Women’s Lawsuit Accuses KCK of Allowing Police Corruption to Thrive for Years
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Five women who say they were sexually assaulted or harassed by a former Kansas City, Kansas, detective have filed a lawsuit accusing the Unified Government of Wyandotte County of allowing police corruption to thrive for years. The federal lawsuit says the Unified Government allowed its officers to "terrorize, abuse and violate" Black residents through a pattern of misconduct and assaults without being disciplined or investigated. The Unified Government declined to comment on the lawsuit.
(AP version)
Women's Lawsuit Accuses KCK of Allowing Police Corruption to Thrive for Years
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Five women who say they were sexually assaulted or harassed by a former Kansas City, Kansas, detective have filed a lawsuit accusing the government of allowing police corruption to thrive for years.
The Kansas City Star reports that the federal lawsuit says the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, allowed its officers to "terrorize, abuse and violate" Black residents through a pattern of misconduct and assaults without being disciplined or investigated. The government declined to comment because of the pending litigation, and a lawyer for former Detective Roger Golubski told the newspaper he couldn't comment because he hadn't read the lawsuit.
Golubski has been accused by federal prosecutors and civil rights groups of framing Black citizens and sexually harassing Black women and girls for years in Kansas City, Kansas.
Golubski is currently on house arrest facing two federal indictments alleging he sexually assaulted and kidnapped a woman and a teenager between 1998 and 2002, and that he was part of a sex trafficking ring involving underage girls in Kansas City, Kansas, between 1996 and 1998. Golubski has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The next hearing in the criminal cases is scheduled for Nov. 21, but no trial dates have been set. Four of the five plaintiffs allege Golubski sexually assaulted or stalked them. One said the detective raped her in 1992 in the back seat of his unmarked police car.
The lawsuit says that Golubski mocked one of the women when she said she was going to file a complaint against him. Acoording to the lawsuit, Golubski replied, "Report me to who, the police? I am the police."
==========
Records Show Kansas Officials Had Advance Knowledge of Marion County Newspaper Raid
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – Newly uncovered records reveal that multiple Kansas officials had advance knowledge of an August newspaper raid that sparked international outrage. According to KCUR, reporting by the Kansas Reflector found that several state agencies - including the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Department of Revenue – allowed or actively endorsed plans for police to raid the Marion County Record. The Reflector obtained emails and police documents that contradict statements made by officials after the raid – an event that likely violated state and federal laws. Marion County Record editor Eric Meyer said that the public should be concerned such police behavior was approved. The police chief who led the raid, Gideon Cody, has since resigned and is facing a civil lawsuit.
==========
Kansas Officials Warn of Possible Bird Flu Outbreaks
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KSNT) — State health officials are warning local poultry farmers of a recent increase in bird flu cases nationwide. Officials with the Kansas Department of Agriculture say the fall season is bringing with it an uptick in highly pathogenic avian influenza cases. Cases are currently being monitored in areas near Kansas such as Missouri, Oklahoma and Colorado. While the Sunflower State has not confirmed any such outbreaks since April this year, there remains a chance for outbreaks to occur thanks largely to migrating waterfowl. KSNT reports that owners of poultry farms both large and small are advised to check their biosecurity procedures to make sure their birds are safe. More information and helpful tips can be found on the website of the Kansas Department of Agriculture.
==========
Kansas Courts Still in Business Despite Online Woes
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) — The court systems in Kansas continue to operate even though they've been offline for a month after a security incident. The 18th Judicial District Court in Sedgwick County has one of the largest caseloads in the Kansas District Court System. Clerks have operated using paper since a possible cyber attack impacted the courts online docketing system. Chief Judge Jeffrey Goering says while the paper system slows down some of its processes, he doesn’t expect delays for trials. “We would prefer to be in a digital system, but we’re not, and we will live in a paper system as long as we have to," he said. An investigation continues into the security incident that knocked out most of the judiciary branch's online court filing systems. Kansas Courts have yet to give a timeline for when the system will come back online. The only place not affected is in Johnson County, where courts operate on a different online system.
==========
Kansas Day Care Worker Caught on Video Hitting Children is Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A former suburban Kansas City day care worker who was caught on surveillance video kicking, hitting and shaking children was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison. Rachel Beth Schrader was arrested in 2021 after coworkers noticed that an infant was injured and contacted police. In a police interview, Schrader acknowledged "losing her patience" that day, but said it was the only time, according to the affidavit. But the investigators who watched the surveillance video were able to document her abusing or seriously neglecting children more than 170 times in less than a month at the day care where she worked in the city of Westwood. The affidavit describes her kicking a child square in the chest in one instance, causing him to fall backward and smack his head. She pleaded guilty in March to four counts of child abuse.
==========
Caney Valley District Announces Shortened School Week Due to Drought
UNDATED (KNS) – A southeast Kansas school district is now closed on Mondays to save water, as drought continues to affect portions of Kansas. The Kansas News Service reports that the town of Caney near the Oklahoma border is desperate to save the little water it has, so students will stay home on Mondays.
When kids are in school, most of them must now use outdoor trailer toilets so that less water gets used for flushing. Across Kansas, much of the state continues to experience drought, even if it’s not as bad as it was a year ago. Portions of 23 counties are still facing extreme drought, including parts of southeast Kansas and central Kansas.
(-Related-)
Kansas Water Office Announces Drought Mitigation Funds
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) — Kansas will receive millions of dollars to fund projects addressing drought-related issues. The Kansas Water Office announced that $85 million will go to water projects over the next five years through the launch of the Technical Assistance Fund Grants and Water Projects Fund Grants programs. Both provide funds for up-front technical aid and on-the-ground actions needed to address water quantity and quality issues statewide. WIBW-TV reports that the grants were made possible through a bipartisan bill from the 2023 legislative session that increased funds for the State Water Plan Fund and established the two programs. Those eligible to apply for the funds include municipalities with an approved water conservation plan and special districts related to water organized under state law.
Kansas No Longer in "Exceptional" Drought
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH/KPR) — For the first time since March 2022, no part of Kansas is considered in "exceptional" drought conditions. Some parts of the state received 4 to 7 inches of rain last week. While 84% of the state remains in some level of drought, much of it ranges from moderate to severe. KWCH TV reports that some parts of southeast Kansas, including Elk, Chautauqua, Wilson and Montgomery counties, remain in severe drought. At least two communities in southeast Kansas - Caney and Sedan - face an ongoing water crisis.
Click here to check the drought status of all the Kansas counties.
==========
Once-Endangered Bird Species Records First Documented Nesting in Kansas
PERRY, Kan. (WIBW) - While sightings of the Osprey bird are commonplace, there hasn't been a single recorded successful Osprey nesting throughout the history of the sunflower state. Until now. Wildlife officials helped erect a permanent, 50-foot nesting structure at Lake Perry specifically for the future of the once endangered bird species. WIBW TV reports that the effort finally appears to be paying off. The once endangered bird species is now nesting at Perry Lake.
==========
Sporting KC Advances in MLS Playoffs
UNDATED (KPR) — Sporting Kansas City upset St. Louis City last (SUN) night, 2-1, and knocked out the top seed in the Western Conference in the Major League Soccer playoffs. Sporting swept St. Louis in the best-of-3 series and never trailed in either game. Logan Ndembe and Daniel Salloi scored the goals for Sporting. In a celebratory locker room, Salloi says the team likes playing the underdog role. "Probably nobody believed us that we would be in the playoffs. Nobody bet on us that we would take St. Louis out," he said. Sporting won’t play again until the Thanksgiving weekend at the earliest as they advance to the Western Conference semifinals. The rest of Sporting’s matches in the playoffs will be single-elimination and on the road.
==========
Chiefs Beat Dolphins in Germany
FRANKFURT, Germany (KPR) — The Kansas City Chiefs held on Sunday to beat the Miami Dolphins, 21-14, in a much-hyped overseas game in Frankfurt, Germany. It was a rematch between Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, whom the Chiefs traded before last season, and his former teammates. But after a second-quarter catch, Hill fumbled and Chiefs safety Mike Edwards picked up the ball. Edwards lateraled it to fellow safety Bryan Cook, who ran 59 yards for a touchdown. "You got to have trust to do some stuff like that," Edwards said. "But I trusted him, I pitched it back in. He did the rest." That gave the Chiefs a 21-0 lead. After the Dolphins scored a pair of touchdowns in the second half, though, the Chiefs defense stepped up in the final minutes. The Kansas City Chiefs head into a bye week with a 7-and-2 record, claiming the No. 1 seeding in the AFC if the season were to end today.
(AP version)
Mahomes Throws 2 TDs as Chiefs Beat Dolphins 21-14 in Germany
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Patrick Mahomes said teammate Bryan Cook looked as if he was running the anchor leg of a 4x100-meter track and field relay on his touchdown. The Chiefs safety took a fumble return 59 yards for what turned out to be an important touchdown in Kansas City's 21-14 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Deutsche Bank Park. "He got those knees up and was rolling down the field," Mahomes said. "Huge play that obviously mattered a ton in the game." Mahomes threw two touchdown passes and the Chiefs (7-2) did just enough to slow the NFL's top-ranked offense in the first-ever regular season game in Frankfurt, Germany, but the defending Super Bowl champions nearly blew a big lead.
Miami's comeback fell short when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa couldn't handle a snap on fourth-and-10 from the Kansas City 31 with 1:03 to play. "I'm always going to blame myself - I've got to catch the ball," Tagovailoa said. "Can't end the game like that when we have an opportunity like that against a really good team."
Mahomes connected on first-half scoring passes to Rashee Rice and Jerick McKinnon as Miami (6-3) kept getting stuck in third-and-long situations. The Dolphins also fell to 0-3 on the season against teams with winning records. Mahomes finished 20 of 30 for a season-low 185 yards in his European debut, but the Chiefs' offense struggled in the second half. Tight end Travis Kelce had just three catches for 14 yards, which was just enough to become the franchise's career leader in receiving yards. "Obviously, penalties and then me not connecting on guys deep down the field hurt us, but luckily for us our defense is playing their tail off and we got the win," Mahomes said.
Three Chiefs players combined to put Kansas City up 21-0 just before halftime on one of the top defensive plays of the season so far. And it came at the expense of former teammate Tyreek Hill. With the Dolphins driving late in the first half, cornerback Trent McDuffie stuffed Hill on a short pass in the flat and stripped the ball from the All-Pro receiver. Mike Edwards scooped it up and after Hill tried to tackle him, Edwards lateraled to Cook, who returned it for the score.
Cook said the most recent time he scored a touchdown was while playing collegiately for Howard in 2018. Hill finished with a team-high eight catches for 62 yards. Taylor Swift was a no-show, as was Miami's offense early on. The only thing more surprising than Miami's first-half struggles on offense was referee Clay Martin making a "false start" call in German in the first quarter. Miami hadn't been shut out in the first half of a game since Week 2 of the 2021 season.
But Tagovailoa got the comeback started with a 31-yard touchdown pass to Cedric Wilson Jr. in the third quarter. Bradley Chubb's strip-sack of Mahomes then gave Miami the ball on the Kansas City 27, and Raheem Mostert ran it in from 13 yards after an unnecessary roughness call on Chris Jones on a third-and-20 keep the drive alive. Mostert had 12 carries for 85 yards. Tagovailoa finished 21 of 34 for a season-low 193 yards.
After a game that could have playoff implications - the Chiefs have hosted a record five straight AFC championship games - Chiefs coach Andy Reid said the flight home will feel shorter. "There's nothing worse than going into a bye week with a loss first of all, and then an eight-hour plane ride on top of that," Reid said.
The Chiefs haven't lost back-to-back games since early in the 2021 season and stayed undefeated in international games. They won in London in 2015 and in Mexico City in 2019. The Dolphins have lost their past four international games. They are 2-5 in games played outside the United States.
INJURIES
Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle was slow to get up after blocking on rushing attempt on Miami's first drive. He returned on the second drive and took a reverse for a 12-yard gain. ... OL Robert Jones was helped off the field early in the fourth quarter. Reid said there were no Chiefs injuries to report.
UP NEXT
Chiefs: Bye week before a Monday night Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles at Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 20.
==========
No. 1 KU Opens Regular Season at Home, K-State Plays in Vegas
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — No. 1 Kansas will open up the 2023-24 season when it plays host to North Carolina Central on tonight (MON) at 7 o'clock in Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas and North Carolina Central are meeting for the first time in men’s basketball. The K-State men are also in action. The Wildcats take on USC at 9 pm in Las Vegas.
==========
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.