Even Hotter Weather Expected this Week
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — It was hot in eastern Kansas Sunday, with high temperatures around 90 degrees. But it will get even hotter the rest of this week, with high temps close to 100 degrees almost every day. Scattered showers and storms expected this (MON) morning, then afternoon high temps will reach up around 98 degrees. Mostly sunny and hot conditions tomorrow (TUE) and for the rest of the week, with high temps in the triple digits.
Get the latest weather from the National Weather Service in Topeka.
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Thousands Lose Power as Storms Move Through Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Thousands of people in the Kansas City metro lost power this (MON) morning as powerful storms rolled through the area. Just before 9 am, Evergy’s outage map showed more than 9,600 customers without power. WDAF TV reports that the largest number of outages were in southeast Kansas City, just north of Raytown. Several hundred customers remained without electricity this (MON) afternoon.
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Universal Free School Lunches Ended, but Some Kansas Schools Find a Way to Keep Food Coming
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) — During the COVID-19 pandemic, a waiver allowed all children in the U.S. to eat free school lunches. That waiver has ended, but many Kansas schools are finding a way to keep feeding all of their students for free. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that some Kansas school districts are usuing a special provision under the USDA's National School Lunch Program that allows them to recoup most or all of the cost of offering free meals at school.
Kansas will see a nearly five-fold increase in the number of school sites using that provision to keep universally free lunches for their students. According to the Kansas Department of Education, nearly 150 Kansas schools across 35 districts will use the provision this coming school year, compared to just 33 this past year. The Capital-Journal reported earlier this year that Topeka's USD 501 school district will become the first in the state to offer free lunches to every student, starting this fall.
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KC Police: 4 People Injured in 5-Vehicle Crash Early Sunday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Four people were injured in a 5-vehicle collision early Sunday morning in Kansas City. Police say a 16-year-old was driving a Toyota Avalon at a very high speed on Wyandotte Street at 12:40 am, blew through a stop sign and collided with a Nissan Versa. KSHB TV reports that the crash caused a "chain reaction," in which three parked vehicles were struck. The 16-year-old driver suffered minor injuries. A passenger in the driver's car sustained serious injuries. Neither individuals were wearing a seat belt. The driver of the Nissan is in life-threatening condition and was wearing a seatbelt, while a passenger in the Nissan remains is in serious condition.
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Kansas City Fire Department Responds to Fire Inside Cave
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF/KPR) — Fire officials are investigating how a fire started inside a Kansas City cave early Sunday morning. Just before 5 am, firefighters responded to a blaze 20 to 30 yards inside a cave northeast of downtown Kansas City (23rd and Television Place) at the Interstate Underground Warehouse and Distribution Center. After battling the blaze for nearly half an hour, rocks and concrete started falling. Fire crews evacuated and fought the blaze from outside until they put it out. WDAF TV reports that no one was hurt. The cause remains under investigation.
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Kansas Man Drowns in Oklahoma Lake After Falling Out of Boat
DELAWARE COUNTY, Okla. (KZRG) — A Kansas man has drown in Oklahoma's Grand Lake. Authorities say the body of 47-year-old Daniel Siebert, of Wichita, was recovered from the water Sunday. Witnesses say they saw the man fall out of a boat. They also say it appeared the boat hit the man after he fell into the water. KZRG Radio reports that the boat continued to circle until officers got the boat under control.
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McPherson College Gets Another Huge Gift from Same Anonymous Donor
MCPHERSON, Kan. (Forbes) — McPherson College received a $500 million dollar gift last year. Now, the small, liberal arts school in central Kansas has received another $500 million gift. Both donations come from the same anonymous donor. The school announced the stunning development last Friday. Combined, the $1 billion is among the largest private gifts ever received by an American college. As a result of the two gifts, the college says its endowment will eventually be worth $1.59 billion. Forbes magazine reports that would be the largest endowment of any small liberal arts college in the United States.
McPherson College, a private school with an enrollment of fewer than 1,000 students, is believed to be the only school in the world that offers a four-year degree in antique automobile restoration. The school's Automotive Restoration Technology degree program is nationally recognized. Comedian and classic car collector Jay Leno is one of its financial supporters.
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Judge Overturns Kansas Highway Patrol's Two-Step Maneuver
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KNS) — A federal judge has ruled the Kansas Highway Patrol’s maneuver for detaining out-of-state drivers for drug searches is unconstitutional. In her ruling, the judge said the patrol was "waging war” on drivers. The “Kansas two-step” is a maneuver where troopers turn routine traffic stops into drug searches. The highway patrol argued the drivers and troopers were having voluntary conversations. But the judge ruled the searches lacked reasonable suspicion and targeted out-of-state drivers coming from states where legal marijuana is legal. The ACLU of Kansas sued to have the maneuver ruled illegal. The patrol has until next month to argue against an injunction.
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KBI Introduces New K-9 Unit
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSAL) — State officials are moving ahead with plans to introduce a new K-9 unit for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. It’s a collaborative effort by the KBI, Attorney General’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol. KSAL Radio reports that a demonstration by the human and canine officers is scheduled for this (MON) afternoon at the KBI Forensic Science Center Auditorium in Topeka.
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Wichita Man Arrested for Participating in January 6th Riot
WICHITA, Kan. (Midwest Newsroom) — Federal investigators have arrested a Wichita man who allegedly entered the U.S. Capitol building illegally during the January 6th riot at the U.S. capitol building. Federal investigators charged Chad Suenram with four misdemeanor counts earlier this month and arrested him just south of Wichita. According to court records, Suenram entered the Capitol Building twice and spent nearly a half-hour inside the building as other rioters attacked police. In a criminal complaint, investigators say they identified Suenram by tracking his mobile device’s movements on the day of the riot and confirmed his identity through facial recognition software. Suenram wore an American Flag mask during the riot and had a flag painted on his head. However, he removed his mask several times aiding in his identification. Suenram declined an interview request from FBI agents during the investigation. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 1.
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Federal Public Defender Says Proposed Budget Cuts Could Mean Fewer Attorneys in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — The federal public defender's office in Kansas is concerned that proposed budget cuts could mean fewer staff to represent people charged in federal court. There are about 80 federal public defender offices across the country, including one in Kansas with around 40 staff members. Melody Brannon is the federal public defender for Kansas. She says the proposed 2024 U.S. House budget leaves the federal agency with $42 million dollars less than the current budget. The U.S. Senate budget's gap is $71 million dollars. She says it’s too early to know how that will impact the Kansas office directly. “But what we do know is any time the defense function is disrupted and diminished, the whole system is disrupted and diminished. The prosecution, the judiciary, every facet of the system," she said. The House and Senate will now work together to agree on a budget by the end of September.
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Federal Tech Grant Will Help Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) — A nearly half-million-dollar grant will help boost internet capabilities for the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. Federal officials say the tribe has been awarded a $498,000 grant for a new technology learning center. WIBW TV reports that the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska is one of several receiving federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
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Kansas Woman Found Dead After Suspected Bear Attack Near Yellowstone
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Mont. (KAKE) — A Kansas woman has been found dead near Yellowstone National Park in what authorities say was an apparent bear attack. The woman's body was discovered on Buttermilk Trail, west of West Yellowstone, Montana, Saturday morning. KAKE TV reportsthat grizzly bear tracks were found at the scene. ABC News has confirmed the identity of the victim as 47-year-old Amie Adamson of Derby.
Wildlife officials implemented an emergency closure of the Buttermilk Trail area for the time being. The closed area is about 8 miles from West Yellowstone. The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Department says the population of grizzly bears has grown in recent years.
Last month, a 66-year-old man was killed by a bear in Arizona in what authorities called a "highly unusual," unprovoked attack. The victim in that attack was in the process of building a cabin in the area. In another bear-related incident, a 35-year-old sheepherder was attacked by a black bear in San Juan National Forest in Colorado on July 11. The man was severely wounded and sustained injuries to his head, left hand and arm, back and left hip.
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Remains of WWII Veteran Killed in Action Returning to Kansas for Burial
PLAINS, Kan. (KAKE) — The remains of a Kansas WWII veteran killed in World War II are finally returning home. U.S. Army Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert C. Elliott, of Plains, Kansas, was killed during a bombing mission in Romania. He was killed August 1, 1943 when his plane was hit by enemy fire. Elliot was just 24-years-old. His remains could not be identified at the time, so he was buried alongside other unidentified soldiers in Romania. After the war, the remains of all unnamed U.S. casualties were taken from the cemetery in Romania. KAKE TV reports that Elliot's remains were finally identified in February by a laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. He will be interred at Plains Cemetery on August 1. Elliot served in the 343rd Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force.
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Chiefs Open Training Camp Without Star D-Lineman Chris Jones
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs held their first full-squad workout of training camp Sunday under a bright sunny sky and without All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones. Coach Andy Reid says he's not worried yet about the absence of his star lineman, who has yet to report for camp. Jones has yet to report to camp as he seeks a new contract. The 29-year-old is due to make $19.5 million in base salary this season and carries a salary cap hit of almost $28.3 million.
The Chiefs are also motivated to renegotiate his contract. The NFL Players Association public salary cap report Sunday showed the club with just more than $1 million in available cap space. General manager Brett Veach prefers maintaining a balance of 5 to 10 million in cap space during this time of the year. Hashing out a new long-term extension with Jones would keep him in Kansas City beyond the 2023 season while providing the club with much-needed salary cap relief. Jones is seeking a new deal that would make him the second-highest-paid player in the league at his position. Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams currently leads defensive tackles with an annual average salary of $31.67 million.
While the Chiefs have handed out large contracts to superstars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Mahomes is currently the seventh-best-paid quarterback at $45 million per year and Kelce ranks No. 3 among tight ends at $14.3 million per season. Club chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said Sunday he's not focused on where players rank in salary. He also trusts Veach to make the right decision.
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Chiefs Keen to Upgrade Aging Arrowhead Stadium Rather than Build New Facility
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs believe Arrowhead Stadium remains structurally sound and prefer to renovate their famous facility in the coming years. That preference, which was relayed by Chiefs president Mark Donovan, comes as the neighboring Royals appear set to build a new ballpark elsewhere. The teams have shared the Truman Sports Complex since the early 1970s, and their current lease that paid for massive renovations to both of their stadiums expires in January 2031.
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Jayhawks and Tarheels Schedule Regular-Season Men's Basketball Games for 2024 and 2025
UNDATED (AP) — Men's college basketball powerhouses Kansas and North Carolina will play each other in regular-season games in 2024 and 2025, the schools announced Monday. The first meeting will be November 8, 2024, in Lawrence, and the second November 14, 2025, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The teams will square off for the first time since Kansas beat the Tar Heels 72-69 in the 2022 NCAA title game in New Orleans. Kansas has won four straight in the series, all in the NCAA Tournament under coach Bill Self. The teams have split 12 games since they first met in the 1957 national championship game. The Jayhawks' 2,385 all-time wins are the most in college basketball history. North Carolina ranks third with 2,347 wins. The teams have combined for 10 national titles.
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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. You can also follow KPR News on Twitter.