hcj

Top 5 Kansas news stories

August 19, 2025

Teri Hansen

19 Aug 2025 • 4 min read

A Kansas City woman has been charged with murder in connection with the death of a 3-year-old child, E-lah Jahmal Brown Jr., back in March.

Wichita Council To Vote On Renaming Lincoln Park For Fallen Firefighters

The Wichita City Council will vote Tuesday on renaming Lincoln Park to Kansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park, honoring the 141 state firefighters who have died in the line of duty. The proposal, already approved by the Wichita Park Board in July, would transform the park space near the Kansas Firefighters Museum into a tribute to fallen heroes.

KAKE

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is conducting a criminal probe after Dodge City Community College freshman cross-country runner Delia Montes was found unconscious during practice last week and remains in critical condition at a Wichita hospital. This marks the first criminal investigation into a heat-related incident at a Kansas community college, despite previous football player deaths at Garden City and Fort Scott community colleges that did not prompt criminal probes.

KMUW

Finney County Deputy Hospitalized After Emergency Response Crash

A Finney County Sheriff's deputy was hospitalized Monday with minor injuries after colliding with a commercial truck while responding to another crash near Garden City. Deputy Riley Muniz was traveling with emergency lights and sirens activated when his patrol vehicle struck a Mack truck that was turning into the TA Travel Center at the north junction of Highway 83 and Highway 50, causing the deputy's vehicle to leave the roadway.

Hays Post

Southwest Airlines Ends Wichita-St. Louis Route, Adds Chicago Service

Southwest Airlines will launch nonstop service between Wichita and Chicago Midway Airport starting March 5, 2026, while simultaneously ending its Wichita-to-St. Louis route as part of a broader network restructuring. The new Midway flights will offer Kansas travelers access to more than 75 destinations and provide more than 50% additional connecting opportunities within a two-hour window compared to the current St. Louis schedule.

KAKE

Kansas City Woman Charged With Murder In Toddler's Fentanyl Death

Tara Huerta, 40, and Kenneth Hedgecock, 34, both of Kansas City, Missouri, face first-degree murder charges in the March death of a 3-year-old boy in Leavenworth who died from acute fentanyl poisoning. Police discovered drugs and paraphernalia in the apartment where the child was found unresponsive on March 26, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation confirmed the presence of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine at the scene.

KSN

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