Southeast Kansas groups working to raise awareness of lead exposure
There’s a push underway to test more people for lead exposure in southeast Kansas, where there are high levels of contamination from past mining.
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team along with the University of Kansas Medical Center have created a lead exposure tool kit using federal grants.
The groups are working to educate people about the dangers of lead exposure. It’s especially dangerous for children as it can cause permanent brain damage.
Jody Love in Bourbon County is part of the project. She said mining waste known as chat is common in the area.
"There is a lot of feeling that elevated blood lead levels is not that big of a deal, she said. "They've got pictures of their relatives and grandparents playing in chat fields. And they survived, right? So it's kind of hard to fight that narrative right now."
The Montgomery County Health Department has also been offering tests in the community and out of about 60 recent screenings found five people with elevated lead levels.
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City looking for volunteers to plant trees at Clapp Park
The city of Wichita's forestry division is looking for people to help plant trees Friday at a south Wichita park.
From 9 a.m. to noon Friday, volunteers are needed to plant trees in Clapp Park, near Mount Vernon and South Bluff.
No experience is needed. Volunteers are advised to wear outdoor work clothes and bring work gloves. Bottled water will be provided.
The city wants to plant more than 40 trees in the park. It's part of an effort to enhance Wichita's tree canopy.
Turn in mail ballots soon
With less than a week until the midterm election, Sedgwick County election officials are encouraging voters with mail-in ballots to turn them in as soon as possible.
As of Wednesday morning, Sedgwick County reported that nearly 12,000 mail-in ballots have been returned out of about 22,000 that were sent out.
Election Day is Tuesday.
Voters can still return a ballot by mail, but officials say it's best to turn it in at one of 17 secure drop box locations.
You can also turn in a mail ballot at any polling site on Election Day.
New Chiefs stadium could host Final Four
The new Chiefs stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, is one of seven locations named as finalists to host an NCAA Men's Final Four as soon as 2032.
The NCAA announced Tuesday that seven cities are in the running to host one of five Final Fours between 2032 and 2036. Tournament officials said they will make a final decision in July.
The other potential host cities are Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Nashville.
The new Chiefs stadium will be built near the Kansas Speedway in Wyandotte County. It is scheduled to open in 2031.
Hamilton pushes back against vice president's comments
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton pushed back against Vice President J-D Vance during a campaign stop at Washburn University in Topeka on Wednesday.
The VP criticized Hamilton’s faith saying that he is not following Jesus or Moses from the Bible, but instead is following Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate minority leader.
The Leawood pastor questioned whether Vance’s political positions, including deportations targeting immigrant communities, align with Christian teachings.
"What I want to ask the vice president is, what gospels are you reading from?" Hamilton said. "Because I read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and I'm following that Jesus, and what he's standing for does not sound very much to me like the Jesus of the Gospels."
Hamilton is in a tight race with Republican Senator Roger Marshall.
Hamilton has worked to portray himself as a centrist Democrat and says he would not support Schumer for a leadership position if he’s elected.
FEMA money coming to Kansas
Federal officials have approved more than $3 million to help with disaster recovery in Kansas and surrounding states.
The money will help repair damaged roads, public buildings, utilities, and other infrastructure.
Some of the funding will also go toward projects designed to better protect communities when future disasters strike.
Midwest Energy in Kansas will receive nearly $740,000 to repair its electrical system. It was damaged when tornado-like winds tore through central Kansas in June, knocking down trees and powerlines.
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