told authorities she thought she stabbed the victim with a knife but then added "I don't know. I don't know," according to her attorneys.
The attorney general's office said Hemme's attorneys have "alleged facts that if true may entitle her to relief." Hemme initially pleaded guilty to capital murder, but her conviction was thrown out on appeal. She was then found guilty in 1985 during a one-day jury trial in which the only evidence was her "confession."
The Innocence Project says state officials withheld evidence during the trial that would have implicated a 22-year-old St. Joseph police officer who was investigated for insurance fraud and burglaries and later spent time in prison in Missouri and Nebraska. He died in 2015. Shortly after Jeschke was found dead, the officer used her credit card. Jeschke's earrings were found in his apartment and the officer's colleagues could not corroborate his alibi — that he was having sex with another woman at a motel next to Jeschke's apartment when she was killed.
Lloyd Pasley, who was a senior member in St. Joseph's detective division in 1980 and served twice as interim police chief in the department, said he believes Hemme is innocent and evidence suggests the officer was the killer.
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Ace Hardware Plans to Build Support Center in KC, Creating 350 New Jobs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — The Ace Hardware Corporation has announced plans to build a new distribution center in Kansas City. The company says the new facility will create 350 new jobs. KSHB TV reports that the company will build a 1.5 million-square-foot retail support center just north of Kansas City International Airport. Developers broke ground on the project this week. The center is expected to open in 2025.
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Kansas Highway Patrol: Extra Caution Needed on Roads During Harvest Season
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — It's nearly harvest season and the Kansas Highway Patrol is reminding motorists to use extra caution when traveling near farm trucks, tractors, combines and other implements. State troopers are also asking motorists to be patient when encountering heavy farm implements and trucks moving in and out of wheat fields and on to roadways. Most farm equipment is not designed to travel at highway speeds and may only travel 15-25 mph. Farm equipment is often wider than the lane of traffic, so extra room should be allowed when sharing the road. Caution should be practiced on all roads, but especially on busy rural roads with unmarked intersections. The Highway Patrol also advises motorists not to pass farm vehicles unless they can see clearly ahead of their own vehicle and the vehicle they are passing. (Read more.)
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Invasive Northern Snakehead Fish Found in Southeastern Missouri for Second Time
PUXICO, Mo. (AP) — An invasive fish, a voracious predator capable of surviving out of water for days, was recently caught in southeastern Missouri, causing worry that the hard-to-contain species will spread and become a problem. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that a northern snakehead was caught last month in a drainage pool at Duck Creek Conservation Area. The last time one showed up in Missouri was four years ago. The northern snakehead is originally from east Asia, where they are a delicacy believed to have healing powers. They reproduce quickly, have sharp teeth, can wiggle across muddy land and grow to nearly 3 feet in length.
While wildlife officials have sounded the alarm, many anglers say they're unaware of the fish, its potential impact and what to do if they catch one. "They are knocking on the door in Arkansas," said Dave Knuth, a Missouri fisheries management biologist based in Cape Girardeau. "They are a beast." The federal government in 2002 banned the import and interstate transport of live northern snakeheads, however they are flourishing in parts of the U.S.
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Size of KU’s Football Stadium Would Shrink Under Latest Plans
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — KU has big plans to turn the area around its football stadium into a hub for conventions and tourism, but in order to do so, it may need to make its football stadium the smallest in the Big 12 conference. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that an outside consultant hired by KU is recommending a 55,000-square-foot conference center, a 175-room upscale hotel and even a 2,500-seat concert and event venue for the stadium site near 11th and Mississippi streets on the northern edge of the KU campus. But the experts also are recommending that KU shrink the size of its stadium to 39,839 seats, a drop of about 7,000 seats from the stadium’s current official capacity.
The consultant’s recommendations also show the entire surface parking lot and grassy area immediately east of the stadium — a prime location for both parking and game day tailgating — be eliminated as part of the new development. The consultant’s recommendations acknowledge KU will need new parking solutions. Plans have not been finalized but
Karla Leeper, vice chancellor for strategic communications and public affairs, said the redesigned stadium will put fans closer to the field and improve sight lines for spectators.
At just under 40,000 seats, the renovated stadium would be the smallest in terms of seating capacity in the current Big 12. The renovated KU stadium also would be the smallest in the new Big 12, although the stadiums at Houston and Cincinnati would only be a few hundred seats larger than the KU proposal.
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U.S. Engineers Contributed to Missouri River Flood Damage and Must Pay Landowners, Court Rules
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. government may have to pay tens of millions of dollars — or more — to landowners along the Missouri River after a court ruled it worsened flooding there since 2007 that killed crops and wrecked homes and businesses. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld a lower court's 2020 ruling that the federal government must pay for the landowners' loss of value to the land. But the appeals court went even further in its decision last Friday, saying that the government must also pay them for crops, farm equipment and buildings lost to the flooding and finding the government contributed to the devastating flood of 2011.
Courts have found the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers responsible for recurrent flooding since 2007, three years after it changed how it manages the Missouri River’s flow to better protect the habitat of endangered fish and birds. It did so by notching dikes to increase water flow, keeping more water in reservoirs and reopening historic chutes, allowing the river to meander and erode banks.
Farmers, businesses and other landowners say that unconstitutionally deprived them of their land. The courts have largely agreed, finding that the government violated constitutional protections against taking property without just compensation. That Fifth Amendment protection is often seen in cases of eminent domain, which allows a government to seize private property, with compensation, for a public purpose.
Federal officials argue that the changes the Corps made were necessary to comply with the federal Endangered Species Act and a separate requirement from Congress passed in 1986 to protect fish and wildlife.
The ruling comes as federal and state officials wrestle with the rising costs of floods made more severe by climate change, and droughts that will require tough water management choices.
More than 370 landowners in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and the Dakotas are currently represented in the lawsuit, and a merger with another class-action lawsuit of an additional 60 landowners could happen later. Lawmakers from affected states have said the Justice Department should settle. In 2020, seven Republican U.S. senators from Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri urged the Army to negotiate with landowners. A spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday referred questions to the U.S. Department of Justice, which said Thursday that it is considering its next steps following last Friday's ruling.
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Mississippi State Hires Kansas State Associate AD Josh McCowan as Deputy AD for Advancement
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi State University has hired Kansas State associate athletic director Josh McCowan as its deputy AD for athletics advancement. Bulldogs athletic director Zac Selmon cited McCowan’s success in fundraising and leadership qualities in statement on Thursday announcing the hire. McCowan had been Kansas State’s senior associate AD of development since 2017 and oversaw the department's fundraising activities. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from K-State and was a graduate assistant for the Wildcats' basketball team that reached the Elite Eight in 2010.
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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.