Anti-Abortion Activists Clash with Satanic Group Over Capitol Access Rights

Kansas Senate Unanimously Passes Human Trafficking, Sex Crimes Bill

FAA Failures Caused Preventable Wichita-to-DC Flight Crash, NTSB Concludes

Lawmaker Proposes Criminal Penalties for School Employees Discussing Bond Issues

Temperatures Plunge into Teens and Single Digits as Frostbite Risk Rises

Anti-Abortion Activists Clash with Satanic Group Over Capitol Access Rights

Anti-abortion group Abortion is Murder held a rally Tuesday in the Kansas Capitol rotunda calling for a total ban on abortion statewide, while members of the Satanic Grotto staged a counterprotest alleging discrimination in state officials' enforcement of protest rules. The confrontation highlighted abortion's continued influence on Kansas politics, where the issue remains central to legislative debates despite the Kansas Supreme Court declaring reproductive rights fundamental in decisions shielding women's right to end a pregnancy. Preacher Nicholas Heald led activists demanding lawmakers pass legislation outlawing all abortion services, dismissing concerns about constitutional challenges and criticizing politicians for "regulating murder" rather than banning the procedure entirely. The group displayed graphic images of aborted fetuses and distributed materials calling abortion "child sacrifice."

Satanic Grotto president Michael Stewart referenced the state's volatile abortion history, including the 2009 murder of Wichita physician George Tiller, who was among few U.S. doctors performing late-term abortions when anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder shot him to death in church. Roeder confessed to the murder and defended the violence because "pre-born children's lives were in imminent danger." Stewart said his organization is building a potential First Amendment lawsuit challenging the state's decision to allow Abortion is Murder supporters to bring graphic posters into the Statehouse while prohibiting similar expression from his group. Stewart, who was arrested at the Capitol in March 2025 for attempting to tear a Bible and stomp on communion wafers, said the group filed a complaint with the Kansas Department of Administration alleging preferential treatment for the Christian anti-abortion organization. Pastor Curtis Knapp told the crowd that "Satan is for abortion" and that "abortion is Satan's playground," while abolitionists argued that women who obtain abortions should face murder charges with no exceptions for victims of coercion.

Kansas Reflector

Kansas Senate Unanimously Passes Human Trafficking, Sex Crimes Bill

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Senate unanimously approved a sweeping criminal justice measure Tuesday that strengthens penalties for human trafficking and sexual exploitation while creating a new felony crime for pointing lasers at aircraft or law enforcement officers. The conference committee report on House Bill 2347 passed 39-0 and now heads to Gov. Laura Kelly's desk. The bill mandates educational programs for those convicted of buying sexual relations, increases the minimum fine for that offense from $1,200 to $2,000, and requires the attorney general to approve treatment programs for commercial sexual exploitation offenders by July 2027. The measure also expands financial card fraud statutes to cover gift card theft and tampering, addressing an emerging form of retail crime. The new laser pointer provisions would make it a Class A misdemeanor to aim lasers at police officers and a level 9 felony to target aircraft, with exceptions for authorized aviation testing and emergency signaling.

FAA Failures Caused Preventable Wichita-to-DC Flight Crash, NTSB Concludes

The National Transportation Safety Board released findings Tuesday from its investigation into the Flight 5342 crash that occurred one year ago, concluding the mid-air collision between a Wichita-to-Washington flight and a helicopter was preventable and resulted from years of systemic failures by multiple agencies. The 19,000-page report identifies the Federal Aviation Administration's failure to keep helicopters and planes properly separated in D.C. airspace as a primary cause, along with the placement of a helicopter route too close to aircraft takeoff and landing zones despite warning signs, and air traffic controllers' over-reliance on pilots creating visual separation. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy stated "for years no one listened," while board member Todd Inman emphasized "there's no singular person to blame for this" but rather systemic issues across agencies. The NTSB issued more than three dozen safety recommendations, primarily directed at the FAA to create new oversight and training rules.

KWCH

Lawmaker Proposes Criminal Penalties for School Employees Discussing Bond Issues

Rep. Paul Waggoner-R (Hutchinson) introduced House Bill 2451 Tuesday to strengthen prohibitions against public employees using taxpayer resources for election advocacy, proposing criminal charges for educators who cross the line between informing the public about bond issues and advocating for their passage. The Hutchinson Republican claimed the legislation clarifies existing law after his local school district's communications on a failed bond issue last year blurred legal boundaries, though critics noted Waggoner contributed to the campaign opposing the bond, doesn't live in the district, and couldn't vote on the measure. Opponents argued the bill's true purpose is to silence administrators and teachers from discussing proposed bond issues, pointing to a double standard since Waggoner uses tax dollars for partisan legislative newsletters. Stacy Goss, testifying in her individual capacity rather than as the school district's communications director, stated "I believe this bill's sole purpose is to criminalize speech that Mr. Waggoner doesn't like."

Kansas Reflector

Temperatures Plunge into Teens and Single Digits as Frostbite Risk Rises

Kansas faces another surge of Arctic air beginning Wednesday night and continuing through the weekend, with afternoon temperatures dropping into the 20s Thursday and Friday before falling into the teens on Saturday. While Wednesday will bring warmer conditions with western Kansas reaching the 40s and 50s where snow cover is minimal, morning temperatures on Saturday are expected to approach zero with wind chills between ten and fifteen degrees below zero, creating frostbite risk on exposed skin within 30 to 45 minutes. The Wichita area will remain cooler Wednesday due to existing snowpack, staying in the middle 30s. A few flurries are possible Thursday across the state, with additional snow showers expected Friday mainly along and west of Interstate 135, though accumulation will be minimal and widespread travel problems are unlikely.

KWCH

Sources

1. Kansas Reflector
2. KWCH
3. Kansas Reflector
4. KWCH

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