Urban League holds 2026 State of Black Kansas event
The Urban League of Kansas held its 2026 State of Black Kansas event in Wichita on Thursday.
Panelist Kaye Monk Morgan's subject was civic engagement. She suggested the community democratize the word "leader" and recognize those who are doing acts like providing groceries for seniors or signing people up to vote.
"How do we name that as an act of leadership, so that they feel included — not because we’ve done anything magnanimous, but that we just recognize that what you have to give has value as much as what any one of us might be able to give," she said.
Business owner Samuel Thompson said he received several takeaways from the event.
“One of my few favorite things that was said is, 'Nobody is coming to save us, and it takes each individual to help the collective be that much better,'" he said.
A State of Black Kansas report will be developed next year.
WSU to hold memorial for 1970 plane crash
Wichita State will hold its annual memorial ceremony Friday to honor the WSU football players, administrators and supporters who died in a plane crash in Colorado in 1970.
The ceremony is 9 a.m. Friday near the memorial statue at the university entrance on Hillside and Memorial Drive.
A reception will be held following the ceremony in the lobby of the Duerksen Fine Arts Center.
Thirty-one people died in the crash, which occurred while members of the Wichita State football program were traveling to Logan, Utah, for a game against Utah State.
Grant will fund apprenticeships for special-ed teachers
Kansas will receive a $4.5 million grant from the federal government to expand apprenticeships for special education teachers.
The apprenticeships combine training with mentorship and on-the-job experience.
The Kansas State Department of Education says expanding those apprenticeships will help fill special education positions across the state. As of spring 2026, Kansas had about 361 vacancies in special education.
Grant money will be spread out across the next five years and will fund up to 291 apprenticeships. The funds will help cover tuition, fees, books and licensure exams.
Presale for 2027 NCAA opening round tickets is underway
Presale tickets became available Thursday for the opening round of next year's NCAA men's basketball tournament in Wichita.
The NCAA announced earlier this year that Wichita and Dayton, Ohio, will host opening round play-in games the next two years.
Games will be played at Intrust Bank Arena. A presale for all-session tickets began at 11 a.m. Thursday.
To get tickets, you must navigate to Intrust Bank Arena's Ticketmaster website and use the presale code "INTRUST 27."
Tickets go on sale to the public Monday. The games are March 16-17 of 2027.
Get ready for some tall tales at Kansas Storytelling Festival
Wichita residents who are well-versed in hogwash and exaggeration have a chance to compete for a state storytelling title on Saturday.
The Kansas Storytelling Festival will hold its quarterfinals at the Mid-America All Indian Museum in Wichita.
Competitors get five to seven minutes to tell their best exaggerated story. The winner will get to spin their tall tale at the state finals next spring.
Mike Nyhoff is a Kansas Master Storyteller who has won the event three times. He said the key to telling a tall tale is to use your imagination.
“What would be the most extraordinary thing that could happen to your character, and then just take it forward," he said. "And finding that conclusion is sometimes the hardest part."
People can still sign up to compete. For more information, visit kansasstorytellingfestival.com.
Alex Red Corn named president of Haskell University
This week, the Federal Bureau of Indian Education named Alex Red Corn as the new president of Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence.
Red Corn is a member of the Osage Nation who grew up in Oklahoma and Kansas.
He has led indigenous education programs at both Kansas State University and the University of Kansas.
Red Corn will now lead Haskell, which is overseen by the federal government.
In 2025, the Trump administration fired 35 employees at Haskell as part of sweeping federal layoffs.
Red Corn said the school is increasingly turning to outside funding sources.
“We have been moving forward with posting a lot of positions and trying to look at what we have strategically, and again (going) through external funding as well to repopulate our needs," he said.
Haskell serves American Indians and Alaska Natives from 140 federally recognized tribes.
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