KS - February 7 2025

1. Winter Storm System Brings Snow, Freezing Rain to Kansas Next Week
2. Woman Arrested in Super Bowl Reporter's Death
3. Wichita Voters to Decide $450M School Bond
4. Bipartisan Bill Targets Kansas Tornado Siren Issues
5. Kansas Senate Efficiency Website, ‘COGE’, Crashes

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1. Winter Storm System Brings Snow, Freezing Rain to Kansas Next Week

Residents across Kansas should prepare for a mix of winter hazards over the coming days, according to combined NOAA forecasts from Wichita and Topeka. Light freezing drizzle is possible tonight near the Nebraska border along Highway 36, creating slick spots on untreated roads, while areas of fog could develop early Saturday morning—mainly in central and south central parts of the state. Early next week brings two rounds of accumulating snow: the first arriving late Monday into Tuesday, followed by a second on Wednesday, which currently appears to pose a greater risk for heavier snowfall. Confidence is growing that most of the region will see measurable accumulations. In addition, dangerous wind chills around 10 below zero are possible on Wednesday and Thursday mornings in central Kansas.

2. Woman Arrested in Super Bowl Reporter's Death

An arrest has been made in connection with the death of a sports reporter while in New Orleans to cover Super Bowl 59. Kenner, Louisiana, police say that they have arrested Danette Colbert, of nearby Slidell, after Adan Manzano was found unresponsive in his Kenner Comfort Suites hotel room. A former Topeka resident, Manzano's death falls a year after his wife Ashleigh LeeAnn Boyd Manzano died in a car accident. She was a second-grade teacher at Lowman Hill Elementary School. According to authorities, Colbert was using a credit card belonging to Manzano at several shops in the New Orleans area. Colbert was also seen on video at the hotel showing her with Manzano on Wednesday and leaving the room alone later in the morning. Colbert has not been charged with his death but was booked on property crimes, including fraud and theft-related offenses. Police said that Colbert has been arrested before and accused of drugging men, stealing cash, fraudulent use of credit and debit cards, and other financial-related crimes.

Article Source: Topeka Capitol-Journal

3. Wichita Voters to Decide $450M School Bond

Wichita Public Schools voters will decide this month whether to support a $450 million bond issue that would rebuild, consolidate and close schools throughout the city. The bond issue would pay to rebuild seven elementary and middle schools, close four elementary schools, convert two elementary schools to K-8 buildings and consolidate alternative school programs, among a number of other items aimed at increasing efficiency for maintaining buildings under a “newer and fewer” school master plan adopted by the school board in 2024.

Article Source: Wichita Eagle

4. Bipartisan Bill Targets Kansas Tornado Siren Issues

A U.S. congresswoman from Kansas is working on a bipartisan bill to modernize our emergency alert systems. The WARN Act is coming up ahead of the next severe weather season, prompted by emergency alert siren failures last year in several Kansas counties, including Sedgwick County and the Wichita area. This week, Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) introduced the WARN Act this week withe Rep. Nicholas Langworth (R-New York). The issue surrounding inconsistent storm alerts is one that Kansans know all too well. Across the state, there are times when tornado sirens go off when they’re not supposed to. Other times, they don’t go off when they should. Sometimes they’re not loud enough.

Article Source: KWCH

5. Kansas Senate Efficiency Website, ‘COGE’, Crashes

The Kansas Senate’s new committee on government efficiency (COGE) closed a state website on Thursday. The legislature set up COGE to look at state government processes and find ways to reduce spending. Kansans can share their ideas for a more efficient government through an online form. The form opened on January 31, and 600 responses were received in a week. But, overnight, people got wind of the form, and so many people tried to give their input that it shut the website down. On Thursday, Republican Senator Michael Murphy, vice-chair of COGE, reassured Kansans. He said he won’t make big changes to the government immediately. Murphy said they will use audits to suggest money-saving ideas to the legislature.

Article Source: KWCH

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Sources

2. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2025/02/07/woman-arrested-connection-reporter-death-covering-super-bowl/78332323007/

3. https://www.kansas.com/news/local/education/article299267054.html

4. https://www.kwch.com/2025/02/07/kansas-tornado-siren-failures-prompt-bipartisan-bill-improve-emergency-alerts/

5. https://www.kwch.com/2025/02/07/kansas-government-efficiency-form-overwhelmed-shuts-down-after-public-floods-input-form/?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=organicclicks&tbref=hp