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KS - March 25 2025

Lawmakers end ballot grace period; Amazon adds Wichita facility; Commodore building for sale; Six arrested in sting; Royals Opening Day

Greg Loving

25 Mar 2025 • 4 min read

Mail-in ballot envelopes at the Johnson County Election Office in Olathe. Jill Toyoshiba Star file photo

Kansas Lawmakers Override Veto, End Ballot Grace Period

Amazon Expands with Third Wichita-Area Facility

Historic Commodore Building in Wichita For Sale

Butler County Sting Nabs Six in Sex Crime Operation

Royals Opening Day Thursday

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1. Kansas Lawmakers Override Veto, End Ballot Grace Period

Kansas lawmakers overturned Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of a bill repealing the bill, meaning all mailed ballots must be received by 7 p.m. Election Day. Previously, ballots received up to three days after Election Day could be counted if a postmark indicated the post office had received it on or before Election Day. Kelly called the reversal an "attack on rural Kansans," and said the bill was a "bipartisan solution" to mail delays when it passed in her veto message on Monday. House Republican leaders responded the same day by promising to override the veto, saying setting a "firm election-day deadline, we reaffirm Kansans' trust in our elections." The override passed with 30 votes in the Senate, three more than needed, and 84 votes in the House, which is the minimum number of votes to overturn a veto. It's the third attempt to repeal the three-day grace period, with the past two attempts falling short.
Source: CJ Online

2. Amazon Expands with Third Wichita-Area Facility

Amazon is adding a third facility to the Wichita area. The company will build a last-mile delivery station in Bel Aire. The City of Bel Aire says Amazon bought 20 acres in Sunflower Commerce Park, near 53rd Street North and Webb. The facility will be on the north side of 53rd, east of Epic Sports. Construction on the 176,000-square-foot facility will begin soon, and the goal is to have it finished later this year. Bel Aire says Amazon’s last-mile facilities generally create more than 100 direct and indirect job opportunities. Amazon says the last-mile facility will improve delivery times in the Wichita area and rural communities. Packages start at fulfillment and sorting centers and are processed for faster delivery at the last-mile center.
Source: KSN

3. Historic Commodore Building in Wichita For Sale

The Commodore apartment building known for its brick facade and neon sign in downtown Wichita is looking for its next owner. The historic property, built in 1929 as a hotel, was listed for sale in March through Casey Litsey, Brian Chikwendu and Charles Swanson of Coldwell Banker Commercial in Tulsa. Reaching nine stories across 47,752 square feet, it could sell for an estimated $2.75 million, but the property does not currently have an asking price.
Source: KAKE

4. Butler County Sting Nabs Six in Sex Crime Operation

A multi-agency sting operation in Butler County netted arrests of six men who agreed to purchase sexual relations from a minor, according to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office. It happened March 21 and 22, when the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Andover Police Department, and El Dorado Police Department carried out a joint operation to combat human trafficking and commercial sex crimes. According to the report, undercover officers posed as minors on commercial sex websites to identify predators attempting to engage in illicit activities. Authorities say that over the course of the operation, several men were arrested for trying to purchase sexual services from minors.

Editors note: some reports cite 7 arrests
Source: KSN

5. Royals Opening Day Thursday

The Kansas City Royals will take a swing at capturing their third World Series during the 2025 season, and The Star is looking for fans to share how they make a day at Kauffman Stadium one to remember. With opening day set for 3:10 p.m. Thursday, March 27, against AL Central division rival Cleveland Guardians, the boys in blue are ready to make another run at the playoffs and hopefully make it to their first World Series in 10 years.
Source: Kansas City Star