Winter Weather Headed for KPR Listening Area
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued various winter weather watches, warnings, and advisories for the Kansas Public Radio listening area for Saturday and early Sunday. In general, the winter storm warnings are concentrated in central Kansas counties, and winter weather advisories have been issued for counties in eastern and east-central Kansas. Lawrence, Topeka and Manhattan could see one to five inches of snow; Emporia, Abilene, and Junction City could pick up four to seven inches; and the Kansas City metropolitan area could see one to three inches. Travel is expected to be hazardous. Click here for the latest NWS advisory map.
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Kansas Unveils New License Plate
TOPEKA, Kan. (KC Star) - Kansas drivers will soon see a new standard license plate, featuring seven digits and a yellow, black and dark blue color scheme. The Kansas City Star reports that the Kansas Department of Revenue revealed the new plate design on Wednesday. Governor Laura Kelly chose a replacement for the existing standard plate earlier this month. "The new license plate design promotes the state and our sense of optimism as Kansans travel near and far," Kelly said. "It serves as a reminder that there are endless possibilities and that we should always reach for the stars." "To the stars," the translation of the first half of the state motto "ad astra per aspera," appears at the bottom of the plate. The black tag number and midnight blue text are on a wheat-yellow background. The new design replaces the current plate that shows the top half of the state seal. That design has been used for about 16 years. Plates with the new design will be issued starting in March and will first be issued to Kansans who have the old embossed plates. Those plates, with the raised numbers and letters, are the subject of the replacement project. The embossed plates have deteriorated significantly, and their reduced reflectivity makes them more difficult to read, especially at night. That prompted the Revenue Department to seek funding from the Legislature last session to replace them. The department says that moving to seven digits was necessary due to an issue with duplicate plate numbers. The move to seven digits started in September.
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Kansas Meteorologist Anticipates Wetter Winter
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KNS) – Warm waters in the Pacific near the equator could mean more precipitation in Kansas this winter. The National Center for Atmospheric Research says an extra strong El Niño, called a Super El Niño, is likely this winter. Matthew Sittel is the assistant state climatologist, based at Kansas State University. He has researched similar climate patterns going back to 1950 and says this system may send more rain and snow to Kansas. But, he adds that the extra moisture likely won’t be enough to make up the past growing season’s significant shortfall, “Above normal precipitation does not mean you’re going to get five or 10 inches of rain and that’s going to wash away the drought deficit.” Eastern Kansas has had 7 to 9 inches less precipitation than normal since the start of the last growing season. Central Kansas has a deficit of about 4 inches.
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Democrat Announces Plans to Run for 1st District Congressional Seat
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) – Democrat Paul Buskirk of Lawrence has announced that he will seek the Democratic Party nomination to run against Republican Tracey Mann for the Kansas 1st District House seat. The Kansas Reflector reports that Buskirk, who is from Lawrence, works as a special advisor in the University of Kansas athletics department. He previously ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2022. The Kansas 1st Congressional district stretches from Lawrence to the Colorado border. Mann, of Salina, was elected to represent the mostly-rural district in 2020. The primary election will take place on August 6th of 2024.
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Kansas Schools Trying New Approaches to Deal with School Lunch Debt
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - The bill for unpaid school meals across Kansas climbed to more than $23 million last year. Kansas school districts handle the payment for lunches in a variety of ways while some non-profit groups are working to make sure Kansas children don’t go hungry at school.
Many school districts have policies that single out kids when they can’t afford to pay, and a new report shows that can hurt families.
The report by Kansas Appleseed looked at policies across the state to see how schools treat children who have meal debt. In many districts, kids can be punished if their parents don’t pay the bill. About two-thirds of Kansas districts have policies that say students with overdue accounts get an alternate meal or snack. Some require students to eat their meal in a different room. Others say kids with debt can’t participate in after-school activities.
Kansas Appleseed says punitive policies cause additional stress for students and parents. At least nine Kansas school districts have policies that say certain levels of debt can even trigger a call to the state Department of Children and Families to report abuse or neglect. DCF officials say they don’t track whether or how many abuse reports come from school districts, but few likely stem from unpaid meal balances.
Kelly Chanay, director of child nutrition programs for the state, says statewide training in recent years has focused on eliminating so-called “lunch shaming.” “They’re working hard not to overtly identify children that don’t have money in their account,” Chanay said. “They’re focusing primarily on those parents and guardians responsible for providing the funds.” Student lunch debt in Kansas is about six times higher than what districts reported in 2019. For two years during the COVID pandemic, federal legislation allowed all students to eat for free. Since then, nine states have passed laws to keep school meals free for everyone.
Kansas Appleseed suggests the state could use some of its $2 billion surplus to subsidize portions of the lunch program. The group also recommends ending debt collection practices and changing policies that could humiliate students in the cafeteria.
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KHP Confirms Fatal Crash Near Oskaloosa
OSKALOOSA, Kan. (WIBW) – The Kansas Highway Patrol has confirmed that a two-vehicle crash Thursday in Jefferson County involved a fatality. WIBW reports the accident happened north of Oskaloosa just before 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. The incident involved a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am and a 2005 Hyundai. Troopers determined that the Pontiac was traveling southbound on Hwy 59 and the Hyundai was going northbound. The Grand Am crossed the center line and collided with the Sonata. The driver of the Pontiac, an 81-year-old Oskaloosa woman, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Sonata was taken to a hospital in Kansas City with suspected serious injuries.
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Memorial Planned for Kansas Police Dog That Was Strangled After Chasing Suspect into Storm Drain
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas police dog that authorities allege was strangled after chasing a suspect into a storm drain will be remembered next week in a livestreamed memorial service.
The service for Bane, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois that the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office used in high-risk situations, will take place on Wednesday.
The Wichita man accused of killing Bane is jailed on more than $1 million bond. He made his first appearance this week on a felony count of battery against a law enforcement officer and harming or killing certain dogs, Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Dillon said in an email.
Wichita Police Department spokesperson Juan Rebolledo said police had been looking for the man in connection with a domestic battery case. When they spotted him on Nov. 16, he ran into a nearby creek bed and then entered a large storm drain, The Wichita Eagle reports.
Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses said Bane and a Wichita police K-9 were both released on extended leashes into the storm drain.
Rebolledo said the suspect then strangled Bane. First responders tried to resuscitate Bane for 30 to 40 minutes. Moses said the other dog wasn’t injured.
Bane used to work for the Wichita Police Department. His handler there died of cancer last year.
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Record Number of Kansans Enroll in ACA Health Insurance Marketplace
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — A new analysis shows more Kansans got health insurance through the state’s Affordable Care Act Marketplace this year than ever before. More than 124,000 Kansans enrolled in the federal health insurance marketplace in 2023, a 15% increase from 2022. Linda Sheppard is a senior analyst with the Kansas Health Institute. She says that the increase in enrollment reflects federal subsidies that make it more affordable for families who don’t get insurance from their employer. “There are some good deals,” Sheppard said. “There are individuals who are getting coverage for, in some cases, a lot less than $100 a month.” Open enrollment to sign up for the ACA health insurance marketplace for next year is underway and closes December 15. Census data shows 8.6% of Kansans remain uninsured, a figure that now exceeds the national average
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Kansas Supreme Court: Cyber Criminals Attack, Blackmail Judicial Branch
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Cyber criminals have attacked the Kansas judicial system and are now trying to blackmail the state. The Kansas Supreme Court says the attack took place October 12 and disrupted access to online information systems used by courts across the state. Chief Justice Marla Luckert issued a statement saying the judicial branch is the victim of a sophisticated foreign cyberattack, which has affected the daily operations of appellate courts and district courts in 104 counties. She said the attack on one of the three branches of state government "was made against all Kansans." The chief justice says the cyber-criminals also stole data and threatened to post it to the dark web if their demands were not met, but she did not specify those demands.
State officials are working with cybersecurity experts to identify the stolen data and conduct a comprehensive review to determine the full scope of what personal information may have been taken. Based on a preliminary review, it appears the stolen information includes judicial files, district court case records on appeal and other data that may be considered confidential under law.
Cyberattacks on government entities are rampant. According to the FBI, government entities are the third most-targeted sector for such cyberattacks. Luckert said it will likely take several more weeks for courts to return to normal operations.
(–Additional reporting –)
Kansas Officials Blame 5-Week Disruption of Court System on 'Sophisticated Foreign Cyberattack'
MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Cybercriminals hacked into the Kansas court system, stole sensitive data and threatened to post it on the dark web in a ransomware attack that has hobbled access to records for more than five weeks, officials said Tuesday.
The announcement of a “sophisticated foreign cyberattack” was confirmation of what computer security experts suspected after the state's Judicial Branch said October 12 that it was pausing electronic filings. Until now, state officials had released few details, describing it simply as a “security incident.”
Upon learning about the attack, the state disconnected its court information system from external access and notified authorities, the Judicial Branch said in a statement. That disrupted daily operations of the state’s appellate courts and all but one county. Johnson County, the state’s most populous, operates its own computer systems and had not yet switched over to the state’s new online system.
In recent weeks, many attorneys have been forced to file motions the old fashioned way — on paper.
“This assault on the Kansas system of justice is evil and criminal,” the statement said. “Today, we express our deep sorrow that Kansans will suffer at the hands of these cybercriminals.”
A preliminary review indicates that the stolen information includes district court case records on appeal and other potentially confidential data, and those affected will be notified once a full review is complete, the statement said.
Analyst Allan Liska, of the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, said no ransomware group leak site has published any information yet.
Judicial Branch spokesperson Lisa Taylor declined to answer questions including whether the state paid a ransom or the name of the group behind the attack, saying the statement stands on its own.
If organizations don't pay a ransom, data usually begins to appear online within a few weeks, said analyst Brett Callow of the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft. Victims that pay get a “pinky promise" that stolen data will be destroyed, but some are extorted a second time, he said.
In the weeks since the Kansas attack, access to court records has only partially been restored. A public access service center with 10 computer terminals is operating at the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka.
The Judicial Branch said it would take several weeks to return to normal operations, including electronic filing, and the effort involves “buttressing our systems to guard against future attacks.”
A risk assessment of the state’s court system, issued last year, is kept “permanently confidential” under state law. But two recent audits of other state agencies identified weaknesses. The most recent one, released in July, said “agency leaders don’t know or sufficiently prioritize their IT security responsibilities.”
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Kansas Non-Profit Group to Distribute Energy Efficiency Improvement Kits
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – A Kansas nonprofit group is distributing 600 warming kits aimed at helping families struggling to pay their energy bills this winter. The Kansas News Service reports that the kits come with wool blankets, weather stripping and energy efficiency education materials.
The Climate and Energy Project won a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help marginalized groups experiencing the biggest impacts of climate change. Jessica Travis is the program director at the Climate and Energy Project, and says she hopes the HeatSmart kits will help build trust in the communities where they’re distributed.
“Just as individuals are the own experts of our own bodies and experiences, communities are the experts and the wisdom of the needs of that community.”
The HeatSmart kits will be distributed the second week of December in the Wichita and Kansas City, Kansas, areas, as well as in Allen County.
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KPR Searching for New Statehouse Reporter
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Public Radio is seeking a new Kansas Statehouse Bureau Chief (SBC) to manage the station's capital news bureau in Topeka. This position works primarily at the Kansas Statehouse and is responsible for reporting on all aspects of state government. To be considered, one must apply online at https://employment.ku.edu/jobs/staff/kansas-statehouse-bureau-chief/26495br. Application review begins in November and continues until a pool of qualified applicants is identified. KU is an EO/AAE. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, disability, genetic information or protected veteran status.
(-Related-)
Kansas Public Radio Seeks New Membership Director
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Public Radio is seeking a new Membership Director to serve on its Development team. This position oversees various campaigns to raise funds to support KPR. Responsibilities also include accounting for contributions, maintaining the membership database, and organizing on-air membership drives. To be considered, one must apply online at https://employment.ku.edu/jobs/staff/membership-director/26505br. Application review begins in November and continues until a pool of qualified applicants is identified. KU is an EO/AAE. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, disability, genetic information or protected veteran status.
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Chiefs Work on Offensive Woes Heading into Meeting with the Raiders
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KNS) – The Kansas City Chiefs travel to Las Vegas this weekend to play the Raiders. A defeat opposite the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday highlighted plenty of problems for the Chiefs’ offense to improve. One of the issues is scoring in the second half. The last time the Chiefs scored a second-half touchdown was more than a month ago, in October. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes says the problem reared its ugly head against the Eagles on Monday Night Football. “Obviously, we had some opportunities in this last game, but we didn’t execute.” Mahomes said. “So we have to go back to our fundamentals and try to do those. Hopefully, with steady progress and steady work, we start putting points on the board.” The 5-and-6 Raiders are in the midst of a mid-season coaching change that could favor the Chiefs. Las Vegas fired head coach Josh McDaniels in late October.
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Sporting Kansas City Resumes Playoff Campaign in Houston
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KNS) – Sporting Kansas City will resume their playoff push with a road game at Houston this weekend after a three-week break. Sporting will face their longtime M-L-S rival, the Houston Dynamo for the sixth time in the MLS Cup playoffs. The Kansas City team has yet to score a playoff goal against Houston. They hope to reverse that trend on Sunday with a place in the Western Conference Final up for grabs. Sporting defender Andreu Fontas says Kansas City needs to keep up its late-season surge. “Like we’ve been these last couple games, very solid with defending. Compact. We’ll go there to get the result done” Fontas said. The last time Sporting met Houston in the postseason was in 2017. The single-elimination match starts at 6:00 Sunday evening at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston.
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No. 19 K-State Still Hopeful for Spot in Big 12 Title Game
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State should know whether it has a chance to defend its Big 12 title before kickoff against Iowa State on Saturday night. The No. 19 Wildcats are tied with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, one game back of Texas, and need the Longhorns to lose or the two Oklahoma schools to lose to have a chance. Wildcats coach Chris Klieman insists that his team is paying no attention to the situation, but it will be hard to escape some scoreboard watching. Iowa State has already qualified for a bowl game with six wins, and a seventh could improve their bowl destination.
After a convoluted and controversial tiebreaker system forced the league to issue multiple clarifications the past few weeks, irking Kansas State fans in particular, the race basically boils down to this: The Wildcats (8-3, 6-2 Big 12) need to beat the Cyclones at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and have Texas lose or Oklahoma and Oklahoma State lose. The Longhorns play Texas Tech and the Sooners face TCU on Friday, while the Cowboys play BYU on Saturday afternoon.
"We don't pay any attention to it," Wildcats coach Chris Klieman said. "We've navigated it really well the past two weeks, when everyone was trying to stuff it down our throat, whatever it was. And all our guys did was go out and win two good games."
Regardless of the championship scenario, Klieman said, the plan is to make that three in a row. It won't be easy against the Cyclones (6-5, 5-3), who have bounced back from a 2-3 start to win four of their past six games. The two losses came against Kansas and Oklahoma by a combined 17 points, and the Cyclones gave the Longhorns a scare last week, trailing by seven in the fourth quarter of a 26-16 defeat. "I know the way Matt (Campbell) coaches. I know the way Matt develops guys at Iowa State," Klieman said. "They never beat themselves. They're sound in what they do. They're really good on special teams. They make you earn everything, and then they can methodically put drives together and keep your defense on the field."
Campbell said the admiration goes both ways, and he relishes the chance to play a Top 25 team to finish the regular season. "To me, you want to play big games in November and you want to test yourself," Campbell said. "It's just building equity in terms of how and the process of what it takes to win these games. I wouldn't want it any other way. You want to play great teams, and you want to measure who you are and where we are as a football team."
SENIOR NIGHT
The Wildcats will be honoring 25 seniors in their regular-season finale, including quarterback Will Howard, who has taken his play to another level over the past five weeks. He has 14 touchdown throws and just two picks over that span.
WIN SOME, LOSE SOME
The Wildcats have dominated the series known as "Farmageddon" over the past 15 years, winning 12 of the games dating to a 38-30 victory in Manhattan in 2008. But the Cyclones have been more competitive since Campbell took over, winning two of the past three. That includes a 33-20 victory the last time the schools met at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
PURDY GOOD, OR EVEN EXCELLENT
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht has thrown for 2,444 yards with 17 touchdown passes this season, breaking both school records for a freshman. The previous marks were set by current 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in 2018. "He's been really grounded," Campbell said. "He knows what he's about. He's not trying to be anybody else. He's trying to be the best version of himself. That trait has allowed him to navigate through some tough things."
TURNOVER TALES
Kansas State has forced 16 turnovers over its last six games, including three — two interceptions and a fumble — that proved to be critical in its 31-27 win over rival Kansas last weekend. But the Cyclones have some ballhawks of their own, such as cornerback Jeremiah Cooper, who is tied for second nationally with five picks despite missing two games to injury.
SPIN IT, D.J.
D.J. Giddens needs 39 yards rushing to give Kansas State a 1,000-yard rusher in three straight seasons; Deuce Vaughn, now with the Dallas Cowboys, had the previous two. Giddens ran 21 times for 102 yards and a TD last week against Kansas, and his ability to gain yards even when the Jayhawks knew he was coming helped the Wildcats run out the clock on their win. "D.J. just battles, and he's playing really well," Klieman said. "He's doing what I thought he would do as far as the season goes on, he's getting better and better. Excited to see him to continue to gain confidence."
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Bowl-Bound Kansas Hopes to Snap Two-Game Skid at Cincinnati
UNDATED (AP) – The University of Kansas started the season 7-2 in football, but is looking to finish the season strong after dropping two straight at home. The Jayhawks (7-4, 4-4 Big 12) already are assured of playing in a bowl game for the second straight season as they prepare to face Cincinnati on Saturday at Nippert Stadium. The Bearcats (3-7, 1-7) are hoping to end their inaugural Big 12 season on a positive note.
HERE ARE THE BASICS
Kansas (7-4, 4-4 Big 12) at Cincinnati (3-7, 1-7), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EST (ESPN2)
Line: Kansas by 6 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Tied 1-1.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Kansas already has clinched a bowl appearance, marking just the second time in program history that the Jayhawks will play in a bowl in back-to-back seasons. Cincinnati is looking to end the season on a positive note. The Bearcats' lone Big 12 win came against former American Conference foe Houston.
KEY MATCHUP
Cincinnati will need to contain Kansas defensive tackle Austin Booker, who ranks second in the Big 12 with eight sacks.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kansas: RB Devin Neal eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark last week with 138 yards and three touchdowns in the loss to Kansas State. Neal leads the Jayhawks with 1,103 yards and 13 touchdowns on 173 carries this season. The Bearcats allowed 424 yards on the ground in a 42-21 loss at West Virginia.
Cincinnati: TE Chamon Metayer, who caught a pair of touchdown passes in last week's loss at West Virginia, announced this week that he is entering the transfer portal. Metayer has 23 catches for 258 yards and five touchdowns heading into his final game in a Bearcats uniform.
FACTS & FIGURES
– Kansas and Cincinnati are meeting for the third time. The Jayhawks won the inaugural matchup 23-18 in 1995, while the Bearcats won the most recent meeting, 34-7, in 1997. – Bearcats RB Corey Kiner is 59 yards shy of becoming the 20th player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
– Cincinnati allowed an average of 159 passing yards over the past three games.
– The Kansas offense is averaging 423 yards and 32 points per game.
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No. 16 Kansas State Women Beat Western Kentucky 77-61 in Gulf Coast Showcase
ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Serena Sundell scored a season-high 21 points, Ayoka Lee added 16 points and No. 16 Kansas State beat Western Kentucky 77-61 on Friday in the Gulf Coast Showcase.
Kansas State (5-0) will face either No. 18 North Carolina or Vermont on Saturday.
Sundell reached 20-plus points for the 13th time in her career — and first this season. She was 8 of 13 from the field with six rebounds and four assists for Kansas State, which has its highest ranking in the AP poll since the 2008-09 season.
Acacia Hayes scored 14 of her 29 points in the third quarter for Western Kentucky (5-2). She was 11 of 15 from the field, coming up just shy of her career-high 31 points set in January. The Lady Toppers were outrebounded 48-30 and allowed 48 points in the paint.
Sundell scored five points in a half-closing 10-0 run to help Kansas State lead 39-25 at the break. The Wildcats led by double-figures the entire second half — and by as many as 20, 56-36, late in the third quarter.
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No. 9 Virginia Tech Holds on to Beat Kansas, 59-58, in Cayman Islands Classic
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Elizabeth Kitley had 31 points and 18 rebounds to help ninth-ranked Virginia Tech edge Kansas 59-58 on Friday in the Cayman Islands Classic.
Georgia Amoore hit a 3-pointer with 2:57 left to give the Hokies (4-1) a 59-58 advantage in a game that featured 17 lead changes and seven ties.
Kansas (2-2) had a few chances to take the lead after that, but Taiyanna Jackson missed two free throws with 1:46 left. The Jayhawks then turned it over on their next possession.
Amoore missed a jumper with under 30 seconds left and then the Hokies had a shot clock violation that gave Kansas one final chance. Ryan Dobbins attempt with a second left fell short.
S’Mya Nichols led the Jayhawks with 13 points.
Kansas’ defense forced the Hokies into committing a season-high 21 turnovers.
BIG PICTURE:
While the Jayhawks matched the Hokies in several statistical categories, assists were not one of them. Virginia Tech tallied 15 team assists to Kansas’ two.
UP NEXT:
Virginia Tech faces Tulane on Saturday.
Kansas plays No. 6 UConn on Saturday.
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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays and updated throughout the day. This ad-free news summary is made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.