Active shooter drills banned in Kansas elementary schools
A new Kansas law aims to make active shooter drills in schools more consistent and reduce stress on students.
The law bans active shooter simulations through middle school. Those drills mimic a real police response or the presence of a shooter.
The law also prohibits all shooter drills at elementary schools. Instead, teachers can conduct instruct students on what to do in a crisis.
“Having the educator, the adult in the room, go through and say, ‘Hey, if something bad were to happen, we want to go over here.’ But no longer will we be doing active shooter drills" in kindergarten through fifth-grade," said John Calvert, head school safety specialist for the Kansas Department of Education.
"The active shooter simulations are fantastic for our law enforcement, our first responders — fire, medical," he said. "Not so much for our school-aged children."
Middle and high schools can still run typical active shooter drills, but they have to notify parents and let them opt out.
Students will have a debriefing period after a drill before returning to class.
Wichita City Council to discuss fate of Crown Uptown
A Wichita City Council vote this week could seal the fate of the 98-year-old Crown Uptown Theatre.
The theater's owner, Michael Brown, submitted a demolition request in late July. It's the second time in two years that Brown has asked to demolish the building at Hillside and Douglas.
The latest request is on hold thanks to a 30-day pause issued by the city's building department.
A council vote will decide whether that pause is extended 180 days or allowed to lapse later this month.
Extending the pause would not definitively save the theater from the wrecking ball — but it would give the council time to try and add the property to the Wichita Register of Historic Places.
A historic designation would grant the building additional protections.
Disaster-relief loans available to businesses and nonprofits
Federal disaster loans are available for small businesses in south-central Kansas that were hurt by severe weather in June.
The application deadline for the U.S. Small Business Administration loans is Sept. 16.
Small businesses and private nonprofits can apply for up to $2 million in funding.
Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.6% for nonprofits.
There is no interest or payment due in the first year.
To apply for the loans, visit sba.gov/disaster.
Royals will play on the Field of Dreams next year
Major League Baseball has announced that the Kansas City Royals will be in their first Field of Dreams game in 2027.
This will be the fourth year for the game in Dyersville, Iowa, played at the edge of the cornfield where in the 1989 classic “Field of Dreams”, James Earl Jones told Kevin Costner, "People will come, Ray... If you build it, they will come."
The game will be on a Thursday in August against the Boston Red Sox. The teams will then finish out their three-game series back in Kauffman Stadium over the weekend.
It will be the Royals’ first game played at a neutral site since 2019, when they played a game in Omaha as a prelude to the College World Series there.
Masterson to take leave from WSU's GoCreate
Republican candidate for governor Ty Masterson will reportedly go on leave from his position as director of GoCreate.
Masterson's job at the Koch-funded makerspace at WSU came under scrutiny during the August primary. Many of his political rivals claimed Masterson did not have to show up for the six-figure gig.
A recent ethics investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing. But the Sunflower State Journal reports that Masterson will go on unpaid leave as he campaigns for the general election.
If elected governor, Masterson’s campaign said he would permanently step down from GoCreate.
Garden Plain sets new rules for electric bikes, scooters
City leaders in Garden Plain recently adopted new safety standards for people using electric bikes and scooters.
Each vehicle can only have one rider. Children 16 or younger must wear a helmet and obey traffic regulations. And kids 10 and under must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Garden Plain Police say the regulations come after many people ignored traffic laws and took risks that led to near accidents.
Violations will result in a citation to the parent or legal guardian of the person operating the electric vehicle.
Derby dinosaur attraction to close for repairs
A dinosaur attraction in Derby will close for six weeks for infrastructure repairs and preparations for new programs.
Officials with “Field Station: Dinosaurs” say educational programs and birthday parties are still available by reservation.
In the spring, the park's signature 100-foot-long animatronic dinosaur was struck by lightning and caught fire, leaving only its metal frame intact.
Several other dinosaurs were also vandalized.
Upgrades planned during the closure include improving security and renovating walking trails throughout the park.
"Field Station: Dinosaurs" is scheduled to reopen Sept. 25.
