Top 5 Kansas news stories
September 19, 2025
Wyandotte Deputy Charged with Murder in Jail Death
Valley Center Residents Battle Roofing Scammers After Storm Damage
Kansas City, Missouri Ends Economic 'Border War Truce' with Kansas
Air Taxi Company Brings Flight Simulator to Wichita
Kansas Pumpkin Patches Overcome Summer Rain Challenges
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Wyandotte Deputy Charged with Murder in Jail Death
A Wyandotte County sheriff's deputy was charged Thursday with second-degree murder in the death of a jail inmate who sustained broken ribs after his back was kneeled on during an altercation at the county detention center in Kansas City, Kansas. Deputy Richard Fatherley faces charges in the July 5 death of 50-year-old Charles Adair, who had been arrested on misdemeanor traffic warrants and died from mechanical asphyxia complications according to the autopsy.
ABC News
Valley Center Residents Battle Roofing Scammers After Storm Damage
Valley Center homeowners are warning neighbors about an increase in roofing scams as storm damage repairs begin throughout the community. Residents report numerous unsolicited phone calls and door-to-door solicitors trying to take advantage of widespread hail damage, urging neighbors to verify licenses and city permits before hiring contractors and to support local businesses for repairs.
KWCH
Kansas City, Missouri Ends Economic 'Border War Truce' with Kansas
The Kansas City, Missouri City Council repealed an ordinance Thursday that established a "Border War Truce" for economic development with Kansas, ending a 2019 agreement between governors Laura Kelly and Mike Parson. The truce had been strained since April 2024 when Jackson County voters rejected sales tax funding for Chiefs and Royals stadium projects, prompting Kansas lawmakers to pass legislation aimed at enticing the teams to relocate across the state line.
KSHB
Air Taxi Company Brings Flight Simulator to Wichita
Joby Aviation brought a mobile flight simulator to Wichita during National Aviation Hall of Fame events, showcasing their electric air taxi technology that promises seven-to-ten minute flights between locations that currently take an hour by car. The company, which has been developing the aircraft since 2009, is testing routes like Manhattan to JFK Airport in New York and plans to price flights similarly to Uber Black premium rides as they expand to more cities nationwide.
KAKE
Kansas Pumpkin Patches Overcome Summer Rain Challenges
Local pumpkin patches around Wichita are opening for the fall season despite challenges from heavy summer rains that threatened crops with rot and mildew. Meadowlark Farms in Rose Hill and Marietta Farm in Andover successfully saved their harvests through disease-resistant pumpkin varieties and pest management programs, though some farms experienced up to 30% crop losses from weather-related issues including armyworm infestations.
KSN
Sources
- https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/kansas-deputy-charged-murder-death-man-custody-125720659
- https://www.kwch.com/2025/09/19/valley-center-residents-look-out-scammers-roofing-repairs-begin-their-neighborhoods/
- https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/truce-no-more-kansas-city-missouri-exits-border-war-truce-with-kansas
- https://www.kake.com/home/future-air-taxi-brings-mobile-flight-simulator-to-wichita/article_91c78268-3728-4258-aada-a95bf4e9444d.html
- https://www.ksn.com/news/local/area-pumpkin-patches-persist-against-perilous-precipitation/
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