hcj

Top 5 Kansas news stories

August 12, 2025

Teri Hansen

12 Aug 2025 • 4 min read

Garden City Police K9 Koda sits by the police vehicle. Koda served four years as a dual-purpose patrol and narcotics detection dog before retiring to a life of "endless belly rubs, treats and naps.

Via Christi St. Teresa Unveils Advanced Surgical Robot

Kansas Gas Service Customers Receive Massive Surprise Bills Due to System Issues

Five Arrested After Armed Salina Home Invasion

Narcan-Resistant Fentanyl Mix Found in Tulsa Prompts Sedgwick County Alert

Garden City Police K9 Koda Retires After Four Years of Service

Via Christi St. Teresa Unveils Advanced Surgical Robot

Ascension Via Christi St. Teresa celebrated its 15th anniversary Monday by demonstrating its newest "Da Vinci Five" robot, an advanced surgical system designed to perform multiple types of operations with less invasive procedures than traditional methods. The upgraded robot features force feedback technology that provides surgeons with enhanced control during operations, allowing for smaller incisions and more efficient procedures. Dr. Kelly Winter, a surgeon at St. Teresa, said the technology continuously helps medical professionals learn better surgical techniques and improve patient outcomes through minimally invasive approaches. Hospital officials said the new robot will help them better serve the Wichita area's growing population.

KWCH

Kansas Gas Service Customers Receive Massive Surprise Bills Due to System Issues

Kansas Gas Service customers are receiving unexpectedly large bills due to a system issue that delayed billing for months of natural gas usage, with some customers like Topeka resident Tim DeCoursey Jr. receiving bills as high as $460 for previously unbilled charges covering January through July 2025. The company's Public Relations Manager Dawn Tripp apologized for the billing delays and said the corrected bills cover previously unbilled charges, with no late fees being assessed to affected customers.

KSN

Five Arrested After Armed Salina Home Invasion

Five suspects were arrested Friday evening after allegedly forcing their way into a Salina home while armed with handguns, striking the homeowner in the head and leaving a gash above their eye before fleeing in a gray SUV. Police later located the suspect vehicle during a patrol, conducted a traffic stop and arrested all five occupants on charges including battery, burglary and assault at the Saline County Jail.

KAKE

Narcan-Resistant Fentanyl Mix Found in Tulsa Prompts Sedgwick County Alert

Sedgwick County officials are on alert after Tulsa police confirmed lab tests showing five samples of fentanyl mixed with medetomidine, a veterinary sedative that does not respond to Narcan overdose reversal medication. Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter said while the mixture hasn't been confirmed locally, similar Narcan-resistant drugs like xylazine have already appeared in the Wichita area, and he expects this new combination to arrive soon given its proximity to Tulsa.

KAKE

Garden City Police K9 Koda Retires After Four Years of Service

Garden City Police K9 Koda officially retired Monday after four years of service as a dual-purpose dog trained for patrol deployments and narcotics detection, partnered with Officer Cody Wilson since 2021. Koda will spend his retirement with Officer Wilson, "trading in patrol shifts for endless belly rubs, treats and naps he deserves," while the department prepares to welcome a new K9 team in the coming weeks.

KSN

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