hcj

Top 5 Kansas news stories

August 14, 2025

Teri Hansen

14 Aug 2025 • 4 min read

Gabriel Giefer, AKA "The Kansas Krack Tickler," is competing in the nationwide USA Mullet Championship.

Assessment changes; Mullet championship; Fatal hit-and-run; Measles outbreak ending; Times Square feature

Kansas Measles Outbreak Nears End After 38 Days Without New Cases

Kansas has gone 38 days without a new measles case since July 6, and if the state reaches 42 consecutive days without a reported case, the statewide measles outbreak will be officially declared over. As children return to school, health officials are more concerned about typical respiratory illnesses that spread in classrooms, though they warn vaccination rates have dropped to historic lows. Sedgwick County Health Director Adrienne Byrne said the county's measles vaccination rate has fallen to 91 percent, below the 95 percent needed for herd immunity protection. The county is hosting a vaccination event with Wichita Public Schools on Saturday, August 23, at the Alvin E. Morris Administrative Center, with appointments available by calling 316-973-4475.

KWCH

Kansas Board of Education Approves First Assessment Scale Changes in Decade

The Kansas Board of Education voted this week to implement a new statewide assessment scale designed to better prepare students for college and prevent them from falling behind academically. The changes, which officials have been considering for five years, include teaching standards at higher levels, accelerating students to advanced classes before eighth grade, and increasing participation in extracurricular activities. The board referenced research showing students involved in at least two activities are more likely to succeed later in life, and pointed to a Kansas school case study where moving all students from Math 1 to Math 2 did not increase failure rates. Wednesday marked the first time the Kansas Assessment Scale has changed in 10 years.

KWCH

Wichita-Area Boy Enters National Mullet Championship for Charity

A Wichita-area boy, Gabriel Giefer, AKA "The Kansas Krack Tickler," is competing in the nationwide USA Mullet Championship, where the winner receives $10,000 and the competition benefits Jared Allen's Homes For Wounded Warriors, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping critically injured United States military veterans with accessible and mortgage-free homes. The 2025 USA Mullet Championship awards a $10,000 cash prize to the winner of each division, which includes kids, teens and adults, with 100% of donations raised by competitors going to the veterans' charity.

KAKE

Child Killed in Southeast Wichita Hit-and-Run, Two Suspects in Custody

Wichita police are investigating a hit-and-run crash that killed a child Wednesday evening at the intersection of East Harry Street and South Rock Road around 6:30 p.m. Officers found a boy between 10 and 14 years old who was pronounced dead at the scene, and two suspects who fled on foot were later apprehended by police. A 24-year-old and a 19-year-old were taken into custody and remain in jail, with no other outstanding suspects, according to Wichita police public information officer Brad Wright. The crash occurred just an hour after a separate pedestrian fatality in north Wichita.

KSN

Andover Child Selected for Times Square Down Syndrome Awareness Video

Brooks Houser of Andover will be featured on a Times Square billboard video on Saturday, September 6, as part of the annual National Down Syndrome Society presentation promoting value, acceptance and inclusion. Brooks was selected from more than 2,600 entries worldwide for the one-hour display that showcases approximately 500 pictures of people of all ages and backgrounds with Down Syndrome. The video serves as the kick-off for the New York City Buddy Walk, which takes place at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park.

KSN

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