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Members of the Parsons Police Department were recognized with the Bronze Unit Citation for Uncommon Valor at the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police Spring Conference on April 16 in Mulvane. The award honors the department’s efforts—alongside the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—in dismantling a major drug trafficking operation across Southeast Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The investigation, which began in January 2023, was initiated by Detective Brice Dickens following citizen reports of local drug activity. Detective Dickens’ work led to a coordinated effort with the KBI, DEA, and Labette County Sheriff’s Office, resulting in multiple federal [...]

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly will join Kansas Department of Health and Environment leadership and local officials in Garden City for an update on the measles outbreak in Kansas. It will take place at 2 p.m., and KSN News will provide a live stream of the event. As of Tuesday, Kansas has 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state, health officials announced Wednesday. Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, and Morton counties each have fewer than five cases. Haskell County has the most cases, with eight, Stevens County has seven, and Kiowa County has six. Source: KSN-TV

The community of Ellinwood wants to convert a now-closed hospital into a behavioral health center for veterans. After a new hospital and clinic were built, discussions began about what to do with the old building, which was built in 1952 "We did some research and discovered there's just a little south of 9,000 veterans in Barton County and the four surrounding counties in this area. We also started talking to community members," Jon Prescott, the manager of swing bed development at Ellinwood Hospital, said. "We got great support." The closest veteran care centers are an hour and 40 minutes away. Source: KSN-TV

On this day 24 years ago, the city of Hoisington in Barton County was struck by a tornado. On April 21, 2001, a tornado that would go on to be rated as an F4 on the discontinued Fujita Scale touched down southwest of Hoisington. Under the previous F ratings, the tornado that hit the community had estimated wind speeds from 207 to 260 mph. After it touched down, the tornado took a path northeast through Hoisington, destroying 212 homes and businesses. Eighty-five homes had significant damage, and 200 had minor to moderate damage. Source: KSN-TV

After 25 years of service, Wichita Fire Department’s longtime mascot Sparky has officially retired — and on Saturday, the department introduced his furry successor. In a special event hosted by the Kansas Humane Society, WFD revealed the name and face of its new mascot: Rigs. The name was selected with help from the public following Sparky’s retirement announcement. Source: KSN-TV

A week after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained several people in parts of western Kansas, city leaders in Liberal are preparing for more detainments in the coming weeks. Liberal city leaders say because they don't know the whereabouts or identification of some of those people taken, their big concern right now is what could happen to families if someone is taken away. They say last week they had a situation where they lost track of a group of children after adult family members were detained by ICE. They later learned the kids had been taken in by a family member. [...]

Rose Hill Public Schools says all of its buildings are now equipped with automated external defibrillators. The district purchased Phillips FRX units, which include child keys, making them easy to use and accessible to anyone in their facilities, and have been installed in every school, as well as the stadium, Central Office, Transportation, and the Parents as Teachers building. Defibrillators work by sending an electrical shock through the body to shock the heart into a normal rhythm. Source: KSN-TV

The federal government has now cut grants for two Sedgwick County programs. One of the programs provides resources for young moms. The other, through COMCARE, helps to treat people experiencing psychosis for the first time. Shantel Westbrook, the director of clinical and rehab services at COMCARE, says although their program is one of the ones facing cuts, they're finding ways to fund it. COMCARE is adjusting to a loss in federal funding for a program to help those dealing with psychosis for the first time. Source: KSN-TV

Arkansas City has introduced a new logo to represent the community’s heritage, landscape, and shared aspirations. The design includes a flowing “swoosh” element representing the Arkansas and Walnut Rivers, which will also be featured on new entrance signs. It complements the city’s water treatment plant logo, which includes three water droplets, emphasizing the theme of vital water resources. Source: KSN-TV

A new ordinance allowing the city of Wichita to fine landlords who retaliate against tenants has yet to be put to use. Landlord retaliation can include an eviction or rent increase within six months of a tenant’s complaint to the city’s inspections department about the quality of their housing, according to the ordinance. It was passed in January 2024 by the City Council after several council members said they heard complaints from tenants about retaliation. But between January 2024 and January 2025, the city received just nine complete complaints from tenants alleging retaliation, said City Attorney Jennifer Magaña. Source: Wichita Kansas [...]