> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.citizenjournal.us/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Top 5 Kansas news stories - URL: https://www.citizenjournal.us/top-5-kansas-news-stories-15/ - Published: 2025-08-28T16:30:46.000Z - Updated: 2026-07-04T02:46:28.000Z - Description: August 28, 2025 - Author: Teri Hansen - Tags: hcj, email ### Wichita Mother Pleads No Contest In Son's Death Flash Flooding Closes Kansas Turnpike, Injures Six In Crash Civil Rights Advocate Sues City Of Wichita Storm Track 3: Flood Concerns Ease As Drier Weather Returns Claire's To Close Seven Kansas Stores In Bankruptcy --- ## Newsletter sponsor [ ![Alt text](https://rosebud-ads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/elliot.png) ](http://www.elliottlawks.com/?utm%5Fsource=mac&utm%5Fmedium=newsletter&utm%5Fcampaign=issue073125&utm%5Fcontent=pos4) --- ## Wichita Mother Pleads No Contest In Son's Death A Wichita woman has pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in the shooting death of her 16-year-old son. Tesha Florence (Jenkins), 47, entered the plea August 22 in Sedgwick County District Court for the death of Robert Florence, who was shot in the forehead at Claremont Apartments near Harry and Webb Road in October 2024\. She also pleaded no contest to aggravated burglary and assault charges, with sentencing scheduled for October 17. KWCH --- ## Flash Flooding Closes Kansas Turnpike, Injures Six In Crash Heavy overnight rainfall caused flash flooding in Sumner County that closed the northbound Kansas Turnpike near Wellington Thursday morning and led to a flooding-related crash that injured six people, four seriously, on U.S. 81 west of Belle Plaine. The National Weather Service reported water over I-35 between mile markers 19 and 21, just north of the Wellington exit, with up to five inches of rain falling overnight. KAKE --- ## Civil Rights Advocate Sues City Of Wichita Civil rights activist Mary Dean is suing the City of Wichita, Mayor Lily Wu, city council members, City Manager Robert Layton and City Attorney Jennifer Magana. Dean, president of Kansas Justice Advocate Inc., has been seeking city support for a reparations commission for Black residents and filed an ethics complaint against Wu in January after the mayor declined to pursue local reparations ordinances. The city declined to comment on pending litigation. KSN --- ## Storm Track 3: Flood Concerns Ease As Drier Weather Returns Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms brought flood concerns to Kansas Thursday morning, with bands of rain dropping at least two inches across the state in 24 hours and over five inches in parts of Sumner and Chautauqua counties. Flash flood warnings were in effect for Sumner County through 9 a.m. and Chautauqua County through 10:30 a.m., with broader flood warnings covering Reno, Kingman, Sedgwick, Cowley and Chautauqua counties through noon Thursday. Drier conditions are expected this afternoon with temperatures in the 70s. KSN --- ## Claire's To Close Seven Kansas Stores In Bankruptcy Accessories retailer Claire's will close seven Kansas locations as part of its second bankruptcy filing in seven years, including stores in Emporia (Flinthills Mall), Manhattan (Manhattan Town Center), Wichita (New Market Square), Leawood (Town Center Plaza), and Kansas City, Missouri (Ward Parkway Center). The company is liquidating at least 700 stores nationwide and seeking a buyer for its remaining operations, with closures expected by early September. KSN --- **Sources** 1. [https://www.kwch.com/2025/08/28/wichita-woman-who-admitted-killing-son-pleads-no-contest/](https://www.kwch.com/2025/08/28/wichita-woman-who-admitted-killing-son-pleads-no-contest/?ref=citizenjournal.us) 2. [https://www.kake.com/home/flash-flooding-in-sumner-county-leads-to-crash-turnpike-closure/article\_37dde890-5eb4-475f-aefe-dd0b8d4ec827.html](https://www.kake.com/home/flash-flooding-in-sumner-county-leads-to-crash-turnpike-closure/article%5F37dde890-5eb4-475f-aefe-dd0b8d4ec827.html?ref=citizenjournal.us) 3. [https://www.ksn.com/news/local/civil-rights-advocate-mary-dean-suing-city-of-wichita/](https://www.ksn.com/news/local/civil-rights-advocate-mary-dean-suing-city-of-wichita/?ref=citizenjournal.us) 4. [https://www.ksn.com/weather/weather-blog/storm-track-3-forecast-flood-concerns-thursday-morning-drier-afternoon/](https://www.ksn.com/weather/weather-blog/storm-track-3-forecast-flood-concerns-thursday-morning-drier-afternoon/?ref=citizenjournal.us) 5. [https://www.ksn.com/news/claires-to-close-7-stores-in-kansas/](https://www.ksn.com/news/claires-to-close-7-stores-in-kansas/?ref=citizenjournal.us) --- Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below: [Contact Us](https://www.citizenjournal.us/contact/) --- citizen journal offers three flagship products: a **daily national news summary**, a **daily Kansas news summary**, and **local news and school board summaries from 12 cities across Kansas**. Each issue contains 5 paragraph-length stories that are made to be read in 5 minutes. Use the links in the header to navigate to national, kansas, and local coverage. Subscribe to each, some, or all to get an email when new issues are published for FREE! [SUBSCRIBE](https://www.citizenjournal.us/aacj/may-30-2025/#/portal/signup/free) --- ### Sponsors (click me!) 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