After an activity of showers and thunderstorms to occur late Wednesday night through Thursday, a storm system is expected follow that with light to modest snow accumulations across the region Friday afternoon through night.

The greatest potential for at least a half inch of rain is primarily along and east of I-135.

This is according to the US National Weather Service, but there remains some uncertainty as the weather agency will refine forecast details the next few days.

Stay updated with local weather on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NWSWichita">US National Weather Service Wichita Kansas</a>&nbsp;Facebook page.

Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Chance of snow to occur Friday after upcoming showers and thunderstorms 

A Salina man voices violent threats at a elementary school staff member and police dispatcher via phone calls before arrest.

According to SPD on Tuesday at 12:30 pm, officers were dispatched to Sunset Elementary School for a man identified as Chad Everett (39), who reportedly threatened a school staff member.

Reportedly, Everett called the school and got in contact with a 29-year old male staff member. SPD stated Everett called the school to make a complaint about a parent.

Throughout the call, Everett suddenly became irate with the staff member and voiced threats of physical violence towards him. SPD stated there is no evidence of the staff member saying anything that would have angered Everett.

Afterwards, officers were contacted by the school and began to locate Everett as they arrived to his house. However, officers were unable to make contact with him.

Consequently, Everett then contacted SPD via phone and spoke with a dispatcher. As the dispatcher was trying to get him connected with an officer, Everett became angry and threatened to attack the dispatcher.

SPD stated Everett also voiced racial slurs at the dispatcher during the call.

Later that same day at around 9:00 pm, officers responded to a home in west Salina where Everett was located.

Officers made contact with Everett this time and took him into custody. As they were placing him in a police vehicle, Everett reportedly kicked the door and struck an officer. He was then booked into the Saline County Jail on the following requested charges:&nbsp;

Criminal Threat, Harassment by Telecommunication Device and Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer.

It was also determined that Everett was under the influence of alcohol.

Salina man voices violent threats at elementary school employee and police dispatcher via phone before arrest

The Project Salina Board invites Salina residents and businesses to support the annual Souper Bowl of Hope campaign, with a community goal of raising enough cash donations to purchase 60,000 cans of soup for local agencies.

The drive will run from Saturday, January 24&nbsp;through Saturday, February 7.

Volunteers will be on site collecting donations at all three Salina Dillons locations during the following dates and times:

January 24&nbsp;— 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm

January 31&nbsp;— 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm

February 7&nbsp;— 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm

While soup donations are appreciated, the Project Salina Board encourages cash donations, which offer greater flexibility and impact. 

A $30 cash donation can purchase up to 50 cans of soup when the need arises, while significantly reducing the transportation and storage demands placed on volunteers and board members.

Churches and businesses hosting their own collections and needing assistance with pickup of soup or cash donations may contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:souperbowlhopesalina@gmail.com">souperbowlhopesalina@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;, and a board member will coordinate a time to collect the donations.

Ways to donate cash to Souper Bowl of Hope

•Mail a check payable to Souper Bowl of Hope to: Souper Bowl of Hope, Attn: Kristina Litchman, PO Box 2861, Salina, KS 67402-2861

•Drop off cash or checks (payable to Souper Bowl of Hope) at Central National Bank, 454 S. Ohio (near Water’s True Value). Please label the envelope “Kristina Litchman, Souper Bowl” and include your name so your donation may be properly credited. Donations may be dropped off via drive-through or inside the bank.

•Donate cash or checks (payable to Souper Bowl of Hope) directly to volunteers at Dillon’s during the collection dates and times listed above.

The Project Salina Board thanks the community for its continued generosity. Donations support local agencies and help provide essential, nutritious food to families across Salina.&nbsp;

For questions regarding the Souper Bowl of Hope, please email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:souperbowlhopesalina@gmail.com">souperbowlhopesalina@gmail.com</a>

Project Salina encourages community support for 2026 Souper Bowl of Hope

Following is recent booking activity for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.salinecountyks.gov/Sheriff-Office/Online-search/Booking-Activities">Saline County Jail</a>, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Failure to appear

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Battery; Knowing/recklessly causing bodily harm; Disorderly conduct; Unknown circumstance; Criminal threat; Unknown circumstance; Harass by telecom device; Phone call with intent to abuse/threaten/harass

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Interfere w/ LEO; unknown circ; misd; Failure to appear; Outside warrant/NCIC hit

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving While Suspended; Driving while habitual violator

Saline County Jail Bookings, January 7

Salina Area Technical College is inviting businesses, talent acquisitions, employers and job recruiters to personally connect with students who are actively exploring career paths and eager to enter the workforce.

On&nbsp;February 26th, 2026 Salina Area Technical College (2562 Centennial Road) will be hosting a Career Fair from 8:30 am - 10:30 am, with Mock Interviews following&nbsp;from 11:30 am - 2:30 pm.

Connect face-to-face with Salina Tech students&nbsp;who are actively exploring career paths and eager to enter the workforce.&nbsp;

Employers are encouraged to participate in mock interviews - an opportunity to share real-world insight, help students sharpen their skills, and gain early access to top talent.

Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration closes at midnight on February 16th, 2026.

Click <a href="https://fs30.formsite.com/SalinaTech/form39/index">here</a> to register.

Salina Area Technical College inviting employers to level up hiring strategy at Spring Career Fair 

<a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 7 - January 9

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

Salina Post obituary policy (subject to change)

Salina Post understands the importance of honoring the deceased and welcomes all submissions of obituaries with a full summary of their life, survivors, services, website of the funeral home and a photo.

Salina Post accepts all obituaries&nbsp;free of charge (subject to change)&nbsp;and you can email all obituaries:&nbsp;<a href="https://newstips@salinapost.com/">newstips@salinapost.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com">nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com</a>&nbsp;and will be posted on the website within 24 business hours.

If you have an issue outside of business hours, if your obituary has not been published within 24 business hours, or if have any questions, please email:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://newstips@salinapost.com/">newstips@salinapost.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com">nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com</a>

Recent obituaries and service times, how to submit an obituary

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Saline County Commissioners have denied a proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to be established within county limits, after a 4-1 supermajority vote.

This follows after the Saline County Planning Commission&nbsp;voted 8-0 on November 25, 2025 to recommend the proposed project to be presented to County Commissioners.

The proposed BESS was slated to occupy a leased area of 15 acres, with the facility occupying less than 10 acres of the 40 acres of the subject parcel&nbsp;on the SW corner of&nbsp;McReynolds Road and Simpson Road, Section 28, Township 15, Range 2.

More specifically, the proposed location was about 2 miles west of Southeast of Saline High School and also near the Smoky Hill River.

In response,&nbsp;landowners within the required notification area submitted a valid protest petition signed by more than 20% of affected property owners, triggering an appeal under Saline County zoning regulations and requiring the matter to be heard by the County Commission.

The petitions received represented approximately 80 parcels, equivalent to more than 3,896 acres. This represents more than 31% of the total notification area of approximately 12,231.56 acres. 

The signatures of the petitions were received on December 9, less than a month after the planning commission's approval of recommendation.

In order for the proposed BESS to be denied, there needed to be a supermajority vote within the County Commissioners of either 4-1 or 5-0.

On Tuesday, January 6 County Commissioners voted 4-1 and therefore the denial was put in place.&nbsp;

Before the denial: Background of the BESS

This started in 2023 when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mountainpeakenergystorage.com/">Mountain Peak Energy Storage, LLC </a>&nbsp;submitted a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application, to request approval of a new Conditional Use Permit from Saline County to develop a 350-Megawatt (MW)/ 1400-Megawatt Hour (MWh) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) pursuant to the County’s BESS Ordinance.

The facility would function as a supplemental power for the grid during peak hours of power usage to reduce the possibility of blackouts during these periods.

The facility may also provide power during low-output phases of alternative energy sources.&nbsp;

The area the BESS would have been placed on, would be on agricultural land, which would prevent any sort of farming to occur there.

Moreover, no taxpayer dollars would be used for the construction of the BESS, as the applicant would have funded the project.

<a href="https://www.pluspower.com/">Plus Power</a>&nbsp;is the main company (out of Houston, TX) that develops, owns, and operates large-scale battery energy storage projects, such as the proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mountainpeakenergystorage.com/">Mountain Peak Energy Storage</a>&nbsp;facility or BESS.&nbsp;Mountain Peak Energy Storage is the name of the specific project Plus Power, which uses "Mountain Peak Energy Storage, LLC" as a project entity, but the parent company is Plus Power.

During the Saline County Planning Commission meeting on November 25th, Josh Svaty of Plus Power explained that this facility will store energy till it is needed at peak times to help lower electric bill costs and during outages. 

Christina Hoffman of Plus Power went over the application and regulations, letting the Planning Commission know they are abiding by all of the guidelines set forth, which the Planning Commission agreed the did before approving recommendation.

They provided a slide show presentation to help explain the project, the need for this kind of storage and how it meets the guidelines. They also proposed conditions they would like to be added or changed.

According to the Planning Commission, this project would have utilized state-of-the-art battery technology to store electric energy supplied from the Evergy Summit Substation (via the electrical grid) during periods of excess energy generation at times of low demand, allowing that energy to be redeployed to the grid during times of high demand or emergency needs, enhancing the reliability and stability of the regional grid and providing a tool to help manage delivery of energy to the residents of Saline County and the local region. 

Redeploying energy in this manner avoids using higher-cost energy generation during periods of high demand, reducing energy bills for Kansas consumers.

- Homeowners can store excess energy for later use, improving energy independence and managing utility bills.&nbsp;

-&nbsp;BESS supports grid balancing, peak shaving, and regulating frequency and voltage, enhancing grid reliability.&nbsp;

- BESS effectively stabilizes renewable energy sources like wind and solar, enabling continuous power even when conditions aren’t optimal for generation.&nbsp;

Concerns from the public and County Commissioners

Ever since the public was notified about the BESS in 2023, community members were not for the installation.

Some comments from the public and even those housed near the proposed facility raised concerns about safety, environmental impact, insurance, concerns on the "let it burn" approach, emergency response and how the county would benefit from it.&nbsp;

The "let it burn" approach is for when a lithium battery in the BESS catches on fire, and the only way to extinguish is it to literally, "let it burn."

On January 16, 2025, Moss Landing, CA had an incident where a fire broke out at Vistra’s 300-megawatt battery energy storage facility.&nbsp;The facility contained approximately 100,000 lithium-ion battery modules, of which about 55% were damaged in the incident. The fire continued until January 18 and experienced a flare-up on February 18.

Residents in the area reported of feeling ill after the incident. People voiced concerns that the fire polluted air, soil and water with dangerous toxins.

According to EPA,&nbsp;lithium-ion battery fires can produce hydrogen fluoride and other flammable or toxic gases.&nbsp;

There were no reported fatalities or major injuries after the incident.

Commissioners Joe Hay, Rodger Sparks, Annie Grevas and Monte Shadwick also voiced their concerns as well, as they voted against it, with the exception of Commissioner James Weese.

"If I got a hundred of my constituents that have said they do not want it, and I have had nobody except the people proposing it say they want it, you know those people voted me in to represent them and that is what I am going to do," said Hay. "I am going to follow what the people voted us in to do."

Shadwick was also concerned about the project and mentioned he could not recall a time where he overturned a recommendation from the planning commission, but this time he differed.

Sparks commented on the statement from the staff recommendation that said "Because Battery Energy Storage is a new use in unincorporated Saline County, and the technology is still in its infancy, there is nothing to compare it to that would lend staff to make a recommendation at this time,” which led him to not want to approve this project.

Grevas praised and appreciated the public for their comments and feedback from this proposal. She added that she leaned more toward not wanting to move forward with this project after the 20 minute executive session.

Weese also stated he had alot of concerns with this project as well. As a former firefighter, he was mostly concerned about fire safety. However, Weese voted in favor for the installation of the BESS.

Member of the Planning Commission, Paul Finnell shared data about the BESS with the Salina Post. 

Finnell presented data that accumulated 900 BESS installations, which only 4 of those had an incident in 2025 -&nbsp;(4/900)*100= 0.45% risk of a fire.

One of those incidents covered the Moss Landing fire.

A bar chart from the <a href="https://storagewiki.epri.com/index.php/BESS_Failure_Incident_Database">BESS Failure Incident Database</a>&nbsp;compared the number of failure incidents over time against the deployment of BESS.&nbsp;The chart showed the&nbsp;failure rate per cumulative deployed capacity from 2018 to 2024.&nbsp;

According to the chart, it showed the global installed capacity of BESS has dramatically increased over the last five years, and while failure incidents continue to occur, the overall rate of incidents has sharply decreased from 2018 to 2024 by 98%.

As a result of the denial, the proposed project may not proceed under the submitted application. The applicant of the BESS however, may now file a new conditional use permit after one year.

You can find more information about the appeal and CUP 25-09 proposal at the Saline County Commission January 6, 2026 agenda <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=76b8cb4a-9834-4595-94f5-b4244edba56e&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;lang=English">here</a>.

Access denied: Saline Co. Commissioners deny proposal of Battery Energy Storage System installment

Saline County Emergency Management is encouraging all local Houses of Worship leaders to attend a training to prepare and recover from an&nbsp;active shooter situation.

These training sessions will be hosted by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansastag.gov/">Kansas Division of Emergency Management</a>, as two webinars will be held in January.

Active&nbsp;Shooter, Houses of Worship Webinar will be held on&nbsp;January 15, 2026 from 2:00 pm—3:00 pm.

Houses of Worship are often considered a soft target for active shooter incidents.

While congregations want to be open and practice hospitality to all, there is also a need to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

In this training, areas of focus are on why Houses of Worship need to prepare, warning signs of known individuals, and how radical hospitality may play a role in deterring an active shooter incident. The Run-Hide-Fight method is discussed in terms of individual responses.

To register go to:<a href="https://www.train.org/main/welcome"> KS-TRAIN</a>

Those that do not have a user account on KS-TRAIN and do not wish to have one can use the <a href="https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/b8e90e19f7b545399bae41096430cfbe">alternate registration link</a>.

Active&nbsp;Shooter Recovery, Houses of Worship Webinar will be held on&nbsp;January 22, 2026 from 2:00 pm—3:00 pm.

Recovery is a continuous process that occurs over short and long-term incremental phases.

Following an incident, the message that your congregations portray will be a powerful indication of who you are. Recovery is a process – don’t rush it!

To register go to: <a href="https://www.train.org/main/welcome">KS-TRAIN</a>

Those that do not have a user account on KS-TRAIN and do not wish to have one can use the <a href="https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/2b79b587ac69484f9cb327b5a9af0566">alternate registration link</a>.

Saline Co. Emergency Management encouraging all local Houses of Worship leaders to attend active shooter training

To honor the retirement of City Attorney Greg Bengtson, the City of Salina will holding a reception for his 40 years of service.

On&nbsp;Friday, January 30&nbsp;from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at Tony’s Pizza Event Center (TPEC), Great Plains Conference Center (800 The Midway), the reception will be held.

<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/39da1c7a-c38e-4610-9e60-2356a8d7d91b">Bengtson announced his retirement</a> from being an attorney for the City of Salina in October 2025.

As announced by City Manager Jacob Wood, Bengtson will not be fully retiring, but is planning to slow down his practice and the firm’s work for the City of Salina. As part of the transition, the role will be&nbsp;shared among other municipal attorneys within the Clark, Mize, &amp; Linville (CML) firm.&nbsp;

On December 19, 2025 the City of Salina appointed&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/148642ee-e940-48f7-93ef-a7f3354c2c12">Patrick Hoffman</a> as a full-time, in-house City Attorney.

Reception honoring former City Attorney for 40 years of service to be held at TPEC 

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 5 - January 7

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 2 - January 4

Three day weather forecast Salina: New Years Eve & Day, Jan 2.

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 29 - New Years Eve

As Sunday's heavy snow activity has ended in Salina, light snow is expected to continue throughout central Kansas

Original:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/b3728be6-8a12-4850-9531-978104a03ede">Be vigilant: Activity of snow has arrived throughout central Kansas</a>

According to the US National Weather Service, moderate to heavy snow has quickly come to an end, and only pockets of light snow are expected over the next couple of hours throughout the region. 

Even with road conditions improving quickly, continue to exercise caution as roads could be slick through tonight.

Areas of snow will remain through the late afternoon for locations generally along and just southeast of the Kansas Turnpike with little if any accumulation anticipated.

  Some locations may see visibility reduced to less than 3 miles at times.  There maybe a few slick spots on bridges and overpasses.

Salina is under a wind advisory until 6:00 pm Sunday.

The Emergency&nbsp;Accident Reporting Plan the Salina Police Department issued earlier on Sunday has been cancelled as well.

Monday's weather in Salina is expected to have a morning wind chill in the single digits to around zero. Afternoon highs are forecasted to be in the low 30s.

&nbsp;For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

UPDATE: Heavy snow ends in Salina, pockets of light snow expected throughout central Kansas

Be aware, take precaution on the roads and prepare, as a fast band of snow has worked its way quickly through Salina and central Kansas.&nbsp;

According to the US National Weather Service, snow will combine with strong winds to reduced visibility to less than a mile at times. Those traveling along I-70 should expect rapid reductions in visibility as they head west.

Those traveling between Wichita and Salina need to be prepared for rapidly deteriorating conditions along I-135 and surrounding roadways. Slick spots on elevated surfaces and visibility under 1/2 mile are anticipated.

The National Weather Service expects the snow to continue until 3:00 pm on Sunday.&nbsp;

Moreover, a cold front will move across the area bringing strong northwest winds. Wind gusts in the 45 to 55 mph range will be common across the region.

Be sure to secure any loose outdoor items.

Salina has been issued to be under a wind advisory until 6:00 pm on Sunday.

SPD implements Emergency Accident Reporting Plan

The Salina Police Department has announced that the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan has been implemented due to severe weather and/or hazardous driving conditions, as the number of motor vehicle accidents exceeds the Department’s ability to respond in a timely manner.

Any non-hit and run, non-personal injury motor vehicle accident that does not require towing, and does not involve alcohol or drugs.

 Exchange personal information with the other driver(s) involved or property owner. 

Complete an Emergency Accident Reporting Plan accident report form as completely as possible and mail or deliver the completed report to the Salina Police Department within 48 hours.

Emergency Accident Reporting Plan forms are available at the Salina Police Department. They are also available online <a href="https://www.salina-ks.gov/media/Police%20Department%20doc/Downloadable%20Forms/Emergency_Accident_Report.pdf">here</a>.

On Monday, it is expected Salina to have a morning wind chill in the single digits to around zero. Afternoon highs on Monday are forecasted to be in the low 30s.

Visit this article periodically to view updates if the snow will continue past 3:00 pm today.

Be vigilant: Activity of snow has arrived throughout central Kansas

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check fo

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 26 - December 28

With Salina under a Dense Fog Advisory until noon on Christmas Eve, the US National Weather Service is advising the public to be cautious on the roads.

Visibility on Wednesday morning has dropped rapidly in many locations across central Kansas, with less than 1/4 of a mile of visibility range.

Dense fog will gradually dissipate from south to north by around midday on Wednesday, with more dense fog developing again this evening and tonight.

The&nbsp;US National Weather Service advises the public to slow down when traveling, and use low beam headlights.

Dense fog advisory for Christmas Eve in central Kansas, US National Weather Service cautions public

Christmas Eve & Day, Dec. 26 Salina weather forecast

OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.&nbsp;

Just before 3a.m. Jan. 5, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Corporal conducted a traffic stop at 8th and Western Heights in Overbrook for a traffic violation, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells.

During the stop, illegal narcotics were located. Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility.

Mariah D. Hall, 19, of Lawrence is being held on requested charges of Driving while under the influence, Possession of THC, No proof of liability insurance, Driving without a driver's license and Transporting an open container.

Mondezz T. McGruder-Proctor, 19, of Lawrence is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of a controlled substance, Possession of THC, Criminal use of a firearm and Possession of a firearm while under the influence.

Sheriff: Kansas woman accused of DUI and transporting THC

A bill mandates school districts create policies restricting cell phone use during school hours

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas legislators will pursue a statewide school cell phone ban, superseding the state education board’s past directives to allow local districts to deal with cell phones as they see fit.

The initiative already has the support of two-thirds of the Senate, according to a joint announcement from Sens. Chase Blasi, an Andale Republican, and Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat.

If passed into law,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb302/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 302</a>&nbsp;would require each local school board and nonpublic school’s governing authority to create policies dictating student cell phone use during instructional time by Sept. 1.

The bill establishes a bell-to-bell mandate, requiring students to power off and store any personal electronic communication devices, and it forces districts to create disciplinary actions and enforcement procedures for any violations. It also allows districts to limit or prohibit cell phone usage during school-sponsored activities that take place outside of normal school hours.

The bill will be a “high priority,” the Tuesday announcement said. It was filed less than a week before the start of the 2026 legislative session.

“Phone-free schools give students space to think, build authentic human relationships and protect student mental health from constant digital pressure,” Blasi said. “The longer phones stay in classrooms, the harder it becomes to undo the damage.”

If the legislation becomes law, it would override local boards’ existing policies if incongruous with the state’s mandates. It also could bolster the Kansas State Board of Education’s previous guidance.

The board unanimously&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/12/13/kansas-board-of-education-accepts-policy-report-recommending-phone-bans-sends-to-local-districts/">approved a list of recommendations in December 2024</a>&nbsp;that encouraged districts to adopt bell-to-bell policies that mandate K-12 students’ personal cell phones be powered off from the beginning of the school day to the end, including during lunch and passing periods, and stored in an off-limits location. The recommendations highlighted a need for greater mental health support and parental oversight.

A student can use a device if it is necessary for an education or specialized instruction program or if a doctor deems it medically necessary to support a student’s health and well-being. Students are allowed to contact their parents or guardians through a school telephone, according to the bill’s text.

Sykes said the legislation helps strengthen Kansas schools and teachers.

“Studies show that classrooms without phones have more engaged students leading to face-to-face conversations, stronger peer relationships, safer school environments and better academic outcomes,” she said.

Teachers are not prohibited from using personal communication devices at school, but the bill does require new policies banning school employees “from privately or directly communicating with any student via a social media platform for official school purposes.” A school board or nonpublic school authority can approve a social media platform to be used for official school purposes, the bill said. Private, direct communications are not encompassed in “official school purposes.”

Carrie Rahfaldt, a spokesperson for House Speaker Dan Hawkins, said he is supportive of the legislation. Denise Kahler, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Education, said the state school board had yet to take a position on the proposed ban.

Kansas lawmakers want statewide K-12 cell phone ban by next school year

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged road rage shooting in Kansas City.

Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting on southbound 71 Highway and Blue River Road, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

First responders located a vehicle stopped on the side of the highway and a woman asking for help. At that time, officers observed an adult male victim, unresponsive inside of the vehicle suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. EMS responded to the scene and pronounce the man deceased at that scene.

Preliminary information indicates this may be a road rage incident. It is believed two unidentified men were occupying an unknown vehicle when shots were fired, striking the victim. It is not currently known where the start of the altercation began, and where exactly the shooting occurred. We do not currently have any subjects of interest, or a suspect vehicle identified.

Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the area to begin collecting any evidence and to speak with witnesses. This incident is being investigated as a homicide, according to Officer Gonzalez.

71 Highway was closed off to all southbound traffic at 85th Street while police investigate.

If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

Police: Deadly road-rage shooting in Kansas City

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The former WaKeeney police chief has pleaded not guilty to charges&nbsp;of mistreatment of a suspect and two counts of battery.

Michael Allen Romero was put on administrative leave in March and ultimately removed as police chief.

Romero appeared in court on Tuesday in front of District Judge Tom Drees for a status conference on his case.

On Jan. 19, 2025, Romero allegedly battered Steven&nbsp;Michael Balock.

Balock was facing charges of mistreatment of an animal and interference with a law enforcement officer. Both charges were dropped by the prosecutor, according to court records.

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