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Headlines for Wednesday, August 23, 2023

A colorful graphic depicting stylized radios with the words "Kansas Public Radio News Summary" written on top.
Emily DeMarchi
/
KPR

Oklahoma Authorities Search Kansas Property Formerly Owned by BTK Serial Killer

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Law enforcement officers from Oklahoma traveled to Park City, Kansas, Tuesday to search a property formerly owned by serial killer Dennis Rader. KSNW TV reports that Oklahoma investigators were following leads of missing persons possibly related to Rader. Gary Upston, the undersheriff of Osage County, Oklahoma, said investigators are working on leads into possible murder and missing persons cases that may be related to BTK. Park City purchased the home where Rader and his family lived. The home was torn down in 2007, but Oklahoma authorities spent half the day searching the area where the home once stood.

In February 2005, police captured Rader at his Park City home. He murdered 10 people in Wichita from 1974 to 1991. His victims were four members of the Otero family: Joseph, Julie and their children Josephine and Joseph. Shirley Vian, Kathryn Bright, Nancy Fox, Vicki Wegerle, Dolores Davis and Marine Hedge. In June of that year, Rader pleaded guilty to murder. Then in August, a judge sentenced Rader to 10 consecutive life terms for the crime, the maximum sentence the law would allow.

(–Additional Reporting–)

Oklahoma Authorities Name BTK Killer as ‘Prime Suspect’ in at Least Two Unsolved Cases

UNDATED (AP) — The BTK serial killer has been named the “prime suspect” in at least two unsolved cases, including one in Oklahoma that led authorities to dig this week near his former Kansas property in Park City, authorities announced Wednesday.

Osage County, Oklahoma, Undersheriff Gary Upton told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the investigation into whether Dennis Rader was responsible for additional crimes started with the re-examination last year of the 1976 disappearance of Cynthia Kinney in Pawhuska. The case, which was investigated on and off over the years, was reopened in December.

Upton said the investigation “spiraled out from there” into other unsolved murders and missing persons cases."

“We sit just on the other side of the state line from Kansas and Wichita, which is his stomping grounds. And so yeah, we were following leads based off of our investigations and just unpacked other missing persons and murders, unsolved homicides that possibly point towards BTK,” he said.

Upton said another case that is being re-examined is the death of 22-year-old Shawna Beth Garber, whose body was discovered in December 1990 in McDonald County, Missouri. An autopsy revealed she had been raped, strangled and restrained with different bindings about two months before her body was found. Her remains weren’t identified until 2021.

Rader, a city code inspector in Kansas, was arrested in February 2005 — a year after resuming communications with police and the media after going silent years earlier. In earlier communications, he gave himself the nickname BTK — for "bind, torture and kill.″

Rader, now 78, ultimately confessed to 10 killings in the Wichita area, which is about 90 miles (144.84 kilometers) north of Pawhuska. The crimes occurred between 1974 and 1991.

He was sentenced in August 2005 to 10 consecutive life prison terms. Kansas had no death penalty at the time of the murders. His earliest possible release date is listed for the year 2180.

An Associated Press phone message seeking comment from the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office was not immediately returned Wednesday.

Upton declined to say how many other missing person and homicide cases are being re-examined.

“At this stage,” he said later in a news release, “Dennis Rader is considered a prime suspect in these unsolved cases, including the Cynthia Dawn Kinney case from Pawhuska.” The news release did not specifically say whether Rader is a prime suspect in Garber’s death, but he later told the AP that he is a prime suspect in two cases and “maybe more.”

No information has been released yet about what the search Tuesday in Park City uncovered. Upton described them in the news release only as “items of interest.” The release said the items would undergo a thorough examination to determine their potential relevance.

Upton also said his department is working with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The KBI didn’t immediately respond to an email message from the AP seeking comment.

Phil Bostian, the police chief in the Wichita suburb of Park City, told KAKE-TV that Osage County called them as a courtesy and said they asked public works to move some cement and do a little digging.

Police there didn't immediately return a phone message from the AP seeking comment.

The Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense didn’t immediately return a phone message inquiring about Rader still has an attorney representing him.

Rader’s daughter, Kerri Rawson, told the Wichita Eagle that she worked with investigators this summer by meeting with her father in person and communicating with him for the first time in years. Rawson told Fox News that she believes investigators were looking for items related to the unsolved cases that Rader may have kept and buried on his property under a metal shed he built. The shed and Rader’s former home have been leveled.

Rawson said she also told investigators to check where Rader buried the family dog. She said she hopes investigators can determine if her father is linked to any of these other cases. “I’m still not 100% sure my dad did commit any more at this point,” she said to the newspaper, adding: “If my dad has harmed somebody else, we need answers.”

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Two Kansas Lawmakers Push for New Search Warrant Laws

TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Two Kansas Democrats say they'll introduce legislation next session designed to make it more difficult for law enforcement agencies to get a search warrant. The move comes in the wake of the police raid on a small-town newspaper in Marion County. House Minority Leader Vic Miller and Representative Jason Probst say they'll propose a bill in January that would require search warrants to be approved by a district court judge and not simply by a magistrate.“It’s a recognition that when you are talking about district judges, we’re talking about people with a stronger background in these kind of decisions," he said. It was a magistrate judge that allowed police to raid the Marion County Record, seizing cell phones and computers. “I think the central idea is to slow down law enforcement from being able to get a warrant and then move immediately into searching and seizing property without judicial review," Probst said. Miller and Probst say their proposal may not be the ultimate solution, but they hope it will start a larger conversation.

(-Related-)

Video Shows 98-Year-Old Kansas Newspaper Co-Owner Confronting Police During Raid of Her Home

MARION, Kan. (AP) — Newly released video shows the 98-year-old mother of a Kansas newspaper publisher confronting police officers as they searched her home in a raid that has drawn national scrutiny. It shows her visibly upset and shouting: “Get out of my house!” Video released by the newspaper Monday shows Joan Meyer shouting at the six officers inside the Marion, Kansas, home she shared with her son, the publisher of the local newspaper. She died the day after the raid on her home and the newspaper's offices. Meyer and her son were co-owners of the Marion County Record. Eric Meyer says the stress of the police raid contributed to his mother's death.

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KC Nursing Home Evacuated Due to HVAC Failure

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — A broken air conditioner led to the evacuation of a nursing home in Kansas City Tuesday. The Kansas City Fire Department says crews avacuated 117 patients from Parkview Healthcare (located at 128 North Hardesty) and relocated them to other local nursing homes via city buses. WDAF TV reports that seven of the patients had COVID-19 and were taken to area hospitals. No other illnesses or heat-related issues were reported. It's unclear what led to the HVAC failure or when repairs might be completed. The Kansas City area remains under an Excessive Heat Warning this week.

(-Related-)

HVAC Issues Force Kansas Schools to Cancel Classes

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — One school in Wichita and another in McPherson called off classes this week due to HVAC systems breaking down. The school closures affected about 1,300 students. Wichita’s Horace Mann Magnet School and McPherson High School both had to cancel classes Tuesday because of broken air conditioners. KSNW TV reports that Wichita area heating and air companies have been receiving a couple hundred calls a day for AC repairs.

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Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal DUI Crash

LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — A Lawrence man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with a DUI-related crash that killed a 70-year-old man. The Lawrence Journal World reports that 56-year-old Anthony Michael Royal pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of second-degree murder and one count of felony DUI as part of a plea deal. Prosecutors are recommending 8.5 years in prison. The crash occurred in Lawrence in 2022 when Royal ran a stop sign and crashed into a vehicle driven by 70-year-old John Thomas Kirby, of Lawrence. Kirby died as a result of the crash. Royal is scheduled for setencing on November 1.

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Missing Geary County Man Found Dead

GEARY COUNTY, Kan. (KSNT) — The remains of a missing man have been found by state park officials near Milford Lake. The Geary County Sheriff’s Office says the remains of 24-year-old Pacey Nathaniel Staines were discovered in a densely wooded area south of the lake. KSNT TV reports that Staines had been reported missing by his family after he failed to return from a hunting trip. Police say more information will be released pending the results of an autopsy.

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Topeka Leaders Discuss Proposals for Dealing with Homelessness

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) — The city of Topeka is looking for ways to address its growing homeless problem. During its Tuesday meeting, the city council listened to proposed amendments to the local camping ordinance. Some of the proposals include a ban on camping in neighborhoods, limiting camping hours and restricting the number of days a person can camp in a given area. WIBW TV reports that another proposal suggests banning all camping within a certain distance of trails and sidewalks.

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State Examines Problems that Led to Medicaid Dis-enrollment

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansas officials say they’re working to address problems that led to a high number of residents being kicked off Medicaid rolls because of paperwork issues. After a three-year pause on Medicaid dis-enrollments was lifted this spring, some Kansans lost coverage due to slow mail and long wait times on the telephone. Tanya Palmer, with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), told lawmakers about some of the challenges. “It caused some members to not be able to return their renewal form by the deadline for reasons outside of their control," she said. Palmer says the department increased staffing and reduced its average call hold time from 43 minutes in April to 10 minutes in August. The agency says 78,000 Kansans lost Medicaid coverage between May and July and about 60,000 of those dis-enrollments were due to paperwork issues. A majority of those who lost coverage were children.

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Kansas Families Set to Receive Around $7.4 Million in Food Assistance

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) — Kansas families will receive about $7.4 million to support grocery shopping during the new school year. State officials say the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Program will continue for another year. WIBW TV reports that the program provides financial aid to families who already get free or reduced-price school meals or have children under the age of six and receive regular Food Assistance benefits. (Learn more.)

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Paola Resident and World’s No. 1 Shotgun Trap Shooter Targets Olympic Return

PAOLA, Kan. (KPR) — The reigning world champion in shotgun trap shooting is a resident of Paola, Kansas. Derrick Mein, who grew up in the southeastern Kansas town of Girard, is a former high school baseball pitcher. These days, the 39-year-old is involved in a much different sport. But he says some of the same skills he used in baseball - like hand-eye coordination - come in handy in trap shooting. This week, Mein is defending his title at the world champonships in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, in eastern Europe. After this week’s competition, Mein will compete at the Pan Am games in Chile this fall. If all goes well, he'll make his second trip to the Olympics. Those games will be held next year in Paris. (Read more.)

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Royals Release Images and Videos of Proposed New Ballpark

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) — The Kansas City Royals have released architectural images and videos showing possible designs for a new baseball stadium. The renderings show that two possible sites are still under consideration. One of the two is in the east end of downtown Kansas City. The other site is located in North Kansas City, west of Interstates 29 and 35. Royals President of Business Operations Brooks Sherman says each site is on equal footing, but the decision will come down to an agreement between the Royals and elected leaders in Jackson County or Clay County, Missouri. Officials with the franchise say the bulk of the money to build the stadium will come from private investors, but area taxpayers will likely be asked to foot a chunk of the bill as well. A site decision is expected by the end of September.

(AP version)

Royals Unveil Proposed Ballpark and Entertainment District Plans for 2 Locations

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals unveiled plans for two dramatically different locations for a replacement to the aging Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday, calling them on equal footing even as the team-issued date for a decision looms next month.

The first location, called the East Village, would consist of a ballpark anchoring a 27-acre development just blocks away from the thriving Power & Light District, where T-Mobile Center already exists. The second location is a 90-acre tract across the Missouri River in Clay County, where the Royals would have more ability to develop commercial and residential properties.

Both plans were produced by Populous, the Kansas City-based sports architecture giant, which has been responsible for renovation or construction of more than 20 stadiums currently in use across Major League Baseball.

“We knew we were engaged in a generational decision. The K has been the home to the Royals for 50-plus years — been a great home — but it's time for a new one,” said Brooks Sherman, the Royals' president of business operations. “It's actually incredible that we have these two locations to even consider as a future home and sustain ourselves as a Major League city.”

The Royals announced plans to leave Kauffman Stadium about two years ago. But progress has been slow in deciding on a path forward, given the myriad factors involved in the proposed $2 billion-plus ballpark and entertainment district.

The Royals have long shared with the Kansas City Chiefs sales tax revenue from Jackson County for the upkeep of Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums, both of which reside in the Truman Sports Complex. But while the Royals intend to build elsewhere, the preference of Chiefs owner Clark Hunt is to remain at Arrowhead Stadium and renovate the existing NFL venue.

Further complicating matters is the fact that the Royals and Chiefs are both tied to a lease with Jackson County that does not expire until 2031. If the Royals decide on the downtown location, they would remain in Jackson County and the teams could seek to extend the lease; if they move to Clay County, some tricky politicking and negotiation would be necessary.

Regardless of the site, Sherman reiterated that the Royals are prepared to spend about $1 billion in private funds on the project, and they intend to move into their new stadium for opening day of the 2028 season.

“That's part of the equation is to ensure we're negotiating properly and having the proper back and forth with each set of governing bodies — the elected leaders — and we're doing that with both Clay County and Jackson County,” Sherman said.

The downtown site, which has long been viewed as the frontrunner, would lean into commercial and business possibilities to help drive the revenue that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said is necessary for a small-market club to compete.

The proposed stadium, which Populous founder Earl Santee warned is not a final design, features swooping roof lines that are reminiscent of Kauffman Stadium. There is a homage to the fountains for which the existing park is known in right-center field and what Santee called “one of the most intimate seating bowls in all of baseball.”

Yet the stadium comes with drawbacks. Ingress and egress is already a challenge in the downtown corridor, and parking could be difficult, particularly for day games when existing parking is already taken up by those working in the area.

The location in North Kansas City would continue the revitalization of what was once a rundown industrial neighborhood.

The ballpark is meant to feel more “gritty,” Santee said, to better fit within the existing area. But a large number of buildings would be razed to make room for hotels and conference centers, residential buildings and parking pavilions, and a large park and lake that could serve as a year-round gathering space. There is even a proposed 4,000-seat performance venue.

Imran Aukhil with the economic advisory firm HR&A said both projects would have about a $320 million impact on the region, not including the construction itself, which would spur at least 20,000 jobs and $2.8 billion in total economic output.

As the late-September date for a decision nears, the Royals are continuing to negotiate with political and business leaders involved with both proposed locations. They also are soliciting feedback from fans, many of whom have been lukewarm about the prospect of building a new ballpark for a team that is once again on pace to lose more than 100 games.

“We've got work to do on a number of fronts," Sherman said, “to get to our decision on this.”

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Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark Not Hiding Favoritism for Teams Staying in League

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark isn't hiding his favoritism for teams that will be staying in the conference.

Yormark said Wednesday that he plans to be at 11th-ranked Texas' final regular-season game as a Big 12 member when it hosts Texas Tech the night after Thanksgiving. The commissioner had a message for second-year Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire.

“Coach, I’m not going to put any pressure on you, but I’m going to be in Austin for Thanksgiving,” Yormark said as he addressed the Red Raider Club kickoff luncheon. “And you better take care of business like you did right here in Lubbock last year.”

The Red Raiders were 8-5 last season in McGuire’s debut and had their first winning record (5-4) in conference play since 2009. They beat both Texas and Oklahoma in the same season for the first time, both in overtime at home.

The Longhorns and Oklahoma are going into their final Big 12 season before moving next year to the Southeastern Conference. When they announced two summers ago they were leaving, it was anticipated that they could remain through the 2024-25 academic year, coinciding with the league's current media rights deal. But things have worked out for them to go after this season, amid other changes.

“Candidly, we were able to get Texas and Oklahoma out a year early. That was a big deal for us, and I think all of you,” Yormark said, drawing applause from Tech fans.

There will be 14 teams in the Big 12 this season, with BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF coming in before Texas and Oklahoma switch leagues. The Big 12 will grow to 16 teams next year with the additions of current Pac-12 teams Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah.

“We went through a ton of modeling, different scenarios over the last year. We had a mission and a vision and we ultimately realized it,” Yormark said of expansion. “We got lucky because in life you need to get lucky, and we did. But the dream scenario was to go to 16, and we did.”

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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.